Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

We have been talking about self-centered life for the past two weeks.

You may recall that the Christians that James is writing to have been experiencing some form of conflict.

They are fighting and arguing with each other about something that we might never know.

James pointed out that the source of all their fighting and arguing is their self-centered life.

When do you usually wash your hands?

When do you usually wash your hands?

How often do you wash your heart?

We all collect “dirt” in our hearts each day.

There are things we see, hear, or do that are not pleasing to God.

Going on about our lives without stopping to clean our hearts from these things will harm us spiritually.

Review

We have been talking about self-centered life for the past two weeks.

You may recall that the Christians that James is writing to have been experiencing some form of conflict.

They are fighting and arguing with each other about something that we might never know.

James pointed out that the source of all their fighting and arguing is their self-centered life.

They want what they do not have, so they fight and argue for it.

They pray that God would fulfill their selfish desires, but God would not answer those kinds of selfish prayers.

At the heart of this self-centered life is that the desire to seek your own goals, dreams, desires, pleasures and way rather than loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.

This is the kind of life that God would oppose.

If you are continually living a self-centered life, then God would oppose you because you have become His enemy.

Therefore, you need to repent of your sins and receive God’s grace.

Big Idea: You must repent of your self-centered life.

Repentance - it is a heartfelt sorrow for sin, a renouncing of it, and a sincere commitment to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ.

Wayne Grudem, a Bible scholar, explains, “Repentance, like faith, is an intellectual understanding (that sin is wrong), an emotional approval of the teachings of Scripture regarding sin (a sorrow for sin and a hatred of it), and a personal decision to turn from it (a renouncing of sin and a decision of the will to forsake it and lead a life of obedience to Christ instead).”

In other words, you were facing sin and had your back against God.

Repentance is a 180 degree turn.

You turn your back against sin and towards God.

When Jesus Christ our Lord and Master said, “Repent,” he intended that the entire life of Christians is to be one of repentance.

Repentance does not mean that you go to a priest, confess your sins to him, and have your

Repentance does not mean that you are trying to earn God’s favour.

Repentance does not mean that you work to earn your salvation.

Rather, repentance is a response to what God has done for you to save you by His grace through Jesus Christ.

It is not, “I repent; therefore God saves me.”

Rather, it is, “God saved me; therefore I repent.”

As Christians, repentance

Jesus Christ did not die on the cross to save you from condemnation just so that you can continue to live in sinful lifestyle.

No, Jesus Christ died to free you from sin so that you can have freedom to love and obey Christ.

What does repentance look like?

James wrote this part of the letter to rebuke the Christians who are in living in sin and not repenting.

As we examine verses 7-10, we will see what repentance looks like.

Based on those verses, I see 6 principles on repentance.

1. Submission under God.

(v.7a)

Submission means to give yourself under the authority of a person.

In our culture, some people do not like the idea of submission, especially to the governing authority and our parents.

Nonetheless, we are commanded to submit to God because He is our Lord and Master.

Another word to describe the idea of submission under God is Lordship of Jesus Christ.

a. Submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Lordship of Jesus Christ - Jesus Christ has authority and dominion over the our lives, the church and the world because He is God.

Jesus is Lord.

What does it mean that Jesus is Lord?

How is that applied to your life?

Jesus is Lord.

What does it mean that Jesus is Lord?

How is that applied to your life?

I’ll tell you what it means.

It means that Jesus has complete control over your life and you don’t.

It should be obvious that those who oppose God’s authority will ultimately lose.

They are the people who are unwise.

I met up with friend on Friday.

I knew this brother in Christ for a long time and he seemed to be a strong Christian back in 2008-2010, but he disappeared from my circle for connection for about 8-9 years.

Until recently, I bumped into him last Sunday.

So, we met up with each other to catch up.

During the times when we lost connection, he was trying to start his own businesses and attempting to excel in his career.

One of the biggest struggle and temptation he faced was “missing out on being well-known.”

He strived to work hard and start out small businesses.

Initially, he did those work so that he can be a witness to his non-Christian employees, but eventually his pride and sin caught up to him.

He wasn’t doing businesses to reach the world with the good news, he was doing so to so that he can become popular and well-known.

In Chinese culture, this is known as “saving face.”

He felt that if he was not well-known, then he would be a failure and disappointment in life.

But, his businesses eventually failed and did not work out.

He recognized that God was sovereign and in complete control over his life.

God humbled him and help him realize that his identity is not found in being famous or well-known, but his identity is found in Christ.

He believed God took away his businesses because if he were to continue and be successful, then he might have walked away from God.

But, God was gracious and merciful enough to take those things away from him so that he can recommit himself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

How do we submit to God?

b.

Submit to the Word of God

Perhaps not all of us like to read the Bible.

Perhaps this is one of the things that we neglect to do as Christians.

But, if we do not read the Bible, then how do we obey God?

How do we know what we should believe in?

How do we know how to live out the Christian life?

How do we know if the things we think, say, believe in or sing aren’t contrary to God’s will as revealed in His Word?

We need to read the Bible and understand what God requires of us to do.

The Bible is the Word of God.

It is God’s authority.

It is God’s means to communicate to us what we need to do.

Jesus held the Bible in high-esteem.

But, there are some of us who do read the Bible, but may find some of commandments difficult to obey and believe in.

So, if the Christians are to resolve their conflict, they need to repent of their self-centered life and turn back to God and His Word by submitting under the authority of God and His Word.

2. Withstanding against the devil.

(v.7b)

This verse has the same idea elsewhere in .

The devil literally means the adversary.

The Greek word for is called Diablos (that’s where the name came from if you ever play that video game).

This is someone who slanders.

He is someone that makes defamation and false accusation with an evil intent.

Elsewhere in Scripture, the devil is sometimes known as the Accuser and Tempter.