A couple of years ago I was driving my car out of my neighborhood in Millwood and there were some teenagers who were skating down the street on their skateboards.
As I got closer to the teenagers, they chose to skate across the street in front of me, which wasn’t a big deal but one of them dropped a gallon of ice cream out of their backpacks. I rolled down my window to get the kids attention and said, “Hey, you dropped your ice cream.” Like any normal teenager he assumed I was yelling at him to get out of the street so the teenager sarcastically replied, “I can’t hear you!”
At this point my car is slowing down so I yell even louder. “No, you dropped your ice cream!” Ice Cream in my family is a big deal. You don’t want to leave ice cream on the side of the road. But again, the teenager, now further away, turns around and says even louder and slower, “I can’t hear you.” Hahaha! At this point I was becoming a bit annoyed. My car has come to a complete stop in the middle of the road, and I am not proud of this, but I yelled even louder, “No, you idiot. You dropped your ice cream.”
At that point the teenager sees the ice cream in the middle of the road and says, “Oh, thank you” and gives me a big wave. I think it is fair to say, now more than ever, it is easy to get confused in our communication. We have different opinions about this pandemic. We have different opinions about politicians. We have different opinions about the role of government, education, sexuality, ethnicity, and now fossil fuel, so that sometimes we might want to just walk off and say, “I can’t hear you!”
The good news is that God’s Word speaks to our relational confusion and this morning we are going to see three sub-points; 1. Confusion With One Another. 2. Confusion With God. 3. How Do We Gain Clarity? Let’s start with the first sub-point; 1. Confusion With One Another.
- Confusion With One Another.
James 4:1, “4 1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?
First, the “you” in verse 1 is in the plural form. We’re not talking about “quarrels and conflicts” with just one person in our life that rubs us the wrong way but in the context of the passage we see the body of Christ that is struggling to get along with one another.
In chapter 3 they were struggling to control their tongue. In chapter 2 they were showing favoritism toward one another. In chapter 1 they were double minded men and women and as a result there is a pattern of quarrels, arguments, fighting and clashing over different opinions. (Pause)
Isn’t that what we see in our day today? Who said the bible was outdated? Haven’t we all experienced those moment where someone says something about the something that we might disagree with? How do we respond? Do we speak up? Do we just walk away? Haven’t we all been in those moments at work in Austin or by the Domain or with family members when the conversation drifts toward abortion, gay rights, sexual expression, use of pronouns, and it’s almost like we can feel the bubbling up of “quarrels and conflicts” coming to the surface?
I wish we could blame all our “quarrels and conflicts” on the pandemic and cultural events, but we all know these “quarrels and conflict” aren’t just isolated events. Right? We all have moments in our life where we have lashed out at a co-worker because someone isn’t doing their job. We lose our temper with our children because they push our buttons. We get snarky with our spouse. Then they say, “Oh yeah, what about this?” Then we say, “Oh yeah, what about that?”
It’s usually in those moments where we start to blame. We say to ourselves, “Well, if those people would just stop doing those things everything would be great.” Right? If those people would have voted the way I voted in Austin. If those people would just see my perspective. If those people would listen to this podcast or read this article. So many articles – do you know how many articles I have been sent in the last year?
The list goes on and on, but God’s Word directs us to be careful about blaming other people. Look at verses 2-3:
James 4:2-3, “2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”
Now I could be wrong, but I am assuming that the people in the context of the passage aren’t literally murdering one another. Did you see that in verse 2? It’s not clear. James references murdering one another again in chapter 5. Be careful where you worship!
I think it is likely that James is using hyperbole to draw out the weight of their “quarrels and conflicts.” Like in Matthew 5 when Jesus says, “You have heard it said you shall not murder, but if you hate someone you are guilty of murder.”
So, it’s likely that James is using hyperbole in verse 2 because it is easy for us to minimize our “quarrels and conflicts.” We tell ourselves, “It’s not that big of a deal. Everyone’s not going to be best friends. Sometimes people don’t get along. Oh, well.” But God’s Word is teaching us these “quarrels and conflicts” with one another are like murdering our relationships with one another.
In fact, when James writes “you ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives” it’s because in those moments we’re not living under Christ but we’re living out our own passions. Does that make sense? The word, “Pleasures” at the end of verse 3 in the original language is the word, “Hedone” which is where we get the English word, “Hedonism” which means living for your own pleasures and passions.
That’s why in verse 1, “What is the source of your quarrels and conflicts? Is it not your pleasures?” In those moments when we give ourselves over to “quarrels and conflicts” willingly we’re out of step with Christ and we’re living out our own pleasures. James writes, “You’re hindering your prayers with these “quarrels and conflicts.” Let’s look at our second sub-point, 2. Confusion With God.
- Confusion With God.
It would be easy to assume that our “quarrels and conflicts” are just with one another, but God’s Word teaches us that our greatest “quarrel and conflict” begins with Him. Look at verses 4-6:
James 4:4-6, “4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
In verse 4 you see the phrase, “You adulteresses” and again this is not a compliment. Just to be clear the word “adultery” is someone who has sex with someone outside their marriage and verse 4 isn’t drawing out a description of sexual adultery but a description spiritual adultery as brothers and sisters in Christ are metaphorically sneaking out the door at night to hook up with “friendship with the world.” Does make sense?
In addition, the word “friendship” is a little deeper in the ancient world than it is in our day. In our Austin culture we are “friends” with everyone. But in the ancient world a friend was someone with a person that created deep connection. They were people that valued the same things, pursued the same things, and critically shaped one another’s lives. Therefore, when James references the “world” James isn’t talking about things like the planet, trees rivers and mountains. James isn’t even talking about getting a job, enjoying a meal, watching a movie, and going on vacations.
James is talking about “friendship with the world” in such a way that we are taking in the values and beliefs of this world that are contrary to God’s character and God’s Word. Write that in your notes. We could really spend our whole morning talking about what this looks like practically but let me give us some questions to reflect on what this might look like in our lives:
Do we enjoy “quarrels and conflicts?” Our city in Austin talks about love on the surface but I think we can all agree that our world loves “quarrels and conflicts.” Our world loves to divide. Our world loves to vilify. Our world loves to gossip and slander. Our world loves to chase after its own pleasures and passions.
And I see how the world is rubbing off on me. When I look at my life, I see a pattern of not just “quarrels and conflicts” but actually preparing for “quarrels and conflicts.” Especially in light of the last two years and the amount of media I’ve taken in on different subjects like abortion, politics, virus, masks, ethnicity, and sexuality. I can see a pattern in myself where I don’t follow media to be informed but I follow media to win arguments, to be right, and I can see myself becoming more concerned for winning an argument than caring about people. That’s probably not a good sign.
As a result, I can see my quarrels and conflicts being shaped more by the world than by God’s Word. Therefore, James writes, “When we pursue friendship with the world, we are creating hostility between us and God. We’re actually making ourselves an enemy of God.”
And listen to me, you might not see yourself as someone who “quarrels and conflicts” but avoiding people, never speaking up or cutting people out of your life because there is disagreement is still a layer of murder. Therefore, James writes, “When we pursue friendship with the world, we are creating hostility between us and God. We’re actually making ourselves an enemy of God.”
The good news is that the God of Scripture doesn’t turn His back on us. When people create hostility with us we cut them out of our life, but the God of Scripture does just the opposite. In verse 5 James writes, “Do you think that Scripture speaks to no purpose: ‘He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us?” Do you see that? Yes, James uses strong words like, “You adulterous, murderous people.” And equally as strong James writes in verse 6, “But He gives greater grace!”
I want you to hear this as loud as you can. In Christ, we are we spiritually adulterous? We are quarreling and fighting? We are offensive with our tongue? We are lacking in compassion. We are stained by the values of this world. And James writes, “But He gives greater grace!” That is so rich! This is the gospel! Just in case you think Michael is trying to put a positive spin on our “quarrels and conflicts” we only need to know the story of Hosea in the Old Testament. Do you know about Hosea?
Hosea is a man in the Old Testament who marries a woman and God tells Hosea that this woman will betray him in adultery over and over and God calls Hosea to chase after her. Never leave her. Be faithful to her and the God of Scripture says to Hosea, “Chase after her because you are also an adulterous people and I chase after you!” Are you kidding?
Genesis 1, He creates us, and we slam the door in His face. Genesis 3 He chases after us and we want nothing to do with Him. Jesus comes and takes on flesh to be with us and we kill Him. But He doesn’t stop. He calls out to us. He opens our eyes. He gives us faith. James 1 He takes the word of truth and implants Himself into our soul so that He says, “I will never leave you. I will be with you always.” Are you kidding?
We get all teary eyed at John Cusak holding up a boombox in the movie “Say Anything.” You know this scene. In your eyes, the light and heat, your eyes, I am complete, your eyes.” We eat it up! Please! Are you kidding? It’s nothing to all we have in Jesus. But listen to me, you have to be in Christ. You can’t just hear those words; you must respond to those words. You can’t just grow up in a home around those words. You have to respond and receive Christ into your life, and He will call you His for eternity.
If you’ve never done that then do that today. Let’s look at our last sub-point; 3. How Do We Gain Clarity?
- How Do We Gain Clarity?
We know there is confusion in our relationships with one another. We know we can get confused in our relationship with God. Therefore, God’s Word teaches us how to gain clarity. Let’s look at verses 7-10:
James 4:7-10, “7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”
It would be easy to read verses 7-10 just as a collection of thoughts but in those verses, we see two immediate responses: an offensive response and a defensive response. Let’s talk about the offensive response first.
Offensive: Submit Yourself to God. If you want to reduce those quarrels and conflicts in your life, then start off submitting yourself to the God of Scripture. You might be submitting your life to Him for the first time today, but every day throughout the day God’s Word is calling us to submit our lives to Him and follow Him. His name is Jesus!
Jesus is the One who created life, Jesus is the One who promises abundant life, not just for eternity, but for today, but you have to submit your life to Him and follow Him. Verse 8, draw near to Him, purify your hearts, confess your sin, stop flirting with this world and follow Him. Verse 9 weep over your sin. Stop minimizing your sin and excusing your sin but instead turn your laughter toward sin into mourning over your sin so that we might follow Him by getting in His Word, getting with His people and follow Him. Let’s talk about the second option; defensive.
Defensive: Resist the Devil. It isn’t often that we talk about the devil on a Sunday morning, but scripture teaches us that we have an enemy and we need to resist Him.
John 8 teaches us the devil is a liar. Revelation 12 he’s an accuser. Genesis 4 sin is crouching at your door and its desire is to master you, therefore, we need to be ready. The devil loves to take our “quarrels and conflicts” and compound them. He loves to isolate. He loves division. He loves it when we snuggle up to the systems and beliefs of this world.
The devil loves to take God’s blessings in our lives and turn them into idols so that we hang on to them tightly. Are you actively preparing to resist Him? Listen to me, I wish I could tell you just come to North Village Church and the devil will flee, but honestly attending our church family will just put you on his radar.
The devil doesn’t like what’s taking place at North Village Church. We’re not here to just sing some songs and see you next Sunday. We love God’s Word. He doesn’t like that. We love confession and repentance. He doesn’t like that. We love calling one another to “Look Around” for opportunities to share God’s grace and the devil hates those things. Are you actively preparing to resist in Austin?
Are you getting into Scripture every day? Are you softening your heart to the Lord? Are you seeking peace with the body of Christ in Austin? The Apostle Peter tells us the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Get ready!