WEBVTT 00:00:03.759 --> 00:00:04.480 Am I on? 00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:06.799 Uh I don't hear anything. 00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:08.560 I am on. 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:09.119 Okay. 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:09.599 All right. 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:10.720 Can't hear a thing. 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:13.119 Well, it's good to be here. 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:16.719 I was gonna say good to be back, but um it's not like I'm not here. 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:23.440 Um I can definitely relate to what Doug said about uh the steely silence. 00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:29.120 There are times I've spoken in places, and I have absolutely no idea whether anyone's listening. 00:00:29.120 --> 00:00:54.960 But you know, you you come to that point, and maybe Doug and Micah, you can relate to this, where right before you speak, you you make that covenant with the Lord and you say, no matter if anyone listens or not, I'm gonna I'm gonna preach your word and I'm gonna obey you, and I'm gonna give your word no matter whether anyone's here or not, whether anyone listens or not, and you have to actually have to come to that point because you're not doing it for others, you're doing it for Him. 00:00:54.960 --> 00:01:00.880 So we're gonna hopefully move pretty quickly tonight through the book of James. 00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:03.840 And let me just briefly begin with a word of prayer again. 00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:06.560 Father, thank you so much for this opportunity to preach. 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:14.400 Thank you, Lord, for the practicality of this book, and thank you, God, for how this book has changed me by studying it. 00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:19.359 Um, the great truths, the wonderful pithy sayings that are contained in this book. 00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:22.079 We just pray that you'd be with us now during these next few minutes. 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:22.879 Amen. 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:26.319 So, just a brief introduction since we have to start somewhere. 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:31.599 The book of James is often called the Proverbs of the New Testament because of its practical wisdom. 00:01:31.599 --> 00:01:35.439 It's also compared to the Sermon on the Mount in other instances. 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:45.439 Uh, at first glance, it could look like just a set of practical suggestions or prohibitions, but in actuality, it's a full-length illustration of what life in Christ really looks like. 00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:51.519 So, just a little background, uh, in terms of who is James, there's a bit of a debate that goes on. 00:01:51.519 --> 00:01:57.040 I think it's largely been settled, but just to review some of the Jameses that we know of. 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:01.120 First, of course, there's James, the son of Zebedee rather, the brother of John. 00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:03.200 That's James the greater, some call him. 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:11.280 Then, of course, there's James, the son of Alpheus, who is likely the brother to Matthew, and he's called James the Less in some circles. 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:18.800 Then there's a l another James that we don't hear about much, James, the father of Judas, seen in Luke chapter 6, 16. 00:02:18.800 --> 00:02:20.800 And this is Judas, not Iscariot. 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:25.120 Neither one of these Jameses, do we believe, the one is the one who authored this book. 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:27.599 This would be James, the brother of the Lord. 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:32.800 Uh, we see James in the upper room praying in Acts uh chapter 11. 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:35.199 Jesus appeared to him after the resurrection. 00:02:35.199 --> 00:02:38.960 He also moderated the church conference in Acts 15. 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:44.639 He received greetings and special love offerings from Paul upon his return to Jerusalem in Acts 21. 00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:48.159 According to tradition, he was martyred in 62 AD. 00:02:48.159 --> 00:02:54.960 Uh, tradition also uh says that he was known as Old Camelnes because of the fact that he prayed so much. 00:02:54.960 --> 00:03:00.800 Uh what a tribute to an individual to be known that way, to be spending that much time praying. 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:11.360 Uh, a little bit of the background of the book, again, like we said, it was written by James, most likely in about 45 to 48 A.D., uh before the Jerusalem Council. 00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:18.240 And uh one of the proofs for that is that there's no mention of Gentile believers in this book. 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:23.039 No, uh, it was not shaped by later church controversies. 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:26.159 So there's pretty good indicator that this is an early book. 00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:28.240 And who was the book written to? 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:31.919 It was written to Messianic Jews, and we'll see that in a minute as we look at verse 1. 00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:35.680 And these were Jews living outside of Palestine in an early diaspora. 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:50.000 James wrote this book uh again as a way after the Jews were scattered to Cyprus and Phoenicia and Antioch, essentially he was addressing the diaspora. 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:58.080 He gives instructions to these diaspora Jews to stay connected to the body of Christ, and as we'll see shortly, a major theme is faith. 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:02.080 James deals with practical issues more so than doctrinal issues. 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:08.080 So in some ways, it's interesting to examine the book from a different uh a different uh vantage point. 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:16.480 So let's actually just dive into the text now, and I have actually actually before we do that, let me quote one or two more things. 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:24.800 Uh a few responses to the book of James from some of the reformers, um, and just a little preface to that. 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:28.319 The book of James was somewhat disputed in the early church. 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:32.560 There are those who had issues with it, like Eusebius, Jerome had some issues with it. 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:35.920 Uh, even Martin Luther, of course, referred to as the Epistle of Straw. 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:40.240 But Martin Luther also wrote this though this epistle of St. 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:49.839 James was was rejected by the ancients, I praise it and consider it a good book because it sets up no doctrine of men, but vigorously promulgates the law of God. 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:58.160 Calvin said, the occasion of writing the epistle appears to have been the abuse made of the doctrine of free grace by professing Christians. 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:03.360 These are evils which have which have ever prevailed in the church. 00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:08.319 So now let's well, let's slow down for one thing. 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:12.399 Um I'm I'm very concerned that we get through this. 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:20.639 Um I said to I think I said to Mike on the way over, I you know I think next time I'm gonna sign up for for Jude, you know, because it's only one chapter, you know, that I can handle. 00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:22.879 Maybe Jude, maybe Philemon, you know. 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:28.000 Okay, so let's dive into it. 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:31.439 Chapter one, we're gonna call that faith is tested. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:39.199 Verse one, James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations. 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:42.000 Well, one of the things we see there is James's humility. 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:44.480 He doesn't say, I'm the brother of Jesus, by the way. 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:46.079 He doesn't remind everyone who he is. 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:49.120 He just says, I am a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:52.240 No indication from those words as to who he was. 00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:54.240 Then he also says to the twelve tribes. 00:05:54.240 --> 00:06:00.879 And what's interesting there to me is the fact that we often have heard that some of the tribes were lost. 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:02.800 Well, not according to James. 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:08.560 These these tribes uh do exist in his mind and they're they're still in existence now. 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:15.040 But there are some who would say that the ten tribes were lost when Israel was taken into captivity. 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:22.160 Uh so now let's talk about verses two through four, the joy in trials and temptations. 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:28.800 My gosh, I could oh, I could preach on some of these verses for hours, but I know everyone's gonna leave if we do that. 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:38.319 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:44.639 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:54.879 This patience, this perseverance results in our maturity and our completion, so that we might be fully developed like fruit on a tree and fully equipped to serve God. 00:06:54.879 --> 00:06:58.240 Then there's also wisdom in the trial. 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:07.040 Verse 5 If any of you lack wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault. 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:08.399 Let me just stop right here. 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:13.519 How often do we ever think to ask God for wisdom for the littlest things that we face every day? 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:16.160 I I can tell you right now, I don't. 00:07:16.160 --> 00:07:17.839 There are many times I don't. 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:25.680 And yet, what a what a promise we have right here that God will give us wisdom when we can't figure things out, we don't know what to do, don't know how to respond. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:27.839 He will give us to us generously. 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:30.079 Not just a little bit, but generously. 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:42.480 He will supply us generously, but what's even more incredible here is that if we ask of God, he gives it generously without finding fault. 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:50.639 So, in other words, he will give to us without criticizing us, without scolding, without finding fault in the one asking. 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:52.959 That's it, that's a tremendous thought right there. 00:07:52.959 --> 00:07:57.759 And then there's belief in the trial during the trial. 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:06.480 It says in verse 6, when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:09.759 That man should not think that he will receive anything from the Lord. 00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:13.920 He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:16.160 What does this idea teach? 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:19.040 Well, the doubter is unstable like the sea. 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:20.879 Such a person is double-minded. 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:26.720 Double-minded means divided loyalty, having a heart that is pulled in two different directions. 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:34.559 And the idea is instability, and you'll often find that in Christians, instability and immaturity go together. 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:48.960 He goes on in verse 9 the brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position, but the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:54.720 For the sun rises with scorching heat, and without the plant, its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. 00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:59.360 In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:02.240 So we have a contrast here between rich and poor. 00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:04.399 In one sense, they can both rejoice. 00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:08.000 Poverty, of course, was a very crushing trial for many believers. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:14.320 And you'll find that when you study the uh the uh the ancient uh Christians, it really was no middle class back then. 00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:18.000 It was really mostly very poor people and very wealthy people. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:28.080 But the poor could rejoice in the fact that even though they were had a low status because of their poverty, they could still glory in the riches that they had in Christ. 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:38.159 The wealthy, by contrast, also faced a trial because they had to learn how not to trust wealth, but how to glory in being humble. 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:44.240 There's also a reward that's mentioned here for endurance in the trial. 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:47.919 And verse 12 to me sounds almost like a beatitude. 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:57.919 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love it. 00:09:57.919 --> 00:10:04.960 You know, an interesting study sometime is to look at the crowns that the believer may attain in Scripture. 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:15.120 There's various crowns that one can attain, but in this instance, the one who has persevered, the one who has endured a trial will receive the crown of life. 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:20.879 Then he moves on to a section in verse 13 through the rest of the chapter that deals with temptation. 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:23.919 We're gonna call that the goodness of God in temptation. 00:10:23.919 --> 00:10:26.639 Verses, actually, verses 13 to 18. 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:32.399 And temptations are sent by Satan, whereas trials are sent by God. 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:35.279 So there's a whole section here that talks about that. 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:38.480 Don't say that it's God that is tempting you. 00:10:38.480 --> 00:10:40.240 It is not God that is tempting you. 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:49.759 Temptations are sent by Satan and one's evil desires, he uses one's evil desires to drag someone away. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:55.759 Now, verse 14, it says, the scripture says that he is dragged away. 00:10:55.759 --> 00:11:07.600 And that word seems to imply the idea of being baited, baiting a track, a trap, so that the person is dragged away, the person is baited, if you will, and enticed. 00:11:07.600 --> 00:11:10.799 And the idea there seems to be baiting a hook. 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:16.080 So we can almost think of it as a person who is dragged away by his desires. 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:24.559 He is baited and by a trap, and he is enticed almost like the way a fish would be enticed by what whatever is on the hook. 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:30.000 But, however, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:33.440 And sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death. 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:38.000 We can think of it this way think of it as a almost like a human analogy. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:44.559 So desire is is gets pregnant, if you will, with sin. 00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:51.679 And when sin is born and matures, it grows up into an adult called death. 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:53.360 So think of that analogy. 00:11:53.360 --> 00:12:00.559 But then by contrast, think of how God produces birth, not through an evil desire, but through the word of God. 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:06.159 This then grows up not into an adult called death, but an adult called life. 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:10.879 And into the first fruits of his creatures. 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:14.159 That is a new life in us, the new birth. 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:18.240 So the idea of first fruits was taken from the Torah. 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:27.360 If you remember back in places like Leviticus, places like uh Exodus, the first fruits were the first things that were offered to God. 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:36.799 And so the believers are contrasted here, or or compared here rather, to that first portion of harvest that was set aside for God. 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:42.159 And then verse 17 talks about good gifts. 00:12:42.159 --> 00:12:53.279 Every good and perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father, from the of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:57.759 And other versions say, with no shadow of turning, no variableness. 00:12:57.759 --> 00:13:04.159 And the idea there, which is really incredible, is this idea that God keeps giving. 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:12.559 Did you know that the verse there in verse 17 is the actually the word is the uh present participle in Greek. 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:19.600 And so the idea is not just that He that it comes down, the gift comes down from God, but that it keeps on coming. 00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:21.440 It's in the present tense. 00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:25.360 That means it continues, it's a continuous thing. 00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:27.919 God's giving keeps on coming. 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:34.799 That's a tremendous idea that we have that we realize that God is always someone who's willing to give his good gifts. 00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:38.480 And then what is the godly response to temptation? 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:41.200 We see that in verses 19 to 27. 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:46.960 Well, first of all, don't respond in anger, because it's very easy for us to respond in anger, isn't it? 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:48.480 And so many times we do it. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:51.600 Verse 19, my dear brothers, take note of this. 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:56.960 Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. 00:13:56.960 --> 00:14:01.360 As someone once said, there's a reason why you have two ears and one mouth. 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:11.919 And so we are to listen, we are to not get angry, we are to not respond in anger. 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:15.440 We are to actively obey God. 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:26.480 And then it says in verse 20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:32.960 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word of God. 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:37.039 So that's the second response, to get rid of all moral filth. 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:47.600 This idea of that is used in verse 21 there, it says that the word is planted in you, which can save you. 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:49.519 That's an interesting word right there. 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:54.879 I think of it as the heart as a garden. 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:58.879 And if left to itself, the soil produces weeds. 00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:03.120 And we should prepare that soil for the implanted word of God. 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:05.279 Allow God to plant his word. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:08.240 Now, a really important verse is 22. 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:12.960 Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:14.080 Do what it says. 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:18.480 And that's really the heart of the book of James, if you want to cut to the chase of it. 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:21.360 It's not being a hearer, but also a doer. 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:24.960 So easy for us to let to know, isn't it? 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:26.240 But not to do. 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:28.000 It's so easy for us to listen. 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:34.559 I think about how many sermons I've heard in my life, and how many of them have I put into practice is another word. 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:36.240 How many of them do I even remember? 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:37.440 Is a better question. 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:39.679 Do what it says. 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:50.960 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks in a mirror, and after looking at it, he goes away and immediately forgets what he looks at. 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:54.159 And that's exactly what it is. 00:15:54.159 --> 00:16:03.600 The idea of looking into a mirror is similar to listening to the word but not obeying it, just completely forgetting about it. 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:04.559 Yeah, that sounds good. 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:05.919 We heard a good sermon in church. 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:09.120 Sunday, by Tuesday, who knows what we heard? 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:11.120 You know, that's that's the bottom line, right? 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:13.039 Isn't that how it is sometimes? 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:33.600 Yeah, we ought to look into the law of liberty, because the law of liberty, as it says in verse 24, after goes away, say no, immediately say, 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. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:46.240 And this isn't when I think about looking into the law of liberty, I think of like bending down and stooping and intently gazing into the divine law of God as perfected and as fulfilled in Christ. 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:53.120 And even this word perfect, which is in Greek is teleos, is a word that means complete, it means mature, it means whole. 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:59.679 And so James is talking about this law of liberty, and later on we'll talk about the law of faith. 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:05.519 And then finally, wrapping up this chapter, uh I'm gonna jump to verse 27. 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:16.960 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. 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:20.720 And so we have a negative and we also have a positive there. 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:25.039 The positive part is to look after orphans and widows. 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:29.039 And of course, in our day and age, that could even extend to other things. 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:31.759 It doesn't have to be orphans and widows per se. 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:36.480 But certainly in that day that was emphasized, and that's an important thing. 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:42.319 I myself was raised by a widow, and so this verse is particularly important to me, particularly relevant. 00:17:42.319 --> 00:17:48.559 Then the negative side would be to keep oneself unpolluted, undefiled, if you will, from the world. 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:55.920 Then we're gonna move on to chapter two, and chapter two we're gonna call Faith is proven. 00:17:55.920 --> 00:18:04.319 And this is a chapter that talks about how you prove your faith by not showing favoritism. 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:08.480 And that's this whole first section we're gonna talk about, verses one through nine. 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:16.559 I'm not gonna read every verse, again, for sake of time, but just to read a f a few choice verses, verse two of chapter two. 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:28.319 So a man comes into your meeting with a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man, and a poor man is is uh let's see, I missed it, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:41.200 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, here's a good seat for you, but say to the poor man, you stand here or sit on the floor by my feet, are you not discriminating and become judges with evil thoughts? 00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:45.119 So in in that day, the synagogues were the assemblies. 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:47.119 And so this actually was an issue. 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:54.960 And you know, I actually know Jews today, and this is still an issue in some congregations where the rich are highly favored. 00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:59.200 But what does James say? 00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:03.519 Don't favor the rich in your congregation, don't favor them over the poor. 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:09.359 In verse 5, he goes on to say that the poor or more are more likely to be rich in faith. 00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:12.400 And think of it, Jesus himself was poor. 00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:16.480 We know that, but we often forget about the implications of that. 00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:27.920 Jesus was born in a borrowed stable, he borrowed a boat to preach from, he borrowed bread from a small boy to make an illustration to provide food for the crowd. 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:31.839 He borrowed a coin also to make an illustration. 00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:34.960 He also borrowed a donkey to ride into Jerusalem. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:39.119 He borrowed a room to celebrate the Passover. 00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:44.079 He even even a tomb was borrowed from Joseph of Arimathea to bury him. 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:46.799 So Jesus himself was poor. 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:51.279 And of course, he could relate more than anyone to the poor. 00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:59.200 In verse 6, it says that the rich were seen as exploitive, and they would bring the poor into court and slander the name of Christ. 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:05.759 Now, by the way, let me just say that there's a big difference between unsaved rich people and saved rich people. 00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:10.319 Never does the Bible condemn riches for the sake of riches themselves. 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:15.440 It's really do riches have you more so than do you have riches? 00:20:15.440 --> 00:20:21.119 He goes on to say that you prove your faith by loving your neighbor. 00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:23.119 This is verses eight and nine. 00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:26.880 Showing favoritism makes you a lawbreaker. 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:31.200 Christian love is treating others the way that God has treated us. 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:36.559 And we prove our faith by obeying God's laws and showing mercy to others. 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:41.119 Now we're getting into verses 2 10 to 13. 00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:52.720 And here in verse 10, uh I'm sorry, verse 11, the scripture says, For he who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, do not murder. 00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:56.960 If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 00:20:56.960 --> 00:21:03.359 And you know, the issue here is there are people who think that they haven't broken the law because it's something they didn't do. 00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:05.599 The truth is we've all broken laws. 00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:10.640 The truth is that every one of us has broken a commandment at one time or another. 00:21:10.640 --> 00:21:17.920 And so if if you break one little aspect of the whole law, and that's what he's saying, you've broken the whole thing as far as God is concerned. 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:27.920 Verse 13, you will be judged by God if you don't show mercy to others. 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:31.839 And so that's a principle that we see over and over again in scripture. 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:36.720 Now, an important section in verses 14, going down to the end of the chapter. 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:44.559 And it's a section that's almost always confused by many because of the idea of faith and works being presented. 00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:54.319 So let me just say at the outset by contrasting Paul and James, Paul combats legalism, but James combats dead orthodoxy. 00:21:54.319 --> 00:21:56.240 So they come at it from two different angles. 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:59.519 Paul says, by grace you have been saved through faith, not of works. 00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:02.240 But James says, faith without works is dead. 00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:14.079 The difference is that Paul is concerned with people trying to earn salvation by the works of the law, but James is addressing people who are claiming faith but showing no evidence of faith in their lives. 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:15.519 And that's the big difference here. 00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:20.400 Faith by itself is not a saving faith, it says in verse 14, right? 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:22.240 Sounds controversial, doesn't it? 00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:25.359 And then in verse 17, faith by itself is a dead faith. 00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:28.319 Calvin had a great quote on this, by the way. 00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:29.200 I love this quote. 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:34.880 It is faith alone that justifies, but faith that justifies can never be alone. 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:36.559 Think about that one for a little bit. 00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:41.839 Faith actually is accomplished by action. 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:45.680 So let's take an illustration, a homespun illustration. 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:52.960 If you have a tree, and let's say the roots represent faith, but the fruit and the leaves of that tree represent works, okay? 00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:54.640 So got this illustration in your mind? 00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:58.480 The roots are faith and the fruit and the uh fruit is works. 00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:03.119 But you see a tree that doesn't bear any leaves or doesn't bear any fruit. 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:07.359 Is it not reasonable to conclude that that tree is dead? 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:14.000 Now the truth is the root might be alive, it might still be alive, but one could easily assume that it's dead. 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:16.559 That's what I believe is being spoken about here. 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:19.279 It's what is evidenced by that faith. 00:23:19.279 --> 00:23:22.000 That's what James is talking about here. 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:28.880 He says in verse 20, you foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:33.440 Now, again, that's rendered in different uh different ways in different versions. 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:37.680 Actually, let me let me go back to 19 for a second because I want to touch on something there. 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:40.319 In verse 19, it's a great verse. 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:42.480 He says, You believe, huh? 00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:43.680 That's great. 00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:44.799 Well, guess what? 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:48.319 The demons believe too and and tremble and shudder. 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:58.880 So if you're gonna use belief as something to validate your faith, the bad news for you is the fact that the devils believe too. 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:00.319 That's not the point. 00:24:00.319 --> 00:24:13.839 You know, the Jews used to uh uh have a daily affirmation of faith where they would say, you know, the Shema Shema Israel Adunai Elahaino Adunai Echad, you know, the Lord God is one God. 00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:16.000 So they would utter this again and again and again. 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:20.000 So there was there was faith there, but the question is not, do you believe? 00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:23.200 The question is, is there evidence of your belief? 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:27.759 Or is that faith useless, as it says in verse 20? 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:33.359 And that word useless, by the way, connotes the idea of barren. 00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:38.960 Um it's almost akin to having an account where the money draws no interest. 00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:43.680 So faith and works or faith and deeds, if you will, must work together. 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:46.559 And then illustrations are given that later in the chapter. 00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:49.759 In verses 21 and 22, the illustration of Abraham. 00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:56.720 Abraham was not saved by obeying God's difficult command, but rather his obedience demonstrated that he was saved. 00:24:56.720 --> 00:25:03.119 And then, of course, Rahab illustrates her works, also are illustrated in verse 25. 00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:11.839 And then finally, in verse 26, the scripture says, faith without deeds is like a body without the spirit of life in it. 00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:19.680 You can have a body, the body is certainly there, and there's no doubt that the body is there, but if there's no spirit of life in it, it is a dead body. 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:23.279 An existent body, an existing body, but a dead body. 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:27.680 So now we move on to chapter three, faith is controlled. 00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:33.440 And this is a chapter that's going to talk all about something that gets us all into trouble, the tongue. 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:48.880 And the very first verse says, Not many of you, not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:51.519 We also stumble and in many ways. 00:25:51.519 --> 00:26:04.799 And that's kind of a convicting verse for those of us who actually preach and teach, that the burden is more on us than others because of the fact that we are held accountable for what we say. 00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:16.640 Those that James was dealing with may have actually had a desire because of the prestige of the office to teach, and he might have been addressing it, the issue, because of that reason. 00:26:16.640 --> 00:26:19.359 So then he jumps into this area of the tongue. 00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:24.240 The tongue must be controlled or tamed because it's small yet powerful. 00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:32.319 So three illustrations are given the horse's bit and the ship's rudder, and also a spark from a fire. 00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:46.079 All three of them are small, but can do great, great damage, and also are very powerful, just like a bit in a horse's mouth can turn a horse, a rudder can turn a ship, a spark can set uh a forest on fire. 00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:50.799 In verse 8, it says, the tongue is unsettled and never at peace. 00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:54.319 It's responsible for hypocritical and destructive speech. 00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:56.880 We're going to see in verses 9 through 12. 00:26:56.880 --> 00:27:00.000 And then more illustrations are given in verse 10. 00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:03.519 It says, Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. 00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:06.400 My brothers, this ought not to be. 00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:10.640 Can fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:13.599 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives? 00:27:13.599 --> 00:27:15.519 And so that's an interesting question. 00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:16.720 What about that? 00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:18.319 What about these fountains? 00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:22.640 Fountains were very important to the Jews, to anyone living in a village. 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:25.759 I was in Italy this summer, and every town had a fountain. 00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:31.920 And there was an interesting history given about the significance of each fountain and what they represented. 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:35.599 So fresh fountains were very precious. 00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:40.400 And water itself can be either life-giving or it could be destructive, right? 00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:42.880 There can be a tsunami of water coming at you. 00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:47.519 But what Paul is saying here is that you cannot do both. 00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:58.720 One cannot cannot uh give forth fresh water, but at the same time give forth bitter or salty water. 00:27:58.720 --> 00:28:09.599 Then the next section talks about how the heart must be controlled and tamed as long as well as the tongue. 00:28:09.599 --> 00:28:15.519 Verse 13 says, gosh, me a little. 00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:19.759 Okay, verse 13. 00:28:19.759 --> 00:28:22.240 Who is wise and understanding among you? 00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:28.160 Let him show it by his good life, by his deeds, done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 00:28:28.160 --> 00:28:32.000 So we've kind of moved from the tongue to the area of the heart. 00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:37.519 And Paul and James emphasizes rather that the heart must be controlled and tamed as well. 00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:46.240 The believer should be character by characterized by humility, and the believer should be without envy and without self-ambition. 00:28:46.240 --> 00:28:48.720 And there's a bunch of other things listed here too. 00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:54.720 Uh let's see, in verse 15, he says, let's see. 00:28:54.720 --> 00:29:03.599 Such wisdom does not come down from heaven, but is earthly, unspiritual, and of the devil. 00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:07.440 Yeah, sure, thanks. 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:10.079 Speaking of water, huh? 00:29:10.079 --> 00:29:11.599 That's a good illustration right here. 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:13.680 I hope this is fresh and not bitter. 00:29:13.680 --> 00:29:20.640 Very timely, yeah, exactly. 00:29:20.640 --> 00:29:28.400 Verse 16 for where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and have evil practice. 00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:37.200 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, then considerate, submissive, full of mercy, and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:39.279 Again, there's a lot more we can say about it. 00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:41.599 And I I I apologize for rushing. 00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:44.640 It's just that um there's there's so much here. 00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:49.039 So we're gonna just move on to verse to chapter four faith is submitted. 00:29:49.039 --> 00:29:53.279 So first we have the problem in verses one through four. 00:29:53.279 --> 00:29:54.960 And I'll just read a few of these verses. 00:29:54.960 --> 00:29:57.519 What causes fights and quarrels among you? 00:29:57.519 --> 00:29:59.920 Don't they come from your desires that baptism? 00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:19.440 within you want something but you don't get it you kill and you covet but you cannot get what you want you quarrel and you fight you do not have because you do not ask God when you ask you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives that you may spend what you that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:22.640 My gosh there's so much there that we could talk about. 00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:41.920 I mean that is a a convicting verse uh there's so much that we can say about it but the question is when we pray do we do so with wrong motives he even goes on and says with even harsher language you turn to the world instead of turning to God therefore making yourself an enemy of God. 00:30:41.920 --> 00:30:44.640 So the question is what is meant by being a friend of the world? 00:30:44.640 --> 00:30:50.000 Here's a question we have to ask I believe what it's saying is that you're being approved by the world. 00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:54.480 You're going to the world to obtain your needs to meet your needs. 00:30:54.480 --> 00:31:08.799 What I don't believe it's saying is that you're you're you know listening to music or going you know playing cards you know there's a lot of things in the in the past that people have assumed uh was synonymous with worldliness worldliness but I don't believe that's what it's saying here. 00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:17.440 Friendship with the world is actually just seeking approval trying to be like the world that's essentially what it is to make it simple. 00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:21.759 It's compared further down with adultery. 00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:40.000 And the Jews had heard this language before because the prophets had used the same illustrations and when rebuking Judah for her their her sins comparing what they were doing to a spiritual form of adultery if you will the spirit of the world is strife and envy. 00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:44.480 Then God deeply desires our devotion like a husband it says in verse 5. 00:31:44.480 --> 00:32:04.640 Let me just read that real quick or do you think scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely and so it's a little bit of a tricky verse but I believe what it's saying is that God desires our devotion like a husband is jealous for his wife's faithfulness. 00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:09.440 And this is why friendship with the world is spiritual adultery if you will. 00:32:09.440 --> 00:32:11.839 It's committing adultery against God. 00:32:11.839 --> 00:32:23.279 Not only is there a problem within but also a provision of grace we see that in verse six but he gives us more grace which is why the scripture says God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:29.519 And then we move on to a section that I call the path to victory verses seven through ten. 00:32:29.519 --> 00:32:45.920 Just a uh a number of uh ideas here verse seven submit yourselves then to God resist the devil and he will flee from you so this idea of submitting to God when I looked it up this word submit is a military term that means get into your proper rank. 00:32:45.920 --> 00:32:54.079 So if you will get into your proper rank with God be in the position that God wants you to be humbly submitted before him. 00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:59.680 Then he goes on resist the devil and God gives us strength to do that. 00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:03.680 Come near to God and he will come near to you. 00:33:03.680 --> 00:33:13.599 Wash your hands purify your hearts you double minded grieve mourn and wail change your laughter into mourning and your joy to gloom now that's an interesting verse right there. 00:33:13.599 --> 00:33:16.000 So what is that talking about should Christians never laugh? 00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:18.880 I'm in trouble if that's the case because I like to laugh. 00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:35.680 I like to make people laugh as well but it says turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into heaviness well James is addressing people here that are smug that are self-satisfied and these were people that were treating sin lightly and they were ignoring God's holiness. 00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:37.200 And that's what he's referring to here. 00:33:37.200 --> 00:33:43.039 There's nothing wrong with Christians laughing but there should be a seriousness about sin rather than laughter about it. 00:33:43.039 --> 00:33:55.359 And then there's a prohibition of slander in verses 11 and 12 brothers do not slander one another anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. 00:33:55.359 --> 00:34:00.079 When you judge the law you are not keeping it but sitting in judgment on it. 00:34:00.079 --> 00:34:18.159 There's only one lawgiver and judge the one who was able to save and to destroy but you who are you to judge your neighbor boy doesn't that make it clear to summarize that there's only one lawgiver and judge and it's not you and it's not me. 00:34:18.159 --> 00:34:26.239 Then we move on to the priority of God's will and this is in verses 13 through 17. 00:34:26.239 --> 00:34:47.840 And again he talks about not presuming we shouldn't be presumptuous uh verse 13 and in verse 14 he talks about the verse that we all know what is your life we can we can't be presumptuous about tomorrow because we don't know what a day may bring I always had a hard time let me just say this off the cuff. 00:34:47.840 --> 00:34:51.840 I always had a hard time with the question what is your five year plan? 00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:53.920 My answer's always been I have no idea. 00:34:53.920 --> 00:35:02.719 I don't even know what I'm doing next week honestly not to say that you shouldn't plan but I've never been good at being able to say that because I just don't know. 00:35:02.719 --> 00:35:04.719 None of us know what's coming up. 00:35:04.719 --> 00:35:23.360 And so we cannot be presumptuous about tomorrow because we just don't know what a day brings and the illustration is given of course about a vapor a life is a vapor it's a mist that is here today it's gone tomorrow it's here for a little while it's very it's disturbing to think of that but it's really true. 00:35:23.360 --> 00:35:40.559 And then he says you boast and brag and also all such boasting is evil and so we're not to presume we're also not to boast we're also to avoid not to avoid doing the good which we have the ability to do. 00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:44.159 Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it sins. 00:35:44.159 --> 00:35:52.559 Let me read that verse because that's a really convict anyone then who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it sins. 00:35:52.559 --> 00:35:56.719 That means if I know to do the right thing and I choose not to do it I'm sinning. 00:35:56.719 --> 00:36:11.440 If you know to do the right thing if God's telling you to do something and you don't do it that's sin according to James I didn't say it he said it then we move on to chapter five and chapter five I'm gonna call Faith is patient. 00:36:11.440 --> 00:37:35.679 And the chapter begins by again excoriating the rich and he talks about how and we're gonna see how the there is a connection between this section verses one through six to the following section which is talking about the poor essentially the rich were ex exploiting the poor and treating them terribly and they were withholding wages for example and they were not listening to the cries of those who were treated unjustly and these poor people here were day laborers and we see that actually in verses five and six and yet they were exploited yet they were treated poorly and yet God tells them he has warnings against them he says that you live in luxury while ignoring others but you're like someone who's fattening themselves for the day of slaughter you can fatten yourselves now but there's a day coming where you're going to be slaughtered and God will instead hear the cries of the poor he will instead hear the cries of those who have been treated poorly that you they held withheld wages and that was something that God didn't forget. 00:37:35.679 --> 00:37:40.639 And so really this whole section is talking about patience. 00:37:40.639 --> 00:37:45.039 So he's encouraging them despite how they've been treated to be patient. 00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:58.079 In verse 7 be patient then brothers until the Lord comes and then he gives several illustrations the first being the farmer see how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 00:37:58.079 --> 00:38:07.920 So when a farmer plants he has to wait there's a time of waiting you don't just get crops automatically there's a lot of patience that is needed. 00:38:07.920 --> 00:38:14.880 Verse 9 don't grumble against each other brothers or you will be judged the the judge is standing at the door. 00:38:14.880 --> 00:38:48.400 Then the second illustration of patience is in verse 10 brothers as an example of patience in the face of suffering take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as you know we consider blessed those who were perse who who persevered and of course they are great examples of prophets who preached and preached and often saw no results for many many years and they were stoned and they were treated poorly and yet they're upheld here as an example of patience. 00:38:48.400 --> 00:38:54.000 And a third example of patience is is the personage of Job. 00:38:54.000 --> 00:39:01.679 Now I have to tell you when I first read that I said to myself you know I never really thought of Job as a particularly patient individual I've read the book of Job many times. 00:39:01.679 --> 00:39:14.079 He seemed kind of impatient if you ask me but what I believe God is saying here is that initially Job was impatient but that he learned patience through everything he experienced he did learn patience. 00:39:14.079 --> 00:39:26.960 And yes it is true that he did question God but he never forsook his faith and so Job is used here by James as an example of patience. 00:39:26.960 --> 00:39:57.679