• Happy 4th
• If you’re glad to live in America
o Give the Lord a praise this morning
o If you’re glad to be an American
o Give the Lord a praise this morning
• Now, if you love the Lord
o Give the Lord a praise this morning
o If you’re glad to be part of His Kingdom
o Give the Lord a praise this morning
o If you’re part of the blood bought
o A child of God
o The Head and not the tail
o A victor and not a victim
o The Redeemed
o A Saint
o If you’ve been
? Saved
? Sealed
? And delivered
o Give God a Holy Ghost
o Supernatural
o Spirit-filled praise this morning
• I’m so glad to be in the Kingdom today
• I’m so glad to be walking in Canaan today
• I’m so glad to be walking in the victory
• I’m so glad to be walking with my Lord today
• I’m so glad to be walking in freedom today
o Free from the bondage of sin
o Free from the threat of the grave
o Free from the horror of death
o Free from the fear of the enemy
o Free from the terror of hell
o Because I serve a risen Savior
o He’s in the world today
o I know that He is living
o No matter what men may say
o I see His hand of mercy
o I hear His voice of cheer
o And just the time I need Him
o He’s always near
o He live, He lives
o Christ Jesus lives today
o He walks with me
o And talks with me
o Along life’s narrow way
o You ask me how I know He lives
o He lives within my heart
o And I just have to take a moment and praise His name this morning
• James 1:1
o James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered abroad (among the Gentiles in the dispersion): Greetings (rejoice)!
o Let’s pray
• As we begin this study, I’d like to take a moment to talk about a few reasons why some believe that James wrote this letter
• I mean we have talked about the fact that he wasn’t a Paul
o He didn’t write to the Corinthians
o He didn’t deal with the Corinthian church
o He didn’t give us a revelation from the isle of Patmos
o He wasn’t as graceful as Paul
o His book isn’t about the life of Christ
o It wasn’t a letter to a specific person
o It wasn’t a poetic letter
o So, then, why did he write the letter
• One reason
o To correct a corrupted faith that was rapidly seeping into the church
o There were many who were professing faith in Christ
o But were living immoral and unrighteous lives
o They were professing it on Sunday
o But living like the devil on Monday
o Walking around saying
? I’m an American
? We’re a Christian nation
? My parents are Christians
? My grandparents are Christians
? My great grandparents were Christians
? So, I’m a Christian
o But they were not living up to the standard of the Word
o Not living up to the holiness of the Word
o There was no difference in their life
o And the life of those in the world
o You’d look at one
o And you’d look at the other
o And no difference
o Their faith was profession only
o There was no restraint on behavior
o Oh, this wasn’t just in the day of James
o This is today
? Hi, my name is Rob
o Come on,
o Let’s be honest with each other
o This is happening in the church today
o Profess it on Sunday
o Live like the devil on Monday
o No restraint on our behavior
o But we twist the Word to justify our behavior
o There are two reasons people don’t come to church
o There are two reasons that people don’t get saved
o They don’t know a Christian
o And they do know a Christian
o The problem is that they don’t know a believer
o You might say
? Preacher what’s the difference
o I’m glad you asked
o In my opinion
o The believer is one who believes Christ
o Who follows Christ,
o Who will stick with Him,
o Who will do what He has commanded him,
o Who will go where He says to go,
o Who will live the Word,
o Has faith
o God said it
o I believe it
o That settles it for me
o A believer is one who is transforming their minds into the mind of Christ
o A believer is one who is changing the way they think
o A believer is one who is putting on the mind of Christ
o A believer is one who is becoming less
o So that He can become more
o A believer is when you look at them
o You see Christ
o Anything else is a lie from the enemy
o Anything else is deception
o Anything else needs to be gotten rid of
o You see the devil has come to steal
o Kill and destroy
o But the devil is a liar
o We have to change how we live
o We have to raise the standard
o We have to get grounded in the Word
o So, James wrote this letter
o This book
o Because there needed to be some instruction on how we should be living
o How we should be acting
o How we should be behaving
o Because we aren’t doing it
• He wrote this book to present the true faith of Christ
o A faith of the heart
o A faith that produces outward fruit
o Paul talks about this
o You know when he talks about the fruit of the Spirit
o If we’re allowing the Spirit to work in us
o If we’re living by the Spirit
o Then there should be fruit
o We should see that fruit
o James says that we should have a faith of the heart
o A faith that produces outward fruit
o We are known to be believers
o Christians
? Not the cheap imitation form of Christians
? But true Christians
? Not just called a Christian because I’m an American
o Only by our behavior
o What we do proves one of two things
? It proves we are a believer, Christian
? Or it proves we are not a believer, Christian
o What fruit are you producing?
o Oh, it looks good in here
o We’re producing great fruit of worship in here
o But what about at the store
o What about at the gas station
o What about at the doctor’s office
o What about when you get that bad news
o What about when that person cuts you off
o What about when you don’t get your way
o What about when you lose everything
o What about when you are cussed out
o What about when you’re corrected
o What about when you’re chastised
o What about when you’re criticized
? Sometimes when we need to be
o Brings us to the question
? How well are you behaving?
? Hi, my name is Rob
• Look at this verse and how James introduces himself
o James a servant of God
o This is an interesting introduction
o There are a lot of titles that he could have used in this first verse, yet
o He doesn’t talk about being the one who was the preacher of the Jerusalem Church
o He doesn’t talk about the one who was holding the church together in Jerusalem
o He doesn’t talk about being the half-brother of Jesus Christ
o He doesn’t talk about being an Apostle
o He doesn’t throw it up in people’s faces that he’s this great and mighty, important guy
o He doesn’t have the important seat at the table
o Oh, he’s a part of the inner three of Christ
? Peter, James and John
o But he doesn’t say that here
o No, he’s not concerned about titles
o All that matters to him is the intimacy of his relationship with God
o We see that so clearly in one word
? Servant
o Why can’t we see that in the church today?
o Why do we strive for all these titles?
o I know that there has to be a leader
o I know that there has to be order
o I know that there has to be a captain to steer the ship
o But really
o We have more people seeking to steer the ship
o Then we do someone willing to serve
o We have more people seeking alphabet soup after their names
o Then, people seeking the Word of God
? I’m Dr so and so
? I’m pastor so and so with a Master’s of Divinity from the seminary of the divine church of the holiness movement of the righteousness church of the divine reformation church of the USA
o Well, praise the Lord
o What does that mean?
o Don’t get me wrong
o I’m for getting an education
o I’m for going to school
o But what I’m not for
o Is using that education in place of seeking a relationship with the Lord
o Using that education in place of being a servant for the Lord
o When we teach people how to get signing bonuses
? Which is something that is taught in our seminaries today
o Rather than how to be servants to the Kingdom
o There’s something wrong in the church
o When we teach people how to get as much money out of a congregation
o There’s something wrong
o What happened to being servants
o What happened to serving the Kingdom
o What happened to trusting the Lord
o What happened to doing what He commanded and letting Him provide
o Scripture is clear that a about paying those that lead
? 2 Thessalonians 3:7-10
? 1 Corinthians 9:9-14
? Luke 10:7
? Philippians 4:16-19
? Acts 6:2
o But a signing bonus
o Paying a staff member more than what the average congregant is getting
o We are also called to serve in the Kingdom of God
o That is all of us
o That also means you as well as me
o I do a job in the office and pastor
? As well as around the church and building
? Serve in the community
o You do a job in an office
? We need all of you to serve around the building
? Ministry
? And in the community
o How do I know that it’s part of our job?
o James tells us right here in this first verse
• Servant
o Doulos
o Means far more than just a person who performs duties for someone or a household.
o I mean that’s what we think about when we think of a servant, right?
o Someone who is hired to do some duty around the house
o Someone to come and cut the grass
o Someone to come and clean your house
o Someone to come and do your laundry
o Someone to come and open your door
o Drive you someplace
o A servant
o However, this goes further than that
o This means a
? Bond-servant
o This is someone who is bound by law to a master
• What we have to understand as we dig into this word
• Is that we were all born into slavery
• We are all bond-servants
o We are all bound by law to a master
o Wait a minute preacher, I’m bound to no one
o I’m my own person
o Yep, you are
o And you are bound to the enemy
o You are bound to your pride
o You are bound to sin
o Just like I am
o You see it all started way back at the beginning
o Eve took of the tree
o Gave to her husband
o They ate
o Sin entered the world
o From that point on there was a debt that we couldn’t pay
o Jesus started His walk to a hill
o God told us about it in Genesis 3
o The serpent will bruise His heel
o But He will crush his head
o Jesus took off walking
o He showed up a couple of times throughout the Old Testament
o You see Him as the ram in the bushes for Abraham and Isaac
o You see Him as Melchisedec when Abraham paid tithes and worshipped Him
o Yet He kept walking
o He had a goal in mind
o He had a bill He had to pay
o He couldn’t be late
o Because our lives were in the balance
o He stopped by to talk to one of His servants and walk him right out of this world
o Good old Enoch
o He stopped by a fiery furnace to talk with three Hebrew boys
o He met a Shepherd boy in the valley and guided a rock to kill a giant
o He talked with Daniel all night in a lion’s den
o Then one starry night He was born to a virgin in a stable
o He grew up and as a teenager talked with the religious leaders
o He obeyed His parents and went with them
o Played with His half-brother James
o Called the disciples
o Walked on the water
o Raised a boy from the dead
o Fed 5,000
o Delivered people from demon possession
o Ministered the last supper
o Washed His disciples’ feet
o But that was not His goal
o The bill was coming due
o Our bill was coming due
o He went to the garden
o Prayed to have the pill passed on
o He picked it up
o Took it to a cross
o Was stretched wide
o Hung high
o Had the crown jammed in His head
o His side pierced
o The blood and water flowed
o Said,
? It is finished
o That was it
o The bill was paid
o Our name was taken off the bill
o Our name was taken off the contract
o His blood was applied
o His blood was put in over our names
o The debt was paid
o Our freedom was paid for
o We no longer have to stand on the slave market
o We no longer have to stand in the chains
o We no longer have to serve a tyrant
o We no longer have to serve a terrorist
o We no longer have to serve a liar
o We no longer have to serve the destroyer
o We can serve the King of kings
o And the Lord of lords
o The Alpha and Omega
o The Bread of Life
o The rose of Sharon
o Jesus Messiah
o The Beloved
o The Author and Finisher of our Faith
o The Almighty
o The I AM
o The Prince of Peace
o The Amen
o Our Redeemer
o Oh, when we accept this gift
o When we choose Him
o We change masters
o We become a bond-servant to Jesus Christ
o He becomes our master
o We serve a risen Savior
o He saw my need
o My rebellious needful condition
o And when He looked
o He loved me and bought me
o He paid the price
o And now I’m His possession
o Well, glory
• Give Him some glory and praise right now!!!!!
• Can I take this a little further?
• You see, in this one verse there were two words that stuck out to me
• This one, servant
• And then Lord
• But we’ll only get through servant this week
• Now, I’m not saying that we’ll move this slow through the whole book
• But I just have been led to these two words this morning
• Because I think that many times we skip over the salutations of the books
• And move on into the rest of the letters that are sent
• Yet there’s a reason that they’re there
• So, let’s dig a little
• We now know that we’re bond servants to Jesus when we accept Christ
• He paid the debt
• He paid our debt
• He didn’t have a debt
• He didn’t have to do it
• Yet, God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son
• When He said
o It is finished
• The debt was paid
• Well, the slave exists for his master
o There was no other reason for his existence
o He had no personal rights whatsoever
? Oh, man would we have trouble living in that day and age
? After all, we have a Bill of Rights
? We’re celebrating that today
? Our freedom
? The right to worship
? The right to bear arms
? The freedom of speech
? The freedom to gather
? We have rights
o James is saying
? I don’t have personal rights
? I exist only for Christ
? I don’t exist for the church
? I don’t exist for the bank
? I don’t exist for the government
? I don’t exist for my wife
? I don’t exist for my children
? I don’t exist for my business
? I don’t exist for my job
? I don’t exist for my school
? I don’t exist for my husband
? I don’t exist for my yard
? I don’t exist for my car
? I don’t exist for the animals on the farm
? I don’t exist for……..
? I exist for Christ and Him alone
o The rights that I have
o Are the rights that He gives me
o Do you understand how freeing that statement is?
o Do you understand how freeing this thought is?
o Do you understand that when you fall into this
o When you accept this stand
o When you walk in this
o When you surrender completely to Him
o When you surrender your rights
o When you surrender your will
o When you surrender your life
o When you surrender your job
o When you surrender you wife
o When you surrender your husband
o When you surrender your children
o When you surrender your house
o When you surrender your car
o They are no longer your responsibility
o They become the responsibility of the Lord
o He takes them
o They’re His responsibility
o He does the heavy lifting
o All you need to do at that point
o Is trust
o Follow Him
o Believe Him
o Walk in the promises that are your through Jesus Christ
o And watch the enemy fall like dogs
o After all isn’t that the responsibility of the Master
o Who is responsible for your house?
? You
o Who is responsible for your car?
? You
o When you belong to Jesus
o You are no longer slaves to sin
o You are slaves to righteousness
? Romans 6
o Sin no longer has mastery over you
o Sin no longer has power over you
o Sin no longer has power over the things around you
o The enemy no longer has power over your possessions
o So why do you continue to battle the enemy over them
o Let God do the heavy lifting
o Let God do the work in their lives
o Let God do the work in your children
o Let God do the work in your co-workers
o Let God do the work in your spouse
o Let God do the work in your parents
o Let God do the work
o How many times do we try and supersede the Lord?
o How many times do we doubt Him?
o Are you serving Him?
o Are you a slave to Him?
o Are you a bond servant to Him?
o Or are you just a pseudo-Christian
• You see, we come back to the initial question don’t we
• We come back to where we started
• We can tell where your heart is by the behavior you exhibit
• Can we look at your life and see Christ?
• Or do we look at your life and see you
• Who’s in control of your life
• Who is your master?
• Jesus said,
o Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for my yoke is easy and my burden is light
• There are two yokes in life
• The enemy
• Or Christ
• Who are you yoked to?
• He rescued you
• You are no longer a slave to sin
• You are a slave to righteousness
• But you have to choose to accept the gift
• Let’s pray
