God Knows Everything | A Sermon on Psalm 139

Introduction
Vacation Bible School at my church, Stark Methodist Church, is July 13-17.  We’ll step through the mist into Rainforest Falls (by Group Publishing), overflowing with wild waterfalls, towering trees, and colorful creatures. Beneath a canopy of chattering birds and howling monkeys, kids plunge into a lifelong adventure of discovering the nature of God. They’ll explore what it means to be rooted in relationship with God, their creator, a safe place in life’s storms.  If you haven’t done so already, I suggest you talk to Kristin Williams to find out how you can get involved.

The title for Day 2 of VBS is “God Knows Everything” and the Memory verse for the lesson is Psalm 139:1 

Psalm 139:1
O Lord, you have examined my heart, and know everything about me.

Kids Today
The kids in our community live in a world that constantly watches them.  They have cameras on their phones, pictures on social media, and security cameras in their schools.  Everyone is watching!  In spit of all that attention, many kids still feel unseen, unknown, or misunderstood.

Psalm 139 reassures kids (and us) that God doesn’t just watch them, God knows their hearts—like a loving Father.  God sees their struggles, their dreams, their quiet worries… and God cares. 

God Saw David When No One Else Cared
To illustrate how God sees and knows us and how He cares, our VBS lesson takes us through the life of David.  Before David was a king, he was just a kid who was over looked by his family.

From Scripture, we learn young David was sent out to watch the family’s flock of sheep.  In the cold of night, David looked up into the stars and tried to count them, thinking of the God who made them.  When a Lion or Bear attacked, trying to steal on of the sheep, David trusted God to help him fight off the predator.

And when David was left out in the field while the rest of the family had a feast, God saw David and knew him and knew his heart.  God didn’t forget about David.  God chose him to be a king who was a man after God’s own heart. 

Do You Ever Feel Forgotten?
Kids today, often feel overlooked or forgotten. 
Even if we lavish attention on them, do we just see a little kid?  Or do we see them as the unique individual they really are?  Do we just treat them like a kid?  Or do we take the time to really get to know them and treat them with respect and not just a kid?

 How about you?  Do you ever feel overlooked or forgotten?  

I want you to know, you are more than just a vote to be counted, or a customer to be served, or a number in a database.  God sees you for who you really are.  He sees you and He knows your heart—because He made you.

God Sees When You’re Mistreated
God saw David out in the field and knew his heart and chose him to be the next king of Israel.  But the current king, Saul, was jealous and tried to kill David.  He saw David as a threat.  David had to flee for his life and spent years as a fugitive hiding in caves in the desert.  Even though David had served Saul faithfully, Saul wanted him dead.

But even while David was hiding, God continued to see David.  You can hide from people, but you can’t hide from God.  God saw David. He saw his suffering.  He saw his integrity.  God saw that David tried to do the right thing even when others didn't treat him fairly.  And God never forgot David.  He took care of him and continued to bless him. 

Do you ever feel like you have to hide from people?  Do you ever have to hide your true feelings?  Do you ever keep your mouth shut instead of saying what you really feel?  Sometimes it’s better to stay silent than to say what you really think.  But it never feels good, does it?  Oh that we could always and everywhere just say what’s on our mind.  But that wouldn’t be wise or even necessarily helpful.  So, we bite our tongues sometimes until we nearly bite them off.

But God sees us even when we’re hiding.  He sees us and He knows our heart.  And He knows that sometimes it’s better to silent.  He gave us Proverbs 21:23 which says: “Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.”

But if you ever feel unseen or unheard because you have to keep your true heart hidden, know this:  God sees you.  God hears you.  God knows your heart.  God knows everything.

God See Our Sin
God sees everything.  But that means God also sees our sin.  But the Good News is, God loves us anyway.  And we see this play out in the life of David too. 

Eventually, David did become king, according to God’s plan.  And David was a good king.  He loved God and he loved God’s people, Israel.  But David was also a human, and humans—even the best ones—are full of sin.

And one day, David committed adultery with a woman named Bathsheba and she became pregnant.  David tried to cover it up.  When he couldn't manipulate Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, into sleeping with to make everyone think it was Uriah's child, David had Uriah murdered by stationing him on the front line in the army when they attacked a city.  Uriah was killed in battle because of David's orders.

David tried to hide his sin so no one would see what he had done.  But God saw it.  God knew David’s sin.  And God sent a prophet to expose David’s sin so he could be held accountable, repent, be forgiven, and be healed.

God sees when we sin.  Even if no one ever finds out, God knows.  And sin breaks His heart and separates us from our loving God. Sin cuts us off from life.  But even when we sin, God never stops loving us.  Romans 5:8 tells us:  “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

I don’t know what you’ve done—what sins you’ve committed.  But I know you’ve sinned, because we all have.  Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of God’s glorious standard.”  So we are all guilty.  And God knows it. 

Psalm 139:2-3 says:  “You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.  You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.  You know everything I do.”

And still, “God loved the world so much that He sent His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)  Because “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

Jesus already paid the price for our sin.  He took the penalty on himself, even though He was completely innocent.  Jesus offers mercy and forgiveness if we will repent and turn to God through Him.  If you have not done so already, I pray you will repent and turn to Jesus. 

Conclusion
So, in a few weeks, we will welcome a crowd of kids to Stark Methodist for Rainforest Falls VBS.  On day 2, we will teach that God knows everything about them.  Even if they feel unseen by the world, we will remind that that God sees them and cares.   

But today, I want you to know:  God see you.  God knows everything about you—and that’s a good thing!  Because God loves you unconditionally.

God sees your struggles, your dreams, your failures, your quiet struggles… and God cares. 
So put your faith in Jesus Christ.  Don’t hide from Him, don’t run away.
Run to God through Jesus Christ His Son.  Be accepted.  Be forgiven. Be loved.
And then you can go out and love others the way God loves you.

The Walk to Emaus Story | A Sermon on Luke 24:13-34

Introduction
Roughly seven miles west, northwest of Jerusalem lies a quiet little town with a funny name—Emmaus. The town itself no longer exists, but its name has lived on for over 2,000 years because of one unforgettable walk.

Two disciples, still reeling from the trauma of Jesus' death and the confusion of reports about an empty tomb, were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus—a journey that would have taken about two to three hours on foot. As they walked, a stranger joined them. They didn’t recognize Him. They poured out their hearts—their sadness, their doubts, their shattered hopes—and the stranger listened. Then, He began to speak, and their hearts burned within them as He explained the Scriptures.

Their story about the resurrection comes to us from Luke 24:13-34.  And it’s important to us, because many of us walk through life just like those two disciples: burdened, confused, heartbroken... and unaware that Jesus is right there beside us. Today’s message is an invitation to open our eyes, to recognize the Risen Christ is walking with us.

Luke 24:13-34
¹³ That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles^[a] from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. ¹⁶ But God kept them from recognizing him.

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. ¹⁸ Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

¹⁹ “What things?” Jesus asked.

“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. ²⁰ But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. ²¹ We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

²² “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. ²³ They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! ²⁴ Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”

²⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. ²⁶ Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” ²⁷ Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸ By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, ²⁹ but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. ³⁰ As they sat down to eat,^[b] he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. ³¹ Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

³² They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” ³³ And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, ³⁴ who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.^[c]”

When Things Seem Out of Control
The first thing I notice about this conversation is how to the disciples it seemed things were out of control.  They said, “our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him…” as if God had no control over it, as if these evil people thwarted God’s plan.  “We had hoped he was the messiah, but…”

No one can ever thwart God’s plan.  God is always in control.  And in fact, the resurrected Jesus chides the disciples.  “You foolish people!” He said. “You find it so hard to believe…”  And He goes on to show how the crucifixion was all part of God’s plan, how He knew it would happen beforehand. 

When things seem out of control in your life, have a little faith.  Trust God.  God is in control.  If you are trying to walk with Him, He will use even the awful things in your life for His glory and your good.  So have faith and hang in there.  When things seem out of control, God may be up to something BIG!

The Writings of Moses and the Prophets
The disciples still didn’t know it was Jesus walking with them as He taught them from the Bible how the death and resurrection of Jesus clearly predicted the Messiah.  What the disciples saw as proof that Jesus wasn’t the Messiah, the Scriptures showed were proof that Jesus absolutely was the Messiah, the Son of God!

I should point out that the Bible Jesus taught from was the Old Testament.  The New Testament didn’t yet exist.  The Gospels and all the letters of the New Testament hadn’t been written yet.  But the Bible Jesus used, and the disciples read at the time, was the Old Testament:  "the writings of Moses and all the prophets…”

Why am I telling you this?  Well, because there are a lot of Christians today who shy away from the Old Testament.  We often prefer the New Testament because it’s a bit easier to understand and we like it’s tone of forgiveness and reconciliation (whereas the Old Testament sometimes seems more wrathful and hard to understand).  Some church leaders today even goes so far as to try to write off the Old Testament as outdated or unnecessary or obsolete.  But for Jesus, our Lord, this was clearly not the case.  For Jesus, the Old Testament was the Word of God and it clearly pointed to Jesus and explained what the Christians of His day needed to know about Christ.

So, I would encourage you to give equal value to the Old Testament.  We need to read it, know it, and understand it.  We believe all Scripture—Old and New Testament—is relevant and points us to Jesus and the way of salvation.

They Begged Him to Stay
The last thing I want to point out is how the disciples begged Jesus to stay.  I love that the Scriptures say they begged Him to stay.  It shows how much they longed to know more about God’s Kingdom.

Now, most of us are not begging for more teaching from the Bible.  In fact, right now many of you are begging me in your mind, “Alright, wrap it up preacher!  It’s time for lunch!”  But these disciples longed for the truth.  And this mysterious person with them (that they still didn’t know was Jesus) was clearly teaching the Scripture’s truth about Jesus.  And they longed for more.  “Don’t leave!  Don’t go on your way!  Stay with us and teach us more!”  And so Jesus stayed with them.

Oh that we would have the same longing for Jesus’ truth in our lives today!  Would you beg Jesus to stay with you today?

The Truth is, Jesus is here.  Jesus is not in the dead.  He’s alive.  And He’s been walking with you all along the way.  And He’s here in the sanctuary with us now.  And He’s waiting for you at the altar this morning as we break the bread and drink the wine.  He wants to kneel with you and pray with you.  May you long to meet with Him here as we celebrate the sacrament of communion.  And may your hearts burn within you as he talks to you and may your eyes be opened so you can see Him walking with you all along the way every day.

Christ is Risen - What Now? | A Sermon for Easter

Introduction
We are celebrating the risen Lord! Our Easter cantata tells the whole story—beginning with Palm Sunday, when Jesus entered Jerusalem. The crowds were excited, but they misunderstood His mission. They thought He came as a conquering king to overthrow the Romans and reward the “good” people of Jerusalem.

But as the week unfolded, they realized something deeper—there are no “good” people. We are all dead in our sins and in need of rescue. Jesus came not just to fix a political problem, but to lift us out of our spiritual grave. He died on the cross to save us, and on Sunday, He rose again—defeating sin and death once and for all.

The Resurrection Makes a Difference
Let’s look at Romans 6:4 - “For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.”

The resurrection isn’t just something that happened to Jesus—it’s something that happens in us. When we follow Christ, we die to our old self and are raised to new life.  That new life doesn’t begin after death—it begins now. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 says: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

Jesus takes off our old grave clothes—the sin, the shame, the brokenness—and clothes us in righteousness, purpose, and hope. Just like many of us put on new clothes on Easter, we put on a new life in Christ.

A New Heart and a New Way
In the Old Testament, God promised to take away our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh—hearts that want to follow Him. That’s what happens when we walk with Jesus. He begins to change our desires, our values, and our relationships.

And the kingdom of heaven? It’s not far off in the future. It’s not just for after we die. It’s here and now. Every time we love what Jesus loves, every time we show compassion, we get a glimpse of heaven on earth.

And it’s for everyone—not just the people of Jerusalem or Israel, but the Gentiles, the Romans, and even the people we struggle with today. When Jesus changes our hearts, we begin to see others the way He sees them.

We Need Each Other
Hebrews 10:25 reminds us: “Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.”

Jesus didn’t do ministry alone. He gathered a group of twelve very different people—some of whom would’ve hated each other before they met Him—and He made them a family.

That’s what the church is: a family of faith. We don’t always agree. We’re not always alike. But we’re meant to grow together, encourage one another, and live as a resurrection people together.

An Invitation to New Life
If you’re visiting today, I’m so glad you’re here. You are always welcome at Pleasant Grove Methodist Church. Every Sunday is a little Easter, a chance to worship the risen Lord and grow together.

If you’ve been attending for a while, maybe today is the day to go deeper—join a small group, get involved in a Bible study, or find a way to serve. We grow best when we grow together.

And if you’ve never been baptized or joined a church, maybe today is your day to say yes to that next step of faith. Jesus is calling us out of the grave and into a living, breathing relationship with Him.

Wherever God is calling you, don’t walk alone. The church is where we live out the power of the resurrection together. And if Pleasant Grove is where God is planting you, we would be honored to walk that journey with you.

The Wanderer | A Sermon on James 5:19-20

Introduction
Last weekend, my son and I took a road trip to wander through North and South Dakota.  Through teh magic of the internet, I was able to worship with my church online as the gifted Sherry Dickson shared about the power of prayer.  It will forever be one of my most cherished memories to worship with my church family at the online service while I was driving through some of God's grandest and most glorious creation crossing the border from North to South Dakota.  Pictures like the one posted here just do not do it justice.  I guess you have to see it for yourself.  I encourage everyone to take advantage of an online service whenever you need it.  And I personally invite you to my church's online service where you will be loved and inspired. (You can worship with us live at our online service every week at 10:55 AM at this link - www.facebook.com/pgmc.dalton/live)

After my wanderings, it was good to be back this past Sunday in person.  Here is the final message in our series on the Epistle of James from the final verses in this powerful letter.

James 5:19-20
¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, ²⁰ you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

Christmas in July
Every year, we do something special.  We celebrate Christmas in July, because December is such a busy month and the message of Christmas can get lost in it.  So, we sing Christmas songs and remember the Christmas story in the middle of the summer.  It's a cherished tradition of our congregation.  It is fitting for Christmas in July to read James’ final verses;  they are a message of hope, redemption, and love.  They align beautifully with the heart of the Christmas story.   For God’s love was shown in the birth of Jesus Christ, the ultimate bringer-back of wanderers.

Two Important Truths
This passage reveals two truths.  First, Christians sometimes wander from the truth.  James says:
“If someone among you wanders away from the truth…”  Remember, James is writing to Christians.  So, James is implying that Christians sometimes wander away.  Nothing can steal your salvation or ever make God stop loving you; however, you can walk away from it by your own choice.  God still allows us free-will, even after we are saved.   And unfortunately, some Christians choose to walk away from God.  So the first thing James reveals is Christians sometimes walk away from God’s salvation.

The second truth is this:  we should seek to bring people back when they wander.  James’ concluding words remind us of the importance of community and the responsibility we have for one another.  When someone wanders from the truth, it’s our duty to guide them back with love and compassion.  This isn’t about judgment or condemnation, but about saving someone from spiritual death and covering their sins with grace.

It's important to remember that the early Christians, to whom James wrote, faced severe persecution for their faith.  Many of them remained steadfast despite immense suffering.  This dedication could understandably lead to feelings of anger or resentment toward those who abandoned their faith under pressure.  Yet, James urges them—and us—not to let these emotions prevent us from reaching out in love.  Instead of holding on to bitterness, we are called to welcome back those who have strayed, recognizing the grace and forgiveness that God extends to all of us.

The Christmas story ought to be a perfect reminder that none of us deserves God’s grace.  Jesus left the glory of Heaven to be born as a helpless infant and ultimately gave His life for us on the cross of Calvary not  because we were such good people who deserved it.  No. Romans 5:8 tells us, “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”  We ought to extend the same grace to everyone else—including Christians who backslide or wander away from the faith.

In our church family, we are called to look out for each other.  The journey of faith is not walked alone.  We need each other’s support, accountability, and encouragement.  We are indeed to "be our brother's keeper."  The act of bringing someone back should be done with the same love and grace that Christ showed us.  It’s a call to love in action, to reach out with compassion and understanding.

The Christmas Connection
Christmas is the celebration of God’s great rescue mission for humanity.  Jesus came into the world to bring back all of us who have wandered from the truth.  Just as we are called to pursue those who wander, God pursued us through Jesus.  The birth of Christ is God reaching out to bring us back into a relationship with Him.

In John 8:12, Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  Christmas celebrates that light coming into our dark world to guide us back to the path of truth.

Consider John Newton, the author of "Amazing Grace" (perhaps one of the best known and loved Christian hymns).  John Newton was raised in a Christian household.  John’s dad was a pastor and John became a Christian at an early age, but he abandoned his faith and led a life far from Christian values.
He became involved in the slave trade, living a life of moral and spiritual bankruptcy.  However, during a life-threatening storm at sea, Newton experienced what he described as a profound spiritual  awakening.  This event marked the beginning of his return to faith.  Newton was assisted in is return to the Christian faith by several Christian friends like Thomas Scott and Thomas [How-ess] Howeis who helped mentor Newton as he returned to Christian faith.  Newton eventually left the slave trade and became an Anglican priest.  Newton's journey from wandering to restoration deeply influenced his writing of "Amazing Grace," a song that has touched countless lives with its message of forgiveness and redemption.

The Gift of Redemption
Bringing back a wanderer is a gift of redemption.  It’s a theme echoed every Christmas.  The ultimate gift given to us is the gift of Jesus, who redeems us from our sins.  Just as there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7), there is great joy in seeing a brother or sister restored to the faith.
It’s a moment of celebration, much like the joy we experience and celebrate at Christmas.

Conclusion
As we conclude our journey through the Epistle of James, we are reminded our faith is not just  personal’ it is communal.  We have a role in each other’s spiritual journeys.  Therefore, let us be inspired by the greatest act of love—the birth of Jesus Christ—who was born to reach out to all who have wandered from the truth.

May we carry the spirit of Christmas in our hearts all year round, actively seeking to bring back the wanderers with love, grace, and compassion.  In doing so, we not only save them from death but also celebrate the true essence of Christmas—God’s redemptive love for all.

Let us pray.  Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came to bring us back to You.  Help us to carry this message of love and redemption in our hearts and to reach out to those who have wandered from the truth.  Fill us with compassion, grace, and the courage to bring them back into Your loving arms.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

Invitation
Are there any here today, who need to make a recommitment to Christ?
Maybe you have been a Christian, but at some point you wandered away. 
Today, you can come back.  Won’t you come?
Pray to Jesus today and recommit your life to Him now.

Maybe you have never decided to follow Jesus and be a Christian. 
But maybe you feel like today you want to become a Christian and follow Jesus.
I can’t think of a better time than right now to do it.
Won’t you come?  Pray to Jesus right now and tell Him you want to be a Christian. 
Then tell a pastor or a close Christian friend.

Warning! Do Not Judge! | A Sermon on James 4:11-12

Introduction
Today, we continue our series on the book of James.  Last week, we learned about choosing God's way over our own selfish desires.  Today, we'll look at James 4:11-12 and talk about the power of our words.  James says a lot in this short passage about how we speak to and about others.  Let's see what we can learn. 

James 4:11-12
¹¹ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. ¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

Don’t Slander One Another (James 4:11)
James starts out by telling us not to slander one another.  Slander means speaking falsely or maliciously about someone, damaging their reputation.  When we talk badly about others, we hurt them and ourselves.  We are all part of God's family, and He calls us to love and support one another, not tear each other down.

Let me give you an illustration.  If you are on a baseball team, it's important for everyone on the team to support each other and work together to win.  But if someone is spreading rumors about their team mates, it creates division and distrust in the team and makes it much harder to work together and succeed.  Well, as Christians, who is on our team?  Everyone in our church is on our team.  We aren't competing against eachother, but against the powers of darkness among us.  So we should not slander and spread rumors because it creates distrust and makes it harder to work together and succeed in bringing God's Kingdom on earth.  

And if you think about it, there are other people on our team even outside our congregation.  Everyone in a Bible believing church is also trying to make disciples of Jesus and bring God's Kingdom on earth.  So, we are not competing against other churches in our community.  We all have the same goal.  If they succeed, we succeed.  If we succeed, they succeed.  So let us not bring division in God's universal church or spread rumors and slander.  Let us root for each other and pray for each other to all succeed.

And if we have a broader definition of success, we could include our whole community and our country as being on our team.  Don't we want our community and country to succeed?  Then let us not tear each other down, but build ach other up as much as it is in our power to do so.

What are some ways Christians may be guilty of slander?
Gossip – Sharing unverified or private information about someone else's personal life.  Talking behind their back about their mistakes or failures.

Spreading Rumors – Passing along information that may not be true or is exaggerated, which can harm someone's reputation.  Speculating about someone's actions or intentions without knowing the full story.

Criticizing Leadership – Speaking negatively about church leaders or decisions they make without understanding the full context or offering constructive feedback.  Undermining authority by questioning leaders' integrity or abilities.

Judging Appearances or Behavior – Making negative comments about someone's clothing, appearance, or lifestyle choices.  Criticizing how others raise their children, manage their finances, or conduct their marriages.

Undermining People’s Faith – Questioning the sincerity of someone's faith or relationship with God based on their actions or struggles.  Making disparaging remarks about someone's participation or lack thereof in church activities.

Complaining About Others – Expressing frustration about the behavior or habits of fellow church members in a way that is unkind or unfair.  Creating division by speaking negatively about different groups or cliques within the church.

James says, "Don't Slander!"

Judging Others (James 4:11-12)
James goes on to talk about judging others.  He says when we judge others, we put ourselves above God's law.  "The law" is the moral and ethical teachings given by God, particularly the command to love one another.  Remember, Jesus said the greatest commandment (law) is to love the Lord your God.  And the second is like it:  Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). 

 James 2:8 mentions this "royal law" found in Scripture: "Love your neighbor as yourself."  When we speak against or judge others, we are not acting in accordance with this law of love.  Rather, we act as though we are above than the law.  In essence, we are saying God's law of love does not apply to us, or that we know better than God.  We put ourselves in a position to judge the holy law of God itself, which is both presumptuous and wrong.

Judging vs. Discerning
Now, whenever I talk about not being judgmental, I need to remind us of the difference between judging and discerning (or between being judgmental and making good judgments). 

There’s a difference.  For example:  We are currently searching for a new children’s minister for our church.  We are taking applications and trying to choose the best candidate.  How can we hire the right person unless we interview and “judge” the candidates? 

The kind of judgment James speaks against is a condemning, self-righteous attitude that looks down on others and assumes a position of moral superiority.  This leads to thinking or speaking negatively about others, spreading rumors, and causes division.

This is not the same as discernment, which provides constructive guidance with love and humility.  When we interview people we exercise discernment and wisdom.  This includes evaluating a person's character, qualifications, and behavior.  But the goal is to find the right person for the job, not to tear anyone down.

But what is someone is not acting right?  What if their behavior is clearly wrong?  What then?

If we have someone in our church whose behavior is unacceptable, we go to them in love to hold them accountable to build them up and help them be more like Christ.  Jesus even gave instructions for addressing sin among believers in Matthew 18:15-7.  He taught us to:

• Go to the person privately and gently and respectfully point out their fault.
• If the person doesn't listen, take one or two others with you to help mediate and confirm the issue.
• If the person still refuses to listen, bring the matter before the church. The goal is always restoration and reconciliation (not proving you are right by tearing someone else down).

So there is a clear difference between being judgmental and making good judgments.

Humility is Key (James 4:12)
Remember, there is only one true Judge.  Our role is to love and serve one another with humility.  Humility is the key.  It reminds us we have our own faults and need God's grace too.  When we speak with humility, we build others up instead of tearing them down. 

How we speak to and about one another is important.  We are called not to slander or judge,
but to speak with love and humility. By doing this, we honor God and build a stronger, more united community. 

It’s Our Job to Build a Better Future
It breaks my heart to see so much division and slander being thrown around in society.  The ignorance, disrespect, and vitriol that characterizes our public discourse is troubling.  It is ungodly, unholy, and unhealthy.  What kind of world we are leaving for our children and grandchildren?

If it concerns you too, then I invite you to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.  Christians are called to be different than the world.  We are called to be salt and light—to be a positive influence on our broken world.  And we can, because we have the power of God’s Holy Spirit living inside us.

The way we make a difference is to live differently, to speak differently.  We are called to be holy as God is holy, to love as God loves, to act with humility and to treat people with dignity and respect.  The way to change the world is not to gripe about it, but to be the change we want to see.

Baptism of Joshua Kirk Ikerd
In just a moment, we are going to baptize baby Joshua, the son of Kelsey and Chad Ikerd.  Whenever we baptize our children, we promise to do all in our power to support their life of faith.  It occurs to me today this includes doing all we can to make the world they inherit a better one.  One of the chief ways we can do that right now is to act with humility and to treat people with dignity so the world becomes a more positive and loving place to live.  Will you do that?