James Series 08 - Submit to God

Reading: James 4:1-12
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:7-8a NIV

I.   Why do we Fight?

     A.  Our desires battle Within us. (vv. 1-2a)

           1.  We think we have to fight!

                 a.  We think we’re on the right side!

                 b.  We frame our fights in holy language.

                 c.  And so the Church splits over and over

           2.  Our battles are battling desires.

                 a.  Fights are really about our selfish wants

                 b.  We want different things, so we hurt each other.

           3.  We’re like cry-babies.

                 a.  We justify immaturity with big words

                 b.  We are violent because we don’t get our way

     B.  We don’t seek to Please God (vv.2b-3)

           1.  We don’t have because we don’t ask.

                 a.  We assume we have a right to take.

                 b.  Why don’t we think to ask God?

                 c.  Maybe we’re suspicious of His answer!

           2.  Or we ask to indulge ourselves.

                 a.  When we do ask, it’s still to get our way

                 b.  We’re more interested in indulging than in growing up.

           3.  We don’t try to please God.

                 a.  In our drive to please ourselves we don’t think of pleasing God.

                 b.  Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart (Ps37:4)

                 c.  But we delight instead in whatever we decide to delight in.

     C.  We forget Who’s Side we’re on! (vv. 4-6)

           1.  When we ally ourselves with a non-Christian value system, we are God’s enemy.

                 a.  When we hurt each other based on worldly values we’re on the wrong side

                 b.  One person can’t have two masters.

           2.  We intensely envy this world’s “success.”

                 a.  We want what “everybody else has.”

                 b.  Something in us wants more than what we have with God–since the Garden.

           3.  But God gives us grace to overcome envy!

                 a.  But God’s grace is bigger than our envy!

                 b.  God gives it when we humble ourselves

II.  Be Single minded

     A.  Serve under God’s Command (v.7-8a)

           1.  Instead of being an ally of the Enemy!

                 a.  The whole point is about what or who is in charge: your desires or God.

                 b.  Put yourself under God’s authority.

           2.  Serving in God’s army=stand against Satan

                 a.  Resist the devil doesn’t stand apart from Submit yourselves to God.

                 b.  Submit: stand under resist: stand against

                 c.  First get under God’s authority, then the devil runs when you stand against him.

           3.  Coming to God, He comes to us.

                 a.  As in the Prodigal Son.

                 b.  But when we come to Him, He always comes to us.

                 c.  If you feel far from God, who moved?

     B.  Get rid of divided Loyalties (v.8b)

           1.  Wash your hands–get rid of what you can

                 a.  Most of my growth happens when I let go of what’s holding me back.

                 b.  What are you holding onto?

                 c.  Wash off event he smell of it!

           2.  Purify your hearts–as you are able

                 a.  Don’t just wash yourselves outwardly

                 b.  Clean your insides–your very self.

                 c.  Only God can do this completely.

     C.  Humble yourselves before the Lord (vv.9-10)

           1.  Let our enjoyment of worldly things be changed to sorrow for treasuring them.

                 a.  What brought joy, let it no bring tears.

                 b.  What made us laugh, let it make us cry

                 c.  What was our pride is now our shame

           2.  Feel funeral sorrow about our dead life.

                 a.  These are funeral words (v.9)

                 b.  Because we are truly dead.

           3.  Let’s humble ourselves before Him and await His grace to lift us up.

                 a.  Acknowledge our foolishness, our shame, our sin, our arrogance

                 b.  Go to him dependent on his mercy.

                 c.  Go to Him with no hope but His mercy

III. End the war of Accusations

     A.  Don’t speak Against each other (v.11a)

           1.  Don’t fight, or even speak negatively

                 a.  Not just “slander”–anything negative.

                 b.  Talk about taming the tongue!

                 c.  Words aren’t always “just words.”

           2.  A verbal fight also comes from evil desires

                 a.  When we hurt each other verbally, it’s the same thing as hurting in other ways

                 b.  Speaking against each other is rooted in our selfish desires too.

           3.  We are brothers/sisters: one family

                 a.  What are we doing speaking against each other like this?

                 b.  Don’t we know we all belong together?

     B.  We are not Above the law (v.11b)

           1.  To break the law is to see oneself as superior to it.

                 a.  Why should I drive 50mph down 99?

                 b.  Why should I be nice, to rude people?

                 c.  Some people are just too sensitive.

           2.  The law is the Royal law (2:8) of love.

                 a.  When we trash-talk each other we’re thumbing our nose at the law of love.

                 b.  To live/speak without it, is to break it.

           3.  To submit to God is to live all of life under the law of love.

                 a.  It’s to have God’s way with each other.

                 b.  Love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.

                 c.  It’s to love even with what we say.

     C.  God is our Only Judge (v.12)

           1.  There is only one ultimate authority: God

                 a.  This doesn’t mean be blind to sin! (5:19-20)

                 b.  It’s not for us as individuals to be judge, jury and executioner for each other.

           2.  Only God may judge our brother/sister

                 a.  We may not presume to sit in final judgement over anyone.

                 b.  Let God be God. Let him be the Judge

                 c.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Matt.7:2)

           3.  Our job is simply to love them.

                 a.  We may condemn sin, but we must love double-minded sinners like us.

                 b.  Sometimes love means helping them turn from their sin!

                 c.  But the point is to love them–really love them

The Bottom Line:

Hymn: Lead On, O King Eternal #595 v.2

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