“The Bitter Root Of Discord”
Text: James 3:13—4:10
9-29-2024
In the name of Him who brings us true peace, dear friends in Christ. If you drive southwest of Correctionville, Iowa on Highway 31, as you're admiring the natural beauty of the Loess Hills, you'll also find an interesting sign along the road. It looks like a historical marker but it wasn’t put there by the state. The sign says this was the site of “The Former Discord Settlement.” There are no abandoned buildings or streets there, just the sign. I’ve searched the Internet several times and can’t find any further information about it other than that it existed for only 14 years in the late 1800's. However, we can make an educated guess that there was a group of people, perhaps pioneers, who settled that little town way back when. And, as the name indicates, apparently there was discord, which would explain why this community failed. Knowing human nature, it’s not hard to imagine a scenario to go with it. My guess of what happened goes like this: There was a major disagreement of some sort, maybe over who was going to be the mayor or sheriff or how the town would be built. Both sides wanted their own way so they dug in their heels. Quarrels broke out which probably led to fist fights or even worse. There was anger and bitterness between the settlers. And in the end, they decided to disband before somebody got killed.
The group of Christians that St. James was writing to in our Epistle was well on the way to being called “The Discord Settlement.” And we don’t have to guess what their problem was because James spells it out for us. You may recall in the verses immediately before our text that he warns them about what they say to, and about, one another. They were to take control of their mouths and not let destructive or harmful words come out of them. That’s a good place to start because saying thoughtless or cruel things will often start a quarrel. But James knows that the words themselves bubble up from a much deeper source. His goal was to identify the origins of this discord so that it could be shut down. It was a serious problem that needed to be corrected right away because the faith of members within the Church was being threatened. And not only that, their infighting was bringing dishonor to the name of Christ in the community around them.
So, what was that source of their discord? James says it was “bitter jealousy and selfish ambition” in their hearts. That was the evil root and therefore the cause of their “disorder and every vile practice.” Envious jealousy will do that. In fact, wasn’t that the source of mankind’s very first sin? Adam and Eve were perfectly content in the Garden of Eden. All their needs were met by God. More importantly they loved and respected God as their Creator. In their sinless state they never questioned the order of His creation. They simply accepted that He was God. Their joy in life was to serve and obey Him. But when the devil came along, he sowed the seeds of bitter jealousy and selfish ambition. Now maybe you’re thinking, “How could that be if they had everything they could possibly want?” Well, there was one thing they didn’t have: God’s position of authority over them. And the devil sowed the seeds of envious jealousy to get it. Reaching out to take the forbidden fruit was symbolic of them trying to grab God’s place as Lord over their lives. Driven by selfish ambition they wanted to be in charge. That disrupted God’s perfect order. It was a rebellious sin, which deserved damnation.
The bitter root of jealousy and selfish ambition has been with us ever since. And it’s such an obsession that it can make us sinful humans insensitive and uncaring. That ugly truth is on full display in our Gospel lesson. Jesus told His disciples that He was about to suffer, die, and rise again in order to save the world from sin. St. Mark tells us they didn’t understand. That’s because they were too busy arguing about who was the greatest. Their minds were so fixated on jealousy and selfish ambition that it was as if they never heard what Christ had just told them. “Yeah, yeah… Jesus is about to die. But I need to stake my claim on the top of the heap. That way, I’ll get to take over and be in charge.” Don’t you see? Just like our first parents they were reaching out for a power and authority that didn’t belong to them. They each coveted the #1 spot and they didn’t care if they had to climb over their fellow disciples to get it. Their selfish ambition made them discontented and that caused quarrels and fights. This kind of discord brought disorder to Christ’s plan for the Church making it impossible for them to function properly and fulfill the Great Commission.
Now, if you’ve been on this earth for any length of time then you know how destructive bitter jealousy and selfish ambition can be. Sadly, since it’s in the fabric of our sinful human nature we can easily see it rear its ugly head all around us and even within ourselves. We see our neighbor’s nice house or vehicle or farm or machinery and envious thoughts bubble up. We look at a handsome man or a beautiful woman and fantasize about having that person for ourselves even though we may already have a spouse of our own. Sometimes we observe another person’s life and think that he or she has all the luck while we seem to have problems at every turn. It just doesn’t seem fair that the couple or family over there is really that blessed and happy. So, we become envious of what others have and bitterness sets in.
But it isn’t just possessions or relationships where we’re tempted by bitter jealousy and selfish ambition. Like the disciples we are lured into the temptation of coveting positions of leadership with the accompanying power and authority. It happens in every occupation, even among Pastors. At our secular jobs, we may not have the opportunity to become the supervisor or perhaps the CEO, but by golly we’re convinced WE could do it better if given the chance. WE want to be the one calling the shots. Closely related to that is the issue of respect. If I’ve seen it once I’ve seen it a hundred times where a person desperately wants to be respected for the job they do or for their knowledge and opinions. When they don’t receive it, what do they do? They demand it! But you know as well as I do that respect has to be earned. So, when it’s not forthcoming they begin to disrespect those who are being respected. Why? Because that’s what jealousy does. It seeks to take what it wants even if it doesn’t belong to us.
As we saw with the disciples, this kind of atmosphere in the Church can be very hindering to the spread of the Gospel, as well as very destructive to the faith of believers. It’s what causes discord in a congregation. If we ever hope to stop the harmful effects of bitter jealousy and selfish ambition then we need to know its source. St. James dissects for us the process of how that bitter jealousy and selfish ambition gets imbedded. And he traces it back to its roots. In verse 15 he says it doesn't come down from the Lord. Rather, it’s “earthly, unspiritual, demonic!” In other words, it’s spawned by unholy sources. And that can only mean that sin will be the fruit of everything that springs from that evil root. James makes it rather clear that allowing bitterness to go unchecked pits us directly against God Himself. That’s because our discontent, which leads to jealousy, is nothing less than a lack of trust in the Lord. But it’s even worse than that. In essence, when we operate from a jealous mind, we’re saying that God doesn’t know what He’s doing. If He isn’t going to give us what we think is best for us then like Adam and Eve we’ll just have to grab it for ourselves. Our jealousy reaches out and seizes God’s authority over our lives.
James says that with this mind-set we fight and quarrel in order to satisfy our passions and desires. We couldn’t care less if we hurt other people while we climb over them seeking our selfish ambitions. But all this is unnecessary. James says that we don’t have because we don’t ask. And even when we do ask, we don’t receive because we ask wrongly. That’s because our requests are motivated by an unholy source. The taproot of bitter jealousy needs a spiritual weed killer. It needs a strong dose of humility, which can make our sinful passions and desires shrivel up and die. This humility is spawned from above by the work of the Holy Spirit. James says humility submits itself to the Lord’s will. Humility opens our eyes to our sinful thoughts and deeds allowing us to see the terrible, messed-up condition of our hearts. Humility then leads us to repentance which asks God to forgive and purify our hearts. Humility helps us to put the needs of others ahead of our own. When humility reigns in our souls it brings about the fruits of peace, gentleness, and mercy towards others. Quarreling then ceases because we are inclined to serve others rather than our selfish ambitions. That’s the lesson that Jesus taught by placing a little child in the midst of His disciples. Kids know they’re on the bottom of the pecking order and so, they are humble in what they expect and how they view their importance. Jesus says we are to be like that; humble servants of everyone regardless of their status in life.
And isn’t that exactly what Christ did for us? Listen to how St. Paul put it in Philippians 2:3–8. “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Jesus was willing to put our need for forgiveness ahead of His deserved honor and glory as the God of the universe. His humble death on the cross brought about the beautiful fruit of our salvation. Because of His sacrifice we can now receive all the blessings of God’s grace and mercy.
When we submit to God’s authority over us, we trust in His ordering of our lives. When we accept our place in that order of authority it brings peace and contentment to our body, soul, and mind. And as an extension, we can live at peace with those who dwell on this earth around us. By faith, we trust in God’s wisdom to care for and provide what’s always best for us. Rather than clamoring to be number 1 and in control, we humbly serve God by serving others no matter what station in life He gives us. Therefore, as James says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria!