Looking Back

On New Year’s Day, I preached a sermon out of the Book of James.  Here was my text:

James 1:19-27

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

The text is a challenge to look at ourselves.  I would like each of us to look back at this last year, 2019, and see what manner of man (or woman) we were.  This passage gives the picture of the Bible as a mirror in which we can see our own reflection.  Notice the illustration goes on to say that we can look at ourselves in the mirror and then walk away forgetting what kind of person we are.  I asked the folks these questions about their lives in 2019.

1.            Are you the Christian You Ought to Be?

Have you lived the Christian life that you should have? I’m sure there were spiritual highlights and spiritual low lights in your year, there sure were in mine.  Look back with me for a few moments and think of the highlight reel of your 2019.  There may have been some true spiritual victories.  Sin that you overcame.  Discouragement that you set aside.  There may have been some true spiritual missteps as well.  I think of these as our blooper reels.  You know, when the receiver fumbles the pass or when the shortstop misses the easy catch.  Things that leave you smacking yourself upside the head.  The real question is what did you spend 2019 seeking?  Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Have you put the kingdom of God first? Or have you put yourself first?

2.            Are you the Friend You Ought to Be?

Humans have a need for social interaction.  Some of us like to be alone, but there comes a time we seek out friends.  Remember the Tom Hanks movie “Cast Away?”  He got to a point where he needed companionship, so he made a friend out of a volleyball.  We need friends.

Are we the kind of friend that we should be?

Proverbs 18:24 “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Have we been a true friend?  Have we been willing to help those in need? Were we the kind of friend that we would want to have? 

3.            Are you the Spouse You Ought to Be?

How was your married life in 2019?  Were you the husband or wife you ought to have been in 2019? The Bible gives us clear direction on what kind of wife and husband we ought to be.

Ephesians 5:22-25 tells us:

22 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”

Ladies, have you submitted like you ought to have? Jesus submitted to God.  If we are Christians, we ought to be Christ-like.  Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.  The Lord Jesus submitted to the Father. 

Brothers, have you loved like you ought to have? In that passage of scripture, men are told to love their wives three times.  It’s 3 times as important for men to love their wives as it is for wives to submit to their husband.  If we love our wife like Jesus loves the church, our wife will have no problem submitting to us.  How did Jesus love?  Jesus loved selflessly, sacrificially, and steadfastly

               

4.            Are you the Child You Ought to Be?

Young people, have you been the child you ought to be?  Have you listened, obeyed, and honored your parents?  Adults, have you been the child to your parents you ought to be?  You’ll always be a child, no matter how old you get.  We find directions on how to be the child we ought to be in the Bible.

Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)

Are you the man, woman, boy, or girl that you thought you were? Are you the spouse or friend you thought you were?  Do you need to make some improvements in your life? You can start today!  We’ve looked in the mirror that is the Word of God.  Are you going to make changes or walk away forgetting what manner of man you are?