Posture of Submission.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] My name is Steve. I am another one of the pastors here at the Village and I am so glad to see you guys brave the [0:08] tough weather in Virginia [0:10] If you’re not from Virginia, that’s what we call tough weather [0:15] I [0:15] Am so I almost didn’t come [0:18] Woke up looked outside and almost got back in the bed. I said, oh wait, I gotta go. I

[0:22] Wish you guys had that mentality [0:24] Apparently you do but if you have your Bible’s go ahead and open them to the book of James chapter 4 [0:29] You’ve been here. You might already be there [0:31] If you have not been here, we are taking a journey as a church through the book of James

[0:38] We titled this series the gospel of works [0:43] because throughout the history of the church there’s been some confusion about the book of James and [0:48] the fact that the gospel [0:51] Proclaims into our lives the grace of Jesus Christ that we depend on his works for our [0:59] salvation and that nothing we can do saves us and so sometimes when you go into the scriptures and [1:06] You believe that and that’s the message that you have you go into the scriptures and you read things like this is what your life

[1:13] Should look like if you believe in Jesus you will do this faith without works is dead [1:20] And I wait a second is this a different message that I’ve been getting all along and [1:26] The fact of the matter is what we’re doing through this is we are unpacking [1:30] The fact that the book of James is completely coherent with the rest of the scriptures [1:34] That he is not telling us what we do in order to earn God’s favor [1:40] But rather what life looks like living in the fact that we already have

[1:48] God’s favor Tim Keller puts it this way a pastor in New York [1:51] He says that we do not obey God so that he will love us, but rather we obey God [1:57] because [1:58] He loves us and those are two

[2:03] completely different [2:05] Attitudes those are two completely different postures one posture is earning the acceptance of a taskmaster [2:13] The other is relishing in the favor of a father [2:18] and [2:19] We serve out of this heart of love that realizes that we have the greatest gift that we could ever [2:26] Possibly gain and that is the gift of God’s love for us even though we do everything we can

[2:35] To run from it [2:37] We’re completely disobedient [2:39] We do not line our lives up with his mission [2:43] But rather we live for our own plan we exhaust ourselves above him and say maybe not in word [2:50] but usually indeed that my plan is better and why isn’t God working things out the way that I want them to and [2:58] Typically if your life is not going the way that you envision God taking it

[3:04] Well, let’s be honest [3:06] It’s because he has a different plan altogether for your life because when you live for the gospel [3:13] you simply live to further the gospel and [3:16] Any direction anything that comes into your life does not dissuade you from that path [3:22] But rather you see it as a new opportunity [3:25] To go deeper into his love deeper into the path of his gospel and the book of James is just this complete

[3:33] Collection of the half-brother of Jesus James writing to the church [3:37] Which is dispersed throughout the world at this point writing to them saying this is how we line our lives up with the truth of [3:46] What we believe this is how we live gospel centered lives [3:53] We talked a little bit the past few weeks about how whatever it is that we pursue in our lives [3:59] Whatever it is that we pursue with great effort in our lives [4:03] It is that that we will boast in it is that that we hold ultimate if we spend our lives pursuing money

[4:12] Well, then what will we boast in the collection of money or the collection of things? [4:18] We will find our worth and if you chase after money and you never get it

[4:25] Will you be satisfied?

[4:29] If you chase after a family and you either never get it or it doesn’t turn out the way you thought it would

[4:37] We be satisfied [4:40] We have anything to boast in well, let’s say you chase it and you get it

[4:46] What will you boast in you may say well, I want to thank God for everything he’s given me [4:53] But what had happened if God took those things away? [4:57] Well, you wouldn’t thank God then [4:59] Because you’re not thankful for the presence of God in your life [5:01] But rather you’re thankful for the things that God has put in your life [5:04] You exalt in that which God has created rather than the Creator himself

[5:10] And James is helping us in this mindset of realizing that through Jesus [5:15] We have acceptance with God through Jesus. We have redemption of our sins [5:21] He is helping us to turn our lives into people who do not find glory and do not find anything to boast in [5:29] Outside of our reconciliation with God the fact that he will not count our sins against us [5:34] But rather that he will bring us in he will adopt us. He will be our Abba father [5:40] We will have the ability to go into his presence

[5:43] We will have the ability to be accepted by him and greater than that [5:47] We can see him for who he really is and not shrink away in terror, but rather fall on our knees in worship

[5:56] That is the gospel [5:58] And this is the life that comes from the gospel [6:04] Last week we saw for a few moments that the wisdom that each and every one of us seek in our lives is only [6:10] found in the gospel [6:11] That if we seek wisdom in anything or anyone [6:15] We will find nothing but foolishness that wisdom comes from God

[6:21] And what we’re gonna see today is that wisdom put into action in our life and in the [6:28] Relationships that we have each and every day [6:31] We’re gonna see what it looks like to live in [6:35] What is undoubtedly? [6:38] Unaffensive and sounds really great and comfortable the posture of submission [6:43] Don’t worry. I’m not gonna pick on the wives too much today because typically when you say the word submission in the church

[6:49] It’s towards women. No, I’m not talking about that today. I’m talking about all of us [6:53] Because each and every one of us in our relationships [6:56] Must understand that there is a necessity in our relationship with God to live with a posture of submission [7:04] towards his will towards his purpose and towards his way or [7:10] We are not seeking the wisdom that James has just told us is from above [7:16] All right, and he just comes off of this and I love the way James kind of turns the tables because he finishes this great

[7:22] Thing where we’re like, oh finally I understand what wisdom is and then he ends with this really just kind of happy-go-lucky thing [7:28] Where it’s like the end of full house where everybody hugs and and uncle Jesse’s okay [7:33] He had had to get the haircut, but he’s feeling pretty good about it [7:35] And he says because God has a harvest of righteousness for us for those who sow peace [7:44] Are those who make peace and we’re all like, okay, I’m gonna go through my week in peace [7:49] But then the thing I love about James more than anything else is how he doesn’t just give us these

[7:55] Generalizations, but rather he immediately turns and then says so how’s that working out for you? [8:01] How’s that peace thing going? Is it going good? How much peace did you experience yesterday? I didn’t think so and [8:09] So he nails us right where we are each and every one of us when we read through the first 12 verses of chapter 4 [8:16] We should be uncomfortable [8:19] Because I’ll be perfectly honest I’m not measuring up

[8:26] He asks us coming off of this harvest of righteousness that we want in Jesus because he’s the one that bestows his righteousness [8:34] He asks us he says what causes quarrels and what causes fights?

[8:41] among you [8:43] Is it not this that your passions are at war within you [8:49] You do not have excuse me you desire and do not have so you murder you covet and cannot obtain [8:55] So you fight and quarrel you do not have because you do not ask

[9:03] So he jumps right off wisdom and this is what most of the time if you’ve ever been in a youth group [9:10] Which that former youth pastor so I undoubtedly can always talk about that [9:14] I have experience there what we do is we tell our kids. Do you want the wisdom of God? [9:18] Do you want the wisdom that comes from above? [9:21] Okay, you need to have a quiet time [9:24] You need to read your Bible you need to pray

[9:27] And that’s as far as we ever take it [9:30] We say if you do those things [9:32] You’ll have that peace everything will just start working out and then inevitably there’s that one kid that was like [9:37] You know I’ve never read my Bible before and I read it yesterday and my day was better

[9:43] It just was [9:45] everything worked out [9:47] The genie popped out of the lamp he fixed everything

[9:53] Then inevitably day two or three comes and somebody makes fun of them and he’s like I’m never reading my Bible again [9:59] He may not say it, but he never does [10:01] James doesn’t go that easy on us [10:04] He goes right to the heart of where we live. He goes right to my living room [10:10] And he says so if you want wisdom, do you want to live a wise life? Well, here’s wisdom. It’s the gospel [10:16] It’s living for the gospel of Jesus. It’s living a cross centered life. It’s having a cross

[10:23] Entranced vision of all things it is prayer. It is scripture. It is church [10:29] It is life. It is living for the mission [10:32] It is being reconciled to God and going out with a vision of seeing others [10:37] Reconciled to God and then he says and does that work out in your living room? [10:43] Because if it doesn’t work there, it’s not gonna work anywhere

[10:47] Say what do you mean? Let me ask you this

[10:52] What causes quarrels and fights in your life I

[10:56] Mean I don’t really have to get too exegetical on that for that to hit home with you guys [11:00] I don’t think I think I can just ask it the same way James asked it. What is it in your life? [11:10] That you find the most offense from other people in [11:15] What is it in your marriage [11:19] That gets under your skin [11:22] What is it in your parents?

[11:25] These exactly take it anymore when I’m 18. I’m moving out [11:29] Good luck with that [11:32] What is it with your co-workers that you just can’t bear anymore? What is it?

[11:39] In the church [11:41] Whoops that prevents you [11:46] from worshiping and serving God [11:49] Because you’re so focused [11:53] on other people and what they’re doing [11:58] That you don’t see anything

[12:03] What causes [12:06] Quarrels and fights among you and I know what you do here you’re gonna do what I do and you say well [12:13] That’s not specifically about the situation. I’m in because that’s different [12:17] Really you think you’re so different than other people that have ever lived the book of Ecclesiastes says there’s nothing new under the Sun [12:25] Ladies the same thing that offends you offended first century women. Maybe not in clothing but in other things [12:34] Men

[12:35] the same thing that offends you offended men in James’s day and [12:40] The door there is a direct correlation here that is going to be drawn [12:45] between what takes place in your [12:48] relationships with other people and in the fights with other people and how you in yourself [12:55] Truly view other people as an obstacle to your happiness

[13:03] That is a reflection of your relationship with God [13:08] And you say see what what in the world do you mean by that? [13:12] Here’s what I mean. Here’s what he says. He says what causes fights and quarrels among you. Is it not this and anytime? [13:19] They say is it not this understand they’re gonna nail you. Okay [13:24] Is it not this that your passions? [13:27] Are at war within you

[13:31] So what do you mean you passions are at war yeah, it’s passionate we’re fighting I have a passion for what I’m fighting about [13:38] Right. That’s James’s point. What is it that you’re passionate about? [13:42] Where are the passions in your life because in each and every one of us at some point in our life [13:49] We are going to find ourselves mostly every day having this fight inside of us [13:55] Between sin and between God and you say no no no the fights and the quarrels that I have in my life in those people [14:03] That I don’t like and those people are refused to have a relationship with that is not a reflection of my relationship with God

[14:08] and he says it absolutely is [14:11] Because the gospel transforms your passions

[14:16] Because this is what he says he says because you long after these things that you do not have and [14:23] These things that you do not have you don’t have them because you haven’t asked for them [14:28] And we’re like, you know, we tell our kids well if you want it son pray for it [14:32] Because God says that if you don’t have it, it’s cuz he didn’t ask for it. Yeah [14:36] Okay, I’m gonna go pray for those New Jordans. Maybe I’ll get those but listen go to the next verse

[14:45] Verse 3 says but you ask and do not receive [14:51] Because you ask wrongly to spend it on your passions

[15:01] James is gonna say to us [15:03] The gospel wants to transform our passions and the problem with most of us is our greatest passion in our lives

[15:15] My wants are more important than anyone else’s wants [15:20] My need for approval my need to be above everybody else my need to be seen as important [15:27] My need to be seen as the one with authority my need to get me me me me [15:36] They’re standing in the way of that

[15:42] And James is telling us that is not the wisdom that comes from above

[15:50] James is saying you are even praying to God for things that you will never get because you are the center of your own [16:00] Prayer life and then you’ll quote a verse and you’ll say well doesn’t it say in Psalm 37 for that [16:04] You know if if I delight in God who give me the desires of my heart [16:09] Absolutely, but you know what this is about. It’s about gospel transformation if you delight in God [16:14] You’re seeking the passions of his heart because he is your delight and your prayers are transformed [16:21] And you’re not praying for just token pointless things that you are the center of you’re begging him to see the

[16:28] Gospel work out of your life into the lives of others [16:31] And when you’re living that gospel centered life and you’re being [16:35] Transformed and you want to see the work of Jesus work out of your life and into the lives of others [16:40] You are willing to sacrifice [16:43] Anything that stands in the way of the gospel working in and then through you because God [16:51] Has become your passion

[16:55] God is the one that means the most to you and [17:00] It’s reflected in your relationships because people no longer become an obstacle [17:07] But rather people become those whom the Father loves and those whom the Father wants to redeem and those who have sinned [17:16] But so do you?

[17:20] Inevitably the problems in your life are not because other people are so sinful [17:25] But because you do not understand the depth of your own depravity [17:30] Look at what they’ve done look at how bad they are [17:42] What’s your standard how good you are [17:50] Now James has already cleared that up for us [17:54] Our standard is the implanted word

[17:59] Our standard is the implanted word [18:00] Our standard is the life of Jesus our standard is the sacrifice of Jesus [18:05] Our standard is the transformation that’s only found in Jesus and when I measure myself up to that I [18:17] Start to see those words

[18:21] I start to see my own anger. I start to see my own selfishness [18:27] And [18:29] I find myself in a place like Isaiah finds himself in chapter 6 of this book [18:35] Where he’s caught up into the presence of God in the year that King Uzziah died and he sees God in all of his glory [18:41] He sees God in all of his might he sees this picture of God and then immediately he says whoa is [18:49] me falls to his knees he says I am

[18:52] Clean for I come from a people of unclean lips I am sinful

[19:02] So long as you find yourself to be better than others so long as you find yourself to be higher than others [19:09] So long as you find yourself to be more important than others so long as you see your needs as being more [19:15] Magnificent than others so long as you see yourself as being preeminent

[19:23] You will never understand the humiliating

[19:29] Revelation of the gospel of Jesus Christ

[19:35] To whom we compare ourselves and find ourselves completely morally and righteously [19:44] bankrupt

[19:47] It’s what Jesus talks about in the parable

[19:53] It’s the great equalizer

[19:57] Not through the gospel I don’t see other people since [20:00] What would be the point of that? [20:03] We would just be a new legion of Pharisees that Jesus said were whitewashed tombs [20:07] Children of the devil only called that

[20:12] I see myself as being completely unrighteous [20:19] And then I’m so grateful that he’s redeemed me to himself [20:23] I’m so thankful for the work that he’s done [20:26] And I realize that others are in the same situation that I’m in [20:32] And I leverage my entire life [20:36] So that they can have it

[20:39] I just look like though [20:44] In verse 4 [20:46] You adulterous people [20:49] What is adultery? [20:52] Don’t yell it out kids [20:54] It’s when a husband or wife is unfaithful to the other

[21:00] It’s an interesting thing that he does there where he calls the church’s adulterous wife [21:07] Ephesians 5 he spells out marriage and and he says that [21:10] Jesus is the groom and the church is his bride and it’s not Jesus that’s unfaithful. No, it’s his bride [21:16] That’s being completely unfaithful and he says that through your relationships [21:21] Through how you live for other people through whether or not you are using your life for the gospel. You’re committing adultery

[21:30] Because your favor is with god your kingdom is with god your treasure is in god [21:36] You’ve been given it through jesus and you use your life for your own selfish gain [21:42] Even your prayers are littered with nothing but you

[21:50] You’re cheating on god

[21:57] Do you not know [21:59] That friendship with the world is enmity with god [22:04] Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of god [22:10] Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the scripture says he yearns [22:15] Jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us, but he gives more grace [22:21] Therefore it says god opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble

[22:27] So is pride this unforgivable sin? [22:31] No

[22:33] It’s the point of the gospel [22:36] It’s the point of the conflict [22:37] It’s the point of what we’re seeking [22:40] We think that our plan is better [22:42] We think that what we want is better than what he will give us which is himself [22:46] But if that’s true, then he is not god

[22:51] And what inevitably happens in our lives is that we begin to live [22:56] Seeking our own passions seeking our own plans [23:00] Seeking what we want what we think will build a good life and church and jesus and the scriptures become [23:08] Nothing more than an insurance policy for the end when we will die

[23:13] And james says you cannot do that [23:18] That is not wisdom from above and to bring chapter two back into it [23:22] Which is what all of the springboards off of faith without works is dead

[23:31] It is the sinfulness inside of you that is the base cause of all of the conflict that you are experiencing in your life

[23:41] Because you’re not seeking the kingdom of god because you are

[23:48] Not living a life of faith you’re not believing you’re not trusting

[23:56] It’s a parable in matthew chapter 18 [23:59] It helps me understand things of this nature because I find myself completely bankrupt and hopeless when I read these scriptures [24:06] Matthew chapter 18 and it’ll be up on the screen, but i’m just going to summarize it for you [24:11] A servant slave comes before a king who he owes a great debt to [24:17] I mean a great debt in the scriptures. It’s going to say it’s [24:20] 10 000 talents that he owes the king sort of like ten thousand dollars. No on their scale

[24:26] It’s been figured out what that would be in our culture [24:30] He’s using hyperbole here. He’s using an expressed exaggeration purposefully that this is an [24:36] incalculable and impossible debt to repay because 10 000 talents equals six billion dollars [24:43] The servant owes a king something that he clearly cannot repay [24:49] And he goes before the king and he’s prepared for the worst [24:52] Because he knows his sin. He knows what he owes the king

[24:56] And he goes and he expects to be condemned to be thrown in prison [25:01] And the king looks to him and the king says [25:04] And love he says I forgive you your debt. Could you imagine? [25:10] Six billion dollars. What did he use? What did he do? [25:14] Must be one heck of a house [25:16] And the king says you’re forgiven

[25:20] Because he at the beginning of the story we found out this man was a slave [25:22] Why are you a slave? You are a slave because of debt in that day as indentured servitude [25:29] And so he is a slave to the king. So the king is not just simply saying like we would get oh [25:35] Okay, so my bank account’s cool now. I’m not going to get any creditors calling me anymore [25:39] No, the king is releasing him from his slavery [25:43] He’s no longer a slave. He is a citizen of the kingdom

[25:49] He can walk through the kingdom free with no burden. No slavery. He’s been exalted by the king [25:56] He’s been given a grace that is so amazing because of the debt. He could never repay and what does he do?

[26:05] Leaves the king’s chambers. Jesus says this is the kingdom of god’s like this [26:11] Understand

[26:13] He leaves the king’s chambers and he goes into the city and he finds a man [26:19] That owes him a hundred denarii

[26:25] Which I hope that’s right, I hope I just said the right number but that equals out to 12 000

[26:36] And what do we expect to happen well he’ll forgive that guy now, right [26:41] No, he doesn’t [26:42] He goes and says he starts to choke him and he says where’s my money? [26:46] All of a sudden he’s a loan shark or something. He says where’s my money? [26:50] The guy says I don’t have it [26:52] Have mercy on me

[26:55] He says no [26:56] You’re going to jail until you can pay me back [27:00] And other servants see this and they go to the king and they say you’re never going to believe what just happened [27:05] That doesn’t make any sense. That’s just illogical and we’re like, yeah, that’s unfair [27:11] Look at the debt. He was forgiven. Why can’t he forgive this debt? [27:15] And so the king says, okay, go get him bring him back before me and he brings him back before him and he says

[27:20] You’re not forgiven anymore pal

[27:24] He throws him in jail [27:26] and the story ends [27:28] And we understand that the prison that he’s going in is not a regular prison rather. He’s been cast [27:34] into eternal torment

[27:37] Because [27:38] He’s not a citizen of the kingdom

[27:45] See we read that story [27:49] And we take it a few different ways either I need to be more generous [27:56] Or I need to be more forgiving [28:00] Think deeper than that think gospel what did the king really want? [28:06] The king wanted his kingdom to operate under his authority [28:11] The king wanted his kingdom to operate as he would operate it. Therefore the citizens of his kingdom must operate likewise

[28:18] and so the forgiveness that is given is expected to transform and renew to be [28:25] To cause an attitude of more forgiveness where he will go out and he will leverage his forgiveness so that others may [28:33] Experience the same type of relief so that others can understand the love of the king [28:42] And he doesn’t do it

[28:46] What did he need that twelve thousand dollars for

[28:50] So whenever you think about that [28:52] What do you need that money for because he didn’t have to repay a debt anymore. He’s debt free. He’s on dave ramsay. I’m debt free

[28:59] But he still goes out to collect this debt [29:03] The only possible thing he was going to use that money for

[29:10] Selfish gain [29:13] He wanted his own kingdom [29:16] He didn’t care what the king wanted. He wanted something for himself the king [29:23] Doesn’t have authority over him. He’ll have money and he’ll have his own authority

[29:30] See that guy didn’t find his passion in the king but rather he found his passion in himself [29:35] He found passion in his own gain and he sought his own gain for his own kingdom [29:43] Revealing that his heart was never with the king [29:47] He just wanted the benefit of what the king could do for him [29:52] He wanted the benefit of how comfortable the king could make him but that’s not what the king wanted

[30:00] He wanted to use his life to further his mission [30:05] And he wouldn’t do it [30:07] So he revealed that he did not truly have citizenship in that kingdom and I ask you again [30:14] What causes quarrels and fights among you?

[30:22] What is it that you cannot forgive? [30:25] What is it that you are seeking justice for that jesus has already gained you in the cross?

[30:33] Who is it that’s unlovable?

[30:37] Who is it that you cannot go after that you cannot love you cannot show? [30:42] The love of the king and what does that reveal about you? [30:49] You say it doesn’t go that deep it doesn’t

[30:58] Or do you suppose verse 5 it is to no purpose that the scripture says he yearns jealously over the spirit [31:07] That he has made to dwell in us [31:10] But he gives more grace because of it he says god opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble [31:18] You see when god is our passion [31:22] Which he desires to be he wants to transform us so that we seek him so we seek his passion [31:27] What happens is that it reveals this active submission before god where we?

[31:34] Understand our place in his kingdom and we do not anymore [31:39] seek selfish [31:41] Ambition that war between the passions that’s going on inside of us [31:46] Works itself out into the kingdom of god and it destroys the kingdom of me

[31:56] You see he was the the servant who was given his freedom he was no longer a slave to the king [32:02] You know what he was a slave to? [32:05] Himself

[32:07] And the bondage that many of you are experiencing in your life right now [32:13] Is because you are a slave to yourself and the scripture says

[32:21] Be reconciled to god not you

[32:26] See if you don’t understand the depth of your own sin you can exalt yourself over and above others [32:33] You can see yourself as having something better than others [32:36] And what you’ll do is you’ll just read this and you’ll say oh friendship with the world is enmity with god. Okay [32:41] So this is just about some simple moral issues, you know conservatism R-rated movies [32:46] You know the list, you know the list we all learned that that’s what he’s talking about in the context [32:52] I got to fill you in that doesn’t make any sense

[32:56] Because the context he’s talking about is you and others and god

[33:03] And what he says is when you are being a friend of the world [33:08] You know what that is that’s not [33:10] understanding the depth of your own rebellion against god so you [33:14] Continue to actively live in it and many of you when you come into the church [33:18] You don’t come into the church and find transformation [33:21] You don’t come into the church to seek real life change

[33:23] You don’t come into the church so that you can have you not unity for the mission of Jesus you come into the church [33:29] And you just bring the same baggage that you were carrying from the street [33:33] And you it’s not that you can’t find relief in it because you can in Jesus [33:36] It’s that you don’t want relief [33:38] You just want to force all of your problems on to other people and blame them for it [33:43] And so now you have a whole group that gets together every week that you can do that to

[33:50] Is there gonna be any peace sown in that attitude no [33:55] The scripture says lay that baggage on Jesus be transformed and the church will help you with that redemption [34:03] But you don’t want help [34:05] You just want to blame [34:08] Nobody loves you [34:10] Nobody talks to you. I don’t have any friends

[34:15] Nobody ever gets out of their way for me. Why isn’t anybody paying attention to me? [34:20] Well, nobody’s ever asked me to do this. Well, who are you talking to? Who are you asking things? [34:27] Why is everyone else your problem? [34:30] And what does that reveal about you?

[34:36] Maybe you need to stop finding satisfaction in the approval of others and find it in the gospel and [34:43] Then you walk in with a clean slate and now you’re hand-in-hand [34:49] Walking learning to obey now is there gonna is it gonna be messy? Absolutely. Welcome to church

[34:57] But your struggles will be gospel struggles and when somebody looks at you and says [35:03] You need to believe the gospel for this how dare you [35:08] The gospel is not glorified in that type of attitude [35:13] God doesn’t find glory in that type of action. Who do you think you are my judge?

[35:21] [35:21] It’s your community because you see finally this morning [35:26] submission to God [35:28] redeems relationships [35:30] What do you mean let’s finish it

[35:38] Verse 8, excuse me verse 7 submit yourselves therefore to God

[35:44] Resist the devil and he will flee from you

[35:48] Draw near to God and he will draw near to you [35:51] Cleanse your hands you sinners [35:52] Purify your hearts you double-minded. What did he say in chapter 1 about the double-minded person? He said [35:58] He says if you lack wisdom ask but ask in faith [36:02] Because a double-minded man will not receive wisdom here. He reiterates that he says don’t be double-minded [36:08] He says be wretched and mourn and weep

[36:11] Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom humble yourselves before the Lord and he will [36:17] Exalt you he says understand the posture you’re to have before God [36:21] But then he says boom this will affect your relationships. He says do not speak evil against one another brothers [36:27] The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks evil against the law and judges the law [36:33] But if you judge the law you are not a doer of the law, but a judge [36:36] There is only one lawgiver and judge he who is able to save and to destroy

[36:40] But who are you to judge your neighbor? [36:42] He’s saying when you put yourself over and above other people you are revealing that you have not humbled yourself before God

[36:52] When you think everything comes out of you smells like roses everybody else is gonna stink

[37:01] He’s saying your [37:04] interactions your [37:05] relationships reveal what you believe about [37:11] God [37:12] Because you are reflecting your beliefs on to other people in the way that you treat them

[37:20] Look in Philippians

[37:26] Talking about the relationships inside a community starting in chapter 2 verse 1 [37:30] He says so if there’s any encouragement in Christ any comfort from love any participation in the spirit any affection and sympathy [37:38] Complete my joy by being of the same mind having the same love being in full accord and of one mind do [37:45] nothing from rivalry or conceit

[37:50] Interesting [37:52] But in humility count others more significant than yourselves [37:57] Let each of you look not only to his own interest but also the interests of others have this mind among yourselves [38:03] Which is yours in Christ Jesus who though he was in the form of God did not did not count equality with God a thing [38:10] To be grasped but made himself nothing taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men [38:17] How does Jesus treat you

[38:21] Pretty well [38:23] He took the wrath of God that I deserved he substituted himself for me [38:27] He who knew no sin became sent on my behalf so that I might become the righteousness of God

[38:34] That’s amazing forgiveness, it’s an amazing grace [38:39] How should you treat others [38:42] Not just treat view

[38:46] How does that mean you should live your life should you spend all your time building your own kingdom worried about yourself [38:53] thinking only of you [38:56] Your money your game your family your house me me me me me me what peppers your prayers [39:04] Me me me give me give me give me

[39:10] Is that the attitude of Jesus

[39:14] Look in John 13 where he says a new commandment [39:17] I give to you that you love one another just as I have loved you he even defines love for us [39:23] I love it that we like oh love one another okay. I’ll decide what that looks like no he clarifies [39:28] He says just as I loved you, so it’s based on the love of Christ [39:32] He says you also are to love one another by this all people will know that you are my disciples [39:38] If you have love for one another so the mark of a true

[39:42] Follower of Jesus Christ starts with loving one another

[39:49] Galatians chapter 6 so then as we have opportunity let us do good to everyone and especially [39:56] To those who are of the household of faith

[40:00] Who’s James talking to he’s talking to a church, so where’s the fighting taking place in the church

[40:08] Whose feelings are getting hurt the churches

[40:14] Probably the drummer it’s always that guy [40:23] Throughout the New Testament we get this idea [40:26] That those of us that have been reconciled to God should live differently than those that haven’t been reconciled to God is that a crazy idea or what? [40:34] That our passion should be different than those who do not have Jesus [40:39] Believing in Jesus and realizing our love for Jesus and transformation [40:42] It should have an effect on us that changes the way we view and treat others

[40:49] It’s almost as if James just got done saying your speech should be saturated with the gospel of Jesus and [40:56] That wisdom is in knowing that your life should be spent on the gospel because the gospel is what connects us with God [41:02] And and wisdom is from above and

[41:06] Then he comes down and Paul and Paul says he’s like hey guess what? [41:10] Don’t do anything out of rivalry and conceit. This is not about you [41:14] This is about Jesus so have the attitude then there of Jesus Christ [41:18] It says clearly it says have the same mind among you [41:23] unity [41:23] unify love one another

[41:26] Encourage one another to live for the gospel because that is where love is found [41:31] Now is this about just being happy smiley people who when we get punched in the face. We don’t punch back [41:39] And some of you were like yeah

[41:44] No what I think it’s what this is about at all no, maybe you shouldn’t

[41:52] Lights point up [41:55] This is an ADD moment. I just had I realized one of our spotlights is like up on the ceiling right now [41:59] It’s pretty weird [42:01] All right, and now all of you for the next five minutes are up there good job Steve

[42:09] No [42:11] This is about real relationships [42:13] This is about real community. This is about real authenticity that most of you spend most of your time fleeing from [42:23] Because sometimes guess what’s gonna be the base of your conflict [42:26] the gospel [42:28] James’s point is that their conflict has nothing to do with the gospel, but Jesus said the gospel will turn brother against brother

[42:36] The gospel should be our only conflict [42:39] You see why does it cause conflict because in community we spend time discipling one another and you know what some of us [42:46] We kind of get off track sometimes and it’s unloving if you don’t tell me I’m off track

[42:52] It’s unloving if you don’t confront me with the truth of the gospel and the love of Jesus and the fact that I’m not [42:56] Leveraging my life for the love of Christ as I should [43:00] It’s not loving if you don’t tell me I’m not being as missional as I possibly can be [43:05] It’s not loving if I look at you and I see this amazing [43:08] Giftedness that God wants to use to fill his kingdom with more and more [43:14] Souls that need to be one to him and see his love

[43:17] It’s unloving if I don’t look at you and say you need to serve Jesus [43:22] But as long as you are a slave to yourself

[43:34] You will never experience [43:37] godly [43:39] tension [43:39] You’ll just have you [43:43] And you’re revealing some things in your life by that attitude that James [43:50] Is warning you

[43:53] reveal bad [43:55] things about your relationship with God or [43:59] the lack thereof

[44:03] Be [44:05] reconciled to God [44:08] Know the love of Jesus and you will give the love of Jesus [44:15] with everything you’ve got [44:19] Father

[44:23] You have blessed us in the heavenly places with every spiritual blessing in the love of Christ

[44:33] Lord right now I pray that you would just [44:37] Go into our hearts reveal our sins to us and help us to trust you [44:44] With those sins may we not carry them [44:48] But may we give you that burden because you’ve already taken it from us [44:53] May we just realize it may we not throw those burdens of sins on to other people who cannot carry it for us [45:02] But rather may we lay it on you

[45:07] And may we be humbled by it may we submit to you in love for other people