James 1:19-27 The Journey of Obedience

pray for Asbury, Pray for revival

INTRODUCTION

Now a lot of people are getting ready to watch the Super Bowl tonight. For people who don’t like football, the commercials can be their favorite part.

One of my favorite commercials is a McDonalds one with Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. They play each other for a Big Mac and do some crazy shots.

Now even though I liked that commercial it never got me to running to McDonalds to buy a Big Mac because I knew it wouldn’t make me a better athlete.

The difference between “liking” something and “acting” on it is belief.

The book of James talks about this too. Let’s go ahead and read it.

James 1:19–27 (NIV)

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror

24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

25But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

26Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

I. We Receive the Word Humbly (1:19–21).

James tells us to be “quick to hear, slow to speak.” Have you had situations where you did the opposite—slow to hear, quick to speak? What’s the problem with that?

Toothpaste illustration-

We can compare our words to tooth paste. When we squeeze toothpaste out it’s impossible to put it back in. It’s the same thing with our words. When they come out you can’t undo it.

Once there out, there out.

You might of heard “sticks and stones may break my bones but your words will never hurt me. That is simply not true.

There is life or death in the power of the tongue.

when God speaks to us through His Word it’s for our benefit and correction. His Word brings life to dead situations.

we are to receive it with great humility.

Now, What does James say about anger?

James says “Be slow to become angry”

Anger errupts when our egos are bruised

“I am hurt”

“my opinions are not heard”

It rises from too much talking and not enough listening. We make it all about me, myself, and i.

There’s a quote that says “We have two ears but only one mouth, that we may hear more and speak less.”

James 1:20-Man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

The anger spoken of here is a thoughtless, uncontrolled temper that leads to rash, hurtful words.

Our anger toward others does not create within us a life that can withstand God’s scrutiny.

Why not? Because expressed anger tends to be uncontrollable. Anger is inconsistent with Jesus’ command to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43–48) and not hate our brothers (Matthew 5:21–26).

Anger trumps God’s role as judge. In fact, we can be sure our anger is wrong when it keeps us from living as God wants us to live.

In verse 21, when James talks about getting rid of “filthiness and rampant wickedness,”

we think we know what he means. There is plenty of filth in our world too. We generally think of lust and various sins associated with it. But look at the context.

James has just been talking about anger, and he goes on to say that the alternative to filth is to “receive with meekness” the word. So maybe this “filth” also involves pride.

A quick look at the list of sins in Galatians 5:19–21 (the “works of the flesh” in contrast to the “fruit of the Spirit”) reveal the same thing. That list includes sins of anger and pride as well as lust.

Galatians 5:19–21 (ESV)

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

WHERE ANGER ERUPTS

Knowing the places and the ways that we are tempted can help us prepare by praying and by planning alternative responses instead of giving in to anger:

Now anger in itself is not wrong, but it’s how we respond to it.

James also says in v. 21 “Receive with Meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

James saw the human heart as a garden; if left to itself, the soil would produce only weeds.

He urged us to “pull out the weeds” and prepare the soil for the “implanted Word of God.”

it gives the picture of a garden overgrown with weeds that cannot be controlled.

It is foolish to try to receive God’s Word into an unprepared heart.How do we prepare the soil of our hearts for God’s Word?

First, by confessing our sins and asking the Father to forgive us (1 John 1:9).

Then, by meditating on God’s love and grace and asking Him to “plow up” any hardness in our hearts, “Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns”

Finally, we must have an attitude of “meekness” (James 1:21). Meekness is the opposite of “wrath”

When you receive the Word with meekness, you accept it, do not argue with it, and honor it as the Word of God. You do not try to twist it to conform it to your thinking.

II. We Remember the Word Constantly (1:22–25).

Moving on to James 1:22, how do we “deceive ourselves” by just listening to God’s Word?

What is that mirror thing all about (in James 1:23–24)?

Whats the point of looking in the mirror? The whole point of looking in the mirror is because you want to see your reflection, and you know whatever you need to do, maybe I missed a spot shaving, or whatever it is.

But if I’m not going to remember what I look like, there was no point whatsoever.

In the same way, if you’re going to a Bible study and you’re not actually going to do something about it, if you’re going to sit in a church service and there’s no action, or doing, or deeds afterwards, Why do you even do that? It’s worthless.

There are spiritual dead people who sit in church pews every Sunday morning. Your alive physically but your dead spiritually.

You go to all the bible studies, all the worship services and rituals but you have no relationship with Jesus Christ.

Everything spiritual becomes dull and mundane to you and you feel empty inside

the Christian faith is a miracle, a new birth, a divine life.

“If any man imagines himself to be religious,” says James, “then let him prove it by the life he lives.” What are the characteristics of pure religion?

They are:

(1) self-control—a bridled tongue. If you can’t control your tongue and it’s full of slander and gossip then you aren’t a sanctified saint, you are a carnal Christian at best.

also...

(2) you should have a love for God and others;

1 John 4:20 says...

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

III. We Obey the Word Wholeheartedly (1:22).

True religion is not a matter of forms and ceremonies; it is a matter of a controlled tongue, sacrificial service, and a clean heart.

It is not enough to hear the Word; we must do it. Many people have the mistaken idea that hearing a good sermon or Bible study is what makes them grow and get God’s blessing.

It is not the hearing but the doing that brings the blessing.

Too many Christians mark their Bibles, but their Bibles never mark them!

If you think you are spiritual because you hear the Word, then you are only kidding yourself.

The world wants to “spot” the Christian and start to defile him.

First, there is “friendship of the world” (James 4:4), which can lead to a love for the world (1 John 2:15–17).

If we are not careful, we will become conformed to this world, and the result is being condemned with the world

2 Timothy 3:1–5 says…

1But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,

4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

IIII. APPLICATION

What if we as Christians would received God’s Word humbly, remember His Word contantly, and obey the Word whole-heartedly?

Can you imagine the change that it would bring to our nation, to our community, to our church?

What about you? Are you just a hearer or are you a doer of the Word?