Sunday Recap 1-22-12

Morning: The sermon, "Guarding the Trust," focused on 1 Tim. 6:20-21. These verses sum up Paul's message to Timothy. Timothy needed to hold onto what he had been given, while avoiding false teaching, and resting in God's grace.

Timothy had to guard what was entrusted to him. But what was entrusted to him? He was entrusted with a task, with sound doctrine, with the good fight of faith, with the work of prayer, with a spiritual gift, and with a heritage. In a word, he was trust with the gospel. He was called to preach the message of Christ as first importance (see 1 Cor. 15:1-11).

Timothy had to turn from false teaching. Timothy had to stand against "godless chatter," and pseudo-knowledge. Those who give themselves over to false messages eventually abandon the faith.

Finally, Paul prayed for grace. It was an expression of hope. Paul hoped Timothy would be surrounded by God's grace. It was a prayer that God would surround Timothy with grace. And it expressed a promise. God's grace will abound wherever his people are.

Evening: The lesson, "Mad as Heck, or Why Man's Anger Can't Produce the Righteousness of God," focused on James 1:19-21. In this passage, James sets forth a principle, explains the reason behind it, and extends a command to enable us to follow it.

The principle is that "Everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger." James wants his audience to hear in the since of listen. Listening is the practice of paying attention, heeding, and obeying. The wise listen (see Prov. 1:5, 4:1, 19:20, and 25:12). He wants them to be slow to speak. The wise choose their words carefully (see Prov. 10:19, 15:1, and 17:27). Finally, we should be slow to get angry. Most anger is rooted in sinful desire (see James 4:1-3).

The reason behind the principle is that "human anger does not produce the righteous life God desires." It may be better to say, a man's anger doesn't produce the righteousness of God. Commentator, D. J. Moo states, "James's simple point is that human anger does not produce behavior that is pleasing to God." In fact, the Scriptures warn against angry people (see Prov. 22:24, 29:11, and 30:33. Most human anger is rooted in self-love, in an exaggerated sense of self-worth, in self-righteousness, or in a lack of trust in God's justice.

James's solution is a two-fold command: get rid of moral filth and humbly submit to God's Word. When James tells us to get rid of moral filth and evil what does he mean? He means we should life the Word, take care of widows and orphans, tame our tongues, stop showing favoritism, etc. Other writers help us to see it even more clearly. Paul gives detailed lists (see Gal. 5:19-20; Eph. 4:31; and Col. 3:5,7). Peter has a general list in 1 Peter 2:1. How do we push this "moral filth" out of our lives? By humbly accepting the Word of God. We allow the Scriptures to inform and shape us.

When it comes to God's Word, we are called to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. We are to let Scripture make us into what God wants us to be.