Download 1 James 3 13-18 and James 4:1-3 and 7

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James 3 13-18 and James 4:1-3 and 7-8
Joke.
One fine day four people were flying in an Air New Zealand ATR plane.
On board were a pilot, a Presbyterian minister called Marty van’t Wout, and
two others, there were no more passengers as people no longer flew with
them as they felt Air New Zealand charged like a wounded bull, and it was the
last flight out of Rotorua on a Sunday night.
Any way one of the passengers had been at a Chamber of commerce
conference and had just won an award for being the “Smartest Person in the
World.”
As they were flying along, the pilot announced over the intercom to the three
of us, and said, “I’ve got some bad news, and I’ve got some even worst news to
tell you.
The bad news is, we’re out of fuel, The plane’s going down and we’re gonna
crash, just then the whine of one of the turboprop engines started to wind
down.
Looking around I could see fear on everyones face. Sorry folks he said and then
left the worst news to last and said that there are only three parachutes on
board.”
Simple math revealed, of course, that someone would have to go down
with the plane.
The pilot continued.
“ I have a wife and 15 children at home, the result of having no Tv in his house.
I have many responsibilities. I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to take one of the
parachutes.” With that, he grabbed one of the chutes and jumped out of the
plane, yelling Geronimo as he left.
The Smartest Person in the World was next to speak. “I’m the Smartest Person
in the World,” he said. “I might be the one who comes up with a cure for
cancer or AIDS, or solves the world’s economic problems. Everyone is counting
on me!” I count on me, and so does my ego. The Smartest Person in the World
grabbed the second parachute and jumped.
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Marty the Presbyterian minister then spoke up and said, “Son, you take the
last parachute. I’ve made my peace with God, and I’m willing to go down
with the plane. Now take the last parachute and go.”
“Relax, Reverend,” said the other person. “The Smartest Person in the
World just jumped out of the plane with my backpack.”
Here’s the thing,
alot of people think they’re pretty smart. In reality, they are pretty much like
“The Smartest Person in the World”. They jump out into the world without
parachutes. They think they know it all and have all they need
to live happy and fulfilled lives, to keep them from crashing and burning.
What they actually have is a backpack.
Young people listen up as this affects you the most. Are you listening to your
parents, and other adults in your life, they have a lot of life experiences that
they draw from to give guidance in your lives. The things you are facing right
now and in the future are most likely the very things they have gone through.
You can glean a lot from them. Talk to them, learn from their mistakes, so that
you don’t repeat them.
Mark Twain, has a wonderful quote that speaks to the wisdom his dad has.
Mark Twain said this:
"When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to
have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how
much the old man had learned in seven years."
Are you appreciative of the ones who have given you guidance in your life? Tell
them.
(Ask the question)
When in your life have you latched onto something which you
thought would be a life saver, or would make your life work for you only
to discover that it turned out to be a ‘backpack?
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How and when did you realize that you were going to ‘crash and burn’? How
did it feel?
James talks about chaos, disorder as being the results of envy and selfishness.
All of this will happen when people pursue their own interests and show no
concern for others. The result is ‘evil of every kind’.
Some questions:
Why can such smart people do such dumb things? Why are people who are
the smartest of all folks, have their PH.Ds, their doctorates, and are the most
educated of all people, do some dumb things …
Like being a compulsive smoker who dies of cancer of the lung. (Mention about
my friends at school and drugs, they were everyday people like me and you, a
future ahead of them, its ok Im in control, are we, are we indeed . Have you
notice what starts out that we think we can control what we are doing and
then addiction takes over and it controls us?
Like being a compulsive worker who dies prematurely of a heart attack.
Like allowing bad habits to ruin one’s self.
Like allowing feelings from the distant past dominate your inner feelings today.
Why can a person be so smart and highly educated and at the same time, do
such un-wise things with his or her own life?
This is true of all of us. When I reflect back on my own life, there has been a lot
of dumb unwise things I have done.
We human beings are the smartest living thing that God ever made. Our brains
are bigger, faster and sharper than any living thing on earth, yet at the same
time, we human beings are the only mammal in creation which kills our own
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kind. The history of the human race is the history of war, from the very dawn
of time until today and tomorrow and at the end of human history.
How can this happen? How can human beings, so smart, so intelligent, so
brilliant; yet we can destroy our own lives, destroy other nations, and finally
destroy the planet itself?
What is wrong with us?
What is wrong with us, that we can do such stupid things in our life which are
not good for us, nor our family’s and others? Are we letting the counterfeit
wisdom that looks like the real thing from Satan whisper in our ears and takes
hold? Or its Ok, no one will get hurt, you deserve it, no one will ever know.
Enough I say, and so does James say here in V7submit to God, Resist the devil
and he will flee from you.
Why is it that we can be so smart and so dumb at the same time?
What is wisdom? To have the mind and heart of Jesus inside of you.
You know the initials that are found on bracelets that kids often wear: WWJD.
“What would Jesus do?” That is wisdom. We are asking what Jesus would do in
any given situation. When we read the word of God we know what is of him,
what is real what is truth and when we know that truth it will set us free.
Earlier in the Book of James, he suggested that we were to pray for God’s gift
of wisdom. James 1:5, “If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to
all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.” Luke 11:11
Ask God for wisdom that you need to face the numerous decisions that youare
making. We need the wisdom of God to make right decisions and help us to do
what is right. We are to pray for God’s wisdom and that wisdom will be
granted to us.
Wisdom comes with maturity. Wisdom comes with time. A person doesn’t
SUDDENLY get wisdom any more than a person SUDDENLY grows. Wisdom is
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not like a Christmas present that suddenly appears under a tree. Wisdom takes
time to grow, mature and cultivate.
Wisdom comes through pain. Wisdom comes through the Spirit of Christ living
in us over the time and toughness of life. Wisdom happens to you and within
you.
Show clip of Wizard of OZ
James 3:13-4:3 tackles two kinds of wisdom, God's and the
world's. Near the end of the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy and her friends
have brought the broomstick of the wicked witch to the wizard
and ask that he grant their requests. As he stalls for time, Toto
pulls back the curtain revealing that the magnificent wizard is
nothing more than a man who has everyone fooled. James'
exposition on wisdom pulls back the curtain on the world's
wisdom and exposes it as for what it really is, wisdom de jour
based upon a consensus of people who convince everyone else
that they are right. James calls such wisdom earthly, unspiritual,
and of the devil. The flames and the image of the wizards face
contrasted by the man behind the curtain is powerful both for kids
and adults.
Trials happen in our lives. The book of James gives us great insight to see the
pitfuls of failing to place our trust in the Lord. The major theological issue in
James is faith and works. Is it a true faith or just a counterfeit copy.
Im going to say a word, and I want you to tell me what comes to mind?
Counterfeit.
There was this guy who worked for the FBI and he was brilliant at spotting fake
cheques, he would spend hours looking at the real cheques and when a fake
one came along he could spot it a mile away.
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When we immerse ourselves in God’s word, and study it, v we can see when
the counterfeit comes along
If a sow a carrot seed what will I get.
If I sow a seed of wheat, what will I get
If I sow a seed of pumkin what will I get
If envy is what I sow, will it turn into something else, will there be a godly
outcome.
There are 3 questions in this text.
1. Who is wise and understanding among you?
2. From what do conflicts and disputes arise?
3. What does God want? James 4:5
Back in my day, way last century, on my drive through from Dunedin to Clyde
dam I would run over the marker pegs on the side of the road and some would
shatter, some would go ballistic and then shoot right over my bonnet. And one
would leave an imprint on my chrome bumper bar a reminder to me from that
day forward, the evidence there for me to be reminded of.
Imagine for a moment if we could journey down the road of life hitting these
markers shown in this scripture and then embedding them in our hearts.
Making an imprint on us. What would it show to a self- seeking, selfgratification world that we live in? Do you think it would make them want to
be impacted by a God who loves them and can make a real impact on their
lives as they like what they see in you, the Jesus they see in you?
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Journey with me for the moment, drive in that car of yours and lets hit a
couple of these markers that are evidence of a life full of Gods wisdom.
Marker one. Gentle or humble.
Marker 2. Pure.
Marker 3 .Peaceable
Marker 4. Willing to yield.
Marker 5. Full of mercy.
Marker 6. Without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.
Take a moment and think, who is someone who has impacted you as the
Christian marker pegs in their life are so real that you hunger for them for
yourself, you like being in their presense because God is so real in their life that
there is overflow into your life when you are with them.
These marker pegs are difficult traits to live into, its not easy being a Christian.
I get really frustrated with people that say Christianity is a crutch for the weak.
Wisdom from above focuses on the needs of others, not on its own selfestablishment.
Conclusion
In Jesus, wisdom from above
met wisdom from below,
so that everyone could see which one was which.
In him, Gods word became flesh indeed.
Amen
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Beth Day wrote a poem in 1855 entitled
Three gates of Gold.
Before you speak,
use these three gates of gold.
These narrow gates.
First.
Is it true?
Second.
Is it necessary?
In your mind give a truthful answer.
And the next,
is the last and narrowest of the golden gates.
Is it kind?
And if it reaches your lips after these three gates of gold
Then, you may tell the tale, nor fear what the result of speech may be.