The Testing of Life 3

James 1:21-27

8 Aug 2007

Review:

I. The importance of a good foundation. V.21

A. Let’s take a look at a couple of verse to get our wheels turning: Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:8; Heb. 12:1; 1 Pet. 2:1-2. Looking at these verses they all have something in common. They all talk about getting rid of or laying aside or putting of something. For us to put on something new or create space for something we have to get rid of the old stuff to bring in the new stuff. We have to stop what we are doing.

James uses two words here that encompass every possible kind of sin or impurity. He is not just talking about Adultery, murder… he is talking about gossip, jealousy, “white lie…” Everything in the book is covered with these two words: Filthiness and Wickedness.

James tells us we need to get rid of the filth in our lives. Think about the dirtiest you have ever been. Covered in mud from head to toe, underneath your finger nails, in your mouth, in your ears… Think about the float trip trying to climb up that hill or at WWBC the mud pit. That is what I would call filthy. James is talking about that as well only with the idea of our hearts and the moral filth that still affects us. Would you go straight from the mud pit to a restaurant or walk in your house and sit on the furniture without cleaning off first? No you would clean all of the filth off. The word here for filth is really close to the word for ear wax. How many of you clean your ears? Have you ever waited a long time to clean them with all that build up and big chunks of wax? Well just like all that wax impairs your hearing all that moral filth and corruption impairs your ability to receive God’s word to its fullest.

James also uses the word wickedness, this word carries the idea of evil or depravity. The main idea behind what James is talking about here is the intent of the heart and how evil it is. The idea of deliberate and determined sin.

Again these two words cover everything. They don’t make room for excuses human weaknesses and psychological disorders. James says sin is sin. Don’t try and hide behind excuses, or the idea of watering down things to make something “less of a sin.” Get rid of it all.

B. He says: “and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” He is not referring to salvation here in the sense that we associate it with most. Look back to 1:18 this is the implanted word. When we confess our sins to God and acknowledge that we can do nothing without Him, that Jesus Christ alone is Lord and Savior. This is what verse 18 is talking about God making the means by which we can be saved. Here in our verse he is talking about the fact that the word which saves us must dwell in us in order to continue on in growth.

Lets look at some verses. Last week we looked at 1:12 and we saw that when we endure temptation we receive our crown. We talked about the fact that our endurance is what proves our salvation, it doesn’t save us it meerley proves what is already there. “How can a young man cleanse his ways, by taking head according to your word. With my whole heart I have sought you, oh let me not wander from your commandments. Your word I have hidden my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psa 119: 9-11. John 8:31John 8:31 (NKJV) “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.”

The idea is that word of God should be our desire we should always be consuming it. We need to be spending time in God’s word there is no way around it.

C.

II. You Only Have a House When You Build on the Foundation vv. 22-25

A. With knowledge of God’s word and what it says to do come a great responsibility. James 1:22 (NASB95) “22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” We have a great blessing at this church because we teach what the Bible says. We have talked about this in SS, this fact is so true though. There are so many churches around that will only talk about certain topics in the Bible, or churches that will give nice advice, 5 ways to be happy… the problem is they don’t use Scripture to back up their points or they interpret it incorrectly. We are so blessed that we are taught God’s word. The problem for us and churches that are like us is that it all becomes a matter of knowledge and not a matter of the heart. We may know all the answers but we never act them out. James gives a stern warning He tells us that we should prove ourselves by the works that we do.

The best way to look at this is like a relationship with a friend, someone you love, someone you care about. If you never do anything to demonstrate, prove or validate the importance of that person, you probably really don’t love them. And just like people show superficial love or think love is based on emotion or physical passion. Christians find things that are superficial or things that look like love. We go to church and sit, but we never take in God’s word deep enough and apply it to our lives. True love demands that the sacrifices we make to show it bring us the most joy.

Let me say that again. True love demands that the sacrifices we make to show it bring us the most joy. In other words when I show love to Sara, I may have to sacrifice my selfish desires and the joy that brings her should bring me more joy than those things I have to give up.

As we put off all of the filth and wickedness that surrounds and blocks our heart, and we drink in the word of God, our desire changes from fulfilling our own selfish desires into actually doing what God’s word says. So when we see that Bible says that we be a witness for Christ, instead of shrinking in fear… we should boldly share the amazing life changing power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we read in the Bible that we shouldn’t gossip about people, then our joy turns from slamming someone behind their back to going to that person and encouraging them in their walk. When the Bible says “be still and know that I am God” our desire should change from having every possible moment filled with something going on or noise… we should sit back in silence and listen to God.

What are some other things?

B. James warns his readers that people who only hear God’s word are in a great danger of deceiving themselves. It is a very dangerous thing to come in and soak up the word of God without obedience to it. Those who sit and listen deceive themselves with a belief because they KNOW the gospel but don’t truly live the gospel. Please do not misunderstand what James is saying here, he is not saying that you have to do good works to be saved or keep your salvation. He is saying that if you have truly seen your sinfulness and you know that you don’t deserve anything more than to burn in the pits of hell. If you have truly realized that it is solely God’s grace and mercy that you are not wiped of the face this earth right now. If you realize these things and have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior then have a changed life that still struggles with sin but the true desire is to serve and glorify God.

There are two big things from this section: 1) If you are not a believer and you have heard the word of God, I urge you to prayerfully consider what it says. Don’t just listen to it or read it. If you don’t know without a shadow of a doubt you will go to Heaven when you die please talk to me. 2) If you have received God’s free gift of eternal life your life should be characterized by that fact. I read this and I thought it was very interesting.

C. “…your Christianity isn’t worth very much if it doesn’t cost you anything.”

III. The Finished product vv. 26-27

A. In v. 26 James basically says that the tongue is a gauge or barometer to show what a person’s heart is really like. Turn with me to Mat. 12: 34, 37. Jesus gives us a clear picture of what James is saying. He is saying that what come out of your mouth is the desire of your heart. Back in James a few verse prior he says James 1:19 (NKJV)“19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;” James talks more about this later so for tonight this will suffice.

B. The idea of visiting widows and orphans is more than a mere “Hey how are you?” It is a selfless act of kindness and love. The people who originally read this letter would have understood that there was no programs to to help these unfortunate people. They were not able to get jobs. So to care for them meant to sacrifice.

C. Lastly James says: “…to keep onself unspotted from the world.” Let’s turn to I Pet. 1:17-19. We are not talking about sinless perfection because that is not possible here on earth. James is talking about holy living. We are not to be stained with the world. If you take more delight in things of this world than in righteousness then be concerned.

This last point says to watch our speech, our actions, and our standards. Think about it like this “If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, and smells like a duck then you probably have a duck.”

Conc.

I want to challenge you tonight: if you come here just to listen and not apply what is said from the Bible to consider your life carefully. 2 Peter 1:10 (NKJV) “10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;” It doesn’t matter whether or not you say you are a Christian, I want you to be absolutely sure that if you died you would go to Heaven.