Hearers and Doers

This morning, in line with our Good Faith Series, I want to talk about… relationships. But We are going to look at a specific relationship… one that might not come to mind when you hear your pastor say “we are going to talk about relationships.”

First off, I want us to consider what a relationship is. Defined, a relationship is the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected. As you can see, relationship is all about the connection, or lack thereof, between two people or things.

Good relationships echo a solid ability to work together, to complement each other, share mutual benefits, and so on. Bad relationship reflect completely the opposite. Interestingly enough, differences can exist within a relationship and it still be labeled as… good. the key in this… is how the differences are handled.

In the beginning of this series, we talked about how the western culture is beginning to view Christianity as extreme or irrelevant. I would suggest… this is a result of a struggling relationship between the Church and the world that she finds herself in.

Yes, we are to live in the world, and not of it (John 17:14-16). But we have also been commissioned by Christ to go into all the world and make disciples (Matthew 28:19).

I fear the source of the claim for extremism and irrelevancy is because the relationship between the Church and the world is strained as the two are going in completely different directions.

Three out of ten Americans (of no faith) say church is NOT a benefit to a community.

Another three out of ten cannot answer whether or not the church is a benefit to their community.

This morning, I would challenge Good Faith believers that something needs to be done about this struggling relationship. To be clear, I am not in anyway suggesting that we compromise the truth or water down our biblical standards… but there is something that needs to be done that… I believe… can greatly improve our relationship with the struggling world around us.

We are going to be looking at James 1 here in a moment… and it is here that we find the relationship that may not come to mind when thinking about relationships. Our main text highlights it for us today. James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Can you see it? The answer to repairing the afore mentioned relationship, I believe, is given to us right here - by paying attention to the relationship between listening and doing. James makes clear what we are to listen to is the Word. What we are to do is… THE WORD.

A connection must be made between what is heard and what we do. This passage explains that what we hear from Scripture is to be applied to the way we live. AND… if this connection is missing… James warns that we are deceiving ourselves… but in what way? Get ready for this - in the area of righteousness!

What we are going to see this morning is how this truth will make an impact in both our personal Spiritual walk with the Lord, but also in our interactions with a world that is seemingly moving further from the Word.

(Main Point) Good Faith Christians will learn how to listen well, and do according to the Word.