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James series
Trouble in the Church --- Part I

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James 4:1-3 (KJV)
  1. From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
  2. Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
  3. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Trouble in the Church --- Part I

James 4:1-3

Sometimes we see churches with problems and wonder why all churches can't be like the New Testament churches. The truth is --- we are! The church in Jerusalem refused to accept Paul because of his past, the church at Corinth struggled with incest, drunkenness, and lawsuits, and the church at Galatia moved from a grace oriented family to a legalistic self-righteous body! We expect ignorant people in school or sick people in hospitals! We should also expect problems in the church. James addresses in the first three verses the problem of wrangling!
  1. The Seriousness of the Problem --- "wars and fightings among you" (v.1)
    NIV translates this "fightings and quarrels." Both words are interesting.
    Wars --- refers to a settled state of fighting; a condition of animosity.
    Fightings --- refers to individual battles within the war.
    There are times when the church of Christ can be in a state of war, constantly fighting.
    1. A healthy church is one of differences without division.
    2. A healthy church is one of confrontation without condemnation.
    3. A healthy church is one with accountability without animosity.
  2. The Source of the Problem --- "are they not of your own lusts that war within?" (v.1b).
    Literally --- "you are angry because you are not getting what you want."
    "Lust" translates the word "heedonai" from which we get the word "hedonism."
    Hedonism is more than sensuality; it means to get what "I" want, when "I" want.
    1. Can you worship when things don't go your way?
    2. Can you serve when things aren't as you desire?
      This does not mean that someone should never change places of worship in a city.
      It simply means that when one leaves, it should be for honorable reasons.
  3. The Scope of the Problem --- "ye kill and desire to have" (v.2-3).
    1. With other people --- we kill their reputations and character by gossip and slander.
    2. With God --- we pray and spiritualize everything, but we "ask for ourselves."
      Rather than praying for health in order to serve, we pray in order to feel better.
      Rather than praying for money in order to give, we pray in order to spend.
      This pattern of selfishness inflicts everything that is done --- thus wars and fightings.

      What is the solution? We will see in verses 7-8 "draw nigh to God" is the answer.
      Simply put, what changes us is when we really see the love and grace of our God.




Questions? Comments?
Pastor Wade

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