SCRIPTURE: James 4:1-3 (ESV)
DATE: 5-3-26
As always, it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time or if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.
PASTORAL PRAYER
INTRODUCTION
We’re continuing our series in the book of James this weekend. We’re learning from the younger brother of Jesus, who believed that his older brother was God. In his letter, James has taken some teachings from his older brother and is showing us how to apply what Jesus taught to everyday life. Thus — when we listen to James — we’re learning what it means to be wise — for wisdom is taking God at his Word and applying it to our lives.
And today, James will be helping us understand where division comes from. In a world that’s divided — in a culture that seems to pride itself on groups, tribes, and an “us versus them” mentality — James is going to explain to us where this division comes from.
So — if you have your Bible — please turn with me to James chapter four. We’ll be in James chapter four — looking at verses one through three together today. We’re in James chapter four — beginning in verse one. There we read…
James 4:1–3 ESV
1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Where division comes from — this is what wisdom is going to teach us today. And we’re going to discover wisdom’s answer by looking at the cause of division, the results of division, and the cure for division. The cause, the results, and the cure.
THE CAUSE OF DIVISION
Beginning with the cause of division. In verse one, James writes…
James 4:1 ESV
1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?
Though what we’re about to learn has application to the division we see in the world around us — James is specifically wanting us to understand the cause of division among us — meaning the division we so often see among followers of Jesus.
Before we get to the answer James gives, what would you say is the cause of the division we experience in the church?
Is it biblical illiteracy? If only Christians knew their Bible as well as you do, then we’d all be on the same page.
Is it theological shallowness? If only Christians knew their theology as well as you do, then there’d be no division.
Is it political influence? If only Christians kept politics out of their faith as well as you do, then there’d be no division.
What would you say is the cause of the division we see in the church of our day?
Well, here’s James’ answer to our question: It’s our passions that are at war within each of us. James is going right for us. He’s saying that our problem is that each of us is selfish and arrogant enough to believe that our desires should come first. And — when others don’t agree — our desires convince us that it’s worth making war with our fellow Christians. And when you put a bunch of people who all struggle with selfishness and arrogance together in one group — even if you call the group a church — well, you’re gonna have some problems.
One of the most cleverly titled books on marriage that I’ve come across is When Sinners Say I Do. Someone should write a book on the church that’s titled When Sinners Say We Do.
Are there some things worth dividing over? Yes! We call these the Essentials of Our Faith here at Gateway. It’s been some time since I’ve reminded us of our Essentials, so it’d be good for us to remember them.
Every member of Gateway has agreed to these Essentials. If you’re a follower of Jesus, these Essentials should easily be something you can agree with. In fact, if you’re here today and you’d call yourself a follower of Jesus, I’m going to ask you to do something for me. I’m going to read our Essentials, and after each one, I’m going to ask if you agree with these statements by saying “I do.” Again, this is for anyone who follows Jesus — not just members of Gateway.
Here’s the opening statement — the preface — to the Essentials.
All Scripture is self-attesting and being Truth, requires our unreserved submission in all areas of life. The infallible Word of God, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is a complete and unified witness to God’s redemptive acts culminating in the incarnation of the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible, uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, is the supreme and final authority on all matters on which it speaks.
And — now — the Essentials.
We believe in one God, the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. To him be all honor, glory and praise forever!
Do you believe this? If so, say “I do.”
Jesus Christ, the living Word, became flesh through his miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and his virgin birth. He who is true God became true man united in one Person forever. He died on the cross, a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. On the third day, he arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, he now is our High Priest and Mediator.
Do you believe this? If so, say “I do.”
The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to our hearts. He convicts us of sin and draws us to the Savior. Indwelling our hearts, he gives new life to us, empowers and imparts gifts to us for service. He instructs and guides us into all truth, and seals us for the day of redemption.
Do you believe this? If so, say “I do.”
Being estranged from God and condemned by our sinfulness, our salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God’s free grace. God credits his righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, thereby justifying them in his sight. Only such as are born of the Holy Spirit and receive Jesus Christ become children of God and heirs of eternal life.
Do you believe this? If so, say “I do.”
The true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit are united together in the body of Christ. The Church finds her visible, yet imperfect, expression in local congregations where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the sacraments are administered in their integrity; where scriptural discipline is practiced, and where loving fellowship is maintained. For her perfecting, she awaits the return of her Lord.
Do you believe this? If so, say “I do.”
Jesus Christ will come again to the earth — personally, visibly, and bodily — to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
Do you believe this? If so, say “I do.”
The Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world and to make disciples of all nations. Obedience to the Great Commission requires total commitment to “Him who loved us and gave himself for us.” He calls us to a life of self-denying love and service. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Do you believe this? If so, say “I do.”
Can we acknowledge that followers of Jesus rarely divide or fight with one another because of differing views of the Essentials? So I gotta ask, “If we agree on the Essentials, why so much division among Christians?”
This reminds me of something Paul wrote in his letter to Christians living in Rome. He said…
Romans 7:15 NLT
15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.
He goes on to write…
Romans 7:19–24 NLT
19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 21 I have discovered this principle of life — that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
I wonder if you see this in your life? A desire to do good, yet there are still times when you don’t do what is good. A desire not to do what’s wrong, but times when you still do what’s wrong. Being baffled with yourself — frustrated even — because of this inconsistency — or maybe it’s a consistency? Are you able to get past the noise of our culture, which tells us to blame others for all that’s wrong in the world — including divisions within the church — and instead are you able to notice the not-so-subtle ways you contribute to the division?
What’s the cause of the division among Christians? We may have an answer, but James says it’s the ungodly passions and desires that are within each of us.
THE RESULTS OF DIVISION
Now we turn to the results of division. We’re in verse two where James writes…
James 4:2 ESV
2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.
Now I know — murder? Really James? Fight and quarrel, sure. But murder! We’ll get to murder — in a moment — but let’s talk fighting and quarreling first.
To quarrel means to make war. Where you view the moment you’re in as if it’s active warfare. And — to fight — here — has the sense of a verbal fight. So the idea James wants us to have is a division characterized by verbal fighting, but those involved act as if they’re at war with each other. Nothing like what we find going on today, right?
Seventeenth-century Jewish philosopher Spinoza observed: ‘I have often wondered that persons who make boast of professing the Christian religion — namely love, joy, peace, temperance, and charity to all men — should quarrel with such rancorous animosity, and display daily towards one another such bitter hatred, that this, rather than the virtues which they profess, is the readiest criteria of their faith.’
Ouch!
So if anyone thinks that all of this infighting and division among Christians is a twenty-first-century problem — well — apparently — at least to Spinoza — it’s been an issue for a few hundred years. I bring his quote up because one of the results of division is that our witness — our testimony of what Christ has done in our life — loses its power. Unbelievers rightly look to our lives as evidence of the Christian faith’s compellingness. And when they see infighting and division in the church — well, they can find that anywhere. Division hurts our witness.
What are some other results of division? Earlier in his letter, James wrote…
James 1:14–15 NLT
14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
The ultimate result of division is death. For the desires within us will go to rather extreme lengths to get what they want. And the Bible is full of examples of what happens when we allow our sinful passions to lead us towards divisiveness, including examples of people willing to murder to get what they want.
When two angels visited the city of Sodom, they were welcomed by Lot to stay in his house for the evening. A quick warning about what I’m about to read from the Bible: This is a bit graphic. But it shows us where sinful desires can lead.
And…
Genesis 19:4–11 NET
4 Before they could lie down to sleep, all the men — both young and old, from every part of the city of Sodom — surrounded the house. 5 They shouted to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!” 6 Lot went outside to them, shutting the door behind him. 7 He said, “No, my brothers! Don’t act so wickedly! 8 Look, I have two daughters who have never had sexual relations with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do to them whatever you please. Only don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.” 9 “Out of our way!” they cried, and “This man came to live here as a foreigner, and now he dares to judge us! We’ll do more harm to you than to them!” They kept pressing in on Lot until they were close enough to break down the door. 10 So the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house as they shut the door. 11 Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, from the youngest to the oldest, with blindness. The men outside wore themselves out trying to find the door.
Even when blinded, the men of Sodom still tried to find their way in so they could satisfy their sinful passions.
Later in Genesis, we come to the story of Joseph and his brothers. Admittedly, Joseph was a bit of a punk of a brother, but because of their sinful passions and desires…
Genesis 37:18–20 NLT
18 When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. 19 “Here comes the dreamer!” they said. 20 “Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”
Brothers are willing to murder their sibling because of passions within them — like jealousy and envy.
In the book of First Kings, we find the story of King Ahab. Ahab’s a wicked king married to an evil woman named Jezebel.
1 Kings 21:1–19 NLT
1 Now there was a man named Naboth, from Jezreel, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. 2 One day Ahab said to Naboth, “Since your vineyard is so convenient to my palace, I would like to buy it to use as a vegetable garden. I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or if you prefer, I will pay you for it.” 3 But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance that was passed down by my ancestors.” 4 So Ahab went home angry and sullen because of Naboth’s answer. The king went to bed with his face to the wall and refused to eat! 5 “What’s the matter?” his wife Jezebel asked him. “What’s made you so upset that you’re not eating?” 6 “I asked Naboth to sell me his vineyard or trade it, but he refused!” Ahab told her. 7 “Are you the king of Israel or not?” Jezebel demanded. “Get up and eat something, and don’t worry about it. I’ll get you Naboth’s vineyard!” 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and other leaders of the town where Naboth lived. 9 In her letters she commanded: “Call the citizens together for a time of fasting, and give Naboth a place of honor. 10 And then seat two scoundrels across from him who will accuse him of cursing God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.” 11 So the elders and other town leaders followed the instructions Jezebel had written in the letters. 12 They called for a fast and put Naboth at a prominent place before the people. 13 Then the two scoundrels came and sat down across from him. And they accused Naboth before all the people, saying, “He cursed God and the king.” So he was dragged outside the town and stoned to death. 14 The town leaders then sent word to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.” 15 When Jezebel heard the news, she said to Ahab, “You know the vineyard Naboth wouldn’t sell you? Well, you can have it now! He’s dead!” 16 So Ahab immediately went down to the vineyard of Naboth to claim it. 17 But the Lord said to Elijah, 18 “Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He will be at Naboth’s vineyard in Jezreel, claiming it for himself. 19 Give him this message: ‘This is what the Lord says: Wasn’t it enough that you killed Naboth? Must you rob him, too?”
“You desire and do not have, so you murder” would be a pretty good summary of what we just read. The cause of division is our ungodly passions and desires. The results of division — as we’ve just seen — are not good.
CONCLUSION: THE CURE FOR DIVISION
Which leads us to the cure for division. Obviously, we need a cure. We’re in the last half of verse two where James writes…
James 4:2–3 ESV
2 You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
What’s the cure for division? To ask God. It seems as if James is returning to an idea he began his letter with, for early on he wrote…
James 1:5 NLT
5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
The cure for our division is for us to ask God for the wisdom we need and to trust that he’ll give it to us. And we do so while we remember that God will not give us what we ask for when what we ask for comes from ungodly, sinful, evil, or selfish desires. The cure for division is for us to ask God for help.
This leads us to the teaching of Jesus that may have been on James’ mind when he wrote these words. This is only speculation — maybe James was thinking of something else Jesus taught — but because he returns to the topic of asking God — or what we call prayer — I couldn’t help but think of the time when Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. He said…
Matthew 6:9–13 NLT
9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.
When it comes to prayer, our top priority is to ask God that his name would be kept holy — that’s a cure for division. Meaning, the priority isn’t us getting what we want. It’s not them getting what they deserve. But keeping God’s name holy and revered is our ultimate desire.
And we’re to pray that God’s will be done in our specific situation. Not my will. Not your will. But his will be done. And only those who are selfish or arrogant would think that their will and God’s will are always the same. Just as only the humble and those who desire God to be glorified in their life will know that there are times when their will and God’s will are not aligned. And, in these moments, they will desire for God’s will to still be done. A cure for division.
Another time, Jesus said this about asking. He said…
Matthew 7:7–11 NLT
7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “You parents — if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.
When we ask our Father in Heaven, we must remember that he knows what’s best for us. We may think we’re asking him for bread — but he knows the bread we really need. We may think we’re asking him for a fish — when he knows that we’re actually asking him to give us a snake. We may think we’re asking him to end the division — when he knows what ending the division will really take.
So we ask, yes! But we ask as we trust that our Father in Heaven is good and will give only good and perfect gifts to his children — including the cure for division, which is a gift to his people.
Earlier, I had us look at what Paul wrote about himself and the division he experienced. I intentionally left off how he ended his thought. I’ll re-read what we looked at earlier, but this time I’ll let Paul finish his thought.
Romans 7:15 NLT
15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.
And…
Romans 7:19–25 NLT
19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 21 I have discovered this principle of life — that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
Now, if we take what James has taught us — to ask God — and what Paul says — that the answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord — we find that the ultimate cure for division is a prayer life that’s fully submitted to the will of God, which is only possible through faith in Christ. Meaning, the only way that your passions and desires will be tamed and brought under control — the way you find victory over those division creating agitations when life doesn’t go the way you want it to go — resulting in you pushing and fighting and shoving — or in extreme cases — even killing and making war with others — the cure to division in your life is to submit yourself to God’s authority and to find greater joy and satisfaction in Christ and what he’s done in love for you — and in him being glorified in your life — than in having the sinful desires and pleasures of your flesh fulfilled.
- And this posture will only come by knowing God’s will as revealed to you in his Word.
- This posture will only come by knowing how God has defined holy desires versus unholy desires.
- This posture will only come when God’s people realize that the war we’re in is not with one another — it’s not a war against unbelievers — it’s not a war against the other political party or people from that foreign nation — but is a war against our sin, our flesh, and our Enemy who wants to keep us divided and warring with one another so that we don’t unite — by the power of the Spirit of God — with locked arms and with feet planted firmly in God’s Word as we stand our ground against he and his demonic army.
Dear Christian, stand your ground. Stand your ground by being rooted in truth. Stand your ground by being rooted in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stand your ground with your brothers and sisters in Christ. For then, and only then, will unity — not division — be what we’re known for. Let’s pray.
PRAYER
Father, Son, and Spirit — unite us together, we pray. Keep us grounded in your Word. Empower us by your Spirit. And may the passions and desires of each of our hearts be for your name to be kept holy and for your will to be done — in each of our individual lives — and in our life together as a faith family. And we pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
COMMUNION (JOSH WILL MOVE TO TABLE)
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
Congregation: It is right for us to give thanks and praise.
Leader: With joy we praise you, gracious God, for you have created heaven and earth, made us in your image, and kept covenant with us — even when we fell into sin.
Congregation: We give you thanks for Jesus Christ, our Lord, who by his life, death, and resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. Therefore, we join our voices with all the saints and angels and the whole creation to proclaim the glory of your name.
We give thanks to God the Father that our Savior, Jesus Christ, before he suffered, gave us this memorial of his sacrifice, until he comes again. At his last supper, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, he took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this in remembrance of me.” For whenever we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. – 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Leader: Therefore, we proclaim our faith as signed and sealed in this sacrament.
Congregation: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
INSTRUCTIONS
At this time, I’d like to invite those who will be serving us to come forward. And — while they make their way forward — know that as the bread and cup are passed down your rows, you’re to take the bread on your own — but save the cup — which we’ll drink together. Also — in the bread trays — there’s a gluten-free option in the center.
If you’re NOT taking communion today, know that no one is judging you. We’d appreciate it, though, if you could pass the trays to the next person in your row. And if you have any questions about communion, or what it means to follow Jesus, please stop by the resource center before you leave today.
Finally, to any of our homebound members — who are watching this from home — know that your shepherding elder is available to bring communion to you in your home. Please reach out to him if you’d like to have communion brought to you.
Eat the bread on your own — but save the cup — which we’ll drink together.
COMMUNION PASSED OUT
The blood of Christ, shed for you.
PRAYER (TRANSITION FOR WORSHIP TEAM)
Father, we give you thanks for your Son, Jesus Christ, for his willing obedience and suffering during his life on earth, and especially for his giving up of his body and blood on the cross. Give us assurance that our sins are forgiven through his blood, and may your perfect love drive out all fear. Fill our minds with your peace and turn our eyes to Heaven, where Christ is at your right hand interceding for us. Give us the strength and faith we need to offer ourselves in service to Christ, and may no trouble or sorrow distract us from this loving service. And unite us with each other through your Spirit, so we continue in the living hope of our Savior’s return, which is sure to come. Hear us now through our Lord Jesus, who taught us to pray, saying these words — which are on the screens if you need them…
Congregation: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9-13 ESV)
BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available)
May you go committed to living in unity with your fellow Christians. Amen.
God loves you. I love you. You are sent.