Don't Settle!
Pastor Chad A. Miller
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 30:10
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· 37 viewsDon’t settle for being typical American Church-Goer…be a disciple who doesn’t settle for an encounter or an experience, but engages and puts into practice what he/she hears. We are all fighting the temptation to “drift” toward a lack of discipline in our church life in these days…be a doer. Engage!
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REFLECTION TEXT: Deuteronomy 30:16-18
16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess.
SERMON TEXT: JAMES 1:19-27
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.
Key Verse: James 1:22
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
INTRO / TRANSITION
Over the last 4 weeks...
LORD OF MY SADNESS
LORD OF MY ANGER
LORD OF MY GUILT
LORD OF MY ALL
If we’re not careful, we’ll fall prey to the sinister evil lurking/crouching at the door of Grace Covenant Church. There is a clear and present danger in that is magnified in this season.
Context & BG
Danger of James without metanarrative of love and worship. It can come across as legalistic - works-based. We tend to flag preachers whose favorite book is James. :)
- Overview of James
Faithfulness in Trials (1)
Faith and Works (2)
Speaking Wisely (3:1-12)
Acting Wisely and Unwisely (3:13-5:6)
Endurance & Prayer (5:7-20)
James 1 captures the believer in trials and the position of a faith that works.
If you look at the posture of this maturing believer (context of vv 12-18), you see that they:
are steadfast under trial
stood the test
rewarded for their perseverance
recognize where sin comes from, and how quickly it can take someone farther than they want to go.
in the family!
know the truth!
know and love the author of truth…truth Himself - the Fathe of lights!
From this space of encouragement, we launch into some very practical exhortations.
Let me touch on verses 19-21 quickly…but we’ll drop the hammer on verse 22.
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
Quick to hear
1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.
Slow to speak
19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
Slow to anger
29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
As we bridge our heartfelt, timely journey through the Psalms selected over the last 4 weeks and our study of the minor prophet JOEL in the coming weeks…let’s take a moment and process 4 considerations when we meditate on the beauty of this passage.
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.
CONSIDER THE BLESSING OF HEARING…
1. WE ARE BLESSED TO HEAR!
1. WE ARE BLESSED TO HEAR!
Do you ever take a moment to realize just how blessed you are to have the access that you have to the Word of God?
you can purchase it almost anywhere
you can turn the radio on and get it on at least 5 full power stations in this region (for better or worse).
70% of us pass too many churches to number on our way here every Sunday morning
(then there’s this place…) We are in a minority with this faithful commitment to let the text preach…
- Jesus said we were blessed
- Jesus said we were blessed
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
in response to a woman who was trying to bless Mary for bearing him:
28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
- Faith comes by hearing
- Faith comes by hearing
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
- Specific Gifts from God foster our hearing (God sent preachers)
- Specific Gifts from God foster our hearing (God sent preachers)
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS OF HEARING...
2. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE ONCE WE HEAR
2. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE ONCE WE HEAR
- ONCE YOU’VE HEARD, YOU’RE ACCOUNTABLE
- ONCE YOU’VE HEARD, YOU’RE ACCOUNTABLE
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
- You have the tools and time to verify what you’ve heard (Bereans)
- You have the tools and time to verify what you’ve heard (Bereans)
11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.
- THERE MUST BE A RESPONSE (APATHY OR ACTION)
- THERE MUST BE A RESPONSE (APATHY OR ACTION)
14 But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess.
We are blessed to hear!
We are responsible once we hear!
CONSIDER THE BLESSING OF HEARING AND DOING!...
3. WE ARE BLESSED BY HEARING AND DOING!
3. WE ARE BLESSED BY HEARING AND DOING!
- not just doing but being doers
- not just doing but being doers
Qualification of the precept, “Be swift to hear”: “Be ye doers … not hearers only”; not merely “Do the word,” but “Be doers” systematically and continually, as if this was your regular business. (Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible)
4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
- it’s a sign of maturity
- it’s a sign of maturity
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
- it’s a reflection of our friendship with Christ
- it’s a reflection of our friendship with Christ
14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.
We are blessed to hear!
We are responsible once we hear!
We are blessed by HEARING AND DOING!...
Consider the CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER OF HEARING AND NOT DOING!...
4. WE ARE IN DANGER WHEN WE ONLY HEAR AND NEVER DO!
4. WE ARE IN DANGER WHEN WE ONLY HEAR AND NEVER DO!
It defies logic
It defies logic
“Deceiving” is from a verb used in the New Testament only here and in Colossians 2:4. Paralogizomai means “to cheat or deceive by false reasoning.”
The deception comes from thinking they have done all that is necessary when actually listening to the Word is only the beginning.
A fitting illustration of the “sit, soak, and sour” crowd follows. (J. Ronald Blue)
It results in stiff-neck / stubbornness
It results in stiff-neck / stubbornness
51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.
30 “As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, ‘Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ 31 And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain. 32 And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it. 33 When this comes—and come it will!—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”
“…This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.” 1 Corinthians 8:1
Historically, destruction was on the heels of the nation when great assemblies gathered with no intention of action.
CONSIDER THIS, Grace Covenant Church
We are blessed when we hear God’s Word!
We are accountable once we hear!
We are blessed by hearing & doing!
We are in actual danger when we hear and Never do!
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Your RESPONSE TO TRIALS and your RESISTING TEMPTATION are directly connected to your REACTION TO GOD’S WORD!
Accepting God’s Word, acting on it, and abiding in it are essential to spiritual growth.
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION…FROM BEING A SKILLED HEARER & A NON-DOER:
SYMPTOMS OF DECEPTION…FROM BEING A SKILLED HEARER & A NON-DOER:
You are quicker to discuss the worship than to actually engage in worship.
You are quicker to speak of the of the singer than to focus on the Savior.
You are quicker to comment on the Sermon style than to apply the lesson and live out the Gospel with humility and love.
You are quicker to react in judgment, relish in cynicism, and resonate with your crew THAN TO “(He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to) do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8
INVITATION: The types of hearers
those who can’t (dull of hearing)
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
those who won’t (Eze 33) no intention of doing…
those who desire (almost, thou persuadest me)
27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”
those that will (friends of God)
James 1:19 “quick to hear”, and John 15:14 “…if you do…”
If we’re not careful, we’ll fall into this Americanized, Sanitized version of Christianity which makes little claims on our life and never threatens our comforts:
If you are expecting victory, maturity, and depth WITHOUT reading your Bible and praying on God’s terms…YOU’VE BEEN DECEIVED.
If your theme song is:
I'm alright
Don't nobody worry 'bout me
You got to gimme a fight
Why don't you just let me be -
You’ve told yourself that for so long that your voice has drowned out all the rest
TODAY - RESPOND WITH ACTION.
Accepting God’s Word, acting on it, and abiding in it are essential to spiritual growth.
REPENT OF YOUR DISOBEDIENCE
ASK THE LORD TO REMOVE ANY DECEPTION THAT YOU’VE ACCEPTED.
TURN TO GOD…TODAY, BECOME HIS YES WOMAN…HIS YES MAN.
PRAYER FOR SERMON RESPONSE
Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans Open Our Eyes, Lord
OPEN OUR EYES, LORD
May that good Spirit of Jesus Christ open the eyes of our minds, that we may see and approve things that are excellent. May he persuade our hearts to receive the truth in the love of it, and direct our steps to walk in the paths of mercy and truth, that we may be saved. Amen.
—William Ames