Grace Church Metropolis
James One Mg 5
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      • James 1:9–11NIV2011

  • James One Mg 5
    James 1:9-11
    The Centered Life

    The Worship of Celebrity

    We admire successful people.
    I admire Richard Blackaby and John MacArthur
    I love their teaching.
    They have influence on me.
    How the world measures success  
    Income
    Status (celebrity)
    Possessions (lawyers’ car)
    Influence (social media influencer)
    Appearance (You can use filters on social media)

    God’s Standard

    God has a different standard of measure
    Being poor comes with its set of challenges (v:9)
    Being rich has its own set of challenges (v:10)
    This passage teaches us that our identity is not in our income, our status, our possessions, our influence, even our appearance.
    As a believer your identity is found in Christ

    Your Lowly Position (v:9)

    The great equalizer

    Trials

    James 1:2 (NIV) — 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
    James 1:2 NIV
    Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

    Pure Joy!

    Because trials are the great equalizer.
    Trials put all of us on the same playing field.
    Because trails are the great teacher.
    James 1:9 (NIV) — 9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.
    James 1:9 NIV
    Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.
    That sounds backwards.
    “I’m poor and but I should take pride in that???”

    Because in Christ…

    The spiritually bankrupt become heirs of God
    The forgotten become children of the King
    The weak become rich in faith
    James 2:5 (NIV) — 5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
    James 2:5 NIV
    Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
    Some believers spend their lives discouraged because they compare themselves to others.
    No one in heaven is going to check your social media to discover how many followers you have.
    How many likes that viral video got.
    The only place your names count is in the Book of Life

    If you belong to Jesus:

    You are redeemed
    You’ve been adopted
    You’ve been forgiven
    You are eternally secure
    You can’t be canceled
    Matthew 13:44 (NIV) — 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
    Matthew 13:44 NIV
    “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

    What can we boast about?

    Wrong kind of boasting

    Look at what I accomplish
    Look how important I am.
    Look what I own.
    Look where I’m at.

    The right kind of boasting.

    James 1:9 (NLT) — 9 Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them.
    James 1:9 NLT
    Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them.
    Look what Christ has done
    My hope is in the Lord.
    God’s grace is enough for me.
    Galatians 6:14 (ESV) — 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
    Galatians 6:14 ESV
    But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
    2 Corinthians 12:8 (NIV) — 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
    2 Corinthians 12:8 NIV
    Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
    2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV) — 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
    2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV
    But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
    2 Corinthians 12:10 (NIV) — 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
    2 Corinthians 12:10 NIV
    That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
    See why trials are the great equalizer
    In our poverty in our weaknessin our lowly position Christ receives the glory.
    Christ power is made perfectin our weakness.
    Let me give you a practical application on how to boast in the cross.

    The Centered Life

    Wrong question

    Here’s how subtle self-centered living can be.
    Question:

    “What is God’s will for my life?”

    Where is the focus at? On my life.

    The Self-Centered Life

    Better question

    What is God’s will?

    God is always at work.

    We need to train ourselves to identify God’s activity and join him in that work.
    Listen to Jesus on this truth.
    John 5:19 (NLT) — 19 So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
    John 5:19 NLT
    So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
    Jesus only does what he SEES the Father doing.
    Then Jesus joined the Father in this work.

    This is the God-Centered life.

    The Poor and Humble

    The things in this world fade, get old, wear out, rust, rot, stop functioning.
    But the things that are eternal last forever.
    What are you putting your confidence in.

    Things that center on self?

    Things that center on God?

      • James 1:2NIV2011

      • James 1:9NIV2011

      • James 2:5NIV2011

      • Matthew 13:44NIV2011

      • James 1:9NIV2011

      • Galatians 6:14NIV2011

      • 2 Corinthians 12:8NIV2011

      • 2 Corinthians 12:9NIV2011

      • 2 Corinthians 12:10NIV2011

      • John 5:19NIV2011

Grace Church Metropolis
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