Let us commence our service this evening by singing together hymn number 248. Tune is message 481.

Jesus, Lord, we look to thee. Let us in thy name agree. Show thyself the prince of peace. Bid all jars forever cease.

Hymn 248. June Message 481

Let us read together from the holy word of God in the epistle of James and chapter 3.

The Epistle of James, Chapter 3.

My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bribe all the whole body.

Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listed.

Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things, Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth. The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire of hell.

For every kind of beast and birds and serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind. But the tongue can no man tame. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Therewith bless we God, even the Father, and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God, Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be.

Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? Either a vine, figs, so can no fountain. Both yield salt water. and fresh.

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you, let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly sensual devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

May the Lord bless the reading of his own precious word and grant unto us the spirit of real prayer.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which is an art, an art to come, We desire to bow before thy great and glorious majesty, the Lord Jehovah, in whom is everlasting strength and our wisdom. Our strength is in thee, O Lord. We pray that we may be delivered from trusting to our own wisdom, leaning upon our own strength, but give us that grace and that humility to lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and that we might run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the shame, despising the shame thereof, and is now set down at the right hand of the majesty on high.

A word, O Lord, declares unto us, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. And the Apostle, Lord, he instructs us, but we have the mind of Christ. May we have those evidences, O Lord, manifested in our walk, in our conduct, in our conversation, that we indeed have the mind of Christ. that we are peaceable and kind and gracious.

Lord, we feel our shortcomings as we read thy word and we pray to be delivered from self. When is it brethren all agree and let distinctions fall when nothing in themselves they see and Christ is all in all. We pray that as we gather round thy word at this evening hour that Christ may be all in all, that he may be the centre of our worship, the sum and substance of all our desires in his glorious person.

Lord, we do pray that the power that brings salvation may be exerted in the word. The apostle himself could witness when he was in Thessalonica, for our gospel came unto you not in word only, but in power, in the Holy Ghost, and with much assurance. We pray that it may be so, O Lord, even tonight.

We pray that the love of Christ may constrain us, that we may be guided and directed by thy good spirit and that the spirit of Christ may dwell in our hearts, and that he may be known and felt in the pulpit and in the pew tonight. Oh, do guide us, O thou great Jehovah. We're pilgrims in a barren land. We are weak, but thou art mighty. Hold us with thy powerful hand. Oh, do be gracious unto us, O Lord, we pray thee.

We pray, most gracious God, that thou would remember us as a church and as a congregation. We pray that thou would come and work mightily, powerfully, and effectually among us. We pray that precious souls may yet be gathered unto Christ, and poor needy sinners may come and tell to sinners round, that what a dear Saviour they have found, and point to thy redeeming blood, and say, the way to God, gracious God. Do hear us, do incline thine ear, do have mercy upon us.

We pray that our heart and our affections may be set upon thee. Draw my soul to thee, my Lord. Let me love thy precious word. Remember the little ones and the children that gather with us and bless them indeed. graciously put the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom, into their hearts, and graciously bless the young friends, each one of them, bless them with that light and understanding in thy word, bless them with faith in Jesus Christ, and bless them with grace to follow thee and to serve thee in their day. and in their generation.

And those, O Lord, that would seek a partner in life journey, we pray that thou would be gracious unto them and hear their prayers and send answers of peace. We do humbly beseech you. And O Lord, we do pray that thou would graciously undertake for parents, give wisdom and understanding as they would bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, be with the families in their family worship.

And remember the prodigals that have wandered away, that have no desire to meet in the sanctuary. Stretch out thy almighty arm. Pull down the strongholds of Satan. Set up the kingdom of the Lord Jesus in the hearts of sinners. Send out the glory, light and power of gospel truth into this village and the surrounding villages and hamlets. Fulfill that wonderful promise, I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread. Lord, we pray that thou wouldst so bless us here with those rich spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We pray, dear Lord, and would rejoice with the dear friends at Heathfield for one being baptised this evening. And we pray that thou would be with them there and richly bless them.

Lord, we do pray that thou, in thy great mercy, would remember the little hills of Zion up and down the nation and send out thy light and thy truth again powerfully work in the day in which we live. We see much declension, much falling away, the closing of chapels, but Lord we pray that thou hast turned our captivity as the streams in the south and pour forth thy blessed spirit and graciously grant that we may see thy work and thy power and thy glory as thou usest to be in the sanctuary.

We pray most gracious Lord for those that walk the path of bereavement and sorrow. We pray that thou wouldst be gracious unto them at this time. We think of our friends in Osset and the family there that thou wouldst graciously put the arms of thine everlasting love around them. We do beseech thee. We thank thee that we sorrow not as others that are without hope.

We pray, most gracious Lord, that thou wouldst be with those of us that are in the evening time of life's journey. Remember us with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people. Visit us with thy great salvation. Prepare us each for that great change which must come. when we shall soar through tracks unknown, see Thee on Thy judgment throne.

We thank, Lord, of all those in the midst of the journey of life, and we pray that Thou wouldst graciously undertake for each one. O Lord, let Thy work appear unto Thy servants, and Thy glory unto their children. We do humbly beseech Thee.

Lord, we pray for all thy servants that labour in word and doctrine upon the walls of Zion, that thou would set them free and set them at liberty, and that thou wouldst be gracious, and that thou wouldst grant signs to follow the preaching of the word. And instead of a diminishing, may we see a building up, may we see a reviving, and may it please thee to renew thy people with the renewings of the Holy Ghost, with the power of the Spirit of God, to make us more spiritually minded, to set our affections on things above, not on things of the earth. O Lord, we do pray.

Remember our nation, we live in deep, dark and solemn days, when the power of Antichrist is so manifest even in our government, in our parliament. When those things are being considered that are totally contrary to thy holy word, to thy law and to thy gospel, we pray that thou wouldst open the eyes of our leaders. We pray that they may be guided at this dangerous time when there are wars and rumours of wars or we pray that thou wouldst hear the cries of thy little remnant, that sigh and cry for the abominations done in the land.

And, O Lord, we do pray that thou wouldst bless our king and the royal household with the rich blessings of thy grace. We do humbly beseech thee.

We pray, most gracious God, to remember those that labour in word and doctrine, among the nations of the earth. And we pray that thou would gird them with all sufficient grace and supply all their many returning needs. We think of Ian Sadler and that great work he does in so many places. We think of the Mombasa mission and thy servants that labor there. And we think, O Lord, of the Savannah Education Trust and the great work that they are doing in Ghana. O Lord, do graciously Bless these endeavours to the great glory of thy holy and precious name.

O Lord, we do thank thee for every mercy, for every favour. Thy mercies to us each are new every morning and great is thy faithfulness. We thank thee for our little house of prayer. We thank thee for the open Bible. We thank Thee for every mercy of Thy kind providence as a church and as a congregation. We thank Thee above all for Jesus Christ.

We come, O Lord, to the time of the year when we especially remember the incarnation of the Son of God. May we be lost in adoration and thanksgiving and praise when we see this wonderful mystery of godliness of God manifest in the flesh and when we see the holy life of Jesus Christ, the law fulfilled and honoured and magnified and everlasting righteousness brought in for thy people in the glorious person and life of our Lord Jesus.

We thank thee that he offered that glorious holy sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, and that in that sacrifice, sin has been put away, and divine justice has been satisfied, and God and sinners are reconciled, and peace is made between God and man. We thank Thee for that precious blood of Jesus Christ that cleanseth us from all sin.

O Lord, we do. Thank thee that he died for our sins and rose again for our justification, these wonderful glories of his person, his power and his grace. We thank thee that he's bodily ascended into heaven. He sitteth at thy right hand and that we have a great high priest. Gracious God, we do desire to bow in holy wonder at the glories of our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Glory.

We thank Thee that those pearly gates have lifted their heads and the King of Glory has entered in and made a new and living way into the holy place. We come to Thee in His precious name. We thank Thee for what He has done. We thank Thee that in Him we know the love of our Heavenly Father and through him we receive that wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit.

Bless our brethren, the deacons who have needed grace, wisdom, and help in all matters. Bless us together with the spirit of love, union, and communion. Help us to pray for one another. Help us to love one another. Help us to serve one another. We ask with the forgiveness of all sins for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

Let us now sing together hymn 927. The tune is Meriton 366.

Thou only sovereign of my heart,

my refuge, my almighty friend,

and can my soul from thee depart,

on whom alone my hopes depend.

Hymn 927. Tune Meriton 366.

Greatly feeling to need the Lord's gracious help, direct your attention to the epistle of James in chapter Three, reading verses 17 and 18 for our text. Third chapter of the epistle of James, verses 17 and 18.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruit. without partiality and without hypocrisy and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

As is so prominent in the Epistle of James we have a very practical application of the Word of Truth and of what that means. He speaks of wisdom that is from above. That of course is Christ. Christ is wisdom itself. I wisdom dwell with prudence. We read in the book of the Proverbs. The glorious person of our Lord Jesus Christ is wisdom in his glorious person, wisdom in all its fullness and you know we only understand that the Lord Jesus gives us that understanding.

The apostle he says does in the Ephesians the eyes of your understanding being enlightened and we need that to be done for us. that we might begin to understand the spiritual truth of the Gospel, the spiritual truth of the glorious person of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

But the Apostle James here and the divine leading of the Spirit, he gives us some very clear instructions. Firstly in those first 12 verses he speaks very solemnly concerning the tongue and he said it's a little member, it's a little member but it's set on fire of hell, what a solemn thought that is.

In verse 5 he says even so the tongue is a little member and boasted great things, behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth. You see, and in the context here he says, my brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. and able also to bridle the whole body.

And he uses, as an illustration, the horse. We put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us. And we turn about their whole body. And then another illustration he uses is ships. You have a great big ship. It's got a small bow. It has a rudder at the back and whithersoever the captain of the ship or the master of the ship desires to go, he can turn it. Whithersoever he will, behold also the ships, which though they be so great, are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listed.

These are illustrations that the spirit the Lord gives us and he says even so is the tongue a little member who boasted great things behold how great a matter a little fire kindless you know friends we can speak a word you can't take it back and the damage is done no sooner have you spoken it damage is done and this is the danger. He says the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members that it defiled the whole body and set it on fire the course of nature and it is set on fire of hell.

Very solemn warnings here, my beloved friends, concerning the way we speak and what we speak. Sometimes we can make a stand for a right thing, but you do it in a wrong spirit. And as it says here in James, the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. We need a right spirit. David he felt the need of that after he failed didn't he? Creating me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me. And you know we need that continually. Now for every kind of beast and of birds and serpents of things in the sea is tamed and has been tamed of mankind. But the tongue can no man tame. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Oh, my beloved friends, that these admonitions in Holy Scripture, that we may lay them to harm. David, he says, keep thou the door of my lips, that it uttereth no perverseness. In Psalm 19, David, he says, about the words of my mouth. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, my Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. You feel the need of the Lord to keep the door of your lips. You know, we're only kept as the Lord keeps us.

But the tongue can no man tame It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. And then he makes this solemn comparison, therewith bless we God, even the Father, and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not so to be. Blessing and cursing. He says doth the fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree my brethren bear olive berries or a vine fig so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh?

You see who is a wise man among you, and endued with knowledge among you, let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness and wisdom. A good conversation. How we need the Lord to keep us. How we need to be slow to speak, and ready to hear. That's the advice we're given in God's holy word, that we should be slow to speak and ready to hear.

Sometimes, when perhaps you hear someone say something and you disagree with them, immediately your spirit rises up and you blurt something out. As soon as you've said it, you think, I shouldn't have said that, or I shouldn't have said it like that. You see, it causes division. This is the very point that the word of God is making here, that with our tongues we can cause division. What comes out of our mouth is what is in our heart. The Lord Jesus makes that very clear when he speaks to the disciples. About that which goeth in at the mouth goeth out at the draught. But he said it's what comes out of our heart. That is what does the damage. Out of the heart come evil thoughts, adulteries, etc. That's what comes out of our heart. And envy, that's what comes out of our hearts. Because our hearts are sinful, they're corrupt.

Those words, the heart of man is deceitful above all things. I've often thought of that word and looked at that word. It's quite an astonishing statement. The heart of man is the most deceitful thing there is. It's deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Unless by God's grace we keep the door of our lips, that desperate wickedness will come out of our mouth. It will.

And he says, but if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from God, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. That's what there is. That's what comes out of our hearts. out of our corrupt nature. Doesn't the apostle, we often remind you of it in the seventh chapter of the Romans, that which I would I do not, that which I would not I do. I find a law within my members that when I would do good then evil is present with me. This comes from the heart. And when the dear man of God feels that, he says, oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? But he goes on of course to say, I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, that he's able to deliver us from our sinful heart, from our sinful nature. He's able to subdue them.

And how does the Lord subdue that? In the child of God, he gives them the spirit of Christ. He gives them the Holy Ghost. And the Holy Ghost teaches, inwardly teaches, every child of God. And the Holy Ghost to convince us of our sinfulness, of the corruption of our hearts, And as the love of Christ is shed abroad in our hearts, it constrains us. The love of Christ constrains us. Because in Christ there is true wisdom. And that true wisdom will constrain you to righteousness and truth. That's what the poor sinner finds in Jesus Christ. He's full of grace and truth.

It says here in the epistle of James, and he gave us more grace. I've often been so thankful for that word, but how many times we need, we feel to need more grace because we feel our lack of grace. But the wisdom that is from above is first, pure, and therefore its fruits will be pure, as it says in verse 18, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. If we have true and living faith and we are united to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, it will bear fruit in our lives. Jesus said, by their fruit she shall know them. You see, that's the wisdom that comes from above. By their fruits you shall know them. First pure, then peaceable, gentle and easily to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

You know, one of the great sins, as you might say, of the Pharisee. On the one hand, partiality. Anyone that didn't follow with him, he despised. And hypocrisy. He didn't do the things that he wanted others to do. He didn't live the life that he wanted others to live. That's hypocrisy. Blatant hypocrisy. When we do one thing and we speak another. We cover things over. Our own thoughts, our own failings. We cover them over. And the thoughts and failings of others we expose.

Beloved friends, when the love of Christ is shed abroad in our hearts, there's that lovely word, love covereth a multitude of sins. You may have a brother or a sister whom you love in the truth, but they have certain failings. Now we're not to highlight those failings. Love covereth. I'm not now talking about open sin, I'm speaking now about we have our failings, we all do. We have our weaknesses, but we're not to expose. No, it's the opposite. When you really love someone in Christ, you see them in Christ.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable. want to make peace as it says in the verse there, sown in peace of them that make peace. Or that the Lord would give us this wisdom and this faith that worketh by love and this love that covereth the multitude of sins or faults and failings of a brother or a sister, rather than go around exposing them to this one or that one or another one. Because you love them, for Christ's sake, you cover them over. Peaceable. May we always be peaceable. And gentle. And easy to be entreated. If you look at the picture here in this verse and we find the picture of Jesus Christ, peaceable. He was pure and he was peaceable. He didn't seek arguments. He didn't seek division. He didn't seek separation. He sought peace. First pure, then peaceable, gentle. Our flesh is just the opposite to gentle. I know some people are, even naturally speaking, a very gentle person. But some are not. They've got a more feisty spirit.

Wisdom that is from Barvis, first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated. You know, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and he is clearly set before us by the Apostle in the second chapter of the Philippians. And the Apostle, he says there in that second of the Philippians, He says, let nothing, verse 3, let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

You see, what a wonderful thing to have that humility and that love given that seeks the good of others rather than their own. Esteem other better than themselves. Look at every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation.

You just think of that friends. The last thing that we'll let go of is our reputation. But the Lord Jesus, who is our great example, our exemplar, he made himself, though he's Lord of all, though he's King of kings, though he's the mighty God, though he's the everlasting Father, he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and yet he's Lord of all. and was made in the likeness of men, and yet he's the eternal son of God.

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself. You know, friends, it's a wonderful thing when you and I know something of that humbling work of the Spirit of God. When the Spirit of God gives us a view of ourselves, gives us a view of our sinful heart, of our corrupt nature, and convicts us of it. It's humbling when we're brought to see our wretchedness, our sinfulness, the corruption of our nature.

One thing that will stop my beloved friends is throwing stones at others because you've got enough to keep you at home. You feel and know yourself to be a sinner. And therefore, it will stop you criticizing others when you feel and know that you're such a sinner, such a wretch. And you have to say, there go I, but for the grace of God. It's a humbling teaching.

But made himself of no reputation, it took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man, even as a man, he humbled himself. When he was born at Bethlehem, he was laid in a manger where the cattle feed. That was his cradle. You see, he humbled himself. He didn't come to the great palaces of the Roman emperors or governors. Or King Herod? No. He was born in a stable in Bethlehem. There was no room for him in the inn. You see, she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. He humbled himself.

But this is the point, my beloved friends, that we must return to. Let this mind be in you. which was also in Christ Jesus. The things that really humble the living child of God is the sense and realisation of their own frailty, their own sinfulness, the corruption of their heart, the uncleanness of their nature. And when the Holy Spirit convinces us of this, it's very humbling.

Equally, when Christ is revealed and made precious to your soul, and the love of Christ is shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Ghost, that will humble you. That will bring you into the dust of self-abasement. That will make you say, why me? Oh, blessed God, why me? Why such a wretch as me that must forever lie in hell and not salvation free? It's humbling. See the work of the Spirit in the heart, both in the conviction of sin and in the revelation of Christ, it will humble you. You feel completely unworthy being found in fashion as a man. He humbled himself.

I was working in the village of Mayfield at one time. It was at the time when the Lord brought me into gospel liberty. And I drew up outside this house to deliver coal. And as I drew up and put my handbrake on, those words dropped into my heart with such heavenly power. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is over and gone, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.

how the effect that that had on me was I couldn't get low enough. I remember I just couldn't get low enough. I said, Lord, thou hast said my love, my fair one, and I'm a poor, wretched, helpless, hopeless sinner. And as I said, Lord, he spoke the words again with such heavenly power into my heart. rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

You see, it humbles us. It humbles us. It brings us to feel our nothingness, to feel our unworthiness. It does. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death.

Death had no claim on Jesus Christ as we read in the word of God. He did no sin. The wages of sin is death. He did no sin. In Luke chapter one it says that holy thing that shall be born of thee. He was holy in his very birth. Holy in his life. Sinless completely. His heart was pure and holy. And yet he humbled himself.

And then it says he became obedient unto death. Why did he become obedient unto death? Because the Father laid upon him the iniquity of us all. He laid upon him the iniquity of us all. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.

Oh, that the Lord would give us clear views by faith of the glorious person of Jesus Christ, of his sin atoning sacrifice, of his precious blood, of sin put away, of divine justice satisfied, in the glorious person of our Lord Jesus Christ and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, the death of the common criminal, and yet he was pure and holy and righteous altogether, but he humbled himself.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

You see that wonderful glory there is the person of our Lord Jesus Christ in his glorious sacrifice. You think of how the Father honoured the Lord Jesus when he was here upon earth, when he was baptised in the River Jordan and the Holy Spirit had revealed unto John the Baptist that upon whom he saw the Spirit descending in the form of a dove that this This was the Son of God, this was the Messiah. And we read in John chapter one, and he bear witness that he saw the Spirit descending upon him like a dove. And he heard a voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And then on the Mount of Transfiguration, see how the father honored his son there when peter james and john were taken up into the mount and they beheld the lord jesus transfigured before them they beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth his glory and then they entered the cloud and it says they feared as they entered the cloud there on the mount of transfiguration

And when the cloud was lifted, they saw no man save Jesus only. And to my mind, the teaching there on the Mount of Transfiguration is Moses represents the law. The Lord Jesus were conversing with Moses and Elias or Elijah. Elijah represents all the prophets. So those two represent the Old Testament and then the Lord The father speaks from heaven, this is my beloved son, hear ye him. You've heard what Moses has said, you've heard what the prophets have said, now hear what Jesus, my only begotten son, has to say. Hear him. You see that honour that the father lays upon his son.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easily to be entreated. You know, may the Lord give us this wisdom and this gentleness that may be easily entreated, full of mercy and good fruits without partiality. You know friends, that's something we very much need, without partiality. We perhaps favor our families more than others. We perhaps favor somebody else because you are closer to that person, without partiality. You know partiality in a church among a people creates division. We're to do all things without partiality or that the Lord would give us this grace and then there's this and without hypocrisy. We're all prone to this. I know it was one of the crying sins of the Pharisees And the Lord Jesus, he constantly speaks to them of it. Woe unto you Pharisees, hypocrites. But we can soon become hypocrites. Say one thing and do another. Cover over our own faults and our failings so that nobody can see them.

It says here in the fifth chapter, confess your faults, verse 16, confess your faults one to another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. You see, confess your faults one to another. Our faults of partiality. our faults, our hypocrisy, which confess it one to another. When we really love each other in Christ, when we feel that union and communion in Christ, and then we confess our shortcomings, our heart wanderings, our backslidings, confess your faults one to another.

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. Of them that make. The fruit of righteousness is sown in them that make peace. Peace by his cross as Jesus made. The church is ever living here. And if we have that love of Christ in our hearts, we shall be peaceable, we'll be humbled under the sense of our own wretchedness, we'll be humbled under the sense of the dying love of our precious Saviour, and that will humble us. I see righteousness, if we're enabled by the grace of God to live a righteous life, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, our neighbor as ourself, without any partiality. And then this righteousness has fruit. It brings forth fruit. And the fruit of righteousness, and it gives us here the prominent mark of what this fruit is. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. You see, he goes on in the next chapter and he says, from whence come wars and fightings among you. He's writing here to a Christian church, my beloved friends. Can they not even, not hence even of your lusts, that war in your members? ye lust and have not, ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtain, ye fight and war, yet ye have not because ye ask not, ye ask and receive not because ye ask and miss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God and whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

But then we have this beautiful word, but he giveth more grace, but he giveth more grace. Oh, that the Lord would then give us this grace, this spirit of faith, of love, of union, of communion, that we may esteem each other better than ourselves to be.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

May the Lord add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn 955, the tune is Saint Matthias, 794.

Watch by the world with jealous eye,

that fame would see our sin and shame.

As servants of the Lord most high,

as zealous for his glorious name,

may we in all his footsteps move

with holy fear,

and humble love.

Hymn 955, tune St Matthias, 794.

Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father,

The sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit rest and abide with us each, both now and forevermore. Amen.