Every Good and Perfect Gift Comes from Above

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The theme is this: Every good and perfect gift comes from above.

There is but one source for all the evil things going on in our society. There is but one root of all evil. There is but one cause for division in the church. It is the untamed tongue. It is the lying mouth and the deceitful people. It is the breaking of that 8^th commandment, that you should not bear false witness against your neighbor. What does this mean? That we should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way.

Can we not see it all around us in the world in which we live? That telling lies is as easy as unlimited texting. That betrayals are as simple as political differences. That slander is treated as the righteous thing to do, that ruining someone else makes us look better and feel better about our own sinful selves. That sticks and stones break our bones, but words will always hurt them too.

James causes us to ask ourselves today, Do we hear often about those who defended one another and spoke the truth even though it caused offense (because it was true)? Do we recognize the value when someone speaks well about someone else and promotes their honor instead of their own? Do we ourselves explain everything in the kindest way? It is my hope and my duty that I should be for you an example. And it is your duty and responsibility to be the example also to all those around you.

James begins our text for today with this in mind when he says, “Do not be deceived, beloved brothers.” Yes, he is saying that the world will deceive the church. We see that happening all around us. But he is also cautioning us that we would not deceive one another. For we are beloved brothers and sisters in Christ here at this church. We speak the truth in love, and most especially, we speak the truth toward one another. That is love, that we speak the truth, defend one another, and explain everything in the kindest way.

What is the truth? What can be trusted? It is this: that every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In other words, God the Father speaks the truth. He is reliable, He is reputable, and He will defend you from all evil in this world. He keeps the 8^th commandment perfectly, for He will never tell lies about you or betray you, nor will he ever slander you or hurt your reputation.

That is certainly a good and perfect gift, that God tells the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. It is a good and perfect gift that is quite valuable in this distrusting and disgusting world in which we live. It is for us our most precious treasure, that God tempts no one and that He does not deceive us or mislead us into other great shame and vice. The devil, the world, and our own sinful nature do that. But coming down from the Father of Lights is truth, and trust, and only these, and no deception whatsoever.

For as James says, it was the Father’s will that we were created by the word of truth, and it was the Father’s will that we were brought to the water and recreated by that water and the word in our baptisms. It was the Father’s will that we were brought forth in the truth, the truth that Christ died for the ungodly, that Christ also speaks the truth in love toward us. This He has done, but why? For what purpose?

That we would be the firstfruits of all creation. That we would be the example to all the world. That we would be the true, honorable, and honest folks in town no matter how anybody else might treat us. The good and perfect gift has been given, that word of truth, and it compels us to live as examples to all those who need to hear it.

What the apostle James has said in the Scriptures long ago, let the preacher James say to you this morning, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Know this, beloved brothers and sisters in Christ. This is what makes the Christian life so different from the American way of life. That we use our ears more than our mouths. That we hear God’s Word and that faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God. That when we listen to one another, we show that we care about one another. Be quick to hear.

And be slow to speak. This may be the most difficult. For we live in a world of talking heads, and for some reason now everybody’s opinions matter about everything that there is to argue about. And yet there are some opinions that are allowed and others that are silenced. Be slow to speak, dear brothers and sisters, be patient when the world isn’t patient, be wise in the midst of all the foolishness, be slow to speak.

So that you would be slow to anger. For this is what the world loves, anger, and feelings, opinions, and strife. But James reminds you today, that anger does not produce the righteousness of God. In fact, it leads to breaking the 5^th commandment, not to making the situation better again. No, what produces the righteousness of God? It is the good and perfect gift that comes down from the Father of lights.

It is the truth, and the truth will set you free. It is the truth, that you can trust God, for He brought you forth by the word of truth. With meekness, beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, receive today the implanted word, the truth, for this implanted word is able to save your souls.

Do not be deceived, but receive the implanted word this day, that good and perfect gift that God the Father has given to you.

In the holy name of Jesus.

Rev. James Peterson
St. John
Curtis, Nebraska