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Summary

Here Paul writing under the inspiration of the Spirit says this, now you have observed my teaching my conduct my aim in life my faith my patience my love my steadfastness my persecutions and my suffering the things that happen to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra what persecutions I endured yet the Lord rescued me from all of them indeed all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted but wicked people and imposter will go from bad to worse deceiving others and being deceived but as for you continue in what you have learned and firmly believe knowing from who you learned it and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus all scripture is inspired Greek there means exhaled by God all scripture is exhaled by God and is useful for teaching for reproof for correction for training and righteousness so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient equipped for every good work the scripture then is trustworthy for doctrine for our faith and for our life and we're going to see in this class how God balances truths we'll see how one truth makes another truth more clear and we're going to example that we're going to examine the narrow middle of scripture and how if error is made you wind up in the ditch on either side the devil tries to manipulate our struggle to stay on the narrow middle so Satan is at work with regard to this let's go to Matthew the fourth chapter please Matthew chapter four very first book in the New Testament Matthew chapter four verse five Matthew four picking up in verse five and there we read then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle that's Jesus on the pinnacle of the temple saying to him if you are the son of God throw yourself down for it is written he will command his angels concerning you and on their hands they will bear you up so that you will not dash your foot against the stone Jesus said to him again it is written do not put the Lord your God to the test notice here how Jesus fights temptation he fights temptation by the work look again here at at verse five if you're the verse six if you're the son of God throw yourself down for it is written he will command his angels concerning you and on their hands they will bear you up so that you will not dash your foot against a stone well there's a promise here in scripture right there's a promise that God will protect his people God will protect his people that's a truth isn't it however look how Satan uses the word here turn over please to Psalm 91 an easy way to find the book of Psalms is just open up the scriptures to the middle Psalm 91 verse 11 and it's interesting here that when Satan quotes scripture Satan just leaves out a little bit here of Psalm 91 that he's quoting so when Psalm 91 verse 11 it says for he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways on their hands they will bear you up so that you will not dash your foot against a stone interesting there in Matthew the fourth chapter that what Satan eliminates is to guard you in all your ways the assumption here in Psalm 91 is that our ways will be in accordance with God's word God does not promise to protect me if following the 11 o'clock service I say I'm going to blindfold myself and walk across northwest highway as an expression of faith in the protective hand of Almighty God no that would just simply be dumb right that would be dumb so we've got the promise God will protect you but Satan leaves out the part in all of your ways assuming that you will enact in accordance with what God wants you to do which would not be put a blindfold on and walk across northwest highway faced with the promises of scripture faced with the truths of scripture we can be tempted to overemphasize one truth and thereby fall into air for example we can overemphasize the grace and love of God so that we then say since God is so loving filled with grace there is no hell you see that's where you overemphasize one promise and you fall in the ditch of air we can overemphasize the grace and love of God so that we wind up in the ditch of the error of universalism that says everyone in the end will be saved no matter what it is they believe or don't believe that's universalism in the end God's going to save everybody and the argument of the universalists is because God is so loving and gracious see what happens that's not dismissal of scripture denial you make arguments that it is but it's an overemphasis of one truth to where one falls then in the ditch of air why do we wind up in so many ditches the reason why one can wind up in so many ditches why one can stray from the middle of scripture where we see God balancing truths and we have to hold those truths together one of the reasons why we can wind up in the ditches is we listen to reason where reason takes control where the word of God should be in control now is is reason a blessing well sure it is is reason a gift of God absolutely reason provides order in life by helping us make reasonable decisions have you ever heard the phrase or used to use it yourself what would you use your head use your head here or I didn't use my head when I when I made that decision well that's just simply referring to reason reason is helpful in the study of of scripture as you're comparing passages as you're looking at the meaning of words as you're tracking down things in scripture reason is helpful but when it comes to theology and remember what theology is the Greek word for God is Theos T-H-E-O-S so you've got God written in theology is the study of God when it comes to theology reason must have the role of servant to the word of God reason doesn't want to accept that role why because our reason is corrupted by sin so we want to elevate our reason above the word of God have you ever heard as you're talking about something a matter of faith with someone and they say to you I don't care what the scripture says I know what I think you see that's the elevation of a person's reason above the scripture where the person says well what seems sensible to me the sharpest conflict between the fallen reason and the word of God is found in the doctrine of salvation that is the sharpest conflict between our fallen reason and the word of God it's right at the doctrine of salvation let's go to first Corinthians the first chapter Matthew Mark Luke John, Acts and then Romans first Corinthians first Corinthians chapter 1 will pick up in verse 18 for the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it's the power of God for it is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart where's the one who's wise where's the scribe where's the debater of this age has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world for since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom God decided through the foolishness of our proclamation to save those who believe or in Romans the third chapter Romans the book right before first Corinthians Romans chapter 3 verse 5 pull dismantles reason here so Romans chapter 3 verse 5 but if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God what should we say that God is unjust to inflict wrath on us I speak in a human way by no means for then how could God judge the world but if through my falsehood God's truthfulness abounds to his glory why am I still being condemned as a sinner and why not say as some people slander us by saying that we say let us do evil so that good may come their condemnation is deserved Paul is addressing the absurdity that we should go ahead and sin so that God has opportunities to show his grace and love to us see that's a fallen reason who says this is fantastic forgiveness to God God likes to forgive so I'll give him opportunities to forgive me it's a win win right it's a win for us and it's a win for God we're all happy we'll just sin up a store you see Paul takes reason in correct use and dismantles it he knew the narrow middle between contempt for God's gift of reason on the one hand and enthronement of reason over God's word on the other hand and he avoids the ditch by holding to the truth think of think of Satan's blatant attacks just blatant attacks on the word with regard for example to the Ten Commandments the murderer who reasons that his own life will that his own life and well-being are somehow threatened by the continued life of his enemy therefore his enemy should be murdered see that's reason go on a stray the two people having sex outside of the marital union or the adulterer who says but we love each other we love each other how about doctrine Jesus says this is my body this is my blood reason says Jesus could not have meant that so plainly so is doesn't mean is because it doesn't fit reasonably how can you have bread and wine and say this is my body and this is my blood that doesn't fit reason and so reason leads you then into a symbolic understanding with regard to holy communion because it's more compatible to reason to say that when we come forward to communion what we're receiving is a little bit of wine or grape juice and bread and that is a reminder of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross that seems reasonable but Jesus did not say did he he didn't say let this piece of bread remind you of the cross ahead let this wine remind you of my blood that will be shed he said this is my body and this is my blood and he refers to bread and wine so we take scripture then at face value and we say if scripture says bread and wine body and blood we say what is communion Luther wrote holy communion is the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ given with bread and wine for the forgiveness of sin is that hard for our head to wrap around sure but is that what the scripture says yes and so we bow to the authority of scripture and reason becomes the servant of the word we see in scripture where the word is ignored all together in Catholic doctrine you have the creation it is non-scriptural of purgatory where one goes to work off their sinfulness to make themselves worthy enough for heaven that the sins are forgiven prior to baptism but now you've got to work off the sins with regard to after baptism and so you go to purgatory to work that out that makes sense to the reason right it makes sense to a reason that's used to works righteousness works righteousness is all about us around us in our society it makes sense to us that indeed we then have to work off our salvation is it scriptural absolutely not absolutely not reason says well Mary must have been without sin after all her womb held the savior that sounds reasonable is it scriptural no praying to the saints to intercede for us that sounds reasonable because why not get a few friends here that can kind of help us out before the Almighty right does it sound reasonable sure is it scriptural no reason can act even more subtly reason can pretend to defend one truth of God in order to dismiss another for example Kelvin held up the truth that indeed our salvation is totally the work of God we contribute nothing to it it is totally the work of God what Christ has done for us on the cross totally the work of God faith is a gift Kelvin held up that we contribute absolutely nothing to our salvation but Kelvin falls in the ditch because he then says God chose some to be saved and some to be damned so he falls in the ditch of error why because there's the overemphasizing of one truth and that is God's action in our salvation what Kelvin ignores is what scripture says that if we don't believe then it's totally our own fault and so by overemphasizing one truth you wind up in a ditch what what's the Lutheran middle what is what does Lutheran say if you believe it's totally the work of God if you don't believe it's solely your own fault well how do you resolve that by reason well you don't because if you resolve it by reason you're gonna you're gonna let go by overemphasizing one truth over the other so you let the word stand as it is and you know God has got it figured out in God's own mind and that's good enough for me you too we just let God be God so then you have Arminius who comes along Arminius reacts to Kelvin Arminius says that we are the ones that are responsible for our salvation because we accept what Jesus Christ did on the cross with our free will we accept what Jesus Christ did on the cross what happens with Arminius Arminius just falls on the other ditch right just falls on the other ditch and what Arminius denies is our original sin how scripture says we are fallen and blind and dead and enemies of God period so what can happen then is Satan can work very subtly and can lead to the over-emphasis of truth which actually winds you up in air where reason comes in and says what is reasonable for us instead of reason submitting to the authority of the word Luther said this when something in the Bible conflicts with my reason I simply doth off my doctor's cap and assume that the Holy Spirit the ultimate author of the scriptures is a little smarter than doctor Luther got it right right he puts reason in place in the weeks ahead by God's grace we're going to stay on the on the middle road affirming the truths of scripture so that the ditches we don't wind up in because our eyes are riveted on the word of God so we're going to take a look at the Lutheran middle between doubt and presumption between carnal security and despair between an exclusive emphasis on God's providence or on God's promises concerning prayer the middle between good works and bad works the middle between idolatrous love of the world and ungrateful contempt for the world the middle between the universal priesthood of all believers and the office of the minister the middle between the doctrine of election and the great commission the middle between our anticipation of heaven heaven and serving Christ in the here and now it's great to have you as part of this class we'll continue next week Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for this opportunity to be in your word. would you open your Bibles please with me to the ninth chapter of the book of Acts acts the 9th chapter for our study today if you're using a Pew Edition you'll find in front of you or underneath you the ninth chapter of Acts is in the New Testament page 112 acts the 9th chapter for our study today so you feel like a cup of coffee you pull into the drive-thru of your favorite place you've done this quite a few times you've even established a little bit of a relationship with those that work there the line is about what it normally is and when you get up to the window and you reach for your credit card and you hand it to the person there the person says oh no no no no no no no the person in front of you paid for your cup of coffee you think to yourself well that's really kind that's that's really nice of them to to do that and so the thought Dawns on you then to do the same thing for the person behind you and that's exactly what you do and as you drive away you wonder I wonder how long that chain lasted a random act of kindness kindness you know that that phrase and really kind of that movement if you want to put that term on it that really started 40 years ago now there's even a foundation and I don't know who designates days but February 17th each and every year is designated as random act of kindness day good good it's good to do kind things what I want to examine with you today is that phrase random acts of kindness I want to compare it to what the scriptures have to say with regard to kindness for does the scripture reveal something deeper at the end of our text for today the text ends with a resurrection one is brought back to life we see several examples of resurrections in Holy Scripture outside of the example of course of the resurrection of our Lord and savior the Lord Jesus we we see various examples for example there's the Widow's son at zerath who was raised from the dead there was the Widow's son at na as Jesus stops the funeral procession and raises the young man back to life there's gyrus his daughter a 12-year-old girl and Jesus raises her back to life there's there's Lazarus of course the brother of Mary and Martha friend of the Lord Jesus Lazarus dies and Jesus delays his coming so that his glory might be manifest and when he comes he goes to the tomb and says Lazarus come out and out comes Lazarus having been raised to life there are many examples of resurrections in scripture so also Al in our text for today our text for today has to do about a woman by the name of Tabo she's also known in the Greek version as Dorcas she has died they summon Peter to come and God is going to perform a miracle through Peter Peter doesn't perform the miracle God performs The Miracle through Peter look with me please at verse 40 of our text Peter put all of them outside and then he knelt down and prayed he turned to the body and said Tabatha get up then she opened her eyes and seeing Peter she sat up he gave her his hand and helped her up then calling the Saints and the widows he showed her to be alive this became known throughout japa and many believed in the Lord well why did the Lord raise Dorcas was it because of her goodness no no it was a sheer Act of grace of God as we look here at the text what else do we learn about Dorcas look please at verse 36 now in japa there was a disciple whose name was Tabatha which in Greek is Dorcas she was devoted to good works and acts of Charity isn't that a lovely thing to be said about someone they were devoted to doing good and acts of Charity what was this doing good that she was doing what were these acts of Charity that she was doing verse 37 at that time she became ill and died when they had washed her they laid her in a room upstairs since L was near japa the disciples who heard that Peter was there sent two men to him with the request please come to us without DeLay So Peter got up and went with them and when he arrived they took him to the room upstairs all the widows Stood Beside him weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them ah that was the good that she was doing making clothing and tunics for the widows in ancient day if one was a widow that put the woman in a particularly difficult spot not only of course the loss of her husband but in ancient day if you were widowed you had a high chance of becoming destitute in the Society of the day and so Dorcas what beautiful acts that she did making clothing and tunics for the women so that there she is there's her body Peter comes and you see it in your mind's eye these women ga gathered around and they're showing look what Dorcas did look what she gave me how this how this helped me at the heart of dorcas's Friendship with the women at the heart of it was kindness kindness so often we think of kindness as being the same thing as as niceness don't we kindness is being nice well here's a Bible trivia Pop Quiz are you ready how many times does the word nice appear in Holy Scripture can can you Hazard a guess is it is it 50 is it 100 is it is it is it 200 how many times does nice appear in the Bible do you have a number in your mind guess what the number is zero zero the word nice doesn't occur one time doesn't occur one time in Genesis to Revelation but the word kind or kindness that's all over the place the Biblical word for for kindness it means being useful it means it means serving it means being gracious and what's so interesting is so often the word kindness is matched in proximity with patience and with compassion for example Paul writes 2 Corinthians the 6th chapter he's he's commending the ministry he gives a a long list with regard to his ministry as as he's commending his ministry and included in the list he says patience and compassion they're they're held together he says patience compassion and then guess what kindness kindness in Ephesians the fourth chapter he says and be kind to one another tenderhearted other words be be compassionate when when you think about it right kindness is so often birthed out of patience and compassion isn't it kindness gives the gives the legs it makes the the patience and the compassion walk random acts of kindness good good what's the problem with random acts of kindness the problem the problem is they're random right that's the problem they're they're subject to our own whims our own kind of terms with regard to expressing kindness biblical kindness biblical kindness when you see example after example in the scripture bi biblical kindness has to do with being in relationship with another there's there's a there's a context to it there's a a regularity to it random acts of kindness good yep yep but the problem is it's random biblical kindness biblical kindness is seen in Dorcas right who is involved in the lives of those widows who expresses that graciousness and service to those widows it's expressed in regularity dorcus Dorcas is a perfect example of biblical kindness that's so needed isn't it it's really needed as we look at our our world today it seems as if the world is just getting meaner in how we can talk with one another or in plans or purposes and priorities it seems like the world is getting getting meaner and when we experience unkindness from someone we can be tempted to respond in kind so when we experience unkindness from someone we can be tempted to think even act out you know what goes around comes around when we experience unkindness from someone else we can be tempted to act act in kind we can be tempted to think to ourselves or to act out maybe you just need a little taste of your own medicine we experience a lack of kindness from the others we can be tempted to respond in kind we can be tempted to respond with a see how you like it see how you like it it's easier to be nice isn't it it's easier to be nice but being kind that's a different bird isn't it it's a different bird and here's the thing every single one of us fall short every single one of us fall short including Dorcas yep including Dorcas why because Dorcas was a human being because Dorcas was a sinner too and every single one of us fall short in the expression of kindness so what does God do what does God do Paul writes in Titus the third chapter he says but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our savior appeared when the goodness of God his kindness appeared then it says he saved us notice the direction we don't save ourselves he saves us he saves us he saved us not because of Any works of righteousness that we had done in other words not because of anything good that we do not because we're trying to make ourselves righteous before God we can't make ourselves righteous before God he saved us not because of Any righte works of righteousness that we had done but according to his his Mercy his mercy and then it defines where his Mercy is is expressed according to his Mercy through the water of rebirth and Renewal by the Holy Spirit well what's the water of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit what is that it's baptism isn't it where God takes his word of Victory one through the cross God takes that word of forgiveness through the shed blood of Jesus where all of our unkindness in in thought and in word and in deed and all of our sin was laid Upon Jesus in our place the righteous for the unrighteous and that word of forgiveness then comes to us and we're washed in that word we're washed in it so that we know that that word is for us that's the the kindness of God isn't it the kindness of God raising Jesus out of the Tomb so we know that the sacrifice for sin has been accepted the the kindness of God and the kindness of God births kindness in US Colossians the thir chapter it's says as God's chosen one that's who we are God chooses us as his own in the waters of baptism as God's chosen one and then it says holy and beloved because that's what we're made in the waters of baptism we're made holy we're cloaked in the righteous Garment of the Lord Jesus Christ as God's chosen one holy and beloved that's his goodness that's his that's his kindness that's his grace that's his mercy and then it says clothe yourselves with compassion guess what comes next kindness humility meekness patience Paul then goes on to say in Ephesians the 4th chapter he says put away from you all all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slam put put it away put it away put it away together with all malice he says and be kind to one another guess what comes next tenderhearted compassionate forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you kindness biblical kindness that's that being useful and serving and gracious that's beyond niceness isn't it it's beyond niceness and it's beyond random it's regular it's regular and Grace upon Grace this kindness is a gift this this biblical kindness here it's not something that we we drum up we drum up in ourselves and say okay that's the kind of kind person I'm going to be and we pull ourselves up by our bootstraps here and we try and be kind no the kindness is a gift as God comes to us and produces and births that kindness in US Galatians the 5th chapter it says the fruit of the spirit the fruit of the spirit not the fruit of our own initiative the fruit of God the fruit of the spirit the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace patience guess what's next kindness generosity faithfulness gentleness self-control that's God at work in us through word and Sacrament that's God at work in us to bring forth the kindness in us that he wants we're all works in progress we're all works in progress and we'll be a work in progress until our dying day when the Lord takes us home and that old Adam and old Eve just go away at that point until then we're all works of progress God is at work in us through word and Sacrament chisling us to be more and more like Christ that fruit of the spirit manifesting that in our lives as God brings forth from us kindness you see biblical kindness biblical kindness It's a gift it's a gift of God so buy the cup of coffee for the person behind you yes yes February 17th acts of random kindness day nice nice but biblical kindness biblical kindness that's a gift of the holy spirit that he is producing and bringing forth from you so who's going to be the recipients this week who's going to be the recipients of God's kindness through you who's going to be the recipients because you know today is regular acts of kindness day and in fact tomorrow is regular acts of kindness day and in fact the day after tomorrow and the day after and the day after and after [Music] Would you open your Bible's Fleeze with me to the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke? Would you open your bios please to Matthew the 22nd chapter if you're using a Pew edition of God's Word you're going to find that on page 21 for our time of study today Matthew chapter 21 the trap the trap you ever noticed how many times when Jesus was asked a question it was a it was a trap question it wasn't a question that was generated out of wanting to know more or having something clarified or gaining more knowledge it was a question that was a trap for him for example take a look as we're in Matthew chapter 22 go down to verse 35 five please there we read this in one of them a lawyer asked him a question to test him teacher which commandment in the law is the greatest what was the motive test him was a trap or turn over please to chapter 19 of Matthew verse three Matthew 19 verse three some Pharisees came to him and to test him they asked is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause or back in Matthew chapter 22 picking up in verse 23 the same day some sadgesies came to him saying there is no resurrection and they asked him a question saying teacher Moses said if a man dies childless his brother shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother now there were seven brothers among us the first married and died childless leaving the widow to his brother the second did the same so also the third down to the seventh last of all the woman herself died in the resurrection then whose wife of seven will she be for all of them had married her let's a convoluted test question isn't it a trap question we see in Scripture that when we are in heaven we are not married and interestingly the question is coming from the sadgesies who didn't believe in the resurrection the trap questions trap questions soul also in our text for today the trap look please adverse 15 then the Pharisees went and plotted to and trap him in what he said so they sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians so there's two groups here the Herodians was a group of Jews they had allegiance to wrong who is the people in power so the Herodians Jewish group they had their allegiance with wrong the Pharisees another Jewish group they hated wrong hated wrong they wrong rule over them so you've got the Pharisees and the Herodians interestingly in mark the third chapter it says the Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him that being Jesus how to destroy him but typically typically you don't see this this alliance between the Herodians and the Pharisees because they saw things differently going on the very next verse verse 16 so they sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians saying teacher we know that you are sincere and teach the way of God in accordance with truth and show difference to know what for you do not regard people with parciality all of the things of the Herodians and the Pharisees were saying is absolutely true isn't it it is absolutely true that Jesus is sincere and teaches the way of God in accordance with the truth that he shows difference to no one that he didn't regard people with parciality but all of this flattery here for Jesus is absolutely laughable is there was no greater critics of the Lord Jesus than the Pharisees this is all simply a setup for the trap verse 17 tell us then what you think is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor or not the tax here that they're getting after it was called the whole tax it was the most hated tax of the Jews in ancient day it was literally a tax on every single head and the Jews they hated it just a little aside here remember when Mary and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem because a census was taken the purpose of the census being taken was to get an accurate count of the heads for what purpose the poll tax the poll tax they hated it now if Jesus answers no to this question then the Herodians will say not he's being disloyal to Rome he wants to overthrow Rome if he answers yes to the question then the Pharisees will say he's in love with Rome how could he possibly be in love with Rome you see it's a trap it's a trap question of two different groups that already have their answer to the question it's a trap and Jesus sees right through it verse 18 but Jesus aware of their malice said why are you putting me to the test you hypocrites show me the coin used for the tax and they brought him a the Narius memorandonarius is equivalent to a day's worth of wages for a common labor so Jesus turns and says your bunch of hypocrites here show me the coin used for the tax they brought him a denarius the coin would have been silver on one side of the coin it would have had the image of the emperor tibirius Caesar and on the other side of the coin there would be an inscription and the inscription on the coin that was given to Jesus it read tibirius Caesar son of the divine Augustus pretty heavy stuff for the seizures of all to guard themselves as God and you understand here what tibirius Caesar is saying on the coin right that he is the son of God very next verse verse 20 then he Jesus said to them who's head or you translated image who's image is this and who's title they answered the empers everybody would know that then he said to them give therefore to the emperor the things that are the empers give there in the Greek it it's a word that means you owe something pay the debt Jesus says will who's those images on the coin well let's see's as well then pay the debt you have a debt you owe pay it pay the tax hold picks up on this in Romans 13 chapter Paul writing on the inspiration of the spirit writes this let every person be subject to the governing authorities for there's no authority except from God and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God he goes on to say therefore one must be subject not only because of wrath but also because of conscience for the same reason you also pay taxes for the authorities our gods servants busy with this very thing pay to all what's do them taxes to whom taxes are due revenue to whom revenue is due respect to whom respect is due honor to whom honor is due it's the same thought of Jesus isn't it okay then back in chapter 22 of Matthew verse 20 Jesus says he said to them who's head is this and whose title they answered the empers then he said to them give their fork to the emperor the things that are the empers you need to pay the Jesus says you need to pay the tax whose image is on the coin but notice where Jesus goes next in Colossians the very first chapter Paul writes that this speaking of Jesus he says he is the image of the invisible God you want to know what God is like you look at Jesus he is Paul says the image of the invisible God he goes on to say the first born of all creation that's a word that doesn't mean that Jesus was created it's a word that means preeminence for him all things in heaven and on earth were created that's the first chapter of the gospel of John right that through Christ everything was that is was made through Christ for in him all things in heaven on earth were created things visible and invisible with a thrones or dominions or rulers or powers all things have been created through him and for him he owns it all he himself is before all things and in him all things hold together what is Scripture tell us that all of God's promises have their yes in Jesus Paul saying everything holds together through Christ verse 18 he's the head the source the origin he's the origin of the body the church he's the beginning the first born from the dead Jesus was raised out of the tomb he is the cause for the resurrection so that he might come to have first place in everything for in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things whether on earth or in heaven by making peace through the blood of his cross it is a glorious and rich section and how does it all begin he is the image of the invisible God the Pharisees and the Herodians they recognized the image on the coin but they didn't recognize the image of the one who was standing before them the son of God they recognized the image on the coin but not the image of the these son of God standing right before and the son of God says verse 21 give therefore to the emperor the things that are the empowers and that he sets and to God the things that are God's he turns to them and says pay the debt to Caesar pay the debt pay the taxes and the very one that tells them to do that the very one is the one who paid the debt of our sin all of those thoughts all of those words all of those deeds all of the things done and all of the things left undone he paid our debt of our sin on the cross to win for us the absolute the word of forgiveness Jesus said give therefore to the emperor the things that are the empowers and to God the things that are God's and the father sent his son the Lord Jesus Christ to the cross to win salvation and that victory of the cross and the empty tomb is put with the water and we are washed in the victory we are washed in the declaration we are washed in that promise and what does God say in the waters of baptism to us but your mind your mind for all of the turn it your mind give therefore to the emperor the things that are the empowers and to God the things that are God's and may we buy his grace yield absolutely everything in our life every area in our life may we yield it by his grace yield it all to the one to whom we belong first twenty two when they heard this they were amazed and they left him and went away there were amazed for the word means marveled see only time the only time in the entire new testament that this word for amazement is used it's the only time Jesus has schooled them he's schooled them it is concise it is clear it is absolute truth and they are marveling at what they have just heard but what did they do they walked away they walked away from the Lord Jesus Christ they walked away by God's grace let us continue to walk each and every day amazed and marveling at the love of God for us by his grace let us be amazed and marvel at the Lord Jesus Christ the image of the invisible God and by God's grace may we yield everything and free to the one who owns all to the one to whom we belong Would you open up your Bibles please with me to Psalm 86 for our study this morning? Or, first Corinthians the 16th chapter, it says, on the first day of every week, the Christians understanding their no longer under the obligation to worship on Saturday because Christ had come and because that was a pointing ahead to the rest that would come in the Lord Jesus Christ quickly. would you open your bibles please with me this morning to james the first chapter for our study if you're using a copy of holy scriptures you'll find in the pew you'll find that on page 202 in the new testament our study today from james the first chapter three sets of numbers the first over a million the second one hundred and seventy thousand the third twenty to thirty thousand explanation it is estimated that there are over 1 million words in the english language it's also estimated that there is currently a hundred and seventy thousand words in usage comment usage it is also estimated that for the average adult the average adult has a vocabulary of 20 to 30 000 words that's a lot of words isn't it let's just take the smallest number our respective vocabularies of twenty to thirty thousand since it's estimated that we'll spend about twenty percent of our lives talking using those twenty to 30 000 words well it begs the question doesn't it how are we to use our speech how are we to talk how are we to use our respective vocabularies of 20 to 30 000 words let's hone the question as we continue today our summer series q a here's the question for today what does the bible mean when it talks about the bridled tongue what does the bible mean when it talks about the bridal tongue or bridled speech we turn to james the first chapter for our study when you turn to the book of james james is not really a doctrinal treatise so often for example you see in the writings of the apostle paul you'll see doctrine laid out and then paul moves into an application of the doctrine james is really more of a focus on practical christian living in fact one of the one of the summary verses of how you are to understand the book of james is the very first verse of our text for today verse 22 but be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves that's practically living out your faith it's one of james's themes and such an interesting word here when he says but be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves that's a word in ancient day that was really associated with mathematics and it had to do with miscalculation it can also be translated as it comes over into english sometimes you'll see in an english translation it'll be translated delude here instead of deceived but it's really a mathematical understanding that if we think that we can we can hear the word of god and not do it that's a miscalculation that's an error that we make he goes on to expound the point for if any are hearers of the word and not doers they're like those who look at themselves in a mirror for they look at themselves and on going away immediately forget what they were like there's a little comedy here that james is interjecting isn't it the word of god functions as that mirror it is revealing of god's ways and so james is saying if we look into the mirror but then not put that to practice well it's like someone who looks in the mirror and forgets what they look like he goes on making the same point verse 25 but those who look the word there in the greek means to observe carefully so it's not a not a casual type of glance like oh i gave that gave that a a look very quickly no this is careful observation but those who look into the perfect law what's the perfect law that's a synonym for holy scripture you see it pop up elsewhere in scripture but those who carefully observe the scriptures looking at that which god speaks to us and then the law of liberty you see god's ways revealed in holy scripture they're not constraining they're free it brings us joy does it not to be in the will of god and in obedience to him that doesn't restrict that freeze those who look carefully into the scriptures the law of liberty scriptures which communicates the freedom of god's will as he communicates his desires and then by god's grace as we live that out and persevere being not hears who forget but doers who act they'll be blessed in their doing god's ways are always best god's ways are freeing god's ways bring joy then to make sure we understand it he applies it he applies this theme here that he is pounding he applies it in two specific applications in the next two verses let's go to verse 27 first here's the application religion interesting word here it means the outward expression of one's faith so he's talking about as a follower of the lord jesus christ how do you express then your faith remember the theme be a doer and not a hear only so he says the expression of faith that is pure and undefiled before god the father is this to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world here's an application where he says well this is how this is practically lived out as you're a doer of the word we care for each other we care for each other specifically he highlights here widows and orphans is part of the larger principle that we are in relationship with one another we care for one another then the other application verse 26 if anything fair they are religious the same word again in other words the expression of one's faith so as we're a follower of the lord jesus christ this expression of the faith and do not here it is bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts their religion their expression of faith is worthless it's worthless see if we think that we can express our faith with not having an aspect of that the bridal bridling of the tongue that's deception that's a miscalculation where we're deluding ourselves so we're right back to the original question aren't we what does it mean to bridle the tongue what does it mean to bridle the tongue reminded when i was a boy one of the few times that i went horseback riding i remember we got up on the special steps that they had put there so that we could get on the horse and hardly artfully did i get on that horse that day you know how sometimes you can look into the eyes of an animal and you communicate that that horse looked at me with a look like you're new at this aren't you kid and it was that just patient of once again having a newbie on board well my horse had a bridle so also did all the other horses you know that that harness that goes on the head of the horse the reins attached there to the bridle what's the purpose of the bridle the purpose is to control the horse right what is bridled speech bridled speech is controlled speech controlled speech that call for bridled controlled speech that reverberates in scripture you hear the echoes constantly of it for example proverbs the 10th chapter we read this when words are many transgression is not lacking but the prudent are restrained in speech or proverbs 12. incredible word picture here is painted so also the tongue is a small member yet it boasts of great exploits how great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire and the tongue is a fire the tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity it stains the whole body sets on fire the cycle of nature and is itself set on fire by hell for every species of beast and bird of reptile and sea creature can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species but no one can tame the tongue a restless evil full of deadly poison with it we bless the lord and father and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of god from the same mouth come blessing and cursing my brothers and sisters this ought not to be so beloved we live in a day don't we when controlled communication where controlled communication is profoundly counter cultural words tumble those who disagree are demonized bridled speech replaced with unleashed talk i'm just going to say it i'm just going to say it well when those are the words that preface our comments we probably shouldn't right probably shouldn't i like how one author puts it we are under no compulsion to share every thought that comes into our minds whether it's in person or on line words can damage i think of paul when he writes in colossians the fourth chapter how appealing is this he writes let your speech always be gracious seasoned with salt so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone let your speech always be gracious gracious even with those who perhaps we disagree on a host of subjects and let it be seasoned with salt let it be tasteful tasteful the great reformer john calvin said it's so important for christians to use their words properly he says when when the body of christ doesn't use their words properly he said it leads unbelievers from bad to worse in other words when the body of christ doesn't use the words graciously and tastefully the unbeliever then hears the words and says well if that's christianity if that's a follower of jesus who who needs him calvin was warning that we can with our words turn people away from the very one the lord jesus that we want to introduce them to we all fall short don't we we all fall short there's a host of times and examples in all of our lives when our words have hardly been bridled that's why the words of jesus they can startle us can't they when in matthew the 12th chapter he says i tell you on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter the unbridled speech may appeal to many in our day it does not appeal to god all of us falling short we turn into the perfect word of holy scripture and we hear we hear the call of god's perfect word and we also hear of the one the second member of the trinity the lord jesus christ who is referred to as the word we look into the perfect word and we hear of the word the lord jesus christ who goes to the cross and bears the sin of the world all of our sin all of the thoughts all of the words all of the deeds and the perfect word the lord jesus christ takes all of that sin upon him and then proclaims forgiven forgiven claiming us with his word in the waters of baptism so that when we stand before the lord on the day of judgment as the lord looks at us all the lord will hear is the perfect words that jesus said as he'll look at us as forgiven people through the blood of the lord jesus christ the word the lord jesus christ forgives us for all of the words and then empowers us to the new continually continually raising us up by his word of grace and absolution continually raising us up to the new way to speak on that little horseback riding excursion we got to the end of the trail and all of the horses turned around there was one horse that horse was in the rear the whole time that horse looked like look i've done this for the majority of my life and i'm about ready to just retire and be done with all of this and i'm not giving any more rides it was as if every step of that horse was a painful plotting for that horse but when it got to the turnaround and all of a sudden its head with the bridle on it was headed in the direction of the barn that horse took off like a thoroughbred at the kentucky derby that horse took off like a shot much to the chagrin of the rider the trail boss galloped after that horse and caught up with it and took the reins as he came alongside and pulled on those reins that pulled on that bridle and brought that horse back in control verse 26 again if any think they are religious and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts their religion is worthless worthless so questions to ask ourselves here as we live in the grace of god as we live in the forgiveness that has been one for us in the lord jesus christ questions to ask ourselves each and every day that that function like like range pulling on a horse's bridle questions like will my choice of words reflect poorly on the one that i follow the lord jesus will well my choice of of words will it turn someone off from the redeemer as i represent him will my words build a bridge build a bridge for further talk with someone that maybe we just profoundly disagree but will it build a bridge with that person will my words be gracious tasteful and to this text today we say help don't we say help and god has done what god does bring us to the end of ourselves where we say i hear your call lord help help and help is near as the lord jesus christ touches our tongues anew as we live in his grace and the bridled speech is so appealing to him Would you open your Bible please with me to Proverbs the 15th chapter?

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