Genuine Faith (Response to the Word) Part 2 - Doer
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Scripture Reading Mt 7:21-29
Welcome
Good morning to each and every one of you today. I am so thankful that you are here today. We are gathered here today to worship and to come together as the community of Christ, s the family and body of Christ. If you are visiting with us today, I hope you feel welcome and experience a great day of worship. We have a couple of announcement this morning before we get into our message. If you are here for the first time, or if you need prayer, or would like to communicate anything to us today, please fill out a connection card and put it into the card box at the back of the sanctuary.
Announcements
Small groups start up the second week of October
New Member Class - See Pastor Kyle
Operation Christmas Child - See Mary Long
Prayers
War in Ukraine
For the weak and the poor
For the hurting and the hopeless
Pray for Wisdom for the Church
Let us Pray
Recap Being a Hearer of the Word
Recap Being a Hearer of the Word
We continue in the book of James today. We will be in chapter 1 verse 22 if you would like to turn there ahead of time. James is speaking to his fellow brothers and sister in the church. The theme of chapter one so far has been a series of tests that believers will come up against while they live out their lives for Christ. He presents these tests and then communicates how a genuine believer or true believer will respond to these tests. Why is this important? Why does James spend so much time describing how a true believer responds. In today's world this seems intrusive and condescending. It is judgement and how does James have a right to do this?
Why? Because he loves the people he is writing to. Just like today, there are many people who will sit in the sanctuaries and churches of the world who will commit there time, energy, and even material resources to the work of the church but never have a saving relationship with the one and only one who can save a person from their sins, from eternal separation from God.
Matthew 7:21–23 (CSB)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’
1 John 2:19 (CSB)
19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.
This is a reality for the church of God. There will always be people that will be amongst the family of God that will believe in aspects of the church, in helping people, or being part of a church, being religion or spiritual but they will have a relationship with the church and not with the Lord. For their own selfish reasons, that are most likely unknown to themselves, they will participate and be in the church, but when the day of judgment comes, when every person stands before God and Jesus, He will say these are mine and those are not.
Why does James care? The same reason as every pastor and priest of God should care. Because we love. Each and every believer is part of the royal priesthood.
1 Peter 2:4–5 (CSB)
4 As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God—5 you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
To stand around and let people parish because we don’t want to bring forth scripture or hurt feelings or cause division isn’t loving it is hateful. To be loving is to bring the Word forward over and over and over and present it to the people around us. Each person through the guidance of the Holy Spirit must respond accordingly.
James is challenging the community to submit to tests that reveal the true believers. This is not to condemn the ones that are not genuine because they are lost and already condemned. At the end of these tests a true follower of Jesus will be encouraged and a deceived person should see their need to have belief and faith in the saving grace of God.
Last week we started the last test of chapter 1. This is the response of a believer to the Word of God, to the Holy Scriptures of the bible. A believer is to be a hearer and a doer of the Word. Last week we looked at the first part of the equation. That is being a hearer of the word. This was more than just listening to it. James brought forth some characteristics of a believer that are imperative for a person to hear the Word. To be ready to hear and receive the Word.
A believer must be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger, humble and seeking purity.
Let us stand as we read our main text for today. James 1:19 through verse 27
James 1:19–27 (CSB)
19 My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. 25 But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who works—this person will be blessed in what he does.
26 If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
It is the implanted, or rooted, Word of God that is able to save our souls.
James says it is more than just hearing though. It is more than sitting here on Sunday, or listening to a podcast or even reading our bibles. The truths of scripture must move between head knowledge. It must be implanted in our hearts and shine back out of the believer though their actions.
Legos Illustration - Truths, Commands, Promises, and Questions.
A Doer is not Deceived
A Doer is not Deceived
Once we have the truths, commands, and promises in our minds and hearts, James says a true believer will be a doer of the Word.
The believer is to be a doer.
This means to be in a constant state of doing or to be continually doing what the word commands.
This is one of the fundamental characteristics of a true believer. There is a difference between a student of something and someone who is something. It brings to mind the arts. I am not very artistic, or musical, or creative. But I can paint something, I could pick up Nate’s guitar and butcher twinkle twinkle little star. I could get on the piano and play I dropped my dolly in the dirt. But this doesn’t make me an artist or a musician. I can cook a burger but I am not a chef. I can change the clutch in my car but I am not an auto mechanic.
On the other hand I have fixed hundreds of lawn mowers over the last 20 years and I can say with some confidence that I am beyond a basic small engine mechanic. A person can study their entire life on a subject but that does not change them into a state of being what they studied.
I was reading about a man that is 75 years old that for the last 55 years has been in school. He has 30 degrees to his name. He is shooting for 33 to 34 degrees in his lifetime. He has degrees in Theology, Teaching, Counseling, Educational leadership, business administration, Library science, Law enforcement, Special education, reading, School Physiology, Home Economics. In the end it does not look like he will become any of the things he studied. What has he become, a professional student.
Now I am not saying there is anything wrong with a person pursuing education their entire life but when it comes to being a follower of Jesus this cannot be the case. An unfortunate reality is that in the current state of the church we don’t even have professional students. We have people that just audit classes. They come and listen, critique, comment and then leave when something more interesting comes along. James is letting the church know that inside the church this is wrong.
The problem is that there a people who are being deceived. An who does James say is doing the deceiving?
James 1:22–24 (CSB)
22 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was.
James goes into this illustration to help people understand what this looks like. In the days of the early church there were no such things as glass mirrors. They were polished metals like brass and bronze and they were not super flat or clear. People would take a mirror and by tweaking it around they would be able to see themselves for the first time or in a new light. So this illustration was saying that the Word of God is a mirror to man. It shows us our reflection in new and clear ways.
The bible shows us our sin and our fruit when we read and study it.
But if as soon as we put the book down we shrug and go oh well that was nice but not today then we are deceiving ourselves.
Have you ever had a child run into the house just covered in dirt. They have been sweating or crying and they have streaks down there face? What is the first thing you say? Go look at yourself in the mirror. And then the come back out and if they are a boy they are just as dirty as they went in. They see themselves clearly. They see the dirt and grime on themselves, they know they were sent in there because that isn’t ok but they just don’t care.
This cannot be how we treat the word of God. We cannot look into the revelation of God and the revealing of sin and go back outside to play.
A believer cannot let their own selfishness dismiss the saving word and by doing so choose to be deceived.
A doer of the word is different a doer is obedient.
A Doer is Obedient
A Doer is Obedient
Matthew 7:24–27 (CSB)
24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”
Hear and act. Jesus had just told a group of people that their god like activities would not earn them a place in heaven. That he would not know them. Hear and act.
Obedience should be the state that a true believer is always in.
When the words of God enter the mind and penetrates the heart, obedience through the guidance of the Holy Spirit is the proper response.
Hear and act is the wise and foundational place we are to be. Placing each command of God on the cornerstone of Christ. How does a believer do this?
James 1:25 (CSB)
25 But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who works—this person will be blessed in what he does.
It is the one who looks intently into the law of freedom or the bible. To look intently literally means to bend over and examine. To take a closer look. To see what is there.
As a certified weld inspector I an qualified to examine welds for defects. But an inspector must examine the weld closer than 24” with a certain amount of like. When you are looking for issues in a weld the indication can be so small. Shining a flash light in different directions, seeing how the light reflects off of it. It is a deliberate and specific process. there can be no short cuts.
We are to look intently at scripture and see what is reveals. To look at it from different angles and depths. Chris had me sit down one time and look at John 3:16. We were to look at the verse for no less than 30 minutes. This was something one of his instructors taught. We to come up with in sites or questions from that one verse alone. I will tell you after 30 minutes of meditating on it I was still finding in sites.
We are to dig into the word and not just obey it but to become an person who is obedient to it. That is what the word perseveres means, or abide in it. And the word is good.
7 The instruction of the Lord is perfect,
renewing one’s life;
the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy,
making the inexperienced wise.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
making the heart glad;
the command of the Lord is radiant,
making the eyes light up.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are reliable
and altogether righteous.
In the youth group we talk about what we call the 4 levels of obedience. We use the example of cleaning a room. Who here has kids that have messy rooms? Level 0 flat out disobedience. That is rebellion at its fullest. Level 1 is just enough to not get in trouble. This is the child who knows where they have to get to stop cleaning. Shove everything under the bed or in the closet. Usually cleaning the middle of the room. Level 2 - clean the corners. This is the child that cleans to the corners of the room. Level 4 - The Father’s Will. Driven by the love of the father, they seek to please.
Isn’t this how we live in our walk of obedience to God’s Word. Just enough to not get in trouble.
A believer who examines the law and puts their life in submission to it, not blindly, but informed by the work of the Holy Spirit, and does not forget what they learn and instead becomes a doer of the word. Some one who’s outward actions are driven by the word that is imprinted on the heart will be blessed in all that they do.
8 This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.
This is not out of obligation but out of love for Jesus.
John reaffirms what James is saying here.
3 This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
A true believer is driven to obey from a love of God verses a fear of punishment. Though both are true, a life that is driven by love has no bounds but a life that is constantly trying to find the line will be trapped by the box they create in their own lives.
A Doer is Genuine
A Doer is Genuine
26 If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.
A true believer will not only hear the word, they will act in accordance with the word. But there are still people who know all the right answers and behave the correct way, however they are still putting up a front. Acting like a Christian. James says the test of the tongue will reveal much. We see one of the best examples in scripture. The religious leaders of Jesus day were regarded very highly because their actions conformed to the scriptures plus many other things that they added. But,
34 Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.
18 But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this defiles a person.
What comes out of our mouth is a widow of what is inside us. If we profess we are God’s children on Sunday and then go to work or our homes and we change our language and speak of different things then James is giving us warning. A person who us genuine is the same at church, at work, at home, and inside an outside. As James gives this negative test of a doer of the word he also gives a positive one.
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
A person who is a doer of the word will care for the things God cares about. The scriptures reveal that God cares deeply for those that could not care for themselves. The orphan, widow, alien. Whether it was commanding Isreal to provide food or take care of them in the community. This was something God is very specific with.
19 ‘The one who denies justice to a resident alien, a fatherless child, or a widow is cursed.’
And all the people will say, ‘Amen!’
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 “ ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?’
40 “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger and you didn’t take me in; I was naked and you didn’t clothe me, sick and in prison and you didn’t take care of me.’
44 “Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help you?’
45 “Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
This is pretty direct. True and undefiled religion is to care for those that could never pay you back. When James says to look after he is not say to just give money to a charity or to stop by and say high. He is saying we are to care. Deep down in the gut compassion for those that cannot care for themselves. This is the heart of an unselfish doer of the word.
John puts it this way
16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him—how does God’s love reside in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.
Compassion
Conclusion
Conclusion
So where are we at today?
First with all of this said this is not saying we should be perfect. That we are not true believers if we are still dealing with sin in our lives. That the Holy Spirit still has work to do in our lives. A true believer is not comfortable to stay in sin. That when they here the truths of God they have the desire to apply them to their lives. This is the process of sanctification. Steps of faith and obedience that transform us each day more and more into the likeness of Jesus. We need to keep moving forward.
As you know I coach my son’s soccer team. I am amazed by what they can learn each and every week. We teach one concept a week. Nothing more otherwise it just doesn’t sink in. I wonder what it would look like if each week we came back on Sunday and instead of Sundays only being the place we hear and try to grow that we came back on Sunday with what God did in our lives the last week. We will spend all sorts of resources to pursue certifications and degrees to make more money or to better ourselves financially. We will give out time to sports and hobbies with no regard for the time commitment but when it comes to put the same amount of effort into knowing the word we start to create excuses, this there is too much homework, or it will just take too much time. These other things are not bad but I have to ask the question, Are we focusing on the right things?
The bible is a unique book because it is the only one who calls you out to be different. It does not reveal ourselves on an old metal mirror, it shows our true selves in ulra high definition and we really don’t like it. To truly interact with the word it must reveal the dark in us and we will have to deal with that.
To be a hearer of the word and a doer we will have to look intently into the bible and apply it to our lives. When we do that what we do will be blessed. We will impact the lives of those around us, especially those that can not take care of themselves.
I went to a charity event for helping homeless women this week for work and as I sat there listening to the testimony of a woman who had been cared for by this organization. She was a mom on drugs that ended up getting her into jail. Now a homeless mom with a criminal record this group stepped into to help. 10 or so year later she is a Gonzaga grad with her life moving in the right direction. Why do I bring this up?
Because in my mind I was asking myself, God are we doing what you want us to do? Do we as a church have compassion for those that you love.
As we go into the week I want to challenge you to sit in prayer and with the word an examine your walk with God. What does God have for you?
If you would like help, please ask. We are here to help. Do you need help in reading the word or hearing just ask.
Nate is going to come up here and play while we prepare for communion. The entire sermon is meaningless without the death and resurrection of Jesus. Without Jesus saving there is no transformation. There is no gospel or good news. There is no hope of eternal life. He is the way or he is not. Communion isn’t a ritual or religious activity. It is a time of remembrance. We are a forgetful people and God knows this.
Close your eyes:
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
5 Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice.