Tuesday, July 15, 2008

JAMES 4:1-12 | Lesson # 7 | SUBMITTING TO GOD

                                                                        JAMES

4:1-12                                               Lesson # 7

                                                              SUBMITTING TO GOD

 

I.    Greetings:

 

II.   Introduction:

            Note:  Have you ever noticed we are harder to get along with than at other times.  Sometimes we seem to want to get into an argument. 

What causes that?

            Q Have you ever noticed that some people in an extended family or in the church seem to always want to argue or quarrel, why is that?

               An = Let them give their answers.  You might even want to share a time when you caused a quarrel.  James wants us to realize that

such things do happen, and he wants to help us get out of such behavior when it arises in our hearts.  He will first point to its source and then show us

practical ways to get out of such behavior.

 

III.  Identifying the Cause of the Problem:  Selfish Desires.  James 4:1-6.

>>>> Have someone read James 4:1-3.

            Q What causes dissension amongst people according to verse 1?

               An = Our desires.  We cannot get what we want and we fight and even kill for it.  Is not that usually the source of war?  One nation

wants what another has and goes to war to get it.  We, individually, "go to war" to get what we want.  Sometimes people "go to war" in churches trying to

get their way on a certain issue or on the direction of the church.

            Q  Why do we not have what we want, and why do we not get it?

               An = We do not have what we want because we do not ask God.  Or, if we have asked and have not received, it can be because our

motives are wrong, we just want so we can satisfy our own lust for pleasure.

            Note:  Sometimes we do not receive what we pray for right away.  It may be that God feels we need to wait.  But the point being made

here is that our selfish requests are not a priority of God's.  Just as we do not give children everything they want if we want them to be healthy children

so God is a good father, a good parent.  We would never refuse our children something they needed and neither will God.

>>>> Have someone read James 4:4-6.

            Q According to verse 4 what does James call "friendship with the world"?

               An = Friendship with the world is hatred towards God, being an enemy of God.  James even uses the word adultery to describe such

action.  We cannot be friends with the world and expect God to be pleased.

            Q So what is worldliness and what would friendship with the world look like today?

               An = It is when we are disloyal to God's commands.  It is when we are caught in our pride and when we are centered on ourselves.  A

self-centered attitude, taking of number One and a preoccupation with rights is the opposite of humility.

            Q What do you think verse 5 means?

               An =  The Holy Spirit within the Christian yearns enviously for our total loyalty and devotion to Him.  He wants our undivided love and

will not tolerate any rivals.  Exodus 20:5 and 34:14 say our God is an intensely passionate God.  He does not want to share our loyalty with any other

false gods or objects.  Ezekiel 6:9 speaks of how the Israelites, even though they were the chosen people (the church people of that day) were disloyal to

God and were called adulterers.  God had to judge them as such.  God is aware of where our hearts truly are.  We cannot fool Him.  He knows if we are

disloyal.

            Jesus brought up the same issue but applied it to a specific situation.  He puts it this way:  "We cannot have two masters" and the two

masters were God and money.  (Matthew 6:24 and Luke 6:13).

>>>> Have someone read Luke 16:13.

            Note:  So what do we do if we have a false god?  

>>>> You re-read James 4:6.

            Q According to this verse where does our hope lie?

               An = In our humility.  If we remain proud then God will oppose us, if we chose humility then God will give us grace.

            Note:  Our problem is that we, as believers, are often like ancient Israel.  We are in the believing community but we are not really loyal to

God.  The problem is with our selfish desires and they have led us to disloyalty to God.  So what do we do....?

 

IV.  The Answer to the Problem:  Submission.  James 4:7-11

>>>> Have someone read James 4:7.          

            Q Who are we to submit to and who are we to resist?

               An = We are not to submit to our selfish desires, but to resist selfishness because it is of the devil.  

            Notice that if we will submit to God and resist the devil, the devil will leave.  There is hope!  We are no match for the devil, but we have a

defender.  God can overcome Satan;  we cannot, but God can.  So, that's where we need to turn when we are confronted with a situation where we want

what we know is wrong and we have to go against our own desires.  We do not have to fight this alone, God helps us win the victory.

            There is not much that can compare with the wonderful feeling when we have been able to stand up to the devil and win the victory - it is a

real "upper".

>>>> Have someone read James 4:8-10.

            Q Are you offended by being called by James a sinner and a double minded person?

               An = Let them give their answers and then when all is said, just ask them a simple question.  Before God, is James wrong in his

assessment?

            Q What does it mean to "wash your hands, purify your hearts"?

               An = Stop reaching for the pleasures of the world that can contaminate you.  Renew your mind by choosing to be loyal to God's will.  Do

not be wishy-washy (double-minded about God and the world).  We cannot stand on the fence but rather we must choose.  With His help we can make the

right choice.                    

            Q Why does James tell us to grieve, mourn, wail, turn laughter to mourning and joy to gloom?  Are not Christians supposed to have joy?

               An = It is true            that joy is the Lord's goal for us.  However, we should mourn and weep over our sin because of its terrible

ramifications.  Sin can keep a person from accepting the salvation Christ offers.  Sin can keep, even a Christian, from fellowship with God.  Sin can keep

us from joy, from blessing, from the life that give peace and blessing to others.  

            Remember, we cannot have sin and God.  So, it is no laughing matter.  If a loved one, or even an acquaintance is spiritually lost, we surely

would feel like mourning for them.  Sin is serious and we need to recognize that.  Once we do, we are saddened by anyone being caught in its clutches and

at the possibility they might be lost.

            Q According to verse 10 what is the way out?

               An = Humility.  If we humble ourselves before the Lord then He will lift us up.

            

V.  Application of the Answer to a Practical Situation:  Slander.  James 4:11-12.

>>>> Have someone read James 4:11-12.

            Q What are we doing when we talk against or judge a "brother" (fellow Christian)?

               An = We are judging that person and then we have placed ourselves above God's law and made ourselves the judge over the law itself.

            There is no humility here (remember humility is the key to God's forgiving us).  God says we are to love our fellow Christians, "Love your

neighbor as yourself".  If we judge our brother or sister, instead of loving them then we are putting aside God's Law.  We are saying that we are smarter

than God and above His teaching.  We are the opposite of humility when we are in the midst of such arrogance.

            Q According to James 4:12 how many Judges and Lawgivers are there?

               An = Only One!  God almighty is our true Judge and Lawgiver.  He alone is able to save or destroy and we are not to judge our brother or

sister.  When we are judging another Christian we are judging God's teaching, and if we are judging God's teaching we are not obeying it.  To sit in

judgment over God's teaching is the height of arrogance, the opposite of humility.

            James 3:18 says true wisdom brings peace but our arrogance of judgmentalism does not bring peace but strife.

            Q  How many of you have gotten into an argument and one of you starts making up their own rules so they can win?

               An = Let them share if they will.  Such arguments never end with satisfaction.  Once we start making up our own rules, and disobeying

God's rules, then we never come to any solution to our disagreement.  We merely try to rationalize our own stand and own position.  Our only hope is not

to make up the rules so we can win (because then truth does not win), our only hope is to submit to God's rules so peace can be established.  

            It takes humility to submit to God and humility to want the truth to come out more than ourselves to be vindicated.  Most of us lack the

courage to be so open, to be so humble.  Humility takes great strength and great courage, but it is the way of blessing.


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