WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.440 So in today's text, James continues to rebuke these professing Christians for their devotion to their sinful desires. 00:00:08.019 --> 00:00:13.339 ! So we'll begin reading in verse 4, but before we do, let me remind you, beloved, this is God's word to us. 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:22.199 It was written for his glory and our good, and so we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands. 00:00:22.199 --> 00:00:52.179 James writes, 00:00:52.200 --> 00:00:58.060 Therefore it says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:02.880 We'll consider today's text in a four-point outline. 00:01:03.120 --> 00:01:04.240 This is not the typical three-pointer. 00:01:05.320 --> 00:01:08.140 Number one, the enmity of God. 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:11.300 Two, the word of God. 00:01:12.100 --> 00:01:14.420 Three, the jealousy of God. 00:01:15.020 --> 00:01:17.500 And four, the grace of God. 00:01:17.500 --> 00:01:23.519 So number one, the enmity of God we see in verse 4. 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:27.659 He starts out, and this is such strong language. 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:30.599 Adulterous people. 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:33.659 Unfaithful people. 00:01:34.519 --> 00:01:43.120 This is imagery picked up again and again in the Old Testament, and I believe that James intends for his readers' minds to be drawn to some of those instances. 00:01:44.039 --> 00:01:52.539 Remember, as I said already, this letter's original audience were Jews who had professed faith in Jesus Christ and had been scattered due to persecution. 00:01:52.540 --> 00:01:54.800 See chapter 1 and verse 1. 00:01:55.700 --> 00:02:05.219 So being called adulterous would have been striking to them, as it should be for anybody, but perhaps especially for them. 00:02:05.719 --> 00:02:13.439 They would have known their Old Testament scriptures and how often God had called the nation of Israel adulterous. 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:21.219 Him as their husband, they as the bride, and them not being faithful to him. 00:02:22.139 --> 00:02:29.000 I picked a text that I thought was just tidy enough for a room full of adults and children to make the point. 00:02:29.419 --> 00:02:34.780 There's a lot of texts that use words that I'd prefer not to use on a Sunday morning in front of kids. 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:38.699 Jeremiah chapter 2, verse 23 and following. 00:02:38.699 --> 00:02:43.379 How can you say, I am not unclean? 00:02:43.500 --> 00:02:46.839 I have not gone after the bales, the foreign gods. 00:02:47.339 --> 00:02:49.199 Look at your way in the valley. 00:02:49.359 --> 00:02:50.379 Know what you have done. 00:02:50.459 --> 00:02:54.199 A restless young camel running here and there. 00:02:54.819 --> 00:02:59.159 A wild donkey used to the wilderness in her heat, sniffing the wind. 00:02:59.659 --> 00:03:02.179 Who can restrain her lust? 00:03:03.060 --> 00:03:05.079 None who seek her need weary themselves. 00:03:05.399 --> 00:03:07.699 In her month, they will find her. 00:03:08.699 --> 00:03:12.419 Keep your feet from going unshod and your throat from thirst. 00:03:13.139 --> 00:03:21.159 But you said, it is hopeless, for I have loved foreigners, and after them I will go. 00:03:22.199 --> 00:03:29.079 You see the adulterous activity that's being metaphorized in this text. 00:03:29.080 --> 00:03:36.840 And James says, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? 00:03:36.920 --> 00:03:40.540 This going after the idols of the nations. 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:45.040 And we are not tempted to worship the bales. 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:51.580 No one is setting up a big figure out on the square in Dahlonega and asking us to bow down to it. 00:03:51.580 --> 00:03:59.860 But we are asked to bow at the feet of consumerism, the American dream, popularity, position. 00:04:00.460 --> 00:04:06.560 There's a lot that this culture would have us worship that is not our God. 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:11.620 James says, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? 00:04:12.120 --> 00:04:19.800 Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 00:04:19.860 --> 00:04:22.160 And this is a frightful thing. 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:25.540 I pick up in Jeremiah chapter 2, verse 26. 00:04:26.540 --> 00:04:32.780 As a thief is shamed when caught, so the house of Israel shall be shamed. 00:04:33.400 --> 00:04:37.840 They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets, 00:04:38.340 --> 00:04:42.040 who say to a tree, you are my father. 00:04:42.660 --> 00:04:45.700 And to a stone, you gave me birth. 00:04:45.940 --> 00:04:48.160 The idolatry is found in that. 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:51.660 For they have turned their back to me and not their face. 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:56.420 But in the time of their trouble, they say, arise and save us. 00:04:57.420 --> 00:05:00.380 But where are your gods that you made for yourself? 00:05:01.080 --> 00:05:03.960 Let them arise if they can save you in your time of trouble. 00:05:04.420 --> 00:05:08.000 For as many as your cities are your gods, O Judah. 00:05:08.840 --> 00:05:10.879 Why do you contend with me? 00:05:11.379 --> 00:05:16.100 You have all transgressed against me, declares the Lord. 00:05:17.480 --> 00:05:21.400 And remember that James is writing this to professing Christians. 00:05:21.399 --> 00:05:24.699 I think the assumption is that they are, in fact, in the faith. 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:28.620 And yet their fickle hearts are leading them astray. 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:36.099 They're wanting all the things that the world has to offer and not the riches that are found in Christ. 00:05:37.039 --> 00:05:39.060 And we are tempted to do this very same thing. 00:05:39.060 --> 00:05:42.180 We are guilty of this very same thing. 00:05:42.180 --> 00:05:53.500 Those tangible things, the things that we can see and touch and feel, so often distract us from the immeasurable riches found in Christ. 00:05:53.639 --> 00:05:59.639 Those things that we receive by faith now and forevermore. 00:05:59.639 --> 00:06:04.180 It's a challenge to live in the world in which we live. 00:06:04.259 --> 00:06:10.919 I think especially in a world that is so generally comfortable and so generally plentiful. 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:19.800 If you desire to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 00:06:19.800 --> 00:06:26.500 Now, in verse 5, we encounter some translative challenges. 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:31.060 So I'm taking a little aside here before we move on to our next two points. 00:06:32.220 --> 00:06:36.080 You likely have an ESV laid before you if you've been around the church for some time. 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:37.199 You don't have to. 00:06:37.280 --> 00:06:39.220 It's not the most holy of translations. 00:06:39.840 --> 00:06:41.860 But it's a good one and it's what most of us use. 00:06:41.860 --> 00:06:48.960 And if you do, you will see the way that its translators have chosen to punctuate this verse. 00:06:49.620 --> 00:06:51.620 So there's no punctuation in the Greek. 00:06:51.720 --> 00:06:54.300 So it's a really difficult work in front of translators to figure out. 00:06:54.400 --> 00:06:57.120 Where do we put the periods and the commas and the exclamation marks? 00:06:57.319 --> 00:06:58.580 A difficult thing to do. 00:06:58.900 --> 00:06:59.740 So hear me. 00:06:59.960 --> 00:07:03.280 As I say, I don't think the ESV translators got this right. 00:07:03.660 --> 00:07:04.680 Say that with humility. 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:07.500 Because what a difficult work it is to do this. 00:07:07.900 --> 00:07:09.480 So we see verse 5. 00:07:09.480 --> 00:07:14.240 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the scripture says, and then a citation. 00:07:14.960 --> 00:07:18.920 He yearns jealously over the spirit that he's made to dwell in us. 00:07:19.780 --> 00:07:25.020 The trouble is that there is no Old Testament reference that says this. 00:07:26.660 --> 00:07:28.040 Scholars have tried to find it. 00:07:28.900 --> 00:07:30.600 I tried to find it on my own. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:31.500 A little while. 00:07:31.780 --> 00:07:32.180 Foolishly. 00:07:33.420 --> 00:07:37.939 There's not a direct Old Testament reference that says this. 00:07:37.939 --> 00:07:39.779 The ideas are there. 00:07:40.439 --> 00:07:46.139 So some scholars have suggested that it's an amalgamation of a number of Old Testament texts. 00:07:46.439 --> 00:07:48.759 But they're also not very quick to provide the references. 00:07:49.019 --> 00:07:51.040 They kind of just make that like the general broad. 00:07:51.139 --> 00:07:54.920 Well, it's, you know, it's some summary stuff from the Old Testament. 00:07:55.639 --> 00:08:00.680 Some have suggested that James' original hearers would have known exactly what he was talking about. 00:08:00.819 --> 00:08:01.000 Right? 00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:04.439 That this was some summary teaching from the scripture. 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:08.600 But he seems to say that the scripture itself says it. 00:08:08.699 --> 00:08:11.120 So it's a challenge. 00:08:11.779 --> 00:08:19.540 Certainly the idea of the jealousy of God is taught in the Old Testament, but not quite in these words. 00:08:19.540 --> 00:08:22.819 So let me suggest to you an alternative. 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:28.240 I believe, along with many smarter people than me, so I'm not the only one that's doing this, 00:08:28.660 --> 00:08:33.180 that it would actually be proper to divide verse 5 into two sentences. 00:08:34.180 --> 00:08:37.039 Again, Greek doesn't have punctuation. 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:45.579 And the phrase in the ESV translated, the scripture says, could also mean has spoken. 00:08:47.139 --> 00:08:51.719 So, I think we ought to see this as two separate sentences. 00:08:51.879 --> 00:08:54.399 And I'll give you an alternative reading to it in just a moment. 00:08:54.699 --> 00:08:58.759 But to be clear, this doesn't significantly change the meaning of the text. 00:08:58.879 --> 00:08:58.980 Right? 00:08:59.019 --> 00:09:00.459 So I want to be very clear about that. 00:09:00.460 --> 00:09:06.820 We're not going a totally different direction because this is two sentences rather than one. 00:09:07.019 --> 00:09:11.500 But I do think it minimizes what James is doing at the beginning of verse 5. 00:09:11.620 --> 00:09:19.519 I think we miss the force of what he's saying at the beginning of verse 5 after verse 4 if we lump it together. 00:09:19.660 --> 00:09:23.220 Because all he's saying at the beginning of verse 5 then is, hey, listen, I'm about to quote the scripture to you. 00:09:23.379 --> 00:09:23.460 Right? 00:09:23.540 --> 00:09:25.340 The scripture has said, and you quote the scripture. 00:09:25.639 --> 00:09:29.820 I think he's saying something much more emphatic than that. 00:09:30.460 --> 00:09:36.040 So, an alternative translation, keeping really close to the ESV, would be this. 00:09:36.980 --> 00:09:42.180 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the scripture has spoken? 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:44.259 That's the question. 00:09:44.600 --> 00:09:45.700 And then a statement. 00:09:46.500 --> 00:09:51.680 He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us. 00:09:52.300 --> 00:09:56.620 So this is the approach I'm going to take to verse 5. 00:09:56.620 --> 00:10:02.500 So our second point is the word of God found in the first half of verse 5. 00:10:03.159 --> 00:10:09.259 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the scripture has spoken? 00:10:09.259 --> 00:10:17.059 If we read the text this way, then I believe that James is piling on what he was previously accomplishing. 00:10:18.019 --> 00:10:23.340 Drawing his readers' minds back to the unfaithfulness of the Israelites in the Old Testament. 00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:27.639 And to God's response to their unfaithfulness. 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:30.139 That he has drawn their minds. 00:10:30.220 --> 00:10:31.460 You adulterous people. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:32.120 Right? 00:10:32.340 --> 00:10:33.539 Do you not know? 00:10:34.059 --> 00:10:36.299 You're making yourselves enemies of God. 00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:39.719 And their minds are meant to go back to all of these Old Testament references. 00:10:40.179 --> 00:10:44.379 And he goes, is it to no purpose that the scripture has spoken? 00:10:45.099 --> 00:10:48.719 That's like his punctuation on the point that he has been making. 00:10:49.240 --> 00:10:52.539 Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 00:10:52.539 --> 00:10:57.379 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the scripture has spoken? 00:10:58.120 --> 00:10:59.019 Of course not. 00:10:59.120 --> 00:10:59.259 Right? 00:10:59.299 --> 00:10:59.980 It's rhetorical. 00:11:00.179 --> 00:11:02.980 It is to a purpose that the scripture has spoken. 00:11:02.980 --> 00:11:07.840 This lesson has been taught again and again and again and again. 00:11:08.039 --> 00:11:09.340 All throughout Israel's history. 00:11:09.639 --> 00:11:11.460 All throughout the New Testament. 00:11:12.060 --> 00:11:13.259 All in our age. 00:11:13.460 --> 00:11:13.600 Right? 00:11:13.980 --> 00:11:17.960 Those who claim to worship God are meant to be faithful to God. 00:11:18.159 --> 00:11:18.259 Right? 00:11:18.340 --> 00:11:21.560 God requires fidelity on the part of his people. 00:11:21.879 --> 00:11:23.920 Not double-mindedness. 00:11:24.220 --> 00:11:25.840 But singular-mindedness. 00:11:26.019 --> 00:11:26.200 Right? 00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:29.920 We devote ourselves to the Lord. 00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:34.519 Now to illustrate this, I'm going to read to you a bit from Pilgrim's Progress. 00:11:35.240 --> 00:11:37.279 If you've been around a while, there's chuckles happening. 00:11:38.459 --> 00:11:39.059 I'll joke. 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:41.740 If you stick around long enough, I'll read the entirety of this book to you. 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:44.459 This is not an inspired text. 00:11:44.539 --> 00:11:45.259 I want to be very clear. 00:11:46.259 --> 00:11:49.399 But John Bunyan, a Puritan writer, knew his Bible. 00:11:49.399 --> 00:11:53.299 And he makes some very careful points to us in this allegory. 00:11:53.899 --> 00:11:56.120 So it's highly allegorical. 00:11:56.220 --> 00:11:57.759 If you hate allegory, don't read this. 00:11:57.840 --> 00:12:00.120 But I would really encourage you to read the Pilgrim's Progress. 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:05.679 Crossway put out a great modern English version of it, which is what I'm going to read from for you. 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:09.079 There's a pilgrim going on this journey. 00:12:09.939 --> 00:12:11.179 His name is Christian. 00:12:11.839 --> 00:12:15.259 And at this point in the story, he's picked up a friend called Hopeful. 00:12:15.979 --> 00:12:19.599 And they have encountered a guy named Mr. By-ins. 00:12:19.839 --> 00:12:20.979 Now, we don't use the term By-ins. 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:22.559 That just means ulterior motive. 00:12:23.459 --> 00:12:27.539 And Mr. By-ins is all about religion, provided that it serves him. 00:12:28.099 --> 00:12:28.219 Right? 00:12:28.419 --> 00:12:31.979 He loves religion, he says, when he goes out in his golden slippers. 00:12:31.980 --> 00:12:32.420 Right? 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:38.940 So he takes up religion when religion is convenient for him, when it serves his temporal good. 00:12:39.300 --> 00:12:41.480 But he's quick to set it aside otherwise. 00:12:42.259 --> 00:12:44.639 And they get in a little bit of a conflict over this. 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:46.720 He ends up calling them narrow-minded. 00:12:46.860 --> 00:12:48.659 How could they possibly think in these ways? 00:12:49.240 --> 00:12:51.320 And Mr. By-ins, so Christian Hopeful go off. 00:12:51.399 --> 00:12:59.180 And Mr. By-ins picks up some travel companions called Mr. Hold the World, Mr. Money Love, and Mr. Save All. 00:12:59.180 --> 00:13:01.920 And Bunyan means a universalist. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:03.220 In that sense. 00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:09.240 So, convenient, easy grace Christianity is what these guys all represent. 00:13:10.539 --> 00:13:15.680 And as they're traveling together, these four, Mr. By-ins asks a question. 00:13:16.659 --> 00:13:18.960 He says, my friends, we are all in the same pilgrimage. 00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:22.779 To help pass the time, I would like to propose a question to you. 00:13:22.779 --> 00:13:33.740 Suppose a man, a minister or tradesman or such, should have an opportunity to get a blessing and improve his station in life by becoming extremely zealous in some point of religion. 00:13:34.740 --> 00:13:39.220 Let's suppose that this religious point is something about which he has no particular interest. 00:13:39.220 --> 00:13:45.000 But by appearing to be interested, he can gain an advantage, either financial or otherwise. 00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:47.540 The question I put to you is this. 00:13:48.200 --> 00:13:53.779 Can he pretend to be interested and remain an upstanding, honest man? 00:13:53.779 --> 00:13:58.459 Now, if you're in this room, I hope you go, no, of course not. 00:13:58.460 --> 00:14:05.240 But these three companions take a couple of pages to explain why, yes, of course, he can do this. 00:14:05.879 --> 00:14:11.519 He can pick up religion and use it for his temporal gain. 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:18.199 So they decide to catch up to Christian and hopeful and ask them the very same question. 00:14:18.319 --> 00:14:26.539 And to be sure that the question isn't loaded, they decide that Mr. Hold the World is going to propose the question to Christian and hopeful. 00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:28.199 So they catch up and they do. 00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:30.299 And this is Christian's response. 00:14:31.179 --> 00:14:33.360 Now, what I want you to hear is that it's full of scripture. 00:14:33.460 --> 00:14:35.980 I'll give you some citations as we do. 00:14:35.980 --> 00:14:44.519 Then Christian said, even a babe in religion could answer 10,000 such questions. 00:14:45.659 --> 00:14:57.279 For if it is unlawful to follow Christ for loaves, as it says in John 6, how much more abominable is it to make him and religion into a self-serving device for getting and enjoying the world? 00:14:58.159 --> 00:15:02.420 Only heathens, hypocrites, devils and witches are of your opinion. 00:15:02.419 --> 00:15:07.360 The heathens Hamor and Shechem coveted the daughters and cattle of Jacob. 00:15:07.899 --> 00:15:20.439 And when they saw that there was no way to get them but by becoming circumcised, they said to their companions, if every male of us be circumcised as they are circumcised, will not their cattle and their property and every beast of theirs be ours? 00:15:21.579 --> 00:15:24.459 Jacob's daughters and cattle were what the heathen wanted. 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:28.779 And they used Jacob's religion as a guise to try to get it. 00:15:28.779 --> 00:15:32.980 And then Bunyan actually says, read the whole story and you can read that in Genesis chapter 34. 00:15:34.259 --> 00:15:37.279 The hypocritical Pharisees were also of this religion. 00:15:38.059 --> 00:15:43.120 Long prayers were their pretense, but their intent was to gain the houses and property of widows. 00:15:43.439 --> 00:15:46.199 And their judgment was greater damnation from God. 00:15:47.319 --> 00:15:49.220 Judas the devil was also of this religion. 00:15:49.720 --> 00:15:53.500 And he would rather have had the possession of the money bag than Christ. 00:15:53.500 --> 00:15:57.980 He was lost, cast away, and the very son of perdition. 00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:01.159 Simon the witch was of this religion also. 00:16:01.659 --> 00:16:05.320 He wanted the Holy Ghost for the purpose of his own personal financial gain. 00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:09.720 And you can read in Acts the response of the Apostle Peter to his religion. 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:16.840 It also occurs to me that the man who takes up religion for the world would just as easily throw away religion for the world. 00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:23.639 For just as Judas is out of the world and becoming religious, so did he also sell religion and his master for the same. 00:16:24.840 --> 00:16:31.379 To answer the question as you have done and to accept your answer as authentic, as heathenish, hypocritical, and devilish. 00:16:31.860 --> 00:16:34.660 You will be rewarded according to your works. 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:40.180 Then they stood staring at one another, unable to answer Christian. 00:16:41.240 --> 00:16:43.580 Hopeful also approved the soundness of Christian's answer. 00:16:43.580 --> 00:16:46.780 So there was a great silence among them. 00:16:47.740 --> 00:16:49.379 So Christian and Hopeful continued their journey. 00:16:49.500 --> 00:16:53.740 But Mr. Byens and his company stayed behind, stunned by Christian's rebuke. 00:16:54.400 --> 00:16:55.940 Then Christian said to Hopeful, 00:16:56.759 --> 00:17:02.320 If these men cannot stand before the sentence of men, what will they do before the sentence of God? 00:17:02.940 --> 00:17:05.380 And if they are mute when dealt with by vessels of clay, 00:17:05.700 --> 00:17:10.460 what will they do when they shall be rebuked by the flames of a devouring fire? 00:17:10.460 --> 00:17:14.259 Scripture has spoken about this. 00:17:14.860 --> 00:17:19.880 And these Christians would have been aware of all of these references, 00:17:20.140 --> 00:17:23.860 all of these examples of unfaithfulness. 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:27.860 They would have been familiar with every bit of it. 00:17:28.259 --> 00:17:31.460 And James means, I think, to prick their conscience. 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:32.559 Right? 00:17:32.860 --> 00:17:35.640 The Bible has spoken. 00:17:35.840 --> 00:17:39.380 Is it to no purpose that it said all of these things? 00:17:39.380 --> 00:17:43.740 He intends for us to take it up and to heed the warning. 00:17:44.600 --> 00:17:50.740 The one who wants to become friends of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 00:17:51.360 --> 00:17:53.740 Let me give you one more New Testament example. 00:17:54.300 --> 00:17:59.400 Likely, James' hearers would not have been familiar with Philippians 3, verse 18 and 19. 00:18:00.180 --> 00:18:00.720 Paul writes, 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:21.960 This shouldn't be so with us. 00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:23.720 It's worshipers of God. 00:18:23.840 --> 00:18:27.079 We ought not desire to be friends with the world. 00:18:27.360 --> 00:18:28.279 We live in it. 00:18:28.840 --> 00:18:29.799 We are not of it. 00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:34.759 We're meant to be proclaimers of a kingdom that is coming. 00:18:36.340 --> 00:18:38.120 Third, let's look at the jealousy of God. 00:18:38.180 --> 00:18:40.200 The last part of verse 5. 00:18:40.200 --> 00:18:46.180 He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us. 00:18:46.420 --> 00:18:52.559 Now, if I'm correct about the translator change, this doesn't change the meaning of the second part of verse 5. 00:18:52.700 --> 00:18:52.819 Right? 00:18:52.980 --> 00:18:57.519 He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us. 00:18:57.519 --> 00:19:03.920 James, having told us that those who love the world will be God's enemy, now tells us of God's jealousy. 00:19:04.680 --> 00:19:07.420 This is also developed thematically in the Old Testament. 00:19:07.720 --> 00:19:09.639 We'll just briefly look at two places. 00:19:10.420 --> 00:19:15.259 And it's often connected to God's anger toward an adulterous people. 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:16.700 So two quick examples. 00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:18.599 Exodus chapter 20 and verse 5. 00:19:19.299 --> 00:19:22.759 You shall not bow down to foreign gods or serve them. 00:19:23.299 --> 00:19:26.019 For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. 00:19:26.019 --> 00:19:33.440 Visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me. 00:19:34.180 --> 00:19:36.980 Then Exodus 34 and verse 14. 00:19:37.980 --> 00:19:42.839 For you shall worship no other God for the Lord whose name is jealous. 00:19:43.420 --> 00:19:45.460 Is a jealous God. 00:19:46.279 --> 00:19:49.400 God desires our worship. 00:19:50.039 --> 00:19:55.519 There's debate about whether the spirit that he has made to dwell in us is the spirit of man or the holy. 00:19:55.519 --> 00:19:56.119 Spirit. 00:19:56.859 --> 00:20:03.039 You will know which way the translators of your copy of the Bible went by noting whether or not spirit is capitalized. 00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:06.619 Here I think the ESV translators got it right. 00:20:07.019 --> 00:20:12.940 James uses the same word to refer to the human spirit in James chapter 2 and verse 26. 00:20:12.940 --> 00:20:17.160 26 where he says for as the body apart from the spirit is dead. 00:20:17.360 --> 00:20:20.440 So also faith apart from works is dead. 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:26.600 So it's most likely that he's using the word in the exact same way in this letter. 00:20:26.599 --> 00:20:36.799 So what James is communicating is that God desires for our very being, our existence, all that we are to worship him. 00:20:37.539 --> 00:20:40.359 He desires whole person fidelity. 00:20:40.879 --> 00:20:40.939 Right. 00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:44.680 And this is not misplaced jealousy. 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:51.559 This is not that God sets aside some of his characteristics in doing this because God is our greatest good. 00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:56.480 He wouldn't be loving toward us if he didn't desire this type of worship. 00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:56.900 Right. 00:20:56.940 --> 00:20:58.320 This is what we need. 00:20:58.600 --> 00:21:01.380 And he knows best what we need. 00:21:01.660 --> 00:21:04.019 He created us to be worshipers. 00:21:04.019 --> 00:21:06.980 We will worship something. 00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:10.119 Inevitably, you will be a worshiper. 00:21:10.740 --> 00:21:23.920 Either the creation, which will fail to ever satisfy you, or the all satisfying God who gives amply, who provides for us all that we need. 00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:27.019 Not all that we want, for he knows best. 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:33.980 Beloved, if we are found worshiping our God, then our desires will not be at war within us. 00:21:34.019 --> 00:21:40.039 We will not be friends with the world, and there will not be quarrels and fights among us. 00:21:40.940 --> 00:21:49.000 So when there are, when we find that our desires are misplaced, we need to recognize it as a worship issue. 00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:51.420 It's an issue of the heart. 00:21:51.779 --> 00:21:56.400 If we're in Christ, we have forgotten who we are. 00:21:56.720 --> 00:22:01.779 And we need to be reminded of God's loving kindness towards us. 00:22:01.779 --> 00:22:03.359 Which brings me to my final point. 00:22:04.019 --> 00:22:07.379 Number four, the grace of God. 00:22:08.539 --> 00:22:11.519 It's my final, but it is the best point. 00:22:12.039 --> 00:22:16.000 This is the best part of today's text. 00:22:16.460 --> 00:22:19.460 But he gives more grace. 00:22:20.440 --> 00:22:24.539 Therefore, it says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 00:22:24.539 --> 00:22:28.659 James tells us that God is gracious. 00:22:29.059 --> 00:22:32.740 He started out verse four saying, you adulterous people. 00:22:33.819 --> 00:22:41.200 He begins verse six by saying, God is gracious and he gives more grace. 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:45.440 James here is not referring to saving grace. 00:22:45.960 --> 00:22:48.180 Remember, these are professing Christians. 00:22:48.620 --> 00:22:54.340 James, I think, writes to them and to us, assuming we've placed believing faith in Jesus Christ. 00:22:54.339 --> 00:23:00.959 If we have believed this astounding, life changing, eternally consequential truth. 00:23:00.959 --> 00:23:04.699 It is because God has been gracious to us. 00:23:05.099 --> 00:23:11.099 If you're in Christ, you didn't stumble upon this and believe it on your own. 00:23:11.099 --> 00:23:16.199 You were guided by a gracious God to believe in him. 00:23:16.359 --> 00:23:17.799 This is the saving grace. 00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:23.199 Here, James tells us, God continues to give grace. 00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:29.680 He continues to act kindly toward us and to provide amply for us. 00:23:29.840 --> 00:23:33.620 He keeps it on the life of the believer. 00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:36.519 We sing a lot of songs about this. 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:41.200 I want you to start paying attention to those songs to point out just to come. 00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:42.400 Thou fount of every blessing. 00:23:43.180 --> 00:23:48.360 Oh, to grace, how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be. 00:23:48.860 --> 00:23:53.000 Let thy goodness like a fetter bind my wandering heart. 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:54.039 To thee. 00:23:54.220 --> 00:23:57.759 We need God's grace day by day by day. 00:23:58.580 --> 00:23:59.420 Amazing grace. 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:03.660 Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come. 00:24:04.440 --> 00:24:07.220 Tis grace that brought me safe thus far. 00:24:07.620 --> 00:24:10.680 And grace will lead me home. 00:24:11.600 --> 00:24:14.380 God grants grace to his people. 00:24:14.539 --> 00:24:17.539 Saving grace and sustaining grace. 00:24:17.539 --> 00:24:22.220 He keeps us going by his kindness toward us. 00:24:22.220 --> 00:24:29.019 However, there is a condition for receiving this abounding grace. 00:24:29.740 --> 00:24:33.940 Here, James does in fact cite an Old Testament text. 00:24:34.259 --> 00:24:36.360 I won't try to explain that away. 00:24:37.000 --> 00:24:41.759 He says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:44.240 And this is Proverbs 3, 34. 00:24:45.819 --> 00:24:52.559 God grants ample grace for the one who recognizes their need of grace. 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:57.339 God supplies for those who turn to him. 00:24:57.339 --> 00:25:07.199 So as we wrestle to live in a world that is enticing to our souls, that distracts us at every turn. 00:25:08.139 --> 00:25:09.720 James would have us here. 00:25:10.579 --> 00:25:14.559 Don't desire the riches of this world because you risk becoming an enemy of God. 00:25:15.399 --> 00:25:20.980 He has spoken clearly about this and desires you to worship him with your all. 00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:29.779 And if you will humble yourselves before him, he will graciously provide for all that he commands. 00:25:30.579 --> 00:25:35.420 Well, that is a wonderful thing that we can go humbly to our God and that he will provide. 00:25:35.559 --> 00:25:41.039 He will give us abounding grace to be obedient to all of the things that he's asked of us. 00:25:41.140 --> 00:25:44.960 All of the things that are for our highest good. 00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:53.460 Beloved, may we be mindful today and into this week of enmity of God. 00:25:53.579 --> 00:25:56.160 The possibility of being God's enemy. 00:25:56.620 --> 00:25:59.140 Of his word that has spoken so clearly. 00:25:59.319 --> 00:26:00.500 That has helped us. 00:26:00.579 --> 00:26:06.180 That has put signposts in the way to warn us of becoming friends with the world. 00:26:07.059 --> 00:26:08.480 Of the jealousy of God. 00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:15.480 He desires, he yearns for us to be worshipers of him for our great good and his glory. 00:26:16.420 --> 00:26:19.360 And for the grace of God that he supplies. 00:26:20.299 --> 00:26:23.579 And may we do all of this this week to the glory of God. 00:26:24.099 --> 00:26:24.860 Let's pray together.