When Laughing Should Be Weeping

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James 4:8-9 (KJV)

8. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

1. The Christian's Communion with God . . . (v.8)
   Scripture explicitly says I was brought near to God "by the blood of Christ" (Eph. 2:13). In what sense are we, as people reconciled to God by the blood, to draw near to God?
   1. To draw near to God speaks of an intimate relationship
      Christianity is not a set of rules and regulations, but a personal relationship with God.
   2. To draw near to God speaks of an interesting responsibility.
      Thomas Manton, "To draw near to God is not the duty of an hour . . . but the work of our whole lives." God draws us unto Himself and then requests we draw near to Him. Just because we belong to a sound church, attend worship, and read our Bibles does not necessarily mean we have "drawn nigh unto God." To draw nigh to God means: You think of Him constantly, talk to Him continually, and look to Him confidently.
2. The Christian's Confession of Sin . . . (v.8).
   What keeps a Christian from drawing close to his Father? What keeps you from intimacy?
   1. Unconfessed sin is a barrier in your communion with God
      1. Dirty hands refer to sin unconfessed.
         The priests of the Old Testament washed their hands before entering God's presence.
         Unclean hands are types of unconfessed sin. Wash your hands -- repent!
      2. Divided hearts refer to inward desires and motivations.
         "Dipsuchoi" is the Greek word for divided and literally means "two souls."

         "Jesus, Master, whose I am, purchased Thine alone to be;
         By thy Blood, O spotless Lamb, shed so willingly for me;
         Let my heart be all thine own, let me live to Thee alone."

   2. Cleansing and purifying opens up your communion with God.
      On this side of heaven you will never be "100% sold out to God."
      However, every time you worship, you are to come with an attitude of repentance.
3. The Christian's Comfort in Life . . . (v.9).
   James is very clear that there are times when the best thing a Christian can do is weep! In fact, the evidence of people drawing close to God is their mourning and heaviness! Three words are used in this text to describe the Christian's brokenness:
   1. Be afflicted -- NIV "Grieve." This word is used just once in the New Testament. It's root in the original is the same as "What a wretched man I am" (Romans 7:24).
   2. And mourn -- which is the same word used in James day to describe the death wail.
   3. And weep -- this is the very opposite of "holy laughter." It is "holy weeping." The promise of this text is clear: Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you!