1. Mini-Series—Just Stop It! Part 5-Stop Playing God

2. Mini-Series…Just Stop It!
Date
Passage
Sermon Title
Big Idea
Mini-Series…Just Stop It!
5/8
James 1:1;9-11
Stop Dropping Names
James was the half-brother of Jesus yet he called himself a bondservant
5/15
James 1:2-4
Stop Wasting Your Trials
Trials are the process and means by which God develops in every believer Christ’s character.
5/22
James 1:5-8
Stop Paying Stupid Tax
Wisdom is offered freely and extravagantly to those who cry out for God’s wisdom.
5/29
James 1:12-18
Stop Blaming the Devil
We sin because we have inward desires to sin
6/5
James 1:19-20
Stop Playing God
We play God when we react in anger towards our trials and those who try us.
6/12
James 1:21-25
Stop Deceiving Yourself
A person who study’s the Bible and leaves unchanged is a person that is self-deceived
6/19
James 1:26-27
Stop Waiting For Others to do your job
Pure religion acts to meet the needs of those around them and doesn’t wait for the government or others to do the job God has called them to do personally

3. “Who Died and Made You God?”
“Who died and made you God?” was a phrase I remember hearing growing up when someone was acting like they were the boss. Have you ever acted like you were God?
Be slow to respond to this question because as we study Scripture we discover that there are some activities that have been reserved exclusively for God and one such activity is vengeance and wrath.
As James points out we are to be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath!

4. James 1:19–20
19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

5. Listen Up -- You Don’t Know Everything
A fool answers without listening (Proverbs 18:13)
Wisdom is characterized by a listening ear (Proverbs 20:5)
To listen is to learn and be wise (Proverbs 19:20, 27)

6. Quiet Down -- You Don’t Have All The Answers
Wisdom is found in the conservation of words while sin and folly is found in its abundance (Prov. 10:19; 17:27-28; Eccl. 5:2)
Let God’s Word speak and not your own (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:3)

7. Simmer Down-- You Don’t Have to Defend Yourself
God Is The Avenger and Your Deliverer
Romans 12:17 Leave place for God’s wrath and vengeance
Deut. 32:35 God is the avenger In due time
1 Sam. 26:10-11 The example of David vs. Saul
Psalm 94:1 God avenges
Proverbs 20:22 Do not repay evil, God will be your deliverer
Jeremiah 51:36 God will avenge and defend your cause
2 Timothy 4:14 Paul trusted God to repay Alexander the metalworker
Hebrews 10:30 God will avenge, repay and judge

8. Simmer Down-- You Don’t Have to Defend Yourself
You have been called to forgiveness, peace and love
Proverbs 19:11 Wisdom reacts slowly yet forgives quickly
Leviticus 19:18 God called the Israelites to love each other
Eph. 4:26-27 Pursue restoration ASAP before sin forms a stronghold
James 3:18 righteousness is sown in peace
Ephesians 4:15 speaking truth in love

9. Simmer Down-- You Don’t Have to Defend Yourself
God Is The Avenger and Your Deliverer
You have been called to forgiveness, peace and love
Anger is the gateway emotion to murder (Matthew 5:21-28)

10. In our moments of unrestrained anger, our premeditated acts of “getting even” and our hatred we take upon ourselves activities that belong to God. In a real sense we are playing God.
This morning we need to take to heart James’ instruction, “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God,” James 1:19b-20.