In this sermon from James 3:13-18, Pastor Mark goes through a list of characteristics and attitudes that will bring Kingdom (Heaven) down into your life, family, and ministry and another list that will bring Hell up into your life, family, and ministry.
How does faith work when you are frustrated?
James 3:13-18 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
-Culture – the environment people occupy (home, church, work, school)
-Culture – what you A. teach B. to tolerate
- There are lots of cultures, but every aspect of culture is from one of 2 places
- God creates (Heaven Down) Satan Counterfeits (Hell Up)
HELL UP = Earthly, unspiritual, demonic (cursing)
Bitter jealousy
- Some bitterness from a sense of being wronged – between you & them
- A blessing triggers bitterness – between them & God
selfish ambition in your hearts
· heart – 900X – until God changes heart, nothing really changes (how to v want to)
· Miss A. God’s will B. God’s timing C. God’s heart
· In the church – people who want to be as far up as fast as possible
Boast
- 1. Possession 2. Power 3. Plan = A. At work B. Online
- 2 Cor 10:17 “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
False to the truth
· Weaponize information for your cause
· Religious people talk about doing God’s will & ministry while bringing hell to church
Disorder
- Factions, division, drama, conflict (God brings order, Satan brings disorder)
and every vile practice
- Flesh unhindered has no bottom (often sexual) = WORLD
HEAVEN DOWN: Christian Theology = Traditional Theory BUILD/CONSTRUCT
-Build – sex/gender, marriage, sexuality, family, economics, social order, church
HELL UP: Critical Theory = BREAK/DECONSTRUCT
-Break – sex/gender, marriage, sexuality, family, economics, social order, church
-Satan 1st critic in A. Kingdom & B. Earth (Rev. 12:7-10)
-“Anti-Christ” & has “anti-Christ’s” A. Against B. Replace
- -Longing for a better world, ours is broken Kingdom/Utopia
- Someone needs to do something to fix the world
- 2 groups – Oppressors & Oppressed
- All institutions have systemic oppression (not personal sin) –
“equity” (not equality), “justice or social justice”, “tolerance”, “inclusion” “diversity”, “reconcile”
- Justice is A. Oppressors deconstructed B. Oppressed Reimagining & rebuilding
= Jesus principle 7 demons
= Secular Religion A. Born Again/Woke or B. Crucified/Cancelled
HEAVEN DOWN = from above (blessing)
Wise and understanding
- Intelligence (from birth) Knowledge (from study) Wisdom (from God)
- 1 wish? Solomon – wisdom (1 Ki 3) – OT more precious gold, silver, jewels
- Matt. 12:42 “a greater than Solomon is here.”
Good conduct
- obvious to those who know them & trust them
Works in the meekness of wisdom
· Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5)
· Nu 12:3 RSV Moses was “very meek, more than all men that were on the face of the earth”
· Matt. 12:9 Jesus – “I am gentle [meek] and humble in heart”
· Matt. 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Wisdom from above is
- Jesus comes down 2X
- Holy Spirit comes down
pure
- Made clean by Christ to live clean with Christ
peaceable
- Jesus the Prince of Peace gets peace by A. winning you B. ending you
gentle
- Kind, loving = leads through influence, not control
open to reason
· the opposite of unreasonable. You can discuss & debate – open to learning & change
full of mercy and good fruits
- Look at marriage, kids, life around them
impartial
- Not factions & alliances but seeking God’s will in all things
sincere
- Not a flatter or people pleaser
= And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
- They become more righteous, & those they influence become more righteous
1. Non XN – Jesus will forgive you & change you NOW
2. XN
- What is the culture of your heart?
- What is the culture of your home?
- What is the culture of your relationships?