You are listening to Radical with David Platt , a weekly podcast with sermons and messages from pastor , author and teacher David Platt . If you have a Bible and I hope you or somebody around you does that you can look on with . Let me invite you to open with me James chapter one . Feel free to use table of contents If you need to James chapter one and , as returning , I want to welcome those of you and Prince William and Loudon and Arlington and Moko , as well as others online who are physically unable to be with us today . It's good to come together around God's word and here's the deal last week we saw in James one 19 to 25 , that if we just hear this word from God when we gather together and we don't do it , then we're deceiving or fooling ourselves . And I don't want to be deceived or fooled , and I'm assuming you don't either . So just to let you know where we're about to hear from God , he's about to tell us specifically to cure for orphans and widows . So before we even hear what God is going to say to us , we need to say yes to whatever he's saying to us . So we don't come to God's word thinking . Let me hear what it says and then I'll decide whether or not I'm going to do it . No , not if you're a Christian . The Father of Jesus has sacrificed the right to make the decisions in our lives . We do whatever God calls us to do because we trust God , whether we trust ourselves , we're confident he loves us . He knows what is best for us . So it's not like a big sacrifice to say to the God who made you I'll do whatever you call me to do , and the God who loves you and wants you to have life in that , even if that leads us in ways we didn't see coming . So many of you have heard me tell the story about Heather and I being joyfully content with our four children . At that time , on a date night and over dinner , we hadn't even planned on talking about adoption , but the subject of adoption came up and it was like God met us there at the table in a way neither of us saw coming before we knew it . Heather's crying . I'm like super self-conscious that the waiter and other people in the restaurant are thinking I'm the lamest husband . Take my wife out and make her cry at the table . All that to say , by the time we walked out that night we were ready to start the adoption process again the next morning and fast forward . Four years later , we have two more kids in our home and a story we never could have written . All that changed when God spoke to our hearts . I just want to invite all of us , before we hear the word of God , to say God , we want to hear from you and we want to do whatever you call us to do . I'm not saying I know all the different ways he's going to speak to us . I do believe God is going to call some of us , in the next few minutes and in the days , to flow from this day to foster or adopt a child and to our family . I believe God is going to call some of us to do a variety of other things to support children who don't have families , and I believe God is going to call some of us to care for widows in ways we've never thought of before , in our church family and in our city and beyond our city . So this is the wonder of meeting with God , which is what we're doing right now hearing from God . You never know what's coming , but you know it will be good for us and for others and glorifying the heavens . So here's what I want to do . I'm going to put a prayer up here on the screen that I want to lead us to pray together before we even read God's word today . So here's the prayer God , I will do whatever you call me to do to care for orphans and widows . That's it , that's the prayer , and I want to invite every single follower of Jesus , within the sound of my voice , to pray this out loud with me . So you bow your heads with me . I'll start by just praying for us , and then I'm going to invite you just to repeat this prayer after me . So I'll start . Oh God , father of the Fatherless and Protector of Widows , this is who you are , and we are asking you in this moment to speak to our hearts in all the places where we're gathered , and we are saying we want to do whatever you call us to do , whether that's a small , simple step or a big , significant step . We want to say we don't want to just hear your word and deceive ourselves . We want to do it . So , church , I invite you to repeat this prayer after me , phrase by phrase . Repeat after me . Say God , I will do whatever you call me to do to care for orphans and widows In Jesus' name , amen , alright , so let's listen to the Spirit of God through the Word of God Now . James 1 , 26 , and 27 . If anyone thinks he is religious and does not varietal his tongue but deceives his heart , this person's religion is worthless . Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father , is this to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world . So God is telling us right now that there is a kind of religion that is worthless , empty , useless , even fraudulent , and there's a kind of religion that is pure , it's clean , it's holy . Matthew uses this same word to describe the clean linen shroud that wrapped Jesus' body after the cross , an undefiled Hebrews . Chapter seven , verse 26 , uses this sort of describe how Jesus is unstained by sin . So in these two verses , god on high is telling us there's a kind of religion that he accepts and there's a kind of religion that he abhors . And it's really important to know the difference between the two , because if we don't , then it's possible for us to create and practice a religion that works for us but is worthless to God . Did you hear that it is possible for us to create and practice a religion that works for us but is worthless to God . So what kind of religion is pleasing to God ? I see three marks of pure and undefiled religion in these two verses . Knowing this list is not exhaustive , meaning there are many things in the Bible that God points to as pure religion , but this list is essential , meaning if you don't have these qualities in your religion , then you don't have religion that honors God . So you might write these three down . This is really important to know . Mark number one of pure and undefiled religion is controlled speech that demonstrates a changed heart . Controlled speech that demonstrates a changed heart . Let me give you the ads up where I'm going to hit this first mark briefly today , because this specific theme is going to come up again in depth in James , chapter three , most of that chapter , but for now , if anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue , so notice , it's not about muscling the tongue but controlling the words we say , not deceiving his heart . You see the relationship here between the tongue and the heart . James is recounting what Jesus said multiple times . Out of the overflow of the heart , the mouth speaks . What we say is a reflection of what is inside of us in such a way that , if our speech is not controlled . The Bible says your religion at the core of your heart is worthless . The way you speak to your spouse , to your parents , to your kids , to your friends , co-workers , classmates not just out loud , but through text , through email , through any way we use our words , where we speak to other people and about other people , including the way we speak to or about people we don't like or who may be our enemies All of these are indicators of what's in your heart . If you engage in gossip or slander , if your words are biting , they are angry . If you engage in cursing or coarse joking , if your words are foolish or simply inundated with trivialities , they are reflecting something deeper within you . God , help us to control our tongues , particularly in a culture that says if you have a thought , you should immediately speak it , share it , text it with someone else or with the rest of the world . Don't do it . Brothers and sisters , bridal your tongue . Speak in a way that reflects our heart , that loves God above all and loves others as yourself . This is the first mark of pure , undefiled religion controlled speech that demonstrates a changed heart . Can we just pray that right now ? God , help us to control our speech in a way that reflects the heart of Christ living in us , and then . So thinking about the heart leads us right into this next mark of religion that God accepts .
Number two sacrificial care for the vulnerable in the world , specifically for this pair , orphans and widows , a pair that we see throughout scripture and oftentimes also includes sojourners . So let's go on a quick tour in the Bible you won't have time to turn to all these places . Maybe write down some of the many places where we see God's concern and commands to care for this vulnerable pair , specifically orphans and widows , from the very introduction of God's law in Exodus , chapter 22 , verse 22, . So , right after the Ten Commandments , we read you shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child . Deuteronomy 10 , 17 and 18, . The Lord , your God , is God of God , lord of Lords , the great , the mighty , the awesome God . Just picture his greatness . And then how does God display his greatness ? He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow . He loves the sojourner , giving him food and clothing . Psalm 68 , verse 5, . Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God . This is who he is in his holy habitation . He commands his people as a result . Isaiah 1.17, . Learn to do good , seek justice , correct oppression , bring justice to the fatherless , plead the widow's cause . Jeremiah 22 , verse 3 , thus says the Lord do justice and righteousness , deliver from the hand of the impressors him who has been robbed , and do no wrong or violence to the resident alien , the fatherless and the widow . Here God says don't sit around debating justice , do it . Don't sit around debating oppression . Deliver the oppressed and care for the resident alien , the fatherless and the widow . So it's no surprise then to come to James , chapter 1 , verse 27 , and see this pair again in God's word . Now this verse uses a fascinating word to describe what pure and undefiled religion does with the orphan and the widow it visits them . So what does that mean ? What's God telling us to do ? Go say hello to them , spend a little time with an orphan or a widow , then move on with our lives . Or is there more to it than this ? Well , this word for visit here is used 11 times in the New Testament and a few more times in the Greek translation of the Old Testament , and it sure seems like it's more than just making a short visit . So let's take one more tour of the Bible . Look where we see this word , starting in Genesis , chapter 50 , verse 24 . Joseph said to his brothers I'm about to die , but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land , the land that he's for . To Abraham , to Isaac and to Jacob . This is saying God is going to come to you amidst your slavery in Egypt and he's going to bring you up out of slavery and he's going to bring you to the promised land that he's made for you . That's what it means to visit you . Come and bring you into all new place . Psalm 8 , verse 4 , what's man ? That you're mindful of him and the Son of man that you care for him . The word for care for here is the same word that's translated visit in Genesis 50 , 24 . God visits us by caring for us . Psalm 106 , verse 4 , remember me , oh Lord , when you show favor to your people . Help me when you save them . The word for help here is the same word that we see translated visit in Genesis 50 , 24 . It's showing how God visits us by helping us and showing favor to us . So it's no surprise when you get to the New Testament and you read Luke 1 , 68 . Blessed be the Lord , god of Israel , for he has visited and redeemed his people . That's not saying God made a short visit to his people . He came to them to redeem them . Psalm 11 , verse 8 , look at this imagery because of the tender mercy of our God , whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death , to guide our feet into the way of peace . God of his tender mercy visits us like the sun shining on us , bringing light to darkness in the shadow of death . Bringing light to our feet , to peace . That's what it means to visit . Luke 7 , after Jesus raises a widow's son from the dead , the Bible says fear sees them all and they glorify God , saying a great prophet has arisen among us and God has visited his people . How about that ? Jesus is God's definition of visitation and not just Jesus . Look at this description of Moses in Acts 7 , verse 23, . When he was 40 years old , it came into his heart to visit his brothers , the children of Israel . Moses goes to the people of Israel , seeks them out to take responsibility for their deliverance , for their well-being , for their future destiny . One more the Jerusalem Council . On Acts 15 , james speaks up and says related to how God first visited the Gentiles to take them from Israel , from them a people for his name . God has visited the nations not just to say hello , but to save them and call them to be his people . It's just not an amazing word , visit . I haven't even mentioned when this same word is used in Matthew , chapter 25 , to , so I'll just write that one up here . Matthew 25 , when Jesus says when you visit the vulnerable , the sick , the hungry , the imprisoned , you visit me . So are we hearing what God is saying to us right now ? This is religion that is acceptable before God . It's not paying it token attention to the vulnerable . It's visiting them in the same way God has visited you . It's going to them , caring for them , taking responsibility for their well-being , raising them up , bringing them out , giving them life . The implications of this word are staggering . God is saying to us , particularly in a culture and a country where millions of babies are vulnerable in their mother's wounds . Millions of children are vulnerable out of the womb , in need of moms and dads who have what they need to care for them . And not just those children , but vulnerable birth moms and dads and families who , have a variety of reasons , are not able to care for a particular child , who need the support of others , and widows . And I should add , while this passage is clearly talking about widows who are alone due to the death of a spouse and they need support in caring for them , there are also many functional widows who are alone because of divorce and need this kind of support . God's undoubtedly calling us as a church to come alongside them and their affliction as well . Pure and undefiled religion takes responsibility to care for the vulnerable from the womb to the tomb . So I think about Randine , courtney friends of Heather and mine we used to live down the street from who spent the first 30 plus years of their life in cultural Christianity and we were all involved in church , cultural Christianity , but not pure and undefiled religion , until one day God visited them and opened their eyes to his love for them , opened their hearts to new life in him that went beyond the routine of religion . They were born again and with their new birth came a new heart for the vulnerable , particularly widows . Randy's an electrician by trade , courtney's a nurse practitioner . So they started looking for opportunities to visit widows and their affliction and , long story short , they started a ministry on the side where they now spend their weekends and many days during the week doing fairly unglamorous work in widows homes , rewiring , electricity , fixing , plumbing , building wheelchair ramps , cleaning bathrooms , changing diapers , delivering medicine , visiting and staying with many of these widows until their last breath . I've heard from some of the people that Randy and Courtney have visited . These are the kinds of things they say . One widow said Randy and Courtney are my friends , they're my family . I believe that God sent them to me to encourage me and to help me . Sometimes I ask God if they're even real . It's like God has sent me some angels to take care of me . They pray with me . They help me with my house . They always come and check on me . They bring me food and groceries . They read the Bible with me . I know that they care . Sometimes I just feel like I wanna cry because I am so thankful to God for sending them . Others said when I see Jesus , I'm gonna tell him everything Randy and Courtney did to help me and serve me and take care of me . One more said I spent over 20 years without a friend . Then Randy and Courtney became my friends . They've given their life to show mercy to people like me and to me . That is a very picture of who Jesus is . The woman who said those words was elderly and disabled and went to be with the Lord not long ago and she died holding her friend Courtney's hand . That's what it means to visit . It means sacrificial care for the vulnerable in the world in their affliction A word that can include everything from oppression to tribulation . Let's not forget that the reason orphans and widows exist in the world is because sin and suffering and trauma and trauma and suffering are the only reasons and suffering and trauma and tribulation and death exist in the world . Babies are aborted , children are orphaned , widows are alone . Because this is a fallen world and God says , in the middle of it , pure religion steps into the fallenness , doesn't take the easy route around . It steps into the fallenness and takes responsibility for the well-being of the vulnerable . And in this way , sacrificial care for the vulnerable in the world is not an option for Christians , it is an obligation for Christians , it is a gloriously grace-driven obligation for followers of Jesus Christ . And so that's the word here and does this in such a way that we keep ourselves unstained by the world . So here's the third and final mark of true religion In this verse . True religion , is telling us , involves clear separation from the ways of this world , keeping oneself unstained from the world . Now when we hear that word unstained , we probably think , okay , like moral purity , sounds good , be morally pure . And then we turn the page on James one and get ready for James two . But remember , the chapter divisions are not from us , are from us , not from James , which means that what follows in chapter two , verse one , which we're gonna look at more next week flows from chapter one , verse 27 . So let's just think for a minute about how these verses relate to each other , because James closes this verse with the word world . He uses that word three other times in the book . It always refers to a fallen world system that goes against the ways of God and true religion . God says here in James one 27 , does not live according to this fallen world system . We talked about this last week , how we're so often just like this world , filling our minds , ours every day , with what this world offers us , instead of God's word and ways that keep us from God's ways . Now , specifically here in chapter two , james , immediately right after he writes this verse , starts talking about favoritism in the world toward the rich . Because that's how the world works the world loves to honor the rich and neglect the four . And the problem James is addressing is . It wasn't just the world . The church was stained by the world in this way . Look at chapter two , verse one . We'll talk about it more next week . But James two one says my brother , show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ , the Lord of glory . When from man where your gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in , if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say you sit here in a good place , while you say to the poor man , you stand over there or sit down by my feet , have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts ? Listen , my beloved brothers , has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which is promised to those who love them ? Do you hear what the Holy Spirit is saying through James here ? According to the world , you go out of your way to honor and respect and treat well the person who can benefit you the most . Can I say that one more time ? According to the world , you go out of your way to honor , respect and treat well the person who can benefit you the most . But that is not true religion . James says True religion . So now make the connection with sacrificial care for orphans and widows and visiting them in their affliction . You go out of your way to honor and respect and treat well those who this world would say will benefit you the least . Are you seeing this ? Are you seeing how true religion goes totally against the ways of this world ? Think about it . Control your tongue . No , speak your mind Now . Your words fly from your mouth and in every form of media available to you . And adopt foster children ? No . Do you realize what that would cost you , how that would change the plans you have for your life and your family ? Look at what it will take away from your other kids . You're too busy anyway . How could you add that to your plate ? Get a dog instead of a kid . It's real advice Heather and I were given in this world over the last couple of years . Why step into hard and difficult and unpredictable situations ? Just take care of your own and widows . Somebody else will take care of them , some other person or organization or institution . You have so many things you want to do with your life , so many things you want to accomplish . Don't let them hold you back . Do you see how true religion requires a radically different perspective of this world and the purpose of your life in it ? How true religion requires a radically different perspective of orphans and widows and your relationship to them . Let me be crystal clear at this point . We don't do this because we're some group of good , altruistic people out to be saviors and rescuers for orphans and widows in this world . That is not who we are and that is not why we do this . We don't care for orphans and widows because we're rescuers . We care for orphans and widows because we're the rescued . It's the whole point of what we're seeing . It's the
whole point of the gospel . If those of you who maybe are exploring Christianity visiting with us , what unites us together , it's the fact that God on high has visited us and our ultimate vulnerability . God has come to us and our ultimate need our sin against him . That deserves eternal judgment . And God has come to us to forgive us from our sin through sending his son as a sacrifice to die on a cross for our sin . And he's risen from the dead . He's ascended on high so that anyone who believes in him and his love for us will be forgiven of all your sin and restored to relationships with God . This is what drives everything we do . It's who our God is . It's what God has done in our lives . He's not done it in your life . We invite you today trust in him and realize at that point you're not a rescuer , you're the rescued . And on a related note , I also want to say to every child or every adult who has been an orphan without a family in your life Maybe you've been a part of the foster care system or maybe you've been adopted I want you to know , on behalf of our entire church family , that we honor you . We honor you for so many reasons , first and foremost for how you are made in the image of God , and we honor you for all you have faced and all you continually face in your unique life story and including unique challenges that you endure . We honor you and we love you in a way that we hope you see Far more important . God on high honors and loves you . And I also want to say to every birth mom or birth dad who , for any number of reasons , has not been able to care for your child You've taken steps to make sure your child is cared for You're working to be able to care for your child . We as a church want you to know we honor and love you , that we are for you . We want to support you in every way we can Because , well , god sees you , god sees all that you're walking through and he honors and is for you . And finally , I want to say to widows and our midst we honor and cherish you . We praise God for his strength and your faith and your courage and your endurance and the unique beauty of your trust in him In the middle of hard days and hard months and hard years .