But God Gives More Grace
- Sermon By: Sam Cherian
- Categories: Stand Alone
Bible Passage: James 4:1-10
Introduction:
What is conflict? What does the Bible say about it? Can I learn from God’s Word how to deal with conflict in my life?
Chapter 4 is James’s firm pastoral rebuke, applying the principles of godly wisdom to the specific problems of disunity, self-centered desires, and an arrogant, worldly spirit that were present in the congregations he was addressing.
Chapter 4 is James’s firm pastoral rebuke, applying the principles of godly wisdom to the specific problems of disunity, self-centered desires, and an arrogant, worldly spirit that were present in the congregations he was addressing.
Read the Text (NIV): James 4:1-3
1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
1. The diagnosis of the symptoms: Fights and Quarrels or Conflict. “What causes fights and quarrels among you?” Vs 1
a. James is doing a root cause analysis of our symptoms Vs 1
b. Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? Vs 1
b. Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? Vs 1
i. Sin has a genealogy; conflicts don’t appear randomly but have an origin point which is your desire. James 1:14-15 “14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” Matt 15:18-19
ii. The problem is not desire itself but that the desires have become idolatrous.
iii. he diagnosis: Unmet selfish desires create internal conflict and frustration.
ii. The problem is not desire itself but that the desires have become idolatrous.
iii. he diagnosis: Unmet selfish desires create internal conflict and frustration.
c. Desire is expected to bring fulfillment but give emptiness, frustration and conflict. vs 2
i. “You desire but do not have, so you kill.” Vs 2
• Matt 5:21-22 “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.”
ii. “You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.” vs2
• The diagnosis: Disordered desire leads to perpetual frustration
iii. Prayerlessness – “You do not have because you do not ask God.” Vs 2
iv. The selfish prayer: “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” Vs 3.
iv. The selfish prayer: “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” Vs 3.
• Prayer is used to manipulate rather than submit.
• God is as used as a means to get gifts rather than find joy in God himself
• Prayer has the wrong orientation of self rather than God.
• Contrast with the Lord’s prayer “your kingdom come your will be done.” Matt 6:10
• God is as used as a means to get gifts rather than find joy in God himself
• Prayer has the wrong orientation of self rather than God.
• Contrast with the Lord’s prayer “your kingdom come your will be done.” Matt 6:10
Read the Text (NIV): Vs 4-6 “4
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
2. The root cause for your conflict is your adulterous relationship with the world . Vs 4-6
2. The root cause for your conflict is your adulterous relationship with the world . Vs 4-6
a. James reminds us of our covenantal relationship with God. Vs 4 (Hosea 3:1; Jer 3:20)
i. Covenant relationship – Believers are in an exclusive relationship with God.
ii. Betrayal – We have been unfaithful by pursuing other lovers.
iii. Divided Loyalty – Trying to maintain relationships with the world and God. “Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (Joshua 24:15: Revelation 3:15-16)
b. God jealously longs for our complete devotion” Vs 5 – “Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?” (Ex 20:5; Ex 34:14; Deut 4:24)
c. The adulterer is given more than he deserves. Vs. 6 “But he gives us more grace.”
ii. Betrayal – We have been unfaithful by pursuing other lovers.
iii. Divided Loyalty – Trying to maintain relationships with the world and God. “Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (Joshua 24:15: Revelation 3:15-16)
b. God jealously longs for our complete devotion” Vs 5 – “Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?” (Ex 20:5; Ex 34:14; Deut 4:24)
c. The adulterer is given more than he deserves. Vs. 6 “But he gives us more grace.”
i. Grace comes to the humble and not the proud. (Rom 5:20; Prov 3:34)
Read the Text (NIV):
Read the Text (NIV):
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
3. The remedy for conflict: Return to God from spiritual adultery to an intimate fellowship with Him. vs 7-10
a. Stop fighting for control and surrender to God’s authority. “Submit yourselves, then, to God.” Vs 7 (Psalm 19:18)
b. Take an active stand against temptation and Satan’s lies. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Vs 7 (Matt 4:11; 1 Pet 5)
c. Don’t stay away in shame but approach God in genuine repentance. Vs 8-9
b. Take an active stand against temptation and Satan’s lies. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Vs 7 (Matt 4:11; 1 Pet 5)
c. Don’t stay away in shame but approach God in genuine repentance. Vs 8-9
i. Draw near to God – “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” Vs 8
ii. Both need cleansing. – “Wash your hands … purify your hearts, you double minded.” Vs 8
ii. Both need cleansing. – “Wash your hands … purify your hearts, you double minded.” Vs 8
• Identify and forsake specific sins
• Address the divided loyalty, the double mindedness. Vs 8
• Address the divided loyalty, the double mindedness. Vs 8
iii. Three intense verbs that express deep sorrow – “Grieve, mourn and wail.” Vs 9 (2 Cor 7:10; Joel 2:12-13; Ezra
10:1)
iv. Genuine repentance – “Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.” Vs 9
4. The exaltation paradox of Kingdom Logic – “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” Vs 10 (Lk 14:11; Matt 23:12; 1 Pet 5:6)
10:1)
iv. Genuine repentance – “Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.” Vs 9
4. The exaltation paradox of Kingdom Logic – “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” Vs 10 (Lk 14:11; Matt 23:12; 1 Pet 5:6)
a. To go up you need to go down.
i. Humble yourselves – God lifts you up
ii. Before the Lord – Coram Deo
iii. Then we get to trust the promises “He will lift you up”
ii. Before the Lord – Coram Deo
iii. Then we get to trust the promises “He will lift you up”
Takeaway:
Come back to God in humility from your pursuit of the world and enjoy God’s uplifting grace.