Sermon Tone Analysis
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The Devil and the Hermit
There is a fable wherein the Devil once was crossing the Libyan desert and met a group of friends tempting a holy hermit.
They tried seductions of the flesh, used doubts and fears, etc.
But to no avail.
The holy man was unmoved.
The Devil then stepped forward: “Your methods are too crude.
Permit me one moment.”
Going to the hermit, he said, “Have you heard the news?
Your brother has been made the Bishop of Alexandria.”
According to the fable, a scowl of malignant jealousy clouded the serene face of the holy man.
Lou Priolo describes jealousy and envy as two sides of the same coin.
He says,
“Envy is zeal for that which has been given to another.
Jealousy is zeal for that which has been given to me.
If I am envious, I have a selfish (covetous) zeal for that which belongs to someone else.
If I am jealous, I have a zeal for protecting that which I believe is mine (because I am fearful of losing it).
Envy and jealousy are like two sides of the same coin.
Heads is envy: the desire to have something that belongs to another (accompanied by varying degrees of resentment).
Tails is jealousy: the fear of losing to another that which you already have.”
Lou Priolo
For the Holy Hermit, his desire to have what belonged to his brother revealed bitter envy and selfish ambition in his heart, which likely grew resentment and other vile practices of the devil.
Both jealousy selfish ambition are siblings of death to your relationships and most of all to your faith.
Whether you are envious of what someone else has, like the holy hermit, or you are jealousy to keep something, or someone to yourself, like a jealous husband, both are selfish ambition, and both are not of the Father.
In James context, bitter envy and selfish ambition were reaching its fever pitch between the rich and the poor.
The rich were Jewish aristocrats were jealous for their power, prestige and position.
The poor who were being exploited by the rich and feeling powerless, were envious of the rich.
There bitter envy was subjecting them to influence of revolutionary Zealots.
These Zealots claimed to be wise religious descendants from Phineas, the Old Testament character who in his zeal for the Lord, stabbed the Israelite who was committing sexual immorality with a Canaanite woman.
Their envy advocated retaliation with violence, creating disorder in the church, community, and home.
Herschel Hobbs describes the disorder caused by jealousy and envy.
“Like unseen termites, jealousy eats away the very foundation of the social order until the entire structure falls.”
Herschel Hobbs
What kind of social structure is Hobbs speaking of in his quote?
My short answer is the the three primary spheres of life: the church, community, and home.
What inside of these structures tempts you toward envy?
A quick look at the commandment to not covet in Ex 20:17, is helpful.
Coveting is an excessive desire for something.
Coveting is often associated with Greed, but I’m inclined to say that jealousy and envy are two heads of the Hydra of Lerna.
When God says do not covet, he is saying do not have an excessive desire, or could we say, an idolatrous desire for something that is not yours.
So the God says,
You see the social structure the church, community, and home inside of verse seventeen.
There are people in the sphere of family that you are not to covet, like the spouse of someone.
There is prosperity that comes from working in the community that you are not to covet: servants, donkey’s, oxen.
Even in the church, the community of God, you are not to covet: “anything that is your neighbors,” even his piety.
jealousy and selfish ambition in the heart erodes the very foundation of our society when it attacks the church, community, and home.
God forbids it, and so James says this should not be so, my brothers and sisters.
Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he warns us this morning,
Because a heart filled with bitter jealousy and selfish ambition leads to hellish practices, you must love one another in the meekness of wisdom that comes from heaven.
James reveals that your conduct reveals what is going on in your heart.
In James 3:13, he says
So, this morning, I want to encourage you love your neighbor in the meekness of wisdom that comes from above.
What does that look like?
I think James is simple and clear.
First,
Love one another in meekness by rejecting Hellish wisdom (James 3:14-16)
James describes hellish wisdom in six ways.
Hellish wisdom is demonic (James 3:15)
I am using the word “hellish” for a reason.
James says that worldly unspiritual wisdom is demonic.
The word used for unspiritual always carries a negative connotation in the New Testament.
For example, Paul describes the unspiritual as
1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV)
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
Jude describes the unspiritual person as ungodly, worldly, devoid of the Spirit.
Jude 18–19 (ESV)
They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”
It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.
Ultimately, James says the unspiritual person is influenced by wisdom pertaining demons.
Meaning this kind of wisdom is both demonic in origin and nature.
It’s godless false wisdom that does contrary to what God desires.
Hellish wisdom is characterized by the world, the flesh, and of Satan.
Therefore, it is to be rejected.
Hellish wisdom creates the greenhouse for the ivy of bitter envy to grow in your heart (James 3:14a)
Jesus says your heart is like a garden.
The soil of your heart will either produce good fruit or bad fruit.
In verse 14, James reveals where jealousy, envy, and selfish ambition come.
They come from your heart.
James 3:14 (ESV)
But if you have bitter jealousy... in your hearts...
Jesus also teaches that it is from your heart that the effects of sin flow.
The fruit of your heart manifest itself into good works or bad works, good conduct or bad conduct.
In his discussion with the Pharisees he teaches them that it is not what goes into your body that defiles you, it is what comes out of your heart.
He goes on to list the evil that comes from your heart.
Mark 7:20–23 (ESV)
For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.
All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
The Bible says envy is an act of the flesh, the result of human sin.
Paul gives a similar list to the church in Galatia.
He says,
Galatians 5:19–21 (CSB)
Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity,
idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions,
envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar...
Describing those the heart of those who have been given over to a debased mind (heart) Paul says,
Romans 1:29 (ESV)
They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice.
They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness.
And because envy is sinful and demonic in nature, it has the capacity to fester bitterness.
To be bitter is to have a resentful hatred toward someone.
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