Sermon: Humble Ourselves Before the Lord

Please turn your Bible to the lighter of James.

The passage this evening is in Chapter 4 verses 11 to 17. Before I pray that let us go to the Lord for his Blessing.

Lord we Come to you as your people may you. Teach us your truth in your word going to our mind and touch our hearts. May our life be transformed by your word. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.

For my sermon sake I will also read a verse 10 because it carries out of the theme of the sermon. James 4 verse 10 to 17 humble yourselves before the Lord and He will exalt you. Do not speak evil against the one another Brothers. The one who speaks against the brother or judges his brother. Speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law you are not a doer of the law about her judge. There is only one lock ever and judge he who

is able to save and to destroy but who are you to judge your neighbor? Come now you who say today or tomorrow? We will go into such and such a town spent a year there and treat and make her profit. Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? Where you are amazed that appears for later time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say if the Lord Wills we will live and do this or that. As it is you boast in your

arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it for him. It is the same.

Who are you? in verse 12 and what is your life? in verse 14 Are the two problems James is mainly dealing with In this passage. The reformer John Calvin also readily diagnosis these two common human Problems by saying we are by Nature Hypocrites funnily exalting ourselves back colluminating others. There is also another disease in it in human nature. That everyone would have all others to leave according to his own will or fancy.

and the meaning in life Let us look at the first question. James has asked. Who are you? Who are you brothers and sisters? It seems a simple question. Even a little kid who sits by you. Her answer this question. It is also a profound one. The notable philosophers in human history could not grasp his death. You will notice as soon as you think about this question. You cannot simply say I am who I am. Unless you are crazy.

and it does not really explain anything about yourself. Because the title or name I am where I'm only fits the Creator. the necessary being however, we are not as creatures our existence are contingent. Therefore our beings have to identify in relationships. Who am I relating to my parents? Who am I relating to my friends? Who am I relating to my husband or wife? Who am I relating to my children? Who am I relating to Nature? Who am

I relating to to my fellow humans? And who am I relating to my creator? In different relationships you are supposed to behave accordingly. Otherwise, we will disrupt the order God initially designed. For example, you're not a supposed to love your parents the way you love your pets. And you you are not a supposed to love your spouse the way you love your children. However In this passage, especially in verses 11 to 12.

James that once we do not love our Brothers and Sisters in Christ. As we are supposed to do we are not only seeing against our brothers and sisters, but also seeing against God. Let us look at the context in verse 11. Do not speak evil against the one another.

Scholars have argued that there were two groups in James mind when he wrote to the lighter to the churches. One was Judy azer's rejecting other Gentile Christians as Lawless. And the Gentile Christians rejecting through the others as legalistic. No matter what there were real conflicts that happened. in the early churches another habitatical ones and do not need and do not in ESV translation. Is better understood as stop.

James says out the stop sign. for the Christians in the early churches saying you are overspeeding and there was a sidewalk in front of you stop right now. Stop speaking evil against your brothers and sisters as you you really do. We can certainly see it is a commander from James. the Greek word which translated as Speaker evil against in ESV trust translation also means to slander to condemn and to criticize It is a favorable Judgment of someone's character

and motives. It is to speak of others behind their back without giving them a chance to Define themselves. It is too intentionally influence others against someone. Brothers and sisters. Have you ever judge other believers character and motives Have you ever spoken of others behind their back without giving them a chance to defend themselves? Have you ever tried to influence others against someone? Siege does not only speak to the early churches, but also

speak to us. If we are honest to ourselves and God. We are broken. We all broke this. Demand at some point as some level in our lives. Paul triple makes it clear. It doesn't take much for us to be irritated with other people. It doesn't take much for us to become impatient. Little interruptions disagreements and obstacles and cause us to well up with anger. We are easily dismissive of others. It's too easy for us to be prejudice.

Prejudice and judgmental it's so easy for us to judge others as foolish lazy or otherwise incomes competent. The traditional view of the authorship of the lighter is James the half-brother of Jesus. James had lived with Jesus for many years before he ascended to heaven and he had witness how Jesus taught people well he did his ministry on Earth. If you pay attention to the lighter. You will find that there are many Savings in the lighter.

That are highly identical to Jesus. Brothers and sisters, what are the two greatest the Commandments in the New Testament According To Jesus? That we love God and love our neighbors. Jesus has taught us that if we keep one of the two greatest the Commandments, we also keep the other. Do you remember when the resurrected Jesus reviewed himself to his disciples in the last? chapter of the Gospel of John What did he say to Peter?

Do you love me be my sheep? In Matthew 25, Jesus told his disciples the last parable of kingdom of heaven. I was naked and you classed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was imprisoned and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him saying Lord. When did we see you hungry and feed you? For thirsty and give you drink. And the King will answer them. Truly a say to you as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers.

Your data to me. Here James points of that if we break one for the two greatest Commandments. We also break the other the rush now for this is laid out in verses 11 and 12. When you speak against or judge a brother or sister you speak against and judge the law. However, there is only one lawgiver and judge, which is God. Therefore you are taking the place of God. Brothers and sisters will we speak against or criticize other believers? There are

at least five things. That can tell us how we relate. To the law and the law Giver. When we speak against our criticize other believers. First we cite ourselves above the law. Taken we violate the law of love. Third we exempt ourselves from obeying the law. Forth we deny the authority of the law. Fifth we rebel against God to lawgiver. That's why James shouts to his readers. Who are you? Who are you to judge your neighbors?

Don't you know when you judge your name judge your brothers and sisters in Christ. You are crossing the boundary between Creator and Creator. You are still you are stealing God's Authority. similarly Paul in Romans 14 forces Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands of false and he will be upheld for the Lord is able to make him stand. Jesus in Matthew 7:15 says

judge not that you be not judged or with the Judgment you pronounce you will be judged and with a measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the spec that is in that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your Ori. Or how can you say to your brother? Let me take the speck out of your eye. When there is the login your own? Your hypocrite first take the log out of your own eye and then you will see clearly could take

this back out of your brother's eye. Brothers and sisters humble ourselves before the Lord know who we are in Christ. seek Unity with other Christians the Bible does not teach us to only love the ones who are lovable. but also the ones that are difficult to get along with However, the this passage does not teach us. Teach that Christians should never judge. Christians should never rebuke someone's severe errors. in theology or life

if this is the case, then preachers should never measure a scene in the sermon. counselors should never give their opinions during counseling Elders should never talk about their member status. Spiritual status and Christians should never share their life details. This is absolutely not what it James is talking about here. James is talking about when we speak of others. We should be careful about our motivations. are we trying to

Bring others down.

Or are we defaming someone or identifying someone? Speaking evil in sin is not allowable. But speaking truth in love is permissible. And that is what we wish we all should pursue as Christian. The second question James asks in verses 13 to 17 is What is your life? prior to the question James Tells a story about a businessman Universe 13. He says to His companion. They and tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a

year there and trading and make a profit. If you pay attention, there are four verbs in his saying. We will go. We will spend we will treat and we will make a profit. It shows that he is very confident about his plan. Brothers and sisters we do live in the material. abundant era Nike starbarks Apple Amazon Walmart and Tesla and provide almost everything that we needed in our daily lives. the materials the materials that we have

probably more than all the people who lived before 21st century. However, it also creates an illusion. That we can do anything. We want the way we want when we want it. Again, there's nothing wrong about make plans for the future. Yes, the Bible teaches us not to worry about tomorrow, but the Bible also teaches us. That it is our responsibility to make plans and What's the serious? Jesus told people about the wise man.

Who builds his house upon the rock instead of the sand in Matthew 7:24 to 26? RC Sproul puts a potato put it this way. Christ told his disciples not to be anxious about tomorrow, but he never said not to consider tomorrow. intelligent problem solving demands careful consideration of the future effects present Solutions So if the problem is not never make plans. Then what is the problem? the problem here Is James rebukes us to make plans without

being submissive to God's will? The problem is that we ignore God's sovereignty and try to live a life. That seems totally in control. But we are not. We are not self-sufficient. problem Proverbs 27:1 says Do not oppose about tomorrow for you. Do not know what a day may bring. James says a similarly in verse 14 Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life or you are amazed? That appears for later time and then vanishes.

James used uses mace as a matter for to indicate our lives are fleeting and assertive. I mean we all live through 2020. tomorrow I believe you do not need me to explain what life is uncertain means if you still don't know I won't explain it too much but it seems that you may have wasted the lessons. God wants us to learn in the pandemic. Life is not only a certain but also brief. There was an MBA MBA player man of my friends like it a lot. His name was Kobe

Bryant. He entered in NBA directly from high school. Even though he did not get a high pick. from the draft he had a great talent and had a famous reputation for his work ethic. He played a magnet times in NBA All-Star games and he won five times NBA champions one time regular season most available player. two times NBA Finals MVP He also had a great business career after retiring from me. His life was very comfortable.

The money he earned a can let him buy a helicopter for taking his children to school. Just avoiding the traffic hours in Los Angeles. But just when the covid started to spread in the US. On January 26th, 2020 due to the ring and Fargo weather the palate who's who flew will be his helicopter Bluetooth low and eventually hate on a mountain. All the seven people in the Holy capture died including Kobe Bryant and his 13 years

old daughter. At that time he was just 41. I don't know if Kobe was saved or not. And certainly I do not want to make her judgment about his face faith here. I just want to use heat the story as an example. To say life is unexpectful and short. If Kobe could not use his Fame and money to extend either a second of his life. What can you say to yourself? even none of us has saved for certain that he or she and come back to this Sanctuary next

Sunday morning. Your Existence and my existence are dependent on God's will No one knows the time of his or her life accepted God. poses in acts 17:28 in him we be God did not create the world and left as Deus have claimed. Is upholding sustaining and guiding the whole universe? When we are trying to control Our Lives. First we ignore the reality of life is uncertain and brief. Second we do not give thanks and glory to God who created everything and continues

to take care of it. Or trips, is it well? Only God has the power to control all the conditions situations locations events, and the people they need to be controlled in order for me to have the things that I need to have in order to live my life. Independency is a delusion. No one is able to get what he needs for his physical existence of his own. No one lives a self-sufficient life. No one can say look how successfully I

have been able to care for me without any outside assistance. No one it really is true that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. But vote our future if we cannot post about ourselves. What shall we say? What is the correct attitude to talking about our future? James gives us the solution in verse

Instead you ought to say if the Lord Wills we will live and do this or that. Brothers and sisters it is our responsibility to plan. but do so in cooperation with the capacity way to cooperate with God is to pray. Extend our request send our requests to the Lord and trust that he's will is always good. So what are the two common human problems James presents in this passage? The first one is to exalt ourselves above others.

to replace God the second is to live a fancy lifestyle according to our own will. In both situations, we rob God's glory and take his throne. uncountry James encourages us to harm ourselves for the Lord only will you recognize the boundary between the Creator and creator? We will find our identity and the meaning of life which God initially designed. At this point if you don't know how to humble yourself before the Lord.

Then look Upon Jesus. Philippians 2:5 to 11 have this mind among yourself, which is yours in Christ Jesus. Who though he was in the form of God? Did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. But Amit himself by taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of man. And being found in human form. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed

on him the name that is above every name. So there are the name of Jesus every knee should bow. You have an earth and under the Earth. And every town confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. God the Father. for us Christ was humiliated on the cross When people's book evil against him. He asked of the father. Father forgive them for they know not what they do. In Gethsemane in Gethsemane the night before he was betrayed. He summated his

will the fathers regarding his future My father if it'd be possible that this cop passed from me nevertheless. Not as I will but as you will the Bible tells us even after he ascended to Heaven he does not speak. He does not speak against us but always makes intercession for us before the father. Brothers and sisters the ministry of Jesus has changed James life. He was changed from despising his brother before he died on the cross who appointed

even died for him after the resurrection. We can humble ourselves before the father is because Jesus could. The gospel has changed the James life and it is certainly can change ours. Christ is in us and we are in him. One day we will see our Lord Faith by faith. He will turn our short and the miserable life into the one which is eternal and a glorious. Let us pray.

And my father we are. So thankful to you because you are a Creator and you don't have to create us but because of your love. You give us life. So that we may enjoy the world that you created and teach us. Who imitate Christ? And to truly love our brothers and sisters. And to love you, I bring Jesus name.