Don't Just Listen, Do It
Notes
Transcript
Have you ever asked someone to do something and they said they would, then later you find out they didn’t do it? Maybe you asked your child to pick up their room, maybe you asked your spouse to pick up milk on their way home. How did that make you feel
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 a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
In James’ day most people were not able to read. This letter, then, was meant to be read out loud to the believers. The same was true with the Scripture, it was read at every gathering of the church, just as today, and listening to it was very important. Just a few verses earlier he says that we are to be quick to listen. James wants his hearers, and us, to know that listening to the word is only the beginning.
The word
The word
The perfect law – given by God, cannot be improved
The word of Jesus – the new law
Gives freedom - only in obeying the law of God do we becomes truly free. By submitting to Christ a person is set free from the law of sin and death.
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Do not deceive yourselves
Do not deceive yourselves
Don’t fool yourself
By thinking listening to the word is sufficient
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day knew their Bible, they could quote it from memory, they studied it, but Jesus still criticized them because they did not put it into practice.
James is thinking of someone who goes to the church meeting and listens to the reading and expounding of the word, and who thinks that that listening has made him a Christian.
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
A mirror that shows us what we are
Shows us the truth about ourselves
Tells us how we are supposed to be
Identify areas that need attention
Imagine you’re having dinner at Olive Garden, a nice platter of spaghetti and meatballs with sauce. During the meal you go to the restroom, and while there you take a look into the mirror, You see that there’s a large spot of sauce on your chin. Would you do nothing about it, just leave it there, or would you clean yourself up? Would you leave the restroom and forget about the sauce? James is saying that someone who hears the word but does not do what is says is like leaving yourself a mess.
Look intently into it
Look intently into it
James says we are not only to listen to the word or take it casually but look into it intently
Study it
And continues to do this – makes it a habit. We are to be like David:
Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.
Do what it tells us
Do what it tells us
God desires us to be obedient
Chuck Swindoll gives this illustration:
Company owner goes oversees, leaves his assistant in charge. Say he will write regularly and give direction and instructions. Letters arrive regularly. Owner returns, comes to the company headquarters, sees lawn overgrown, a few windows broken. Going inside the receptionist is doing her nails, listening to music. Waste baskets are overflowing, the carpet need cleaning, and no one pays you attention. Finds the assistant, asks what is going on.
“Well, look at this place! Didn’t you get any of my letters?”
“Letters? Oh, yeah—sure, got every one of them. As a matter of fact … we have had letter study every Friday night since you left. We have even divided all the personnel into small groups and discussed many of the things you wrote. Some of those things were really interesting. You’ll be pleased to know that a few of us have actually committed to memory some of your sentences and paragraphs. One or two memorized an entire letter or two! Great stuff in those letters!”
“Okay, okay—you got my letters, you studied them and meditated on them, discussed and even memorized them. BUT WHAT DID YOU DO ABOUT THEM?”
“Do? Uh—we didn’t do anything about them.”
Will be blessed
Will be blessed
Be declared righteousness
For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
God’s presence, provision and protection
Eternal life
William Barclay put it this way: “James does well to remind us that what is heard in the holy place must be lived in the market place—or there is no point in hearing at all.”