MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK SERIES
THE SANCTIFICATION MIRROR
JAMES 1:21-27
#JAMESatCCC
THE HUGE IDEA: SANCTIFICATION
We use certain words in church that sometimes we don’t necessarily use anywhere else. For example:
AMEN
“Amen” is used 57 times in the Old and New Testament. It happens to be the last word in the Bible (Revelation 22:21). Other than referencing an old TV show from the 1970s, “amen” is not a word used outside of church circles. What does it mean? Why is it at the end of a prayer all the time?
Amen, like “aloha” in Hawaii can mean two different things depending where it is used in a sentence. At the beginning of a statement, amen means “Truly” or “I am saying the truth.” At the end of a sentence or statement, the phrase means “so be it” or “may it be fulfilled.” For Battlestar Galactica fans, it means “so say we all!”
So, at the end of a public prayer, saying amen means you agree with the person who is praying… you agree with the sentiments expressed and requests made. At the end of a private prayer, saying amen means something a little different I think. At the end of a personal prayer (just you and God talking), it is a way for you to say “so be it” according to what God wants. It is the same thing as saying “not my will, but what You want God.” Saying amen means we offer our prayers, but take His answer no matter the answer. We accept God’s answer (“so be it”) no matter the answer.
That is one churchy word. Another one is a phrase…
BODY OF CHRIST
I can imagine that people who do not go to church or have not grown up in church think that when Christians say “the Body of Christ” we are talking about a mummy somewhere or a relic from the old days that people identify as Jesus’ hand or something. There are a few times in Scripture (example: Romans 7:4) when someone writes “body of Christ” that they actually mean His physical body. Most of the time, however, this phrase is used from passages in 1 Corinthians 12 and others: 1 Corinthians 12:12 “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.” plus 1 Corinthians 12:27 “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
The “body of Christ” then refers to believers… us! It refers to the church... us! It refers to the people who hold that Jesus is the “head” (in charge) and we are His workers doing good works and obeying Him (His hands and feet, etc). It is a metaphor and quite a good one. It explains that Christians should take their leadership cues from Christ because He is the nerve center of the church. We should also be about doing His will or we will suffer atrophy. And everyone knows what happens when limbs atrophy (Matthew 7:19; Luke 3:9; John 15:6).
Another word that is a church word that we pretty much just use in Christianity is…
APOSTLE
The word “Apostle” should be one of the easiest words to define. It is definitely not a word used outside of church. The correct usage of the word “apostle” is for those people who walked and talked with Jesus in the first generation of Christians that Jesus chose. Jesus personally chose these men to spread His message after the Ascension (there is another church-ese word). There are no apostles today. You may see folks on different church channels applying that label to themselves, but I personally believe they do so in error. Apostles were those special ambassadors chosen by Jesus Christ and whose names can be found in the Gospels.
SANCTIFICATION
Why do I mention these church-ese words? The idea behind our passage today is definitely a word we only use in church. The word is not present in the passage, but it is the big idea behind the passage or the theological idea presented. The word is “Sanctification.”
The Greek word translated "sanctification" means "holiness." To sanctify something means "to make holy." We human beings ultimately cannot sanctify ourselves. It is the Holy Almighty God who sanctifies us. The Father sanctifies us (1 Corinthians 1:30) by the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13) and in the Name of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:11) by way of His Grace. Sanctification is not a one-time thing, but a continual process in the life of a believer.
Each day we are called to be more faithful and more holy.
Each day we are called to be more Christ-like.
Each day we are called to follow God more than we did yesterday.
That’s sanctification.
Sanctification, this big churchy word, is all over James 1:21-27.
READ James 1:21-27
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. 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 a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-- he will be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James is speaking to people who are already believers in Jesus Christ and he is talking about how they are sanctified in their lives by getting rid of this and that and listening to this command and having freedom and considering these other things. In the middle of talking about sanctification, James uses a simile about two people who look into a mirror. He is comparing and contrasting them. Jesus often did that when teaching… He taught about the Wise and Foolish Builders (Matthew 7:26-29), Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-31), The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14), and the Parable of the Two Servants (Matthew 24:45-51, Mark 13:34-37, Luke 12:35-48). Comparing things lets us see truth. Contrasting two items allows us to understand the point of what is being taught. James is speaking to people who are already Christians and wants to explain why sanctification is so important and he does it by comparing two people who look into a mirror.
In the metaphor that James presents, about a mirror, is about the Bible. The mirror is the teachings of Jesus. The mirror is God’s way of living. The mirror is God’s will. The mirror is Christianity. The overall purpose of a mirror is examination. I think James uses a mirror in his simile between the two people because it is easy to read God’s Word or hear a message and see where someone else needs to change. It is a whole other matter to read God’s Word or hear a message, examine ourselves truthfully, and apply it right to us.
In this passage alone, James talks about:
We are to get rid of moral filth (verse 21)
We are to humbly accept the Word of God as it is planted in us (verse 22)
We are to do what God commands and live His way (verse 22)
We are to watch what we say (verse 26)
We are to look after orphans and widows (verse 27)
We are to keep ourselves from being polluted by the world (verse 27)
That’s not to mention, what we’ve already talked about in chapter 1:
Persevering in Faith, 1:2-5
Dealing with Temptation, 1:13-15
Proper Anger, 1:19-20
That’s not to mention what we will cover in future chapters:
Favoritism and Racism, 2:1-9
Faith and Deeds, 2:14-26
Our words, 3:1-12
Selfishness with people and with God, 3:13-18, 4:1-6
As we are thinking about the two people looking into the mirror, I believe we are to examine ourselves and correctly identify who we are in the comparison. It is just like Jesus’ teachings…
… are we the Wise or the Foolish Builder? (Matthew 7:26-29)
… which son are we? (Matthew 21:28-31)
… are we the Rich Man or Lazarus in the parable? (Luke 16:19-31)
… are we the Pharisee or the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14)
… what kind of servant are we? (Matthew 24:45-51, Mark 13:34-37, Luke 12:35-48).
EXAMINATION: ONE BLANKLY STARES AND THE OTHER INTENTLY LOOKS
The first comparison we find is the manner in which the person looks into the mirror. In verse 23, the picture we get is someone who at the extreme blankly stares into the mirror and at the minimum, the person looks in the mirror and doesn’t concentrate very hard. In verse 25 by comparison, the picture we get is someone who intently looks into the mirror.
What does this look like for us? Many of us have the mistaken idea that hearing a good sermon or Bible study is what makes us grow and what allows us to be blessed by God. We think going to church each week means we are automatically a good person. We think going to church each week means we automatically know the Bible well. We write down sermon notes and look studious, but we never look at them again or see how we actually need to change. We serve in the church, but we still live the way we want.
James is telling us that what God desires for us is to intently and honestly and realistically look at ourselves when we encounter the Scriptures and with intent move towards Godliness. The intensity and the honesty will allow us to hear God’s voice when He speaks to us. A relationship with God is not an auto-pilot blank-stare kind of relationship, but one where we must have intent and honestly see who we are and where God wants to take us to be more like Him! How does God want to change us to be more like Him?
[reviewing past sermons and looking forward]
Do you need to persevere in faith because times have been hard and you are about to give up? (1:2-5)
Is there a temptation in your life you are allowing to win and you are headed towards sin? (1:13-15)
Is anger making you an abuser or ruling over you in some way? (1:19-20)
Are you morally filthy and living a lifestyle you should not? (1:21, 27)
Is God’s Word planted in your heart because you study His Word? (1:22)
Do you live His way or your way? (1:22)
Do you curse a lot? Gossip a lot? Tear people down a lot in conversations? (1:26, 3:1-12)
Do you help needy folks? (1:27)
Does racism have a root in your heart? (2:1-9)
Are you all talk with nothing to back it up when it comes to faith? (2:14-16)
Are you selfish? (3:13-18, 4:1-6)
Only you can know how seriously you take your relationship with God and how seriously you look at yourself when looking at the Bible. In James’ example, we are meant to think on it and honestly identify with ourselves on how seriously we treat the teachings of Jesus and our faith.
Do we take God seriously or do we not?
Where do we need to change?
Where do we need to be honest with ourselves?
Who are we?
ILLUSTRATION… Joining Planet Fitness (p)
I joined Planet Fitness in Bloomington the other day. It’s a normal gym with all of the normal gym things. When you join, they always give you a tour. The place isn’t that big and to be totally honest, I didn’t pay that much attention. I was there with the employee taking the tour, but I was looking for a heavy punching bag which they ended up not having. I was there, but not paying attention. This was not a big deal until the next day I went to work out and I had to go to the bathroom. I went back to a hallway where I assumed the bathrooms were, but it was only tanning beds. I couldn’t find the bathrooms because I didn’t listen and I didn’t pay attention. I eventually found the bathroom… in time… but it would have been so much easier if I intentionally paid attention when having the tour instead of just hardly paying attention.
CONSISTENCY: ONE GOES AWAY AND THE OTHER CONTINUALLY LOOKS
The second comparison we find is how long the person looks in the mirror. In verse 24, the picture we get is someone who looks in the mirror and then goes away and forgets. In verse 25 by comparison, the picture we get is someone who continually looks in the mirror and change occurs. One has minimal effort towards the mirror and one has sustained effort towards the mirror.
What does this look like for us? Sometimes we think Jesus is only for Sundays and we keep our Bibles in the car so we make sure to take it to church on Sundays, but we don’t read it any other time. We pray only when our life is falling apart or we want something from God. We study the Bible when it is convenient and as long as it’s interesting. We come to worship services when we have nothing else going on… because Sunday Funday comes first. We worship and sing only when we hear songs we like. We listen to Christian music only when we are in a good mood. We come to church for a spiritual boost and then check-out until we need another fix. We do devotions only when we are feeling down.
You see James understands that Christianity is not about rules and regulations (even though those do exist), but about a law that gives us freedom to consistently follow after God and live in godliness and blessedness. The freedom we have in Christ is not a one-time thing, but a continual ongoing way of life. Our relationship with God should be consistent in our lives.
[reviewing past sermons and looking forward]
Are we consistent when it comes to persevering? (1:2-5)
Are we consistent when it comes to resisting sin? (1:13-15)
Are we consistent when it comes to controlling anger? (1:19-20)
Are we consistent when it comes to our morality? (1:21, 27)
Are we consistent when it comes to studying the Bible? (1:22)
Are we consistent when it comes to daily following God’s will? (1:22)
Are we consistent when it comes to minding our mouths? (1:26, 3:1-12)
Are we consistent when it comes to helping the needy? (1:27)
Are we consistent when it comes to loving our neighbors no matter their color? (2:1-9)
Are we consistent when it comes to selflessness and putting God and others first? (3:13-18, 4:1-6)
I have to tell you that I don’t like any of these questions because many of them hit home for me. I feel like they do. Inconsistency is a relationship killer… in any relationship and that includes our relationship with God. Inconsistency shreds our witness to other people when we want to help them find God. Inconsistency does not produce in us the character that God wants for us.
ILLUSTRATION… The Journey with Jesus: Notes to Myself, Daniel B. Clendenin, Journey with Jesus Foundation, 2012 (textweek.com)
“James warns us about the power of self-deception. We can also go to the opposite extreme of obsessive self-analysis. May the Spirit of God give us more self-understanding and less self-consciousness, for a life of faith that is more faultless and less worthless."
ILLUSTRATION… Eric A. Johnson, The African American Lectionary, 2009. (textweek.com)
"The challenge of this text is to make sure that our religion is more than concepts and pronouncements of piety. Pure religion includes earthly efforts and human compassion."
ACTION: ONE FORGETS AND THE OTHER IS A DOER
The third comparison we find is what the person does after looking in the mirror. In verse 24, the picture we get is someone who looks in the mirror and then goes away and forgets. In verse 25 by comparison, the picture we get is someone who continually looks in the mirror and as a result acts, does, obeys, and follows. One forgets and the other does.
What does this look like for us? Sometimes we fail to obey what God’s Word tells us to do. It is as simple as that.
We substitute hearing for actually doing. We think because we listen to a sermon or we listen to Christian music that somehow magically we are a better person or more like Christ. Actually it takes persevering in faith and accepting trials that come our way to become more like Christ. It takes consistently resisting temptation to become more like Christ.
We enjoy reading instead of doing. We think because we read a 5-minute devotional about controlling our anger that our marriage will be better or we will be a better parent. We read a Christian blog about being moral or glance at a Bible verse on our phone and we think we are following God. James would say it takes actually controlling our anger, loving our spouse before ourselves, and spending significant time studying the Word and applying it to being more Christ-like.
We decide to talk instead of doing. We sound like a Christian at church, but curse and carry on Monday through Saturday. We say we are a Christian, but the folks we work with wouldn’t know. We say we love our neighbor, but it better not be a black person or a Latino. We talk about being selfless, but really we just talk about ourselves.
James would want us to take all our hearing, reading, and talk and move that into obedient action. If we are to use the mirror that James describes for us in this passage in the manner in which he describes, you and I need to look into it with serious intent on a continual basis and obey in action. We must examine our lives and move towards light and life and the way of living Jesus teaches.
APPLICATION ministry127.com/resources/illustration/sanctification-demonstrated-by-an-iceberg
The meaning and take away for the sermon this morning is very much dependent on where you are in your walk with the Lord.
The process of sanctification can be compared to an iceberg, which is almost 90% underwater. As the sun shines on the iceberg, the exposed part melts, moving the lower part upward. In the same way, we are usually aware of only a small part of our sinfulness and need, which is all we can deal with at any one time. However, as the light of God’s work in our lives changes us in the areas we know about, we become aware of new areas needing the work of God.
In our EXAMINATION, may we be believers who INTENTLY LOOK at the Word of God.
In our CONSISTENCY, may we be believers who CONTINUALLY LOOK for God’s will.
In our ACTION, may we be believers who take Christianity seriously and are DOERS of the Word.
INVITATION
One of the things James says in this passage is that the Gospel is “the perfect law that gives freedom.” What does he mean by that? Well, each of us deals with our sinful nature in our lives. All of us sin. All of us do and say things that are wrong. We have wrong attitudes. Sin keeps us trapped in guilt and separated from God. Sin separates us from God and actually restricts us from following Him.
Psalm 119:45, “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out Your precepts.” You see God’s way leads us out of sin and into a way that gives freedom to have life. John 8:31-32 says, “To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, "If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Faith in Jesus Christ allows us to have the freedom to be forgiven and to have a relationship with God. Without Jesus, we are trapped in sin and unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” So we are free to be forgiven. We are free to be purified. We are free to be righteous. That is the freedom that James is talking about in this passage. We are free to pursue God even though we are sinful people. That is the gift of grace.
PRAYER
