James the Just Part 6
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Hearers and Doers
Hearers and Doers
We are continuing on in our study of James. Let’s open up to chapter 1.
*Open video “God’ doesn’t force anyone to love him”
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
*open prayer*
Before we break down these verses, I want to point out w e didn’t get to the 2 verse before this, so I want to address those real quick.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
James is telling us everything that is good if from God.
In fact He is the only source of good in our lives. He knows what is good for us even when we do not.
I would argue most of the time we DON’T know what is good for us.
We just think we know, but really we don’t have a clue.
Verse 18 tells us something very important.
The word of truth is the instrument by which God implants new life in the believer.
The word of truth is how we are “born again”.
The King James sums that up with the word “begat”.
It is important to note, it is not our works, it is not the pastor, it is not our loved ones that save us.
It is through the word of God, and because of the word of God, that we are saved!
It ties in very well with the main point of tonights Bible study.
The reason we must not be just hearers of the word. But doers.
We must trust God at his word. By faith. That He will save us!
In previous verses James told us the lust of man brings forth sin and death.
Now we see the opposite of that.
God’s will brings salvation.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
The issue is like a dying church, most of us can be self-centered, and not others-centered. When this happens we can be quick to wrath. We tend to listen to respond and not so much to actually listen.
Slow to speak, swift to hear are great techniques to be others centered.
Wrath almost always is a tool used to defend or promote our own agenda or ideas.
Anger rarely accomplishes the furthering of God’s kingdom.
James does not condemn anger, but rather advises us to use caution. We need to use proper discernment here.
Are there things that we can have a righteous anger towards? Absolutely. But be wise about how we go about it. Not in a spirit of personal pride, but of displaying conviction.
“Wherever wisdom is the goal, hearing will be a first virtue”
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Furthering James’ advice on wisdom, James tells us here to stand firm against the lusts of the flesh.
When we talk about living in a manner that points people to God’s rightousness, we need to avoid an impure lifestyle.
By filthiness we are talking about the our sin.
One commentator described it like this, “Sin is the devil’s vomit, the soul’s excrement, the superfluity or garbage of naughtiness.” (Trapp)
This is the reason why works based religions do not work.
We can try to “clean up” our lives but when we live in our sin we appear like we are covered in filth.
6 But we are all as an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; And we all do fade as a leaf; And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
But even as Christians we need to avoid living a filthy lifestyle.
Paul talks about the war between to flesh and the spirit.
When we give in to the flesh we often find ourselves in spiritual filth.
James is actually speaking to believers in Christ as we know from verse 19 (beloved brethren)
But what is interesting here is James talking about the “engrafted word”.
Graft- a piece of living tissue that is transplanted surgically.
The living word here of course being the bible, as it is “surgically implanted” in our hearts...
And it has the power to save our very souls.
That is what leads into our main verse for tonight.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
James is referencing the sermon on the mount in Matthew 7:21-29.
Do not be just a hearer only....
There is more to it than to say yes I believe in God.
Not to jump ahead, but I want to quickly reference chapter 2.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
We see that term deceiving your own selves...
The implication is that mere hearing is all that is needed.
For example, on judgment day your won’t be able to cite the times you were in church as proof of righteousness.
There is more that is needed. You need to be a doer of the word.
Not just in the sense avoiding hypocrisy… but that an action of the heart is required for salvation.
The essents of the Gospel is not that a physical work is required, but that work of the heart is required.
We must open up our heart to Christ.
We must choose to let him be our master of our lives.
That is what true love is.
True love has to be a choice. It cannot be forced.
*give Dr. Frank Turek example of dating.
I want to close with this verse...
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
We need to open the eyes of our heart, to see God’s call.
We need to answer the call with our hearts.
Is God calling you today?
It does not good to just sit there and listen to the phone ring.
We need to answer the phone....
Be doers of the word, not just hearers.