Slow Down
Notes
Transcript
For Opening illustration turn to the December 7th reading from the Christmas Devotion…
Last night, before we put Haddon to bed we opened up our Christmas Devotion and read as a family… minus one… Emmy already went to sleep. I was still working on my sermon… because sometimes that happens on Saturdays.. and yet I found this paragraph in the devotion incredibly interesting…
One response that Paul Tripp did not write about in section is anger. A flat tire or a missed train or bus can often lead many of us quickly to anger…
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
James begins this section with the same greeting that he used in verse 16. My beloved brothers. As a reminder this is a general epistle so this was intended to be passed around the churches in the area. James likely had in mind the churches surrounding Jerusalem - and then further out than that. Yet this shows James love for the church as a whole. And how we ought to view and consider one another - as beloved brothers, and sisters in Christ.
James’ instruction begins with an imperative, or a command, to know this…
So James’ let everyone be… isn’t so much a suggestion as it is a command. And yet his command is interesting because it is incredibly counter cultural.
This is an interesting verse because how many of us are the exact opposite. While I certainly hope that isn’t the case for anyone of us… but as a culture we are quite often slow to listen, quick to speak and quick to anger.
Slow to listen, quick to speak, quick to anger
Slow to listen, quick to speak, quick to anger
This happens with the news media all of the time… how often in the last year have you read a news article or hear a story that made you angry only to realize later that it was a misrepresentation of what actually happened?
News stations would fail if we were all quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. Nearly every time you turn on the news, doesn’t matter which channel - or political bias, their goal is often to get you angry. One reason for that is because it keeps you watching or tuning back in. And many people have spent the last 4 years angry… and some will spend the next four years angry. (And then there are some people that will spend the next 40-60 years angry.) And they will often be angry because they were slow to listen. They understand either half of the situation, or a lie about a situation - never do an research - become quickly outraged and there is nothing slowing them down.
It is no surprise that this is a recipe for shipwreck and foolishness.
And you will look at friends or loved ones and wonder “Why are they angry? Do they not understand the situation they are discussing?”
No, they don’t.
Anger is not a sin, it is not necessarily wrong to be angry.
We see this in Psalm 4:4
4 Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
and in Ephesians 4:26
26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
If all anger is sin then these verses do not seem to make too much senses. More on this in a moment.
Though anger is not a sin, it is rare that anyone can state that they think their best when they are angry. If you are angry before you even hear what someone else is saying there is a good chance you will not hear clearly.
(I’m sure any of you who are married, or have been married and have even been in an argument with your spouse can understand.)
My point here is this: When we fail to be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger - we do not make godly decisions. That’s what the world around us wants.
Happens to me as a parent. Haddon gets upset that Emmela bit him… Emmela gets sent to her room… only for me to find out that she bit him because he took her toy… Completely hypothetical of course… Emmela doesn’t bite… anymore…
It’s pretty clear that us as sinful human beings are quick to do the opposite of what the Scriptures command us here - so I want to draw our attention to the positive side of this exhortation…
Quick to Hear
Quick to Hear
Quick to hear what? The context in which James is referring is us being hearers of the word of God. Verses 22 and 25 make it clear that he is referring to the Word of God in this passage. We should be quick to hear the word of God, and quick to listen to those who would be heralds of the word of God. However, if we think that quick to listen only refers to the word then this does not seem to make sense - but rather James seems to be stating that we ought to be quick to hear as a general disposition. However, I think this does need to come with appropriate qualifications. We do not need to be quick to hear heresy or blasphemy from those claiming to present the word of God. If I - or anyone else for that matter - start spewing out intentional heresy from the pulpit, I expect Jim to quick to hear… but only long enough to know when its time to stop me from talking.
Sometimes being quick to hear means understanding the whole circumstance before responding. Which is becoming more difficult. Context is incredibly important when engaging with others. It’s easy to be quick to response before you fully understand what the other person is speaking of.
We often place an emphasis on ones ability to speak - but we seldom celebrate one’s ability to hear.
Hurry up and listen.
To be quick to hear by definition then also requires the next part. If you are quick to hear then you must be slow to speak.
Slow to Speak
Slow to Speak
One of the main themes of James’ epistle is that a Christian ought to use their speech to glorify God. Chapter 3 deals with the taming of the tongue.
This does not mean slow while speaking. So it doesn’t condemn us fast talkers like myself - but rather slow to begin speaking. Not having the desire to have the first word in.
How often have you been in a conversation and the whole time the other person is speaking you are thinking about how you are going to respond.
We also don’t tend to value someone being slow to speak… if someone don’t respond in 2-3 seconds we often wonder if they are even listening.
I once heard a story of an international business man who was fluent in many languages. Yet when he would have meetings with clients who spoke another language he would have a translator… not because he needed one. But instead because the period of time that the translator too him to translate gave him additional time to think through his response before he said it. It gave him the ability to be slow to speak without it looking as if he was weak or slow.
It is okay to respond to someone with let me think about that, let me get back to you about that. In matters of every day life, and even in matters of questions that someone might have about the Bible, or even a defense of the faith.
Putting quick to hear and slow to speak together fights against the desire to have an answer to someone before they have even finished what they are saying. We do not need to approach every conversation as if we need to win the discussion by having the quickest and cleverest retorts and zingers.
If we are quick to hear and slow to speak it will become easier to be…
Slow to Anger
Slow to Anger
However, if we are not slow to anger we will also not be the other two.
The idea that James is getting at here is not just don’t get mad at things. But rather James is referring to not storing up wrath. We should not be angry over things with the intensity that only God has a right to get angry over. And we should certainly not be angry to that divine degree over things that God would not be angry over.
Several times over the past few months I’ve referenced Exodus 34:6-7 as it has appeared in Psalms, in Jonah and even in Bible Club. It teaches us that the Lord is a God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
If God, the perfect righteous judge, is slow to anger that shows us that we ought to also be slow to anger. He is the one who has the right to pour out judgement - we don’t - and yet he is slow to anger. Given our lack of divinity we should be even slower to anger… but also given our sinful nature we will fail in this.
As created beings should also be slow to assume the mantle of righteousness indignation.
When he is referring to the anger of man - it does not seem that he is speaking of righteous indignation - we ought to be angry over the sort of things that make God angry. But the metric for what makes us angry ought to be that which the scriptures lead us to be angry about. However, this also ought to be partnered with being quick to listen and slow to anger. We should not have the same intensity of anger towards everything that we do toward injustice, or unrighteousness.
What makes you angry? What causes you to blow your lid? How short is your fuse? Think about these things. If minor inconveniences cause you to flip out - or if it only takes but a moment for you to blow up - then you might need to look a lot closer at James’ words here.
James gives a purpose for this statement.
20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
The anger of man does not work out the righteousness of God.
You are not bringing glory to God by being wrathful, or excessively angry.
The explanation for why we ought to be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger is because our hasty anger does not bring glory to God.
Your hasty anger over things in this life is not going to serve the advance the gospel, or the build up the saints, or love your neighbor. We should be angry over what God is angry about - but we should be very careful that we should not assume that everything we are angry about is that which makes God angry.
Ex: When the person you do not want to get elected gets elected - is not the time to throw fits of rage… though this certainly has been the norm for many in recent years.
Daniel 2:21 tells us that God removes kings and establishes kings… this is no less true because we do not live in a monarchy.
21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
Calvin, “When God wants to judge a nation he gives them wicked leaders.”
Do not be angry over the leaders our nation elects without being angry over the sin that is reflected in their platforms.
We should be more bothered by the hearts of the people who love evil than we are the laws that permit that evil.
Before I move on to verse 21, I want to highlight how Jesus perfectly modeled these things in his ministry.
Consider when and how Jesus speaks to the Pharisees. We do not read of him cutting the pharisees off. Even when Jesus speaks to the Sadducees he allows them to finish their questions before he shows them how wrong they are.
Or in the example of John 2 where Jesus cleanses the temple. We see Jesus at the temple. Here we see Jesus chasing money changers out of the temple with a whip of cords. He drives those selling oxen and sheep and pigeons out of the temple. He flips the tables and pours out their coins. We do not see this sort of anger from Jesus regularly in the New Testament.
There are other instances where we see Jesus angry, there are places in the text where it says that he is indignant. When the disciples rebuke parents from bringing their children to him - Jesus is angry and he responds to them with “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” To hinder those to whom the kingdom of God belongs from coming to Jesus certainly seems like a good reason to be indignant.
When Jesus speaks he speaks at the right time.
When Jesus is angry he is right to be angry. Jesus was always slow to anger. James in this letter is exhorting us to be more like Jesus.
If you want to learn to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. Read the gospels and study Jesus. If you want to learn when to be angry study Jesus.
Remember that Jesus is God, and thus God’s attributes are always true of Jesus - Jesus is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
As we look at this last verse , I want to divide into 2 sections.
Put Away and Put on…
This is language that we see throughout the New Testament… It is the language of taking off and putting away soiled clothes. When you take off dirty, soiled garments you do not put them back on. Paul uses this language in Ephesians 4:22-25 and in Colossians 3:8. In those text Paul describes putting off immorality and putting on Christ. James is using the language in a similar manner as well in this text.
Put Away
Put Away
James then brings up a further application. In light of all of this…
James tells us to Put away
all filthiness
and
all rampant wickedness
And this language is very similar to Paul where Paul writes to put away all immorality.
The point that both men are making is that the Christian out to forsake sin and pursue righteousness. If you are a Christian then removed the garments of immorality of filthiness and rampant wickedness… remove the garments of sin and instead put on righteousness. Put on the implanted work.
Put On
Put On
Put that away and instead of that receive the implanted word…
He says to do this in meekness, or humility. And this implanted word that James describes must be received in humility… but it’s very definition it will humble you…
Implanted here refers to something that was placed there within you. This is not the same as innate or something that is natural with in you from birth. But rather a word that was placed there.
33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
James is likely picking up on the word being written upon the hearts of believers. That the Gospel has taken up residence within believers and was implanted there by God.
This word that James is referring to here is the word of the Gospel. The good news of Jesus Christ who perfectly exemplified everything that James has told us do and to be, and who never sinned. He was never slow to speak, quick to speak, or quick to anger… but rather he demonstrated perfect patience. He is gracious and merciful abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. And yet even though he is perfect, Jesus became a man, born to a virgin in city of the Bethlehem, lived a life of perfect obedience to his Father - he took on the cross and bore the penalty for our sins - that we might be forgiven.
That is this implanted word that James is referring to. The
That implanted word brings salvation… Salvation from sins - from the filthiness and rampant wickedness that the natural man loves, craves and desires - the only salvation to come from this is in Jesus. Even those who are quick to anger, quick to speak - those who never tame their tongues, those who are slow to hear - Those whose filthiness, grime, arrogance, malice, and wickedness are rampant. Those who have done worse than all of that can all find forgiveness at the foot of the cross of Jesus.
