MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK SERIES
FREE TO BE WISE
JAMES 3:13-18
#JAMESatCCC
WORLD IN LINE STORY PART 1 (p)
I want you to imagine that you are standing in a single file line. When you look forward, you see the back of the head of the person in front of you and can tell that there are many many people in line in front of you. The line stretches as far as you can see. You aren’t allowed to look behind you because in a single file line you are supposed to keep your eyes straight in front of you, but you do know that the line stretches behind you as far as the eye could see.
An announcement comes over a loud speaker:
“You are to stay in line no matter what.”
“You are to walk and follow the line.”
“Do not get out of line.”
“Do what you are told.”
“Do not look to the right or left or behind you unless you are told to do so.”
“Follow all directions.”
“Just walk straight ahead and just keep walking.”
The line starts moving and you walk along behind the person in front of you. It is not a hard pace, it is not a fast pace, but is a normal walking pace. You think to yourself, maybe this “walking in line thing” may not be so bad.
You are walking along and an announcement comes over a loud speaker:
“Stop walking and look to your right.”
In unison, all people walking in line stopped walking and looked to the right. Why? That is what the announcement said to do. That is what everyone else is doing. All eyes were looking to the right. The line was at wall of huge TVs with all kinds of images on them. The images were everywhere. Some of the images were graphically sexual in nature. Some were violent. Some were angry and hurtful. Over and over images were being shown that were meant to be violent and hurtful. The whole line just looked to the right and took in the images.
An announcement comes over a loud speaker: “Look front and begin walking.”
In unison, all people turned to the front and again started walking. Why? That is what the announcement said to do. The images you just saw were now stuck in your mind. You were seeing them again in your mind and in your imagination. Those images were hurtful.
You are walking along and an announcement comes over a loud speaker: “Keep walking and look to your left.” You kept walking forward, but your eyes looked left as you were told to. There were all kinds of mannequins and statues and phrases all over the place. There were symbols on flags. There were videos of people making speeches. The voice came back over the speaker: “You are to hate all these things. You are to hate people that look like this and hate people that believe these things. Memorize all this so you know who to hate.” You saw mannequins of people and symbols you recognized, but understood from the voice that you were to hate all these people and all these things.
You are walking along looking left and being filled with hate when you were told to look forward again and keep walking. The line kept moving. Why? Because that is what you were told to do. The line was fine, but you began to feel a little trapped. All you saw was the back of the head of the person in front of you. The hurtful images were burned into your mind. People you were supposed to hate were settling into your heart.
You are walking along and another announcement comes over a loud speaker: “Keep walking and start thumping the person in front of you in the back of the head. You may not turn around. You may not stop until we say.”
Immediately you start feeling fingers flicking the back of your head. You begin to do the same to the person in front of you. Over and over you flicked. Actually, the person behind you was hitting you in the same spot over and over and it began to be sore. Your head started to hurt. You were getting hurt and you were hurting the person in front of you. Over and over you hit. Over and over you got hit. The words “stop” came a long long time later. Your hand hurt. Your head hurt. Your neck hurt. The person behind you had caused you pain and you caused the person in front of you pain. Everyone just kept walking. Not one person got out of line.
An announcement comes over a loud speaker: “We want to remind you…
“You are to stay in line no matter what.”
“You are to walk and follow the line.”
“Do not get out of line.”
“Do what you are told.”
“Do not look to the right or left or behind you unless you are told to do so.”
“Follow all directions.”
“Just walk straight ahead and just keep walking.”
As you were walking, you began to hear cries of help coming from the right and the left. It sounded like people needed help lifting things. Some asked for you to get out of line and help them with chores. Some people sounded like they were in pain and needed help. You just looked forward and ignored it all. Not one person broke from the line. Not one person helped anyone who asked. Not one person looked to the right or left or did anything different from anyone else.
James 3:13-18
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
This passage from James shares with us that you and I are not stuck in our sinful nature that we all have. All of us deal with the sinful nature because we are human beings. All people deal with temptations and desires and sin. Our world is sinful and yet we do not have to be tied to this world. Many times we see characteristics and actions in the people around us and we conclude because everyone acts that way, talks that way, or spends their money that way that we must have to be that way too. We do not have to be bitter or angry or selfish or full of lies or unspiritual or envious or chaotic… even though the world tells us that being that way is ‘normal.’ We who are believers in Jesus Christ, we are not trapped by our sinful nature. We don’t have to be like the world says we have to be, but we are free in Christ to pursue Him. We can pursue God. Free to pursue God becomes our new ‘normal.’
Jesus Christ came and made a way for us to be free from the trappings of the sinful nature.
* Luke 4:18-21, Jesus says quoting Isaiah 61, “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him, 21 and He began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
* Romans 8:20-21, “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”
* 2 Corinthians 3:17, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
* Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
* 1 Peter 2:16, “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.”
James is simply teaching us the same thing Jesus said. James is simply telling us the same thing that the Apostle Paul taught. I want to encourage you today that if you are a believer in Jesus Christ you have the freedom to pursue God… you aren’t stuck.
James reminds us that this true wisdom is from above. That is, it is from God. We should be thankful that God sends wisdom to us and that we can see how to pursue Him and how to live a good life. We can see how to break free from the bondage of sin and can live with God.
What are we free to do?
Who are we free to be?
Pure
Peace-Loving
Considerate
Submissive
Merciful
Bearing Good Fruit
Impartial
Sincere
PURE
We are free to be pure. We are forgiven in Christ for past sins. We are free to not partake in activities that draw us away from God. Jesus Christ declares us pure from our past sins and we can live in that purity. The world says we are stained forever and always have to carry around emotional baggage, but we are free in Christ to live purely. The world says we are trapped by bad habits and sinful habits, but Jesus sets us free to be pure which might look odd to our world.
ILLUSTRATION… Elizabeth Elliot quote
“If your goal is purity of heart, be prepared to be thought very odd.”
PEACE-LOVING
We are free to be peace-loving. We are free to forgive others. We are free to let it go. We are free not to argue with someone who disagrees with us about politics or morality or anything. We are free to give the benefit-of-the-doubt to someone who probably doesn’t deserve it. We are free to help arguments cease between people. We are free to be a peacemaker and a peace-loving person.
ILLUSTRATION… Zac Poonen quote
“The kingdom of God is righteousness and peace. True wisdom is never argumentative or quarrelsome. It does not strive. It maintains harmonious relationships with everyone, as far as possible. It is impossible to quarrel with a man who is filled with Divine wisdom, for such a man is a peaceable man.”
CONSIDERATE
The world tells us that me, myself, and I should always come first and yet in Christ, we are free to put others first. Our world says to look out for #1 and to do all we can to make sure we are provided for and sometimes that means others are in the way. We don’t have to be first, but we can put the welfare of other people in front of our welfare because we know God loves it when we care for others and are gentle with them because He cares for us and is gentle with us. We are free to be considerate in all things.
ILLUSTRATION… John Green Quote (even though he is quite confused about Christianity)
“I realized that all my life, my values were based upon typical middle-class American values: hard work, doing good, living well, owning things, following the rules & being the best I can be… but God clearly says, ‘those are not MY values. I value justice, mercy, and humility.’
SUBMISSIVE
Our world says that submitting makes a person weak. Submission is a bad thing and makes a person a doormat. Doormats are bad. Wisdom from God says that we need not start arguments or have our way in all things, but we are free to be reasonable and accommodating and put others first. We are free to be a servant to as many people as we can because our God is God Almighty who is sovereign over everything. First is last and last is first in in God’s family. We are free to be submissive.
ILLUSTRATION… John Owen quote
“Nothing shall be lost that is done for God or in obedience to Him.”
MERCIFUL
Mercy is something given to us by God in wave after wave of grace as a gift and we in turn are free to give mercy to others. We are free to be quick in mercy to forgive. We are free in mercy not to hold grudges. We are free in mercy to look over offenses and not let bitterness become part of our hearts. Sometimes it feels like the world tells us we have to get revenge or we have to feel angry at someone because they act like a bone-head… but we are free in Christ to be merciful.
ILLUSTRATION… Tony Merida quote
“God uses ordinary Christians to change lives - conversation at a time, one meal at a time, one act of mercy at a time.”
BEAR GOOD FRUIT
We who are believers are free to have good character qualities and we are free to be good people. We are good. Before Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit, being good was an impossibility and we were completely stuck in sin. We bore only bad fruit. We now can enjoy love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in our lives. We don’t have to be trapped by sin or bad habits, but we are free to keep in step with the Holy Spirit. Before Jesus it was a miracle that anyone was good, but now we have the promise that we can be good by His power.
ILLUSTRATION… Richard J. Foster quote
“The fruit of the Spirit is not push, drive, climb, grasp and trample. Life is more than a climb to the top of the heap.”
IMPARTIAL
Impartiality, in the way James is talking about it, is the ability to love everyone the same and to share the Gospel with everyone. We are free to be equals. We don’t have to only love people who are like us. We don’t have to judge or discriminate. We don’t have to separate ourselves and draw lines. Because of Jesus Christ, we have been given freedom and a Spirit that loves people from all walks of life and communicates that He forgives them wherever they are at. God wants all people to come to saving faith in Jesus Christ. We are free to impartially share Christ with everyone.
ILLUSTRATION… SM Lockridge quote (his name was Shadrach Meshach! Lockridge)
“Christ is enduringly strong. He is entirely sincere. He’s eternally steadfast, He’s immortally graceful. He’s imperially powerful, He’s impartially merciful. No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.”
SINCERITY
When I think of sincerity and the Christian faith, I think that we have the freedom to follow Christ and to walk the talk that we talk. Following Christ is not just empty words, but we have the power of the Holy Spirit helping us to become more Christ-like. The world says we are automatic hypocrites, but we have the power to talk about forgiveness and we have the power to forgive. I talk about loving my neighbor and I have the power to walk in love. I don’t have to be a hypocrite. Christ gives us the power to follow after Him with sincere hearts.
ILLUSTRATION… William Marrion Branham quote
“It doesn't take great big things to bring Christ; it doesn't take great organizations; neither does it take great churches, great gatherings; but it takes the sincerity of one heart to bring Him.”
SUMMARY
Pure
Peace-Loving
Considerate
Submissive
Merciful
Good Fruit
Impartial
Sincerity
WORLD IN LINE STORY PART 2 (p)
I want you to imagine that you are standing in a single file line. When you look forward, you see the back of the head of the person in front of you and can tell that there are many many people in line in front of you. The line stretches as far as you can see. You aren’t allowed to look behind you because in a single file line you are supposed to keep your eyes straight in front of you, but you do know that the line stretches behind you as far as the eye could see.
An announcement comes over a loud speaker:
“You are to stay in line no matter what.”
“You are to walk and follow the line.”
“Do not get out of line.”
“Do what you are told.”
“Do not look to the right or left or behind you unless you are told to do so.”
“Follow all directions.”
“Just walk straight ahead and just keep walking.”
The line starts moving and you walk along behind the person in front of you. It is not a hard pace, it is not a fast pace, but is a normal walking pace. You think to yourself, maybe this “walking in line thing” may not be so bad.
You are walking along and an announcement comes over a loud speaker:
“Stop walking and look to your right.”
In unison, all people walking in line stopped walking and looked to the right. Why? That is what the announcement said to do. That is what everyone else is doing. All eyes were looking to the right. The line was at wall of huge TVs with all kinds of images on them. The images were everywhere. Some of the images were graphically sexual in nature. Some were violent. Some were angry and hurtful. Over and over images were being shown that were meant to be violent and hurtful. The whole line just looked to the right and took in the images.
The Holy Spirit in your heart cried out that you should not look at such things! You turn away because you have the freedom to be pure and to bear good fruit in your life. You listen to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to guard your heart as you are surrounded by impurity.
An announcement comes over a loud speaker: “Look front and begin walking.”
In unison, all people turned to the front and again started walking. Why? That is what the announcement said to do.
You are walking along and an announcement comes over a loud speaker: “Keep walking and look to your left.” You kept walking forward, but your eyes looked left as you were told to. There were all kinds of mannequins and statues and phrases all over the place. There were symbols on flags. There were videos of people making speeches. The voice came back over the speaker: “You are to hate all these things. You are to hate people that look like this and hate people that believe these things. Memorize all this so you know who to hate.”
You saw mannequins of people and symbols you recognized, but realized you are free to be peace-loving, considerate, merciful, impartial, and sincere. You make a decision in your heart and prayed to God that your heart would be filled with peace, love, consideration, mercy, and sincerity for people who are different from you. God fill me with your character and your wisdom, not this!
The line kept moving. You are walking along and another announcement comes over a loud speaker: “Keep walking and start thumping the person in front of you in the back of the head. You may not turn around. You may not stop until we say.”
Immediately you start feeling fingers flicking the back of your head. Over and over you are flicked in the head. The person behind you was hitting you in the same spot over and over and it began to be sore. Your head started to hurt. You decided you would not hit the person in front of you because you are free to be peace-loving, merciful, and considerate. The words “stop” came a long long time later. You turned to the person behind you and said: “I forgive you” because you are free to be peace-loving, submissive, and to bear good fruit. They were shocked that you turned around and they were shocked that you talked and they were shocked that you offered forgiveness!
An announcement comes over a loud speaker: “We want to remind you…
“You are to stay in line no matter what.”
“You are to walk and follow the line.”
“Do not get out of line.”
“Do what you are told.”
“Do not look to the right or left or behind you unless you are told to do so.”
“Follow all directions.”
“Just walk straight ahead and just keep walking.”
As you were walking, you began to hear cries of help coming from the right and the left. It sounded like people needed help lifting things. Some asked for you to get out of line and help them with chores. Some people sounded like they were in pain and needed help. It was at the sound of cries for help that you broke from the line and helped as many people. You ran from the line and you helped someone who had fallen. You bandaged the wound of another. Another cry led you to sit at the bedside of a person who was sick.
You got out of line.
You stayed out of line.
You are free.
GOSPEL INVITATION
Perhaps you are here today and you know in your heart you are not free. If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you are stuck in your sin. Christ brought us freedom. John 8:36 says, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” Through His death on the cross, Jesus Christ has set us free from the law of sin and death! Romans 8:1-2, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” Freedom in Christ is a grace that we can barely explain. We know it is true because Jesus proved His love for us on the cross.
PRAYER
