James 4 - Can you be an 'enemy' of God? - Thursday Night Worship Dec 12, 2019

Unfortunately, we had some difficulty with recording the sermon that was given during the Thursday Night Service on December 12, 2019.  The scripture that was focused upon came again from the Book of James, that evening we looked at the seventeen verses that comprise Chapter Four in James Epistle.

The main thrust of the sermon was verse 4, 4 Adulterers! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

The word in Greek that is being translated as 'an enemy of God' is Echthra.  It can also mean 'hostility' and 'alienation'.  I don't believe that God is ever our 'enemy' in the way we tend to understand the word enemy in English.  God never wishes harm or ill upon anyone, not even those who stand in opposition or wander in alienation from Him. If we feel we are an 'enemy' to God... if we 'hate' God... it is a one-way emotion, God's feeling toward us is only and always a feeling of Love. What I think James wants us to understand is that our actions can and will alienate us from God.  This not enmity is the condition that we find ourselves in when refuse to accept Christ as our Lord and Savior.

If we find ourselves alienated from the love of God it is a self-imposed alienation... please come home... repent and return to God.

Be a blessing to someone today!

In Christ,
Roy

Note: I finally retrieved the video!

James 4 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Friendship with the World
4 Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? 2 You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet[a] something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose that it is for nothing that the scripture says, “God[b] yearns jealously for the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says,

“God opposes the proud,
    but gives grace to the humble.”

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Warning against Judging Another
11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers and sisters.[c] Whoever speaks evil against another or judges another, speaks evil against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. So who, then, are you to judge your neighbor?

Boasting about Tomorrow
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.” 14 Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin.

Footnotes:
a) James 4:2 Or you murder and you covet
b) James 4:5 Gk He
c) James 4:11 Gk brothers

May 2, 2019 - Thursday Night Worship - Acts 9:1-20

Last Thursday night's sermon covered the version of Paul's conversion as found in Acts 9:1-20.  I discussed not only the change in Paul but the 'change in thinking' that was required of Ananias during this conversion experience.  Ananias has to go from fearing Paul (Saul) to being part of the instrument of his conversion.  He is the one that restores Paul and in that regard is the implement of God's grace and reconciliation to Paul.

The question that we have to ask ourselves (and it's a test that we all do and will fail at times) is has our own conversion led to a change in behavior?  Do we now act differently than we did before accepting Christ, or do we live our lives like nothing has changed?

Be a blessing to someone today!

In Christ,
Roy

Acts 9:1-20 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Conversion of Saul
9 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision[a] a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; 16 I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul[b] and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul Preaches in Damascus
For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”


Footnotes:
Acts 9:12 Other ancient authorities lack in a vision

Acts 9:17 Gk him
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Matthew 21:28-32 New International Version (NIV)
The Parable of the Two Sons
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.


Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Thursday Night Worship - Sermon from November 29th, 2018 - 1st Thessalonians 3:9-13

Last Thursday night's sermon was over the verses found in the letter known as 1st Thessalonians, verses 9 through 13.  I especially love the beginning verse, what a wonderful blessing Paul gave to those dear souls in Thessalonica:

9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you?

I am trying to get caught up with blogging this week and so I will simply post the video below and allow those who are inclined to take a listen and see how Paul blessed those to whom he was writing and how these verses can bless us today as we prepare for the 2018 Advent Season.

Be a blessing to someone today!

In Christ,

Roy

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.

11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. 13 And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Thursday Night Service, October 11, 2018 - Hebrews 4:12-16

This past Thursday found us once again in the book of Hebrews, and in the verses that we read Jesus has been identified for the second time as the "Great High Priest", thus completing the setting of the stage for this upcoming Thursday's sermon.

In the first two verses this week we see the 'Word of God' as piercing (as a sword), exposing our true nature, and judging us.  All of us sin, and for all of us there will be a reckoning for that sin... some of us (sad to say) have a whole lot of reckoning coming... BUT, all without exception have fallen short, and all will be judged on that fate-filled day when we stand before the throne of God.  These first two verses are fright-filled... and we are left at this juncture with a sense of impending dread.

But, the verses from 14-16 turn the mood of these verses upon its head.  Here we learn of Christ's sympathy for us, His intercession for us in our confession to the Almighty.  Through Christ, we are assured of grace, mercy, and reconciliation with God.  We are told that we can approach the Judgement Seat not filled with dread, but that we may approach filled with confidence that our sins have been washed away entirely... Praise be to God!

Be a blessing to someone today!

In Christ's Grace & Glory,
Roy

Hebrews 4:12-16 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
12 Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.

14 Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested[a] as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Footnotes:

a) Hebrews 4:15 Or tempted

Thursday Night Service = Sept 27, 2018 = James 5:13-20

Photo by Christian Begeman

Last Thursday Night, we finished our trip through the little epistle of James (as dictated by the Lectionary), and as James focused basically throughout his letter, once again it was concerned ultimately with unity and caring for each other.

We are called to be concerned about each other's physical and even more-so the others spiritual health.  James calls us to never abandon one another in either situation.  His concern is for the health of the 'Body of Christ' and he throughout his letter has urged all of us to be concerned as well.  He calls us to reach out to each other spiritually through prayer and physically through intercession.

We must care enough to care for one another in all aspects of our lives...

Be a blessing to someone today!

Together in Christ,
Roy

James 5:13-20 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Prayer of Faith
13 Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14 Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.

19 My brothers and sisters,[a] if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, 20 you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s[b] soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Footnotes:
a) James 5:19 Gk My brothers
b) James 5:20 Gk his