BUILDING BARNS

I probably should have just borrowed the money, or just gone to the savings account and taken out enough to build it.  Probably should have just hired a contractor and let them do it.  But I am "thrifty".( That's a nice way of saying that I squeak when I walk, I'm a penny-pincher, a tight-wad).  So I set a long term goal and with a short term memory. And with absolutely no idea how to start the task much less complete it, I set out to build a barn.

In order to save money, I will have to pull down the old barn and shed and use the good lumber that's in them. I'm good at smashing stuff not so good at putting it back together.  

I told everyone that I was in no hurry.  "If I get the roof on by October I'll be happy.  I'll just buy one board at a time". But you know that's not the way it will be don't you?

I wouldn't have been afraid of building a dog house, or bird house or even a chicken coop.   I wouldn't have known how to do it but I would have had no trepidation in beginning the process.  But just saying "I'm going to build a barn" gives me the "heebie-jeebies".

If I just wouldn't have read Luke 12.  If I would have skipped over that part I could have gone right ahead and built my barn with no problems.  But there it was a big as day,
 
"This will I do" the old guy said, " I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods" ..."But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee, then whose shall those things be.."? 


But God, I need a good barn.  I need a good place to keep the tractor and equipment out of the rain.  I need a good place to store the tools. Lord, my son-in-law has a great barn and he don't even have a tractor.

Not good enough.  Still looks too much like the guy in Luke 12.  But I have a plan.

Every year for the past 10 years or so we have been holding what I call the "barn dance" for our church.  Now, we are good ole southern Nazarene Christians and God would send hell fire and brimstone down and burn us all up like Sodom and Gomorrah if we even thought about dancing. I couldn't dance if my feet were on fire but I call it that just to give grief to our pastor.  He calls it the October fest, or the Fall Festival..anything but the barn dance.

So if I build the barn in order to give us a really good place to have the "barn dance"...wow! what a deal.  That sounds nothing at all like the guy in Luke 12.

So :I began the process.  My oldest son had a telephone pole that he donated.  My middle son gave me $25.00 for Christmas to buy the next pole.  I saved up to get the third one and even my little ole 91 year old Mama dug around in her stash and pulled out $25.00 for the 4th pole.

I had no idea how to put a 20 foot pole in the ground. The first one took Derek and I almost an entire day. The second went up in about 5 hours.  The third was much quicker and the  4th heck, I did that one all by myself except for a little help from Keva working the wench.

What a blessing it was to get out there, in no hurry, under no pressure, working with my son, and building a barn.  What a blast to have my wife come out and help me.  She helped me so much I dropped 5 concrete blocks on my foot. And to see Granny hold on to that pole and grin a big grin as she envisioned the big ole red barn that would one day stand on that spot.

I believe I'm safe.  I don't believe God will be upset with this barn.  Because if you read on down in that chapter in about the 21st verse it says don't be like the guy who"lays up treasures for himself and is not rich toward God"  

I may have to save to buy lumber.  I may have to  pull nails instead of buying more.  But one thing I'm sure of, "I am rich".  I am rich  because of the wonderful place God gave me.  I am rich because of the peace He has placed in my heart through His Son Jesus.  And I am rich because of a great family that will help an old man reach for his crazy goals.  I am rich because of God, I am rich by God's help and I am "rich toward God".

So come on buy if you are out this way.  You'll probably see me out there swaying back and forth on that shaky old ladder, smashing my finger with the hammer, dropping blocks on my toe.  But as you drive by don't make fun of my carpenter work and don't take notice how crooked the walls are, just tell yourself, "Look out there in that field, see that old man?  That's one of the richest men I know".

PLANTING ENGLISH PEAS

No one ever accused me of being a farmer.  Oh, I lived on a farm from the time I was about 13-14 until I went into the Coast Guard.  I've planted a garden almost everywhere I've lived that had a foot or two of dirt.  Since we've lived here I've planted and grown a lot of veggies over the years.  But I doubt that there has ever been a time that I've done it right. I'm not sure that I ever even do it the same way two years in a row. 

Not a lot of folks plant English Peas around here. I haven't found a lot of folks that even like to eat them.  But I do so every year I plant them. You have to plant English peas early, real early.  They don't produce much or even survive much when it gets hot. So I usually end up planting in January.  If I plant right, and we get good weather and the deer don't eat them before they produce, then we usually get one or two picking each year.  That's not very many but enough to eat and freeze a few for the winter.

So that's why I was out in the garden spot yesterday evening.  Disking up the ground, laying off the rows and getting ready to plant.  But as usual, something else came up and I didn't get to finish. 

A man who has worked with Keva for many years got some really bad news last week.  His wife went to the hospital for a fairly non-serious malady.  But what they found was devastating.  The news was what, I guess we all think we might hear one day, "You have terminal cancer and only have 4 months to live". 

That's a smash in the mouth for anyone but with this family it is even more tragic.  You see, this man (I'll call him George) and his wife, (I'll call her Martha) are not Christian.  They don't  claim to be.  They don't want to be.  They don't even want you to pray for them. How can they face this type of situation without God?  How can they face the grindstone of daily living without God? 

Well, Keva wanted to go visit them at the hospital and being the wonderful husband that I am, I agreed to go along.  But what do you say?  What can you do?  The regular stuff that one says at times like these will certainly not be well received from people who don't believe in God.  I tried to think. As Derek and I stood out in the field I asked him to pray for us while we were away at the hospital that God would give us the right words, And we made the 30 mile drive. 

We didn't get to see Martha.  Visiting hours were over.  But met George at a little fast food place and gave him some goodies that were sent from his old friends at work and let him talk about the spot they were in.  I inserted a few "Christian-ease" phrases as the conversation progressed.  As we stood outside the shop and felt the cold wind blow down from Canada with nothing to stop it but a broken down bobbed wire fence somewhere in Montana, George said, "We are wasting precious time. We've got to do something. We've got to do everything we can".   

Lord what can I say?  "You know George, modern medicine has made great progress.  Modern science has made leaps and bounds.  But I still don't believe the doctors have the final say in this matter", I said.  "You and I have seen them make bad calls before.  Keva's favorite Bible verse says, "We have not because we ask not", and our part is asking.  God's part is the doing".  I wasn't sure if I'd pushed too hard. He hugged Keva and shook my hand and we turned to go.

I got back to my English peas this morning.  I got out to the garden just after day-light but before the sun had stuck it's head over the horizon.  The seat to the tractor had frost on it.  The steering wheel had frost on it.  It sure didn't feel like a day for planting.  There was no hope of Spring to be found.   But I laid off the rows, planted the peas and put some dirt over them to keep them warm. "I sure hope we make a good crop of peas this year", I said to myself, heck there was no one else to talk to.  "People make good crops all the time. Who knows, maybe we'll get one".

Just as I got to the end of the row, the sun stuck it's head up over the pines and rubbed my back with it's warm hands.  Somewhere way off along the tree line a little bird started singing.  Sounded like he was calling for warmer days. And just for a moment I felt that hope of Spring run along those rows and encourage my heart.

"Yep, maybe we'll get one".

Oh, I'm sorry, I chase rabbits sometime when I get to talking.  I was telling you about George.   As we turned to go and get back in our car,  George, the old guy who says he doesn't believe in God.  The old guy who doesn't want anyone to pray for him or his wife.  The old guy who is a non-believer said something that blew my mind.  "You know, miracles happen every day.  Maybe we'll just get one". 

And even though the clouds were covering the sky and the night was falling down around us and there seemed to be no hope for these people or this situation, somewhere off along the tree line a little bird  started singing and I felt some warms strong hands on my back and the hope of healing both physical and spiritual ran down through that parking lot and encourged my heart.

You can't believe in miracles without beliving in the Miracle Worker.  You can't believe in miracles without believing in a miracle working God.  "Yeah George I think you might be right.  Maybe we'll just get one".

SATURDAY TONGUES

PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY

JAMES 3

THE SATURDAY TONGUE

If you traveled to England, took a drive in the country side outside of London you would pass old farmhouses, quaint old churches and there on a lonely, windswept hillside you would find a small, un-kept little cemetery.  If you take time to get out of the car and walk through this garden of stones you will come upon a small headstone.  The words on this stone have almost been erased by the cold, damp English winds.  But if you look closely you will come upon the grave of Mary Ellen Young.  Mary Ellen lived a long life.  While living there among the little farm houses and villages of that area Mary Ellen developed a reputation of an awful gossip.  Her words had cut and hurt many a man and woman of her community.  So when she died this verse was placed on her head stone.

“Beneath this stone, a lump of clay

Lies Mary Ellen Young

Who on the 21^st of May

Begin to hold her tongue”

What a fitting epitaph for a woman who could not control her words.   I wonder if people were to write truthful statements on tombstones today, what would be on my stone.  Lord, I think it is a good thing that I won’t be around to read what people write on my stone. It might hurt my feelings.     

THE TEACHER AND THE TONGUE: VERSE 1:  James begins his discourse with a warning to teachers. As a leader, teacher or as James calls it in the KJV, a master, you have a greater goal, a greater task and a greater responsibility.  A leader is responsible for being in control of not only what they do and say but the instructions they give to their followers.

Their statements, their instruction, their expressed ideas not only reflect their heart but also serve to Influence the hearts and minds of their students and followers. 

John Calvin, the great preacher and the leader of the Calvinistic movement often preached at the Geneva Church.  Like most great cathedral like churches of that time there was a long stairway or ladder if you will that led to the pulpit. Calvin once said that it would be better for him to fall from the ladder and break his neck than to preach or teach a truth without first applying that truth to his own life.

We would think it foolishness for a doctor to neglect his health or a banker to not be able to balance his check book or a law enforcement officer to break the law.  How much more foolish and harmful for a preacher or teacher of the Word of God to expound what he does not experience. 

In the time in history when James was writing this letter, people wanted to be considered educated, learned and wise.  They would pride themselves in the fact that men would call them “Rabbi” or teacher. To help a rabbi carry his load, to bring a rabbi water, to do anything for a rabbi was a noble task.  Men would go to great lengths in order to marry the daughter of a rabbi.  So you can see why at least in that time men wanted to be considered teachers. 

But James warns against this.  He cautions his readers not to strive to be a teacher because when they assume the position of a teacher or a leader the will be held to a higher standard.   

In today’s society, preachers, teachers, certainly parents and all LEADERS must be vigilant in what they teach and how they live their lives.  They must live a life under control.  They must be controlled in all areas but as we will see in the following verses especially in the area of the “tongue”. 

VERSE 2 and following:  James continues to say that one of the main areas in which leaders are required to be responsible is in the area of our speech, or as James puts it, “the tongue”. 

Now in our modern, educated world we understand that the tongue is nothing more than a simple muscle in our body.  It is controlled by the voluntary and involuntary nervous system.  In other words, if I asked you to stick out your tongue you could control it and either stick it out or keep it in, which ever you choose.

On the other hand, the tongue does a lot that we don’t realize involuntarily.  When we swallow, the tongue directs the food or liquid through the pharynx and down to the esophagus.  We don’t really have to think about that or work at it, it just happens.  Also when we breathe the tongue remains out of the way and does not fall back into the trachea thus blocking our airway.  We don’t have to think about that, it just happens involuntarily.

If we could take the tongue out and look at it we would see that it is attached to the lower jaw.  But we would also notice that no where would we be able to find a connection between the tongue and the heart.       

James would have drawn a little bit different illustration of the tongue.  His might have looked like this.  He would have somehow connected the tongue to the heart with a chain, a rope, or some sort of connecting device. 

He goes on to explain how small the tongue is and the influence that your tongue can have by giving a few examples. 

1. I have here a bit used on a bridle to control a horse.  A bit is small in size compared to the large horse but properly placed the bit can cause that large horse to turn around on a dime. 

2. I also have here a ships wheel.  It is attached to the rudder of the ship and is used to control the ship.  The rudder again is very small in comparison to the entire ship and yet by turning the ship’s wheel and thus turning the rudder by just a small amount the entire course of the vessel can be changed.

James tells us the tongue can alter the course of human actions and events.  Consider the words of these men and the effect they had on those who followed them.

 

JOSHUA: Can you imagine how you would have felt, standing there with Joshua that day?  The Children of Israel had spent 40 years wondering around in the desert.  They had experienced hard time and bad times.  They had lost Moses their commander and leader.  They had crossed the Jordan with Joshua their new leader and watched as Jericho had fallen without firing a shot.  They had victories and defeats and Joshua was now challenging them to make a choice.  I can see leathery, wrinkled face as he looked out over the mass of people.  “Choose you this day who you will serve”, he cries out with a strong voice “but for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”  What strength and determination he must have instilled in those weary wonderers.  With his words, with his tongue he brought strength and courage to his people.

WILLIAM TRAVIS:  His life had not been an easy one or a spotless one.  Travis had had his ups and downs too.  He had been a military man most of his life.  Born in Virginia, moved to Alabama, now given the unglamorous job of commanding a small Mexican mission in the territory called Texas.  Things were turning sour.  The Mexican army, lead by Santa Anna was upon him.  His small group of volunteers was out numbered, out gunned and overwhelmed.  Their defeat was immanent. But he stood there in the court yard of that little fort called the Alamo that day and took his sword and drew a line in the sand.  “You can go” he said, “and no one will think less of you.  But I am going to stay and fight.  If you will fight with me, step across the line”.  What bravery, what leadership, how his words challenged and invigorated those volunteers.  Years later we still remember their courage, their stand and we remember The Alamo.

JOHN F. KENNEDY:  John Kennedy is not one of my favorite historical figures.  I was raised in the South in a Christian family. John Kennedy was raised in the North in a Catholic family.  He stood for a lot of things that I did not like.  He did a lot of things I did not approve of.  But as a speaker and a motivator, he was one of the best. 

The date was Friday January 20^th 1961.  In Washington D.C. John Kennedy stood to be sworn in as the youngest man to ever serve as President of the United States and the first Catholic to ever serve as President.   His inaugural address only lasted 13 minutes and 59 seconds, which included pauses for applause from the crowd.  And yet the words that he spoke that day still ring in the ears of old and young alike.  They motivated the masses to get to work and make things happen.  “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for you country”. 

Wise words, inspirational words, positive words, words spoken at the right time and place that influenced the actions of men and women.  We simply do not realize the importance of positive, well meant, well directed, and well timed words. 

But James understood.  Undoubtedly he had read the words of the writer of Proverbs where he wrote in Proverbs 25:11“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pitchers of silver”.

I don’t think that encourages excessive words.  I don’t believe it promotes words for words sake. But says much about words, directed by the wisdom from God, and dispatched with love for the people who hear it. 

But James also knew the flip side of this issue.  He tells of words that are full of hate and harm that can cause very negative actions by men. 

He compared these words to a tiny spark dropped at the proper time and in the proper place, under the right conditions, one little spark that can result in the destruction of mighty forest, homes and entire communities. 

Smokey Bear warns that “Only you can prevent forest fires”.  He makes the point that a little indiscretion can lead to a lot of UN-CONTROL.  Smokey warns you to be in control of what you do concerning fire. 

James would have liked to said that concerning the tongue but he couldn’t.  James says “You can’t control your tongue”. 

You and I didn’t really need James to tell us that did we?  We knew it already whether we were willing to admit it or not.  Listen to a little of the explanation that James gives:

·         With the tongue “we bless God The Father and curse men who are made like The Father”

·         Out of the same mouth proceeds blessings and cursing”

The general public sees our Christians tongues like this:

·         On Sunday we are clothed in our Sunday cloths and wearing our Sunday faces.  We are in our Sunday places using our Sunday phrases.  With our Sunday tongues we speak words and phrases like, Hallelujah, Praise The Lord, and Amen. 

·         But on Monday we are wearing our Monday cloths and our Monday tongue is yelling at little old ladies who pull out in front of us on the street.

·         On Tuesday our Tuesday tongue talks to the clerk at the store about our brother or sister at the church.  We tell them all the facts and if we are short a few, our Tuesday tongue can make up some to fill the gaps. 

·         Our Wednesday tongue will try to be a little more in control; after all we are supposed to attend Bible study on this night (if we can’t find some sort of excuse).  So with our Wednesday tongue we try to sing a hymn or a nice praise and worship song we heard.  But before the day is over we let slip a few bad words we heard on the radio or TV. 

·         On Thursday we are already worn down by the busy week.  We just want to make it to the weekend.  So our Thursday tongue chooses to speak those little “white lies” just to get us by.

·         And then there is Friday we are ready to party.  The weekend is upon us and we can rest, relax and have a good time.  Our minds get loose and our tongue follows.  We speak with a Friday tongue.  

You see where I’m going don’t you?  By the time Saturday night gets here you would have to have a program to tell the Christians from the lions, the Saints from the sinners.  There is no telling what the Saturday tongue will say.  There is no telling how much harm the Saturday tongue can do.  James says “these things ought not to be”.

But after all that caution and all that warning James the half brother of Jesus says “You can’t control your tongue”. 

I want to lay out three conditions for you tonight.  I want to show you three places where a man or woman can find themselves spiritually.  I ask you to look at them PRACTICALLY and see where you are standing.  Because it is only when you can see where you are standing will you be able to know the direction that will take you where you want to go.

LOCATION/ CONDITION NUMBER 1:

The unsaved/ sinner:

Paul tells us in Romans 3:23 that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”.  If you are a human being, if you were born on planet earth, if you have a heart, soul and mind, YOU HAVE SINNED. And you didn’t need Paul or me to tell you that either. 

Paul goes on to say that “THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH”.  Oh he doesn’t mean physical death which we all will face someday, but instead spiritual death.  Understand that this is not a punishment that some big, mean, all powerful God is inflicting on you but it is a Holy, righteous, loving Father paying you the wages for which you have worked.  By your actions and attitudes you have earned the death penalty.

For this person, control is non-existent.  He/she does whatever feels good.  He obeys self and self only.

His tongue is loose cannon spewing fiery cannon balls in whichever direction he turns. 

LOCATION/CONDITION NUMBER 2:

Forgiven/ Christian:

When a man or woman realizes by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit that they are in position number one, and takes steps to remove themselves from that position by obeying the Word of God, they become a Christian.  It is as simple as “God I realize that I have sinned against you and that you gave your Son Jesus as a sacrifice for my sins.  I know it’s my fault and I take full responsibility for my actions but I cry out to you and ask you to forgive me”  God has told us through Paul that “if we confess our sins He (God) is faithful and just to forgive our sins”.  Our job is to believe that and follow Jesus. 

But am I in His control now?  I mean completely?

As we discussed a few weeks ago there remains a controller, a ruler, a king on the throne of your heart.  Someone is sitting on your throne and someone is controlling what you do and say, someone is pulling the strings of the puppet.  That someone is usually YOU.  You are experiencing that up and down “roller coaster ride” And until, again by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, you realize that “you” have to come down off that throne and ask God to sit in rule over your soul, you will continue to experience that “up and down”,”back and forth” experience where you are in God’s will one day and 100 miles away the next.

LOCATION/ CONDITION NUMBER 3:  Here again is where a simple act of asking and faith will get you where you want to be.  “Lord, my Savior, my Forgiver, I want you to be my King.  I want you to have complete control of me.  I want more than just to recognize you as my God.  I want you to be my Controller, my Lord”

And you know what God has already said don’t you?  “If you then being evil know how to  give good gifts to your children, HOW MUCH MORE will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him”.

I can’t save myself.  I can’t do anything that will cause me to be guiltless.  All I can do is ask.  Neither can I perform any act that will make my heart clean and in God’s control.  All I can do is ask.  But in that asking, I have done exactly what God wanted me to do in the first place. I have recognized His Lordship and surrendered myself to Him and HE WILL MAKE ME CHRIST-LIKE. 

I have been a Christian longer than most of you have been wearing “big-boy” britches but as I sit behind my desk and type these words I feel the unexplainable grace of God just fill my heart.  I hear Him say, “Let me handle it.  I know best.  Give it all to me and I’ll lead you home”.

Until we come to that place, until we reach that condition James’ statement will be right, we will never be able to control the tongue.  But when we reach Condition number 3, listen to this, in verse 1718:

We get…”the wisdom that is from above” it is “first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere”.

Is that the kind of people we need in our church? 

Listen again from another translation.  “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere”. (New Living Translation)

That’s where I want to be.  That’s where God, “The Controller” can cause my tongue to do whatever He wants it to do and say whatever He wants it to say.  He can attach my Saturday tongue to a Sunday heart.  So James I might just agree with you, “no man can control the tongue”…but God can and He will when we allow Him to do so.  I hope that’s where you want to be. 

ARROWS

For most of my life, at least the parts that I can remember, I have been interested in genealogy.  I believe this fascination tends to increase as your years on this planet multiply. Seeing my interest grow in this area, my sweet wife bought me a years subscription to Ancestry.com a while back.  With their resources and lots of help from distant family members I met there, I was able to put together quite an impressive list of "those gone by".  At last look I have about 1500 ancestors that we have left along the trail.  Members, branches of the "family tree".  Of course there is not much information about them.  There is their name, born____ and  died____ and that's about it. Still Keva says I know more about my dead relatives than I do about my live ones. She is usually right about most things.

But I so glad that my family is doing it's part to perpetuate the "family tree".  Why, last year at Christmas I didn't have any grand kids. This year there were 4 with one on the way.  They call me "Grump" so I guess the "little ones"are the "Grumpetts".  My daughter said that sounded like a singing group that needed to go on the road.

I've said all that to say this:  At 10:30 this morning, Kimberly called to  tell me there would be another male addition to the "Grumpetts".  Oh, we don't know his name yet or what he looks like.  Not ever sure of his birth date, but he's on the way and I'm excited. 

King David once said (In Psalms 127) that "children are a heritage from the Lord.  Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man" is how he described our kids.  He went on to say that the man would be happy who "has his quiver full".

And though it may be a bit disconcerting for an old man to see more people in your family on the plus side than on the minus, I believe the old king was right.  At 80 years old Calab asked Joshua to "give me this mountain" and set out to take the land inhabited by the giants.  He was a warrior with plenty of arrows and a mighty God to lead him.

Let me just say thank you to my children for filling up my quiver.  With all these arrows and a mighty God leading the way I'm ready to take on any mountain and giant that comes along.

But remember this, I don't do diapers".  

JAMES-PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY-CHAPTER 2

PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY

JAMES CHAPTER 2

FAITH PLUS

I.  FAITH OR WORKS:  We have discussed that some accuse James of promoting a salvation that is based on works and not faith.  So just to assure that we are all on the same page with these two ideas (faith and works) let’s talk about them for a few minutes.

QUESTION: What would be a salvation based on faith?

• I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
• I believe that He came to earth born of a virgin
• I believe that He suffered and died for my sins
• I believe that He rose again and ascended into heaven
• I believe that He accepts my confession and gives His forgiveness

QUESTION:  Does that sound like something you could believe in?  Is there something you could add to the doctrine of belief in salvation by faith?

QUESTION:  Then what would salvation by works look like?

•  I must realize my position as a sinner

• I must come to Him and ask forgiveness
• I must confess my sins and accept his forgiveness
• I must live in His will
• I will receive a crown of life

QUESTION: Is that something you could live with?

QUESTION:  What is the difference in these two lines of thinking?

Number one focuses on God’s part, which the believer “believes” He will do

Number two focuses on Man’s part, which the believer “believers” he should do

QUESTION: Is it necessary to have faith that God will do what He says He will do?

QUESTION: Is it necessary for me to do what God instructs me to do?

I believe it is important for us to realize that both Paul and James are describing the exact same experience but are looking at it from a different perspective

Do you remember the story of the four blind men who were asked to describe what an elephant looked like?

The first man walked up to the side of the elephant and touched the massive body.  “The elephant is like a wall”, he said.

The second man walked up and wrapped his arms around the elephant’s leg.  “Oh no, he said, the elephant is like a tree”.

The third man reached out and touched the elephant’s trunk.  “You are both mistaken”, he replied, “The elephant is more like a large snake”.

Then the forth man reached out and grabbed hold of the elephant’s tail.  “How you could be so foolish”he said, “The elephant is nothing more than the size of a rope”.

Use what you know about elephants and tell me, were these men right?  Were these men wrong? 

QUESTION:  Was their description complete?

Was Paul right when he supported the idea that one should “Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved”?

Was James right when he said “God saves you to do something”?

Both were right but they were discussing two different and separate areas of the gift of salvation.

II. VERSES 1-9: FAITH PLUS-RESPECT

In these verses James discusses an area in which many Christians fall short.  James says that you must not exercise “respect of persons”, which in our day and time means that “you should respect everyone”.

Recently, just a week ago during the “big snow and ice event” we experienced, I met the man who operates the “Through the Grace of God” ministry over across the tracks.  He does not claim to be Baptist, Methodist, Nazarene or any other denomination.  He is a man who was saved and given a burden for the lost.  Doing the best that he can, he feeds, cloths, provides shelter, sings and preaches to these people.  Just a short time ago he was able to provide a car for a man who could not make it to work because he had no transportation.  Now the man is back to work making a living for his family.

As we talked about churches in general, he made a statement that has stuck in my “craw”.  He said, “The people who come to church services here won’t go to other churches because other churches don’t want them”.

You will probably react just like I did. “Sure we want them, we want everyone”.

So then, why do they go there, 80-100 a week and we are only seeing about 25-30 a week? 

THEY GO THERE BECAUSE HE WANTS THEM ENOUGH TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR NEEDS.  HE PUTS HIS FAITH TO WORK. He welcomes them, no matter how dirty they are, what color they are, how bad they smell or how rough they have lived. He respects them.  He values them.

AND THEY COME!  They come to get food, they come to get cloths, they come with their problems.  They come with alcohol on their breath, they come smelling like cigarettes, they come smelling like urine and filth but they come and they hear the Word of God.

That ladies and gentleman is what’s called putting your faith to work.  That’s called Faith Plus.  

I’ve asked around but I haven’t learned a lot about his ministry.  I don’t know about the doctrine he teaches.  I don’t know how he screens his people as to who get’s what and who he helps.  But I know this; He is reaching needy people on a daily and weekly basis that you and I are not even attempting to reach.

And that makes me ashamed.  How can we gather in our “Holy huddle” and be content to sing our songs and pray our prayers and listen to our devotions and messages.  How can we raise our hands and praise the Lord and call ourselves Christians and sit on our fat “fanny” and DO NOTHING?

If that offends you then great, it offends me too.  And I hope and pray to God that it offends us enough to cause us to get up and add to our faith some WORKS. 

Faith is wonderful.  Believing is essential. But there has to be some Holy arithmetic involved if we are to live lives that are pleasing to God. 

Let’s read II Peter 1: 1-7

V-1:  Peter a servant and apostle.  Not just an apostle.  Not just a saint.  Not just one of the twelve. Not just a close friend of Jesus Christ….BUT A SERVANT.  One who DOES STUFF for others. Peter was one who took on the role of a servant. 

V-2-3:  He talks of grace being “multiplied” to you (there is that Holy arithmetic again) through the knowledge of God. Here is what Gene mentioned in last week’s lesson.  The knowledge of God is gained  by studying God’s Word and listening to Him speak to you.  It is gained by asking Him to give you the knowledge and wisdom you need. And through that knowledge the grace that He gives is “multiplied”. 

V-4:  He gives us these promises.  Oh, folks please make you a list of promises from God, promises that will speak to your heart.  Write them down.  Look at them often. Memorize them and apply them to your life.  For it is through these promises we are “partakers of the divine nature”.

V-5:  And here it is, get this.  As you claim the promises, gain the knowledge and exercise your FAITH:

ADD TO YOUR FAITH:

• VIRTUE
• KNOWLEDGE
• TEMPERANCE
• PATIENCE
• GODLINESS
• BROTHERLY KINDNESS
• CHARITY

Yes, Paul I agree we must have faith.  We must believe, but we must have FAITH PLUS.

James gives this example in verses 14-16. 

“What does it profit, my brothers (what difference does it make)….if we see a man or woman (brother or sister) destitute of daily food (hungry) and we say, depart in peace (Jesus loves you brother) be warm and filled (good luck to you) but you don’t give them the things they need”!

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES YOUR FAITH MAKE IF YOU ARE NOT WORKING?

 In our church, in your life, in my life, are we making a difference?  We talked about a few weeks ago, the story of the boy and the star-fish.  He threw the star-fish back into the water and said, “I may not be able to save all of them but I can save this one”.  WE CAN’T EVEN SAY THAT!  HAVE WE MADE AN EFFORT TO SAVE ONE! 

I should be ashamed to lie down in my warm house, in my warm bed, with my overly stuffed belly.  I should be ashamed to sit on my bank book like a hen on her nest using the excuse that I must provide for my family first.  I should be ashamed to ask God to “bless those in need” and do NOTHING ABOUT IT.  SHAME ON ME AND SHAME ON YOU TOO IF YOU ARE IN THE SAME BOAT.

VERSE 17:  “Faith, if it has no works, is DEAD”.

What sanctimonious grave yards we have created and we sit back and call them churches. We have dedicated and consecrated Holy cemeteries where all of us good ole saints come to sit and DIE. 

CONCLUSION:  I’ll end with this.  You may be saying, “I’d like to help.  I’d like to be able to do something.  I’d like to make a difference and put my faith to work but I don’t know what to do”. 

Probably it more like you are saying, "I am too busy, I don't have time to do anything". Let me give you a few suggestions.

1. Go by The Grace of God Ministry see the manager, and ask what you can do.  Donate food, cloths, money.  Go by and sort cloths, sweep floors, talk to the people there, get to know them.  Help on the nights that they feed.

2. Go by the Son Shine Ministry in Jemison and see the manager there.  She has an old converted Sunday school building that has been converted into a place that is FULL of women and children who have no place to live.  That place needs someone to help organize and clean and coordinate the work of the women who are staying there.  She needs someone to come by and play with the kids.  She needs people who will spend some time picking up garbage and raking the yard and making the place presentable.  She needs people who will help cook and serve food. 

She has an old dilapidated duplex house that is full of homeless, desolate men.  The house needs someone who knows how to do electrical work, carpentry work, painting, plumbing and general cleaning. She needs building materials, boards, window panes, doors, plywood, and two x fours. She needs sheets and pillow cases and blankets.  She needs cots, bunk beds and mattresses.   She needs someone to say, I may not be able to do much but I can come by one day a week and help. 

3.  My daughter in law went to a nursing home a few weeks ago and took Perrin, my grandson.  She didn’t lead in worship.  She didn’t sing for them.  She didn’t preach to them. She let them hold the baby. She let them be parents and grandparents again.  She showed them respect and dignity for just a few minutes.  Why couldn’t you do something like that?

4. Our church could join other churches in the county that have said,” We will help in times of disaster” We will become a Red Cross shelter. “Oh, we’d have to let undesirable people sleep in here and eat in here”.  You surely would, but you would also get the chance to pray with them and preach to them and sing with them and offer them hope and help. 

I could go on.  But you know what you have to offer.  You know what God is leading you to do.  We just have to be willing to do it.  We have to have FAITH PLUS. 

I am well aware that most of the things that I teach or say in a Bible study are politely received and promptly forgotten, by my listeners and by myself.  We are good at making plans and setting goals and objectives.  Last week I looked back at the church board meeting minutes for the last ten years.  Can I tell you that there are items that the church board talked about, thought were very important and voted on and adopted by resolution and after ten years they are still not done? 

Just a few weeks ago we discussed in this very same room, around these very same tables, that when God shows you something  to do, DO IT NOW.  Don’t sit around and think it to death.  I’m all about planning.  That’s a large part of my job.  But we can plan ourselves and others to death.  We can sit here on our good intentions and say “as soon as we get this right and as soon as we complete this task, THEN we will be able to accomplish the task God has given us to do”.  And the whole time men and women and teens and children in our town, in our county are needy and lonely and lost and going to hell.

And don’t get it in your heads that it is just the “homeless and needy” that are needy.  There are people living across the road from our church, people who have much better homes than we have, people who have much more money than I could count, who are “needy”.

It would, or it should break our hearts if we realized the hurt that is being carried in the “inner self” of people we associate with on a daily basis.  Even the people we sit here around these tables with on Wednesday night, and Sunday morning.   

My prayer is that God will build a fire in our gut that will not go out.  If we will ask Him, if we will let Him, if we will be obedient to His leading, what a difference we could make.  This next year we can put our FAITH to work.  We can have FAITH PLUS. 

JAMES, PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY-CHAPTER 1

JAMES: PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY

CHAPTER 1

VERSE 1: SCATTERED CHRISTIANS:  At the time of James’ writing there was an excess of 4 million Jews “scattered” throughout the Roman Empire.  Trials, troubles, problems, threats and persecutions had scattered God’s people to locations far away from the “promised land”. 

If you think about it there was hardly a city that Paul visited on his missionary journey that did not have some sort of synagogue already established in the city because of the Jews who had moved there.

Did this sort of thing happen by accident?  Was this a mistake on God’s part?  Of course not.  These people were put through trials and hard times to “scatter” the seed. 

QUESTION:  WHY WOULD GOD WANT TO SCATTER HIS PEOPLE?

God sowed His salt and light out into a dark rotten world in order to provide illumination and healing. 

Now let’s look at the 2011 church.  How do we compare to our brother’s and sister’s of the early church?  We have built large churches, fellowship halls, family life centers, gyms, Christian school and Bible colleges.  All of these are constructed for good reasons but they tend to provide a “strong-hold”, a fort and a protected space for the Christians.  They tend to hold us together in a neat little package that someone called a “Holy huddle” when our call is to “scatter”.  (Go ye therefore and teach ALL nations.)

QUESTION:  Are we missing the point by trying to build larger facilities?  What do you think?

Seed that is not scattered, seed that is not planted is wasted seed. 

Let me share a little story that my wife’s grandfather “Boots” told about himself.  He told about a season when he and his father were planting corn.  His father had plowed the field and prepared it for planting.  The rows were laid off and the fertilizer was placed in the rows.  Boots’ job was to drop the corn, two or three seed at a time into the row and cover them. 

It was hot.  The rows were long.  Boots wanted to get to the barn dance.  So instead of dropping the corn in the rows like his father had instructed, he simply went to the end of the row, dug a hold and poured all the corn into the hole.  He raked the rows over so that it looked like he had planted the corn and left for the dance.  No one would ever know.  But there came a time when the corn came up.

The things that Boots had neglected to do, the things that he had tried to hide, came to light and there at the end of the row came up a large mass of corn.  And in the rows, where the corn was supposed to be, there was none. 

PRACTICAL SOWING: 

·         Corn in the bucket is POTENTIAL

·         Corn in the ground is PROMISING

·         Corn on the stalk is PRODUCTIVE

·         Corn in the belly is POWER

Last week, I asked you to study chapter one and list 5 practical areas for today’s Christians that God showed you.  I want you to share what you found with the class and let’s discuss it.

GROUP DISCUSSION

LASTLY, let me share the practical points that I found.

A PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN WILL KEEP:

1.  His faith strong (Verse 2-8)

In all practicality, you, whoever you are, will face hard times.  I heard an old cowboy saying once that went like this, “There is a lot they didn’t tell me when I signed on with this outfit”.  But with the Christian life that is just not the case.  Jesus Himself told us, right out of the chute, that things were not going to be easy. 

Did you actually expect a bed of roses when you accepted Jesus as your Savior?  Do you think that because you gave your heart to God that now everything is supposed to be smooth?  If so, just look what they did to you Leader.  He said, “In this world you will have tribulations, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”. Jesus says, expect it, it’s for a purpose. 

Another old saying goes like this, “When you can’t trail Him, trust Him”.  In order to be a PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN your faith must be strong. 

2. His sight clear (Verse 12-16)

In these verses James holds up the trophy.  He says, “Look at this.  This is what you are playing for.” 

Sure you will go through hard times but if you endure, if you remain, if you allow God to keep you and hold you fast, “you will receive the Crown of Life”.

In order to be successful and productive, in order to survive, we must keep our eyes on Christ.  If we look at our troubles we will fail. Peter, one of James’ associates could testify to that.

Remember how the disciples were in a boat, in a storm, in the night and seemingly out of luck.  Then just in time, Jesus came to them walking on the water.  Peter had faith.  He exercised that faith by climbing down out of the boat and walking on the water to go to Jesus.  WHAT FAITH.  You think you are such a good Christian.  How many miles of water walking have you logged recently? 

But in spite of the strong faith that Peter had, he took his eyes off Jesus.  When Peter took his eyes off the Savior, he sank.  He looked at the waves and not the Wave-walker. 

He saw the storm and not the Savior.  Have you ever been guilty of that?  I have.  I’ve looked at the problems and the people and the predicament and failed to see the Provider.  I can tell you, that will hinder your journey. 

The story is told of a climbing party that was trying to climb a very high mountain.  One of the climbers kept a journal.  He wrote “when the days were clear, we could see the summit.  We walked with our heads up.  Our steps were sure; we talked among ourselves and helped each other along the way.  We made excellent time. 

But on the days when clouds would hide the peak, when we couldn’t see our goal, we would drag around, our faces were turned down-ward, our thoughts would turn in-ward.  We kept silent.  We climbed alone.  We made hardly any progress”.

Does that sound familiar?  When we look at the problem, when we take our eyes off Jesus, we drag, we complain, we fight, we blame.  We must learn to:

·         Look at the Solution

·         Look at the Summit

·         Look at the Savior

Keep your eyes on that Crown of Life the Lord has promised.  (That is another good verse to put in your promise book)  A good PRACTICAL  CHRISTIAN will keep his sight clear.

3.  His hands busy.  (VERSE 22) This is probably the best known verse in the book of James.  “Be ye do-ers and not hear-ers only”

Let’s say we did a “man on the street” survey.  Let’s say we took a large flip chart and a magic marker out there and asked people to draw a picture of the church.  What would they draw?

·         A building

·         A congregation listening to the preacher

·         A great choir

According to James the painting should be a lot different to that.  James would paint a PRACTICAL CHURCH.  The church James would paint would be:

·         A man on the job talking about Jesus in his daily conversation

·         The lady cooking a cake and taking it to the neighbor so she can share God’s love

·         The Pastor and congregation visiting the sick on Sunday afternoon instead of lying on the coach watching football

·         Someone who spends their money on some good gospel tracts and leaves them in places where they can speak to others

James’ church would be a working church.  James church would be full of PRACTICAL CHRISTIANS and their hands would be busy.

4.  His tongue tied. (Verse 26):

 It is not practical at all for a Christian to praise God from his pew on Sunday morning; and shame Him from his place of work on Monday by talking about his neighbor.

In another place in this letter, James said it this way; “Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing…these things ought not to be”  (3:10)

Nothing displays to the world, our hypocritical nature more than the way we talk about others. 

Let me ask this, how do people who have never even attended our church know about the problems in our church?  The only answer is that the people in our church run their mouths!  They talk about each other and James says “brother (and sisters) these things ought not to be”

A PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN should keep his tongue tied.

5.  His calendar full.  (Verse 27):  You should know by now that I hate laziness.  I dislike those who sit around and try to get a free ride. 

“Well, I just don’t have anything to do.” 

James gave a few examples to help you:

·         Visit the orphans

·         Visit the widows

·         Visit those in trouble

And when you run out of all of these things you can work on “KEEPING YOURSELF PURE AND UNSPOTTED FROM THE WORLD”.  That should keep you pretty busy.

“Idle hands are the devils workshop” and empty calendars are an invitation for Satan to insert his own agenda into our lives”. 

So to review:

A PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN WILL KEEP:

1. His Faith strong

2. His sight clear

3. His hands busy

4. His tongue tied

5. His calendar full