Introduction
Today is not only Rally Day when we commission
our teachers and kick off the 2012-2013 church school year, but it is also the
beginning of a short sermon series on the book of James entitled, “When Words
Are Not Enough”.
James is a straight-shooter who tells it like
it is; who calls it as he sees it. He is
a simple, self-educated preacher who was agitated with people who claimed to be
a Christian, but were not living right.
His concern is helping those who read his letter to live out their
beliefs each and every day. As the
leader of the church in Jerusalem, James knew how to speak with authority and
clarity. His letter is sometimes
referred to as the “Proverbs of the New Testament” because it reads like a
collection of proverbs with no concern for expanding sub-points or worrying
about literary structure. As we read and
study this text, I pray that the words from James would change us, transform
us, and rejuvenate us from the inside out.
So let’s get it on!
Our scripture reading today is from James,
chapter 1, verses 17-27. Listen for and
hear the Word of God.
I. Just Looking
When I was younger, so much younger than
today, I used to work part time in the retail industry. Most of my retail experience was with
American Eagle Outfitters. I quickly
learned as a sales associate to never ask the customer the question, “May I
help you?”. The answer was always “No
thanks. I’m just looking.” Those words to this day send a chill down my
spine.
"Just looking" -- What it mostly
means is "Go away, I have no intention of buying anything here."
Granted there are times when we go "just looking" because we're
bored. We cruise the malls looking in
one shop after another, simultaneously overwhelmed by all the choices before us
and uninterested in what seems to be just "more of the same."
Sometimes we go "just looking" to
sneak a peek at all those things that are beyond our reach. Ever pretend to
walk through and study the high-end trucks for sale at a car dealership? Or
ever attend an open house in a wealthy neighborhood looking at a luxury home you
won't be buying? Or maybe you prefer trying on a few diamonds and rubies, just
to see how they look on your finger? "Sorry, just looking."
Did you know there are some people who spend
all their lives "just looking" -- never willing to invest their
energies or emotions or economic security in anything because of the risks
involved. People who are permanently "just looking" drift in and out
of jobs without ever finding a vocation; they drift in and out of relationships
without ever daring to love; they drift in and out of communities without ever
casting a vote or dropping anchor; and they drift in and out of the church
without ever opening their hearts to the spirit of God or feeling the pulse of
Christ's body.
II. Doing Not Just Looking
The
text from James is concerned with the manner in which the Christian life is to
be lived. James reveals in his own
hard-hitting style a sense of frustration with would-be Christians who were
bystanders and bench-warmers. James
reminds us that just hearing the word, the good news of Jesus Christ, is not
enough. The issue here is the means by
which the Christian may attain wholeness and integrity in their life. Belief and action go hand in hand. They are mutually dependent. Our faith in God is made visible by deeds of
compassion and honor in his name. We
must be “doers who act”.
In
my education classes in seminary, the word “praxis” was thrown around a lot in
lectures, class discussions and in our readings. Praxis is a word that comes to mind when I
read these words from James. The word praxis
comes from the Greek word for “action” or “practice”. This word says that we can only learn
spiritual truth through experience; when we engage our whole selves – body,
mind, soul and spirit. This is where our
profession of faith and our serving in God’s realm meet. We have another word for it – we call it
discipleship. We may even call it good
stewardship. It’s where the rubber meets
the road.
We
must be doing, not just looking. We must
practice what we preach. The most
callous description we can receive as a Christian is hypocrite. A hypocrite is someone who says one thing and
does another. The words and actions of a
hypocrite don’t match up, they don’t add up.
They reflect a real disconnect between ones faith and ones service to
God. It is a life that does not please
our God.
It
is not enough, according to James, to come to worship on a given Sunday to just
hear the Word of God read and proclaimed.
As Presbyterians and descendants of the Reformed Tradition, we believe
we are sent out by God into the world to take what we’ve heard in this holy
place and living it in the marketplace.
What is heard in this holy place must be lived in the marketplace.
III. Prophets Not
Planners
So
how do we do this? What does this look
like? Where do we begin? Perhaps a committee or a task force should be
formed to address this and develop a plan of implementing the goals and
objectives they establish from their work together. A plan, we need a plan before we can begin to
act with compassion and honor as Christ’s disciples. We need to be good
stewards of our time and resources, don’t we?
Don’t we need to have our ducks in a row, our affairs in order, our
taxes done, our “I”s dotted and our “t”s crossed before we can put our faith
into action? Don’t we need to know and
anticipate every detail, every contingency, every possible scenario before we
plan to act? After all, where there is
no plan there is no attack. And if no
attack, no victory.
Here’s
an interesting thing: A biblical faith finds countless examples of precedence
for action without a plan, but very little evidence of plans without action.
- Abraham didn't have a plan ... but
he packed up and left home.
- Moses didn't have a clue ... but he
confronted Pharaoh with an ultimatum.
- Rahab didn't have a friend ... but
she hid Joshua's spies in Jericho.
- Elijah didn't have a hope ... but he
defeated all the prophets of Baal.
- Nehemiah didn't have a country ...
but he rebuilt the Wall of Jerusalem.
- Mary didn't have a name ... but she
bore the Son of God.
- John the Baptist didn't have a home
... but he made the wilderness his pulpit.
- Peter didn't have a backbone ... but
he became the "rock" of the church.
- Saul of Tarsus didn't have a heart
... but Paul became the spokesman for the Gentiles.
- Jesus didn't have a sin ... but he
suffered and died on the cross for our sake and our salvation.[1]
The
whole crux of faith is that faithful Christians must be doing, not "just
looking." And we don't need to know
every detail, every contingency, every possible scenario that awaits us. But we
do know who is in charge. A life of faith demands we work hard with our faith
and actions in sync with one another, but know that ultimately God is in control.
Thumb
through the Old and New Testaments and try to find God speaking through
planners. Notice how the people God used to put God's love and deliverance into
action are instead called prophets. As Christians, as those who have heard the
word and are called to act upon it, we are not to plan but to prophesy our way
forward in life. When we prophesy our way forward, our faith is not in
demographics or flow charts, in financing schemes or economic trends -- our
faith is in the power of the Holy Spirit. When we prophesy our way forward, the
way is not always clear; the risks are real; the commitment required is total;
and the results may surprise us. When we prophesy our way forward, no one is
"just looking" -- no one is just along for the ride. Everyone must
get out and push when the going gets tough.[2]
A
community of faith that would prophesy its way forward for Christ's sake must
also be willing to listen to the Spirit and trust in its power. The hot and
sweaty slogan of the Nike company, "Just Do It" isn't quite right. In
the church we don't "just do it," we "just pray it." It is
in the power of a Spirit-filled closeness with God's desires that the church
begins to see the shape of its future. That kind of closeness is possible only
through prayer -- the Christian's conduit to God.[3]
IV. Be Doers of the
Word
Stewardship
puts our lives where are profession is.
Praxis is a way to say our stewardship is active and based on solid
biblical principles. It means we do not
divide our faith into the spiritual part and the service part; instead, we
blend them into a life pleasing to God.
But
we must be careful we do not deceive ourselves.
We can underline our Bibles until our pens run dry without a drop of ink
splattering our lives. Self-deception
slithers in when we mistake appreciation for application; for being touched
with being changed. There is a certain
satisfaction we gain with just hearing.
Think about the last time you heard a piece of beautiful music that
nearly brought you to tears. The hearing
itself is satisfying as it resonates in our souls.
The
Word of God is meant to do more than penetrate.
It’s meant to activate. It can
bore holes through obstacles; take down defenses; give a wandering soul a firm
foundation; igniting a blazing torch of light in dark places. The Word of God is intended to work in us and
through us to bear fruit as doers of the Word.
We
are doers of the Word when we donate money to Backpacks for Kids so school
children in our community will have food to eat over the weekend. We are doers of the Word when we wake up
early on a Saturday morning to prepare and deliver meals for the hungry of our
city. We are doers of the Word when we
reach out to someone in need who is in need and is too proud to ask for
help. We are doers of the Word when we
work to bring our community together: rich and poor, black and white and
Latino, male and female, liberal and conservative. We are doers of the Word when “we rejoice in
hope, when we are patient in suffering, when we persevere in prayer, and extend
hospitality to strangers.” (Romans 13:12-13)
We are doers of the Word when we honor the pledges and commitments we
make our church, our financial obligations and time dedicated to serving God as
a member of this church and as a leader of this community of faith.
The
whole crux of faith is that faithful Christians must be doing, not "just
looking." When we hear and act on
the gospel, we “will be blessed in our doing”.
We will be blessed with a sure reward.
The reward, the blessing, comes in the action itself. Amen.
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