Week 2: James- Just Do It

Dan Hamel, a teaching pastor from Southland Christian Church, is leading a Bible Study this summer at CSF and this post will be a live journal from week to week.

If you are in Lexington I encourage you to come out to CSF (Woodland Ave and Columbia Ave) on Tuesdays at 6:30 PM to dig into the word and get a free meal.

Week 2: James 1:19-27

19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

An important point I want to make first off is that anger needs to be defined. Many times in the Old Testament we read about God’s anger, therefore anger cannot be a sin, because God cannot sin. Anger is an intense release of energy to defend and preserve something. When James says “man’s anger” it refers to us getting angry about selfish things, not being angry in Godly reasons. So I would say that this passage is less about our own patience and outbursts but points more toward our humility.

• True devotion takes the form of relational humility.
  • Humble people are natural listeners.
  • Humble people are more interested in hearing from others than being heard by others.
  • Humble people recognize their own depravity and God’s justice.
    • Luke 7: You can forgive much once you understand you’ve been forgiven.
    • Romans 12: Don’t repay evil with evil; don’t take revenge leave room for God’s wrath.

21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

• True devotion takes the form of moral purity.
  • Christian purity requires stripping off old behavior.
    • Colossians 3:8-9, I Peter 1:16, Hebrews 12:14
  • Christian purity results from receiving the word.
    • James is one of the first books of the New Testament that was recorded, therefore when James says “the word” it can’t simply mean the Bible as we commonly reference today, because they did not have the complete word as we do today.
    • The word causes salvation, and causes growth through salvation.
    • Message of God’s activity of saving, the Gospel.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it- he will be blessed in what he does.

• True devotion takes the form of scriptural analysis and application.
  • Faithful students of the word are never content to merely audit scripture.
    • Similarly to auditing a class in college. You only want to listen and absorb the information, but not have to do assignments or take tests.
  • Faithful students of the word study and absorb scripture.
  • Faithful students of the word apply the truths and commands of scripture.
  • Faithful students of the word are liberated by scripture.
  • Freedom is not the ability to do anything you naturally desire, you are only free if you are living as God intended for you.
  • Deut. 15, I John 5:3
  • Faithful students of the word will always be blessed because of their dedication to scripture.  (v.25)

26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight reign on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

• True devotion takes the form of verbal restraint.
  • Your heart is to be filled with the love, joy, kindness, and self-control of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22)
  • Your words reveal the quality of your heart.

27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

• True devotion takes the form of social justice.
  • God calls his people to meet the needs of the marginalized.
  • God ignores the worship of those who ignore the poor.
    • Isaiah 55, Amos

Week 1: James- Just Do It

Dan Hamel, a teaching pastor from Southland Christian Church, is leading a Bible Study this summer at CSF and this post will be a live journal from week to week.

If you are in Lexington I encourage you to come out to CSF (Woodland Ave and Columbia Ave) on Tuesdays at 6:30 PM to dig into the word and get a free meal.

Background on James:

James is the half-brother of Jesus, he was seen with the resurrected Christ (1 Corinthians 15:7), and he was one of the pillars of the early church along with Peter and Paul (Acts 15).

Week 1: James 1:1-18

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.

In the Jewish culture being a servant or slave was seen as the lowest position of society. James certainly could have used a different term to identify himself, but by calling himself a slave he was humbling himself as an example to the audience.

2 Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything.

James begins his message speaking about enduring and persevering through trials. Trials being external tests of faith, persecution, and ridicule.

When I read about persevering through trials I have a hard time looking myself in the mirror and reflecting about what things stop me from sharing my faith. Most, if not all the apostles were killed for their faith. We read many accounts of beatings, exile, prison, and being socially outcast because of these people’s faith. The worst thing that could happen to us is to get made fun of, lose a friend, or get labeled as “radical.” But that is what we are called to do. Spread the gospel and not be afraid to take some lumps for doing so. We are not only called to do this but also to consider it PURE JOY.

What do you mean pure joy? Am I supposed to jump up and dance when people publicly insult me, or distance themselves from me? No, joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness is circumstantial but joy defies the circumstances. It is like a fishing bobber, it may go down but it will bring itself back up because it is a bobber, it is in its nature. Joy can only be achieved through a relationship with Jesus, it reminds us of the eternal promises we are given and that is how joy provides peace regardless of the circumstance.

“You can’t take my joy.

‘Cause the world didn’t give it to me.”

– Andy Mineo (Rapper) “Pressure” Formerly Known  (HIGHLY RECOMMEND HIM! I’m writing a post later about my favorite artists.)

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

We are to ask for wisdom to enable us to navigate through trials. Wisdom provides the ability to discern the reality around us and respond to it accordingly. Wisdom is the combination of knowledge, perspective, and experience. Throughout the Bible we see commands to use wisdom with our own realities (Proverbs 2, Proverbs 16, tons of Proverbs).

Some might take this passage as a reason to ask for financial prosperity. However, neither financial abundance nor financial hardships are indicators of spiritual reality (Luke 16:19-31). We are called to rely on God for our needs, not to rely on money or other things of the world. Everything in the world belongs to God, he will provide for his children (Matthew 6:26).

9 The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10 But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wildflower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. 12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Verses 9-11 kind of backup what I mentioned in the last paragraph. They shift the perspective of what we value. The things of this world won’t follow us into eternity. This doesn’t mean that we should not work to earn a living, but we should use the gifts that we are given to earn money and to use this money as a tool for God’s purposes. Verse 12 refocuses this section back to what he originally stated, after we have persevered in this life and lived for the glory of God we will be rewarded with the crown of life.

            13 When tempted no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone, 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown gives birth to death. 

Here James shifts the conversation from external trials to internal temptation.

It’s important to recognize the source of temptation. I think for most of us, after we sin we are quick to shift the blame. “It’s because I’m being tempted by the devil” or something like that. But if Satan is not omnipresent, (that is he is one spirit, he can’t be everywhere) he can’t be tempting us all at the same time, I suppose he could be sending demons to trip you up, but in all honesty 99% of the sins that we commit are because of our own sin desires (v. 14). That places the blame directly on our chests. This is what Paul speaks about when we accept Christ as savior we are to die to our old way of life and put on the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).

Temptation occurs in two steps. First we are drawn from safety by decoys. Sin always looks harmless, beneficial, and fun. However these characteristics are the proverbial worm that rests on the fishing hook waiting to “drag away and entice” us. Notice that both metaphors relate to hunting and fishing. The sportsman knows that the decoy or bait is only a means to seek and destroy the prey.

16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down to me from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created. 

In this last part we see that we must recognize the benevolence of God. He is the source of ALL good things. Even the good things that non-believers receive are still given from the Lord. That is how mercy and grace work. While non-believers and believers alike spit in the face of God by disobeying his commands, by his love and grace, he still blesses us with life, and open arms.

Also at the end of the session Dan gave us Seven Truths about sin that I thought were very insightful.

1. Being tempted is not a sin.
2. Jesus was tempted.
3. Because of this fact, he can help us when we are tempted (Heb. 2:18, 4:14-16)
4. God always provides a way out. (1 Cor. 10:13)
5. Every temptation provides a fork in the road, you will never exit a temptation the same way you entered, either positively or negatively, temptation does not allow for a neutral way out.
6. Our response to temptation is our barometer to our love towards God.
7. Our response to temptation is NOT a barometer of God’s love toward us. Nothing will change the love of the Father.

K-WEEK

Calling All UK Freshman: K WEEK IS COMING!

Here’s a little rundown of some of the main events you need to make sure that you do.

–        Water Balloon Fight-

300,000 Water Balloons were delivered to CSF last month. How much more do I have to say? This is the biggest event every year during K-Week. How many times can you say that you’ve been a part of breaking a world record? Last year we filled 246,484 water balloons and 11,622 people participated. Are you sold yet? You just have to do it.

Check out last year’s video.

And here’s the year before.

–        Video Game Tourney

Halo, Super Smash Bros Melee Tournaments and tons of other games!

–         Shift Happens.

Shift is a weekly event at CSF that is for freshman to come together meet new people, share a free meal (freshman you’ll learn the extreme value of this soon enough), and hear a Biblical message about how you can live a Godly life while also living in college.

–        Big Blue U

Big Blue U is one of the best events I think that the University (not CSF) puts on during K Week because I love UK sports. All of the coaches come out and visit with the incoming freshman at Commonwealth Stadium, learn the fight song, and at the end everyone gets out on the field and takes a class picture. It’s pretty awesome. Can you find me?

–        #Luau2013

You just moved in your dorm. Your parents are gone. Your next move is to go to a party right? The Luau party is the BIGGEST party on campus the first night. Over 1,000 people dancing, free food, live DJ’s, did I mention free food?

–        FREE STUFF

There are tons of different events throughout the week that give away coupon books, t-shirts, coozies, and other little knick-knacks. Go get one of everything.

Current Reading List

The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Multiply by Francis Chan

 

On Deck:

Jesus is ______ by Judah Smith

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

 

First Post

Thought I’d try out this blogging thing. I can’t wait for this upcoming school year at UK. The past year has been a season of enormous growth with my walk with Christ and I can’t wait to see how the future of my relationship with him will take me places that I never could imagine. I also can’t wait for the things that He has in store for CSF (Christian Student Fellowship)! Nearly 400 students joining together in discipleship to grow and serve campus and the city of Lexington together!!

Follow me on twitter @dreesehudson

72 Days till K Week!