Rated R: Envy

Title: Worry About Your Own Grass

Passage: James 3:13-18 CSB

Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.

Pray: (Pause 3-5 seconds)

Story: My neighbor growing up. We both envied each other.

Background:

The book of James emphasizes that faith is demonstrated by our works. It’s not our works that save us, but as a result of Christ’s power and authority over our lives, we demonstrate our walk with Christ by how we live our lives. In this text, James is also telling us how wisdom is demonstrated by good conduct and gentleness.

James starts off chapter 3 by addressing the role and characteristics of a teacher or someone seeking a role in a spiritual office.

In the text we read, James is leaning into the spiritual maturity of believers and is calling attention to two earthly characteristics in particular, envy and selfish ambition. These are no minor flaws, he goes on to say that they are unspiritual and demonic!

Envy Definition:

Noun: a feeling of discontented or resentful (bitter) longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck.

Verb: desire to have a quality, possession, or other desirable attribute belonging to (someone else).

Main Points:

1. Envy distorts truth (13-14)

   1. Lies envy is telling you:

      1. If I had what that person had then I’d be happy
      2. If I had that spouse then I wouldn’t fight nearly as much
      3. If I were at that church then I wouldn’t have the same problems I have at this church

      4. If I had that much money then I’d be able to be generous too

         2. Lies selfish ambition is telling you:

      5. It’s not going to hurt them that badly

      6. Go ahead and walk over them, they never really cared for you anyways
      7. It’s only a little lie
      8. I can soften my doctrine so long as I’m still loving people
         3. The spirit of envy is a tool of the devil that’s meant to distort God’s truth in your heart, mind, and spirit.
         4. Envy not only distorts the truth you teach, but it distorts the truth you see and hear.
      9. The text says “don’t boast and deny the truth.”
      10. When you’re filled with envy, you see things with a skewed perspective of reality. You’ve replaced Godly wisdom with Satanic lies.

      11. Even on Insta, what you see of peoples lives in not reality! But we define our reality based on our skewed perspective. We see a guy in hawaii… and we think “I hate that guy.”

          5. Relationships are built on trust. And trust is built on truth. Envy, lying, and selfish ambition is a relationship killer!
          6. But Pastor, I have a righteous envy....

      12. Envy works in both directions. If the desires of your heart are toward greater impact and a bigger church, then it’d be easy for you to envy Hillsong! Just because your vision is pure, does not mean your motive is holy.

      13. Illust: Church planting has surfaced this in me. It’s easy to look where others are and feel a sense of envy. Illust: Vous and Zoe.

      14. Envy disrupts harmony

          1. Can you imagine an atmosphere where everyone in the room was comparing and competing against one another constantly? How could you celebrate what God is doing? How could you build up the body of Christ? How could you be a change agent towards love and unity with comparison as your motivation?
          2. Envy is short sighted

      15. Illust: social media

      16. Working on bringing harmony, maintaining a gentle spirit, and showing faithful good conduct is a long and often hard road.
      17. Envy says “I see that grass and I want it now!” But how many of you know, that going from weeds and dirt to plush grass is a long and often difficult task?
      18. You don’t have to be better than everyone else! You don’t have to be better than anyone else! Stop comparing! You just work on being the best version of yourself! Focus on you grass! What you’re planting.
          3. Envy looks to fulfil an early desire that can only be fulfilled by God

      19. Envy destroys relationships

          1. A deadly combo - bitter envy and selfish ambition.

      20. I not only have an unhealthy desire for what you have, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get what you have. This is demonic and it’s a tool straight from the enemy to destroy your relationships.

          2. “Comparison kills contentment.” - Rich Wilkerson Jr.

      21. Comparison produces confusion, conflict, and corruption.

      22. How many here today feels discontent in where they are in life? Discontent at work. Discontent in your relationships. Discontent with school. Discontent with your appearance. Discontent with your career?
      23. It’s impossible to feel content with where you are when you’re focused on someone else!
      24. Having a drive and a passion to work hard and be better is all well and good, but if we’re being honest with ourselves, how often is our motive more driven by envy than a disciplined work ethic?

Closing:

Does somebody that is envious have the fruits of the Spirit? love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? Galatians 5:16-24

Worry about your own grass! The grass may be greener on the other side, but work on the soil God has planted you in! Cultivate peace, sow seeds of grace and truth, work hard in the place God has you in the season and you will see fruit! God is doing a work in your soil. If you’re too busy looking over the fence, you’ll miss what’s right under your feet!

You can never produce fruit in your neighbors garden! God has you here for a reason, for a purpose.

Comparison leads to strife, Celebration leads to joy! Let’s be a church that celebrates what God is doing in others lives and looks to wisdom from above to lead and guide our motives and actions!

Anytime you start to feel comparison creep in, you start to compete against your friends and family, celebrate!

Invitation:

Let’s pray.