Open your bibles to James Chapter 4.
As we continue our series in the Book of James entitled Faith That Works.
We have been quoting R. Kent Hughes who says
“one thing is clear about the book of James—the dominant theme is; Faith that is real works practically in one's life. Faith that is true, is a faith that works.” R. Kent Hughes
Each week we have been examining what real faith is and is not.
First for us as James helps us to examine our faith and encourages us to live accordingly.
At the same time, we gain a deeper understanding of the character of a person who does not have faith.
This helps us respond well to the people around us.
Last week God moved powerfully teaching us that our words have the power to destroy and set our lives on fire.
But for Christians, this ought not to be so because Jesus has the last word in this life.
We are to be informed by the truth of the gospel, embrace our identity in Christ, and see things as they truly are, while allowing the Holy Spirit to control our words.
When we allow the Gospel to inform us the words people speak are a window into their soul.
Jesus says out of the heart the mouth speaks.
What amazing things God can do when we begin to see.
Will you stand with me if you are able as we open up God’s word.
James 4:10 - 5:6
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? James?
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. [4] Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. (James 4:10-5:1-6 ESV)
PRAY
James tells us in chapter 3 that there are two types of wisdom. There is Godly wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. James continues to contend for this and calls us to submit to the wisdom that comes from above. James wants us to see things as they really are so we can have a faith that works. Where a harvest of peace is produced in our lives. The other is worldly wisdom that is motivated by jealousy and selfishness ambition. This causes disorder and every vile practice. Which causes quarrels and fights among one another and God’s response to our jealousy, selfish ambition, and fighting is to love us and offer us more grace. Why because God values us. How do you determine the value of something? The value is determined by what someone is willing to pay for it. God gave His only Son to die on a cross as payment to rescue us from the judgment of sin. With that understanding, James says “humble yourself before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” When you're humbled before God it will affect the way speak and act. James wrote in 2:12-13
So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:12-13 ESV)
Christian’s have so many reasons to be humble and yet James speaks to the church whose pride has caused us to say and do things that James will spend the rest of chapter 4 and the beginning of chapter 5 exposing the pride. He begins with the sin of speaking evil against one another in the church.
Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? (James 4:10-12 ESV)
Behind every successful leader is a team of amazingly gifted men and women. I am so fortunate to have so many great people around me. Two leaders in our church stand out to me when I think about the topic of speech.
Liz Knapp and Chris McGahey. They always see the best in everyone and I have never heard either one of them say a negative thing about anyone. Tim said he tries to get Liz to say something bad about someone but she just can’t do it. Both of them will tell you that they are no better than anyone else. While that is true, it is also the definition of humility. Humility is a gift that both Liz and Chris produce in their lives that comes from a deep understanding of how fortunate they are to be loved by God. Through no effort of their own Christ died to forgive them of all their sins and adopted into the family of God. They both know they earned God’s affection rather it was a gift. That the definition of humility causes them to say they are no better than the next person and it frees them to have compassion for everyone else. It is amazing to see the Holy Spirit at work in these two people. I am challenged to be more loving and compassionate because of them.
Our pride will cause us against speaking evil against one another. In the greek, the word for “speaking evil” is the same word used for both gossip slander. For James to use this word he kills two birds with one stone. Gossip is to take a true story and use it to hurt someone. While to slander is to create a false story and use to hurt someone. It's easy to argue against spreading lies and false accusations against another. But it's just as sinful to use the truth to tear a person down. Sadly both exist in the church. Prayer circles that turn into verbal firing squads. James moves from the sin of gossip and slander to the sin of judgment.
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. (James 2:8 ESV)
What James is saying here is that people who speak evil against their brother and sister are to speak against law love and liberty. Your brother and sister belong to Jesus and James would take it one step further to say our pride not only cause us to gossip and slander but also judge people. When we judge and condemn others, we appoint ourselves to a position over them. But what gives us the right to promote ourselves to a position the only belongs to God? So James says ‘Who are you to judge your neighbor?” In my time journaling through this section of James, I wrote this.
Jesus, I have spoken evil things against my brothers and sisters in the church and judged others in a way that clearly exposes my pride and lack of humility. You are the Judge of souls and I am not. Without Your mercy, I too stand condemned of my sin. Humble me Jesus with a deep understanding that you choose to save me and not destroy me when I gave you no good reason to do so. Thank you for showing me mercy and not judgment. Thank you for the grace that continues to save me day by day. Fill me with Your Spirit that I myself and see your church as You do; washed in the precious blood of our Savior, beautiful, righteous, and redeemed. Jesus let Your love, grace, and mercy overflow into everyone you place in my life. In the loving, graceful, and merciful names of Jesus, I pray. Amen
The second thing that James warns us of is the pride of thinking we are masters of our own destiny.
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. (James 4:13-17 ESV)
Pride assumes that we will live as long as we want to, make whatever plans we desire, go here today and there tomorrow for the sake of profit and gain. Yet James says “and yet you don't know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? But mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." It is not a sin to plan and be prosperous but it is a sin to think we master our own destiny, thinking we are in control and life is all about my personal gain. James says that this thinking is arrogant, boastful, and evil. Jesus said:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18 ESV)
That means that the only authority that Christians actually have is delegated by Jesus. While it is not a sin to make plans it is a sin to make plans without considering God’s will and purpose for your life. Jesus is God, all authority has been given to him and he delegates his authority to us so that we would make more disciples. The Prayer of Moses in Psalms 90 reads:
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12 ESV)
In the parable of the “Rich Young Fool,” someone in the crowd said to Jesus,
“Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:13 ESV)
And Jesus told them a parable, saying,
“The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21 ESV)
Making plans, working hard, and earning wealth is not a sin but it is sin to assume that we are promised tomorrow. The rich young fool was so consumed with pride he only cared about laying up treasure for himself. Little did he know he would meet his Maker that evening. That leads us to the third warning from James. He says that pride will cause us to oppress the poor.
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. (James 5:1-6 ESV)
It’s hard to add to James’ words. They speak so clearly. But the prideful hoarding of riches that leads a person to oppress the poor is completely against the gospel of humility. James condemns the rich who place themselves above God’s law that requires us to treat one another with justice. The rich are guided by envy and ambition they try to keep everything for themselves. Even if it means defrauding and oppressing the poor to do so.
Pride undermines the whole work of Jesus Christ and life is too short. We are not promised tomorrow. This is why James issues this urgent call back in chapter 4
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:7-10 ESV)
When we live humbly by God’s grace, drawing near to God, resisting the devil, cleansing [our] hands and purify [our] hearts. That requires changing both our deeds and our thoughts. Moreover, we are to “mourn and weep” over sin that would undermine the work and cause of Christ. We rightly say that God humbles us, but James commands us to humble ourselves. I pray we would take the posture of the apostle Paul when he said:
I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:12-16 ESV)
PRAY
RESPOND IN WORSHIP
