Original URL Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Transcript
so you're going to get uh james four and five and there's a two reasons for this five and there's a two reasons for this one one first reason was i doubted that you first reason was i doubted that you could put up with me for five weeks so could put up with me for five weeks so we we're not going to do all five we we're not going to do all five chapters chapters but secondly most of the but secondly most of the [Music] [Music] meat of james's meat of james's book book kind of comes in in that conclusion of kind of comes in in that conclusion of those two chapters those two chapters and so they make an interesting study and so they make an interesting study that can be that can be comprehensive in what this book comprehensive in what this book offers us then offers us then i can summarize the first three chapters i can summarize the first three chapters very easily the key thing there is faith very easily the key thing there is faith without works is dead without works is dead so if you remember that part you have so if you remember that part you have already got already got the key message of the first the key message of the first three three chapters of this book chapters of this book now now a few things about this book that are a few things about this book that are real interesting some background real interesting some background material on it material on it um there we go first there's been there's been an argument for a long time of just an argument for a long time of just exactly exactly who who wrote it wrote it uh some have claimed that it was james uh some have claimed that it was james the son of zebedee and salome the son of zebedee and salome uh that's that seems pretty unlikely uh that's that seems pretty unlikely because it's well known historically because it's well known historically that that that james who was one of the 12 that james who was one of the 12 apostles was beheaded by apostles was beheaded by herod agrippa and 44 a.d and this book herod agrippa and 44 a.d and this book is dated to a much later date is dated to a much later date the second is that it could have been the second is that it could have been the other apostle named james the son of the other apostle named james the son of alphaeus but there is no record of him alphaeus but there is no record of him ever having written anything and he also ever having written anything and he also was stoned to death was stoned to death before presumably this book has been before presumably this book has been noted noted so we ended up with the so we ended up with the [Music] [Music] the usual attribute was to james the the usual attribute was to james the just the half-brother of jesus christ just the half-brother of jesus christ and he wrote it sometime and he wrote it sometime between 62 a.d and 69 a.d between 62 a.d and 69 a.d since he was martyred on that latter since he was martyred on that latter date date um it is clear that james um it is clear that james the half brother of jesus played a major the half brother of jesus played a major major role in the development major role in the development of the first century church of the first century church in fact there is several books out by um in fact there is several books out by um biblical scholars that claim that james biblical scholars that claim that james was the was the inheritor of the jesus dynasty inheritor of the jesus dynasty that jesus put his that jesus put his imprimatur on james and um imprimatur on james and um he became the leader he became the leader because of his close association both by because of his close association both by blood blood and by and by talent talent to the lord jesus christ to the lord jesus christ however this has been very disputed by however this has been very disputed by the catholic church the catholic church the catholic church of course has this the catholic church of course has this great um great um theory that theory that mary mary was a perpetual virgin she never had any was a perpetual virgin she never had any other children other children and and therefore this is impossible that james therefore this is impossible that james the just could have been christ's the just could have been christ's half-brother half-brother and you can read right off the screen and you can read right off the screen what i have there uh the claim is that what i have there uh the claim is that uh james was a cousin uh james was a cousin um however i think we're all pretty um however i think we're all pretty familiar with um familiar with um the gospel of matthew chapter 13 55 the gospel of matthew chapter 13 55 especially since it's been in the especially since it's been in the readings only recently readings only recently uh where uh where he just said his is not this the he just said his is not this the carpenter's son is not his mother call carpenter's son is not his mother call mary are not his brothers james and mary are not his brothers james and joseph and simon and judas then that joseph and simon and judas then that judas is the jude who wrote the other judas is the jude who wrote the other little epistle little epistle um so it's pretty um so it's pretty two things i can get out of that verse two things i can get out of that verse in matthew 13 that in matthew 13 that james and his brothers tried to follow james and his brothers tried to follow christ around christ around and so in some sense though he was not and so in some sense though he was not originally called an apostle originally called an apostle i do believe that james and jude were i do believe that james and jude were disciples i i do believe that they were disciples i i do believe that they were taught by jesus they heard a lot of his taught by jesus they heard a lot of his teachings teachings and they it and they it didn't just happen that didn't just happen that they um they um [Music] [Music] you know came along and he headed the you know came along and he headed the ecclesia in jerusalem ecclesia in jerusalem uh by default uh by default uh another thing to be pretty aware of uh another thing to be pretty aware of is that um is that um [Music] [Music] james is actually mentioned in a number james is actually mentioned in a number of little places um of little places um in in in the in the new testament in the in the new testament here and there you will pick up little here and there you will pick up little bits of piece of information about james bits of piece of information about james the just the half brother jesus christ the just the half brother jesus christ and i'm not going to look up all of and i'm not going to look up all of these verses now these verses now uh but if you do want notes or anything uh but if you do want notes or anything um i will be more than glad to share um i will be more than glad to share these um these um um um powerpoint presentations when anybody powerpoint presentations when anybody wants it um wants it um i'll give you i'll give you my email address uh when we're finished my email address uh when we're finished tonight well you can tonight well you can you can if you want i will send i can you can if you want i will send i can forward it to um forward it to um uh jim and uh jim and steve and they can send it to anybody steve and they can send it to anybody might want it so as they have brought jesus he um his ministry ministry is a very is a very clearly clearly mentioned so after the resurrection he's mentioned so after the resurrection he's mentioned the apostle paul names him mentioned the apostle paul names him along with along with uh peter as being one of the pillars in uh peter as being one of the pillars in the jerusalem ecclesia the jerusalem ecclesia and you mustn't think of the jerusalem and you mustn't think of the jerusalem athleisure as an ecclesia like the one athleisure as an ecclesia like the one in boston or ann arbor in boston or ann arbor the jerusalem cliche actually had the jerusalem cliche actually had thousands of members that met in many thousands of members that met in many many houses throughout the city and when many houses throughout the city and when we read about the jews of jerusalem the we read about the jews of jerusalem the clear clear in in in in the the famous passages of the famous passages of the jerusalem conference where they try to jerusalem conference where they try to decide decide about what the gentiles should be about what the gentiles should be responsible for that was a coming responsible for that was a coming together of many many individual together of many many individual congregations and and james congregations and and james was was clearly clearly the leader of that the leader of that particular conference particular conference so i call him the chairman so he is the chairman the first chairman of a reunion chairman the first chairman of a reunion committee in a sense to try to unify committee in a sense to try to unify jewish christians and jewish christians and [Music] [Music] gentile christians gentile christians however his as far as i know this is however his as far as i know this is probably the only successful probably the only successful reunion that has occurred on such a reunion that has occurred on such a broad broad scale broad broad scale and and the decisions of that jerusalem council the decisions of that jerusalem council pretty much carried it all the way down pretty much carried it all the way down to our day today to our day today and finally paul makes a point of and finally paul makes a point of visiting him uh on his and asking for visiting him uh on his and asking for his advice so his advice so clearly james uh was incredibly clearly james uh was incredibly respected that respected that the apostle paul the apostle paul would seek his advice would seek his advice so so one final note one final note interesting about this book when martin interesting about this book when martin luther luther translated the new testament into german translated the new testament into german at first he at first he was of a mind to leave this book out all was of a mind to leave this book out all together he felt it was it was spurious together he felt it was it was spurious uh it went against his contention that uh it went against his contention that men are saved by faith alone men are saved by faith alone and since the and since the since the james says incredibly not only since the james says incredibly not only in his passages where he said faithful in his passages where he said faithful works is dead works is dead the whole book the whole book goes over things goes over things that that more or less say you can't do these more or less say you can't do these things there's a whole bunch of things things there's a whole bunch of things you shouldn't be doing so he never you shouldn't be doing so he never mentions that you can get away with a mentions that you can get away with a lot of things just by faith lot of things just by faith but eventually luther was talked out of but eventually luther was talked out of it because um it because um it was made apparent to him that um if it was made apparent to him that um if he did that that he did that that he would be he would be doing something against uh centuries of doing something against uh centuries of tradition tradition so so let's uh focus now on let's uh focus now on james chapter four one two three james chapter four one two three now when we look at this now when we look at this this passages in this chapter we i personally find the language i personally find the language extremely harsh extremely harsh and um it's been troubling to many many and um it's been troubling to many many people people and uh i don't know how you feel about and uh i don't know how you feel about it but it but james uses language here this frankly james uses language here this frankly not quite like this used not quite like this used anywhere else in the new testament anywhere else in the new testament uh in talking about the first century uh in talking about the first century ecclesia ecclesia in some ways its language is even in some ways its language is even harsher than what jesus harsher than what jesus uh talked about when he was um berating uh talked about when he was um berating the scribes and the pharisees the scribes and the pharisees so james describes the strife among so james describes the strife among believers in the first century ecclesia believers in the first century ecclesia with such terms as wars with such terms as wars covenants fights quarrels and even covenants fights quarrels and even murders murders and that that's pretty shocking when you and that that's pretty shocking when you think about it that he would be think about it that he would be describing the behavior of the first describing the behavior of the first century ecclesias century ecclesias and its members in those terms and its members in those terms and so and so when you think a bit about when you think a bit about what was happening here what was happening here many people many people who accepted jesus christ as their who accepted jesus christ as their savior and got baptized savior and got baptized didn't necessarily change the character of their behavior that the character of their behavior that that's what seems apparent that's what seems apparent uh from uh from what the apostle is saying here and and what the apostle is saying here and and to me that's a i don't know about you to me that's a i don't know about you but i think that's pretty shocking and but i think that's pretty shocking and does it accurately describe how does it accurately describe how christadelphians behave today well maybe christadelphians behave today well maybe maybe you need to think about that a bit maybe you need to think about that a bit because sometimes i think we because sometimes i think we we forget we forget that our religion is not simply some intellectual exercise intellectual exercise that it needs to be an exercise in the that it needs to be an exercise in the perfection of character perfection of character it needs to be an exercise of it needs to be an exercise of how we live and how how we live and how we present ourselves in in effect to the we present ourselves in in effect to the world and um i remember many years ago i world and um i remember many years ago i i think many of you uh remember the late i think many of you uh remember the late editor of the christian delphi magazine editor of the christian delphi magazine brother alfred nichols just one brother alfred nichols just one wonderful man he said that we need to be wonderful man he said that we need to be careful that we don't have that we're careful that we don't have that we're not um dr jekyll and mr hyde not um dr jekyll and mr hyde that at work and in the world we have that at work and in the world we have one personality and in the ecclesia with one personality and in the ecclesia with our brethren we have a different one our brethren we have a different one and i that always struck me as a um and i that always struck me as a um [Music] [Music] let me put this this way it struck me as let me put this this way it struck me as very very very very touching touching wise observation wise observation because it is so tempting to be a hard because it is so tempting to be a hard driving businessman driving businessman and maybe and maybe be extremely be extremely ungenerous in the world and at the same ungenerous in the world and at the same time time uh uh pose a different type of character pose a different type of character within the euclesia within the euclesia so do we take these accusations so do we take these accusations literally well there is a reason i think literally well there is a reason i think that he puts it this way that he puts it this way so paul in them led it to titus chapter so paul in them led it to titus chapter 3 9-10 he says but avoid foolish 3 9-10 he says but avoid foolish controversies genealogies dissensions controversies genealogies dissensions and quarrels about the law and quarrels about the law for they are unprofitable and worthless for they are unprofitable and worthless for a person who stirs up division after for a person who stirs up division after warning him once and then twice have warning him once and then twice have nothing more to do with him nothing more to do with him well i think well i think i think that's a piece of advice that we i think that's a piece of advice that we certainly certainly could bear in mind in our own community could bear in mind in our own community sometimes i think christodophians i don't know just don't seem to know how to get along just don't seem to know how to get along with each other and we raise with each other and we raise uh small things uh small things into very large things and into very large things and make them uh to be make them uh to be essential for salvation when perhaps essential for salvation when perhaps they're not they're not and we need to think carefully about and we need to think carefully about this because i i personally believe you this because i i personally believe you know i'm in my 80s so i'm don't know i know i'm in my 80s so i'm don't know i don't know if mary and i will live to don't know if mary and i will live to see the lord jesus christ come but i see the lord jesus christ come but i don't think it could be that too far in don't think it could be that too far in the future given the future given the state of the world today and the state of the world today and uh the uh the abundance of prophecies that have been abundance of prophecies that have been fulfilled and very few remaining fulfilled and very few remaining will we be a community will we be a community [Music] [Music] that is described that is described as as christ-like or will we be a community christ-like or will we be a community there's got dissensions and there's got dissensions and controversies and quarrels about the law controversies and quarrels about the law and other unprofitable and worthless and other unprofitable and worthless things things so the thinking about why james uses this expression of murderers expression of murderers i i believe he is really pointed out in i i believe he is really pointed out in the first epistle of the letter of john the first epistle of the letter of john 3 15. everyone who hates his brother is 3 15. everyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murder a murderer and you know that no murder has eternal life abiding him so pretty has eternal life abiding him so pretty much what the apostle much what the apostle john is saying is the fact you don't john is saying is the fact you don't murder somebody physically murder somebody physically doesn't mean you're free of the guilt of doesn't mean you're free of the guilt of being that if that murderous intent is being that if that murderous intent is in your heart in your heart and i think that too often and i think that too often um this kind of kind of hatred um this kind of kind of hatred is buried in the human psyche and um we is buried in the human psyche and um we need to realize that we can get need to realize that we can get ourselves sometimes very very uh upset ourselves sometimes very very uh upset about things to the point that uh we no about things to the point that uh we no longer love our brother so what what was hindering them to do things what was hindering their prayers things what was hindering their prayers well he gives a whole catalog of things well he gives a whole catalog of things that are that are quite interesting quite interesting he says you answer wrongly he says you answer wrongly now this is something to think about now this is something to think about every single time we pray every single time we pray sometimes i think prayers end up being a sometimes i think prayers end up being a laundry list of things we want laundry list of things we want rather than really following the model rather than really following the model of of the prayer that jesus christ gave us as the prayer that jesus christ gave us as an example an example let's think a little bit about why let's think a little bit about why prayer would not be prayer would not be accepted accepted the first thing is a sin the first thing is a sin now point this out in a minute now point this out in a minute uh if we're sinning creatures and we do uh if we're sinning creatures and we do not overcome those sins not overcome those sins then our prayers are worthless then our prayers are worthless if we're selfish people if we're selfish people if we lack forgiveness if we lack forgiveness and if we have doubt in our heart all of and if we have doubt in our heart all of those things can make a prayer to god those things can make a prayer to god seem seem like so much foolishness like so much foolishness so before we even so before we even attempt to pray each day attempt to pray each day we need to do we need to do a bit of self-examination this is um this is not an easy thing [Music] [Music] to do because no one likes to do because no one likes to be pointed out their own sins so i to be pointed out their own sins so i want to just take this is one case where want to just take this is one case where i really think to pay attention to some i really think to pay attention to some of these quotes isaiah 59 102. he says of these quotes isaiah 59 102. he says behold the lord's hand is not shortened behold the lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save that it cannot save nourishia dull that it cannot hear but nourishia dull that it cannot hear but your iniquities have made a separation your iniquities have made a separation between you and your sins have hidden between you and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not his face from you so that he does not hear hear in proverbs he talks about in proverbs he talks about selfishness whoever closes his ear to selfishness whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered out and not be answered and and when i pointed this out to some people when i pointed this out to some people in the past they've said well this is a in the past they've said well this is a this only counts into euclesia this only counts into euclesia and i don't really think that's true and i don't really think that's true uh one of the things we've done here in uh one of the things we've done here in ann arbor is we've been really helpful ann arbor is we've been really helpful uh with the local soup kitchen uh with the local soup kitchen and and and at the same time been able to hand and at the same time been able to hand out gospel materials and so on and i can out gospel materials and so on and i can i can think of at least one or two i can think of at least one or two people who eventually joined our people who eventually joined our athleisure as a result of seeing what we athleisure as a result of seeing what we were doing rather than what we were were doing rather than what we were saying saying the saying part actually came later the saying part actually came later now in mark now in mark he says whenever you stand praying he says whenever you stand praying forgive if you have anything against forgive if you have anything against anyone so that your father also is in anyone so that your father also is in heaven may forgive your trespasses heaven may forgive your trespasses now we know in the lord prayer lord now we know in the lord prayer lord spurrie says you know to forgive our spurrie says you know to forgive our debts as we forgive debts as we forgive trespasses or debts of others you know this is not in our statement of faith but it's clearly your first faith but it's clearly your first principle principle if we are not forgiving people if we if we are not forgiving people if we don't forgive those who sinned against don't forgive those who sinned against us and us and try to recover them try to recover them then god isn't going to forgive us then god isn't going to forgive us that's very clear and if god doesn't that's very clear and if god doesn't forgive us our sins we're clearly not forgive us our sins we're clearly not going to be in the kingdom going to be in the kingdom so i think forgiveness is a absolute so i think forgiveness is a absolute first principle first principle and we need to bear that in mind um and we need to bear that in mind um [Music] [Music] i was thinking about this you know this i was thinking about this you know this is not a good sicilian attitude because is not a good sicilian attitude because i know i know my grandmother her favorite saying um my grandmother her favorite saying um was when was when some of her relatives had their um some of her relatives had their um real sicilian real sicilian vin you know the word of vendetta that's vin you know the word of vendetta that's a tied in word for good reason a tied in word for good reason but she said when you set out to um but she said when you set out to um get the revenge dig two graves get the revenge dig two graves and that's uh i'm sure that was not an and that's uh i'm sure that was not an original by her original by her but it is something that you always bear but it is something that you always bear in mind that um in mind that um forgiveness is something that you need forgiveness is something that you need to give before you to give before you expect anyone else to give it to you and expect anyone else to give it to you and finally this whole thing about be finally this whole thing about be patient therefore until the coming of patient therefore until the coming of the lord see how the farmer waits for the lord see how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth be the precious fruit of the earth be patient about it until he receives the patient about it until he receives the early and the late rains you also be early and the late rains you also be patient patient and i think that's that's a really and i think that's that's a really critical issue because critical issue because uh it is so easy you know so easy to for people to say well well i've been hearing this since i was a i've been hearing this since i was a little kid and i said in the name then little kid and i said in the name then my grandfather um you know when is my grandfather um you know when is christ coming and to lose faith in that christ coming and to lose faith in that in that coming and i think this is this in that coming and i think this is this is one of our greatest tests i mean it's is one of our greatest tests i mean it's been almost 2 000 years been almost 2 000 years but you know 2 000 years is only two but you know 2 000 years is only two days with the lord so he goes on he says you adulteress people do you know that friendship with people do you know that friendship with the world is enemy with god the world is enemy with god and here he uses the term adulteress not and here he uses the term adulteress not in the sense of sex in the sense of sex but in the sense of being unfaithful but in the sense of being unfaithful to their calling to their calling and the way he talks about this and the way he talks about this unfaithfulness is where you want to have unfaithfulness is where you want to have your cake and eat it your cake and eat it you want to do everything that is going you want to do everything that is going on in the world on in the world um and i think we if we've um and i think we if we've you know if we've been looking at our you know if we've been looking at our daily readings the last few days about daily readings the last few days about sodom and gomorrah that's about that's sodom and gomorrah that's about that's exactly what wanted to do lot wanted exactly what wanted to do lot wanted the pleasures of sodom and gomorrah but the pleasures of sodom and gomorrah but he he didn't want the consequences that came didn't want the consequences that came with it with it and uh and uh his wife eventually looked back in his wife eventually looked back in longing for it so this idea of longing for it so this idea of adulterousness is adulterousness is is i think very important it means we is i think very important it means we need to be faithful need to be faithful uh to our calling and uh to our calling and not not put it aside for so many things in the put it aside for so many things in the world we'll talk later in the same talk world we'll talk later in the same talk today about what that means in terms of today about what that means in terms of practical things practical decisions practical things practical decisions that we have to make which make a that we have to make which make a difference between whether we're difference between whether we're adulterous people or whether we really adulterous people or whether we really are totally faithful to our calling are totally faithful to our calling so we'll just hold that off for a few so we'll just hold that off for a few more more uh slides uh slides again the the language is harsh and he again the the language is harsh and he means spiritually adulterous and means spiritually adulterous and any i think he mean means this to be any i think he mean means this to be harsh uh to shock people in the first harsh uh to shock people in the first century and perhaps shock people century and perhaps shock people throughout the ages throughout the ages uh that this was written for uh that this was written for into being aware that these things are into being aware that these things are not taken lightly by god not taken lightly by god so john again so john again [Music] [Music] john john 2 15 first epistle do not love the world 2 15 first epistle do not love the world or the things in the world if anyone or the things in the world if anyone loves the world the love of the father loves the world the love of the father is not in him is not in him and that famous verse that is no one can and that famous verse that is no one can serve two serve two masters really will hate the one and masters really will hate the one and love the other or he'll be devoted to love the other or he'll be devoted to one and despise the other one and despise the other you can serve god you can serve god and money and money and you know and you know it's not quite the same thing but i i it's not quite the same thing but i i learned a bad lesson about this myself learned a bad lesson about this myself when i came to michigan when i came to michigan um i was offered um a professorship in um i was offered um a professorship in two departments uh in physics and in two departments uh in physics and in engineering engineering and and i was a little reluctant to take it and i was a little reluctant to take it and but they talked me into it um but they talked me into it um and and what i found out is there's no way you what i found out is there's no way you can work in both departments there's no can work in both departments there's no such thing as 50 50 appointments both such thing as 50 50 appointments both chairmen wanted me to be 100 chairmen wanted me to be 100 for them for them and so finally after several years or and so finally after several years or six seven years of this strain of trying six seven years of this strain of trying to please two different bosses i finally to please two different bosses i finally went in and decided which one i really went in and decided which one i really liked better and went in and told him um liked better and went in and told him um you know i'm gonna resign from the other you know i'm gonna resign from the other department department and he said to me what reason can you and he said to me what reason can you give for them give for them and i quoted this verse i said nobody and i quoted this verse i said nobody can serve two masters if he will hate can serve two masters if he will hate the one and love the other he will the one and love the other he will despise and so on and i said on the despise and so on and i said on the advice of jesus christ i am resigning advice of jesus christ i am resigning from the other department from the other department and uh ron and uh ron the jaw dropped he didn't say a word he the jaw dropped he didn't say a word he said and then finally he recovered after said and then finally he recovered after what seemed like a long time it was what seemed like a long time it was probably like 20 30 seconds and said probably like 20 30 seconds and said well well i can't i can't put down that advisor i can't i can't put down that advisor you got me there you got me there and so they converted the appointment and so they converted the appointment now this wasn't trivial because that now this wasn't trivial because that meant that this chairman had to pay the meant that this chairman had to pay the full salary now full salary now it wasn't 50 50 anymore he had actually it wasn't 50 50 anymore he had actually accept this against his own accept this against his own uh financial detriment uh financial detriment so so there's a point where i think jesus there's a point where i think jesus christ's words really helped me have a christ's words really helped me have a much more peaceful life for many years much more peaceful life for many years after that and so the next thing is is after that and so the next thing is is talking about resisting the devil talking about resisting the devil and that's a challenge for us um because and that's a challenge for us um because the devil the devil is is in us in us it is something we absolutely cannot get it is something we absolutely cannot get away from away from uh james 4 verses 7 to 10 very uh james 4 verses 7 to 10 very interesting he says submit yourself interesting he says submit yourself therefore to god resist the devil therefore to god resist the devil and he will flee from you draw near to and he will flee from you draw near to god and he will draw near to you god and he will draw near to you cleanse your hands you sinners and cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double-minded purify your hearts you double-minded be wretched and mourn and weep and let be wretched and mourn and weep and let your laughter be turned into mourning your laughter be turned into mourning and joy to gloom humble yourselves and joy to gloom humble yourselves before the lord knee will exalt you so before the lord knee will exalt you so everything i got there in yellow everything i got there in yellow pay attention to resist the devil pay attention to resist the devil journey to god journey to god cleanse purify and don't be cleanse purify and don't be double-minded double-minded and have humility and have humility you can skip all the white part that's you can skip all the white part that's the focus of these few verses the focus of these few verses so compare this with romans 6 12. now so compare this with romans 6 12. now just about everybody just about everybody who's been baptized who's been baptized this this is usually the reading this this is usually the reading let not sin therefore reign in your let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body mortal body to make you obey its passions to make you obey its passions so this verse usually read at baptism so this verse usually read at baptism and that's clear from it that and that's clear from it that the devil is a figure of speech the devil is a figure of speech um um the the whole idea of conquering sin whole idea of conquering sin is something that comes out earlier in is something that comes out earlier in this book of james and is reflected back this book of james and is reflected back here in verse chapter four and we'll see here in verse chapter four and we'll see also in chapter 5. this is a verse that also in chapter 5. this is a verse that i think that most christodolphians use i think that most christodolphians use as a proof verse as a proof verse james 1 13-15 very important insight james 1 13-15 very important insight let no man say when he is tempted i am let no man say when he is tempted i am being tempted by god for god cannot be being tempted by god for god cannot be tempted with evil he himself tempts no tempted with evil he himself tempts no one but each person is tempted when he one but each person is tempted when he is lord and enticed by his own desire is lord and enticed by his own desire then desire when it is conceived gives then desire when it is conceived gives birth to sin and sin with is fully grown birth to sin and sin with is fully grown brings forth death so this is one of the brings forth death so this is one of the probably one of the key verses in probably one of the key verses in scripture for us understanding the scripture for us understanding the nature of sin nature of sin and if you and if you haven't remembered this before haven't remembered this before kind of stick it in your mind it's kind of stick it in your mind it's especially useful in preaching work so especially useful in preaching work so what does the devil look like well the what does the devil look like well the world has world has it to me it's amazing it to me it's amazing so often dealing with preaching work so often dealing with preaching work that that christians have christians have absorbed the devil with capital d absorbed the devil with capital d and i think the reason for it is it's and i think the reason for it is it's really comforting to have somebody else really comforting to have somebody else to blame to blame for our inability to be for our inability to be faithful faithful to the word of god and to the to the word of god and to the commandments of our lord jesus christ commandments of our lord jesus christ so i didn't do it somebody else made me so i didn't do it somebody else made me do it do it so what does the devil look like well so what does the devil look like well there's been lots of different pictures there's been lots of different pictures of the devil this is one of my favorite of the devil this is one of my favorite uh goya uh goya fantastic spanish painter um he pictured fantastic spanish painter um he pictured the devil as a the devil as a uh i i think he took this this image uh i i think he took this this image partly because of the partly because of the scripture from the old testament about scripture from the old testament about the jews having the the golden calf the jews having the the golden calf and um he envisioned that golden calf as and um he envisioned that golden calf as being a devil being a devil and so the devil has got to be some kind and so the devil has got to be some kind of wild animal like this of wild animal like this it's really pretty pretty weird more it's really pretty pretty weird more modern interpretations and you'll see modern interpretations and you'll see this quite often i have this quite often i have i tried to research this so i will be i tried to research this so i will be really glad uh later for somebody give really glad uh later for somebody give me some insight me some insight there are so many different versions of there are so many different versions of why the devil has ended up looking like why the devil has ended up looking like this with a long big tail this with a long big tail and a and a horns and uh horns and uh bat wings and so on i have um there are bat wings and so on i have um there are so many different interpretations of it so many different interpretations of it that i am convinced that probably none that i am convinced that probably none of them are correct of them are correct but this is just one of the modern but this is just one of the modern images now i'm going to actually show images now i'm going to actually show you you the devil that as he has appeared in our the devil that as he has appeared in our household household and that is the devil right there and that is the devil right there i am definitely i am definitely afraid of looking in the mirror sometime afraid of looking in the mirror sometime at myself and thinking what did i do at myself and thinking what did i do wrong today uh and trying to straighten wrong today uh and trying to straighten it out this is one of my better pictures it out this is one of my better pictures um i am um i am i'm actually um i'm actually um probably probably i don't know when was that taking i have i don't know when was that taking i have no idea yeah no idea yeah well it was probably 10 15 years ago i well it was probably 10 15 years ago i didn't have any here then either so it didn't have any here then either so it doesn't matter really matter doesn't matter really matter so what did when did the devil come from so what did when did the devil come from i looked this up and this is probably i looked this up and this is probably the best the best um best interpretation i've seen of it um best interpretation i've seen of it the devil also referred to as satan is the devil also referred to as satan is best known as a personification of evil best known as a personification of evil i think we would agree with that and the i think we would agree with that and the nemesis of good people everywhere his nemesis of good people everywhere his image and story have evolved over the image and story have evolved over the years and the devil has been called many years and the devil has been called many different names in various cultures the different names in various cultures the elzebab lucifer satan mephistopheles to elzebab lucifer satan mephistopheles to name a few name a few with various physical descriptions with various physical descriptions including horns and whose feet but this including horns and whose feet but this benevolent being and this legion of benevolent being and this legion of demons continues to strike fear in demons continues to strike fear in people through from all walks of life as people through from all walks of life as the antithesis of all good things the antithesis of all good things although the devil is present in some although the devil is present in some form in many religions and can be form in many religions and can be compared to some mythological gods compared to some mythological gods many christians believe the devil was many christians believe the devil was once a beautiful angel named lucifer once a beautiful angel named lucifer who defied god and fell from grace well who defied god and fell from grace well we all know that that's total nonsense we all know that that's total nonsense because the passage in isaiah because the passage in isaiah 14 12 is actually referring to 14 12 is actually referring to nebuchadnezzar nebuchadnezzar this this site goes on to say in judaism satan is a verb and generally refers to a a verb and generally refers to a difficulty or temptation to overcome difficulty or temptation to overcome instead of a literal being instead of a literal being well i know i see i think dave levin's well i know i see i think dave levin's on this so he can tell me how correct on this so he can tell me how correct that is but that pretty much agrees with that is but that pretty much agrees with how i grew up i grew up in a really nice how i grew up i grew up in a really nice jewish neighborhood in brooklyn i had jewish neighborhood in brooklyn i had several jewish girlfriends that was it several jewish girlfriends that was it was not an orthodox neighbor it was more was not an orthodox neighbor it was more like it was conservative and when the like it was conservative and when the issue when i used to talk to them about issue when i used to talk to them about uh the the the devil and satan uh it uh the the the devil and satan uh it clearly agreed with this description clearly agreed with this description that it was a it was a description that it was a it was a description not of a physical being not of a physical being of a fallen angel uh but uh it should be of a fallen angel uh but uh it should be more likely to be used as a verb more likely to be used as a verb um um so so we can't look at the charts we can't see we can't look at the charts we can't see this oh but if the chats let me see let this oh but if the chats let me see let me see me see we're gonna have to hold off on that we're gonna have to hold off on that because once i can't see the chats and because once i can't see the chats and and my screen at the same time so and my screen at the same time so there's nothing in the chat john there's nothing in the chat john yeah well uh just for the sake of argument since i'm old and tempted old and tempted crotchety yeah and and i i'm used to crotchety yeah and and i i'm used to lecturing this way anyway i'll leave lecturing this way anyway i'll leave plenty of time for questions at the end plenty of time for questions at the end because if you interrupt me two things because if you interrupt me two things are gonna happen are gonna happen i'm gonna lose my train of thought or i'm gonna lose my train of thought or you will anticipate something that i'm you will anticipate something that i'm going to say later anyway because this going to say later anyway because this is a smart class is a smart class so so the the basic thing to keep me happy the the basic thing to keep me happy which i think is which i think is [Music] [Music] the prime directive tonight the share screen and we can talk for plenty time there will be plenty of time plenty time there will be plenty of time trust me trust me okay okay so how to defeat the devil so how to defeat the devil uh uh draw near to god draw near to god and he will draw near you purify you and he will draw near you purify you hearts you double-minded i i like that hearts you double-minded i i like that double-minded because uh double-minded because uh uh this idea uh this idea of uh having you know of uh having you know two opinions all the time two opinions all the time is is classical of people who waver classical of people who waver they can never make up my mind i can they can never make up my mind i can never make up my mind and i tell you never make up my mind and i tell you that there's nothing that can drives me that there's nothing that can drives me crazier than people who say one thing crazier than people who say one thing one day and then somebody else talk to one day and then somebody else talk to them and they change their mind and say them and they change their mind and say another thing and it can just absolutely another thing and it can just absolutely drive you nuts the classic verse i love drive you nuts the classic verse i love is first kings 18 21 is first kings 18 21 and elijah came near to all the people and elijah came near to all the people and said how long would you go limping and said how long would you go limping between between two different opinions if the lord does two different opinions if the lord does god follow him but if baal then follow god follow him but if baal then follow him that is him that is classic matthew 6 and 24 which we read classic matthew 6 and 24 which we read early about early about you cannot serve two masters it's you cannot serve two masters it's classical classical if we're going to serve god better make if we're going to serve god better make up a mind to do it 100 percent 90 up a mind to do it 100 percent 90 60 60 40 i think sometimes we're so used to 40 i think sometimes we're so used to percentage scores here that we don't percentage scores here that we don't realize that that um realize that that um what god wants from us is our very best what god wants from us is our very best and and that's not that's the very best and and that's not that's the very best of us as individuals there may be of us as individuals there may be somebody else better than us and the somebody else better than us and the euclid may be somebody worse but god is euclid may be somebody worse but god is looking for us to develop ourselves and looking for us to develop ourselves and i think i think one of the best one of the best metaphors i've seen in that as a with my metaphors i've seen in that as a with my son andy said when he was running track son andy said when he was running track he said when you run track and you're he said when you run track and you're practicing and you're running he says practicing and you're running he says you don't look behind you you don't see you don't look behind you you don't see what anyone else is doing all you're what anyone else is doing all you're trying to do is beat the clock you're trying to do is beat the clock you're trying to make your own performance trying to make your own performance better better and i think that's a good metaphor for and i think that's a good metaphor for how we need to treat ourselves don't how we need to treat ourselves don't look at anybody else look at anybody else only jesus christ and try to make only jesus christ and try to make ourselves better that's that's the goal ourselves better that's that's the goal that's the mark that's the mark so make judgments the right way so make judgments the right way again he's telling you again he's telling you who are you to judge your neighbor we who are you to judge your neighbor we shouldn't take that as an absolute shouldn't take that as an absolute because i think sometimes people say because i think sometimes people say well well you know what i can't judge anything i you know what i can't judge anything i can't i can't make any judgment about can't i can't make any judgment about someone someone and and the verse in matthew 7 1 and 2 the verse in matthew 7 1 and 2 is often cited i've heard this is often cited i've heard this fact too many times judge not that you fact too many times judge not that you be not judged for what the judgment you be not judged for what the judgment you pronounce you will be judged with the pronounce you will be judged with the measure user will be measured to you measure user will be measured to you here's one of those cases where james here's one of those cases where james cites something which i feel very cites something which i feel very comfortably that he must have heard comfortably that he must have heard jesus say this jesus say this and he was putting it in that context and he was putting it in that context um um were they saying never to judge were they saying never to judge another person another person that athleisure should never make any that athleisure should never make any judgments about anyone judgments about anyone um i think the key here is what um i think the key here is what is underlined for with the judgment you is underlined for with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged pronounce you will be judged so we need to be careful so we need to be careful not that we absolutely never judge not that we absolutely never judge anything but how we do it in the gospel of john the lord jesus says do not judge by the lord jesus says do not judge by appearances but judge with right appearances but judge with right judgment judgment what's the right judgment the right what's the right judgment the right judgment is the word of god judgment is the word of god that according to those standards that according to those standards and and we've all been given this kind of guide we've all been given this kind of guide about how to solve problems in ecclesia about how to solve problems in ecclesia when jesus said you know first go to the when jesus said you know first go to the person then go to some elders and then person then go to some elders and then go to the euclesia go to the euclesia jesus was foreshadowing a way to handle jesus was foreshadowing a way to handle judgments in a christian community judgments in a christian community and i think when ecclesias operate this and i think when ecclesias operate this way way they usually they usually have a very happy congregation have a very happy congregation so so making plans with the lord in mind is making plans with the lord in mind is important important uh i think a lot a lot of times people uh i think a lot a lot of times people go off and they run off and they're go off and they run off and they're gonna do something and they don't think gonna do something and they don't think is this the right thing to do is this is this the right thing to do is this what god would want me to do what god would want me to do come now who say today or tomorrow he come now who say today or tomorrow he will go in such and so to town and spend will go in such and so to town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit a year there and trade and make a profit yet you do not know what tomorrow will yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring what is your life for you are bring what is your life for you are missed that appears for little time and missed that appears for little time and then vanishes then vanishes and so his advice has really good advice and so his advice has really good advice he's saying before you set out to do he's saying before you set out to do anything especially major things anything especially major things consider first consider first is this is this in keeping in keeping with my calling with my calling to be a disciple of our lord jesus to be a disciple of our lord jesus christ christ i i think i i think too many times too many times yeah i love this in the good news bible yeah i love this in the good news bible we make our plans but god has the last we make our plans but god has the last word i think that's a pretty good word i think that's a pretty good pretty good um pretty good um analysis um analysis um i've seen i've seen i i have seen you know i'm retired now i i have seen you know i'm retired now very retired from the university 2004 very retired from the university 2004 but i saw a number of my colleagues in but i saw a number of my colleagues in my department at least half a dozen my department at least half a dozen who all they talked about was their who all they talked about was their retirement they were going to say they retirement they were going to say they were saving all kinds of money they put were saving all kinds of money they put off all kinds of things because when off all kinds of things because when they retired they were going to buy this they retired they were going to buy this nice house in florida or nice house in florida or and napa valley whatever and you know and napa valley whatever and you know many of those people didn't even live to many of those people didn't even live to see their retirement and several cases see their retirement and several cases died only one or two years after they died only one or two years after they retired retired you can make all the plans in the world you can make all the plans in the world but again but again it's god who gets the last word so what major decisions in our lives would include the lord now i i'm going would include the lord now i i'm going to give you some that i've thought of to give you some that i've thought of but when but when when we get to the chat box and we've when we get to the chat box and we've had questions i'd like to hear what had questions i'd like to hear what other people have to say because sooner other people have to say because sooner or later i'll probably write this up so or later i'll probably write this up so i don't mind stealing some other i don't mind stealing some other people's ideas if there are good ones so people's ideas if there are good ones so here's some of the decisions i think here's some of the decisions i think that you need to absolutely make sure that you need to absolutely make sure that you've included the lord and if you that you've included the lord and if you can give me more i really would can give me more i really would appreciate it appreciate it so one so one whether or not whether or not accepting baptism that probably other accepting baptism that probably other than being born than being born this is when you're born again this is when you're born again is probably the most important decision is probably the most important decision you'll ever make in your life you'll ever make in your life for eternal purposes where to go to school you're in a clear compatib even in you're in a clear compatib even in thinking about a compatible athleisure i thinking about a compatible athleisure i can tell you right now i've seen too can tell you right now i've seen too many many young people go away to school young people go away to school and go in isolation spend and go in isolation spend four or five years four or five years out of the occlusion loop only to become out of the occlusion loop only to become very very weak or even lost very very weak or even lost christadelphians christadelphians uh it's really important uh it's really important in every way possible for the intellectual life to go side by side with the spiritual to go side by side with the spiritual life life uh who we choose to marry or if we marry uh who we choose to marry or if we marry at all at all that i don't have to tell you this is a that i don't have to tell you this is a far fact far fact part of our statement in the fate and part of our statement in the fate and doctrines to be rejected and this is one doctrines to be rejected and this is one of the downfalls of the downfalls of the nation of israel that they did of the nation of israel that they did not follow this and often not follow this and often uh uh became entwined in the pagan world and became entwined in the pagan world and so so i don't have to mention the name jezebel i don't have to mention the name jezebel without you know you all know what without you know you all know what that's going to end up what type type of job or career we pursue that can be extremely important pursue that can be extremely important is that job going to be something that is that job going to be something that is going to help us help me to be able is going to help us help me to be able to have to have a good a good time energy effort to still time energy effort to still work with my family with euclesia work with my family with euclesia you know we can get so entwined in you know we can get so entwined in success success that we lose that we lose eternal life eternal life and we hurt those near us who and we hurt those near us who do not have the advantage of us do not have the advantage of us being there to help and guide them uh being there to help and guide them uh where we choose to live is an important where we choose to live is an important thing thing um um too many people have um too many people have um i i hate to say this if we tie it into i i hate to say this if we tie it into isolation that's to me that's beyond isolation that's to me that's beyond belief i like it right here i like being belief i like it right here i like being here in ann arbor i like being near all here in ann arbor i like being near all my friends relatives at leisures my friends relatives at leisures i think it's great um and i think it's great um and you know boston's a great place too the you know boston's a great place too the only thing i don't like about boston is only thing i don't like about boston is the last time i was there for important the last time i was there for important convention and there was three feet of convention and there was three feet of snow snow now i now i is that the normal well you can tell me is that the normal well you can tell me i don't know it's a we don't generally i don't know it's a we don't generally get get heavy heavy snows here in southeast heavy heavy snows here in southeast michigan we just get miserable coal michigan we just get miserable coal and who do we choose to as our friends and who do we choose to as our friends pure influence critical at times pure influence critical at times if you're fortunate to have an ecclesia if you're fortunate to have an ecclesia large enough to have an active cyc large enough to have an active cyc that's just great that's just great because that's because that's the way you you give your children the way you you give your children that kind of peer that kind of peer reinforcement i think one of the saving reinforcement i think one of the saving things of christodolphians in north things of christodolphians in north america has been bible schools america has been bible schools it has enabled um uh uh you know young it has enabled um uh uh you know young people to people to associate together in ways that associate together in ways that are helpful to a community as small as are helpful to a community as small as we are okay so life is full of uncertainties and we so life is full of uncertainties and we should always act as if the lord wills should always act as if the lord wills this is reinforced many times by paul this is reinforced many times by paul i mean i mean even even an apostle like him and sitting out on a an apostle like him and sitting out on a journey he says if the lord permits he journey he says if the lord permits he um um [Music] [Music] when we do things when we do things this is something that comes through at this is something that comes through at time and time again time and time again there was a time there was a time when i was much younger that any when i was much younger that any correspondence i got from a brother or correspondence i got from a brother or sister would end with lord willing or sister would end with lord willing or would start with lord william i think would start with lord william i think since the internet's come along in since the internet's come along in emails we've gotten a little bit lazy emails we've gotten a little bit lazy about saying things and forgetting about saying things and forgetting to say if god wills or if the lord to say if god wills or if the lord permits permits uh because uh because this whole this whole internet email everything everything internet email everything everything flies with the speed flies with the speed many many times faster many many times faster than than than you know when i was growing up than you know when i was growing up i i i actually i actually think mary and i have a terrific think mary and i have a terrific advantage because advantage because we we were separated for were separated for a good period of time when i was in a good period of time when i was in college and she was 350 miles away and i college and she was 350 miles away and i couldn't wait to get to the mailbox to couldn't wait to get to the mailbox to see what letter she sent me and you know see what letter she sent me and you know i still got all of those letters in a i still got all of those letters in a draw draw i got all of her letters and my letters i got all of her letters and my letters are all all together i don't know what's are all all together i don't know what's going to evaporate on the internet but i going to evaporate on the internet but i think there's something to saying think there's something to saying that that if the speed of our communication if the speed of our communication forgets to include god in it then we forgets to include god in it then we we're doing something we're doing something that's not right and i like this phrase because it's right in i like this phrase because it's right in the lord's player thy will be done it's the lord's player thy will be done it's something to remember over and over something to remember over and over again and every time we pray again and every time we pray we should include that in our prayers um if you've got some experience in your life that relates to this i would really life that relates to this i would really like to hear about it in the chat when like to hear about it in the chat when we get to the end of this we get to the end of this are there things that you thought that are there things that you thought that um um [Music] [Music] god's will helped you and was done in a god's will helped you and was done in a way that helped your life and now wrapping up this chapter wrapping up this chapter is this thought is this thought it's a really powerful thought it's a really powerful thought that not doing something can be as that not doing something can be as sinful sinful as doing something as doing something now that's now that's that's something that i think that's something that i think needs to be ingrained in our thinking needs to be ingrained in our thinking the fact that we don't act on something the fact that we don't act on something when we should when we should is really sin is really sin and i think too often we and i think too often we do this because we're do this because we're either oblivious to what needs to be either oblivious to what needs to be done and haven't really thought it out done and haven't really thought it out or because we're too cowardly or because we're too cowardly to do what has to be done to do what has to be done so this idea i think is really so this idea i think is really the key issue in how we sin in how we sin even when we don't do something even when we don't do something as it is the apostle says you boast in as it is the apostle says you boast in your arrogance such boasting is evil so your arrogance such boasting is evil so whoever knows the right thing to do whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it for him it is sin and fails to do it for him it is sin now that's a very now that's a very startling startling thought because thought because that means that we need to think about that means that we need to think about our actions our actions not only what we should do but also what not only what we should do but also what we shouldn't do we shouldn't do sins of omission are as bad as one's sins of omission are as bad as one's resulting from overt action and i think resulting from overt action and i think often this is my often this is my biggest problem you know should i or biggest problem you know should i or shouldn't i shouldn't i and and there are some really good bible there are some really good bible examples of this examples of this that that a cynical mission led to disaster again a cynical mission led to disaster again i want you to think about this if you i want you to think about this if you can give me some examples in your own can give me some examples in your own lives this would be really a cool thing lives this would be really a cool thing for me to have in my in my catalog of for me to have in my in my catalog of things i want to things i want to think about for the future so he saw he think about for the future so he saw he despised his birthright for a bowl of despised his birthright for a bowl of lentil stew and he lost his birthright lentil stew and he lost his birthright so something just didn't do so something just didn't do he didn't outright kill or shoot anybody he didn't outright kill or shoot anybody samson getting involved with delilah why samson getting involved with delilah why would he do that why didn't he marry a would he do that why didn't he marry a nice jewish girl nice jewish girl he led to him being blinded and eventual he led to him being blinded and eventual death death um i think i got one more example yeah um i think i got one more example yeah israel failing to eliminate the israel failing to eliminate the amalekites god told me to get rid of all amalekites god told me to get rid of all of them and it led later to haman of them and it led later to haman the amalekite who uh the amalekite who uh if he had had his way he would have if he had had his way he would have tried to destroy all tried to destroy all of israel of israel so that's that's the end there'sJames 5
Original URL Wednesday, January 19, 2022