1 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:09,000 My name is Alan. It's good to see you just 2 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,300 singing. So again, so we see that the new 3 00:00:12,300 --> 00:00:15,500 song that we sang is legit. One of my favorite favorite 4 00:00:15,500 --> 00:00:18,400 songs right now, it's called the hope of Christ that somebody 5 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,300 asked me about just a second ago and I've been singing it for 6 00:00:22,300 --> 00:00:26,200 about the past month or so and so funny story with it. 7 00:00:28,700 --> 00:00:31,500 We came out of the song and Christ alone and I could not for 8 00:00:31,500 --> 00:00:34,100 the life of me. Get the tune of it in my head, 9 00:00:34,300 --> 00:00:37,000 just going to admit this right now and so I started to sing it. 10 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:39,800 And I know this song kind of front to back, except for when 11 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:43,600 we come out of that, all I have is the Christ of in Christ 12 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,200 alone. So what Anchor Holds, which is 13 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:49,000 totally wrong. And so thank you, Wesley, for 14 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:54,300 singing that verse shout out because he's much smarter than 15 00:00:54,300 --> 00:00:57,800 me. And so I don't know how this is. 16 00:00:57,900 --> 00:01:00,300 Going to go is what I'm saying. Because the part that I actually 17 00:01:00,300 --> 00:01:03,000 do most of the time didn't go so well with that. 18 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:07,000 So I don't do this a whole lot so just I want to prepare you 19 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,000 here. I've got sticky notes that I 20 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,700 always fill to write on there where you can see them like I 21 00:01:12,700 --> 00:01:15,100 right at the wrong way, so it's going to be fun. 22 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,500 That's going to be fun. We're going to be in, in the 23 00:01:18,508 --> 00:01:22,000 Book of James today. But so before that, if you are 24 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:23,600 new here, my name, my name is Alan. 25 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:27,200 I am one of our pastors Elders here at the church. 26 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:30,600 I Don't Preach A whole whole lot but I'm part of our pastoral 27 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:32,500 team. And so most of the time What I 28 00:01:32,500 --> 00:01:36,800 Do Is Sing as I've said and you know, forget a lot of that. 29 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:40,600 So we'll try to keep up with this but it is it's a pleasure 30 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,700 to get to do this. This is the only church that 31 00:01:42,700 --> 00:01:47,700 I've ever been a part of that. Had that had a team, like, what 32 00:01:47,700 --> 00:01:50,000 we've got here and praise God, for that. 33 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,100 We've got a team Kyle, Jasper myself. 34 00:01:53,100 --> 00:01:56,800 James and Steve. And so you get the privilege of, 35 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:57,800 we might get out a little quicker. 36 00:01:57,900 --> 00:02:01,200 Wicker today and we might go around like this but I think 37 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,700 it'll be good. So before we get started, let's 38 00:02:04,700 --> 00:02:10,900 open your Bibles to the Book of James and we are going to walk 39 00:02:10,900 --> 00:02:15,500 through the first 11. Verses today James 1 verses 1 40 00:02:15,500 --> 00:02:19,300 through 11 And James just James. It was up here. 41 00:02:19,300 --> 00:02:21,000 There's a lot of James's. We're going to talk about that 42 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:22,500 in a second to. There's James is all throughout 43 00:02:22,500 --> 00:02:24,000 the Bible. We're going through in 44 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,600 homegroup, we're going through a study of James. 45 00:02:27,900 --> 00:02:31,000 And so if you're in homegroups, what we're going to be doing, is 46 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:32,800 what we talked about on Wednesday nights. 47 00:02:33,300 --> 00:02:36,600 We're going to try to reinforce on Sunday mornings for the next 48 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:38,300 ten or so weeks, I believe it is. 49 00:02:38,300 --> 00:02:41,200 So this is week one. We talked about James 1 through 50 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,800 11 in home groups, if so, if you're interested in home 51 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:47,000 groups, there's a little study book if you don't have one. 52 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,000 Come find myself or James or Steve, we can make sure that we 53 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:54,800 get you one today. All right, so let's let's just 54 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:59,400 pray that I don't forget everything and and then we'll 55 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:00,100 get to it. Okay. 56 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:04,800 Lord, we love you. Thank you for your goodness and 57 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:08,100 for your kindness and for being so gracious. 58 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:13,400 Thank you for allowing us to come together and to study your 59 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:17,100 word to sing out, praises, and to do life with each. 60 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:21,100 Each other, thanks for allowing us to gather as one body. 61 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,900 To go in the same direction just to say, Lord that you are that 62 00:03:25,900 --> 00:03:27,600 you are Savior and that you are King. 63 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,800 And that we are not. In Jesus name, amen. 64 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:41,500 So, first part is that I don't particularly like to read 65 00:03:41,500 --> 00:03:43,400 things. I'll just be honest with you all 66 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:45,900 there. I'm not a big fan of reading a 67 00:03:45,900 --> 00:03:50,000 lot, but I have to read a lot and so I get through it. 68 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:51,300 But here's what I'm finding that. 69 00:03:51,300 --> 00:03:54,300 I am a big fan of them. I'm a big fan of learning 70 00:03:54,300 --> 00:03:56,400 things. Anybody like that, like, some 71 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,700 people can read and you're great at school and you like to study 72 00:03:59,700 --> 00:04:02,900 things and you're very Analytical in your brain. 73 00:04:03,500 --> 00:04:06,200 So that's typically not me. I like to talk. 74 00:04:06,300 --> 00:04:09,400 About things and I like to hear people explain things and then 75 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:13,400 my brain kind of puts them in an order that makes sense with me. 76 00:04:13,900 --> 00:04:15,800 And then I like to learn stuff that way. 77 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:19,399 And so I don't a personality thing at work the other day and 78 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:22,300 mine is Tapped Out on the unconventional thinking I 79 00:04:22,300 --> 00:04:24,600 haven't seen anybody else's yet. That's as far on the 80 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,000 unconventional South. So my brain works a little bit 81 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,200 like that Kyle smile and he knows he's talk to me if you've 82 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,900 had a conversation with me before you probably know that 83 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:36,500 but I like to learn things and so learning things is is 84 00:04:36,500 --> 00:04:39,100 important. And so before we get into James, 85 00:04:39,100 --> 00:04:44,300 I want to talk about who James was what the Book of James is 86 00:04:44,300 --> 00:04:48,500 about and some of the specifics within it because the historical 87 00:04:48,500 --> 00:04:52,400 context of it really helps me understand what I'm trying to 88 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:53,900 learn. Okay. 89 00:04:53,900 --> 00:04:57,000 And so I want to talk about who James was what the main point or 90 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,200 the main idea of it is this helps us put it all into context 91 00:05:01,500 --> 00:05:06,100 because without context we can take things out of context which 92 00:05:06,300 --> 00:05:09,400 You see a lot in the Christian world and a lot of places, which 93 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:13,700 means we just grab versus from anywhere little, you know, 94 00:05:13,700 --> 00:05:17,300 snippet and we apply it to every single aspect of our lives. 95 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,300 And sometimes that might be great, but sometimes that might 96 00:05:20,300 --> 00:05:23,400 be very harmful because that's not the intent of the scripture, 97 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,500 right? So, so the first thing we've got 98 00:05:26,500 --> 00:05:29,300 to ask. Is, who is James? 99 00:05:30,100 --> 00:05:32,400 There's quite a few James as mentioned in the Bible. 100 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,900 There's two different Disciples of Jesus that are named James, 101 00:05:36,900 --> 00:05:41,900 there's James, son of Zebedee. And then there's James son of 102 00:05:41,900 --> 00:05:44,600 alphaeus, I think so. He said close. 103 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:47,600 And there's even some controversy between that. 104 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,500 So some people think that the son of alphaeus, that's not how 105 00:05:50,500 --> 00:05:52,700 you say the name. I don't know how you say it is 106 00:05:52,707 --> 00:05:55,500 that right, okay? I'll fast alpheus. 107 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:57,700 Some people would say that's the same. 108 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,900 James as the one that writes here, that would just be the 109 00:06:00,900 --> 00:06:05,700 half brother of James, but the James that writes in the Book of 110 00:06:05,700 --> 00:06:10,700 James is the brother of Jesus. So this is a guy that grew up 111 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,800 with Jesus. He is not one of the 12 112 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,900 disciples and so we'll go through that. 113 00:06:17,900 --> 00:06:20,100 So this was the, the brother of Jesus. 114 00:06:20,100 --> 00:06:25,800 We see this in Matthew 13:55 and that he didn't belong or he 115 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:29,200 didn't even believe in Jesus growing up. 116 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:31,600 So I want to take you over to John real fast. 117 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:33,900 If you've got, we're going to flip around a little bit today. 118 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:41,000 So in John chapter 7, this is after a face of this is after 119 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:43,000 Jesus has done some Miracles already. 120 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:45,000 This is not. When Jesus is just a little 121 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:46,900 child. He's already walked on water. 122 00:06:47,100 --> 00:06:50,200 He's already done some stuff and they're going to the Feast of 123 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:56,000 booths and it says this starting in verse 3, it says so his 124 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:00,700 brothers said to him leave here and go to Judea that your 125 00:07:00,700 --> 00:07:03,100 Messiah disciples. Also may see the works. 126 00:07:03,100 --> 00:07:05,500 You are doing No one works in secret. 127 00:07:05,500 --> 00:07:09,100 If he seeks to be known. Openly says, if you do these 128 00:07:09,100 --> 00:07:10,800 things, show yourself to the world. 129 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:12,800 So they're kind of saying this in a mockingly way. 130 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:15,900 They're saying, listen, if you do all of these things and you 131 00:07:15,907 --> 00:07:18,700 have these wonderful Works, don't do them in secret. 132 00:07:18,700 --> 00:07:22,700 Go do them to the whole world, show yourself to the world, and 133 00:07:22,700 --> 00:07:26,400 then verse 5, it says for not even his brothers believed in 134 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:29,700 him. So this is, this is James. 135 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:35,100 He grows up, you know, imagine being the younger sibling and 136 00:07:35,100 --> 00:07:38,500 your brother's the Son of God, you know, I mean, he grows up 137 00:07:38,500 --> 00:07:42,900 with this guy that super smart reads the scriptures and even as 138 00:07:42,900 --> 00:07:46,700 they get older and he sees Jesus doing Miracles, he doesn't 139 00:07:46,700 --> 00:07:48,800 believe. He is skeptical, you know, at 140 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:53,000 best, okay? So, this is the James that we're 141 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:56,700 dealing with after the resurrection though. 142 00:07:56,700 --> 00:08:03,400 However, James comes to believe and Christ appears to him. 143 00:08:03,900 --> 00:08:06,700 So Christ appears after his resurrection, he appears to 144 00:08:07,700 --> 00:08:10,100 hundreds of people. I think it says over 500 people, 145 00:08:10,100 --> 00:08:14,800 and then it says, and then he appears first to James and then 146 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:18,900 he goes to the other Apostles. So he goes and He makes himself 147 00:08:18,900 --> 00:08:23,000 known known to James. So James believes in the Lord. 148 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:27,400 He starts trusting that all of the stuff that his brother Jesus 149 00:08:27,700 --> 00:08:32,500 I told him is true is real and James stays in Jerusalem with 150 00:08:32,500 --> 00:08:37,100 the pocket of other believers. We see this in Acts James stays 151 00:08:37,100 --> 00:08:39,799 there. He's with Peter, he's with some 152 00:08:39,799 --> 00:08:44,000 other, some other good folks and he starts to become a leader 153 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:47,900 within the church. So, this is James grew up with 154 00:08:47,900 --> 00:08:50,000 Jesus. Didn't really believe in him. 155 00:08:50,300 --> 00:08:52,700 Resurrection happens. Jesus comes to him. 156 00:08:53,300 --> 00:08:57,100 He believes that Jesus is who he said he was, and then he becomes 157 00:08:57,100 --> 00:09:01,600 a leader. This is a guy that that Paul 158 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,500 actually comes in Galatians. It says Paul comes, and he meets 159 00:09:04,500 --> 00:09:10,600 with with James when Peter escapes prison, one of the 160 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:13,400 things Peter goes and he tells you know, a tells him of all the 161 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:15,900 great things that the Lord has done, how he just delivered him 162 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:19,900 and he Tell James and the brothers, make sure you tell 163 00:09:19,900 --> 00:09:22,200 them the things that the Lord has done. 164 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:27,800 We know that in the end of Acts that James is also part of what 165 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:29,500 was called the Jerusalem Council. 166 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:33,300 So he becomes such a leader that he is part of the council and 167 00:09:33,300 --> 00:09:34,900 not only just part of the council. 168 00:09:34,900 --> 00:09:38,900 He actually has some kind of very high leadership in the 169 00:09:38,900 --> 00:09:41,200 council. He is called a pillar and an 170 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:46,500 elder of the church and when he gives a speech it's based on On 171 00:09:46,508 --> 00:09:49,600 his Judgment of the things. So he's not just part of this 172 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:51,800 little Council. He's one of the leaders of the 173 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:56,600 Jerusalem Council. So, all of that's important, at 174 00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:00,000 least to me to know when we get into talking about James who 175 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,500 this James is, because there's a lot of confusion, there's a lot 176 00:10:03,500 --> 00:10:07,900 of James's within the Bible so that is the James that wrote 177 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,900 This Book of James. It was pretty cool, it kind of 178 00:10:12,900 --> 00:10:15,300 shows how somebody that's very skeptical. 179 00:10:16,500 --> 00:10:20,300 Has done a complete 180 in a sense and is now a leader, 180 00:10:20,300 --> 00:10:24,000 proclaiming boldly. Proclaiming the truth of the 181 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:26,200 Lord. He's actually called James the 182 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:30,700 just in a lot and they say that they would that that it had his 183 00:10:30,700 --> 00:10:33,000 knees become so callous because they would find him 184 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,000 historically, they would find him in the temple. 185 00:10:35,300 --> 00:10:38,700 Often all the time on his knees praying to the Lord. 186 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:47,000 For mainly for the for the Jewish folks to seek the Lord. 187 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:51,100 So he stayed in Jerusalem history. 188 00:10:51,100 --> 00:10:54,700 The Bible doesn't say how he was how he was killed but history 189 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:59,800 and Josephus which is a historical writer typically 190 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,600 think that he was theirs do two different stories and they kind 191 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:05,200 of go together once a you might have been thrown off a temple 192 00:11:05,300 --> 00:11:07,800 off the temple and that that didn't quite kill him so they 193 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:11,200 stoned him to death. It's kind of historical again 194 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,700 that part's not in the Bible but but but historical it would it's 195 00:11:14,700 --> 00:11:18,100 widely accepted that he was that he was martyred in that. 196 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:23,800 Way, so he endured some hardship and trial and he was eventually 197 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:28,200 killed for his faith. But this is all important for me 198 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:32,800 to know because there is a seemingly controversy if you've 199 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:34,900 been in Sunday school, I like controversy even talking about 200 00:11:34,900 --> 00:11:36,800 Exodus. I didn't realize I like them as 201 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:40,600 much as I do but I do there can be on me say not seemingly with 202 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:46,000 there can be a controversy of two guys in the Bible James and 203 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:50,500 Paul. And there's a couple of 204 00:11:50,500 --> 00:11:52,600 different approaches when we read the Bible that we can go 205 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,300 to. So, some people have heard that 206 00:11:55,300 --> 00:11:57,200 just say, you know what, we're just going to go. 207 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:00,800 We're going to lean so much on Paul that sometimes they don't 208 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:03,900 even know what Jesus said, and Paul's always Point people back 209 00:12:03,900 --> 00:12:05,900 to Jesus. Now there's another group that 210 00:12:05,900 --> 00:12:08,600 at times there was a group when we lived in Tennessee, my wife 211 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:11,400 and I a church right down the road, they completely denounced 212 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:13,300 Paul. And they said, we're only going 213 00:12:13,300 --> 00:12:18,100 to preach the red letters only, and then there's other groups 214 00:12:18,100 --> 00:12:20,900 that would say But Paul preaches, Grace and James seems 215 00:12:20,900 --> 00:12:24,500 to preach a lot of works and so they can't be hand-in-hand. 216 00:12:24,500 --> 00:12:28,700 And so they're like this. And so, if you just cherry pick 217 00:12:28,700 --> 00:12:30,600 some versus, that's kind of what you get to. 218 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:34,500 So for instance, let's read we're going to read Romans 3:28. 219 00:12:35,300 --> 00:12:39,700 It says this It says for we hold that. 220 00:12:39,700 --> 00:12:43,500 No one is justified by faith apart from works of the loan. 221 00:12:44,300 --> 00:12:46,300 If we hold it, no one is justified by faith. 222 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:53,200 Apart from works of the law. And then in James to later, 223 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,300 which I'm not going to get to today, James 2:24, it's going to 224 00:12:56,300 --> 00:12:58,300 say this. It says you see that a person is 225 00:12:58,300 --> 00:13:01,300 justified by works and not by faith alone? 226 00:13:03,100 --> 00:13:07,200 So, all of that to kind of wrap in your brain, that when we 227 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:08,900 picked this two different things, they can look like 228 00:13:08,900 --> 00:13:10,600 they're coming to two different places. 229 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:12,700 So it's important to know the background of James to know. 230 00:13:12,700 --> 00:13:14,500 James and Paul actually knew each other. 231 00:13:15,500 --> 00:13:18,200 They were all preaching the gospel and they had two very 232 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:21,000 different people, they were talking to in their books. 233 00:13:23,500 --> 00:13:26,000 So, I hope this is easy enough to follow, this is how my brain 234 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:29,000 has to track. So, so Paul when he's writing, 235 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:34,500 Romans is really making a case for Christ to Gentiles, not 236 00:13:34,500 --> 00:13:38,000 Jewish people, and he walks through the history of Israel. 237 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,500 He walks through the chosen elect all the way from the Old 238 00:13:41,500 --> 00:13:44,400 Testament Israel. And even makes a case that those 239 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:48,400 people reject the Lord. And now he's making this case 240 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:52,800 for Christ for Gentiles and James, but we're going to see is 241 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:57,600 met mainly talking to Jewish Believers mainly. 242 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:01,800 It's applicable in many ways, but he is talking to people that 243 00:14:01,900 --> 00:14:07,700 he stayed in Jerusalem that are Jerusalem or that are Jewish for 244 00:14:07,700 --> 00:14:13,100 the most part. Wealthy L not all of them. 245 00:14:13,100 --> 00:14:15,200 But, but that's a big thing. And that's important to 246 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:17,900 distinguish because what we're going to see in James is he does 247 00:14:17,900 --> 00:14:21,400 not make a big case for Christ. This is one of the things in our 248 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:23,400 home group, we brought up the first introduction. 249 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:28,500 Is it really doesn't lay out? A lot of theological ground for 250 00:14:28,500 --> 00:14:31,200 Jesus. In the Book of James it lays out 251 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:37,300 practical advice, lays out practical things And so this is 252 00:14:37,300 --> 00:14:40,700 helpful for us as a church because there are a lot of you 253 00:14:40,700 --> 00:14:45,000 out here that would say we are believers and sometimes we go. 254 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:49,800 Okay, but what do we do, what do we do now in James is a book 255 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:54,400 that says, if you confess to be a believer in Jesus, you must be 256 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:58,900 obedient to his word and it'll be tiant's your life will 257 00:14:58,900 --> 00:15:03,300 produce good works. It has to if your life looks 258 00:15:03,300 --> 00:15:07,400 nothing like a Christian, That the Bible describes and your 259 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:10,200 Works. Look nothing like what the Bible 260 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:14,300 describes then your faith is dead. 261 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:19,800 Which is uh it's kind of a hard reality but you can't play. 262 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:21,900 You can't play both in. So James is going to harp on 263 00:15:21,900 --> 00:15:24,300 that. You can't you can't act like 264 00:15:24,300 --> 00:15:28,600 just a Christian and not obey anything they go hand-in-hand. 265 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:33,400 So these are not to opt opposing positions grace and works. 266 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,600 These are things that have to work together. 267 00:15:36,100 --> 00:15:41,800 They just have to So that's that's kind of the whole premise 268 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:44,600 of what we're going to get into and what hopefully I can 269 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:50,600 communicate with you today. All right. 270 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:52,700 Well, I guess now we should probably read some of James. 271 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,900 If you all will, please stand and we're going to read James 1 272 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:03,100 1, through 11. Get back over there. 273 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:11,400 Okay, so James 1, it says James a servant of God and of the 274 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:14,800 Lord, Jesus Christ to the Twelve Tribes in the dispersion, 275 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:18,500 greetings count it all joy. My brothers, when you meet 276 00:16:18,500 --> 00:16:22,400 Trials of various kinds for, you know, that the testing of your 277 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:26,600 faith produces steadfastness and let steadfastness have its full 278 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:30,300 effect that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing. 279 00:16:30,900 --> 00:16:33,900 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives 280 00:16:33,900 --> 00:16:37,100 generously to all without reproach and it will be given 281 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:39,500 Him. But let him ask in faith with no 282 00:16:39,500 --> 00:16:42,700 doubting for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that 283 00:16:42,700 --> 00:16:45,400 is driven and tossed by the wind for that person. 284 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:48,200 Must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. 285 00:16:48,500 --> 00:16:51,800 He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 286 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:56,400 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation and the rich in 287 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:59,600 his humiliation because like a flower of the grass, he will 288 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:01,900 pass away for the sun rises with. 289 00:17:01,900 --> 00:17:04,000 It's scorching heat and Withers. The grass. 290 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:06,800 Its flowers fall and its beauty parishes. 291 00:17:07,300 --> 00:17:11,300 Also will be the rich man. So also, will the rich man fade 292 00:17:11,300 --> 00:17:13,300 away in the midst of his Pursuits. 293 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:14,900 Let's go to the Lord. Father. 294 00:17:14,900 --> 00:17:19,700 Thank you for your word. We ask that as we as we go 295 00:17:19,700 --> 00:17:23,599 through, just these first 11 verses that you, that you grant 296 00:17:23,599 --> 00:17:28,700 us wisdom this morning to understand your work. that you 297 00:17:28,700 --> 00:17:35,600 help us obey your word and that you help us seek after In Jesus 298 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:36,500 name. Amen. 299 00:17:37,100 --> 00:17:48,800 I mean you may have seat All right, so number one, we're 300 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:50,200 point one. I don't really have a point. 301 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:54,000 So the first thing I'm going to say, I guess James admits in his 302 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:58,000 very first line that he is now a servant of God and of the Lord 303 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:00,900 Jesus Christ. We kind of joked about it in our 304 00:18:00,900 --> 00:18:03,900 home group, but it's important to realize that Christ is not 305 00:18:03,900 --> 00:18:07,900 Jesus as last name, right? So, when he's saying that as his 306 00:18:07,900 --> 00:18:12,700 brother as Jesus brother, I mean, James is really, he is 307 00:18:12,700 --> 00:18:16,800 stating Whole conviction, that his brother Jesus is the 308 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:18,900 Messiah. This is the coming crisis is the 309 00:18:18,900 --> 00:18:23,000 Saviour so he's not so don't ever confuse that word with just 310 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,400 the name that is, that is he is the Messiah. 311 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:28,500 So, right from the gate, he is saying I am the servant of the 312 00:18:28,500 --> 00:18:32,800 coming Messiah, the or the Messiah that has come of Christ 313 00:18:33,500 --> 00:18:37,100 to the Twelve Tribes. Again, he's speaking to Jewish 314 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:42,600 to Jewish people here and I'm going to break this down into 315 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:45,500 about three different. Sections that I see in these 316 00:18:45,500 --> 00:18:48,500 first 11 verses, it's going to come from Joy. 317 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,400 He's going to talk about wisdom, and then he's going to kind of 318 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:55,800 end with an exaltations of the Lord. 319 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:01,600 And both Joy and wisdom only come from the Lord. 320 00:19:03,500 --> 00:19:06,300 There's really no other way to get them completely. 321 00:19:06,500 --> 00:19:10,400 And so the first, let's go back to verse 2. 322 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,100 So, count it all joy. My brothers, when you meet 323 00:19:12,100 --> 00:19:15,100 Trials of various kinds for, you know, that the testing of Faith 324 00:19:15,100 --> 00:19:18,600 produces steadfastness and let steadfastness have its full 325 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:23,200 effect that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing. 326 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:27,200 So steadfastness, it really means like under pressure. 327 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,800 So it is saying, stand firm, even when things are piling 328 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:33,800 down. Even when there is an Amount of 329 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:36,800 pressure. We are to be steadfast which 330 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:38,800 means we are to be able to be stable. 331 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:45,400 And joy helps us do that. Count it Joy. 332 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:47,500 So I want to bring up something that I think is very important 333 00:19:47,500 --> 00:19:51,300 that I've heard a lot here, not just at the church but that work 334 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:54,800 everywhere else is that Joy is not happiness. 335 00:19:55,900 --> 00:20:03,500 Okay, Joy is not happiness. So happiness is fleeting 336 00:20:03,500 --> 00:20:05,800 happiness, is something that happens right now. 337 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:09,300 Happiness is something that comes and goes happiness is 338 00:20:09,300 --> 00:20:14,700 something that the world tells us to seek for. 339 00:20:15,100 --> 00:20:19,900 Do what makes you happy? Oh I will be happier if if only 340 00:20:19,900 --> 00:20:26,100 this would make me happy and you know blah blah blah But here's 341 00:20:26,100 --> 00:20:28,200 another side to that coin. So here's some things that 342 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:35,500 happiness brings about, it brings about, you know, instant 343 00:20:35,500 --> 00:20:38,300 gratification type things. But it also brings about really 344 00:20:38,300 --> 00:20:42,800 bad stuff like bitterness. Happiness. 345 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:44,900 Brings about all kinds of different evils. 346 00:20:47,300 --> 00:20:50,700 The reasonably because it always leaves always. 347 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:54,300 Happiness can be here today, can be gone tomorrow. 348 00:20:54,500 --> 00:20:57,100 Happiness can be something that you that you seek and seek and 349 00:20:57,100 --> 00:20:59,000 seek for, and then once you get it, guess what? 350 00:20:59,100 --> 00:21:02,600 You no longer happy with it. Anybody ever been there before I 351 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,600 have? I've had a lot of conversations 352 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:07,900 with people that say, I feel like I deserve happiness. 353 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:13,600 But you don't, you don't happiness, isn't something that 354 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:17,100 is is to really even be sought after there are things that make 355 00:21:17,100 --> 00:21:20,500 us happy and that's fine. But we are to cert seek after 356 00:21:20,500 --> 00:21:22,500 Joy. So, Joy is a different side of 357 00:21:22,500 --> 00:21:25,100 that coin. Joy is something that's only 358 00:21:25,100 --> 00:21:29,900 produced by the Lord. Joy is something you can have in 359 00:21:30,900 --> 00:21:35,100 despair. Joy is something that you can 360 00:21:35,100 --> 00:21:39,200 have when all of your happiness is broken and torn apart. 361 00:21:41,300 --> 00:21:45,200 And I was talking with with with my wife Shay last night and it 362 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:47,200 brought about this example of that. 363 00:21:49,300 --> 00:21:52,400 Happiness. The result of happiness that I 364 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:56,000 see in the church. Of years of striving after 365 00:21:56,000 --> 00:22:02,200 happiness. Is is, is the, I don't know, the 366 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:05,800 great way to say it. It's the bitter person that 367 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:10,500 can't stand anything. Now that we've all seen in 368 00:22:10,500 --> 00:22:13,800 churches, from time to time, you know, they're the people that 369 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:16,100 that have spent their whole lives, whether they're young or 370 00:22:16,100 --> 00:22:17,800 old. I don't suppose it really 371 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:23,100 matters that have sought after happiness and it is failed, 372 00:22:23,100 --> 00:22:26,700 time, and time and time again. Or maybe it all eventually Came 373 00:22:26,700 --> 00:22:30,600 Crashing Down. And nobody wants to be around 374 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:32,300 them. That's a result of happiness. 375 00:22:33,900 --> 00:22:35,800 Which I know sounds kind of backwards. 376 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:41,200 Because it's fleeting the results of joy is and I might 377 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:44,000 have already told the story previously, but there's a guy, 378 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,700 he wrote a book called The Master Plan of evangelism years 379 00:22:46,700 --> 00:22:51,600 ago, his name's Robert Coleman. And when I got to spend time 380 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:55,200 with him, I was in California. And the guy I got to share a 381 00:22:55,208 --> 00:22:58,000 room and he was like 87 or something. 382 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:01,000 And I got to share a room with this guy and he would walk 383 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:04,800 around in these conferences all day long had. 384 00:23:04,900 --> 00:23:07,100 I don't think you had to use a cane at that point but anyway, I 385 00:23:07,100 --> 00:23:10,400 was exhausted. I know he was exhausted and he 386 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:12,700 would wake up and I kid you not, he would wake up. 387 00:23:12,700 --> 00:23:15,700 First words out of his mouth, he would be singing unto the Lord, 388 00:23:16,300 --> 00:23:19,100 stood would get up, get in the shower and just sing like, he 389 00:23:19,100 --> 00:23:21,600 woke me up is pretty annoying. I'm like, I'm trying to sleep, 390 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:25,800 we'd have to get up at like 5 a.m. and this guy there was Joy 391 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:27,900 all over. That is the difference from a 392 00:23:27,900 --> 00:23:34,000 life lived of Joy seeking after the Lord, rather than just 393 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,200 trying to do things for the Lord. 394 00:23:37,700 --> 00:23:39,200 The try to bring about happiness. 395 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:43,000 And I'll never forget it because I'm like, I want to be like that 396 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:45,500 guy. Like, how do I get to be like 397 00:23:45,900 --> 00:23:49,900 that guy? To wear all of my faults 398 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,100 regardless at that time. I want to say his wife was going 399 00:23:53,100 --> 00:23:55,700 through. It was it was not a great time 400 00:23:55,700 --> 00:23:57,800 in his life. I don't know what exactly was 401 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:00,200 happening, but it was the most joyous man I've ever heard. 402 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:02,500 He wanted to tell everybody about What the Lord Has Done. 403 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:08,000 He wanted to proclaim the gospel but not from a he was a speaker, 404 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:12,000 not from a speakers Duty. Which a lot of other speakers 405 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:14,300 there. It was just a stark difference 406 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:17,000 in this man and it was just the joy of the Lord. 407 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:22,800 So the joy of the Lord comes from saturating ourselves with 408 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:27,100 this. Right here, the word of God. 409 00:24:29,100 --> 00:24:31,100 And it comes from this next part that we're going to get into 410 00:24:31,100 --> 00:24:35,300 about seeking wisdom and being with believers. 411 00:24:37,100 --> 00:24:39,000 But I want you to try to separate those things because 412 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:42,100 they're equated in our society of joy and happiness but they're 413 00:24:42,100 --> 00:24:43,700 not, they're not the same thing at all. 414 00:24:44,500 --> 00:24:46,100 One of them can be gone like that. 415 00:24:46,100 --> 00:24:49,100 The other one is a is a resounding thing. 416 00:24:49,100 --> 00:24:51,900 We can stand firm on because it is of the Lord. 417 00:24:54,700 --> 00:24:58,800 So let's move on to verse 5, and let's say okay well I want some 418 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:01,200 of that Joy. Now what how do I how do I get 419 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:02,800 this amazing Joy? You're talking about? 420 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:05,800 Well, He starts laying it out a little bit. 421 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:09,300 He says, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who 422 00:25:09,300 --> 00:25:12,900 gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given 423 00:25:12,900 --> 00:25:15,200 him. But let him ask in faith with no 424 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:17,900 doubting for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that 425 00:25:17,900 --> 00:25:20,600 is driven and tossed by the wind for that person. 426 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:23,500 Must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. 427 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:28,900 For he is a double minded, man. Unstable in all of his ways. 428 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:34,400 So let's read about wisdom real fast, if you've got your Bibles. 429 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:44,000 Let's turn over to Proverbs 2. We're going to read one through 430 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:48,200 15 real quick. And says, this is my son, if you 431 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:51,600 receive my words and treasure at my Commandments with you, making 432 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:54,500 your ear, a tentative to wisdom, and inclining, your heart to 433 00:25:54,500 --> 00:25:57,500 understanding. Yes, if you call out for insight 434 00:25:57,500 --> 00:26:00,300 and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it, 435 00:26:00,300 --> 00:26:04,200 like, silver and search for it, as for Hidden Treasures, then 436 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:08,400 you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge 437 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:11,700 of God for the Lord gives wisdom. 438 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:14,100 From his mouth, come knowledge and understanding. 439 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:16,300 He stores up, sound wisdom for the upright. 440 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:20,600 He is a shield to those who walk in Integrity guarding the paths 441 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:24,200 of Injustice and watching over the way of his Saints then you 442 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:27,400 will understand righteousness and Justice and Equity every 443 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:30,000 good path for wisdom. Will come into your heart and 444 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:32,400 knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. 445 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:36,600 Discretion will watch over you understanding will guard, you 446 00:26:36,700 --> 00:26:39,700 delivering you from the way of evil, from Men of perverted 447 00:26:39,700 --> 00:26:43,300 speech, who forsake the path of righteousness, to walk in the 448 00:26:43,300 --> 00:26:46,100 ways of Darkness who rejoice and doing evil. 449 00:26:46,100 --> 00:26:50,300 And Light in the purse perverseness of evil men whose 450 00:26:50,300 --> 00:26:53,900 paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways. 451 00:26:57,500 --> 00:26:59,500 So we get back if we want to look at Joy. 452 00:27:00,100 --> 00:27:02,600 First, we've got to ask the Lord for it, and we've got to seek 453 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:06,900 his wisdom. And wisdom and something else 454 00:27:07,100 --> 00:27:11,300 that I want to try to debunk today from what our society 455 00:27:11,300 --> 00:27:14,600 teaches. So our society teaches that 456 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:17,100 you've got to go after something called Happiness, The Pursuit of 457 00:27:17,100 --> 00:27:19,000 Happiness, right? That's what we need. 458 00:27:19,100 --> 00:27:22,200 And really, if you want to get there, you've got to be wise. 459 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:26,000 But the way that the world talks about wise is going to be a 460 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:28,700 couple different things, like think of think of what you would 461 00:27:28,700 --> 00:27:30,800 think. Our society would tell us would 462 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:34,800 be wise things to do. And they're generally going to 463 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:41,200 be the choices that we make. A lot would have to do probably 464 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:44,300 financially, so make really good Financial choices. 465 00:27:44,300 --> 00:27:49,100 That's a really wise thing to do study and know a lot of good 466 00:27:49,100 --> 00:27:53,300 historical facts. Well, that's pretty wise in our 467 00:27:53,300 --> 00:27:56,600 political realm, knowing different issues, right? 468 00:27:56,600 --> 00:27:58,400 So if you want to be wise, you've got to know different 469 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:02,600 political issues and and keep up with the news and all of that 470 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:06,500 some stuff stuff. So just kind of wise and wisdom 471 00:28:06,500 --> 00:28:11,300 is generally, I think associated with Being smart. 472 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:16,300 Making wise choices, not doing things that we shouldn't do. 473 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:17,900 What? You're all good. 474 00:28:17,900 --> 00:28:20,400 I'm not saying go make bad and poor decisions. 475 00:28:20,700 --> 00:28:24,000 These are good things but don't rely on. 476 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:29,100 Just your smartness or intelligence to make good 477 00:28:29,100 --> 00:28:32,000 decisions because at some point you're going to make a really 478 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:35,200 bad decision. And it's going to either, it's 479 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:38,900 going to cost you money. It's going to cost you friends. 480 00:28:38,900 --> 00:28:40,300 It's going to cost you reputation. 481 00:28:40,300 --> 00:28:41,900 It's going to cost all kinds of things. 482 00:28:42,700 --> 00:28:47,500 And so to kind of counter that with what the scripture talks 483 00:28:47,500 --> 00:28:49,700 about wisdom is, when the scripture talks about wisdom, 484 00:28:49,700 --> 00:28:52,800 you don't really hear any of that, you don't hear if things 485 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:57,100 that you do, what you hear is seek the Lord for it first and 486 00:28:57,100 --> 00:29:00,900 foremost. And it says that he will give 487 00:29:00,900 --> 00:29:04,200 it. So we seek the Lord for wisdom 488 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:06,600 first, but then it says, when you seek wisdom, these are the 489 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:09,600 things that you'll find is that you'll find a fear of the Lord. 490 00:29:10,700 --> 00:29:13,500 So rather than just making good choices, you will find a fear of 491 00:29:13,500 --> 00:29:15,900 the Lord. It says that this this wisdom 492 00:29:15,900 --> 00:29:19,600 will also Shield you to walk with Integrity. 493 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:24,600 So you throw Integrity into the category of what does wisdom 494 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:26,600 look like? Wisdom looks like integrity. 495 00:29:28,500 --> 00:29:30,700 That's something that guards your path. 496 00:29:31,300 --> 00:29:34,600 This is now. Wisdom wisdom is something that 497 00:29:34,900 --> 00:29:38,200 that helps us with discretion, both with our heart and with our 498 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:44,100 soul, to follow the lord, And it helps deliver you from evil. 499 00:29:44,100 --> 00:29:46,400 So the whole last part it's saying when you seek out this 500 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:51,700 wisdom it helps you stay away from the perverse of - of man, 501 00:29:52,100 --> 00:29:54,700 these terrible, things of speech, all of this other stuff. 502 00:29:56,100 --> 00:29:59,600 And so, throw the intellect part out again. 503 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:02,100 Not saying that we shouldn't seek any of that, but that is 504 00:30:02,100 --> 00:30:06,400 not true wisdom, that's just learning things which, again, at 505 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:11,000 the start, I like to do. I like to learn things that's 506 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:13,000 fine. But when we lean on our 507 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:16,900 learning, we're missing a whole big part of Leaning, not on our 508 00:30:16,908 --> 00:30:18,500 understanding, but leaning on the Lord. 509 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:21,300 So the Lord's wisdom just looks vastly different. 510 00:30:21,300 --> 00:30:23,200 He looks at somebody and he says what? 511 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:27,500 I can give you and wisdom will be a life of Integrity, a life 512 00:30:27,500 --> 00:30:31,500 of character, a life above reproach, somebody that loves 513 00:30:31,500 --> 00:30:36,900 somebody that seeks after my face. and not that seeks, after 514 00:30:36,900 --> 00:30:40,800 all of these other things of the world, And he'll still guide us 515 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:43,600 in those other things over the world with his holy spirit. 516 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:52,000 But we're not to lean on those things by any means. so, I hope 517 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:59,000 that's tracking And then, so it's not about material things. 518 00:31:00,100 --> 00:31:04,300 I do want to bring that up. So we here as a church would 519 00:31:04,300 --> 00:31:06,100 reject something. What's called the Prosperity 520 00:31:06,100 --> 00:31:07,700 Gospel? Which a lot of people would take 521 00:31:07,700 --> 00:31:11,900 versus like this out of context. That just says, ask God, and he 522 00:31:11,900 --> 00:31:17,400 will give generously And if you don't get it, you lack the 523 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:19,700 faith. And if you do get it, then you 524 00:31:19,700 --> 00:31:22,000 must have strong faith and it's a blessing to you. 525 00:31:23,900 --> 00:31:25,700 This is one of the verses that would been taken out. 526 00:31:25,700 --> 00:31:30,000 So here we would say we're not just would say, I think the 527 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:33,200 Bible is very clear that this is not talking about that at all. 528 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:37,000 This is talking about wisdom when he's saying ask the Lord 529 00:31:37,100 --> 00:31:40,600 and He will give it generously. James is referring to wisdom 530 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:45,000 here. Ask the Lord for wisdom. 531 00:31:45,500 --> 00:31:47,600 It's not referring to material things at all. 532 00:31:49,700 --> 00:31:53,800 He's not even referring to. Well, I'll stop there. 533 00:31:58,700 --> 00:32:00,600 Yeah. So ask for wisdom and then he 534 00:32:00,608 --> 00:32:07,100 goes on and he just says with with no doubting for a person 535 00:32:07,100 --> 00:32:10,500 that doubts is like somebody that is just tossed to and fro. 536 00:32:10,500 --> 00:32:16,000 So what I want to ask you today and kind of plead with you is to 537 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:19,900 seek the Lord for wisdom and to examine your life. 538 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:25,700 And to not be tossed around by the by the waves and the wind. 539 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:30,000 And what that means is to not, be somebody that walks in here. 540 00:32:31,600 --> 00:32:35,500 And says, man, I love the Lord and then you walk out and your 541 00:32:35,500 --> 00:32:39,400 life looks radically different. I've been there, I've done that. 542 00:32:40,100 --> 00:32:45,800 I remember clearly on on the day when I was I think I was at some 543 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:49,600 kind of Youth campus has been years ago, and I knew that when 544 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:54,900 I left that something had to change because I could no longer 545 00:32:55,100 --> 00:32:58,900 try to straddle and play this church game, straddle the fence 546 00:32:58,900 --> 00:33:01,700 and say well I'm going to I know the answer is because I've got 547 00:33:01,700 --> 00:33:04,600 this knowledge because I've read I've heard this stuff. 548 00:33:05,700 --> 00:33:07,400 But man, I was Far From The Lord. 549 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:12,500 And so I tried doing both and that is that is you're being 550 00:33:12,500 --> 00:33:17,000 tossed to and fro your double minded and it says not that you 551 00:33:17,008 --> 00:33:20,300 just double minded. It makes a you know it doesn't 552 00:33:20,300 --> 00:33:23,400 say the word but it's basically saying that you are a fool and 553 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:25,300 you are unstable in all of your ways. 554 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:29,800 And that's where our wisdom will get us. 555 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:35,900 So counterintuitive there. Your wisdom as smart and as 556 00:33:35,900 --> 00:33:37,900 intellectual. And as great as you maybe at all 557 00:33:37,900 --> 00:33:41,400 kinds of things, if you rely on that, you will be unstable 558 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:51,300 tossed to and fro So rather Church, let's not be fools. 559 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:55,600 Let's seek the Lord for his wisdom for his wisdom alone. 560 00:33:55,600 --> 00:34:03,300 We can stand on. So don't don't play this church 561 00:34:03,300 --> 00:34:06,400 game, don't do it. Trust in the Lord for your 562 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:08,500 wisdom. Stop relying on yourself this. 563 00:34:08,500 --> 00:34:12,100 I'm, this is for me right here. I've done that. 564 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,000 To say, I never do it would still be a lie. 565 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:20,500 I mean I want to fully rely on his word and not my own 566 00:34:20,500 --> 00:34:23,199 abilities. I like to do things. 567 00:34:24,300 --> 00:34:26,500 I can in some of our meetings like that's I would like you to 568 00:34:26,500 --> 00:34:29,100 tell me what to do. I want to do it which is which 569 00:34:29,100 --> 00:34:29,800 is fine. But what? 570 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:33,500 That translates for me, A lot of times is I don't trust others 571 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:36,800 and I rely on myself, I do that at work a lot. 572 00:34:37,300 --> 00:34:42,199 I'll do that here. And it's harmful, it's harmful. 573 00:34:44,900 --> 00:34:47,000 And it might work for a while. You might be like, well, I've 574 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:48,400 been doing that. And everything is going fine. 575 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:51,400 It will crash it. Will it will crash. 576 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:54,400 Ask the Lord for wisdom. He will give it generously. 577 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:59,700 Let's move on the last part here, exaltation of the Lord. 578 00:34:59,700 --> 00:35:04,200 So it says this in verse 9, it says let the lowly brother boast 579 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:08,700 in his exaltation and the rich in his humiliation because like 580 00:35:08,700 --> 00:35:12,100 the flower of the grass, he will pass away for the sun rises 581 00:35:12,100 --> 00:35:13,700 with. It's scorching heat and Withers. 582 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:17,100 The grass, it's flowers fall and its beauty parishes. 583 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:21,300 So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his 584 00:35:21,300 --> 00:35:27,100 Pursuits. So, there's a, there's a couple 585 00:35:27,100 --> 00:35:30,100 of myths that he's that. I'm going to get to. 586 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:35,700 So, again, James is talking to mostly wealthy Jewish leaders, 587 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:38,100 okay? And these Jewish leaders, and we 588 00:35:38,100 --> 00:35:43,000 get later in the book will do things like, and just Pharisees 589 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:45,000 in general, would Things. Like they would they would wear 590 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:47,700 all this nice stuff and they really prop themselves up and 591 00:35:47,700 --> 00:35:52,300 they would look down on others and they would look down on 592 00:35:52,300 --> 00:35:57,900 people that might not have this kind of prominence and so What? 593 00:35:57,900 --> 00:36:01,300 He's not saying it all with the wisdom part or any of that. 594 00:36:01,300 --> 00:36:06,000 He's really not talking about anything to do with money. 595 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:09,300 Per se is far as like, because I've heard it been preached this 596 00:36:09,300 --> 00:36:14,400 way before to is this isn't dealing with anything money-wise 597 00:36:14,500 --> 00:36:17,600 but he's addressing people that have money because those that 598 00:36:17,607 --> 00:36:19,200 that's kind of people he's talking to. 599 00:36:19,500 --> 00:36:22,900 And so he's primarily talking to wealthy Jewish people that 600 00:36:22,900 --> 00:36:25,800 tended to treat the poor. Those in poverty, was some type 601 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:29,800 of Custer was some type of unfair treatment a lot of times. 602 00:36:30,300 --> 00:36:32,900 And so he's talking to Believers here again, that's important to 603 00:36:32,900 --> 00:36:37,900 remember. And so and there's a lot of, 604 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:40,100 there's a lot of wealth in the Bible. 605 00:36:40,100 --> 00:36:42,800 So I'm not trying to make any kind of case that having any 606 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:46,100 kind of wealth is terrible. You see things like we're 607 00:36:46,100 --> 00:36:50,100 talking about in Sunday school from Joseph, to Moses that lived 608 00:36:50,100 --> 00:36:52,600 in Pharaoh's house and we get on to the Kings. 609 00:36:52,600 --> 00:36:55,100 I mean, there's a, there's a plethora of wealth in the Bible. 610 00:36:56,500 --> 00:36:59,800 But again, to try to debunk that God gives generously, this is 611 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:02,700 not any kind of prosperity thing, the New Testament in 612 00:37:02,700 --> 00:37:05,700 Jesus, they actually worn a lot about having wealth. 613 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:11,200 And, and Jesus says some things that are, that are warnings. 614 00:37:11,200 --> 00:37:14,700 No, and Mark 10, he says, how hard it is for a rich man to 615 00:37:14,700 --> 00:37:18,400 enter Heaven. And then later on tour earlier, 616 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:21,500 in Mark, actually, he talks about, you can't serve both God 617 00:37:21,500 --> 00:37:23,300 and money. You can't have two different 618 00:37:23,300 --> 00:37:29,200 Masters. And then I want to read this. 619 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:31,200 So I feel like I'm jumping around now my brains going. 620 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:33,900 But in first Timothy we're going to read in chapter 6. 621 00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:39,500 Verses 8 and 9. And it says, if I can find it, 622 00:37:41,500 --> 00:37:44,200 Yeah, it says, but if we have food and clothing with these 623 00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:48,300 things, we will be content with those who desire to be rich fall 624 00:37:48,300 --> 00:37:52,700 into temptation into a snare into many senseless and harmful 625 00:37:52,700 --> 00:37:56,700 desires that plunge, people into ruin and destruction. 626 00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:06,100 And so what he's trying to point to here is James is really 627 00:38:06,100 --> 00:38:08,400 trying to get to the heart of some of those people that think 628 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:11,100 they've made it or think they have something because they've 629 00:38:11,100 --> 00:38:16,700 got wealth. And so he brings out a couple 630 00:38:16,700 --> 00:38:18,600 things. He says, let the lowly boast in 631 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:22,900 their exaltation so he's telling them that if you do not have 632 00:38:22,900 --> 00:38:28,900 much boast in the Lord for what he has done regardless of the 633 00:38:28,900 --> 00:38:36,000 circumstance, Your circumstance, maybe down, we can lift the Lord 634 00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:38,500 high and say, look at him, don't look at me. 635 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:41,400 Let's boast in the Lord. And then on the flipside of 636 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:46,600 that, it says, and the rich boast in humiliation, which 637 00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:49,700 means the rich still at the same time, can't say, hey, look at 638 00:38:49,700 --> 00:38:53,300 me, look what I've done, they lay it all down and say, 639 00:38:53,400 --> 00:38:58,300 although we've got whatever Let me humble myself and still boast 640 00:38:58,300 --> 00:39:01,400 and exalt the Lord. He puts both of these on a 641 00:39:01,408 --> 00:39:06,500 playing on a of the same playing field that we are to boast in 642 00:39:06,500 --> 00:39:13,000 the Lord. Our God I want to read one other 643 00:39:13,000 --> 00:39:17,900 thing from first, Timothy chapter 6, we read 17 through 644 00:39:17,900 --> 00:39:22,300 the end. Says this, as for the rich in 645 00:39:22,300 --> 00:39:26,500 this present age, charge them not to be haughty nor to set 646 00:39:26,500 --> 00:39:31,300 their hopes on the uncertainty of riches but on God, who richly 647 00:39:31,300 --> 00:39:36,500 provides us with everything to enjoy, they are to do good to be 648 00:39:36,500 --> 00:39:39,600 rich in. Good Works to be generous and 649 00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:43,000 ready to share the storing up, treasure for themselves as a 650 00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:47,600 good foundation for the future so that they may take, hold of 651 00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:53,200 that which is truly Early life. And he says, oh Timothy guard, 652 00:39:53,200 --> 00:39:57,900 the deposit entrusted to you avoid the irreverent Babble and 653 00:39:57,900 --> 00:40:02,100 contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge for by 654 00:40:02,100 --> 00:40:03,900 professing. It some have swerved from the 655 00:40:03,900 --> 00:40:07,400 faith Grace be with you. This is the same type of thing 656 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:11,300 that he's saying. He's saying, don't boast in your 657 00:40:11,300 --> 00:40:14,300 riches. They will all Fade Away boast in 658 00:40:14,300 --> 00:40:20,400 The Riches of the or boast in the Lord and be rich in. 659 00:40:20,400 --> 00:40:24,800 Good Works. Be generous do what is good 660 00:40:24,800 --> 00:40:28,200 storing up these things. Not Earthly things are. 661 00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:29,900 What gives you truly lives as take? 662 00:40:29,900 --> 00:40:32,700 Hold of that, that is truly life. 663 00:40:33,800 --> 00:40:36,700 And then when he says guard the deposit entrusted to you, this 664 00:40:36,700 --> 00:40:40,100 also goes along with wisdom like like guard. 665 00:40:40,100 --> 00:40:45,600 This be wise in this avoid irreverent Babble and everything 666 00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:47,600 else that you see it, that's called knowledge. 667 00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:50,100 Avoid all of that, it's foolishness. 668 00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:59,200 Trust in the Lord. so, the question that I have now to 669 00:40:59,200 --> 00:41:01,200 myself after all that, it's okay. 670 00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:05,000 So if I say I'm a Believer, I hear this, I want joy. 671 00:41:05,300 --> 00:41:08,100 I want wisdom. And I want to be able to exalt 672 00:41:08,100 --> 00:41:10,000 the Lord, and all of these things. 673 00:41:10,300 --> 00:41:12,900 What, what do I do? How do I do this? 674 00:41:12,900 --> 00:41:14,300 And so, there's a couple things that we would do. 675 00:41:14,300 --> 00:41:18,200 We do this in obedience to the Lord, we do this by seeking and 676 00:41:18,200 --> 00:41:21,600 trusting and following the Lord and saying he is Lord, he is 677 00:41:21,600 --> 00:41:26,400 King and he is savior. And so when the disciples hear a 678 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:31,400 lot of this stuff, their answer to Jesus is how do we do this? 679 00:41:31,700 --> 00:41:34,400 This is impossible who then can be saved. 680 00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:39,300 If we have to forego all of the stuff after Jesus says, how hard 681 00:41:39,300 --> 00:41:41,400 it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 682 00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:44,000 And so, Jesus ends with something that's so hopeful. 683 00:41:45,300 --> 00:41:48,800 He says with man, this is impossible, but With God, all 684 00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:53,000 things are possible. So I want to go back to hope. 685 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:54,600 That's kind of been a theme here. 686 00:41:54,700 --> 00:42:01,600 This morning, our hope is only only only only in Christ. 687 00:42:02,500 --> 00:42:08,700 There is nothing else. There is no other, he is the 688 00:42:08,700 --> 00:42:10,300 way, not just a way. He is. 689 00:42:10,300 --> 00:42:15,400 The way the truth, the life. Him and him alone can turn our 690 00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:18,800 mourning into dancing. Our sorrow into Joy. 691 00:42:19,200 --> 00:42:24,800 He can turn our faith into sight because we have hope in Christ. 692 00:42:30,200 --> 00:42:31,600 And I love that song that we sing. 693 00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:36,400 That's Wesley, if you'll come on up, man, we're going to sing a 694 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:39,200 song that is called. He will hold me fast. 695 00:42:43,400 --> 00:42:46,200 That also speaks of the Hope because we in order to truly 696 00:42:46,200 --> 00:42:48,200 sing that we have to believe that. 697 00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:55,300 That Christ is your hope. So I want to say two other 698 00:42:55,300 --> 00:43:01,400 things. As we sing in just a second. if 699 00:43:01,400 --> 00:43:05,800 you're a believer, if you Proclaim Christ as your savior, 700 00:43:05,800 --> 00:43:11,200 if you Proclaim Christ as your king, when we sing these lyrics, 701 00:43:13,000 --> 00:43:15,500 Ask you to search yourself, to believe these lyrics. 702 00:43:17,100 --> 00:43:24,000 And not just sing a song. It's easy to read the words 703 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:26,300 here. It's easy to come here and 704 00:43:27,600 --> 00:43:31,200 Listen might not have been easy to listen to me to follow but 705 00:43:31,200 --> 00:43:33,600 it's easy to at least come and you hear all of these things. 706 00:43:33,600 --> 00:43:37,600 You hear the knowledge and praise God for it. 707 00:43:40,200 --> 00:43:43,100 But ask God for wisdom to help you believe he has sent his 708 00:43:43,100 --> 00:43:47,200 Spirit the comforter to help teach us these things. 709 00:43:49,200 --> 00:43:52,900 If you're not a believer. Or maybe you're just sitting 710 00:43:52,900 --> 00:43:55,900 there and you're like, huh, this is all new to me. 711 00:43:59,400 --> 00:44:01,400 I asked you to ask the Lord to give you wisdom. 712 00:44:05,600 --> 00:44:07,500 That he may help you in your obedience. 713 00:44:10,600 --> 00:44:12,700 That he may help you understand these things. 714 00:44:12,900 --> 00:44:16,400 Like his word says, I sure don't claim to have all of the 715 00:44:16,400 --> 00:44:21,000 answers. Just want to be faithful and 716 00:44:21,000 --> 00:44:24,700 proclaim the word of God. And James does such a practical 717 00:44:24,700 --> 00:44:28,700 way because the the snares that tie us up in our society, each 718 00:44:28,700 --> 00:44:32,200 and every day are so prevalent that they hold us and they keep 719 00:44:32,200 --> 00:44:36,600 us from as in 1st Timothy. It says the living and truly, 720 00:44:36,600 --> 00:44:39,300 taking hold of life, real life, these things. 721 00:44:39,300 --> 00:44:44,600 Rob you The search for happiness, in the search for 722 00:44:44,600 --> 00:44:48,300 knowledge robs you of Life In Christ. 723 00:44:51,800 --> 00:44:53,600 It's not that it's just not good for you. 724 00:44:55,800 --> 00:45:03,800 It robs you as a tactic to try to keep you away from the Lord. 725 00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:06,600 And so, let's just seek him out in wisdom this morning. 726 00:45:08,100 --> 00:45:11,000 If you don't know the answers, join that club, I don't know all 727 00:45:11,000 --> 00:45:15,100 the answers. But the one that we sing to our 728 00:45:15,100 --> 00:45:18,600 King, has the answers and he will hold us fast. 729 00:45:19,000 --> 00:45:21,000 He will keep us. He will strengthen us. 730 00:45:23,800 --> 00:45:26,100 I'm going to pray for us. If you'll stand, the West is 731 00:45:26,100 --> 00:45:36,200 going to lead us in song. O. 732 00:45:36,200 --> 00:45:39,000 God, may you be proclaimed in this church? 733 00:45:44,700 --> 00:45:46,700 God grant us, wisdom to seek you. 734 00:45:49,200 --> 00:45:56,000 To live a life. God that is that is worthy to be 735 00:45:56,000 --> 00:46:04,300 called an ambassador of Christ. That is not anything that I can 736 00:46:04,300 --> 00:46:10,800 do on my own. From always seek. 737 00:46:13,200 --> 00:46:16,900 Not your ways. And so God I ask that you help 738 00:46:16,900 --> 00:46:23,300 me seek your ways, grant us here as a church, the wisdom to 739 00:46:23,300 --> 00:46:27,500 follow you and seek you and trust you with all that we have. 740 00:46:33,100 --> 00:46:36,200 In Jesus, precious name. Amen. 741 00:46:35,908 --> 00:46:36,200 Amen.