“When Worship Turns to War” – Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.
What a beautiful picture! As we gaze into the mirror of God’s Word at the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed into the very image of Jesus!
SOMETIMES the mirror is positive showing us who we are, and what we can become through the Spirit of God, “…from glory to glory.”
HOWEVER, sometimes the Word of God shows us who we are WITHOUT Christ!
Today’s message falls into the latter category…
Sinful human nature has a bent towards CONFLICT!
But humans are born for trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time.
Unfortunately, this conflict also spills over into the church!
Q: “Why?” If there were ever a place that should lack conflict, it should be the Church of Jesus Christ.
Shouldn’t we, who have received, and have experienced God’s amazing grace be the most gracious people on the planet?
The OBVIOUS answer is YES, but there is a very POWERFUL answer as to why this preferred reality will not happen—why there will always be conflict in the Church!
And it has to do with the very NATURE of the visible church!
Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.
For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.
Indeed, it is necessary that there be factions among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you.
There will ALWAYS be “divisions among you […] factions among you,” because not everyone in the Church is “approved” (CSB, NASB) (“genuine among you” ESV)!
Just because something is difficult to accept, doesn’t mean it’s not true. Not everyone in the church is the genuine article!
Do you remember Paul’s warning to the Elders of Ephesus?
Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood.
I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them.
Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears.
He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left.
When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared.
The landowner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’
“ ‘An enemy did this,’ he told them. “ ‘So, do you want us to go and pull them up?’ the servants asked him.
“ ‘No,’ he said. ‘When you pull up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them.
Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but collect the wheat in my barn.’ ”
The “weeds” (“tares” in most translations) looked like wheat, only they had no fruit!
Q: Why can’t the two groups get along?
A: Because the true wheat—those who are born again desire to produce “much fruit!”
The “weeds/tares” are not interested in fruit at all—in fact, they will do whatever they can to keep the church from growing and bearing fruit!
Q: Why? Why don’t they want the church to grow?
A: Because they don’t want to be exposed!
· If NO ONE is bearing fruit, then you can’t tell the weeds from the wheat!
· However, when the church is growing—when people are getting saved; and lives are being changed; when men, women, young people begin walking with God, those that are NOT, are uncomfortable!
Let’s take a TEST: (1 Timothy 1:18) – Remember, it is a fight, but it’s a “…good fight!”
Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the good fight,
It’s a continuous conflict that requires commitment on the part of true “wheat,” but it’s “good”—it’s worth it!
Here’s the test:
This is good, and it pleases God our Savior,
who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
What about you? Is that your desire as well? To have “…everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth?”
Your RESPONSE reveals your HEART!
When someone new comes to church, do you rejoice? Do you praise God He is building His kingdom? OR, are you threatened by them? Are you cold and indifferent to them? Do you glare at them for sitting in your seat?
Are we here to maintain some sort of a religious club or is our purpose to be used by Jesus to build His Church—to be used by God to fulfill the prayer Jesus taught us to pray, “…Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven!”
As DIFFICULT as it is to admit, not everyone is on board with that purpose!
The landowner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’
“ ‘An enemy did this,’ he told them. “ ‘So, do you want us to go and pull them up?’ the servants asked him.
“ ‘No,’ he said. ‘When you pull up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them.
Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but collect the wheat in my barn.’ ”
“An enemy did this…”
And according to Jesus, we are NOT to run around plucking up folks that we think are not the real deal! Instead, we are to trust in the Lord’s instructions in this regard.
All this to say, Yes, there will always be conflicts in the Church!
While we cannot PREVENT conflicts from arising, we can know how to Biblically deal with them!
REMEMBER the connection between James 3 and James 4! – (James 3:18-4:1). The ISSUE is will we live by the world’s wisdom, or by God’s wisdom?
IN PART ONE, we saw…
I. The CAUSE of CONFLICT in the CHURCH – (4:1)
I. The CAUSE of CONFLICT in the CHURCH – (4:1)
“…your passions” “…desires for pleasure” – Greek, “ἡδονῶν” (we get the English, “hedonism”)
II. The CHARACTERISTICS of CONFLICT in the CHURCH – (4:2-3)
II. The CHARACTERISTICS of CONFLICT in the CHURCH – (4:2-3)
There are THREE characteristics of conflict among God’s people:
A. Unsatisfied Pleasure – (v.2a) – “You desire and do not have…”
A. Unsatisfied Pleasure – (v.2a) – “You desire and do not have…”
B. Uncontrolled Passion – (v.2c) – “You covet and cannot obtain…”
B. Uncontrolled Passion – (v.2c) – “You covet and cannot obtain…”
C. Unanswered Prayer – (v.3)
C. Unanswered Prayer – (v.3)
1. The PRACTICE of Prayer is FUTILE – (v.3a) - “You ask and don’t receive…”
1. The PRACTICE of Prayer is FUTILE – (v.3a) - “You ask and don’t receive…”
2. The MOTIVE for Prayer is SELFISH DESIRES – (v.3b)– “…because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”
2. The MOTIVE for Prayer is SELFISH DESIRES – (v.3b)– “…because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”
III. The CONDEMNATION of CONFLICT in the CHURCH – (4:4-5)
III. The CONDEMNATION of CONFLICT in the CHURCH – (4:4-5)
(v.4a) – “You adulterous people!”– UNFAITHFUL!
I wish you would put up with a little foolishness from me. Yes, do put up with me!
For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, because I have promised you in marriage to one husband—to present a pure virgin to Christ.
But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
We marry someone because we love them so much we make a commitment to be true to them “…till death do you part.”
When you received Christ, you became engaged, or more strongly, espoused to Him!
When you live according to the wisdom of the world (in pursuit of pleasure), you are committing spiritual adultery!
TWO reasons this is true:
A. Friendship with the World DESTROYS Our Fellowship with God – (v.4b)
A. Friendship with the World DESTROYS Our Fellowship with God – (v.4b)
We are at a place of “hostility toward God”and have become His “enemy!”
No servant can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
You must choose!
B. Friendship with the World DENIES Our Faith in God’s Word – (v.5)
B. Friendship with the World DENIES Our Faith in God’s Word – (v.5)
One problem with (v.5)is that no one knows what verse James is quoting! However, the principle is certainly taught: (Exodus 34:14) (Deuteronomy 6:15)
The POINT: In the context of the language of an “adulterous people,” the message is equally blunt: “You cannot be engaged to Christ and in bed with the world at the same time!”
IV. The CURE for CONFLICT in the CHURCH – (4:6)
IV. The CURE for CONFLICT in the CHURCH – (4:6)
Q: How do we overcome the “quarrels and […] fights” among you?
A: According to Jacob, the cure is found in understanding the GRACE of God!
The believer is NOT left to the cycle of unsatisfied pleasures, uncontrolled passions, and unanswered prayers! He or she does not have to be an enemy of God and a spiritual adulterer!
The SAME GRACE that initiates into fellowship with God can SUSTAIN that fellowship despite the pressures of the world!
(v.6) – The CONSISTENT MESSAGE of the NT is that God’s grace is available for our deepest needs!
Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.
So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God.
The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more
so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
That’s what makes Jesus Christ the Good News!
No matter what you have done in the past, “…grace multiplied even more!”
CONCLUSION to Part Two:
CONCLUSION to Part Two:
Let’s tie it all together…
Since, as the saying, “Inspiration without expression leads to depression!” is so very true, let’s look at one more passage that demonstrates how God’s grace can cure conflict in the church:
Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.
Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Because God forgives us COMPLETELY, we can now completely forgive others!