Living on the Edge A Study in James Lesson 5

Transcription

1 Living on the Edge A Study in James Lesson 5 Outline of Schedule Opening Prayer Reading the Epistle Review Background Material Discussion Questions Application Closing Prayer Prayer Psalm 141 Refrain Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, * the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. 1 O LORD, I call to you; come to me quickly; * hear my voice when I cry to you. 2 Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, * the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. 3 Set a watch before my mouth, O LORD, and guard the door of my lips; * 4 let not my heart incline to any evil thing. Let me not be occupied in wickedness with evildoers, * nor eat of their choice foods. R 5 Let the righteous smite me in friendly rebuke; let not the oil of the unrighteous anoint my head; * for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds. 6 Let their rulers be overthrown in stony places, * that they may know my words are true. 7 As when a plower turns over the earth in furrows, * let their bones be scattered at the mouth of the grave. 8 But my eyes are turned to you, Lord GOD; * in you I take refuge; do not strip me of my life. Lesson 3 James: Living on the Edge 1

2 Refrain Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, * the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. 9 Protect me from the snare which they have laid for me * and from the traps of the evildoers. 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, * while I myself escape. R Holy God, let the incense of our prayer ascend before you, and let your loving-kindness descend upon us, that with devoted hearts we may sing your praises with the church on earth and the whole heavenly host, and glorify you forever and ever. Amen. Book of Common Worship, 772. Focus Question: In what ways do I show that my tongue is directed by God? In what ways not? James 3:1-12 NRS 1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. 4 Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8 but no one can tame the tongue-- a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh. Lesson 3 James: Living on the Edge 2

3 Background James as Theological Ethics James again is working his way back to the beginning, weaving his way in and out of the Hebrew Text, particularly Genesis and restating his writings in the first chapters. In James 1:26, 27, he established two conditions of true piety: proper speech and concern for the poor and afflicted (Interpretation, 115). NRS James 1:26 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. James is reminding us that works that exhibit love or neighbor, the royal law, are not an optional complement to the faith; they are the fruits of true faith. He points out in the previous section 3 examples of the misuse of speech: 1. words that honor the rich and dishonor the poor (2:3) 2. greeting a poor brother or sister without providing assistance (2:16) 3. claiming to have faith without works to show for it (2;18) Consider Matthew 5:21-22 in light of James teaching: NRS Matthew 5:21 "You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not murder'; and 'whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, 'You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire. Moving back to the beginning, James reminds us that all things have been put under our control, yet with such power and authority come responsibility. And responsibility must be tempered with humility. Lesson 3 James: Living on the Edge 3

4 In 3:7, James reminds us that we have tamed the species originally entrusted to our care: NRS Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." 27 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." And also that we have been given the poser of speech to name all living creatures: NRS Genesis 2:19 So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The first and most important gift distinctive to humans is this power to name, to create language, and by creating language also to continue God s own creative activity in the world (Johnson, 181). For James, God is the source of all reality who calls human beings into a life shaped according to the gifts given them and a community of mutual gift-giving and support as opposed to a community of rivalry and competition. James contrast a the reality offered by the world on one had and God on the other. The wisdom from below is the wisdom of the world and the wisdom from above, well that s obvious. Left to our own devices we will choose the wisdom from below. John Calvin offers a succinct capsulation of how to overcome the temptation to yield to the former and place one s self under the authority of the later: A saying of Chrysostom s has always pleased me very much, that the foundation of our philosophy is humility. But that of Augustine please me even more: When a certain rhetorician was asked what was the chief rule in eloquence, be replied, Delivery ; what is the second rule, Delivery ; what is the third rule, Delivery ; so if you aske me Lesson 3 James: Living on the Edge 4

5 concerning the percept of the Christian religion, first, second, third, and always I would answer, Humility. (Institutes ) The wisdom from above is that given by God through Scriptures (the imparted word) and is a wisdom that measures reality according to God s gifts rather than according to human possessions. We are called to live our lives in cooperation and peace (3:13-18), as contracted by our natural total depravity which leads lives of envy, greed, lust and want. The heart of the epistle is found in 3:13-4:10, which calls us to conversion from double-mindedness, living in both worlds, to one of purity of heart; which said another way is to will one thing. That one thing, to live the life that God s intended for us from the beginning. Sources Cited The New Interpreter s Bible, Vol. XII, Luke Timothy Johnson Interpretation: First and Seond Peter, James, and Jude. Pheme Perkins Calvin Commentary Vol. XXII Hebrews, 1 Peter, 1 John, James, II Peter, Jude. Translated The Rev. John Owen Johnson, L.T., The Letters of James Calvin, John, Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion, John T. McNeil, editor. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, W Christian Vocation God calls a people a. to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; b. to follow Jesus Christ in obedient discipleship; c. to use the gifts and abilities God has given, honoring and serving God (1) in personal life, (2) in household and families, (3) in daily occupations, (4) in community, nation, and the world. A person responds to God s call to faith in Jesus Christ through Baptism and through life and worship in the community of faith. Persons respond to God s call to discipleship through the ministries of God s people in and for the world. Lesson 3 James: Living on the Edge 5

6 Persons respond to God s call to honor and serve God in every aspect of human life a. in their work and in their play, b. in their thought and in their action, c. in their private and in their public relationships. God hallows daily life, and daily life provides opportunity for holy living. As Christians honor and serve God in daily life, they worship God. For Christians, work and worship cannot be separated. The Heidelberg Catechism NINTH COMMANDMENT You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Q What is required in the ninth commandment? A. That I do not bear false witness against anyone, twist anyone s words, be a gossip or a slanderer, or condemn anyone lightly without a hearing. Rather I am required to avoid, under penalty of God s wrath, all lying and deceit as the works of the devil himself. In judicial and all other matters I am to love the truth, and to speak and confess it honestly. Indeed, insofar as I am able, I am to defend and promote my neighbor s good name. The Shorter Catechism Q. 76. Which is the Ninth Commandment? A. The Ninth Commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 1 Q. 77. What is required in the Ninth Commandment? A. The Ninth Commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man,1 and of our own2 and our neighbor s good name,3 especially in witness-bearing.4 Q. 78. What is forbidden in the Ninth Commandment? A. The Ninth Commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth,1 or injurious to our own or our neighbor s good name.2 Lesson 3 James: Living on the Edge 6

7 Bible References for the Shorter Catechism Q Exod. 20:16. Q Zech. 8: I Peter 3:16; Acts 25: III John Prov. 14:5, 25. Q Prov. 19:5; Prov. 6: Luke 3:14; Ps. 15:3. General Discussion What do you think is more important: what we say, how we say it, when we say it, or to whom we say it? Why? List some ways in which Christians can speak and teach humbly and carefully. Think also of some common results when people speak as if they have all the answers. James 3:3-5 talks about the effects of words on people even on the person who is speaking them. How might our lives change for the better if we consciously change our speech patterns? Read Romans12:9 13:7. This week, I read a posting on Facebook which was praying for the president of the United States to die. What should my response be according to your understanding of James and Paul s Letter to the Romans. Application Try working on one of these goals this week: 1. Read the article below. Do not respond. Pray for 3 days about how you should respond. Read the article a second time. What is God telling you? 2. Learn to pray the Psalms (use the Daily Lectionary and the Book of Common Worship: Daily Prayers). Lesson 3 James: Living on the Edge 7

8 Closing Prayer Lord, tame my tongue. Let my words be words of hope, encouragement, and truth spoken in love. Amen. Glenn Beck, Immigration, and Social Justice by Jim Wallis After Glenn Beck said social justice is a perversion of the gospel and a code for Marxism, communism, and Nazism, I invited him to a public dialogue to discuss the true meaning of social justice, which I said was at the heart of the gospel and integral to biblical faith. In response, Beck promised on his radio show that the hammer would be coming down on me and my organization, and that he would devote a week of his television show to bringing me down. I took that as a no to dialogue. But I would still like to have this discussion with Beck. Since he has attacked the whole concept of social justice, I think it would be a great opportunity to have a serious public conversation about what biblical social justice really means. But since he has so far refused to have that conversation, I have decided to go ahead with it anyway even without him with the hope that he will eventually join the discussion. In the meantime, let me take some of the things he has recently said about social justice and begin to respond to him. And I hope he will take this as an open and standing invitation to a civil and moral dialogue with him about the topic of social justice. This is a challenge to Glenn Beck to have a real and honest two-way public discussion. So Glenn you recently talked about the new Arizona law requiring all state law enforcement officers to ask for identity documents of anyone they have lawful contact with and reasonably suspect of being undocumented, and to detain them if they are. Many fear racial profiling and are concerned that the only people required to carry papers will be those who might look illegal, i.e. have brown skin. The new law also makes it illegal to harbor or transport undocumented people, or even to be found with them. This has made many Christian clergy and church workers say the new law would make Christian compassion and ministry illegal, and if it does, they won t obey it. Lesson 3 James: Living on the Edge 8

9 You are vigorously in favor of the new law. But I would suggest that the solution to the 12 million undocumented workers now in this country isn t demanding identity papers and threatening deportation, but working to change the conditions that lead people to come here without papers in the first place. Decades of neglect and irresponsibility by both parties liberals and conservatives have created this inhumane and complicated problem. We have had two invisible signs on our southern border: No Trespassing and Help Wanted. Those conflicting messages have ensnared many vulnerable and sometimes desperate people. And now we need to fix that broken immigration system that is grinding up vulnerable families. You said, America, this is what you have to understand: equal justice, not social justice. Equal justice of the law demands that law-breakers not be rewarded for their illegal activity, that instead they be treated like everyone else, and that equal justice means when anyone comes to the United States illegally, they should be deported. Glenn, I wish you could have been with me to meet a woman in Phoenix just two weeks ago. Yes, she came here illegally as an infant, on her farm-worker father s back 47 years ago. Her whole life has been here, her children are here, and now she works for a Christian ministry taking care of vulnerable people. Is she really a threat to us? Should she just be deported? Or should we together reform the immigration system in a fair, humane, and compassionate way? You said, Equal justice says she s got to go home. Glenn, she is home. You said, Equal justice means if you live in the U.S. I ve got to be here legally. I can t commit identity theft and fraud and neither should illegal aliens. Well, we all want to be a nation of laws, so let s find a way to bring people out of the shadows. Let s be tough on crime, but give those whose lives are now here, and who are law-abiding and are contributing to our society, a chance to start an earned path to citizenship. Wouldn t that be social justice? In a letter to you that you never answered I said, Social justice [is] a personal commitment both to serve the poor and to attack the conditions that lead to poverty and that biblical justice also involves changing structures, institutions, systems, and policies, as well as changing hearts to be more generous. What do you think about that? Lesson 3 James: Living on the Edge 9

10 Serving the poor, as you said, is a fundamental spiritual requirement of faith; but challenging the conditions that create poverty, or bad messy problems like our current immigration system, is also part of biblical social justice. Isn t it? Glenn, this new Arizona law would break up families. You don t want to see that, do you? You said, You know the statue of justice? She is blindfolded. She doesn t care if it s religion or race or whatever. Justice is blind. Stop using justice as a political weapon or for doing favors for those who agree with your ideology. Do you really think that the execution of justice in the U.S. has always been colorblind? Will this new law be colorblind? I think you know better than that. Your definition of equal justice requires that every person be treated equally. So in Arizona, that means the police should be authorized to ask every person they stop for a traffic violation for proof of citizenship. There should be no discretion for those who they have a reasonable suspicion are undocumented. In practice, reasonable suspicion likely means those with darker skin or a Spanish accent. How do they know that the Caucasian who just ran a red light is not an undocumented immigrant from Canada or France? Or that the darker-skinned Hispanic isn t a third-generation U.S. citizen? Do we really want a society like Nazi Germany or apartheid South Africa, where all people are required to carry passbooks with documentation of their status? Reasonable suspicion is not equal justice; it is a false solution to a real problem. The law itself is unjust, and equal application of an unjust law is still unjust, regardless of how equally it is applied. Equal justice focuses on individuals. Social justice urges that we work to change the conditions that lead people to come to this country, rather than singling out people that the authorities suspect might be undocumented. The solution to 12 million undocumented people is to fix a broken immigration system, not to demand identity papers. Biblical justice involves standing with the most vulnerable, as well as changing structures, institutions, systems, and policies, especially in democratic governments where we have the opportunity to do so. Lesson 3 James: Living on the Edge 10

11 Jim Wallis is the author of Rediscovering Values: On Wall Street, Main Street, and Your Street A Moral Compass for the New Economy, CEO of Sojourners and blogs at Lesson 3 James: Living on the Edge 11