james: hands-on christianity…. james 4:11-17. james introduces us to the most widely played game...
TRANSCRIPT
James: Hands-On Christianity….
James: Hands-On Christianity….
James 4:11-17James 4:11-17
James introduces us tothe most widely
played game amongChristians then and now…
To have our desires met,we basically have 2 choices:
“Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother
or sister or judges them speaks against the law and
judges it. When you judge the law, you
are not keeping it, but sittingin judgment on it.” [TNIV]
“Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother
or sister or judges them speaks against the law and
judges it. When you judge the law, you
are not keeping it, but sittingin judgment on it.” [TNIV]
James 4:11….James 4:11….
Imagine yourself as superior to other
Christians, and put them down in various ways.
If you want to “Play God”with others, you need to
“speak against”your brother or sister.
“Speak against”in Greek, “katalalei”
… the idea of talking aboutone person to another with the goal of lowering your listener’s estimate of that third person.
… talk about those who
are not around to defend themselves.
… little concern about
ACCURACY.
“You must judge others.”
“You must judge others.”“Judge”
Greek, “krineis” means….
“To judge”someone rightly,
we must know
all there is to
know about
that other
person.
It requires the kind of
complete understanding about a person’s
thoughts and motivesthat only God possesses.
Jesus condemns ajudgmental attitude!
Jesus and James are
not saying that
discernment isn’t necessary.
They are only condemning
the kind of critical attitudethat seeks to condemn.
Another reason fornot judging is that….
When we
criticize
others, we
speak against
the law
and judge it.
When we
criticize
others, we
speak against
the law
and judge it.
The “law” James was probably
referring to in James 4:11
is the “royal law” he quotedin James 2:8 that says….
“Love your
neighbor
as yourself.”
“If you really keep the royal
law found in Scripture,
‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’
you are doing right.” [TNIV]
“If you really keep the royal
law found in Scripture,
‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’
you are doing right.” [TNIV]
James 2:8….James 2:8….
Commentator Curtis Vaughan explains . . .
“The meaning is this:
The man who deliberately
breaks the law thereby
disparages that law. ….
“The meaning is this:
The man who deliberately
breaks the law thereby
disparages that law. ….
… In effect he sets himself
above it and declares that it
is a bad law, not worthy to be
obeyed. Such a person
removes himself from the
category of
a doer of the law and
becomes a judge of the law.”
… In effect he sets himself
above it and declares that it
is a bad law, not worthy to be
obeyed. Such a person
removes himself from the
category of
a doer of the law and
becomes a judge of the law.”
“There is only
one Lawgiver and
Judge,the one who is able to
save and destroy….”[TNIV]
“There is only
one Lawgiver and
Judge,the one who is able to
save and destroy….”[TNIV]
James 4:12a….James 4:12a….
Two reasons whybelievers should avoid
It places us in a position of authority reserved for God alone.
It ignores or excuses our own failure.
“… But you – who are youto judge your neighbor?”
[TNIV]
“… But you – who are youto judge your neighbor?”
[TNIV]
James 4:12b….James 4:12b….
That is, turning the spotlight
away from others and putting
its full force on ourselves.
“With shattering
bluntness, James crushes
any right his readers may
have claimed to sit in
judgment over their
neighbors. ….
…. This is not to rule out
civil courts and judges.
Instead, it roots out the
harsh, unkind, critical
spirit that continually
finds fault with others.”
Imagine
yourself as
the final
authority over
your life, then
live like it.
“Now listen, you who say,
‘Today or tomorrow we will
go to this or that city, spend
a year there, carry on
business and make money.’ ”
[TNIV]
“Now listen, you who say,
‘Today or tomorrow we will
go to this or that city, spend
a year there, carry on
business and make money.’ ”
[TNIV]
James 4:13….James 4:13….
5 RULES we can infer from what James describes.
Selfishly choose your own time
and schedule –
“Now listen, youwho say, ‘Todayor tomorrow….’ ”
Select the location
that pleases you – “…. we will go to
this or that city ….”
Limit your stay toplease yourself –
“…. spend a year there ….”
Arrange your activities so that they work primarily
for your own benefitand pleasure –
“…. carry on business ….”
Predict your successand boast about it – “…. and make money
(a profit).”
The kind ofhorizontal thinking
that presumptuously plans as though God
did not even exit!
James lays down several
reasons why we can
never win at
in our lives.
“Why, you do not even
know what will happen
tomorrow….”
[TNIV]
“Why, you do not even
know what will happen
tomorrow….”
[TNIV]
James 4:14a….James 4:14a….
“Tomorrow’s circumstances are totally uncertain.”
“Tomorrow’s circumstances are totally uncertain.”
“We have no assuranceof a long life.”
“We have no assuranceof a long life.”
“What is your life? You are a
mist that appears for a little
while and then vanishes….”[TNIV]
“What is your life? You are a
mist that appears for a little
while and then vanishes….”[TNIV]
James 4:14b….James 4:14b….
“We have no right to
ignore God’s will.”
“We have no right to
ignore God’s will.”
“Instead, you ought to say,
‘If it is the Lord's will,
we will live and
do this or that ….’ ”[TNIV]
“Instead, you ought to say,
‘If it is the Lord's will,
we will live and
do this or that ….’ ”[TNIV]
James 4:15….James 4:15….
“As it is, you boast in your
arrogant schemes.
All such boasting is evil.”[TNIV]
“As it is, you boast in your
arrogant schemes.
All such boasting is evil.”[TNIV]
James 4:16….James 4:16….
“So then, if you know
the good you ought to do
and don't do it, you sin.”
[TNIV]
“So then, if you know
the good you ought to do
and don't do it, you sin.”
[TNIV]
James 4:17….James 4:17….
What must we do to stop
Simple rules….Simple rules….
Say this with me….
“I will let God be God,and I will to be whom I am
– human, a believer,His child, and I am not God. So, I don’t want to play God.
Amen!”