The Monster Tongue
Today, we will study James 3:7-12. This section is not a pleasant one. If you isolate it from the rest of the chapter, it’s downright depressing! Yet it’s written for our instruction, and we dare not ignore it. I’ve titled our study “The Monster Tongue.” Maybe you think I’m exaggerating to refer to the tongue as a monster, but once we get into this text, you’ll see that it’s not exaggerated.
Watch Your Mouth
As you have heard me mention, James is full of practical wisdom, and today’s lesson is no exception. This lesson is about how we use our tongues and words. Most of us do this often daily; almost every interaction we have with other people involves talking, but how usually do we think about our words? And how much do we think about the impact of our words on other people?
Show Me Your Faith
It is good to be with you again today. Thank you for being there. Our study in James has brought us to the middle of chapter 2. Today’s lesson is the section where James discusses faith and works. This discussion is big, and it is hard for us to keep these two balanced. One extreme says, “We are saved by faith, and our works are meaningless.” The other side says, “Works are a must this is how we are saved.” I know that, on this subject, I must be cautious about which words I use and how each sentence is constructed. Relax. I will not say it must be this way or that way.
Who’s Judging Whom
Thank you so much for listening; we are honored to be here and look forward to learning from God’s Word together. Every day is a good day to study the Bible. Today, we will be thinking about judging others. Here where we live, what Jesus said in Matthew 7 has become very common and often quoted. This is where Jesus says, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Many times, this verse is used to say, “You can’t tell me what to do; that’s judging.” If there is sin pointed out in someone’s life, the response is. “Stop judging me; the Bible says don’t judge.” This is the wrong way to use this verse; Jesus did not say this at all. The next question is, then, what did Jesus mean? And what is proper judgment? These are good questions; I'm glad you asked. The Bible teaches this subject in many passages, but the passage we will look at is James 2. If you can, please follow along in your Bible. Pastor J Mark will give us three standards for judgment. Let’s listen and learn together.
Flushing Out Favoritism
Our title is Flushing Out Favoritism, and James addresses the common human habit of judging by what we see. We all tend to categorize people by what we see on the outside. If someone looks rich, we give them more honor; if they appear poor, we look down on them. This is not God’s way. We can do better. J Mark is here to give us three pointers for living above favoritism.
The Mirror of the Word
A mirror is a valuable item if it is used properly. Mirrors are used in telescopes, binoculars, and other tools that help us see into places that aren’t large enough for visual inspection. Mirrors also help us see ourselves as we are, at least on the outside. They show us what other people see when they look at us and help us maintain our grooming and hygiene. In our text, James 1:22-27, God’s Word is likened to a mirror. James points out the possible responses by those who look at themselves in the mirror of God’s Word. For this reason, I’ve titled the message “The Mirror of the Word.”
Overcoming Temptation
In our previous study, we looked at James 1:12-16. From those verses, we discussed the subject of “Understanding Temptation.” We learned that while God has a design for our temptations, He is not their source. Our temptations come from our desires. Satan delights in exploiting our desires to drive a wedge between us and our Heavenly Father. Satan uses our desires to bring us into bondage and then accuses us to the Father because of our failures.
Understanding Temptation
Today’s study is from James 1:12-16. In this section, James teaches us the proper understanding of temptation. He doesn’t say, “If you’re tempted.” He accepts temptation as a reality by saying, “When you’re tempted.” This is consistent with the rest of the Scripture.
God’s Wisdom Workshop
Last week, we began our study in James. Today, in our second lesson, we find a theme woven throughout the book: God’s wisdom. It comes up right here in the beginning, and later in chapter 3, there is a specific section about it. In this short book, wisdom is often mentioned; if we want to be wise, we better pay attention. This wisdom will never be outdated, and you don’t have to worry about some discovery being made that renders it obsolete. It won’t happen; this is a timeless truth.
The Potential of Trials
Our opening text is James 1:1-4. James echoes Jesus' teaching that trials and suffering are expected in our Christian experience. Our text outlines our response and the benefits we can anticipate. If you and I want to develop a faith that works, we must understand the need to strengthen our faith by testing. I’ve titled the message “The Potential of Trials.”