Sunday, February 27, 2011

Book of James - Part 8: Two Wisdoms


The Book of James
Part 8 - True Wisdom
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org


SCRIPTURE READING

James 3:13-18 Two Kinds of Wisdom
 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.


INTRODUCTION

There are only kinds of wisdom in this world...man’s wisdom and God’s wisdom.

Many times people claim to be living for God, they claim they love God and are living a pleasing life for Him, while actually living in their wisdom, and the only person they are trying to please in life is himself or herself.

A few weeks ago, I spoke about motivations...and how the scripture tells us that God HAS to be our motivation in our faith and works, or our “deeds” are worthless and our faith is dead.  If your motivation is not God, then it is self.

The same rule applies to wisdom.  If our wisdom is not God’s, then it is mans, and absolutely worthless.

Today’s scripture asks you to place yourself under the microscope, and see whether the wisdom you live your life by, and base your decisions on is Godly, or worldly.

Which wisdom do you live by?
       I.            WHO IS WISE AND UNDERSTANDING?

a.      Two Wisdoms
                                                             i.      James exposes that there are two wisdoms in operation


                                                          ii.      One is God’s wisdom, the other man’s wisdom.
1.      Jesus says you cannot serve both.

2.      Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

3.      Ask yourself right now, do you base your decisions in life on what God wants, or what YOU want? 
a.      Is it money over morality?
b.     Or as God wants it, morality over money?
c.      How do you make your choices in life?

4.      16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” - Matthew 19:15-17
a.      “I have kept all the commandments, what do I still lack?”
                                                                                                                                     i.      He recognized that although he lived what he considered to be a good life, keeping the commandments the best he knew how, he did not yet have eternal life.


b.     What did Jesus tell the rich young man?
                                                                                                                                     i.      “If you want to be perfect (rightly handling the Word of God), go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

                                                                                                                                  ii.      Remember the sermon last week about being perfect in the eyes of God??
1.       James tells us in verse 2, “If any man offend NOT in the word, he is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”

2.      Perfection in God’s eyes is rightly handling the Word of God.

                                                                                                                               iii.      Jesus tells the rich young man here, the reason he has not yet gained eternal life was that he was NOT rightly handling the Word of God.
1.      It was obvious to Jesus that in this rich young man’s life, he was choosing MONEY over MORALITY.

2.      So Jesus challenged the rich man’s morality, telling him to RIGHTLY handle the Word of God, and choose MORALITY over his money, by selling his possessions and give to the poor...ONLY THEN could he follow Jesus.

3.      To this...the scripture says, “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

4.      He chose his money over morality...and because of this, he did not rightly understand, nor live God’s Word, and could NOT follow Jesus or obtain eternal life.  His riches remained on earth, and he had no home or place in heaven because of following his earthly wisdom.




b.     Proof of Godly Wisdom
                                                             i.      How do you know which wisdom you are living by?

                                                          ii.      The scriptures say you can tell by this;
1.      Are you choosing money over morality?
2.      or is your life a reflection of what God’s Word teaches?

3.      Are your deeds done in humility?

4.      or are they for selfish motivation such as, praise, accolades, attention, pride, so YOU feel good?

                                                       iii.      If you live by God’s Wisdom, you will put OTHERS before yourself, as Jesus said, and your deeds will be done with the right motivation, to please God and for no other reason.



   II.            EVIDENCE OF WORLDLY WISDOM
a.      We can read in the scriptures here about how to recognize worldly wisdom as well.
1.      If you harbor bitter envy (jealousy, greed, desire, resentment)

2.      Selfish ambition (motivation) for your deeds

3.      boasting (bragging, proud, conceited, full of yourself, vain, self-important, self-centered)


b.     THIS WISDOM IS NOT FROM HEAVEN
1.      but is EARTHLY, UNSPIRITUAL and DEMONIC!

2.      Where you have these things (earthly wisdom), you will find disorder, and every evil practice.


c.      Time to Change Your Focus!
                                                             i.      Do not be like the rich young man who gave up his eternal home because he chose money over morality!
1.      It is time to take your attention and focus off yourself and put it on Jesus!

2.      Essentially, selfish people are worshipping themselves!

3.      You become your own false idol, making yourself your god when you put yourself before God and His wisdom!



III.            WISDOM THAT DOES COME FROM HEAVEN
a.      To ask the question of wisdom, you in turn must examine the way you live, and the decisions you make

                                                             i.      Wisdom that does come down from heaven is;
1.      pure - clean and wholesome

2.      peace-loving - not aggressive or troublemaking

3.      considerate - putting others before yourself (true biblical love)

4.      submissive - to God and others as instructed in the Word of God

5.      full of mercy - So you may receive mercy

6.      good fruit - motivated by pleasing and serving God, not for recognition, praise, accolades, back-pats, attention, etc...

7.      impartial - treating all others the same, not based on their income!

8.      sincere - If it is not from the heart, it is not real...and it too is worthless!


b.     Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of RIGHTEOUSNESS.
CONCLUSION

Are you making decisions in this life based on worldly wisdom like the rich man who refused to listen to Jesus?  or are you living a life of decisions based on rightly handling the Word of God?

The rich young man sacrificed God’s wisdom, and turned away from Jesus’ instruction, and lost his eternal life for the love of his money.

God calls us to live in His wisdom, His instruction above all other.

Choose morality over money...chose God above all else.

Doing this, Jesus says you will gain the eternal life you seek.  And as we read in James today, you will reap a harvest of RIGHTEOUSNESS, which is required for your salvation.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Book of James - Part 7: Taming of the Shrewd


The Book of James
Part 7 - Taming of the Shrewd
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org


SCRIPTURE READING

James 3:1-9 Taming the Tongue
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

 3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

INTRODUCTION

There are warnings we must not overlook in the third chapter of James. 

First is to the teacher of the Word of God, second is of the power of the tongue, and thirdly, is of the only answer to taming what comes from your mouth.

The question James poses for you this week is simple,

Can a salt spring produce fresh water?
       I.            BEWARE TEACHERS OF THE WORD OF GOD

a.      Those who Teach the Word are Judged more Strictly

                                                             i.      Understanding the Word of God is not to be taken lightly
1.      2 Timothy 2:1515 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

a.      Too many mis-quote, mis-use, and misunderstand the scriptures...and they are setting themselves up for trouble, because God holds those who teach the Word to a higher accountability!

b.     To those who teach, He judges more strictly.


b.     It is easy to Stumble, Offend and Sin
                                                             i.      James addresses the issue of sin and perfection, and makes it clear that it is easy to stumble, offend and sin...but the scriptures are not referring to sin when we are called to be perfect.


c.      To be Perfect, One must Rightly Handle the Word of God
                                                             i.      James tells us in verse 2, “If any man offend NOT in the word, he is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”

                                                          ii.      To God, the man who teaches the Word with proper understanding, it is credited to him as perfection!
1.      In the previous chapter, last week James tells us how Abraham was considered RIGHTEOUS, not that he WAS righteous, but his faith was credited to him as righteousness.

2.      A few verses later, we see James telling us that although we sin, and it is easy to offend, by rightly handling and teaching the Word of God, we are considered PERFECT, not that we are perfect, but credited as such!
a.      We CANNOT be righteous, less we obey God’s Word

Isaiah 64:6
All of us have become like one who is unclean,
   and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;

Isaiah 64 addressing the fact that because is dis-obedience to God’s Word, we have no righteousness.

b.     We CANNOT be perfect, less we rightly divide the Word

c.      We CANNOT be saved, less we have faith in the Word


ILLUSTRATION - Horses and Ships

 3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.

         Like the horses bit, or the ships rudder, the tongue is a small part of the body, yet, just as the bit and the rudder, it holds great power, and is responsible for doing great things, whether good or bad!


ILLUSTRATION - Forest Fires and Sparks

Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

         James refers to the tongue as a FIRE, not just a spark.





   II.            THE POWER LIES IN THE TONGUE

a.      A World of Evil Among the Parts of the Body
                                                             i.      It is not what goes into a man that defiles him...

Matthew 15:10-11
 10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”


b.     The Tongue Corrupts the Whole Body
                                                             i.      Leading the body like an unbridled horse


c.      The Tongue Sets the Whole Course of One’s Life on Fire
                                                             i.      If the devil can control your tongue, he will control your destiny!


d.     The Tongue Itself is set on Fire by Hell
                                                             i.      What is coming from your mouth?
1.      Faith or dis-belief?
2.      Hope or hopelessness?
3.      Blessings or curses?
4.      are you speaking life or death?



III.            WHO CAN TAME IT?
a.      v7-8 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

                                                             i.      NOT MAN

                                                          ii.      The Holy Spirit is the ONLY way!
1.      From the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks!

2.      What is your heart filled with?
a.      That is what you are speaking...

b.     v9-10  9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.

                                                             i.      Remember, we are commanded to love our brothers, our neighbors and our enemies!

                                                          ii.      I John 3:1414 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.”

1.      Have a question about your salvation?  Ask yourself...do you love others?  The scripture says THIS is how we can KNOW we have passed from death to life!

                                                       iii.      I John 4:20 “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”


c.      Life and Death are in the tongue!
                                                             i.      James warns that our tongue is “restless evil, full of poison.”

                                                          ii.      Proverbs 18:20-21 20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.

21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

                                                       iii.      BEWARE...you will be FILLED with the harvest of your mouth, which has the power of life and death!  Which fruit are you filling yourself with?  Good or evil?


d.     One moment we praise God, the next we curse man created in His image...this should not be!
JAMES’ GREAT QUESTION

Can a salt spring produce fresh water?


CONCLUSION

To the teacher of the Word of God, STUDY, understand the very Word you are teaching, for God will hold you to a higher accountability.


As far as the power of the tongue, remind yourself that what you speak comes from what is stored in your heart, and you will eat the fruit of that harvest, whether good or bad.


The ONLY way to control, and tame the tongue, is by the Holy Spirit filling you with good things from Study of God’s Word...


Luke 6:44-45
44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.


The question James poses for you this week is simple,

Are you speaking life or death?