Written By Rev Law Hui Seng
17th May, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han
James 4:1-12
Main Idea: The way to solve any conflict is to submit yourself to God.
Objectives: a. Help the congregation to understand the causes of conflict in church. b. Teach the congregation to overcome conflicts by submitting our lives to God.
A. Introduction
- How do you handle problems? Conflicts? If running from problems and conflicts are your style, pay attention to the plight of Patricia Christy. After Hurricane Andrew devastated Florida in 1992, this South Florida resident was standing in line waiting for food. She decided then and there that she was going to run as far away from this problem as possible. She boarded the first available flight and headed for a restful vacation on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. She just arrived in time to experience Hurricane Iniki. Running from your problems and conflicts usually just leads to more problems.
- Although Mary Carney and her husband arrived at church in the same car, they were miles apart. They had engaged in one of those arguments before church and did not get their conflict resolved. Humorously, God’s sovereignty was reflected in a secretary’s typographical error. As Mary sat feeling confused and anxious in church, she glanced down at her bulletin. She and Gary were scheduled to sing a duet during the worship service. Next to their name was typed the word “duel”. She smiled then looked at her husband. The decision was theirs to make a duet or duel. Through the quietness of that Sunday service she reached of his hand and the “duet” began. In all of our relationships, marriage or otherwise, we make daily choices to participate in either a duet or a duel. Those decisions will dictate whether build bridges or bombs.
- The passage today has a lot to teach us about conflict.
- James is no more addressing the tongue and teachers in general in today’s passage.
- He is speaking of the inner-community conflict.
- Let us study this passage to help us how to overcome conflicts in ourselves, families and church.
- Verses 1-3 (causes); verses 4-6 (causes of conflict); verses 7-10 (call for repentance); verses 11-12 (give concrete practical advice).
B. Causes of Conflict (verses 1 to 6)
- In any conflict, there must be causes to it. For the readers of James and possibly the church today, the causes are spelt out in verses 1 to 6.
- You find the answers strike you because this is what really happens in a conflict.
- James asked the question, what causes fights and quarrels among you in verse 1.
- (1). The first cause of conflict he listed is found in the second portion of verse 2 that says, “Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? And it further elaborated in verse 2 and 3. It simply explains that it is human nature that we want something and we cannot get it and we fight and quarrel. In fact, what we want, we can pray to God for it but the readers of the book of James and some Christians today pray with wrong motives (i.e., pleasures), then, God does not our prayers.
- (2). The second cause of conflict has to do with the spiritual adultery the readers commit. Verse 4 says, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes a an enemy of God.” Adulterous people refer to spiritually unfaithful children of God, who love the world rather God. If you love the world, then, you are an enemy of God. What a strong warning we need to take heed. Then, James goes on to justify his claim based on the Scripture in verse 5. There is such a thing called adulterous people, spiritually unfaithful people, because in Exodus 20:5, Moses says, our God is a jealous God, He cannot stand his children loving and worshipping things other than Him. Now James says because of that justification, the Holy Spirit who is living in us is feeling jealous that we love things other than God. However, God gives us the grace to overcome the love for the world by God’s word quoted from Proverbs 3:34, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”. You see, once we love the world, we become proud and no more loving God, depending on God. In fact we love ourselves, become self-centered and proud of our own power. We feel we can do it without God. Then, you have all the conflict in yourself, in your family and church.
C. Call for Repentance (verses 7-10)
- James is very down to earth, he does not just point out the problem and the causes of it but he also offers solution to the problem of the conflict.
- Brothers and sisters, if we want to be critical we need to give constructive criticisms with solution, then, people will listen and respect us. And we make a difference for Jesus.
- So, James list out the solutions to the inner community conflict in verses 7 to 10. I summarize the solutions into 2 points only.
- (1), Firstly, to resolve a conflict , one need to submit himself to God. James say in verse 7, part a, “Submit yourselves, then, to God…” To use my own word to help you to understand, you need to surrender your life to Jesus, our master. You know in a war, if the soldiers of one country are defeated by the opposing country, like the Japanese soldiers in the second War World, who were defeated by the Alliance Forces, they pull out their white flag and surrender lives. And they have to listen to whatever instructions Alliance soldiers. Their lives will be managed by the Alliance Forces, the new master. Similarly, to solve a conflict, even inner conflict in yourself, you need to let your life be managed by Jesus, God, then, you can solve the conflict.
- I believe James explain what he means by submitting your life to God by verses 8 to 10. Submitting your life to God looks abstract and the readers may not understand the meaning. So, he explains that it means come near to God for He will come to you; purify our hearts from sins; readers in the midst of conflict need to grief, mourn and wail, it means we need to repent; and then, we need to humble ourselves and God will lift us up.
- To submit our life to God means to come near to God, repent and humble ourselves before God; then, whatever conflict we face will be resolved.
- When you submit your life to God, you will let go of everything and anything that God does not want you to hold. When you let go of your pride, for example, a conflict is solved. In a conflict, if I humble myself, I let go of my pride, I confess I am wrong or I also contribute to the problem, do you think that helps to resolve my conflict with the other person or not.
- Please take a look at A. W. Tozer, in his book, “The Pursuit of God”, he said this very powerful prayer to submit his life to God. “Father, I want to know Thee, but my coward heart fears to give up its toys. I cannot part with them without inward bleeding, and I do not try to hide from Thee the terror of the parting. I come trembling, but I come. Please root from my heart all those things which I have cherished so long and which have become a very part of my living self, so that Thou mayest enter and dwell there without a rival. Then shalt Thou make the place of Thy feet glorious. Then shall my heart have no need of the sun to shine of it, for Thyself wilt be the light of it, and there shall be no night there. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
- (2). The second solution those who are in involved in the conflict must resist the devil. Why? Because you have to resist the devil, it is also very much in getting in into the conflict. How to resist the devil? You can find the answer in Ephesians 6:10-20.
D. Practical Advice (verses 11 and 12)
- Then, may be James knows their actual situation, so he advises accordingly, in verses 11 and 12. He advises that the readers must not slander one another; do not judge a person as it is equal to judging the law; and let the only Lawgiver and Judge judges.
- I take comfort in this as I see that in any conflict, we tend to judge the other person or group, but if we can let go and leave it to God to judge, then, the conflict will be resolved.
E. Applications for individual, family and in church.
- Let us apply this practical, exciting and challenging passage into our lives.
- (1). Application for your individual self. There are times when you have conflict with yourself. You are your own greatest enemy. You have an ideal and you cannot achieve it and you still insist on it. You have a conflict with yourself and you cannot let go. May this illustration wake you up.
- The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send a message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south.” Promptly a return was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north.” The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south – I am the captain!” Soon another message was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north – I am seaman third class Jones.” Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: “Alter your course 10 degrees south. – I am a battleship!” Then the reply came: “Alter your course 10 degrees north – I am a lighthouse.”
- Very often we make own life difficult by fighting against something we cannot change. We always want other people or things to change, except us, it causes only within yourself but with other people. In fact, when we change we solve conflict within us. If you are willing to submit yourself to God and repent and admit you have a problem, most of the conflicts within yourself will be resolved.
- (2). Application in the family. Submitting your life to Jesus is the answer to conflicts in your family. In a family situation, I must honest tell you that when there is conflict, our human nature always get us to condemn the life partner and accuse the other person for the mistake. But if we are willing to humble ourselves before, we are willing to admit our own contribution to the mistake and say sorry ask for forgiveness, most conflict will be resolved. And when others counsel you, you will be very willing to receive it.
- Nelson Mink in his book, Pocket Pears, he writes a prayer to God and it helps him to break down in his resistance to the counsel of others.
- Lord, I am willing
- To receive what you give
- To lack what you withhold
- To relinquish what you take
- To suffer what you inflict
- To what you require
- And, Lord, if others are to be
- Your messengers to me,
- I am willing to hear and heed
- What they have to say. Amen
- When you humble yourself like that you will resolve your conflict in your family.
- (3) Application in the church. It is the same.
F. Conclusion
- The best is to submit yourself to God.
17th May, 2009
Posted By Teresa Han
James 4:1-12
Main Idea: The way to solve any conflict is to submit yourself to God.
Objectives: a. Help the congregation to understand the causes of conflict in church. b. Teach the congregation to overcome conflicts by submitting our lives to God.
A. Introduction
- How do you handle problems? Conflicts? If running from problems and conflicts are your style, pay attention to the plight of Patricia Christy. After Hurricane Andrew devastated Florida in 1992, this South Florida resident was standing in line waiting for food. She decided then and there that she was going to run as far away from this problem as possible. She boarded the first available flight and headed for a restful vacation on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. She just arrived in time to experience Hurricane Iniki. Running from your problems and conflicts usually just leads to more problems.
- Although Mary Carney and her husband arrived at church in the same car, they were miles apart. They had engaged in one of those arguments before church and did not get their conflict resolved. Humorously, God’s sovereignty was reflected in a secretary’s typographical error. As Mary sat feeling confused and anxious in church, she glanced down at her bulletin. She and Gary were scheduled to sing a duet during the worship service. Next to their name was typed the word “duel”. She smiled then looked at her husband. The decision was theirs to make a duet or duel. Through the quietness of that Sunday service she reached of his hand and the “duet” began. In all of our relationships, marriage or otherwise, we make daily choices to participate in either a duet or a duel. Those decisions will dictate whether build bridges or bombs.
- The passage today has a lot to teach us about conflict.
- James is no more addressing the tongue and teachers in general in today’s passage.
- He is speaking of the inner-community conflict.
- Let us study this passage to help us how to overcome conflicts in ourselves, families and church.
- Verses 1-3 (causes); verses 4-6 (causes of conflict); verses 7-10 (call for repentance); verses 11-12 (give concrete practical advice).
B. Causes of Conflict (verses 1 to 6)
- In any conflict, there must be causes to it. For the readers of James and possibly the church today, the causes are spelt out in verses 1 to 6.
- You find the answers strike you because this is what really happens in a conflict.
- James asked the question, what causes fights and quarrels among you in verse 1.
- (1). The first cause of conflict he listed is found in the second portion of verse 2 that says, “Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? And it further elaborated in verse 2 and 3. It simply explains that it is human nature that we want something and we cannot get it and we fight and quarrel. In fact, what we want, we can pray to God for it but the readers of the book of James and some Christians today pray with wrong motives (i.e., pleasures), then, God does not our prayers.
- (2). The second cause of conflict has to do with the spiritual adultery the readers commit. Verse 4 says, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes a an enemy of God.” Adulterous people refer to spiritually unfaithful children of God, who love the world rather God. If you love the world, then, you are an enemy of God. What a strong warning we need to take heed. Then, James goes on to justify his claim based on the Scripture in verse 5. There is such a thing called adulterous people, spiritually unfaithful people, because in Exodus 20:5, Moses says, our God is a jealous God, He cannot stand his children loving and worshipping things other than Him. Now James says because of that justification, the Holy Spirit who is living in us is feeling jealous that we love things other than God. However, God gives us the grace to overcome the love for the world by God’s word quoted from Proverbs 3:34, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”. You see, once we love the world, we become proud and no more loving God, depending on God. In fact we love ourselves, become self-centered and proud of our own power. We feel we can do it without God. Then, you have all the conflict in yourself, in your family and church.
C. Call for Repentance (verses 7-10)
- James is very down to earth, he does not just point out the problem and the causes of it but he also offers solution to the problem of the conflict.
- Brothers and sisters, if we want to be critical we need to give constructive criticisms with solution, then, people will listen and respect us. And we make a difference for Jesus.
- So, James list out the solutions to the inner community conflict in verses 7 to 10. I summarize the solutions into 2 points only.
- (1), Firstly, to resolve a conflict , one need to submit himself to God. James say in verse 7, part a, “Submit yourselves, then, to God…” To use my own word to help you to understand, you need to surrender your life to Jesus, our master. You know in a war, if the soldiers of one country are defeated by the opposing country, like the Japanese soldiers in the second War World, who were defeated by the Alliance Forces, they pull out their white flag and surrender lives. And they have to listen to whatever instructions Alliance soldiers. Their lives will be managed by the Alliance Forces, the new master. Similarly, to solve a conflict, even inner conflict in yourself, you need to let your life be managed by Jesus, God, then, you can solve the conflict.
- I believe James explain what he means by submitting your life to God by verses 8 to 10. Submitting your life to God looks abstract and the readers may not understand the meaning. So, he explains that it means come near to God for He will come to you; purify our hearts from sins; readers in the midst of conflict need to grief, mourn and wail, it means we need to repent; and then, we need to humble ourselves and God will lift us up.
- To submit our life to God means to come near to God, repent and humble ourselves before God; then, whatever conflict we face will be resolved.
- When you submit your life to God, you will let go of everything and anything that God does not want you to hold. When you let go of your pride, for example, a conflict is solved. In a conflict, if I humble myself, I let go of my pride, I confess I am wrong or I also contribute to the problem, do you think that helps to resolve my conflict with the other person or not.
- Please take a look at A. W. Tozer, in his book, “The Pursuit of God”, he said this very powerful prayer to submit his life to God. “Father, I want to know Thee, but my coward heart fears to give up its toys. I cannot part with them without inward bleeding, and I do not try to hide from Thee the terror of the parting. I come trembling, but I come. Please root from my heart all those things which I have cherished so long and which have become a very part of my living self, so that Thou mayest enter and dwell there without a rival. Then shalt Thou make the place of Thy feet glorious. Then shall my heart have no need of the sun to shine of it, for Thyself wilt be the light of it, and there shall be no night there. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
- (2). The second solution those who are in involved in the conflict must resist the devil. Why? Because you have to resist the devil, it is also very much in getting in into the conflict. How to resist the devil? You can find the answer in Ephesians 6:10-20.
D. Practical Advice (verses 11 and 12)
- Then, may be James knows their actual situation, so he advises accordingly, in verses 11 and 12. He advises that the readers must not slander one another; do not judge a person as it is equal to judging the law; and let the only Lawgiver and Judge judges.
- I take comfort in this as I see that in any conflict, we tend to judge the other person or group, but if we can let go and leave it to God to judge, then, the conflict will be resolved.
E. Applications for individual, family and in church.
- Let us apply this practical, exciting and challenging passage into our lives.
- (1). Application for your individual self. There are times when you have conflict with yourself. You are your own greatest enemy. You have an ideal and you cannot achieve it and you still insist on it. You have a conflict with yourself and you cannot let go. May this illustration wake you up.
- The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send a message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south.” Promptly a return was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north.” The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south – I am the captain!” Soon another message was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north – I am seaman third class Jones.” Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: “Alter your course 10 degrees south. – I am a battleship!” Then the reply came: “Alter your course 10 degrees north – I am a lighthouse.”
- Very often we make own life difficult by fighting against something we cannot change. We always want other people or things to change, except us, it causes only within yourself but with other people. In fact, when we change we solve conflict within us. If you are willing to submit yourself to God and repent and admit you have a problem, most of the conflicts within yourself will be resolved.
- (2). Application in the family. Submitting your life to Jesus is the answer to conflicts in your family. In a family situation, I must honest tell you that when there is conflict, our human nature always get us to condemn the life partner and accuse the other person for the mistake. But if we are willing to humble ourselves before, we are willing to admit our own contribution to the mistake and say sorry ask for forgiveness, most conflict will be resolved. And when others counsel you, you will be very willing to receive it.
- Nelson Mink in his book, Pocket Pears, he writes a prayer to God and it helps him to break down in his resistance to the counsel of others.
- Lord, I am willing
- To receive what you give
- To lack what you withhold
- To relinquish what you take
- To suffer what you inflict
- To what you require
- And, Lord, if others are to be
- Your messengers to me,
- I am willing to hear and heed
- What they have to say. Amen
- When you humble yourself like that you will resolve your conflict in your family.
- (3) Application in the church. It is the same.
F. Conclusion
- The best is to submit yourself to God.
No comments:
Post a Comment