Introduction: Have you ever been in a situation where you were totally wrong and knew you didn’t deserve any mercy or grace from those you hurt?  We have all probably been there, and that is what this message is all about.

 

The first five verses of James chapter 4 are certainly not the kind of verses that will lead you to say “Amen” over and over.  They are no less God’s Word than any other verses but the subject matter of those verses tears you apart.  James is writing to Christians who are betrothed to Jesus Christ, and yet they act like people who don’t care.  They are Christians that are at war with one another.  They are Christians that are in love with their own selfish lusts and desires.  They are Christians who come to God in prayer but are not receiving what they ask for because they have no intention of  using what God gives to them for God’s honor and glory - just their own.  They are people who, because of their friendship with the world and their worldly attitudes, are really enemies of God.  We saw two Sunday’s ago in verse 5 that the Spirit of God who indwells us is driven to envy because of this adultery with the world.  God is jealous for us even as a husband is jealous for his wife or his wife to be.  All these problems between Christians and between Christians and the Lord can be traced back to what James wrote in chapter three - the problem of an uncontrolled tongue, and the problem of living according to the wisdom of this world.  Both of these will result in the chaos found in the first five verses of James chapter four.

 

Praise God James didn’t stop writing after verse 5 in chapter four.  Praise the Lord the Holy Spirit of God led James to continue writing.  In verse six and following we are given a recipe for walking properly with our Lord and with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

Today our focus will be upon the grace that God desires to bestow upon His people.  You would think that after all the terrible things that are described about God’s people in verses 1-5 that verse six would be about God’s judgment, and there is some of that. But what we really find in verse six is the subject of God’s grace.  Only from God would we find such a statement.  If it was left up to any of us here we might be tempted to say “Just nuke ‘em.”  But that isn’t God’s first response.  He offers His grace to those who will turn back to Him. 

 

What is God’s grace anyhow?  A simple definition of grace is “the unmerited favor of God toward men.”  Another definition uses the word Grace as an acrostic to describe what grace means is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.  Grace is the favor that God is able to show to sinful men because Christ died for them, took their sins upon Himself, and this sacrifice was acceptable to God the Father. 

 

I think we are now ready to examine James 4:6 and learn what the Lord has for us here.

 

I. The Need: More Of God’s Grace - “But he giveth more grace.”

1. A logical question comes to mind when you read that phrase.  Why does he say more grace?  More grace than what? 

It is important to keep in mind the context of this verse, and I have already gone over that in the introduction to this message.  We see at the end of verse 5 that the Spirit of God is jealous for us, and that jealousy is very strong, as you can imagine.  Jealousy is a powerful emotion.  It is an emotion that, in us, can drive us to say and do things that we feel justified to say and do.  God’s jealousy for us is no less than ours.  In fact, it is probably even stronger.  But there is another part of God that is even stronger, if I can put it that way, than the jealousy of God - it is God’s Grace. 

 

2. We certainly have a great need for God’s Grace.  If it wasn’t for God’s Grace none of us here would have any hope of being saved from our sins now or forever.  Ephesians 2:8,9 says, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.  Romans 3:23,24 say, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 

 

3. So why does God need to extend more grace toward us?

a. Romans 5:12-20 tells us one reason why we need more of God’s Grace  - our sinfulness requires it - READ: Romans 5:12-20 (Notice especially verse 20 “grace did much more abound.”)

b. Hebrews 4:14-16 gives us another reason why we need more of God’s Grace - because of our great needs - Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

 

Application: I have just shared with you two passages of scripture that make it clear why God says we need more grace - because of our sinfulness and because of our great needs.  God’s grace is just as available and powerful today for the lost sinner as it was from the beginning.  God’s grace for the sinner has not diminished one little bit.  The Bible makes it clear that every single person that comes into this world is under the curse of sin - there is absolutely no way to get around that fact.  But Christ has exhibited His great love toward sinners in dying for them on the cross.  God’s Grace has been shown in making a way open for lost, depraved sinners to be rescued and redeemed.  What have you done with the grace of God?  Have you accepted it or have you scorned it? 

 

Believers - This passage of scripture in James 4 is written to Christians, Christians with major problems, but God’s Grace was still available to them.  What have you done with the grace of God?

 

What about those other needs in your life, brothers and sisters in Christ?  God’s grace is available to all who come to him in prayer with an attitude of faith - believing that He will supply and meet those needs.

 

We all certainly have a great need for God’s Grace, but second,

 

II. The Warning: God Resists The Proud - “God resisteth the proud”

 

1. Parents - if one of your children defiantly rejects your authority over them, how do you respond?  Do you tell the child that this is funny, or do you not say anything at all?  Most likely not.  When your authority as a parent is rejected by your child there will be sparks flying.  There will also be a deep concern for that child that they would come to their senses.  This is often when discipline is needed.  You as the parent are going resist this attitude of pride.

 

2. The person who defiantly rejects God’s rightful claim on his/her life, God will oppose.  That is what God is saying here.

 

3. Notice that it says “Wherefore he saith”.  That means that what follows is a quote from elsewhere in the Word of God.  The passage which is most likely being referred to is Proverbs 3:34 - Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.

 

4. Has God really carried through on such a threat, or is He calling our bluff?  To answer that question permit me to share some Biblical examples of people who resisted God’s rightful claim on their life and felt the consequences of such a decision.

 

a. Pharaoh and the people of Egypt - Nehemiah. 9:10 says, And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his

servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day.  What did God do to Pharaoh in the end?  He destroyed his army in the Red Sea.  He took the life of Pharaoh’s oldest son.   God will always, always resist those who are proud and not humble before Him.

 

b. The Israelites - Nehemiah 9:15-16 says concerning the Israelites in the wilderness - And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them. But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,  So what was the result?  They ended up wandering in the wilderness for forty years, and all those who were twenty years of age or older who had come out of Egypt died in the wilderness.  Nehemiah moved ahead in Israel’s history and gives us a similar picture in Nehemiah 9:29-30 And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear. Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.

 

c. Nebuchadnezzar - Daniel 4 is about a dream that King Nebuchadnezzar had and God gave the interpretation to Daniel who then shared it with Nebuchadnezzar.  Let’s pick up the dialogue at Daniel 4:25-33 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.  (Here ended Daniel’s interpretation) All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty? While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.

 

d. Belshazzar - Daniel 5 - the story of the finger of God writing on the wall of the building where the drunken party was taking place in Babylon.  Notice the wording in Daniel 5:22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;  Belshazzar was Nebuchadnezzar’s son and knew all that had befallen his father when he lifted his head up in pride and suffered what I read from Daniel 4.  God’s judgment for his hardened heart was swift and sure - Daniel 5:30 says, In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

 

4.  This is the same attitude of this world right now and it isn’t even new.  Notice how Malachi the prophet put it in Malachi 3:15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

 

5. I trust that no one goes out of this service today still thinking that they can resist God and get away with it.  There may be a temporary getting away with it because of God’s longsuffering, but ultimately God’s sword of justice will fall.  God stands against all who proudly resist Him and they are all defeated.  Why should any here today think that they are any different than all those who have come before them!  Why should a brother or sister in Christ who is living outside of God’s revealed will in His Word think that God is not going to deal with them sooner or later? 

 

There is a third point to this message - a point of hope.

 

III. The Promise: God Gives Grace To The Humble - “but giveth grace unto the humble.”

 

1. The verse from Proverbs 3:34 uses the word “lowly” but it is speaking of those who are humble and have humbled themselves before God.

 

2. I believe the best way to illustrate this is to again look at some Biblical examples of those who have had God’s grace poured out upon them when they have humbled themselves.

 

a. King Rehoboam and the princes of Judah - 2 Chronicles 12:5-7 on the occasion of King Shishak coming against them - Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak. Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD is righteous. And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

 

b. King Josiah - 2 Kings 22:19-20  Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD. Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place.

 

c. King Hezekiah - 2 Chronicles 32:25,26 - But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

 

d. The people of Nineveh - Jonah 3:4-10 - the people of Nineveh heard the preaching of Jonah that God’s judgment was coming and they repented of their sins and turned from their wickedness.  God turned away from the punishment that He was going to bring upon them.  They humbled themselves and God exhibited His grace.  Did they deserve God’s Grace?  Certainly not, and neither do any of us, but because they humbled themselves, truly humbled themselves before God in regard to their sin, God turned  away His judgment of the city.

 

3. This is the promise that God gives - if we humble ourselves God will pour out his grace upon us.  Though we may have disobeyed His laws, and treated other Christians like dirt, if we will humble ourselves before God and confess our sin to Him and those we have hurt, His grace will be enacted.  Even if we humble ourselves do we really deserve anything from God?  Certainly not, but God is a gracious God and when He looks into our heart and sees true humility and confession of sin - his grace is given. 

 

4. I close with what it says a few more verses down in James 4.  It is found in James 4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”  Pretty simple - you either humble yourself before God in regard to sin in your life and have Him take you by the hand and lift you up and declare you forgiven, or you can continue to persist in an attitude of pride and eventually have that same hand that wished to lift you up