This week, we are examining how, as followers of Jesus,
do we address the accusation and objection of hypocrisy by followers of Jesus
and the church, by looking at a section of a letter
that is recorded for us in the Bible called the book of James. Yesterday we saw James reveal for us a timeless and true
principle when it comes to living on mission that addresses this accusation in
that living on mission requires that we live lives of integrity. In order to
embrace and engage in the mission that God has given us to be the vehicles that
reveal and reflect Jesus to others, we must live lives of integrity that reveal
and reflect Jesus to others.
We talked about the reality that the word integrity does
not mean perfection. Instead, the word integrity literally means to be whole
and undivided. Integrity is a consistency between attitudes and actions.
Integrity is a consistency between character and conduct. Integrity is a
consistency between what we say and what we do. Integrity is a consistency
between our public life and our private life. Integrity is a consistency in
what we strive for and what we call others to strive for. Integrity is walking
the walk and not just talking the talk.
Today, we will see James reveal for us two of four
different ways that we live lives of integrity as we live on mission. James
reveals for us the first way in James 1:19. Let’s discover that way together:
This you know, my
beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of
man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
James begins this section of his letter by stating this
you know, my beloved brethren. Now this statement, if communicated in the
language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this:
“My beloved followers of Jesus, make sure you pay attention and put into
practice in your day to day lives what I am about to say”.
James then provides three commands to followers of Jesus
throughout history: Be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. In
other words, James is commanding followers of Jesus to respond to others in a
way that is swift to listen to others and slow to express ourselves to others.
As followers of Jesus, we are to be swift to listen to others and slow to
express our displeasure to others. James then provides the reason why we are to
be swift to listen to others and slow to express our displeasure towards others
by stating the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. But what
does that mean?
James point here is that when we respond to others by
expressing our displeasure to others, we will not bring about or accomplish
what is right in God’s sight. When we respond to others in a way that does not
reveal and reflect Jesus to others, we do not advance God’s kingdom mission.
And it is here that we see James reveal for us the reality that we live lives
of integrity when we respond to others the right way.
As followers of Jesus we live lives of integrity that
reveal and reflect Jesus to others when we are swift to actively engage others
by actively listening to others. We live lives of integrity that reveal and
reflect Jesus to others when we are slow to express our opinions to others and
instead take the time to listen to their opinions. We live lives of integrity
that reveal and reflect Jesus to others when we are slow to express our
displeasure and disapproval of others.
So here is a question to consider when it comes to living
on mission: Do you respond to others the right way? Do you respond to others in
a way that reveals and reflects Jesus by being swift to listen and slow to
speak and anger? Those are challenging questions, aren’t they? I know they are
for me. But we live lives of integrity that are living on mission when we
respond to others the right way. James then reveals for us a second way that we
live lives of integrity in verse 21:
Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in
humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
Now when James uses the phrase putting aside, here, this
phrase literally means to lay aside or rid oneself of. What James commands
followers of Jesus to rid themselves of is all filthiness and all that remains
of wickedness. In other words James is commanding followers of Jesus to rid
themselves of any moral corruption or wickedness that is prevailing in our
lives.
Now an immediate question that arises here is, “well Dave
how do I do that?” James provides the answer by explaining that we are to in
humility receive the word implanted. Now when James uses the phrase receive the
word implanted, this phrase literally means to accept something that is already
present and established so as to indicate your approval. The word here refers
to the message and teachings of Jesus that had already been established in
their lives.
James then explains that it is the message and teachings
of Jesus that reveal for us how we can be rescued from our selfishness and
rebellion that separates us from God so that we can experience forgiveness and
the relationship with God that we were created for. And it is here that James
reveals for us the reality that we live lives of integrity when we accept the
message and teachings of Jesus.
As followers of Jesus we live lives of integrity that
reveal and reflect Jesus to others when we accept the message and teachings of
Jesus by not being full of ourselves, but by humbly placing ourselves under the
authority of the message and teachings of Jesus. We live lives of integrity
that reveal and reflect Jesus to others when we accept the message and
teachings of Jesus so as to rid ourselves of the moral corruption and
wickedness that can cause us to stumble in our relationship with Jesus. And we
live lives of integrity that reveal and reflect Jesus to others when we accept
the message and teachings of Jesus in a way that results in our lives
reflecting God’s transformational activity in our lives as we become more like
Jesus.
So here is a question to
consider when it comes to living on mission: Are you accepting the message and
teachings of Jesus in your life? Are you humbly submitting your thinking to the
message and teachings of Jesus? Or are you arrogantly submitting the message
and teachings of Jesus to your thinking. Because we live lives of integrity that
are living on mission when we accept the message and teachings of Jesus.
Friday, we will see James reveals
for us two additional ways that we live lives of integrity...
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