Righteous Response

Righteous Response

James 1:19-27

INTRODUCTION

Responding to opportunities

U.S. and Canada Hockey Teams- 1998– 1st year with NHL

Suppose to be best in world.

Proved to be spoiled Americans and losers.

COMPARE TO 2010 USA AND CANADA TEAMS.

How do you respond to God’s Word?

James 1:19–27 ESV

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. 26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

5 Correct Responses to God’s Word

I. Listen Carefully (19-20)

James 1:19–20 ESV

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

A. Don’t respond to life’s circumstances too quickly.

1. They were under persecution.

2. This ties back in with wisdom (5)

James 1:5 ESV

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

B. ILL—3 Mighty Men of Israel hearing David’s desire water from Bethlehem.

1. Be so sensitive to God’s Word you miss nothing.

C. Romans 10:17,

Romans 10:17 ESV

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

D. vs 20—Respond Slowly

James 1:20 ESV

20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

1. Being angry is not a sin but anger can cause us to sin.

2. Jesus in Temple

3. Leave judgment and righteous anger up to God.

4. We need to practice love, mercy, and grace.

II. Change Completely (21)

James 1:21 ESV

21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

A. Change= repentance

2 Metaphors

1. Changing Clothes

a. “get rid” =

take off

ILL—Changing after mowing

Or you let dirt affect everything that is clean in your life.

b. Humbly accept=

Put on- take in- receive

parable of seed and sower—good soil accepts.

Put on Armor of God – Eph 6:10-17

Ephesians 6:10–17 ESV

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

c. Humbly=

meekness= power under control

opposite of Anger

Matthew 5:5 ESV

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

2. Grafting

a. Planted- literally grafted= change it’s fruit

b. “which can save you”= change you—salvation changes fruit.

III. Obey Intently (22-23a)

James 1:22–23 ESV

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.

A. Coming to church every Sunday and not living it on Monday is deception.

1. Satan is author of deception. – yet our responsibility

B. Satan is not worried about church in America for this reason.

C. “Parable of the Sower” = seed that can’t take root- hear but never accept.

1. They are lost.

2. Coming to church is not fruit!

IV. Review Openly (23b-25)

James 1:23–25 ESV

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

A. “Forget that he is a man”

1. Comes to church on Sunday and forget you are a saved on Monday.

2. ILL- Amy and Sean McNulty

MEMORY MYSTERY

May 22, 2002

Sean McNulty sat up in his hospital bed studying photographs in a desperate attempt to remember the name of his wife, a petite woman he married about a week ago.

His wife, Amy, said Tuesday that doctors at Methodist Hospital told her they suspected he had "classic amnesia." Also, they told her he had a small bump on the back of his head but that they were stumped as to what may have caused his memory loss.

At the family's request, no information about Sean McNulty's condition was released, said the hospital staff.

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McNulty was released from the hospital later Tuesday, and his family drove him to an Austin hospital, where he is expected to undergo more tests, his wife said.

"He's scared he won't remember anything," she said.

The 30-year-old Austin man, married May 12, disappeared May 14 as the couple were about to board a flight at Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport for their honeymoon in Italy.

He was found unharmed three days later, slumped on the ground outside a closed hotel a few miles from the airport. He told police he could not remember his name, his wife or where he had been.

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He was taken to Northeast Medical Center Hospital and later to Methodist Hospital, where doctors performed brain scans, blood tests and psychological exams. They found no physiological or psychological explanation for his memory loss, Amy McNulty said.

"He has no memory of his life prior to the ambulance ride," she said.

Amnesia can be triggered by traumatic events or physiological conditions, but it rarely involves people forgetting large portions of their lives, according to mental health experts at the University of Michigan.

Amy McNulty, 26, said she doesn't know why her husband lost his memory. His apparent amnesia may have been triggered because a close friend was hurt in a traffic accident after the wedding, she said.

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She said the memory loss was similar to a bout of temporary amnesia her husband said he suffered about two weeks ago.

At that time, he returned from work one night and complained of nausea and dizziness. He told her he didn't know his name or who she was. After about 15 hours, he regained some memory and then slept intermittently for 36 hours before his complete memory was restored.

Doctors at the Austin hospital who examined him then found no physical or mental reason for the apparent amnesia.

Now, Amy McNulty hopes to gradually rebuild her life with her husband, reintroducing him slowly to their friends and other memories. She said she and her in-laws have been telling Sean McNulty stories about himself since the day he was found.

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They've shown him family snapshots and played Yahtzee, one of his favorite childhood games. He seems to know how to play the game and gets excited about it, as he did as a child, his wife said.

She said, "He's still the sweet, intelligent, smart person" he was before he disappeared.

"He's very curious," she said. "He's like a sponge soaking up everything we tell him."

B. Christians are overcomers.

1. Rev. 2-3 and 1 Jn 5:4

1 John 5:4 ESV

4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

2 Ways to Overcome

James 1:25 ESV

25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

1. Study Word Intently

a. compare “intently” to “looking” in mirror

2. Persevere

= “continue” = Study and live it.

a. ILL- Psychologist Tell us we will Learn

(1) 10 % of what you hear

(2) 30% of what you hear and see

(3) 90% of what you hear and see and do.

V. Respond Genuinely(26-27)

James 1:26–27 ESV

26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

A. Changes our worship—we worship through a changed life.

1. not just Sunday morning while worship is playing.

2. ILL—Amish and Quaker furniture.

B. True Religion = people living a changed life.

1. not a life of revenge—

a life of love.

CONCLUSION

How are you responding to God’s Word?

Romans 10:17 ESV

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.