Read James 5.7-12...
"Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace;
I wanna' see my Saviour's face, 'cause Heaven is a wonderful place!"
Well
how was your yesterday? And how are things today? And how will your
tomorrow be? Our yesterday may have been hard, and today may be
better or worse, but our future is uncertain...unless your trust is
in Jesus! As we read last week from Prov. 27.1... ”Boast not of
tomorrow, because we just don't know what another day will bring”.
However, your faith, if it counts for anything at all, has secured
your eternity.
Now
some may say...”What is he on about now?! This moment is momentous
enough!” And that's true; every moment of every day is fraught with
notions, emotions and commotions that tend to erode us away. But
there is hope for the hopeless. Check out what Paul has written for
our encouragement in 1
Cor. 2.9...”But
as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for
them that love him.”
And Jesus has told us in His word, the Gospel
of John, chapt. 14.1-3...(read).
So
Jesus has set the stage for a discussion about a future that is
available to every single one, but when He explained that truth to
His disciples, they responded with scepticism...”Lord, we don't
know where you're going so how can we know the way?” (vs. 5).
The question of the ages...where did He go, and how do we get there.
Well, Jesus answered the second part of that question in vs.
6...”I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no man comes to the
Father but by Me”. But that matter of “where” still remains
pretty much a mystery to us. The fact is, Jesus reveals very little
in the gospels about our eternal future, and the rest of scripture
has only a little more to offer.
Billy
Graham has this to say about Heaven...
“Jesus
mentions Heaven about seventy times in the book of Matthew alone. It
appears by name from Genesis to the last reference found at the end
of Revelation. In fact, fifty-four of the sixty-six books in the
Bible mention Heaven. Remember...the Bible is our only authoritative
source of information about Heaven.”
(By-the-by, the term “heaven” occurs 551 times in the KJV and 622 times in the NIV, so your version may record some verses differently)
And
the very best information we have about eternity is of course, found
in the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John, where Heaven is described
as being a place of everlasting peace and joy. Let's turn there
simply to review what we've already learned over the years, of the
glory of the place, and what occurs there.
Read
Rev. 19.1-10, 21.1-8, 9-27, 22.1-5...discuss each
section.
What
is your perception then, about our future in “the place (He) has
gone to prepare...” for us?
Here
are some things we know for sure about that “place” the
scriptures refer-to as Heaven...
1.
First of all, it is the dwelling place of God...1 K. 8.27-32
(note...”Thy dwelling place...”, vss. 30, 39, 43, 49)
...and
of Jesus...He. 9.24, 12.2, Rev. 1.13
...and
of H.S...Ps. 139.7-8
..and
the angels...Matt.18.10 (note cherubims, Ge. 3.22-24, 2 Sam. 22.5-21;
and seraphims, Is. 6.2; archangels...Michael (Jude 9) and Gabriel
(Luke 1.19), and ordinary angels, or messengers)
...and other privileged chosen ones (as described below)
2.
Secondly, there are certain things that will not be there, such
as...
...no
marriage, Luke 20.34-35
...no
death, Luke 20.36-38. Rev. 21.4
...no
fleshly bodies, 1 Cor. 15.50-54
...no
hunger or thirst, Rev. 7.16
...no
sorrow or tears, “ 7.17, 21.4
...no
pain, “ 21.4
...no
temple, “ 21.22
...no
curse, “ 22.3
...no
night, “ 22.5
...no
artificial or natural light, “ 22.5
...no
wickedness (no Satan, no temptation), “ 22.15
...no
end, “ 22.5, Matt. 25.46 (note that, by-and-large, what is true in
Heaven will be the opposite in Hell!)
3.
Third, there are certain things that will be there, like...
...eternal
joy, Luke 15.7,10
...eternal
rest Rev. 14.12-13
...eternal
peace, Luke 16.19-25
...eternal
righteousness, 2 Pe. 3.10-13
...eternal
service, Rev. 7.15
...eternal
worship, “ 19.1-6
...the
church (the saints, the Bride of Christ), “ 19.7-9
...rewards,
Matt. 5.12, Col. 3.22-24, Rev. 11.15-18, 22.12
...inheritance,
1 Pe. 1.3-4
...glorified
bodies, Ro. 8.16-17
4.
Last, everything is prepared and waiting...
...the
Son of Man, Rev. 1.10-20
...the
keys of hell and of death, “ 1.18
...the
throne room of God and of the Lamb, “ 4.1-5, 22.1,3
...the
books of judgement, “ 5.1-5, 20.12, 21.27
...the 4 horsemen, “ 6.1-8
...the 144,000
servants from the 12 tribes of Israel, “ 7.2-4
...the
7 trumpeters of judgement, “ 8.6
...the 7 vials of judgement “ 15.1, 16.1
...the
marriage supper and the marriage garments, “ 19.7-9
...the
thrones of judgement, “ 20.4,11
...a
new, holy Jerusalem, “ 21.2, 10-27
...a
new heaven and a new earth, “ 21.1
...the
river of the water of life, “ 22.1
...the
tree of life, “ 22.2
Heaven
IS a wonderful place...! But never
forget that the gospel road is the only way to get there; in fact, it
is THE way to God, Who alone makes Heaven the
destination of choice!
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Week 6...”Faith and Your Stuff”, James 4.13-5.6
Wow!
Have you ever taken a slow drive around the Island during Spring and
Fall garbage pick-up? I'll tell you, you see some pretty interesting
“stuff” along the side of the road. Last Spring I picked up a
practically new “box” stove in South Side, which was exactly what
I wanted for the barn, and in Stoney Island, enough chimney to vent
it. And this was someone's garbage! What is it they say...one man's
trash is...
As a matter of fact, many people throw out their treasure as well. I've talked with a few scroungers like myself who find brand-new-still-in-the-box items in trash piles. Does that mean that we are becoming careless with our “stuff”, or that we are indifferent about our “stuff”, or maybe that we have too much “stuff”? Well sometimes I think that our “gotta have”, pack-rat way of thinking has lowered the standard of modern society, rather than raising it. We've been so wickedly bombarded by the ad agency that we have unwittingly become their stooges...just so many rats scrambling after their bait! And if you think that analogy is too strong, just pay a visit to the Salvation Army Thrift Store on bag day...just kidding. But for sure, check out the check-out line at Walmart on the 24th of December. Our “stuff” has become our master, rather than us mastering our “stuff”.
Well, Jesus noticed the problem in His day as well, and He had no qualms about addressing it. We read in Matt. 6.19-21 (read...).
And of course, vs. 33, which is so often quoted...”But seek ye first the kindom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you”! In fact, take a closer look at all the verses in between, because we mustn't miss out on Truth, with a capital “T”, from the very heart of “the Way, the Truth and the Life”! In fact, vs. 34 gives us a perfect transition to our study for tonight...”Take therefore no thought for tomorrow, for tomorrow shall take care of itself. Today's problems are enough to deal with for now”.
Read vss. 22-34...
OK, let's get back to James 4.13-17...read
So...let's consider some of the not-so-well-hidden truths contained therein. First of all, what about today and tomorrow...is James really justified in making such a brash observation? Well, as usual, good King Solomon has recorded some sage God-speak in the Proverbs. For example...27.1. The fact is, we don't control our future; we don't even know what our future holds for us...every day is the secret of the Lord, so simply put, we can't afford to boast of our plans, even for the next 24 hours! In fact, most people die without ever having accomplished everything on their “bucket lists”
(I despise that term, by the way, to think that we're in a race against time to do all, see all, and be all before we kick it!). To be sure, we all have an appointment with God, but I can still only deal, as Jesus advised, with one day at a time. On the flip side, don't become like the Stoics of old and just grind your teeth with a “grin and bear it” attitude. Our great God has provided better than that for us!
Now what is James' justification for his commentary on tomorrow? Well for one thing, he tells us in vs. 14 that...”life is like the morning mist...come and gone by the time the sun gets above the tree tops”. In Is. 40.7 we read that...”The grass withers and the flower fades, because the Spirit of the Lord blows upon it...surely the people is grass”. And of course, Peter's take on the same passage, in his first letter, chapt. 1, vs. 24...”For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower falls away”.
So what would the Lord rather our attitude be? James records for us in vss. 15-16 that, considering the brevity of life, we ought to put our plotting and planning aside and put our trust in the Lord's soverign will. We must learn to give over to Him, because to do otherwise, is sin.
And then James changes gears. Back to Proverbs, chapt. 15.6 we read that...”In the house of the righteous is much treasure, but in the wealth of the wicked is trouble”. From a man who knew!
Also Consider Luke 12.16-31...
And then Read James 5.1-6...
Here's James' point...if God rules our todays and our tomorrows, He should also have some say over our “stuff”. We often think of these kinds of passages as warnings to the rich, but for the record, even the poor lust after more! In fact, these warnings are not about money or about abundance, or the lack that someone has at all, but rather, the attitudes of the heart. The point is, that one who has adopted the word of God should certainly know better than to conduct their lives in worldly and wasteful ways, because the very force of these words speaks-to the severe punishment for the dishonest rich. And that judgement can occur during one's lifetime or on the final Day, but it will come! Again, Solomon, in his finite wisdom, makes this observation about a man and his “stuff”, in Prov. 15.16...”Better is little in the fear of the Lord, than a great treasure and the troubles that come with it.”
Wealth rots like a bad apple, and is ultimately worthless no matter how much of it we accumulate, even if it's for good reason...like a legacy for our grandchildren, because indeed, it may never come. And when God judges our deeds “in the last days”, our treasure will be of no eternal value. So don't overlook the needy, and don't waste your time looking for self fulfillment, because God puts no stock in such things. His concern is for our concern for others and their material and spiritual poverty.
So just do it!
As a matter of fact, many people throw out their treasure as well. I've talked with a few scroungers like myself who find brand-new-still-in-the-box items in trash piles. Does that mean that we are becoming careless with our “stuff”, or that we are indifferent about our “stuff”, or maybe that we have too much “stuff”? Well sometimes I think that our “gotta have”, pack-rat way of thinking has lowered the standard of modern society, rather than raising it. We've been so wickedly bombarded by the ad agency that we have unwittingly become their stooges...just so many rats scrambling after their bait! And if you think that analogy is too strong, just pay a visit to the Salvation Army Thrift Store on bag day...just kidding. But for sure, check out the check-out line at Walmart on the 24th of December. Our “stuff” has become our master, rather than us mastering our “stuff”.
Well, Jesus noticed the problem in His day as well, and He had no qualms about addressing it. We read in Matt. 6.19-21 (read...).
And of course, vs. 33, which is so often quoted...”But seek ye first the kindom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you”! In fact, take a closer look at all the verses in between, because we mustn't miss out on Truth, with a capital “T”, from the very heart of “the Way, the Truth and the Life”! In fact, vs. 34 gives us a perfect transition to our study for tonight...”Take therefore no thought for tomorrow, for tomorrow shall take care of itself. Today's problems are enough to deal with for now”.
Read vss. 22-34...
OK, let's get back to James 4.13-17...read
So...let's consider some of the not-so-well-hidden truths contained therein. First of all, what about today and tomorrow...is James really justified in making such a brash observation? Well, as usual, good King Solomon has recorded some sage God-speak in the Proverbs. For example...27.1. The fact is, we don't control our future; we don't even know what our future holds for us...every day is the secret of the Lord, so simply put, we can't afford to boast of our plans, even for the next 24 hours! In fact, most people die without ever having accomplished everything on their “bucket lists”
(I despise that term, by the way, to think that we're in a race against time to do all, see all, and be all before we kick it!). To be sure, we all have an appointment with God, but I can still only deal, as Jesus advised, with one day at a time. On the flip side, don't become like the Stoics of old and just grind your teeth with a “grin and bear it” attitude. Our great God has provided better than that for us!
Now what is James' justification for his commentary on tomorrow? Well for one thing, he tells us in vs. 14 that...”life is like the morning mist...come and gone by the time the sun gets above the tree tops”. In Is. 40.7 we read that...”The grass withers and the flower fades, because the Spirit of the Lord blows upon it...surely the people is grass”. And of course, Peter's take on the same passage, in his first letter, chapt. 1, vs. 24...”For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower falls away”.
So what would the Lord rather our attitude be? James records for us in vss. 15-16 that, considering the brevity of life, we ought to put our plotting and planning aside and put our trust in the Lord's soverign will. We must learn to give over to Him, because to do otherwise, is sin.
And then James changes gears. Back to Proverbs, chapt. 15.6 we read that...”In the house of the righteous is much treasure, but in the wealth of the wicked is trouble”. From a man who knew!
Also Consider Luke 12.16-31...
And then Read James 5.1-6...
Here's James' point...if God rules our todays and our tomorrows, He should also have some say over our “stuff”. We often think of these kinds of passages as warnings to the rich, but for the record, even the poor lust after more! In fact, these warnings are not about money or about abundance, or the lack that someone has at all, but rather, the attitudes of the heart. The point is, that one who has adopted the word of God should certainly know better than to conduct their lives in worldly and wasteful ways, because the very force of these words speaks-to the severe punishment for the dishonest rich. And that judgement can occur during one's lifetime or on the final Day, but it will come! Again, Solomon, in his finite wisdom, makes this observation about a man and his “stuff”, in Prov. 15.16...”Better is little in the fear of the Lord, than a great treasure and the troubles that come with it.”
Wealth rots like a bad apple, and is ultimately worthless no matter how much of it we accumulate, even if it's for good reason...like a legacy for our grandchildren, because indeed, it may never come. And when God judges our deeds “in the last days”, our treasure will be of no eternal value. So don't overlook the needy, and don't waste your time looking for self fulfillment, because God puts no stock in such things. His concern is for our concern for others and their material and spiritual poverty.
So just do it!
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Week 5...”Faith and Humility”, James 3.13-4.12
Knowledge is a wonderful thing. I've never heard anyone complain that they have too much of it. In fact, just the opposite is true...we often wish we had gone further in school, or taken up a better-paying job, or had known more about investing and finances. We may even have a deep admiration for the doctor or lawyer or teacher because they are thought to have so much knowledge. But there can be a problem with having too much knowledge as well. For example, way back in the Garden of Eden, the Lord Himself wisely advised the first humans to avoid the tree in the center of the Garden, known as the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. In fact, He made it clear that to gain the knowledge that it offered would lead to spiritual death. And of course, we know how that turned out...and it's been a downer ever since! So it's critical for us to understand that knowledge is recommended to us so long as it's tempered...with wisdom.
Here's what we read in 1 Kings concerning Solomon and his wealth of knowledge...
Read 3.5-14...
But as we know, even Solomon couldn't handle the responsibility that comes with the gift of wisdom. In fact, we read the result of his arrogance in 11.9-12...(read). And we read in Is. 13.11 the judgement of God on such an attitude...”And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their sin; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the pride of the terrible.”
Humility is getting to be a lost art...so much so, that a truly humble person is hard to come by. A brother once told me of how he had mentioned to someone that he only knew three really humble people, and that someone wanted to know if he (the someone) was one of them. Humility is a rare commodity indeed! That same Solomon, in all his wisdom, recorded in Prov. 15.33 that...”The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.” So, as always, we learn that absolute humility is absolutely required if we expect ever to have an absolute relationship with God.
Well let's see what James has to say on the matter...
Read 3.13-18...
Here we have James' thesis, and to begin with, he says in vs. 13 that wisdom and meekness are inseparable if one is to walk God's walk. And to further his argument, he states the obvious in vss. 14-16. And exactly what is James' point? Note that in vs. 15 he brings someone else into the equation. But what is the anti-thesis?
Read vss. 17,18...
Just look at the fruit that's borne on that God-vine...it's pure, peaceful, considerate, submissive, merciful and fruitful, impartial and sincere. And to top it off...”righteousness is the fruit produced in the one who sows peace”, the wisest and the most humble one of all...the peacemaker! But let's take a closer look at that other “one” whose shadow we detected in vs. 15. In the next chapter we can see his fingerprints all up and down the page, and a sticky lot they are, too...no humility to be found here...
-Read 4.1-5...
-fights and quarrels, the battle of self-will...vs. 1
-lust and covetousness, murder, fighting, poverty and ignorance of the grace of God, or even of the existence of God...vs. 2
-selfishness and self-fulfillment...vs. 3
-unfaithfulness to God...vs. 4
-poverty and disobedience of the scriptures...vs. 5
But...you know, there's always a “but”...God has His ways, and more often than not, it involves His grace, because as we read in vs. 6, we need more and more of that precious gifting every day! And if you really want to experience it at that rate, you need to brush up on your humility. But it doesn't stop there, either. In the next few vss. we have a list of seven recommendations from God through James, to help us along the way...
-first of all, humility requires submission to God, vs. 7(a);
-and submission to God requires resisting the devil, vs. 7(b);
-thirdly, get closer to God and you'll find He's closer to you, vs. 8(a);
-then if you sin, confess it and purify your heart, vs. 8(b);
-fifth, repent with tears rather than laugh it off, vs. 9;
-next, put your pride to death along with the rest of your sinful ways, and God will bless you for it, vs. 10;
-and finally, stop judging one another, because there is only one Judge, and He has the power to save or to destroy, according to His own righteous judgements, vss. 11-12!
Remember...”Who is a wise man and gifted with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good life his works with humility and wisdom.”
Here's what we read in 1 Kings concerning Solomon and his wealth of knowledge...
Read 3.5-14...
But as we know, even Solomon couldn't handle the responsibility that comes with the gift of wisdom. In fact, we read the result of his arrogance in 11.9-12...(read). And we read in Is. 13.11 the judgement of God on such an attitude...”And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their sin; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the pride of the terrible.”
Humility is getting to be a lost art...so much so, that a truly humble person is hard to come by. A brother once told me of how he had mentioned to someone that he only knew three really humble people, and that someone wanted to know if he (the someone) was one of them. Humility is a rare commodity indeed! That same Solomon, in all his wisdom, recorded in Prov. 15.33 that...”The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.” So, as always, we learn that absolute humility is absolutely required if we expect ever to have an absolute relationship with God.
Well let's see what James has to say on the matter...
Read 3.13-18...
Here we have James' thesis, and to begin with, he says in vs. 13 that wisdom and meekness are inseparable if one is to walk God's walk. And to further his argument, he states the obvious in vss. 14-16. And exactly what is James' point? Note that in vs. 15 he brings someone else into the equation. But what is the anti-thesis?
Read vss. 17,18...
Just look at the fruit that's borne on that God-vine...it's pure, peaceful, considerate, submissive, merciful and fruitful, impartial and sincere. And to top it off...”righteousness is the fruit produced in the one who sows peace”, the wisest and the most humble one of all...the peacemaker! But let's take a closer look at that other “one” whose shadow we detected in vs. 15. In the next chapter we can see his fingerprints all up and down the page, and a sticky lot they are, too...no humility to be found here...
-Read 4.1-5...
-fights and quarrels, the battle of self-will...vs. 1
-lust and covetousness, murder, fighting, poverty and ignorance of the grace of God, or even of the existence of God...vs. 2
-selfishness and self-fulfillment...vs. 3
-unfaithfulness to God...vs. 4
-poverty and disobedience of the scriptures...vs. 5
But...you know, there's always a “but”...God has His ways, and more often than not, it involves His grace, because as we read in vs. 6, we need more and more of that precious gifting every day! And if you really want to experience it at that rate, you need to brush up on your humility. But it doesn't stop there, either. In the next few vss. we have a list of seven recommendations from God through James, to help us along the way...
-first of all, humility requires submission to God, vs. 7(a);
-and submission to God requires resisting the devil, vs. 7(b);
-thirdly, get closer to God and you'll find He's closer to you, vs. 8(a);
-then if you sin, confess it and purify your heart, vs. 8(b);
-fifth, repent with tears rather than laugh it off, vs. 9;
-next, put your pride to death along with the rest of your sinful ways, and God will bless you for it, vs. 10;
-and finally, stop judging one another, because there is only one Judge, and He has the power to save or to destroy, according to His own righteous judgements, vss. 11-12!
Remember...”Who is a wise man and gifted with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good life his works with humility and wisdom.”
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Week 4...”Faith...and the Tongue”, Ja. 3.1-12
Well
so far in our study we've considered faith in light of our trials
and temptations, and then faith, and the effect it has on you, and
last week, the effect of your faith on others. And we found last
week, that if Jesus really is the focus of our faith, then the effect
of our faith, on us, will be to root us in Him, to build us up in
Him, and to establish us in Him (Colossians 2&3). And when that
happens, it won't only be you who will benefit, but so will everyone
you come in contact with...your spouse, your children, your friends
and the church...everyone will benefit!
Well tonight we're sort of continuing that theme, in terms of how often we allow our faith to lapse, just long enough to offend someone...often the ones we love the most. And I know you know what I'm talking about!
Read James 3.1-12...
Well as we see from what James has written by H.S authority in vs. 2...”In many things we offend, all”. Now of course, we can find throughout the entire word of God, very practical truth regarding our problem of offending others. We're told in the Proverbs, 18.19 that...”An offended brother is harder to be won than a strong city; their differences separate them like a barred door.” And in vs. 21 of the same chapt. we read that...”Death and life are within the power of the tongue, and anyone who indulges it will eat the fruit it bears.” Now I think we can all agree tonight that it's in the “heart” where the root of all evil is found, but indeed it is the tongue which most often carries out the thoughts and intents of the heart. In Matthew 15:19-20 we read...“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; these are the things which defile a man...” So, this small matter of the tongue, is not so small after all! King David was painfully aware of the damage the tongue can do, and from what he wrote in the Psalms, the darts hurled from his enemies' tongues may have caused him the greatest pain of all. Let's look at some examples...
5.8-9; 10.2,7; 12.1-4; 15.1-3; 31.17-18; 78.36-37; 109.1-3; 120.2-4; 140.1-3...etc.
The Scriptures describe many different forms of ungodly speech...for example, taking the Lord's Name in vain, lying (the two mentioned in the Ten Commandments), hateful talk, worldly talk, filthy talk, boasting, gossip, criticism, anger, slander, speaking without thinking...
And of course, Jesus gives us a pretty stern warning regarding the foulness of the language that sometimes comes from a person’s mouth. The way a person talks is a very revealing clue as to his character. Let's read this warning from the Judge of the universe...
Matthew 12.31-37 (read)...
And...Ephesians 4:29-31, Colossians 3.8-9;
And...Proverbs 26:20..."Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.”
And 21:23..."Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles."
And of course we should also consider God's displeasure with His people murmuring in the wilderness...
Exodus 15:24..."And the people complained against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?"
And 16:2..."Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness."
Well tonight we're sort of continuing that theme, in terms of how often we allow our faith to lapse, just long enough to offend someone...often the ones we love the most. And I know you know what I'm talking about!
Read James 3.1-12...
Well as we see from what James has written by H.S authority in vs. 2...”In many things we offend, all”. Now of course, we can find throughout the entire word of God, very practical truth regarding our problem of offending others. We're told in the Proverbs, 18.19 that...”An offended brother is harder to be won than a strong city; their differences separate them like a barred door.” And in vs. 21 of the same chapt. we read that...”Death and life are within the power of the tongue, and anyone who indulges it will eat the fruit it bears.” Now I think we can all agree tonight that it's in the “heart” where the root of all evil is found, but indeed it is the tongue which most often carries out the thoughts and intents of the heart. In Matthew 15:19-20 we read...“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; these are the things which defile a man...” So, this small matter of the tongue, is not so small after all! King David was painfully aware of the damage the tongue can do, and from what he wrote in the Psalms, the darts hurled from his enemies' tongues may have caused him the greatest pain of all. Let's look at some examples...
5.8-9; 10.2,7; 12.1-4; 15.1-3; 31.17-18; 78.36-37; 109.1-3; 120.2-4; 140.1-3...etc.
The Scriptures describe many different forms of ungodly speech...for example, taking the Lord's Name in vain, lying (the two mentioned in the Ten Commandments), hateful talk, worldly talk, filthy talk, boasting, gossip, criticism, anger, slander, speaking without thinking...
And of course, Jesus gives us a pretty stern warning regarding the foulness of the language that sometimes comes from a person’s mouth. The way a person talks is a very revealing clue as to his character. Let's read this warning from the Judge of the universe...
Matthew 12.31-37 (read)...
And...Ephesians 4:29-31, Colossians 3.8-9;
And...Proverbs 26:20..."Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.”
And 21:23..."Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles."
And of course we should also consider God's displeasure with His people murmuring in the wilderness...
Exodus 15:24..."And the people complained against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?"
And 16:2..."Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness."
Numbers
11:1... "Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD;
for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the
LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the
camp."
And 14:27..."How
long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against
Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make
against Me."
So let's go back
to James 3 and examine the dangers of the untamed tongue...
...”Be not many teachers because teachers will be judged
by a higher standard”, v. 1;
-Romans 2:21...“Thou therefore which
teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a
man should not steal, dost thou steal?”
...”We all often stumble, and offend”, v.
2(a);
-1 Peter
3:10...“For he that will love life, and see good days, let him
refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no
guile...”;
...”Control your words and you will control your whole
body”, vss. 2(b)-5;
-horses are controlled by small
bits in their mouths, v. 3
-large ships are controlled by a small
rudder, v. 4
...”the
tongue is small (but)...”,
vss. 5(a)
-Luke 6.45...“A good
man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is
good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings
forth that which is evil; for of the abundance of his heart his mouth
speaks.”
-it boasts great things, v. 5(b)
-it can produce a great fire, v. 5(c),
6(a,d)
-it is a world
of iniquity, v. 6(b)
-it can defile the whole
body, v. 6(c)
...”the
tongue cannot be tamed...”, vss. 7-8(a)
-it is an undisciplined evil, v. 8(b)
-it is full of deadly poison, v. 8(c)
-it can bless God and curse men, v. 9
-if the tongue
blesses God, it should not curse men, v. 10
-a fountain cannot have sweet and bitter
water, v. 11
-a fig tree cannot bear olives, v. 12(a)
-a vine cannot
bear figs, v. 12(b)
-a fountain cannot have salt
and fresh water, v. 12(c)
Small but mighty, and often a little salty...indeed!
Small but mighty, and often a little salty...indeed!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Week 3...”Faith...and Others”, James 2.1-26
Now
if you remember, last week we considered the effect of your faith on
you, and the command was short and to the point, as stated in
1.22...”But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only,
merely deceiving yourselves”. God is not mocked...if you
profess to be a Christian, then make like a Christian. Seeing is not
believing, believing is seeing...seeing Jesus and His works and
hearing Jesus and His words, and making them your own. The fact is,
we might fool each other, but you can't fool God!
Well this week, we're going to consider the effect of our faith on others, which we had just a hint of, last week.
Read Ja. 2.1-13...
The first thing that James needs us to know is that there is no room for prejudice, or for partiality in the faith family! After all, God did not show any partiality when He chose you to be saved...if He had, you could still be groping in the darkness of your sin! Let's consider what people of faith look like at first glance...in fact, we could start right in this room. For instance, a few years ago a bunch of us were sitting around talking and someone blurted out... ”I never thought I would ever be friends with ..........!” So what does James have to say about discrimination in the church?
- vs. 1...don't do it!
- vss. 2-4...it can be very tempting;
- vss. 5-7...why is it wrong?
- vss. 8-13...What is “the royal Law”? How can we apply the law to these attitudes among Christians? Well let's go back to the Law as it's recorded in Leviticus. As we know, God gave Israel the Law to instruct them in their management of every issue of life...from murder to land disputes to eating habits, and yes...even our interpersonal realtionships! So let's turn to Lev. 19 to get an idea of what God feels about how we relate to others...
Read vss. 9-18...
Now the N.T, as we know, is fully built upon the love principle which is so clearly stated in Lev. 19.18, and enforced and enhanced by Christ in the Gospels. But as usual Paul has some pretty direct advice on our relationships with others, particularly our relations with our brothers and sisters in the faith. Let's turn to Ro. 12. Now Paul spends most of the first 11 chapters describing man's need for salvation, but very early on, he refers to the not-so-small matter of judgement, in 2.1...”Therefore you have no excuse O man, if you judge another. For in doing-so, you only condemn yourself...”. How do we sometimes judge one another in the church? But back to Ro. 12...(read 1-5...). In 12.1, Paul begins his instruction by saying (considering what God has done) that it's only reasonable for us to willingly give ourselves over to God as an act of worship. And once we have done that, love, and respect become second nature (read 9-21...).
Now let's get down to brass tacks concerning the effect of our faith on others as described by James. We've seen that true faith gives no place to discrimination. In fact, true faith does just the opposite...it goes far out of the way in order to accomodate others. And that's where James starts to play hardball! Read Ja. 2.14-26
The question that James would ask you tonight is, do you really have the kind of faith that can save you (vs. 14)? That one question could change your whole concept of salvation, just that quickly! So let's crack the case that James is making here...
First, he says...”let those well-to-do folk that we've been talking about (vss. 1-4), fend for themselves...we need to consider others who most need our care.” (vs. 15)
Note vss. 15-17...let's consider what Jesus had to say about you, your faith, and others.
See Mark 12.38-44...what do we see there about Jesus' attitude toward the needy?
Also see Luke 5...toward a leper, a paralytic and sinners...
Luke 6.27-38...kingdom living...
Luke 10.29-37...neighbourly concern...
And John 13.3-14...humility...
So, why? Because...vss. 15-17; to see someone in need and brush them off profits no one...not them and not you;
So, what?...vss. 18-22; note faith without works, faith by your works, faith in God, the faith of demons, the faith of Abraham, mature faith;
So, how?...vss. 23-26; righteous, friend of God, justified.
And the confirmation...faith without works is dead...vss. 17,20,26.
Pray the Lord opens our eyes and then opens our hearts, to the will and the work of our compassionate God!
Well this week, we're going to consider the effect of our faith on others, which we had just a hint of, last week.
Read Ja. 2.1-13...
The first thing that James needs us to know is that there is no room for prejudice, or for partiality in the faith family! After all, God did not show any partiality when He chose you to be saved...if He had, you could still be groping in the darkness of your sin! Let's consider what people of faith look like at first glance...in fact, we could start right in this room. For instance, a few years ago a bunch of us were sitting around talking and someone blurted out... ”I never thought I would ever be friends with ..........!” So what does James have to say about discrimination in the church?
- vs. 1...don't do it!
- vss. 2-4...it can be very tempting;
- vss. 5-7...why is it wrong?
- vss. 8-13...What is “the royal Law”? How can we apply the law to these attitudes among Christians? Well let's go back to the Law as it's recorded in Leviticus. As we know, God gave Israel the Law to instruct them in their management of every issue of life...from murder to land disputes to eating habits, and yes...even our interpersonal realtionships! So let's turn to Lev. 19 to get an idea of what God feels about how we relate to others...
Read vss. 9-18...
Now the N.T, as we know, is fully built upon the love principle which is so clearly stated in Lev. 19.18, and enforced and enhanced by Christ in the Gospels. But as usual Paul has some pretty direct advice on our relationships with others, particularly our relations with our brothers and sisters in the faith. Let's turn to Ro. 12. Now Paul spends most of the first 11 chapters describing man's need for salvation, but very early on, he refers to the not-so-small matter of judgement, in 2.1...”Therefore you have no excuse O man, if you judge another. For in doing-so, you only condemn yourself...”. How do we sometimes judge one another in the church? But back to Ro. 12...(read 1-5...). In 12.1, Paul begins his instruction by saying (considering what God has done) that it's only reasonable for us to willingly give ourselves over to God as an act of worship. And once we have done that, love, and respect become second nature (read 9-21...).
Now let's get down to brass tacks concerning the effect of our faith on others as described by James. We've seen that true faith gives no place to discrimination. In fact, true faith does just the opposite...it goes far out of the way in order to accomodate others. And that's where James starts to play hardball! Read Ja. 2.14-26
The question that James would ask you tonight is, do you really have the kind of faith that can save you (vs. 14)? That one question could change your whole concept of salvation, just that quickly! So let's crack the case that James is making here...
First, he says...”let those well-to-do folk that we've been talking about (vss. 1-4), fend for themselves...we need to consider others who most need our care.” (vs. 15)
Note vss. 15-17...let's consider what Jesus had to say about you, your faith, and others.
See Mark 12.38-44...what do we see there about Jesus' attitude toward the needy?
Also see Luke 5...toward a leper, a paralytic and sinners...
Luke 6.27-38...kingdom living...
Luke 10.29-37...neighbourly concern...
And John 13.3-14...humility...
So, why? Because...vss. 15-17; to see someone in need and brush them off profits no one...not them and not you;
So, what?...vss. 18-22; note faith without works, faith by your works, faith in God, the faith of demons, the faith of Abraham, mature faith;
So, how?...vss. 23-26; righteous, friend of God, justified.
And the confirmation...faith without works is dead...vss. 17,20,26.
Pray the Lord opens our eyes and then opens our hearts, to the will and the work of our compassionate God!
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