Christ Church Washington D.C.

 Well, our sermon text today comes from James chapter one. We’ll be in verses twelve through sixteen. James chapter one, beginning in verse twelve. Give careful attention to the reading of God’s holy and inspired word Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Now let no one say when he is tempted, “I’m being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. The Word of the Lord. Our Lord and our God, we do thank you for your Word. We thank you for this new altar that we are setting up in your kindness, and we pray that we would leave this place less deceived by the lies of sin, eager to take hold of blessing on the other side of, of obedience.

So we pray, Holy Spirit, that you would help us now. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Well, recently I was back in Nashville for our denomination’s triennial council meeting where all the pastors convene for a few days, and it once again filled me with a renewed gratitude for the blessing of being part of the CREC, and it is really a blessing.

And the great work of reformation and recovering of our great Protestant heritage, that is our project. One place we see this is in the retrieval of the great psalms and hymnody from the ages. These provide tremendous strength and stability to the church, not just because of their rich theology and their poetic genius, but because of how so many of these great hymns were birthed out of affliction.

One such hymn is God Moves in a Mysterious Way by William Cooper. Cooper was a man not who needed to make a CCM quota of psalms for that year, but who suffered tremendously. He suffered tremendously. But even in the midst of his own struggle, Cooper labors to exhort us to trust in the inscrutable wisdom and the perfect goodness and the wise providence of God, even when we cannot understand yet his purpose behind the trials.

He labors to exhort those who comes after him to trust the Lord. He tells us, “Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust him for his grace, that behind a frowning providence There actually hides a smiling face. Elsewhere, he says, blind unbelief is sure to err as it scans his work in vain because God is his own interpreter and he will make it plain.

Well, as we continue on in the letter of James, we find Pastor James continuing on in his charge to this young, persecuted, displaced church. He’s charging them to have a, have a joyful resilience through it all, knowing God is purposefully strengthening their faith, getting rid of the dross, bringing about a, a dignified maturity through the tests and the challenges.

He’s going to keep on with this theme today, but he’s going to deal head-on with something that could bring this powerful, this purposeful, this refining work of God to a screeching halt. Even more, something that could derail them completely, and it’s this. What would derail the good work God is doing if amidst their trials, they must resist the immature impulse to question God’s goodness and to blame God when their trials provoke temptations to sin in them?

That’s what they must not do. When the trials press down, they provoke temptations to sin, you must not blame God as if he is the one who is doing that. That’s the section. So let’s overview the text. In verse thirteen, James turns a corner. Again, he goes from speaking of trials that lead to maturity in life to temptations that lead to sin and death.

And James wants to make it absolutely clear that while God certainly brings external trials our way, God never brings temptations to sin. James says, indeed, he cannot do so. Now, when I say he cannot, this is not because of some sort of limitation on God’s end, but it’s a reality based on who God is He cannot because he is holy.

He cannot because he is entirely good all the way down. And just as he cannot be tempted to sin because he’s God, he also cannot tempt us to sin. God does not bait a hook hoping we clamp down with something he hates. He’s God and he is good and he hates sin and he hates the carnage it creates. Quick parentheses.

Now, a question that might naturally come to mind is, well, Jesus is God and yet he was tempted to sin, was he not, in the wilderness by the devil? How do we square that? It’s a good question. Oceans of ink have been spilled by theologians across the ages over the question. Simply suffice it to say The answer to this question is part of the glory of the incarnation.

This is not just a theological curiosity that we’re trying to reconcile. This is part of the glory of the incarnation, God in human form. Jesus really did take on human nature fully. One person, two natures. He was fully God and he was fully man. And in Christ’s human nature, he could, in a sense, truly enter into the experience of temptation.

But because he did not inherit Adam’s sinful nature, those temptations, when they came, they found no resonance in him. They found no home in him. He had a fully Godward heart that delighted in the will of God. Though, and this is important, scripture is clear, he did experience the pressure and the pain of the temptation in his humanity.

Back to the text. So James makes it clear that God is not morally responsible for our temptations to sin. James says, do not blame God when the temptation pressure bears down and acid oozes out of you. Okay, well then, who is to blame then? Well, much to the chagrin of our therapy culture, James tells you the truth because he loves you.

Tells you that you are responsible for every sin you’ve ever committed. And in verses 14 through 15, he now gives us what we might call a slow motion replay of the gestational cycle of sin from birth to death. There’s really three stages he sets before the church. James was a fisherman in his former life, and so he uses the language of fishing to explain this for us.

First, a forbidden desire is wrapped around a jagged hook. But because of our sinful nature, in a moment, in that moment, it looks so enticing. It looks so delicious. It draws us in. That forbidden website that is just a click away. That flirtatious co-worker who’s clearly sending a signal. A promotion or appointment that is yours if you would just play ball and do something just a little unethical.

Just fudge the numbers a little bit. Because of our bent desires, in that moment of temptation, something that actually is spiritually poisonous for a moment looks really enticing to us. That’s what James is saying, step one. Then you take hold of it. You seize it. You take the bait and give in to the forbidden desire, and sin is born, to use James’ language.

It has happened. That sin now exists in the world. Temptation is not sin. Acting upon the temptation is. That’s step two. Then if it’s not quickly confessed and repented of, it’s nurtured, it’s given oxygen, it’s fed, and it metastasizes like cancer in the soul until it brings about death completely to the host, which is what sin always leads to.

It leads to death. That is why we die physically, because of sin, but it also leads to relational and spiritual death. Sin, like acid, always eats away the container that houses it until it is destroyed entirely. But the effects of sin are also subtle and deceptive. The death that sin inevitably brings often happens so slowly So imperceptibly until it’s not.

And this is at the heart of James’ pastoral warning. Taken in context from last time, we see James is really putting before this tried and tempted church two paths. The whole which way Western man question is what James is putting before them. Will they remain steadfast and faithful and resolute with their eyes on Christ amidst the trials?

He says, “Then you will be handed the crown of life.” That was last time. That’s how our text ended last time. I included that in the reading today so you see the continuity. However, if amidst trials you take your eyes off Christ and stray from the path into the dark alleys of temptations, if you kick Christ off the throne of your heart and allow your sinful flesh to reign, then you will veer towards the path of death.

Even churchgoers can make shipwreck of their faith if they do not walk carefully. He’s putting before this church the paths that lead to life or to death, and in this way, James’ warnings are Deuteronomic in nature, echoing Moses as he charged Israel. They prepared to take hold of the promised land, which he would not enter because of his sin.

He exhorts them. This is from Deuteronomy thirty verse fifteen and on. He says, “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, by keeping his commandments, then you shall live, and you shall multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of.”

Verse seventeen, “But if you turn your heart away, and you will not hear, but are drawn, lured away to worship other gods and to serve them, I declare to you today you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess.” So similar, James is speaking to the new Israel as they have been dispersed into this new land, which though foreign to them, though forced upon them, is part of the land that Jesus has laid claim to and has strategically positioned his church through persecution to post up at.

And the same options lie before them, life and good if they walk faithfully, repentantly amidst trials, or death and evil if they get lured away and seduced and deceived by sinful desires. Well, providentially, this is a timely word for us at Christ Church, not just because we are a younger church in the challenging, temptation-laden city that is Washington, D.C.,

but especially as we enter into this new chapter in a new part of the promised land, as it were, that Christ has claimed and has postured and positioned us to take hold of From the very beginning, walking in humble obedience to the lordship of Christ, all of Christ for all of life, and quick confession when we slip has been front and center.

We have, as a people, sought to walk joyfully in light of the gospel with our hearts clean before the Lord and clean before one another. But transitions, while exciting, are also a good opportunity to refocus, to not rely on past obedience or past grace, but to make sure we have a fresh fighter stance for the temptations that this season will surely bring.

It’s good to remember that James, as he writes this letter, no less than fifteen times calls his audience, “My brothers.” And yet he warns them. He warns them strongly of the dangers of drifting, of veering from the path of life into the sin ditches around. So in the remainder of our time, I want to offer several practical ways that Christ’s church can be fresh for the good fight against sin and against temptation as we me– move forward into this new season, as we seek to establish a gospel beachhead within the Beltway and to draw down God’s blessings upon this land and upon our church.

Think of these as four tools for the temptation toolbox. Number one, you must name and make war against presumptuous sins. You must name and make war against presumptuous sins. And a vital verse to have branded on your heart in this regard, you’ve heard me say it before, you’ll hear me say it many times after, Psalm nineteen thirteen.

So this is David, he says, “Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I will be blameless and innocent of great transgressions.” Nobody wakes up in the morning and then out of nowhere commits egregious sin. That doesn’t just happen. You don’t embezzle a million dollars on a whim ’cause you were bored, because a meeting got canceled.

You don’t trip into adultery, or, um, excuse me, adultery. You don’t become an addict in an afternoon. You don’t develop a bitter, passive-aggressive marriage over a weekend. Church factions don’t happen over one fellowship meal. No, it’s the seemingly small sins, the presumptuous sins that go unnamed and unnoticed and therefore unchecked and unrepented of.

So what we must realize is just as there’s no such thing as just a little bit of aggressive cancer that doesn’t really need to be dealt with, it’s so small, so there’s no such thing as a small sin that doesn’t need repenting of. No, because unrepentant sin, like aggressive cancer, always grows. If it’s not repented of, it always grows.

Therefore, as a church and individually, we need to do the hard work of soul searching with Sharpie in our hand, ready to find and name in bold letters our presumptuous sins so that we can deal with them quickly when they’re small. Always remember the difference between a spark and a roaring house fire, namely an hour That’s the difference between a spark and a roaring house fire, an hour.

And that’s what David understood in his prayer. This is why this verse is so essential. If you give me victory over my presumptuous sins, I’ll stay miles away from the more gnarly stuff. And so beloved, know your presumptuous sins. See them, having recognized them, see them when they happen as sparks flying on bone-dry California brush that can be put out in a moment, but that will become deadly if ignored.

That disrespect towards your husband, that snide comment towards your wife, that double take of an immodest coworker. Again, the small ethical compromise, just fudge some of the numbers to gain a little political advantage. That discipline that you administered to your child clearly within the grip of anger that you never asked for forgiveness for.

That grumbling about the changes at church that spills out into gossip with another parishioner. Whatever it is, understand there is no such thing as a small sin any more than a small tumor or a small spark on dry brush. So let us be a people who name our presumptuous sins and deal with them quickly, individually, and as a community at Christ Church, that we may steer clear of great transgressions.

Number two, act preemptively. Act preemptively. Knowing yourself and the jagged bait that catches your eye is one thing, but the next step is to act preemptively. Take measures to avoid situations where you know you are highly likely to encounter that temptation. If you know you have a severe food allergy, I guarantee that you are quite proactive to avoid that.

You read all the labels, make sure that there’s no nuts in the pantry at all, right? You’re on that. And yet, are we as vigilant when it comes to our spiritual health? Are we as vigilant when it comes to steering clear of temptations? I would say we are not, beloved. This is one of the assumed insanities of the endless scroll.

Let’s just see what the algorithm has for me. I’m sure it’s all going to be profitable and righteous, no doubt. We really need to tread more carefully. Yes, it’s good to avoid clamping down on a baited hook. Even better to not dive into the pond where those hooks are ubiquitous. Men, very practically, if you are tempted towards pornography or any other form of sexual sin, what strong guardrails do you have up?

What strong guardrails do you have up? Our Lord said, “If your eye offends you, tear it out.” Today, he’d likely say, “If your iPhone offends you, tear it out.” And for some, that seems more unthinkable than the eye But if that’s the case, that only shows how much we need James’ warning today. Sin brings about death, especially when you’re ensnared in sexual sin.

So you must have a plan, you must be preemptive, and if you haven’t been, you really need to read Proverbs seven this week. There it talks about the man who’s in the grip of seduction. Verse twenty-two, “He’s as an ox going to slaughter or a stag who got caught in a trap till the arrow pierces its liver.”

Or perhaps your temptation is less obvious but no less real, like the temptation towards fretfulness, of being dominated by your fears. Being preemptive for you perhaps looks like having a promise of God memorized in your pocket, ready to dwell on it when the worry comes. Having an objective gospel rock that the waves of your worry can smash up against, such as Moses’ words again from Deuteronomy.

Here’s thirty-one, eight, he said, “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, so do not be fearful or be dismayed.” Or Matthew ten, twenty-nine through thirty-one, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Heavenly Father.

Even the hairs of your head are all numbered, so fear not therefore, you are of much more value than many sparrows.” Or as Cooper says, “Fearful saint, fresh courage take.” And it’s the promises of God that supply us with that needed courage when the anxieties rise or whatever else temptation might come, unholy anger, ungodly grasping ambition, squandering hours slothfully on social media.

Whatever it is for you, name it, then take preemptive steps to make it much harder to sin in that way. Number three, take full responsibility for your sins. Take full responsibility for your sins, and this is one of the main thrusts of James text today. The temptation to blame shift, to push the responsibility off them and onto the Lord.

But as my wife’s favorite theologian, Chris Stapleton, has said, “I got nobody to blame but me,” and that actually is a really spiritually healthy song to listen to because as sinners, it is very hard for us to take full responsibility for our own sin. But this is the thing the sinner must do. If you would break free from the tyranny of sin, just own it all the way down.

Your sin is not your parents’ fault. It’s not your children’s fault. It’s not the Democrats’ fault. It’s not the economy’s fault. It’s not the scantily clad woman’s fault, and it’s certainly not the Lord’s fault. We are responsible for our own sin The victim therapy culture we live in often provides a counterfeit compassion here.

Because when they tell you you’re primarily a victim, that actually further enslaves you to the patterns of sin. I remember when the Enneagram was all the rage, and even making ways through my seminary. Part of that system was you have to find the, the, the childhood wound. That, that’s the starting point.

It’s just assumed upfront that somebody else is responsible for the sins that you currently commit, or the shadow side, as the Enneagram would call it, because sin, that’s just, that’s just a bit much after all. Now this sounds so intriguing, but it’s actually enslaving. It’s, it’s velveted handcuffs.

Because, beloved, true freedom from whatever besetting sin you have, whatever temptation you have, begins with forgiveness, and forgiveness can only come by owning up, by taking full responsibility all the way down for your sins. No hedging, no finger-pointing, no qualifying. Sure, your past can help explain your current sin patterns, but it does not excuse them.

And to be clear, there, of course, are real victims of really terrible things that have happened. I am not flattening that down. We must be a people who are very compassionate towards those who are hurting. I’m talking about victim culture that defines our times that is by default always blame-shifting.

That’s an important distinction to be made. Of course, victim culture is as old as Eden. Adam’s first words after his sin, “This woman you gave me.” Everybody’s fault here but mine. But this is precisely what makes the gospel so potent in its real time on the ground freeing power. If you’ve heard nothing else, really tune in now.

This is what makes the gospel so potent in its real time on the ground freeing power. Because the reason you can take responsibility for your sins, and I can for mine, without being crushed by their weight, is because Jesus Christ already took full responsibility for them on the cross. That’s the power of the gospel.

Isaiah fifty-three: five, “He was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. Upon Him was the chastisement that brings us peace. And by His wounds we are healed.” The reason you can own up to your sin without being swallowed up by shame is because Jesus already bore that shame as he hung exposed and bleeding outside of Jerusalem.

So as the writer of Hebrews says in 12.2, look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising its shame. Through his glorious atoning work, beloved, Jesus replaced the shame sin brings upon a Christian. He replaced it. He didn’t just forgive it.

He replaced it with something far more potent, namely joy, the joy of our salvation. This is what David prayed for in Psalm 51 as he took responsibility for his sins. And remember, they were some big ticket items. He says in verse two, wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, cleanse me from my sin. So that’s the responsibility.

That’s him owning it all. And then a few verses later, he says, and then restore to me the joy of your salvation. Shame does not go away by blame shifting. That only compounds it. There’s only one way guilt and shame can die. And it is through crucifixion. That is the only way shame can die through crucifixion.

You must let Christ take responsibility for it. It must be crucified with Christ. And when you do, he does not just forgive your guilt and shame. He gives you the joy of salvation. This, my friends, is why the gospel is called good news. That is the proclamation from heaven to sinners. Full pardon for your sin.

Full joy for eternity. Okay, so tools for dealing with temptation and sin. Name and make war against presumptuous sins. Act preemptively. Take full responsibility. And now, finally, in conclusion, number four, we fight temptation and sin through living in light of your legacy. Through living in light of your legacy, or to say it another way, by seeing through the thin, fleeting pleasure that sin promises, and by seeing the impact your obedience will have for generations to come.

Our choices, beloved, they are rivers. They are not ponds. Our decisions flow downstream in one way or another, impacting our children and their children and their children. There is no such thing as secret sin. It will infect the sap in the family tree. But praise be to God, the opposite is true. There is also no such thing as secret obedience.

When you mortify your sin, when you sidestep the temptation bear trap, when you choose faithfulness over the filth of sin or make quick repentance normal, this flows down as well. This, as it were, nourishes the tree of your legacy. So the wise man and the wise woman, the victorious man and the victorious woman dwells often on the generational downstream impact of how they respond to temptation today.

They see with clarity how lame of an offer temptation is trying to make. Fleeting pleasure, long-term pain. They see the offer, they reject it and say, “I will take momentary pain of resisting for the long-term generational blessing for obedience.” Like Moses, who according to Hebrews 11:25, chose rather to be mistreated with the people of God.

Hear that again. He chose to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin. Notice the choice. It’s not that it wasn’t offering pleasure, it’s that it was fleeting, small compared to what else was offered. It goes on, he considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking forward to his reward.

And so as we head into this new chapter, beloved, let’s do it with a mosaic resolve to reject the fleeting pleasures of sin, to go hard after daily obedience and quick repentance, five minutes at a time this week for the glory of the Lord, for the salvation of our city, and for the joy of our great-grandchildren.

Amen. Our Lord and our God, we thank you for the gospel, and we thank you for the work of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We thank you for the great exchange where he took on all of our sin imputed to him, all of his righteousness, the joy of salvation imputed to us. We thank you for it. Help us in the good fight.

And now we would pray the way our Lord taught us to pray

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