Todd Linn's Blog, page 13

Benefits Of Providing And Using Physical Bibles In Worship

I’ve written a few posts over at chucklawless.com in recent weeks; grateful to Chuck for his inviting me to provide a few “Thursdays With Todd Linn” on his terrific site. This post is similar in content.

Reading the Bible on phones, tablets, and screens during worship is a blessing of modern technology. Today’s preacher can expect worshipers to follow the sermon by looking at text projected on screens or by “turning on” their own Bibles. For this reason, many churches no longer provide physical Bibles in worship and also why many worshipers no longer carry a hard copy Bible of their own. While I hold my position loosely, I want to make a case for having hard copy Bibles available as well as encouraging the use of physical Bibles in worship. Here are four reasons:

1) Their Presence Suggests Their Importance

The mere existence of church Bibles does not make a church orthodox, but when worshipers see hard copy Bibles available in pews or chairs, they likely infer that the Bible is important to the church. While this benefit is more symbolic in nature, it nonetheless helps communicate a church’s belief in the prominence of Scripture as well as its relevance for worship and daily living.

2) They Help Worshipers Stay Focused

Even when phones are tucked away in pockets or purses, they tend to light up, buzz, or sound off in some way. Unless we have completely silenced them and turned off every potential notification, they stand a good chance of interrupting us if we’re using them to follow the sermon. And then there is the temptation to look quickly at a text message, read an email, or check that game score. To be sure, some folks are more disciplined than others, but turning off the phone and reading from a church Bible or hard copy of our own reduces the potential for worship distractions.

3) They Help Readers See The Wider Context

Electronic devices are convenient for reading Scripture, but screen size limits readers to what is viewable with each click. While I like reading the Bible on my phone or tablet, I especially enjoy being able turn pages in my hard copy Bible. Seeing a wider span of text helps me understand the wider context and flow of a particular passage. I just can’t do that as well when I’m clicking through hyperlinks or depending upon text that’s projected on a worship screen.

4) They Help Users Grasp The Overall Content & Structure Of Scripture

Building on the previous point, because physical Bibles enable worshipers to see more Scripture at once, readers can become more familiar with the overall content and structure of the Bible. They can quickly see the layout of the Old and New Testaments, scan chapter headings, and easily compare Scripture with Scripture by placing a finger in one passage while looking up another. Clicking on a linked text while scrolling on a phone is convenient, but it just doesn’t allow for the same seamless experience.

Pastors: What are your thoughts on having and using physical Bibles in the worship service?

Tomorrow’s Uncertainty

In the JB Phillips paraphrase of James 4:13-17, there is a heading right above the text that reads: “It is still true that man proposes, but God disposes.”  The idea is that man may plan the events of his life, but the God who is sovereign will do as He believes best.  God’s sovereignty precludes man’s presumption.  So “Man proposes, but God disposes.”

This phrase is centuries old, apparently occurring first in Thomas à Kempis’ 15th century classic, The Imitation of Christ.  And you will find it in a number of other places.  In fact, if you do a Google Image search on the phrase “Man proposes, but God disposes” you will be directed to a 19th century oil-on-canvas painting by the English Painter Edwin Landseer.

In the painting by the same title, Landseer depicts the aftermath of a ship lost in the arctic sea and the ensuing disappearance of 129 men, explorers who had sailed in 1864 in search for the Northwest Passage.  The ship and the men disappeared into the arctic ice.  Man proposes, God disposes.

God’s sovereignty precludes our presumption.  This really is at the heart of what James is teaching in these verses.  Most pressing on his mind is the presumptuous  planning of Christian merchants, but his warning applies universally to all people in all times and in all situations:  God’s sovereignty precludes man’s presumption.  Solomon put it this way in Proverbs 16:9, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”  

Let us turn now to James’ text and examine it more closely, noting no fewer than three facts about life.

Life Consists of Uncertainty 

This point is unmistakably present in the words of James.  He cautions: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit…”

James has in mind primarily Christian merchants or businessmen; men who travel and trade goods and services for profit.  We may picture a man unfurling a huge map, flattening it out on a table and pointing to various places of interest where he hopes to go in order to “buy and sell, and make a profit.”

On the surface there is nothing wrong with this kind of thinking and planning.  We all plan events and give thought to the days ahead in terms of what we hope to do or accomplish.  There’s nothing wrong with having a day timer or using the calendars on your computers or smartphones.  In fact, because God is an orderly God, there is something of our mirroring our Creator when we plan our days and structure our lives.  Created in God’s image, our orderliness reflects the glory and grandeur of an orderly God.

Planning the future is not the problem.  But what then is the problem?  Fundamentally, it is the problem of presumption.  It is the brazen and arrogant way we may plan our days and events as though we were in charge of everything and that everything we plan will come to pass.

A key to understanding what is wrong in verse 13 is to consider not so much what is said but what is not said.  Indeed, the key to understanding what is wrong with the presumptive boast of the one speaking in verse 13 is to consider what he leaves out—or better still, who he leaves out.

When you read verse 13, do you see any reference at all to the One True and Living God?  No.  There is no mention of Him.  And lest we become too critical, how much of our own lives do we live or plan without giving so much as a thought to God’s plans?

The futility of presumption planning is especially proven by the next verse: “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow…”

James sounds a bit like Solomon: “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth (Proverbs 27:1).”

Who knows what tomorrow holds?  Life is full of uncertainties.  This truth can actually liberate us from so much fretting about and losing our temper when things don’t go “our” way.  Belief in the sovereignty of God—that God is absolutely in control and is overseeing all events for His glory and our good—means we can rest knowing that He is doing what is best.  The Christian knows that God always does what is right, every single time without exception.  

Frankly, the fact that we do not know what tomorrow holds is nothing short of a profound mercy of God.  I’m not sure I want to know the future!  

Thankfully, God knows what we can handle and what we can’t handle.  He knows for our own good whether to give or to withhold a happy providence.  He also knows exactly when to unveil a trying or difficult circumstance meant to grow us and conform us to greater Christlikeness (Romans 8:29). 

God knows best and always acts rightly.  

**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 150-153, available in all formats here.

How Pastors Can Bless Their Deacons

I’ve written a few posts over at chucklawless.com in recent weeks; grateful to Chuck for his inviting me to provide a few “Thursdays With Todd Linn” on his terrific site. This post is similar in content.

Deacons are godly individuals called to minister alongside a pastor in the church (1 Timothy 3:8-13). While those who serve well are a blessing to the pastor and congregation, a pastor can also be a blessing to his deacons. Here are six ways pastors can bless deacons in the church:

1) Never Joke About Them

This should go without saying, but I’ve been shocked to hear what some pastors have said in jest about their deacons. I well recall a pastor once sharing with me a joke he had told about his deacons that very morning in worship. While the pastor thought his joke was humorous and harmless, I couldn’t help but feel it undermined his ministry. Months later, I wasn’t surprised to learn the pastor was beginning to suffer hardships related to his leadership. While I believe there is a place for humor in the pulpit, it must never be at the expense of those God has called to serve alongside us.

2) Always Speak Positively About Them

Building on the previous point, always talk about deacons in uplifting ways, especially when speaking from the platform. Remind the congregation how blessed they are to have such godly servants and occasionally share a recent story illustrating how a deacon’s ministry served to edify the church.

3) Provide Good Training For Them

Pastors cannot expect deacons to serve well if they are not trained well. There are many books, guides, and videos available that teach deacons how to serve the church body. Consider a weekend pastor and deacon retreat as an exceptional way to provide for both training and fellowship.

4) Serve Alongside Them

Deacons are servants, but so are pastors, and both are drawn closer to each other when they serve together. Whether making hospital visits or ministering to families, pastors can bless deacons when they serve alongside them.

5) Seek Counsel From Them

While no two deacons are equally gifted, many are especially endowed with wisdom and life experience. Leaning upon them for advice and counsel honors them and strengthens one’s ministry. In the churches I have pastored, God blessed me with a few special deacons who greatly encouraged me. Some were like a friendly Barnabas to me and others like a fatherly Paul. I knew I could trust these men with private concerns and receive good counsel from them.

6) Pray For Them

In addition to general prayers, pray occasionally for and with individual deacons. It’s been my own experience to have prayed for each deacon during the Lord’s Supper. After our deacons finished serving the church by distributing the bread and cup, I was then blessed to serve each of them individually. As I did, I paused momentarily before each deacon, placing my hand upon his shoulder, telling him I loved him, and then praying specifically for him. It was always an uplifting moment together and strengthened our bond as co-servants of the church.

Pastors: What are some other ways you can bless your deacons?

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The Trouble With Being Judgmental

Forgive the allusion to Clint Eastwood’s character in the Dirty Harry movies, but a memorable quote from Magnum Force is where Eastwood’s character Harry Callahan says, “A man’s got to know his limitations.”  

While I couldn’t recommend the movie for family viewing, I can say that that particular line is essentially what James is saying when he warns us about being judgmental:

“There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?”

A man’s got to know his limitations.

We are incapable of placing ourselves in a high position of moral superiority over others because we’re not that smart, we’re not that good, and we’re not that fair—in a word, we’re not God!

When we have a judgmental spirit, we are acting as God.  We are acting as though we are the ones to lay down the law.  James corrects this thinking: “There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.  Who are you to judge another?”

James is incredulous: “Who are you?!”  Who do you think you are, placing yourselves in a high position of moral superiority over others?  Do you think you’re sinless?  Do you think you’re never done anything wrong?  Or said anything wrong?  Or made an unpopular decision?  Do you really think you’re that good?  Who are you to judge another?!

“There is one Lawgiver.”  That one Lawgiver and judge is God.  He is the only one “able to save and to destroy.”  Only God can both save and destroy in an ultimate sense; eternally save, eternally destroy.

God is the only one in a position of moral superiority.  That’s why God is the one who gives the law.  Only God has the right to give biblical laws because God alone is consistently good, right, fair, and knows all things.

Would any one of us dare to claim that we are always good, always right, and always fair?  Is there one of us who would dare claim that we know all things?  Of course not.  This is why there is no place for our acting morally superior to others.  It’s as though James were saying, “Frankly, you’re not that good a person!  You’re not that smart.  Know your limitations.  You don’t know everything about that person you are criticizing.  You don’t have all the facts.”

See, when you judge another person by being critical and demeaning, you are acting like you have all the information about that person’s situation.  You’re acting like you know and have all the facts.  

James is warning against our jumping to conclusions and judging before all the facts are in.  

A church member once gave me ways I could pray for her while she was away on a mission trip.  She had written down a number of statements she wished to keep.  Her plan was to review these statements each day and she had asked me to pray that she would keep them.  One of the statements read: “I purpose to never assume I understand or know the motives of others.”

That’s a good statement.  James is warning here against doing that very thing.  By saying there is but one Lawgiver and by asking, “Who are you to judge another?” James is reminding us that we don’t have all the information about another person’s situation.  We don’t know that person’s motives.  We don’t know why they acted the way they did or why they said what they said.  We simply don’t know.  We’re not that smart.  We’re not omniscient.  In a word, we’re not God.

Solomon warns in Proverbs 18:17: “The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him.”  That’s another way of saying there are times when we think we have all the information only to discover later that there was much we did not know.

We don’t know everything.  What is more, we ourselves are so often guilty of the very actions we condemn in others.  Such knowledge should engender a greater humility within us.

The great Scottish preacher Alexander Whyte was a bold, yet humble minister known for his authentic, self-effacing manner.  G.F. Barbour tells of one memorable occasion during Whyte’s ministry:

When he was speaking in a slum where its inhabitants were known for their drinking, he astonished his hearers by informing them that he had found out the name of the wickedest man in Edinburgh, and he had come to tell them; and bending forward he whispered: “His name is Alexander Whyte.”

**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 146-149, available in all formats here.

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Why Pastors Should Have A Written Wedding Policy

Being asked to perform a couple’s wedding is one of the great joys of pastoral ministry. At the same time, however, pastors may be unprepared when the moment arrives. Here are a few reasons why having a written wedding policy is important:

1) It Requires Pastors To Develop Their Convictions On Marriage

Each pastor must determine where he stands on the issues of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. A written policy forces the pastor to prayerfully study the biblical material and think through his own position regarding which weddings he will officiate. While the issues can be complex and controversial, the pastor’s wedding policy ensures he has given careful thought to developing his own convictions.

2) It Protects Pastors From Impulsive Emotional Decisions Or Reactions

Having a policy written in advance keeps pastors from making decisions based primarily upon feelings. Because pastors understandably want to help, they may quickly agree to officiate a wedding without first having asked relevant questions of the couple. Similarly, when a couple receives the pastor’s previously written policy from a church secretary or staff administrator, they are less likely to be offended if they disagree with the pastor’s views. Having a written position before being asked to officiate a ceremony helps remove much of the purely emotional or personal feelings from the equation.

3) It Demonstrates Scriptural Fidelity

Taking time to write a biblically supported wedding policy demonstrates a pastor’s faithfulness to the Scriptures. Those who read his policy will see the numerous biblical references and passages that inform his views. While some may disagree with the pastor’s conclusions, they will have to acknowledge he has endeavored to be true to what he believes God has taught in His Word.

4) It Communicates Expectations For Building Use

Wedding policies also allow pastors to communicate specific concerns related to gatherings in the sanctuary or other church buildings. Rules or regulations important to the pastor or church should be communicated in writing. For example, if the pastor has a view regarding the use of alcoholic beverages on church property, then his policy clearly states that view. His wedding policy may also refer to other necessary church documents addressing the legal use of church property.

5) It Prepares Couples For Meaningful Counseling

Pastors who want marriages to stand the test of time will incorporate biblical premarital counseling into their wedding policies. Unlike the wedding ceremony, which can often feel rushed or stressful, premarital counseling sessions afford pastors the greatest opportunity to teach gospel truths. While frequency of sessions and use of material may vary, a written wedding policy reveals the pastor’s expectations for each couple as they prepare for their wedding day.

Pastors: What are some other reasons you would add to this discussion?

The Danger Of Criticism

A recurring theme in James’ letter is the truth that what is in a Christian’s heart is what comes out.  In the words of Solomon: “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7).”  Wrong thinking within leads to wrong living without.  Evil thinking within leads to evil speaking without. 

In this tiny paragraph of two verses James addresses the matter of speaking evil against a fellow Christian.  To speak evil may also be rendered to “slander” as the NIV has it.  Here’s the text:

Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

James 4:11-12

James instructs us as to the danger of slander, the danger of speaking in evil ways that “tear down” rather than “build up” (recall James 3:1-12).  Two actions surface from a study of these two verses, two actions that will improve our communication with others. Today’s post will address the first of those two actions:

Allow the Bible to Determine Your Communication 

If you are a Christian, you will allow the Bible to provide the framework for the way you speak, the way you talk.  James is clear: “Do not speak evil of one another…”

The verb translated by the words “speak evil” conveys the idea of speaking in a demeaning way of people when they are not present to defend themselves.

It is the idea of “talking down” another Christian, not “talking down to” another, but “talking down.”  It is the sense of tearing down, demeaning, belittling, even destroying another person.  And again, it is especially the idea of doing so when that person is not present to defend himself or herself.

So it is the idea of talking to others about others in a way that does not help, but rather hurts.  It is talking about another Christian secretively, spreading slanderous gossip to others about a person who is not present to address the speaker.

It may well be that the substance of the things said about another is true.  Slander is not necessarily false.  In fact, in this context, James could have used a different word to convey lying, but he does not.  He is addressing bad communication that is, in essence, the speaking about another brother or sister in an unhelpfully critical way especially when that person is not present.

Have you ever done this?  Have you ever spoken about another person who wasn’t present to defend himself?  Perhaps you spoke in a critical way that was demeaning of that person.  In doing so you placed yourself in a morally superior position over the person about whom you were speaking.

Many of us are familiar with the legend of the dandelion.  According to the legend, if you pick a dandelion and blow upon it and all of its seeds disappear, then your wish will come true.  Of course it is just a legend, but the image is helpful.  If you’ve ever blown upon a dandelion, you’ve watched it release a spray of those tiny little seeds which are carried away in a number of different directions.  Trying to locate and retrieve those tiny little seeds would be next to impossible.

Speaking evil of another Christian is like blowing upon a dandelion.  Your words spread in a number of directions as various people hear what you have said and then pass it along to someone else.  Trying to “take back” your words would prove as difficult as trying to locate tiny dandelion seeds in a field.

Perhaps you would say you have never spoken evil of another Christian.  Have you ever listened to someone speak evil of another?  If so, you are culpable in an act that is ungodly and unbecoming of a Christian.

If someone turns to us and begins engaging in slander of another brother or sister, we must help by telling him not to speak to us if he is going to speak evil of another brother or sister.  We must take this person to passages such as this in James 4:11 and lovingly explain that his behavior is wrong.  We may also turn to passages such as Matthew 18:15 where Jesus says, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.”  Never give a hearing to those who speak critically of other Christians, especially when those others are not present to defend themselves.

And be forewarned: someone has wisely said, “Whoever gossips to you, will gossip about you.”

Is it always bad to talk about a person who is not present?  Of course not!  There are many occasions during a day when we will be talking about others.  Allow me to share a helpful exercise to ensure that you always speak in edifying (to “build up”) ways of others when they are not present.  It’s really simple: just imagine that the person is present when you are speaking about him.  Picture him right there with you as you are talking to the other person.  You are likely to be more fair, kind, and careful with your words. 

One of the reasons it is wrong to slander a believer is because that believer is an actual brother or sister, a member of our Christian family, the family of God.  The word translated “brethren” in verse 11 may be better translated “brothers and sisters,” all members of the family of God.

Just as it is wrong for you to speak evil of a brother or sister in your physical family, so it is wrong to speak evil of a brother or sister in your spiritual family—in fact, it is arguably more wrong as your spiritual family is a family of those united in Christ, children of God, our Father.

As God’s children, then, we are co-equal brothers and sisters.  None of us is even firstborn!  Only Christ is the firstborn (Romans 8:29) so no one has the right to “talk down” another brother or sister.  We are all of equal stature.  When we properly humble ourselves “we have no ‘altitude’ left from which to ‘talk down’ to anyone!”

Your Christian brother or sister is your family.  You take care not to speak evil of your physical family—your husband, your wife, your parents, your children—so you don’t speak evil of your church family.  You wouldn’t be unfaithful to your physical family, so you won’t be unfaithful to your church family.  You don’t get angry and walk out on your physical family, so you shouldn’t get angry and leave your church family.

James argues that when Christians speak evil of other Christians they have become judgmental critics: “He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law.  But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.”

He is addressing our fallen tendency to have a judgmental spirit, placing ourselves in a morally superior position over our brothers or sisters. 

Here is an important qualification: when James warns about “judging” a brother or sister, he is not saying that Christians are never to make moral evaluations.  He is not saying that Christians are never to judge between right and wrong.  James himself, in writing this letter, is making many moral evaluations!  He is clear about what is right and wrong.  

Similarly, when Jesus says, “Judge not that ye be not judged (Matthew 7:1-5),” He is not forbidding all judgment.  In the very same passage where Jesus says, “Judge not that ye be not judged,” He warns about false teachers (Matthew 7:15-20).  Indeed, Jesus adds that the way one may determine whether teachers are false is by making a judgment about the kind of fruit they are producing; is it good or bad?  This analysis requires moral evaluation, a judgment.

We must always beware of taking Bible verses out of context.  To do so increases the risk that we will lose the meaning of the text.  God’s Word is powerful when rightly interpreted.  Our desire always should be to determine the true meaning of a verse, and that meaning is often discovered simply by giving careful attention to the context.

Using verses out of context is in vogue in our culture.  How many times, for example, have we heard someone appeal to Matthew 7:1 and cry: “You’re not supposed to judge!”  Is this really what the Bible teaches?  Are we never once supposed to make a moral evaluation about whether something is true?  Or whether someone’s conduct is appropriate?  Of course not.

The Bible certainly does not teach that Christians are to look the other way when a brother or sister sins.  The Bible calls for addressing that sin carefully and lovingly (see Galatians 6:1-2).

James does not forbid making moral evaluations altogether.  He is concerned about our having a judgmental attitude or a judgmental spirit.  He is not forbidding a “judgment of truth,” he is forbidding “being judgmental.”  It’s an attitude of moral superiority, thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought. 

Speaking in an unhelpfully critical way about another person makes oneself judge and jury.  In speaking evil of others, not only are we placing ourselves in a position of moral superiority over another Christian, but we are also placing ourselves in a position of moral superiority over the Bible.  

James says, “He who speaks evil of a brother…speaks evil of the law and judges the law.”

It is as though we believe we know better than the Scriptures.  We act as though we know better than the law, law such as Leviticus 19:16: “Do not go about spreading slander among your people (NIV).”  Yet our sinful reasoning is: 

Well, I can slander if I please.  I know better than the law.  I know better than “the royal law” which is to love your neighbor as yourself (James 2:8).  I don’t really need to do that.  It doesn’t apply to me.

Wrong thinking within leads to wrong conduct without.  

As Christians we must allow the Bible to determine our communication. 

**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 141-146, available in all formats here.

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5 Suggestions For Preaching Funerals

I’ve written a few posts over at chucklawless.com in recent weeks; grateful to Chuck for his inviting me to provide a few “Thursdays With Todd Linn” on his terrific site. This post is similar in content.

One of the greatest difficulties people experience is death of a loved one. And yet, a funeral service can be one of the most important times to minister to them. This list of suggestions, while not exhaustive, can help you plan a meaningful ceremony.

1) Be Present For Family Visitation

Families usually gather an hour before public visitation. Being there early gives the pastor an opportunity to warmly greet family as they arrive. His quiet presence can help them grieve as they prepare to receive visitors. Where logistics allow, pray with the family just prior to their entering the room to view their loved one. And, as a general rule, remain with the family until public visitation begins.

2) Recommend An Order Of Service

While funeral directors cover many details, pastors can help families plan a meaningful service. Ask family for favorite Scripture passages and lead them to consider no more than 3-4 songs, positioning them so they progress naturally from the more contemplative to the more celebratory. Speakers sharing personal remarks may be placed just before an uplifting hymn or immediately preceding the sermon. This arrangement creates natural movement from grief to gospel hope.

3) Weave Biography Into The Sermon

Most funeral homes provide family and visitors with a pamphlet that includes an obituary. Rather than reading the obituary as part of the service, weave biographical information into the funeral message itself. Include encouraging reflections from those who have shared their stories during visitation. Since most people can read the obituary themselves, weaving life details into your sermon comes across more thoughtfully, conveying greater warmth and feeling.

4) Keep The Service Brief

Generally speaking, 30-40 minutes is ample time for a meaningful funeral service. If the service is much shorter, it may suggest not enough thought went into planning. If it is too long, people may grow restless. Most of the family will have been on their feet for hours during visitation and will be traveling to the cemetery after the ceremony. Keeping the service brief helps them continue through a very difficult day.

5) Preach The Gospel

The ceremony should culminate in gospel proclamation. Some of my favorite texts include Psalm 23, Matthew 14:12, John 14:1-3, and 2 Timothy 4:6-8. The sermon should build from biographical information to a focus upon the Lord Jesus. If conducting the service for a believer, sharing gospel truths about heaven is especially encouraging. If conducting the service for an unbeliever, or one whose faith was unknown, emphasizing the comfort of Christ strengthens hurting families. Only God knows the state of each person’s soul, so pastors should choose their words carefully. Finally, include an evangelistic appeal near the end of every message. My own practice is to say something like, “One day, there will be a service much like this for every one of us,” a statement encouraging reflection and thoughtful preparation for eternity.

Pastors: What suggestions would you add for preaching funerals?

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Overcoming Worldliness

Today’s post concludes a study on the cure for worldly living according to James Chapter 4. We left off in the middle of James 4:8 where we were encouraged to battle worldliness by drawing near to God. Now, according to James 4:8-10 , we learn of two more practices that enable Christians to overcome worldliness.

Applying the Right Practice
(Holiness)

You may recall from an earlier study that verse 6 says, “God gives more grace.”  God is faithful to give us whatever grace is necessary to practice holiness, growing in our faith and becoming more like Jesus. 

Grace is not only the source of the Christian’s salvation but also the source of the Christian’s sanctification. 

Grace is not only the source of the Christian’s salvation but also the source of the Christian’s sanctification.
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Grace not only saves us from a life in hell, grace sanctifies us for a life of holiness.  

To be sure holiness does not always come easily.  There is no holiness without effort.  Growing in Christ requires discipline.  So James commands: “Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

These terms “cleanse” and “purify” recall the Old Testament priests’ washing their hands before entering the tabernacle (Exodus 30:17-21).  Used by James, the terms convey the idea of having purity before God and others.  It is a call for practical holiness and sanctified living. 

To be “double-minded” is to have one’s loyalty divided between God and the world.  You can’t have it both ways.  As Jesus says: “You can’t serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).”  You can’t love both the things of God and the things of the world.

Then James says, “Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.”

I doubt this verse is anyone’s favorite Bible verse!  Imagine someone asking, “What’s your favorite life verse?”  And some guy replies dolorously, “Lament and mourn and weep!  Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.”

Why is James saying this?  Surely he is addressing those times in our lives when we are so in love with the world that we find ourselves laughing when we ought to be mourning.

Imagine attending a funeral where some man sitting on the front pew is laughing the entire time.  You say, “That’s inappropriate behavior!  He should be mourning, not laughing.”  In essence, James is saying, “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m talking about.  There are times when your inappropriate behavior calls for mourning rather than laughing.”

It’s easy to laugh at a sitcom on TV or a movie full of immoral innuendo.  Someone tells an indecent joke at work and you laugh.  James says, “Lament and mourn and weep!  Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.”

There are times in our lives where laughter is inappropriate.  It is not that God never wants us to laugh or have joy.  There is joy throughout the Bible!  No one has more joy in life than a faithful Christian.  But we cannot truly know the joy of the Lord if we are unfaithful.  

Until we learn to mourn for our sin we will remain unchanged.  If we persist in compromise and continue in worldliness, we will never grow in holiness and thus never know the true joy of the Lord.

The cure for worldly living is allegiance to the right person (faithfulness), applying the right practice (holiness), and thirdly: 

Assuming the Right Posture
(Lowliness)

James says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

This verse may be interpreted as a general principle, an echo of our Lord’s teachings in the Gospels: “And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23:12).”

Given the context, however, it seems James would have us understand his call for humility as a necessary corollary of the command to “Lament and mourn and weep.”  Repentance is no laughing matter.  If we are turning our joy to gloom then we will assume the right posture.  We will assume a posture of lowliness.

I think the JB Phillips paraphrase best captures the flow of James’ thought:

As you come close to God you should be deeply sorry, you should be grieved, you should even be in tears. Your laughter will have to become mourning, your high spirits will have to become heartfelt dejection. You will have to feel very small in the sight of God before he will set you on your feet once more.

James 4:8-10, JB Phillips

Here is a picture of  humility!  This final cure for worldliness is a call to assume the right posture, a posture of lowliness before the Lord.  We are honest with Him.  We admit that we have allowed ourselves to become entangled with the things of the world and we have been awakened to the danger of continuing down this path.  We confess, repent, and draw closer to God.

What About You?

Can you identify some ways in which you are tempted to “allow the world to squeeze you into its own mold?” (cf. Romans 12:2)What can you do the next time you find yourself laughing when you ought to be mourning?Though certainly not Jesus’ main point, how does the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15, especially verses 17-20) illustrate James’ teaching about drawing near to God, knowing He will draw near to us?

**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 137-140, available in all formats here.

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Does Your Sermon Have Movement?

If you’ve been in a car driven by someone who frequently slows unexpectedly, lurches forward, or turns unpredictably, you know what it’s like to listen to a sermon lacking steady movement. While the preacher takes you on a journey through a biblical passage, his sporadic stops, restarts, and repetitions unsettle you as you try to understand his main point. Here are five ways to ensure your sermon has seamless movement from introduction to conclusion:

1) Have A Clear Proposition And State It Often

Every sermon should have one main point derived from the primary concern of the biblical text. Most homiletical textbooks and teachers refer to this main point as the proposition. The proposition is the sermon reduced to a simple statement such as “Why we can trust God in uncertain times” or “There are right ways of thinking when suffering for Christ.” Like entering a destination on a GPS, the proposition charts our course and tells our hearers they are, in fact, going somewhere. As a general rule, state the proposition in the introduction, with each sermon point, and in the conclusion.

2) Use Helpful Transitions

Transitional statements make for smooth turns in the sermon from one road to the next. Like a thoughtful tour guide, the preacher communicates where the hearers have been and tells them where they are going next. While there are many kinds of transitional statements, perhaps the most effective is the simple “Not only, but also” transition: e.g., “God’s providence not only blesses Christians (Point I), but also blesses non-Christians (Point II).” Transitional statements move the message steadily forward in the right direction.

3) Write Out Your Sermon

Taking time to write down what you plan to say allows for greater clarity in sermon delivery. Whether writing out a full manuscript or a weighty and substantive outline, you can visually inspect your work and see whether your proposition is clearly stated in the introduction, coheres with the sermon points, and runs seamlessly through to the conclusion. Thoughtful writing tends to result in better movement in the sermon.

4) Consider Writing The Conclusion First

Occasionally, it may be helpful to write out the conclusion before writing the rest of the sermon. This unconventional practice helps the preacher stay on message, preventing his straying from the “main road” of the exposition. Mapping out the final destination in advance means the preacher is more likely to stay on course and steadily move his hearers along to a meaningful conclusion and response.

5) Review Your Sermon Frequently Before Preaching

Going over the sermon again and again provides the preacher numerous opportunities to think through the logical flow of his message and determine whether there is continual movement from introduction to conclusion. Sermon review allows the preacher to fix unclear statements, adjust his rate, and ensure his hearers are being driven purposefully toward a specific call for response.

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Battling Worldliness

In our previous posts on the Book Of James, we examined the cause of worldliness.  We turn now to the cure for worldliness.  Before we do, it may be helpful to review what we have learned.  To be “worldly” is to allow ourselves to love the things of this fallen world more than we love the things of the Lord.  Worldliness according to James is friendship with the non-Christian world such that it makes one an “enemy of God (James 4:4).”

In James 4:7-10, there are no fewer than ten commands, all imperatives in the original text.  We have noted previously that James is fond of using the imperative mood likely because it fits his style.  His letter is an alarming call to action and we are wise to heed its teachings.

We may summarize the cure for worldly living by observing three necessary actions.  We’ll examine the first one in today’s post:

Allegiance to the Right Person (Faithfulness) 

Allegiance to the right person means allegiance to God.  It means we are faithful to Him, separating ourselves from the encroachments of the world.  In James 4:7-8a, James writes:

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…”

To “submit” means “to arrange under,” as in “to arrange ourselves under the authority of another,” and the idea is that of enlistment.  We enlist in God’s service.  We do not enlist in the service of the enemy, namely the devil.  Nor do we enlist in a half-committed way, giving some allegiance to God and some to the devil.  We are to choose sides and remain faithful.  

If we love the Lord then we will want to be faithful to Him.  Love moves us to “arrange ourselves under” His authority.  

The Apostle John teaches a similar idea in his first letter:

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever

1 JOhn 2:15-17

Paul also states in a familiar verse: “Do not be conformed to this world…(Romans 12:2).”  JB Phillips paraphrases the verse memorably: “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold…”

How easy it is to become increasingly comfortable with the ways of the world, allowing the world to change us rather than our changing the world.

What are some signs that we may be allowing the world to squeeze us into its own mold?

We may show that we love the world more than we love the Lord by the way we think, speak, and live.  Our idle thoughts may lead us into sinful thinking, lustful thoughts, thoughts of anger, resentment, and bitterness.  Remember: what is inside the heart comes out.  We’ve noted this truth in the last few posts.  If we have issues on the inside they’ll show up on the outside.  Wrong thinking leads to wrong living.  

You may love the world more than the Lord if you find yourself too busy for Bible reading. 

You may love the world more than you love the Lord if you don’t tithe or give generously.  

You may love the world more than you love the Lord if you are too tired for corporate worship when the church gathers together.  Frequently, Christians miss corporate worship because of love for the world, because they have allowed the things of the world to choke out their first love.   

You may love the world more than you love the Lord if it’s easier to gossip than it is to witness.  You find it easier to talk to others about others than to talk to others about Jesus.

You love the world more than you love the Lord if it’s easier to look at pornography than it is to look at the Bible.

Allegiance to the right person means to be faithful to the Lord and “resisting the devil.”

Interestingly, James’ call to “resist the devil” is sandwiched between two positive commands: “Submit to God” and “Draw near to God.”  And right between those two commands is the negative command: “Resist the devil.”

The key to resisting Satan is not merely to rebuke him, though rebuking the devil is a wise practice. When Jesus sensed the work of the tempter in his life, He said, “Get thee behind me, Satan (Matthew 16:23).”

But consider why the instruction of resisting the devil is sandwiched between the two great commands of submitting to God and drawing near to God.  It’s as though James is showing us the best way to resist the devil and ensure that he flees from us is by remaining especially close to God, submitting to Him and drawing near to Him.  I love that promise in the first part of verse 8: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

Do you want to feel the power of God’s presence in your life?  How much time did you spend last week drawing near to Him?  Be honest.  How much time did you spend last week just “hanging out” with friends, watching movies, or surfing the internet?  How much time did you spend last week drawing near to God through prayer and the reading of His Word?  How faithful have you been in worship?  

If you want to feel the power of God’s presence every day in your life, the answer is right here in this verse: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”  And take care not to reverse the order.  The promise of God’s drawing near to you does not come before your drawing near to Him. 

So…draw near to God and enjoy His empowering and encouraging presence!

**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 134-137, available in all formats here.

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