Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read the Weekend Sermon. It finally stopped raining where I live, and we are supposed to have a few nice days. Thank you for all of your prayers.
Over the last couple of weeks, we've looked into the idea of the way of the world vs. the way of Jesus. There is something that I want to mention regarding this before we move on with our passage for this week.
What I am trying to point out from James when he speaks about friendship with the world is something that is deeper than what I was taught growing up as a boy. In the churches that I attended, worldliness as it was called meant engaging in sinful behaviors. Being worldly meant listening to rock, jazz or country music. It meant going to the movies or watching television shows.
As a follower of Jesus, I do believe that we are called to follow the ethical and moral teachings of Jesus. However, James is speaking about something deeper. This world's system is opposed to the teachings of Jesus. I have tried in the last couple of messages to point these out. It is so important to realize how different the way of Jesus is. His is the way of non-violence, compassion, true freedom, grace, forgiveness, generosity, humility and being a servant to all. This is not the way of the world. Let us all focus deeply on what it means to follow the way of Jesus.
Now in today's message, we focus on slander and judging. James tells us that we are not to slander our brothers and sisters, and we are not to judge our neighbor. Let's look at slander first.
James is teaching us that we are not to gossip and say nasty things about others. We are not to be in the business of tearing down people. If we say things that damage another person's reputation, it can cause devastating effects on the lives of others.
As followers of Jesus, we are to love our brothers and sisters in the faith. We are called by Jesus to love our neighbors as ourselves. We always need to remember that Jesus taught us to treat others in the manner in which we would like to be treated. We wouldn't want others to say slanderous, mean and nasty things about us, so we shouldn't do that to others.
As I stated before, as believers in Jesus, we need to be saying things that help, heal and build others up in the faith. We need to be encouragers who are positive and uplifting. We don't want to tear others down and humiliate them. We don't want people to think that they are terrible and cause them to be depressed and miserable. We must always speak in love to those who we encounter.
James also tells us that we are not to judge others. Of course, we know that this is something that Jesus told us about in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said, "Judge not, lest you be judged." It is not possible for us to know the thoughts and intents of another person's heart no matter how close we are to that person. The only one who knows enough to be the judge is Jesus. He is the one that can see a person's heart and can bring a right judgment.
Jesus told us that we should not try to get the speck out of another person's eye while we have a beam in our own eye. We need to deal with our own problems and our own sins. We need to pray for others who we think are in error that Jesus might lead them and show them the right way to go for His honor and glory.
We must encourage, love and help one another. There is enough negativity and hate in the world without Christians acting in a nasty way to one another. Let us all work to build each other up in the faith as we work together to spread the message of the love of Jesus and to make this world a better place. Amen.
Prayer Requests.
I want to thank you for your prayers. My job is going a lot better right now, and I am feeling fairly well. Please pray that the Lord's will will be done in my life.
Keep praying for and end to the coronavirus pandemic. Things are looking better here in the US, but I know that India, Brazil, Central America and Africa are still seeing many cases of the disease. Pray that vaccines will reach those who really need them and want them. Pray that those who are sick will recover.
Continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of this world. Pray for peace in Israel, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Libya, Chad, Ethiopia, Somalia and Central African Republic.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those who live in Uzbekistan and Albania. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, we will finish up James chapter 4, Lord willing. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will have a post midweek. May God bless you all.
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