The Implanted Word (James 1:19-27)
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Today we are in our 3rd sermon in our series in the book of James.
If you have your Bible you can go with me to James 1:19....
Leading up to our passage today,
James has highlighted the importance of facing trails from a kingdom perspective.
Kingdom perspective results in counting it all as joy in the midst of trials.… (knowing it is producing steadfastness)
And to have that kind of perspective will take wisdom from God. (ask for wisdom)
James communicates that there is a promise for those who face trails from a kingdom perspective,
as James tells us that there is an eternal reward ahead for the believer.
James 1:12 “12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”
James gives a reminder that when facing trials there will be temptations of the flesh that will manifest.
Thus, he gives a warning to believers not to allow those desires of the flesh to give birth to sin that will bring forth death.
James articulates that the flesh gives birth to sin, but God alone gives birth to true life.
And from His divine will, He has brought us forth as His prized possession.
As God’s prized position, James introduces us today to what it must look like,
for His prized position who have been birthed by the word of truth.
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.
Today I will be unpacking 3 points from this passage....
Receive the implanted word
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.
Verse 18 functions as a seam or a bridge....
James 1:18 “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
NLT “Prized Possession”
(what this means for us) USA Softball… James you are on Team Jesus...
Know this.… because you have the implanted word of truth in you…
you need to be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to get angry…
I am pretty confident that our generation today has gotten all three of these things mixed up...
slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to get angry… Social media…
Being quick to speak and slow to listen demonstrates a lack of wanting to learn.… (pride and arrogance)
What I have learned is when people come to a conclusion, they don’t want facts to distort there view.
(Unteachable spirit)
[And because they are already set in what they beleive about a given topic… they resort to anger to prove point]
James states “the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
Because you are on team Jesus… Anger must not be produced, but rather righteousness of God needs to be produced.
You may have allowed anger to rule your life before,
but now that must not be the case.…
why because you are a new creation in Christ…
Every can probably agree...
I have never seen anything beneficial come from someone blowing up in anger...
but I have seen many destructive things come from someone blowing up in anger...
James is telling the church that anger is not the fruit of the spirit, it is does not produce righteousness,
“Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness”
Brothers and Sisters on team Jesus, must “get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives”
and for this to happen the word needs to work in our lives...
(last week… behavior modification covers or masks the problem… transformation changes and removes the problem) [Word] Word of God double edged sward...
James 1:21 “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”
(Explain… not able to receive a gift from God, because we are holding unto something)
[That thing has become apart of you]
Takes humility to receive… will to admit that I am lacking… “Receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls”
2. Follow the implanted word (Receive)
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.
How many know there is a big difference between hearing and obeying???…
(business world and coaching kids… pretty quick who wants to get better and who does not) [prideful kids and humble kids]
humble spirit…
James says “receive the word with meekness. (humility)”
Receiving leads to following…
But, not receiving the Word… leads to not following the Word.…
James communicates that you are deceiving yourself if you are only hearing the word and not following the word.
Many people are deceiving themselves in church’s today.
(They go to church and hear the word… they may even read the word at home… but they are not doers of the word...)
Knowledge does not equal acceptance
Just because I know something… does not mean I am going to do something with that knowledge…
James says “the implanted word has the power to save us”
(just because it has the power to save you does not mean it will save you.… drowning life raft)
James communicates that if you receive the implanted word…
You will follow the implanted word…
Thus, you will be a doer of the word not just a hearer. Amen!
James gives the example… V23 & V24...
James 1:23–24 “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. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.”
Let me put it this way… husband wife looking over finances.. going out to eat…
It is one thing to identify the solution,
but it is an entirely different matter to bring a solution.
James 1:25 “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.”
James is communicating that if you look into the word of God with the intent of allowing it to shape you,
it is going to transform your life in order that you will be a doer of the word.
When the word shapes your life you are able to persevere until the end and be blessed.
But you have to be willing to allow the word to test the validity of your faith… (Scary to think about)
Because if I put my life under the view of the perfect law, what do I see...
(Faith of action… or only an intellectual faith)
3. Tested by the implanted word (1. Receive the implanted word 2. Follow the implanted word)
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.
(If James had a publisher.… Make it not so harsh…)
[Church facing persecution… Team Jesus..… grow up...]
Kurt Richardson
James (4) Worthless Religion and Genuine Religion (1:26–27)
One of the chief characteristics of self-deception in the Christian life is that believers can make an empty show of religious devotion.
Here me when I say this...
You may be able to put on the jersey for team Jesus on Sunday, you may be able to dress and look the part on Sunday,
but are you doing the business of Satan the rest of the week?
Don’t deceive yourself playing and acting a part on Sunday,
because when your life is tested by the word, what does it show.… fruit do you see....
It is important to understand that we test our lives up to the Word not other people...
(jump off a cliff example.…)
James 1:27 “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.”
Biblical authors bring up the importance of caring for orphans and widows because in Bible times they were the most helpless people.
Essentially if someone did not help them, they would end up dying. (Children’s vision) [grow in giving]
The point James is making is when you are on team Jesus you stop looking out only for your own interest,
but begin to look out for the interest of others. (Seeing a need, fill a need)
Ultimately, true faith is unstained by the world because we allowed the implanted word to work in our lives.
We allow the blood of Jesus to wash us of all unrighteousness.
We allow the Holy Spirit to continually do a work in us and transform us to be who the Father has called us to be.
Leave you with a challenge.....
This week be in the word everyday… Pray speak to me through your word today.… transform ...
1. Receive the implanted word 2. Follow the implanted word 3. Tested by the implanted word
