Looking Like Jesus

Has anyone here ever been to the Lincoln park zoo in Chicago?

Our family went a couple weeks ago, and I did not know this at the time when we are there but there is an animal that has been in the new recently.

His name is Amare and he is a 415 pound Gorila,

And he is a 16 year old Gorilla, However there is somthing that has made him get some attention this past year.

It all started when the zoo started to notice Amare coming down to the glass where the people were and he would stay there for long periods of time

And while he was there the zoo keepers began to notice that the guest were taking out there phones to show him pictures and videos of himself, there kids, and otherthings

Amare even loved selfies!

And this sounds adorable right? But it actually began to cause some issues because they believe Amare (this teenage gorilla has actually become addicted to cell phones).

In fact the zookeepers have noticed that he since they have started noticing this he has become more antisocial and has even been social cues from other gorillas, because he has been busy looking at the phone.

At one instance another teenage gorilla actually charged Amare because he was on the phone not paying attention.

But you know while that story is kind of silly it does raise this question of there are things that have the ability to shape us right?

I mean if a phone shapes a gorilla it probably can shape us.

But even past our phones, really there positive and negative things that can speak into our life and shape us.

And really we need to ask ourselves in our lives what are the things that shape me.

And are they shaping me into who Christ is calling me to be?

And really if you were with us last week like I mentioned we began this new series called “Overflow”

And really we have been looking at this letter written by a leader in the early church named James.

And James in this letter is writing to a church explaining how their faith should be the thing that shapes them the most in their life.

And throughout the letter he telling them how their faith should really be overflowing and spilling out to the rest of their life.

And last week we looked at how our faith can spill out to the times where we face trials or issues

And this week we are looking at how our faith can spill out in moments of anger

So we are in James 1:19-27 and we are just going to be starting in verse 19.

And look what it says because this is a short but really packed first verse. James says this:

James 1:19 (NIV)

Listening and Doing

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

So look at what this verse says because James is getting ready to talk about our-lives and anger and in just one verse he gives us 3 pieces of advice

He first says be quick to listen!

How many of us like to listen-

I am not someone who likes to listen, because I am a doer, but whats amazing is James says we need to be a people who before anything are listening.

There was this one couple I know and they were awsome, but they would always tell me that the majority of their fights happen from their hearing aids being turned off or they were not on high enough.

But you know with all seriousness when we are not listening at all or not listening well it opens the door for conflict in a relationship.

And really we need to be a people who are listening to God, but also listening to our neighbor.

And a lot of times as Christians we might listen to God, but we do not do the best at listening to our neighbor.

And when we listen to our neighbor it does a few things:

Firstly iit helps us know there actual thoughts on something right?

If we are jumping to conclusions we probably are not jumping to the right conclusins

But it also does something where it huminizes the people that we might disagree with and even get really frustrated with.

I mean when you are driving in traffic its easy to scream and honk and just chew them out. Right?!

Because you know nothing about the person.

They are the person who cut you off

But when you learn the persons situation, you learn that they were actually speeding because they were getting their kid to the hospital.

And I recognize that a lot of times people do just do wrong things.

But really larger then traffic, I want to be a person who listens to the stories of the people who might make me angry.

Because we live in a polerizing culture.

But what if we humanized the people that so we get angry and listened to their stories.

Can I just say I really believe that alone would resolve a lot of conflict and anger in our world.

Whether its from an issue with our neighbor or a worldwide issue

I mean we need to be a people that listen.

And going a long with this James tell them be slow to speak. In fact I am going to jump to to verse 26 but James even says

James 1:26 (NIV)

26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

You know in moments of anger, it is so easy to just want to start going off on someone. But the issue in the things we say have the ability to speak life, but they also have the ability to speak destuction.

And so James is saying you know when you are angry, you really need to let it process before you let it loose.

Because once things are said they cannot comeback.

And there is more part because in verses 19 that we read it says be quick to listen, slow to speak and what?

Slow to anger.

Now I want you to notice that it does not say do not get angry.

It says be slow to anger

Because there are times where anger is justified and even nesacary,

but look at the next verse because James realizes anger can control us, but we are called to be a people who have control over our anger.

Look at verse 20-21

It says this:

James 1:20–21 NIV

20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

You know James recognizes that when we get easily angry over things that are not big it does not bring us closer to God.

And this is really logical right because when you are angry you often times do not feel that close to God right?

But really look at verse 21 because it tells us what to do about this:

Because it tells us to clear out all the moral filth and evil and accept the word of God.

You know really its saying in our life in order to make anger an okay thing we need to clear out all the stuff in our life that tends to turn anger into something toxic.

Its almost like if anyone here is a crab fan ( I am from Maryland so I am) but when you are eating a crab you do not eat the whole thing right?

Why? because it will hurt your stomach and make you feel pretty sick.

You take out the toxic parts and eat the good stuff right?

And really with our anger there are parts that are causing sickness

And in fact after this passage says to get rid of the toxicness it says toi accept God’s word.

Basically get rid of the toxicness and alow God’s life giving word to enter our hearts.

Because God can use anger.

We see times in Jesus’s ministry where he was angry

We see times in the Old Testement where it says God is angry

But heres the thing, because the anger in our life should match the things that might get God angry.

I always say this but we want our hearts to be aligned with the heart of God

Where when His heart breaks, ours does to

When He is loving we are too.

When He is angry, we might get angry

Because the truth is there are things that we should get angry about.

We should be angry when a child is abused

We should be angry when a person uses abuses and uses the name of God to get what they want.

And we can use our anger as a tool rather then letting anger control us.

And look what James says in the following verses because He says this in verses 22-24 because James explains what so many Christians do when it comes to anger and so many other areas in our life.

It says:

James 1:22–24 NIV

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

So James says when God’s word and really the Holy Spirit is in us and we are in a relationship with Christ, we should be living in a way that reflects that right?

And I love the illustration that James uses because He says when we are not letting God be the thing that shapes us we are like a person who looks at their reflection and walks aways forgetting what they look like.

And I know I have used this illustration a few times, but really James is saying we are supposed to be a people who reflect Jesus to the world!

But so often we reflect this image of Him that is distorted.

I mean have you ever been in a fun house?

Liam and I were a few weeks ago at the fair

And guess what I did not look the best.

But heres the issue when we are living a life that is different then how Christ calls us we are distorting what Christ looks like to others.

And not only that but we are forgetting our identity that should drastically impact every area of our life.

And this morning as we get ready to close I feel like it is possible that for some of us the image of our God, does not match the way we are living.

Maybe anger is our area, maybe we need to learn how to listen better, maybe we need to speak slower, but what would it look like to stop letting things in our life distort the image of God in our life.

And let me close with this because i believe that God wants to overflow into every area of our life this morning.

And it is so easy to say how do I do this.

How do I let Him take control?

And I have ended a few services this way but there is good news here and then there is not so good news.

Which do you want first?

Ill do bad first.

The bad news is that if you are thinking I want to overcome this anger that is controling me or whatever issue, but I cant.

That person did this wrong and I want to get back

You are right. You cannot do it.

But are you ready for the good news?

God can.

And this morning we are closing by receiving communion together and you know communion is a great way for us to recognize God’s grace in our life,

But it is also something that the early church would receive together.

And there was really this unifying aspect to it.

And I was thinking about the unity part because so often anger that controls us (not anger as God designed it) but our anger causes disunity.

And maybe as we are closing you can think of an area where you have let anger cause an issue in your life.

Maybe it has created disunity in your family

Maybe there is just someone at work who drove you crazy and you were quick to speak and slow to listen.

Maybe its even possible you need to talk with someone in this room.

What would it look like to reconcile this morning, because while sin can distort, God’s grace can mend that relationship.

And it is so important because Jesus even tells his disciples this in Matthew 5:23-24

Matthew 5:23–24 NIV

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

While you are sitting in your seat as we play this next song I want you to hold the communion packet. (you can grab in from the seat) (it has the bread and the juice).

And I want you to reflect.

Is there a text you need to send during this song saying “Hey can we talk”

Maybe its someone in this room that you need to talk with.

I believe we have a God who can bring healing to that area.

Because whether you are in the wrong or the person is communion shows us that Jesus is extending Grace to you and that person and that Grace can heal.

And so let me pray for us and then after this song we will receive communion together