Is your Religion "worthless" or "pure and faultless"?

Sermon: April 15, 2012

Main Text: James 1:26-27 (NIV) If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 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.

As Christians, we like to avoid the word “religion”.  We like to think, and say, that Christianity is not a religion that it is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  And it is true that Christianity is more of a relationship than a religion.

However, even the Bible tells us that your faith system is a religion.

Webster on “religion”:

·         the service and worship of God or the supernatural

·         commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

·         a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices

·         a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

THEME: We should be religious according to the Biblical pattern.

Characteristics of Biblical Religion

1. Tongue-Tied

2. Compassionate

3. Unpolluted

1. We should be Tongue-Tied.

James 1:26 (NIV) If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

We have to be careful what we say.

Matthew 12:36-37 (NIV) But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. ³⁷ For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

2. We should be involved in Compassion Ministries.

What type of activities or responsibilities should the Christian church be involved in besides worship, teaching and evangelism?

Recently, the Assemblies of God changed the description for the “Church and Its Mission” to include “compassion ministries”.

10. Church and Its Mission

Since God‘s purpose concerning man is to seek and to save that which is lost, to be worshiped by man, to build a body of believers in the image of His Son, and to demonstrate His love and compassion for all the world, the priority reason for being of the Assemblies of God as part of the Church is:

a. To be an agency of God for evangelizing the world (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19,20; Mark 16:15,16).

b. To be a corporate body in which man may worship God (1 Corinthians 12:13).

c. To be a channel of God‘s purpose to build a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son (Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 14:12).

d. To be a people who demonstrate God‘s love and compassion for all the world (Psalm 112:9; Galatians 2:10; 6:10; James 1:27).

In our text and throughout the Scripture, God commands His people to care for widows and orphans.

James 1:27 (NIV) Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…

Exodus 22:22-24 (NIV) “Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. ²³ If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. ²⁴ My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.

Deuteronomy 24:19-22 (NLT) “When you are harvesting your crops and forget to bring in a bundle of grain from your field, don’t go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all you do. ²⁰ When you beat the olives from your olive trees, don’t go over the boughs twice. Leave some of the olives for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. ²¹ This also applies to the grapes in your vineyard. Do not glean the vines after they are picked, but leave any remaining grapes for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. ²² Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt. That is why I am giving you this command.

Deuteronomy 14:28-29 (NLT) “At the end of every third year bring the tithe of all your crops and store it in the nearest town. ²⁹ Give it to the Levites, who have no inheritance among you, as well as to the foreigners living among you, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, so they can eat and be satisfied. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all your work.

Luke 6:38 (NIV)  Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

                       

Romans 12:9-13 (NIV) Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

3. We should be Unpolluted by the World.

James 1:27 (NIV)  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: … and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

KJV/NKJV “unspotted”

NLT “refusing to let the world corrupt you”

NASB/RSV “unstained”

The text of my very first sermon:

1 John 2:15-17 (NIV) Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷ The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

2 Peter 3:13-14 (NIV) But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. ¹⁴ So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

Conclusion

How can we do this?

It is right above our text:

James 1:19–22 (NIV) 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. 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. ²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

“Just do it.”

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^[1] Merriam-Webster, I. (2003). Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. (Eleventh ed.). Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, Inc.

Parable of the Trees

I spend a lot of time walking my German Shepherd dog, Stormie, in the woods at Frances Slocum State Park.  A normal day consists of a morning and evening walk.  Usually, one of those is at Frances Slocum (I also walk the Back Mountain Trail, Kirby Park, and other places.).

As I was walking in the woods early one morning, I noticed the variety of trees.  From hunting those same woods months ago, I can tell you where to find the oak trees and the fruit trees.  There are also small stands of pine trees.  But on this particular morning, what stood out to me was the many varieties of trees.  The non-evergreens were bare.  The trees were different sizes; some tall, some short, some thick, some thin.  Upon further reflection, I realized that different trees served different purposes depending on the type of tree.  Some provide shade or cover; others provide food.

As I noticed the trees, my mind considered how similar they were to people.  There are many, many different types of people in the world, in my community, in the church.  And even though we sometimes categorize people (like we do trees), every person and every tree is unique, and each has a purpose.  At Frances Slocum, the trees contribute to the ecosystem in which they are located.  In the human realm, each individual contributes to society.  Hopefully, your contribution is a positive one.

The same is true in the church.  There is a variety of people in the church, serving in various roles.  But every individual person is a valuable part of the body.

It doesn’t matter what kind of tree you are, just be yourself today.

God bless,

PK