West Lynchburg

James 1 - we can be unshakable because of the wisdom of God

James 2 - we can be unshakable by faith in what we do.

James 3 - we can be unshakable with our speech.

Matt. 12:34 “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” 

3 primary characteristics of an unshakable faith that speaks:

1) Faith Speaks with Maturity (3:1-5)

2) Faith Speaks with Consistency (3:6-12)

3) Faith Speaks with Purity (3:13-18)

KEY PHRASE - "the wisdom from above is first pure"

-   Purity has the right deeds (13-16)

-   Purity has the right seeds (17-18)

Application:

1. Pray - repent from your actions and receive God’s wisdom

2. Practice - list the ways you sin with your mouth: 

3. Parole - Put your tongue on parole. 

James 1 - we can be unshakable because of the wisdom of God

James 2 - we can be unshakable by faith in what we do.

James 3 - we can be unshakable with our speech.

3 primary characteristics of an unshakable faith that speaks:

- Maturity, Consistency, and Purity

Matt. 12:34 “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” 

1) Faith Speaks with Maturity (3:1-5)

KEY PHRASE - "he is a perfect man" (v2) 

- maturity has accountability (v1) 

- maturity has authority (v2-3)

- maturity has agility (v4)

- maturity has ability (v5)

2) Faith Speaks with Consistency (3:6-12)

KEY PHRASE -"these things ought not to be so." (v10)

- Consistency has direction(6)

- Consistency has discipline (7-8)

- Consistency has delight (9-12)

Next week, we will focus on speaking with purity.

James, in chapter 2, warns us of the danger of being confused in the area of having a faith that is false!

4x in this section, James makes it very clear. 

James picks up on Jesus’ warning from Matthew 7:21

Paul also warned in 2 Corinthians 13:5

1. Faith is more than words (2:14-17) 

2. Faith is more than belief (2:18-19)

3. Faith is more than actions (2:20-26)

For a moment, examine your heart:

1. Has there been a time when I honestly admitted I am a sinner in need of God's grace & forgiveness?

2. Do I truly understand the Gospel (good news), that Christ died for my sins and arose again? 

3. Do I understand and confess that I cannot save myself?

4. Have I sincerely repented of my sins and turned away from sin and toward Christ? 

5. Have I trusted Christ and Christ alone for my salvation?

6. Do I enjoy an active, loving relationship with God through prayer, the Bible, and His Holy Spirit?

7. Has there been a change in my life? Though I am not perfect, do I desire to obey His word and grow in His ways? 

8. Am I living in such a way that others would not be surprised that I follow Jesus?

9. Do I love Jesus enough to tell others about His wonderful saving grace?

10. Do I enjoy the fellowship of God’s people and seek to worship God with the church often?

11. Do I look forward to the Lord’s return and will not be ashamed when He comes for me?

Psalm 139:23-24

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!

24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

1. We live to remove the darkness (2:1)

2 Cor 4:4, “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 

2 Cor 4:6, “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

2. We live to remove the distinctions (2:2-13)

* God condemns (v2-4)

* God chooses (v5-6a)  

2 Cor 8:9, For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

* God calls (v6b-7)

* God corrects (v8)

* God convicts (v9-11)

* God commends (v12-13)

Paul points to a few realities of joy that bring unity:

1. We are partners (1:3-5) - Joy comes with a partnership

2. We are a work in progress (1:6) - Joy comes with progress

3. We are united (2:1-2) - Joy comes with unity

Paul calls us to unity in our thinking, love, passion, and purpose.

(v3-5) We are called to unite with the mind of Christ which is thinking with humility.

(v6-8) We are called to unite with sacrificial love.

(v9-11) We are called to unite with passion.\v9-11) We are called to unite with purpose.

…every knee should bow…and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…

IN 5 WEEKS WE CELEBRATE THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD

For the next 5 weeks, leading up to Easter…

1. Let’s unite to pray for those who need Christ by name!

2. Let’s unite to invite every home between WLBC & Chestnut Hill to an Easter service!

3. Let’s unite to share the gospel with anyone and everyone we have the opportunity to!

4. Let’s unite to give to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering to impact North America.

Go to wlbc.life/united

1) Pay Attention to Righteousness (v19-20)

* quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger

2) Put aside to Receive (v21)

3) Prove an abiding (enduring, everlasting) Religion (v22-27)

Romans 12:1-2 

1) Understand Temptation (v13-16)  

God is not the source of your battles.

v 13 – Stop Blaming God

v 14 – Start Accepting Responsibility

v 15-16 – Stop Being Deceived

6 stages of temptation: 1) Attraction 2) Deception 3) Preoccupation 4) Conception 5) Subjection  6) Desperation 

Antitode to the temptations and lies of Satan: We need a deep-seated conviction of the absolute, unchanging goodness of God

2) Understand Triumph (v17-18)

God is the source of all your blessings

* Rather than thinking God is a hindrance in your life (so many in the world do)...

* See Him as your greatest strength to overcome your inner battles.

* Victory in this life (& life to come) is always with God! Never apart from Him.

v 17 - Triumph comes through receiving.

v18 - Triumph comes through representing.

Closing prayer:

Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.”

I. Lean on our THREE resources (v5-8)

a. wisdom (5 If any of you lacks wisdom)

b.  prayer (let him ask God)

* first - you have to be conscious of your lack of wisdom

* second - be willing to humble yourself to ask God

* lastly - trust that God is able and willing to supply our deficiencies

[God] who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him..

* "gives" – God is an open-handed giver (Ps 145:16, “You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.)

*  "to all" – the invitation to ASK God is open to all who will humbly admit they have a need and seek Him to fulfill that need

* "generously" – or liberally, nothing withheld, He gives MORE THAN ENOUGH

* "without reproach" – He is not critical of our asking or desiring from Him. 

Alexander MacLaren, “If we only believed that He gives simply because He loves us and that we need never fear our unworthiness will limit or restrain His bestowments, what mountains of misconceptions of the divine character would be rolled away from many hearts!”

3. faith – Our prayers are only effective if asked in faith  “6 But let him ask in faith,”

faith in His ability – faith in His willingness

II. Learn from our TWO representatives (v9-11)

a. Poverty (pain)  9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation

b. Prosperity (pleasure) 10 and the rich in his humiliation,

3. Look forward to our TWO rewards (v12)

1. Blessed - 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under (or through) trial,

2. Crown of Life - for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

1) Joy is an internal perspective - Attitude

Count it all joy, my brothers, when

My brothers – family and pastoral tone

JOY is the overarching attitude of this passage.

Count – consider – in your inward mind and heart, put a stake in the ground of JOY

When–not IF, but when

v2 when you meet trials of various kinds,

- trials are going to happen… Don’t be surprised.

Troubles, disappointments, and hardships are not only possible; they are inevitable and unavoidable.

- “meet” – circumstances you fall into, face, unexpected.

Believing in God and trusting in Christ provides a very blessed life... but at no time does Jesus tell us it will be an easy life.

Various – we have no idea what form the trials will come. Sometimes simply frustrating, other times catastrophic

Phillips paraphrase, “When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends!”

Not joy because of your trials. But joy regardless of trials!

Trials come & go… but our position and purpose in Christ remain!

The reality is - as spirit-filled Christians, we triumph through the trials

Our JOY is an internal reality giving us a perspective on ALL circumstances

2 Cor 7:4, “In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.”

2) Growth is a faith process - v3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

Knowledge brings a peace and confidence that no rumor or circumstance can take away.

When you know… you stop listening to the noise.

* If you knew you had ONE MILLION dollars in your walk-in home safe. AND you were laid off or the stock market crashed with your retirement account. You would NOT be worried about your next meal. - 2 Cor 1:5

* If you knew you had chicken laying eggs, you wouldn’t worry about egg prices. Rom 8:17

* If you knew you were completely loved by Christ, you would worry about seeking everyone’s approval. Matthew 5:11-12

* If you knew you have an eternal home with Christ, then you face death differently. 1 Peter 4:13, Heb 10:34

Three results of trials

- purity - (testing of your faith) authenticating) 1 Peter 1:7

- patience - produces steadfastness (endurance, staying power, unswerving constancy)

- perfection 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

3) Cooperation is a way to perfection

4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Let - cooperate with God’s work in you and through you.

God never builds our character without our cooperation.

If we resist Him, He disciplines us.

If we submit to Him, He makes us like Jesus and perfects us.

God is never satisfied with an unfinished person. He is looking for completion.

He who began a good work WILL carry it on to completion! – Philippians 1

1) Who is the real James?

Son of Joseph & Mary, brother of Jesus

Matthew 13:55, “Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

Mark 6:3, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James & Joses and Judas (Jude 1:1) and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?”

JAMES is the 2nd born in a family where the 1st born was perfect & never sinned.

James did not believe in Jesus - John 7:1-5

James through Jesus was crazy - Mark 3:20-21

James tried to interrupt Jesus - Matthew 12:46-50

James was NOT an apostle and he was not even a follower of Jesus. James didn’t even attend the funeral of Jesus!

So how did he get to write a book of the Bible?

James' Conversion - 1 Cor 15:3-7

James was invited to the Upper Room - Acts 1:13-14

James became the 1st Pastor of Jerusalem - Acts 12:17, Gal 1:18-19, Gal 2:9

Historians have found ancient writing referring to James as James “The Just” - Acts 15:13, Acts 21:17-18

This book is written between AD 48-62, most likely 48-52.

Hegesippus quoted by early church father Eusebius said, “James prayed so much; his knees were as hard as those on a camel – camel knees.”

James was martyred in 62 A.D. As he was dying, James prayed as did his Lord Jesus, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

2) What is the real message?

1:1-18 Unshakable Faith Endures

1:19-27 Unshakable Faith Does

2:1-13 Unshakable Faith Removes

3:1-18 Unshakable Faith Speaks

4:1-5:6 Unshakable Faith Produces

5:7-20 Unshakable Faith Triumphs