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Oct 21, 2018

Loving Peace

Passage: James 3:13-18

Speaker: Brian Land

Series: James

Category: Grace Brevard

Keywords: grace, love, peace, selfishness, community, identity

There is a perpetual tug-o-war between wordly wisdom and godly wisdom. The first tells us that we are the center of the universe while everybody and everything else exists to serve us and our desires while the latter, godly wisdom, softly speaks the truth that every person is gloriously made in the image of God and we are called to serve Him and one another. This is because of the ultimate sacrifice of the Jesus the Great Servant who has given us perfect and secure glory, which frees us from being jealous of others’ glory; from trying to build up our own glory and value by “stealing” it from others; freeing us to humbly and sacrificially give God glory and serve others, both of which stem from and leads to peace and righteousness.

Order of Worship

Prelude: Toy Story - Laser Envy

Call To Worship: Ephesians 1:3,7-10 & Psalm 95:1 ESV

ALL: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

LEADER: 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

ALL: 1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!   

Reading: Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

LEADER: 28 Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

ALL: 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Music:

Gratitude:

Prayer - The Broken Heart (adapted from The Valley of Vision)

ALL:  Blessed Jesus, though our sins rise to heaven your merits soar above them.           

LEADER: Though unrighteousness weighs us down. Your righteousness exalts us to your throne

ALL:  Grant us to hear your voice assuring us that by your stripes we are healed.

LEADER: That you were made sin for us that we might be righteous in thee

ALL: We are guilty but pardoned.  Lost but saved. Wandering but found.

LEADER: Holy Spirit, keep us always clinging to the cross. Open to us the springs of your divine conviction and truths.

ALL: And flood us every moment with this unending grace.

Reading - Matthew 5:3-10 NIV

LEADER: 3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit,

ALL: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

LEADER: 4 Blessed are those who mourn,

ALL: for they will be comforted.

LEADER: 5 Blessed are the meek,

ALL: for they will inherit the earth.

LEADER: 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

ALL: for they will be filled.

LEADER: 7 Blessed are the merciful,

ALL: for they will be shown mercy.

LEADER: 8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

ALL: for they will see God.

LEADER: 9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

ALL: for they will be called children of God.

LEADER: 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

ALL: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Sermon Title: Loving Peace

Central Text: James 3:13-18 ESV

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Illustration: The Good Place

Before Communion: Ephesians 2:13-16 ESV

LEADER: 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

Before Closing Song: Philippians 2:5-11 ESV

LEADER: 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

ALL: 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Benediction: Hebrews 13:20-21 ESV

LEADER: 20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will,

ALL: working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Additional Scriptures:

  • Job 28:12-28
  • Proverbs 3:17
  • Proverbs 11:2
  • Matthew 10:30
  • Matthew 21:43
  • John 14:5-6
  • John 14:15-16;25-27
  • Romans 5:1-2
  • Romans 8:1-15
  • Romans 15:5-6,13
  • 2 Corinthians 13:11
  • Galatians 3:27
  • Galatians 5:22-23
  • Philippians 4:6-7

Media:

10.21.18 Album

Discussion Questions & Applications:

  1. What are ways you put yourself first?
    1. Why do we all default toward a “serve me” heart?
    2. What are we selfish? What we trying to achieve?
  2. Where do these priorities come from (unpack 3:15)?
  3. In what arenas of culture, or even in your own experience, do you witness a kind of this-worldly “wisdom” that esteems the kind of ambition and boastfulness James warns of here?
    1. Why has that wisdom persisted and to many paid off? Where is that wisdom’s flaw(s)?
  4. How is it that this “wisdom” leads to division?
    1. What does “disorder” look like in life and relationships?
    2. How do they organically grow “vileness”?
    3. How is it that this “wisdom” is the root of sin itself?
  5. Where does Godly wisdom come from?
    1. What does it teach us...and propel us to do?
    2. How does being in community help with this?
  6. Think about your favorite stories.
    1. List character traits of well known heroes and villains?
    2. How do they display a me>you and a you>me contrast?
    3. Which is your favorite hero and what character traits are you drawn to?
    4. List some of the character traits of Jesus
  7. Godly wisdom was made perfect in Jesus who put us first to the point of death, which imputes permanent perfect value into us so that we no longer have to “steal” it from others in an effort to feel valuable and complete.
    1. How does this propel us to pursue peace with others?
    2. How do you pursue peace with others?
    3. How might this reflect verse 18 when James says “a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”  

Quotes:

  • “...we care more about looking good than about truly being good. . . .people are obsessed with their reputations.” - Jonathan Haidt (The Righteous Mind)
  • “It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.” - The Screwtape Letters (C.S. Lewis)  
  • “Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don't.” - Jordan Peterson
  • “I suppose we’ve all had the experience of being around people who line up pretty closely with our own beliefs, but hold those beliefs in such a way — arrogantly, perhaps, or with contempt for others — that make them a pain to be around. Conversely, we’ve spent time among people who don’t agree with us about all that many core beliefs, but are warm and generous and enjoyable company. . . .  There’s little doubt in my mind that the second kind of group is better for thinking and better for the health of my soul.” - Alan Jacobs
  • “Unless you believe the gospel, everything you do will be driven by either pride or fear." - Timothy J. Keller
  • “And that is enough to raise our thoughts to what may happen when the redeemed soul, beyond all hope and nearly beyond belief, learns at last that she has pleased Him whom she was created to please. There will be no room for vanity then. She will be free from the miserable illusion that it is her doing. With no taint of what we should now call self-approval she will most innocently rejoice in the thing that God has made her to be, and the moment which heals her old inferiority complex forever will also drown her pride deeper than Prospero’s book. Perfect humility dispenses with modesty. If God is satisfied with the work, the work may be satisfied with itself;” - C.S. Lewis (The Weight of Glory)

Books / Docs / Articles

The Peacemaker by Ken Sande

The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis

Sermons / Talks:

True Wisdom - Sinclair Ferguson

James 3:13-18

Envious Men - Jonathan Edwards

James 3:16

War & Peace by Timothy J. Keller

Matthew 5:9-12