Open to Reason, Impartial, and Sincere
SERIES: WISDOM FROM ABOVE
MESSAGE: Open to Reason, Impartial, and Sincere
TEXT: James 3:13-18
MESSAGE BY: Pastor J Carr
Lord Thompson’s Airship competition
Open to Reason:
Doubtful of self, undoubting of the Truth - Chesterton
Greatness = Endure criticism without resentment - Swindoll
Impartial:
Partiality: letting irrelevant considerations determine how you treat people
Audition screens and women in top orchestras
The depth and breadth of sin
Sincere:
Two types of worthless religion:
1.) Removing God from center of religion
Taking what should be about God and making it about us
Leads to inconsistencies
God’s plea for hypocrites (The prodigal’s older brother)
2.) Confining God to religion only
God gives all of himself to us in Christ
Discussion Questions:
How do you handle criticism?
Have you ever learned from rebuke? (Even rebuke that was partially wrong/unfair?)
How can we grow in the wisdom that is open to reason?
Why is proverbs 9:8 true? (why would a wise man love you for rebuking him?)
Have you ever caught yourself (or been caught) practicing favoritism and partiality?
Are there particular irrelevant consideration that you are tempted to treat as relevant?
How can we grow in the wisdom that is impartial?
How does James 2:1-9 confront and correct this sin?
Are there areas of your religion that sometimes drift away from having God at the center?
What are some ways that we can recognize this happening?
What is wrong with the pharisee’s prayer in Luke 18?
Are there areas of your life where you don’t let God touch (are out of alignment with true [whole-life] religion?)
In particular (as James mentioned) are there environments/relationships/topics where the way you speak (or write) is not in line with the Character of Christ?