Sermon : Wind-tossed and Unstable Page 1

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1 Sermon : Wind-tossed and Unstable Page 1 Wind-tossed and Unstable Text : James 1: 1-8 ; Matthew 14: S#1. A. We have been taking some lessons from the Epistle of James. S#2. 1. We observed that the book was written by the half-brother of Jesus. a. He was an elder and leader in the Jerusalem church. b. In spite of his position, James refers to himself as a bondservant of Jesus. James 1:1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings. 2. The book is written to the 12 tribes that are scattered abroad. a. The church is the Israel of God, but James is referring to Jewish Christians. b. Considering Acts 8, they were probably former members if his congregation. B. The Epistle of James is written to Christians who are suffering trials. S#3. 1. The trials were not temptations to sin, but rather adversities, probably persecutions. 2. Peter gave a similar admonition to the brethren : I Pet. 4: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. C. The recipients are told that they need the trials and will benefit from them. S#4. 1. Bad things were happening to them, but they are instructed to value them as joy. James 1: 2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 2. When trials are endured as joy, they produce endurance and endurance has a work. James 1: 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 3. When one endures trials as joy the resulting endurance matures his faith. James 1: 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. D. Valuing trials as joy is not the normal responds so it is often not easy. S#5. 1. People who view themselves as good often resent the bad things that befall them. 2. Even Christians need help to keep the right attitude toward bad things. 3. God is willing to help Christians understand how to deal with trials. James 1: 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 4. The command is to ask and the promise is to receive more than enough.

2 Sermon : Wind-tossed and Unstable Page 2 God promises to give freely and generously, but there is a condition. I. God will only answer prayers that are asked in faith.. S#6. A. The context is understanding trials, but a principle applies to all pray. James 1: 5-8 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives S#7. to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. B. The promise of answered prayer is ONLY given to Christians. S#8. 1. God does not answer prayer for those who do not reject evil. a. Psa. 66: 18 If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear; b. Regard ( ra-ah )is also translated as : look upon, consider, respect, provide 2. Jeremiah is told not to even pray for those who reject God. Jer. 14: 10b-11 Therefore the Lord does not accept them; now He will S#9. remember their iniquity and call their sins to account." 11 So the Lord said to me, "Do not pray for the welfare of this people. 3. The prophet Isaiah had a similar message from God for the sinful people : Isa. 1: So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My S#10. eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. 16 Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, 17 learn to do good, seek justice. 3. Only believers can please God. Heb. 11: 6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. C. The one who prays must pray believe that God will give him his request. S# James simply restated the teaching of Jesus. James 1: 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, 2. Jesus set a president for faith being required. Mark 1: And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on S#12. his knees before Him, and saying, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

3 Sermon : Wind-tossed and Unstable Page 3 3. Remember when Jesus healed the two blind men? Matt. 9: As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, S#13. crying out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" 28 When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, " It shall be done to you according to your faith." 30 And their eyes were opened. II. The one who doubts his prayer will be granted, will be denied.. S#14. A. James 1: 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who S#15. doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 1. The English does not do justice to the meaning of James wording. S# Doubting ( diakrino ) : 1 to separate, make a distinction, 2, decide a dispute. 3 to withdraw from one, desert. 4, to oppose, hesitate, doubt a. It suggests a withholding of trust and confidence. b. It s a lack of faith in God s ability or in His willingness or in the merit of a request. * c. In 1858 Charles Blondin walked a tightrope 190 above Niagara Falls and did many stunts on the rope. One, he pushed a wheelbarrow across and back. He then asked the crowd if they thought he could do it. All said yes, but none would ride across. * They believed, but doubted they had knowledge, but not faith. Apply to prayer. 3. Driven and tossed by wind a. James had been a fisherman so he was familiar with the effect of wind on water. b. Sea of Galilee was known for severe storms with high waves that came quickly. c. Compare : 1) Galilee : 64 sq. mi. average depth 84 ft. ( 140 to 210 ft. ) 2) Lake Shelbyville : sq. mi. average depth 19 ft. 3) Lake Michigan : 22, 300 sq. mi. average depth 279 ft. 4) Lake Erie : 9,910 sq. mi. average depth 62 ft. ( similarities to Galilees ) 4. Double-minded a. Literally : A man with two souls b. It indicates the one is undecided, vacillating, insincere c. The two-souled man is unwilling to fully commit to Christ. Wants both sides. d. This man wants to have the benefits of Christ and a relationship with the world.

4 Sermon : Wind-tossed and Unstable Page 4 5. unstable a. not controlled, restless, inconstant b. Used in secular writings to describe a drunken man. B. Jesus demands a clear decision, i.e., that one be fully committed. 1. Jesus made a total commitment to us on the cross and demand we reciprocate. 2. Matt. 6: 24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one S#17. and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. 3. Matt. 12: 30 He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters. 4. James re-emphasizes this teaching of Jesus here and in chapter 4. S#18. James 4: 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. III. How does one pray with the faith which God requires?. S#19. S#20. A. Express your heart. Some just say their prayer rather than actually praying. 1. Mark 7: 6 He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. 2. Prayer is heart to heart with God, not the recitation of poems or formulae of words. 3. Christians must mature past the stage of memorized prayer like those taught children. a. Before bed : Now I lay me down to sleep. b. Before meals : Bless us, Oh Lord and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen c. Reciting the Lord s prayer : Our Father who is in Heaven, Hallowed be your name. 4. People who have no relationship with God say memorized lines but God hears hearts. B. Pray realizing the awesome power of God. ( Eph. 3: 20 ) S# People don t appreciate the power of God because they have not learned about Him. 2. Rom. 10: 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. a. Genesis 1 We learn about the power of God to create. b. Exodus.. We learn about God s patience as He calls out Israel to form His nation. c. The gospels teach us about the coming of the promised Messiah work on the earth. d. The epistles train us in how to live now so we will live with Him eternally.

5 Sermon : Wind-tossed and Unstable Page 5 C. Pray within the will of God. S# I John 5: This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. 2. When we have come to know God, we will know what He wants. For example : a. He wants for us to cast all our cares on Him. I Pet. 5: 6-7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. b. He wants for us to lead sanctified lives. II Cor. 6: 17 Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate, says the Lord. And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you c. He wants for all people to be saved. I Tim. 2: 4 God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. S# There are some things that we are commanded to pray for : a. I Tim 2: 1 I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, b. In out text we are commanded to pray for wisdom. S# There are also some things we are told not to pray for. a. I John 5: 16 There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should S#25. make request for this. b. James 4: 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. c. NOT : more handsome boyfriend, new car, bigger house, etc. CONCLUSION : S#26. A. All of us are or will be facing trials in our life. God wants us to use them to 1. When in the fire it is difficult to count it as joy or see any benefit. 2. God promises us that he will give us the wisdom to see it as joy if we will ask. B. Prayer is a special privilege given only to Christians who have true faith. S#27. C. Do you have a prayer relationship with God? S#28. Or are you like Peter, divided in your mind? S#29. S#30. Communion slide

6 Sermon : Wind-tossed and Unstable Page 6 Lesson Text : Matthew 14: Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 24 But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, " Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." 28 Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29 And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, " You of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God's Son!" James 1: Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

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