Humble Yourselves before the Lord
James 4:1-10 (NRSV) 1 Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? 2 You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose that it is for nothing that the scripture says, “God yearns jealously for the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?
6 But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says,
“God opposes the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.”
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Do any of us ever spend even 24 hours absent of conflict? Even if we live alone, we still experience conflict within our own hearts and minds. Do we want pasta for dinner or grilled chicken, do we want dessert or not, do we want to watch TV or read a book? We may consider these things to be mere choices rather than conflict, but may I tell you that choices can become conflict. James warns against murder, covetousness and adultery, all rooted in making the choice to turn away from God and toward the world.
Most of us will say, wait, I haven’t committed adultery, I haven’t murdered anyone. Are you sure? James 4 says we are adulterers if we choose the world over God. And guess what? God says the same thing! I have often taught about the 4 S’s. Israel sinned, then they were taken into slavery, then they supplicated (prayed earnestly) for deliverance, and finally God sent a savior. Almost every instance of the people rebelling against God involved idolotry, and when God’s people choose to worship anyone or anything above God, they (we) are committing adultery.
Murder follows the same reasoning. Did you know you can murder someone’s relationship, or their reputation? You don’t need a gun or a knife, the tongue works well for purposes of destruction.
Why would we, the people God created and called His own, continually seek other gods? Because of pride, the basest of all sins, that causes us to exchange self-satisfaction over our own achievements for the pleasure we could receive from allowing God to be preeminent in our lives.
The last three verses provide the key to building a relationship with God. (1) Submit to God (2) Resist the devil (3) Draw near to God (4) Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts (5) Humble yourselves and he will exalt you.
We are over half-way through James. People generally either love this letter or hate it. I call it the Guidebook for the Practical Issues of this Life. Have you been able to see how this letter can strengthen your faith? It is all about allowing the discipline we should develop as Christ followers to enable us to make the right choices. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Father God, we love you and are so thankful that we are learning what it means to be humble before you. We pray that you strengthen us and enable us to follow your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Faith without Works is INDEED Dead
James 2:14-26 (NRSV) 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. 20 Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. 23 Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.
When I first began working at Shelters and Soup Kitchens, I knew intuitively that before I could share the Bread of Life with a lost soul, I first needed to feed that person’s body. It felt somehow disingenuous to assure someone that God would supply all of his/her needs according to God’s riches in glory, but yet walk away, leaving the person to wonder, “What’s wrong with me? I’m hungry, I’m cold, I’m without love. Why won’t God supply MY needs?”
And then I look at the letter from James, and I see that bread, and fish, and wine do not just materialize on a table. Instead, God uses Christ followers to put our faith into action and make sure people around us do not do without. God will supply our needs, but many times it is through people like you and me.
I remember reading of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, and was somewhat startled to learn that Wesley did not begin his ministries because of his faith. Instead, when talking with his brother Charles one day he said, “How will I know when I have done enough?” Charles said, “Enough for what?” John answered, “enough to know I have gained salvation.”
You see, John had opened schools, pharmacies, helped people earn a living so that they could leave the Poor Houses of England, yet his motivation was to gain salvation through his works. It was only after his Aldersgate experience on May 21, 1738 that he says, “I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.” From that moment on, John Wesley ministered in the same manner he had all along, but instead of serving and preaching to gain his own salvation, he did these things because of his salvation.
The battle over James’ statement, “Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead,” did not end when James was thrown from the Temple Mount and then stoned to death because the fall did not kill him. No, the battle still rages today. It is not unusual for those who choose to put their Christian faith to work to be accused of trying to work their way to heaven.
James reminded his readers of the great people of faith found in Hebrews 11. These men and women had not yet seen Jesus, yet because of their faith that the Messiah would come, and their works that were performed as a result of that faith, they were justified by God and welcomed into His Kingdom.
Do you sometimes struggle with your faith? Do you realize that you are not alone? Can I tell you that when you put your faith to work, then your faith will grow larger and larger. Does the work you do replace the faith you have been given? Never. Instead, our work reflects the God who works within us to fulfill His good purpose. Philippians 2:13 the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Father God, as we read this good Word, I pray that you will not only strengthen and grow our faith, but that you will help us to put our hands and feet to work so that the people around us with know, believe and understand that God loves them and will supply their needs. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment
James 2:1-13 (NRSV) 1 My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? 2 For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3 and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7 Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
8 You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11 For the one who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
As a Pastor, I determined early in my ministry that there was one thing I would never do–check to see what the individual giving was in my church. Why? Because I did not want anyone in the church to be able to accuse me of treating someone differently because of how much or how little a person gave.
Favoritism is the preferential treatment to one person perhaps because of their position in the community, their wealth, or even the color of their skin. There is nothing inherently wrong with treating someone well because of these things. The error comes in treating someone else poorly who is not wealthy, or dressed properly, or looks different than those around them.
James quickly takes to task those who engage in this type of behavior, particularly if they are Christ followers. I love verse 5 where James points out that God Himself has chosen the poor of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the Kingdom of God. Remember, not just acknowleging the poor but honoring those in poverty is one of the ways Jesus turned the apple cart upside down. Until Jesus came, the prevailing thought was that the poor were being punished and the rich were being rewarded.
The law of grace revealed to us that God is no respecter of person, influenced by neither background nor social standing. (Acts 10:34) Thus, if we pay respect to some over others, then we are breaking the law of grace. For intentional disciples who are seeking holiness, it is essential for us to see people through the eyes of Jesus. How do we, as humans, accomplish this monumental feat? We pray continually that God allows us to see others through His eyes until we can!
One of the most beautiful things I ever witnessed was at a Wednesday night prayer meeting. When the altar call was made, a small, greasy, smelly man walked down the aisle and was immediately embraced by the woman giving the call. His face glowed as though he was being embraced by God himself. From that moment I prayed that I could hold a man like him in just that same way.
A few years ago I was working in a soup kitchen. It was a steamy, hot, rainy day and an African-American made it up the stairs and sat down at the table. I walked over to him and said, “You look like you need a hug,” and with no more words I reached down and held him in my arms. He started crying and said, “You’re holding me???” I replied, “Why not? Aren’t we brothers and sisters in Christ?”
James finishes by saying if we fail to show mercy to others, then we will not receive mercy ourselves. I think of the hymn At Calvary that says,
- Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary.- Refrain:
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary.
- Refrain:
- By God’s Word at last my sin I learned;
Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned
To Calvary. - Now I’ve giv’n to Jesus everything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary! - Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan!
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary!
Pardon–forgiveness, clemency, mercy. There is nothing like mercy, being spared the judgment we deserve because of the free gift of salvation. Today we can choose to show our neighbor the same love and forgiveness and mercy that God has shown us. Choose love, even if it is not easy–especially if it is not easy. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Father God, there are so many opportunities in our society and in our culture to choose to show love. I pray today that each one of us would see people through Your eyes of grace and love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Be Doers of the Word
James 1:19-27 (NRSV) 19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; 24 for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. 25 But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.
26 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself ) unstained by the world.
Tonight I watched the final two sermons I delivered at 16th Section UMC. I am always in awe when I witness my sermons, because each time I see myself preach I see God in action. Why God would use a short, fat, old(er) woman to deliver His word is beyond me, but I know that He did. And now I continue in His ministry as I share God’s Word through this blog.
Our last study dealt with wisdom, and today we will look at the wisdom of not just hearing the word, but doing it.
James begins by giving us one of the best pieces of advice in the Word–that we should be slow to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. Why? Because anger born within us does not produce the righteousness of God. But what about righteous anger, you might ask. Let me assure you that most of our anger has nothing to do with righteousness, but instead it is a result of pride. Yes, pride produces anger, and if pride produces anger, there is no way that it also produces righteousness. So James tells us to welcome with meekness the Word that is implanted in our hearts, for it is the Word that has the power to save.
James goes on to talk about the primary theme of his letter, and that is to be doers of the Word and not hearers only.
When I was young I got the idea that I could play a tape recorder while I slept and that what I heard would be implanted within me and therefore I would not have to study. Can I tell you that method of learning never worked, not even one time. The only way I learned was to read the material not once, not twice, but three times, making notes and paying close attention in class.
But James says even spending hours and hours learning is not enough if we do not transfer that learning into doing. Think about it–how much has ever been accomplished just by reading or listening and then going about your business as if nothing has changed. James mentions seeing one’s reflection in a mirror but then walking away and immediately forgetting one’s own image.
In today’s society, we cannot imagine forgetting our own image. We see ourselves reflected in store windows, in the mirrors in our homes, and of course, the ever-present cellphones. But in James’ time, mirrors were scarce and they did not provide an altogether accurate reflection. James is telling the readers that if God’s Word merely read and then forgotten, much like our reflection in a pond, then it is useless.
You see, the Law came to man from without, from Moses, and it served to inform us of our duty. But the Word was engrafted into us by the Holy Spirit, from within, to teach us how to do the Word. The Word was never meant simply to be heard, but to be acted upon.
James tells us near the end of this passage that if we say we are righteous, then we must learn to bridle our tongues. We all know that horses have great power, yet they can be controlled by a small bit within their mouths. The bridle is attached to the bit, giving direction to this massive animal with just a light touch. When we become doers of the Word, we, too, can be directed with just a light touch upon our hearts, forbidding us from taking the wrong path into anger or gossip.
James finishes this section by telling us what is required of those who consider themselves to be religious. We are to care for the widows and orphans, and to keep ourselves unstained by the world. In order to accomplish these things, we must learn to do the Word, not just hear the Word. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Father God, today may we become transformed to the point of ACTION by the hearing of Your holy Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Every Good and Perfect Gift Comes from Above
James 1:12-18 (NRSV) Trial and Temptation
12 Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. 14 But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15 then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved.
17 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
Our Scripture begins with a blessing, which immediately reminds us of the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5. Did you know when we are blessed that means we are sanctified, and being sanctified means that we are set apart, not from God, but for God. When we can live through or suffer through temptation, then we are promised the crown of life.
Sometimes, though, confusion sets in and we believe we have been tempted by God. Yet James speaks clearly when he says that God cannot be tempted by evil, and therefore He will tempt no one. But what about the Lord’s prayer, when we say, “Lead us not into temptation”?
Do you remember taking your children grocery shopping, and you had learned better than to lead them down the candy aisle? When we ask God not to lead us into temptation, it is like saying, “Father, please do not lead me down the candy aisle today.”
As we mature, we begin to realize that it is not God who tempts us, but instead it is our own desire. Once we give in to our desire, then sinning is not far behind. Do you get it? Sin begins as a thought, and as we mull that thought over and over in our minds, desire is born, and once born unless we turn completely away, then sin takes over and leads us from righteousness and into death.
But here is the good part! Every, and I mean EVERY perfect gift is from the Father. Is that the most wonderful thing you have ever heard? He does not change, he does not alter His character, and He does not rewrite His holy Word. God’s purpose, His only purpose, is to give us new life through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Today is the day the Lord has made. Believe it, live in it, and receive His perfect gifts today. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In grace,
Pastor Carol
Father God, today help us to understand that You want only our good, and may we be transformed by Your Word, Your love, and Your precious Son. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 