Sermon Tone Analysis

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!

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!

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?

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!”

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:

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!

“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)

“…your passions” “…desires for pleasure” – Greek, “ἡδονῶν” (we get the English, “hedonism”)

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…”

B. Uncontrolled Passion – (v.2c) – “You covet and cannot obtain…”

C. Unanswered Prayer – (v.3)

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.”

III.

The CONDEMNATION of CONFLICT in the CHURCH – (4:4-5)

(v.4a) – “You adulterous people!”– UNFAITHFUL!

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)

We are at a place of “hostility toward God”and have become His “enemy!”

You must choose!

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)

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!

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:

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:

Because God forgives us COMPLETELY, we can now completely forgive others!