Less Talk, More Doing

James 1:19–27 NIV

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 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. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But 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. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion 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.

Introduction: You have heard the phrase… “Talk is Cheap.” Ed Stetzer wrote a book called, “Christians in an Age of Outrage.” How do we be disciple’s in a world of debate, and a lot of talk, and a lot of outrage?

Introduction:

16-People Like to Talk.

Characterization of Talking on Social Media. - Everyone is a news reporter, everyone is an opinion writer.

Before there was social media and information traveled slowly James encourages us to Listen first.

Many of us are familiar with James’s instructions that “everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (). Social media seems to make this piece of advice a little harder to follow by the day. Our keyboards allow us the efficiency make to our statements quickly. Our monitors afford us enough mutual anonymity that we do not feel the need to temper the arguments we engage in. Before too long, even some of the most learned people are hurling insults, declaring others “anathema,” and showing everyone just how venomous our words can be. We need to make sure we fully understand the people we engage with before declaring our opinions. James reminds us, “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless” ().

Communication 101

two sides, multiple sides of communication.

90% of communication non-verbal.

Seeking to Understand:

Active Listening - Seeking to understand the content of what is being said.

Reflective Listening - Seeking to understand what is deeper that the content.

Story of Cindy - when I started reflective listening.

When we consider the original recipients of James’s letter, his warning against anger becomes more poignant. The church began as a small sect of Judaism. During the Roman occupation of Israel, extreme Jewish sects were known to stage revolts (see “Jewish Sectarianism in Second Temple Times,” Center for Online Jewish Studies, http://cojs.org/jewish_sectarianism_in_second_temple_times-_lawrence_h-_schiffman-_great_schisms_in_jewish_history_-ed-_raphael_jospe_and_stanley_m-_wagner-_ktav-_new_york_1981/). Early Christians were under persecution, their property was being seized, and they were being thrown in prison and put to death. The church could have used their persecution as an excuse to take up arms and attempt to take their rights by force. James warns his readers against inappropriate responses to their persecution, as he states that “human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires” () (Daniel B. Wallace, “James: Introduction, Outline, and Argument,” Bible.org, https://bible.org/seriespage/20-james-introduction-outline-and-argument). James is telling the church how to conduct themselves when the government and the community do not support the church.

1. When we consider the original recipients of James’s letter, his warning against anger becomes more poignant. The church began as a small sect of Judaism. During the Roman occupation of Israel, extreme Jewish sects were known to stage revolts (see “Jewish Sectarianism in Second Temple Times,” Center for Online Jewish Studies, http://cojs.org/jewish_sectarianism_in_second_temple_times-_lawrence_h-_schiffman-_great_schisms_in_jewish_history_-ed-_raphael_jospe_and_stanley_m-_wagner-_ktav-_new_york_1981/). Early Christians were under persecution, their property was being seized, and they were being thrown in prison and put to death. The church could have used their persecution as an excuse to take up arms and attempt to take their rights by force. James warns his readers against inappropriate responses to their persecution, as he states that “human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires” () (Daniel B. Wallace, “James: Introduction, Outline, and Argument,” Bible.org, https://bible.org/seriespage/20-james-introduction-outline-and-argument). James is telling the church how to conduct themselves when the government and the community do not support the church.

Now, here is where many will charge the church for “Not making their voice heard...” - I beleive that

What is Anger and when is it useful and not useful

Anger in itself is not bad - It is for when an injustice against something you love occurs.

We are talking here about pre-mature anger without having listened first.

Listen First, withhold Anger for appropriate times, but mostly...

17-Disciple’s are Doers of the Word.

Debate with Baseball Teammate - Can I learn baseball from a book?

- Everything in life - Dance, sports, profession, math, requires actual practice - doing it.

Use the Baseball T - Demonstrate practising over and over again.

You can tell a true baseball player not by what they say, but by how they play.

Use the Baseball T - Demonstrate practising over and over again.

Andy Stanly - We know deep Christians not by what they know, but how they handle suffering and hardship, and how they treat others.

I think that people want to see the Gospel in Action, and less argued - Yes we need to share the Story, why we do the things we do.

18 - We can all learn from the example of Daryl Davis. Davis is an African-American blues pianist who seeks out and befriends Ku Klux Klan leaders. Davis believes if you can get people talking long enough they will find something in common and bury any hate and anger they have had toward one another. He has been working to change people’s minds for the last thirty years. During this time he has convinced over 200 Ku Klux Klan members to give up their membership (Wynne Davis, Matthew Schwartz, “How One Man Convinced 200 Ku Klux Klan Members to Give up Their Robes,” All Things Considered, NPR, August 20, 2017, https://www.npr.org/2017/08/20/544861933/how-one-man-convinced-200-ku-klux-klan-members-to-give-up-their-robes). If Davis chose to return the hatred of the Klan members, many people would consider him justified, but he is choosing a better option, and changing lives with love. For each of us, it is incumbent on us not to leave this kind of work to other people—especially those who are suffering most—but to be inspired to engage with people and lovingly challenge destructive beliefs ourselves.

19 - I think that people want to see the Gospel in Action, and less argued - Yes we need to share the Story, why we do the things we do.

The powers who seek to divide us and keep us angry at others rely on keeping us separate and ignorant. When we follow James’s instructions and practice being slow to speak, quick to listen, and slow to anger, we make room to grow the relationships that will allow us to love the people we want to think of as enemies. Instead of letting our anger drive us to embrace and propagate ignorance-driven fear, anger, and hatred, we should listen to those “on the other side.”

#1: A woman walks with her son many miles and days to come to Gandhi. She is very worried about her son’s health because he is eating too much sugar. She comes to Gandhi and says, “please, sir, can you tell my son to stop eating sugar.”

Gandhi looks at her and thinks for a bit and finally says, “ok, but not today. Bring him back in two weeks.”

She’s disappointed and takes her son home. Two weeks later she makes the journey again and goes to Gandhi with her son.

Gandhi says to the boy, “you must stop eating sugar. It’s very bad for you.”

The boy has such respect for Gandhi that he stops and lives a healthy life.

The woman is confused and asks him, “Gandhi, please tell me: why did you want me to wait two weeks  to bring back my son.”

Gandhi said, “Because before I could tell your son to stop eating sugar. I had to stop eating sugar first.”

One of the ways we learn the Gospel is by living the Gospel - Jesus’s compassion in his life becomes our compassion - the widow and the orphan are short-hand for those who rely on others to care for them.

Application: Context - Life Groups - doing life together....

Application: Missional Communities - Building Disciples requires serving in Christ’s name.

Conclusion: I want to challenge you this year. Take at least one action item per week you are going to do from your study of the Bible - Your at Life Group, or your daily reading, or a sermon. Put your faith into action.

Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Heidelberg Catechism: Q&A 62-64, 86, 91 Belgic Confession: Articles 24 Canons of Dort: Head V, Article 5 Belhar Confession: Articles 2-5