Lenten
Sermon Series: Lessons from James
James
3:1-18
This week we continue our Lenten
sermon series taking a deep look at the book of James. Those who have been here in worship over the
past few Sundays will know by now that James is more of a sermon then a letter,
and it is a sermon that is calling us to moral upright behavior. From striving to be “doers of the word”
instead of simply “hearers of the word”, to navigating the balance between
faith and works, the book of James is challenging and inspiring.
Once again, we turn to the scriptures
together as this is much easier if you follow along. I have encouraged you to bring a Bible from
home, but if you haven’t then grab one of those red pew Bibles and turn to page
981. We will begin this week with a look
at chapter 3.
(Read 3:1-5a)
James begins this morning with a
warning to folks like me. Those of us
who feel called to be teachers within the Christian tradition must be wary of
their role and must recognize that we will be judged accordingly. James acknowledges that we all make mistakes;
and that one thing that often leads us into those mistakes is our tongue, or
the things that we say. James suggests
that if we are able to control our tongues, then we can control our whole
bodies. Like the bridle that leads a
horse, or a rudder that steers a ship, the tongue is small but has great power. As James suggests, “the tongue boasts of
great exploits”, it is like an independent agent acting outside of one’s
control.
(Read 3:5b-13)
James goes on here to lay out our
struggles with the tongue. The tongue is
like a fire that can burn the whole house down.
I think we can all call to mind examples of times when one person has
said one thing and it has caused a giant uproar in the community. Or, of how a slanderous comment, even if it
is later proven to be untrue, has the power to destroy a person’s
character. James points out that one
small word, one small statement, can be a very dangerous thing. Thus his claim that the tongue is itself “set
on fire by hell”. I don’t think any one
of us can deny that from our mouths come great evils.
James points out that many animals
have been tamed, and yet we are unable as people to tame our own tongues. He marvels that from the same mouth come
forth both blessings and cursings. James
declares that logically this should not be the case. The fig tree cannot bring forth olives, and
yet our tongues produce two kinds of fruit.
James is addressing a cosmic dualism
at this point claiming that the tongue is both of God and of the devil. The power at work in the tongue is not simply
a human device but an actual affront to the powers of God. James challenges us declaring that as those who
are made in the very image of God, we should not bring forth cursings from
hell. James wonders how we know without
a doubt that salt water cannot yield fresh, and yet we accept without question the
unnaturalness of a mouth that both blesses and curses God.
Personally, I can say that I am guilty
of this particular sin. While I try to
watch my language carefully here at church, it is not uncommon for a foul word
or two to slip from my mouth on the weekdays.
James would be aghast to find that this same mouth which calls down
blessings upon all of us on a Sunday morning at church, can also rain down
curses on the person rudely parked in the car drop off line on a Monday morning
at the elementary school. This Lenten
season it is clear to me which area of my life need some improvement,
especially as one who dares to stand up here and be a teacher of the faith.
When we look at the broader picture of
society the danger of the tongue is certainly on display. As one commentator I was reading said “We
dwell in a virtual Babel of linguistic confusion and misdirection.” From the endless onslaught of advertising
that seeks to lure us in one direction or the other, to the outright slandering
of public figures, one can only imagine what James might say of our modern use
of the tongue. From “fake news” to
“alternative facts” there seems to be no shortage of tongues that both bless
and curse. And if James had ever
witnessed the horror of “internet trolls” and the comments on social media, he
would have no doubt of the tongues’ deep connection to the fires of hell. This centuries old text is as relevant today
as ever!
(Read 3:13-18)
James continues here with a lesson on
how what is inside our hearts, our faith, will manifest itself in our
lives. Those who claim to be wise in the
faith should demonstrate that faith by the way that they live. Again, we are returning to that faith and
works conversation that James is so famous for.
James is declaring that if we have the love of God in our hearts then
our lives should be marked by gentleness and mercy. By contrast, if our hearts are full of
selfishness, we will harvest a different fruit.
Selfish ambition will only lead to sinful behavior including envy,
boasting, disorder, and wickedness.
James claims that it is those who sow peace in this world which will
then harvest righteousness and peace.
I really like what James is saying
here because I really agree with it. I
remember when I was new to the faith I really struggled with the idea that
everyone was born a sinner. It seemed so
offensive to me to write us all off as bad people. But the more I studied, and the more I lived
my life, the more I could clearly see that sin is what is at the root of all of
our hearts. Personally, I believe that
the specific sin that plagues all of us is selfishness. It is a sin we are born into and it is a sin
we must spend a lifetime overcoming.
Our society teaches us that
selfishness is OK, a virtue even. We are
taught that one has to put themselves first, if one is going to have the best
of anything in life. Doing something a
“little” wrong to get ahead, is simply passed off as the way we play the
game. James would disagree. He warns that from our selfish heart comes
envy towards others who have more than us.
In next week’s chapter we will read that from that envy will grow wrath
and violence.
James is encouraging us to think
another way. We should be wary of the
selfishness that resides within our hearts.
James would ask us to continually turn away from that selfishness and
turn instead to the ways of God. It is a
continual process of conversion. Daily
we can work to form hearts that are motivated by gentleness, by mercy, by care,
and by compassion for others. Our
natural state is to be selfish. James
calls us to a converted state of kindness and peace.
That’s plenty for today. I hope that you are getting an idea now of
why I thought the book of James would make such a good Lenten study for us as a
congregation. The lessons that James offers
could hardly be more timely. I think
James would be shocked to see how easily so much of society blesses and curses
God with the same tongue. And the sinful
selfish heart is as alive and well in our modern age as it was in the Greco
Roman world that James was addressing.
As you go out into the world this week
I encourage you to consider these lessons from James. Pay attention to the things that you
say. How easily do both kindness and
foulness pour forth from your own mouth?
(Personally, I know I need to work on this one.) And take some time in prayer to consider what
resides in the depth of your heart. We
all bear a seed of selfish ambition. Are
you able to overcome that and act instead in God’s ways of compassion and
peace? It is certainly a good goal for
the week.
This Lenten season, as we continue our
pilgrimage together, may we become ever more aware of our own sinfulness, and
ever more motivated to continue our conversion as followers of Jesus
Christ. Amen.
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