Draw Near to God

Please remain standing and turn in your Bibles to the book of James in chapter 4 going to read the first 10 verses and I want to remind you that this is

God's holy and infallible word James chapter 4

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?

You lust and do not have you murder and covet and cannot obtain you fight and war

Yet you do not have because you do not ask You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss that you may spend it on your pleasures adulterers and adulteresses

Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?

Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God Or do you think that the scripture says in vain?

The spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously But he gives more grace therefore he says

God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble Therefore submit to God resist the devil and he will flee from you

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you Cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double -minded lament and mourn and weep

Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up May the

Lord be pleased with our consideration of his most excellent word. Please pray with me now.

Oh Lord we ask that you would illumine our understanding

Not for our pride's sake that we might feel good about our intellect, but that we might do your will

Oh Lord I pray that you Christ would be our treasure and That our great longing would be for communion with you and that we would be

Characterized by love for you and it would be manifested in our obedience and Our walking in your ways a holy spirit.

I ask that you would pierce us through the heart that you would strike heavy blows upon us where we are sinning and erring against your

Your will but we also ask Oh Lord that you would comfort us in our affliction that we would remember that we have a

Savior who is Christ the Lord And all this we pray

Oh Jesus that you would be glorified and it's in Jesus name that we pray Amen, please be seated

There is a wonderful rhythm that happens when you are preaching sequentially through books of the

Bible But that rhythm gets thrown off when you are absent for a week and are preaching somewhere else

The last time we were together when I was with you we consider James chapter 4 verses 1 through 4 and it was very

Convicting to realize that to have friendship with the world is to make ourselves

Opposite and hostile to be at enmity with God We we found out that we had to wage war against our own sinful desires and that we had to take personal responsibility for our lives and acknowledge that that our sin is our fault and our

Responsibility that we need to repent of it and draw close to God again

Today we're going to consider verses 5 through 10 The title of the message is draw near to God Draw near to God It's really one of the the bigger

Applications of this section that I'd like us to Consider that title draw near to God and for those of you who are taking notes

I am really fixated on one simple point and it's found in the text of Scripture in verse 10

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord Humble yourselves in the sight of the

Lord Depending on how you count it. There are ten imperatives in our section and that's quite a lot for a short passage of Scripture and There's a responsibility that we have to act upon the truth that we have received already in James you remember that James desires that his hearers would possess and practice therefore genuine faith in Christ This is really his objective

And we learn that that in part of doing this is is we have to understand what the will of God is and we have to understand our natural proclivity and Inclination to not do that will and to stoke affections of holiness in our own lives

We need to be those who are feeding our spirits and and starving the flesh

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, but we have probably the most difficult to interpret verse in James in verse 5

There's not a lot of controversy in terms of exegesis in the book of James there is

Controversies that people have given to apply the truths of James, but James is a very straightforward

Epistle but James chapter 4 verse 5 is A little difficult.

Let's get into it Let's look at verse 5 again Or do you think that the scripture says in vain the spirit who dwells in us?

yearns jealously the unbeliever in his natural state of corruption

Who is that one with the world? The very thing here

James has just warned us against it earlier in the chapter has a spirit of self -seeking and envy

This is at the very heart of why he says there are wars and fights among you in James chapter 4 verse 1 in Genesis chapter 6 verse 5 we learn that the thoughts and the intents of men's hearts are evil continually and envy and Self -interest is at the very heart of our sin nature and the controversy is is the capitalization really of the word spirit as you know in the

New Testament Numa is not Capitalized for us in this way and the question has been is this the spirit that dwells in a man a lot of modern commentators hold to that or is this properly translated to Capitalize the spirit

I believe that the capitalization of the spirit is the better of the two

This is not a big deal if you disagree with this But I believe that what

James is saying is we have a new spirit within us

We have a Holy Spirit within us that yearns jealously He seeks that we love holy things and we have an old man and the unbeliever has a heart of jealousy that yearns for worldliness that yearns for Untoward pleasures that that longs to do things which are at odds with God And so for James to say this, however, we interpret it or understand it

The reality is is that for us who are in Christ, we now ought to have a new desire to walk in faith and righteousness if We love the world and we're characterized by the love from the world for the world

We are in danger of deceiving ourselves. I Don't think James is trying to kick people out of the church

I think he wants us as the Christian to say I don't want to be like the world that is that enmity with God I don't want to be a called an enemy of God.

I don't want to be an adulterer and adulterer adulteress when it comes to my Relationship with God and I think

James is spurring us on to flee these things which are contrary to our new nature in Christ the natural man has a jealous spirit within him

The believer also has a spirit a holy spirit within him

Christians must recognize the folly of friendship with the world

Instead of feeding the lusts of the old man. He feeds the holy desires of the new man

The genuine believer is affected by better principles because he has a better spirit

Dwelling in at work within him He too is jealous, but his jealousy is for holiness and an unmixed singular devotion to God That seems to be consistent with James's message

He wants us to be those who are singularly devoted to our

God That we are not mixturing adding mixture of error and worldliness and sinful desires, but we have a purity of devotion for our

God and it's manifested in our obedience And now we get to verse 6 and I love what verse 6 says to us

It opens with the statement, but he gives more grace God in his redeeming love gives an abundance of grace to all who love him.

Isn't that wonderful news? We have been the enemies of God in our natural state and God has so loved us to draw him to himself and to make us alive and to give us a

Relationship with his son which as we learned this morning in Sunday school Brings us into the very heart and love of the

Trinity itself This is all God's doing And none of us would be saved left to our own devices

Our God has reached down and he has touched us and he has redeemed us from the pit

He has been so merciful and so gracious to save us his people and He gives this favor, which is without merit so freely

And that's what makes the rest of the message the rest of our section so important Oh the wonders of His grace

James is here offering us a proper response

To grace and really isn't that part of the overarching theme? The gospel of Christ has come to us and now what are we going to do?

How are we going to live? How are we going to think in light of this? gospel grace

Well, he gives us a warning there are a series of Opposites given

And this is Terrifying to consider we don't want to be on the wrong side of things here

As we have already learned in chapter 4 and elsewhere in James These are the different ways the world

Reacts to God and his truth versus the Christian The believer by definition is humble

Because he has come to God According to his grace and he's come empty -handed

He knows his salvation is entirely of grace The unbeliever by definition is proud

He is content with his self -determination without God his judgment is sure and this part is hard God Resists the proud

What are we to do with our own pride because our new nature is a new nature of humility

God resists the proud. I don't want to be resisted by God. I don't want

God coming against me the language of resisting is

God and think of this children is Setting himself in his battle array against them

Can there be a greater disgrace than for God to proclaim a man a rebel an enemy a traitor?

To his crown and his dignity and then for God to proceed against him as such the proud man resists

God It's a characteristic of the unbeliever and I believe this is James's method

He says essentially this is what? unbelievers do They are proud in their heart and they are resisted by God you as Christians.

Don't you be proud now? It's contrary to your new nature in Christ the proud man in his

Understanding resists The truth that God gives

He resists the law of God, which we just prayed through Summarily comprehended in the

Ten Commandments in his passions he resists the providence of God It is no wonder therefore that God would set himself against the proud

Christian We are all in a big war against pride

When we are proud We are acting like unbelievers That this should cause us to to pause and say

I don't want to act like an unbeliever I want to be a faithful Christian man woman or child

We must resist the pride in our hearts The believer has been saved from his soul damning pride and the question has to be asked

Why would we ever return to it? This is the very Substance of what we've been saved from and I believe this is the admonition of James to spur us on in the right direction

We can't go back there because we've been delivered from it The Christian must flee worldliness and pride

Because they're so contrary to his new nature It actually goes against the

Holy Spirit which now dwells within Worldliness and pride are watermarks of the unbeliever

They are authenticators of unbelief You and I must continually repent of Our pride

We are to resist our pride and be humble toward God So that the stage is being set

The second part of 6b says but God gives grace to the humble

He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble There is a hermeneutical key here that this is the the driving force behind this section

God is eager to give his grace to the humble and the humble are those who have willingly and joyfully received his grace verse 7 says

Therefore submit to God God gives grace verse 6 says he gives more grace but pride brings

Disgrace and This isn't this a cruel irony Because doesn't pride seek after honor ultimately

It can be internal and I have news for you There can be some very humble and very sweet little old ladies who look so beautiful and tender and mild

And humble on the outside, but inwardly they are riddled with pride This is a matter of the heart

It's not only external. It's primarily internal We say oh that man is so humble in his heart.

He may be exceedingly prideful and haughty in spirit So each of us has to ask the question am

I prideful and Oh Lord Would you reveal to us all the myriad of ways in which we're prideful that we might repent

And turn away from these things What a cruel irony

The proud man is seeking after honor and he brings disgrace upon himself verse 7 one of these very powerful simple imperatives

Therefore Submit to God. It's a very basic command

The whole Christian man must be wholly submitted to God The Christian must forsake that friendship with the world

Which is characterized by envy and pride And which is so self -evident in unrighteous men and he needs to be characterized by submission

Don't resist God Submit to him the righteous humble man submits to the truths of God.

Whereas the proud man doesn't He submits to the laws of God as we outlined before the proud man doesn't

He submits to the providence of God which the proud man does not

We believe very strongly that Christ is King and if Christ is

King Then we are his noble subjects Isn't it very basic to say that we ought to submit to him

He's the king He's the righteous one. He's the one who has saved us. He's the one who has loved us

Doesn't it follow then that we ought to submit to him? We are now slaves of righteousness

We have been transformed by his grace it is fitting that the king subjects would subject themselves and be submissive to their

God and Children don't be misled

Submission to our God and humility yields only blessings in the end

All of us have tried haven't we? Say I'm going to go get it for myself

In the end it leads to chastisement or worse judgment But those who are humble in the sight of the

Lord will be lifted up Therefore submit to God and in our human nature our rebellion cries out, but I don't want to submit

We have to think better thoughts and recognize that to submit to God is the path of blessing and joy and Thanksgiving and Peace and hope there's so much

Good to be gained from submission to God The next imperative here is

Resist the devil the proud man resists God The opposite the righteous man resists the devil

How did Christ resist the devil in his temptation in the wilderness? Let's turn really quickly to Luke chapter 4

I'm going to read verses 1 through 13.

This is the temptation of Jesus by The devil this is immediately after the baptism of Jesus and is a very important Time we have the voice of God crying out from heaven saying this is my son in whom

I am well pleased and Jesus is now about to commence his earthly ministry

This is that moment and now he's driven by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted

Chapter 4 verse 1 then Jesus being filled with the

Holy Spirit Returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness being tempted for 40 days by the devil and in those days he ate nothing and Afterward when he had and when they had ended he was hungry and The devil said to him if you are the

Son of God command this stone to become bread But Jesus answered him saying it is written man shall not live

By bread alone, but by the very by every word of God Children, this is a great illustration to us about how we combat three great enemies the world the flesh and the devil

We combat it with Scripture We Quote and recite we memorize

Scripture that we can combat These great three fronts of this spiritual war of which the devil is a prominent one

Jesus says I'm not going to be tempted to perform a miracle for my own comfort to Prove something to the devil there's a humility in this even isn't there

This is the king of glory, this is the agent of creation. This is the one who holds it all together

This is the highest one He could have stopped him right there.

But in his humility showing us the kind of people we should be Being filled with the

Spirit. He says you shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God And the devil taking him up on a high mountain showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time

And the devil said to him all this authority I will give you and their glory for this has been delivered to me and I I give it to whomever

I wish therefore if you will worship before me all will be yours and Jesus answered and said to him get behind me

Satan For it is written you shall worship the Lord your God and him only

Shall you serve And he brought him to Jerusalem to set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him if you are the

Son of God throw yourself down from Here for it is written. He shall give his angels charge over you to keep you and in their hands

They shall bear you up lest you dash your foot against a stone And Jesus answered and said to him it has been said you shall not tempt the

Lord your God Now when the devil had ended every temptation he departed from him until an opportune time

James has given us we can turn back there similar counsel

Resist the devil and he will flee from you The enemy can only be resisted when you are submitted to God The world and the flesh can also be resisted but they will not be resisted

Unless you are submitted to God What's so painfully obvious with this we consider our own lives

That rebellious part of us raises up Wells up within us why in our folly and our utter stupidity do we

Fail to submit to God Why do we give the enemy or the world which we've just learned in chapter 4 our own flesh?

Why why do we make an occasion an entree for sin to creep in?

As we've learned recently we have to have Holy affections we have to love the things of God and and as you were praying through the ten

Commandments you should have been praying. These are treasures for my soul God is not excluding any good gift from me.

These words are treasures to my soul This is life and godliness and in health and salvation here

But we say I want to be angry with my neighbor.

I want to be able to murder him in my heart as Chad prayed But we want to look upon a woman lustfully want to cherish that and hang on to that when there's nothing good there for us

Well, what can we do? This is why I've entitled the message today draw near to God take a look at verse 8.

How are we to Demonstrate our humble submissiveness to him we need to draw near the formerly

Rebellious heart now transformed by Christ must bow in the presence of God There have already been several ways in which we have been

Given opportunity and occasion to draw near to God. We were called to worship here

Our liturgy is very good for this We are called before the tribunal of God and his holiness and when we confess

We're honest. We have to take responsibility for our real sin and He declares back to us

You are Reconciled you are forgiven in my dear son Christ draw near to me come and worship me come into my presence in the fullness of joy

If we draw near to God You will draw near to us

Brethren the unbeliever has No communion with God and is drawn away and enticed by his own desires

But you who are in Christ have been brought near We come boldly into his presence in our humility because we're doing it because of Christ we look upon Christ and says if He saves us if he is our high priest we can draw near We can come with great boldness to God why is worship so Why is it drudgery to us

Some of you are sitting wondering when this is going to end so you can go to lunch We don't love the means of grace that God has supplied

Think about some of the other ways that God has made provision for us to draw near to him

We can draw near to him in our private devotional and worship life We can open the scripture together as a family think about our corporate worship gathering which we're joining enjoying today

What about prayer? Prayer is a drawing near to God and we're distracted.

We can't even finish our prayers. This is so hard for us because We have so much going on We open the

Word of God do we see it as the gift that it is Do we meditate on it day and night as the righteous man of Psalm 1?

What about the Lord's Supper do you draw near to God in the supper

What about in your obedience and in your love and service to others when we when we do it to the least of these?

We do it to Christ himself God has given us dozens of ways to draw near to him

And when God seems far away Let it be known today without any question.

The reason he's far away is because we have left him He's not left us

He cannot deny himself. He has entered into a blood covenant with us

Those cold feelings of devotion and religion are not anything but us drifting away

So James commands us To draw near Every spiritual discipline every

Christian duty Becomes an occasion to draw nigh unto

God Well, I've got a few more imperatives to cover and then we'll be finished here

Consider verse 8 the second part cleanse your hands This language is found throughout scripture and I believe

Mitch even prayed for this in our time before the service he who comes to God must have clean hands and a pure heart

And in first Timothy chapter 2 Paul calls all who are in Christ to lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting the hands were symbols of a man's livelihood and therefore his life

To lift our hands up to the Lord is to lift our lives up to him

My life is yours. Oh Lord My hands are clean.

I don't shed innocent blood I I'm purging actively every defilement that is within me because my life is yours and so James is calling his people to cleanse their hands, it's a very significant posture and we're of worship and prayer and praise

We lift holy hands He calls us to purify our hearts

This is a warning against double -mindedness The as we've already learned the genuine believer has a singular purpose and that is to please

God Is that your singular purpose or has pride entered in and finally

We have to accept God's providence and Respond appropriately yesterday

Was very sad we attended a wedding I'm excuse me a funeral for a 12 year old boy and We have to understand the time the place that we are

We should be the most joyful and merry and mirth -filled people on the planet

But there is a season for everything And yesterday was not the time for people to make off -color jokes about dying for example

James is telling us that we have to accept God's providence and respond appropriately

You and I are sometimes laughing when our Family member is struggling you and I do not lament with hope and expectation

For a deliverance of our community in our nation

When was the last time that you cried tears over the sins of your nation?

Or the sins of your children. I think we're far too often.

We are too stoic unaffected we need to mourn and weep over the wars and the fights that have come up among us and we

Sometimes just joke about it instead Laughter needs to sometimes be turned to mourning and and joy needs to be turned to gloom godly sorrow leads

To repentance we are often too flippant Too vain you and I to appropriately worship

God and live as believers must indulge in godly sorrow and actually cry penitential tears

We need to submit to God humbling ourselves and his sight let's consider verse 10 our conclusion and the thesis of our message

This humility is not merely an outward posture those can be faked

It's not just lifting up holy hands and bowing before him. It's chiefly a matter of the heart

Pride can be concealed under a mask of external virtue and the appearance of humility

But true humility is seen first by God on the heart

I Wonder what's really going on in our hearts

Are you truly humble the Lord sees? Are you prideful the

Lord sees? We need to pray that God would grant us humility in accordance with his grace that Reflects that new nature we have been given in Christ and brethren our

God Will draw near to those who come near to him

There's nothing more pleasing to me than to be close to my wife and to my children

And I think that's pleasing to the Lord for his bride and his children to come near and draw unto him

You and I have this privilege of offering the entirety of our lives to him as an obedient living sacrifice

If you don't sense the nearness of God, I'll remind you again that you have been the one who has drifted

He beckons you and bids you to come and draw near to him To enjoy the fullness of sweet communion with him

Before there is honor there is humility our

Lord humbled himself even so far as To take on humanity

And he goes deeper into that humility and going to the cross and Now he is the most highly exalted one

Let us no longer pursue our own honor let us wait upon the

Lord in humility and Let him exalt you our text says humble yourselves in the sight of the

Lord And he will lift you up wonderful words powerful truth

God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. May we be those who humble ourselves

And are given the privilege and lay hold of that privilege and draw near to God.