Book of James: 1:19-21 Quick, slow, slow!

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to Oldfield Free Church.

I’m Ian and it’s great to see you here. We’re going to celebrate with singing

...before a message on being quick, slow, slow.

If you’re new here welcome and please take one of the leaflets on the table at the back and stay for a cuppa after the service and introduce yourself.

[OK. Show me your mobile phones everyone! Now that they are in your hands either switch them off completely or put them on silent! Thank you!]

Let’s pray

Mighty God, everything you do reveals your glory and majesty. Open our eyes to see what you are doing in our lives. Let us marvel at your good gifts and your wise provision. Your acts are amazing Lord. We can not comprehend the number of blessings you pour out on us from day to day. As we gather today around your name, we pray that you would fill our hearts, our minds and our souls. Transform us Lord, and make us more like you.  Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Hymn: 261 O Lord, our God, how majestic

Song: 106 Hallelujah sing to Jesus

Prayer

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Song: 11 All I once held dear

Notices + Collection + Children to their clubs

Reading and Sermon

James 1:18–21 NKJV

18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. 19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Introduction

We are all too eager to speak and give our point of view but we miss out because we do not hear. To be honest I wish I had this verse imprinted at the front of my brain and heart. How often I miss it and miss what others are saying to me. When we learn to hear we will start to hear more of what is going on between the lines too. It is not always what they are saying but it maybe the symptom of something else. For instance if someone feels hurt it often expresses itself in anger.

Anger, IS a bane to us for our anger is not a righteous anger, it is an anger that produces more anger, more strife, more sin. The saying ‘be angry and do not sin’ is about keeping very short accounts. If is nearly impossible to be angry and not sin. There is a righteous anger which is about justice for others or against belief systems that take people away from God or an anger against the devil but even then, it is often tainted or taken too far.

Yet, Jesus got angry and did not sin -

Matthew 21:12–13 ESV

12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

If you are angry you have got to ask whether there is any good in it. And as you have often heard me say, I discover this whenever I am driving. It is not always good for my soul or for those who are with me, especially Irena. We have to call it for what it is: Wickedness. If it is not righteous, it is wicked. And as if we need to be told more we are told by Solomon:

Proverbs 29:11 ESV

11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.

And in verse 21 we are told to repent of this.

If we recognise ourselves in this is to come to God for a cleansing. And that is how we would understand these verses, on the surface.

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger

BUT with all that said, is that what these verses are really saying?

In verse 18 James speaks of the Word, in verse 21 James mentions the Word, in verse 22, the Word, and in verse 23 the Word. So, verse 19 is speaking about what? Is it not the Word? Context tells us that it is. The ESV has helpfully called this section of verse 19 to 27 ‘Hearing and doing the Word’.

So, what is it that we should be quick to hear? What is it that we should be slow to speak? And what is it that we should be slow to be angry about? The answer to all three questions is: The Word.

Let’s take each in turn:

Be quick to hear the Word

We should be soaked in the Scriptures. We should be reading and studying every day. It is my privilege to do this in greater depth but not one of us is without excuse. How many here have read through the whole of the Bible? How many here have read the bible 10 times, 50 times? How many hours have we watch TV this week? How many hours have we been on the internet this week? How many hours is that? And how many hours have you been in the Word. Muslims used to call us the people of the Book.

Our attention span is not like previous generations and it is getting shorter and shorter. Watch TV and the scene changes every 15 seconds. We have become accustomed to visual changes and affected out ability to hear. And if you watch TikTok or YouTube shorts the time evaporates with our need to consume. If we do not control our time these other things will.

And why do you think there is so much compromise in the church today? They don’t know what God says about any situation. They import Marxist and other political ideas into Christianity rather than let the Word of God speak and for us to hear.

Faith comes by hearing, right? How? By the Word of God. What faith have we today that is tainted by TV, by the internet, by our political views? Quick to hear. We should be eager to listen to the Scriptures. To listen to the explanation of it. That includes the sermons, the bible studies and so on as well as our private devotions. This is one of the first steps to proper discipleship. The first generations of Christians did not have the New Testament and few could afford to have their own copy of the Old. They had to listen. Today, we have it written, we can listen to it too. But do we?

We don’t stop. We are so busy. But what are we busy about? This life, we are told constantly in Scripture, is but a hairsbreath in comparison to eternity. We are but dust. We are flowers to spring up and then die. The number of our days are few. If we don’t stop we will hare through this life and not fulfil our potential in God who says: Be still, and know that I am God. (Ps 46:10), our verse for the year. And say to God

Psalm 62:5 (ESV)

5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

Samuel said to God: Your servant is listening.(1 Samuel 3:10)

The readings that you have that are in each month’s newsletters are not printed there so that they look pretty. It is so that we have structure to reading through the Scriptures. Weekly readings. And when you read the Scriptures each day to stop and pause to think about a small portion of them. You don’t have to use my Bible Readings. There are plenty out there including online. You can create your own one.

But is it too much to ask you to read 3 or 4 chapters a day to read through in a year. Something that will take about 15 or so minutes. 15 minutes off of watching TV or the internet or the radio or whatever else you do. But don’t read without asking God to reveal Himself to you and give you understanding and wisdom.

Be slow to speak the Word

Two ears, one mouth, right? I’m sure you’ve heard this; Two ears and one mouth means that we should listen twice as much as we speak.

The ears are always open, ever ready to receive instruction; but the tongue is surrounded with a double row of teeth, to hedge it in, and to keep it within proper bounds.

There is a story of a man who came to Socrates to be trained in oratory skills. And he kept speaking and speaking and speaking and eventually Socrates was able to get a word in edgeways and told him his fee will be double if he were to take him on. And the man replied: Why, why charge me double? Well, said, Socrates, I have to teach you two skills, not one. The skill to listen and the skill to speak.

James tell us in chapter 3 not to be quick to be teachers of the Word

James 3:1 ESV

1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

We have to be hearers of the Word before we can adequately speak it. How can we be teachers if we do not know the Word that we are called to preach? Whilst there is a warning here from James about not being quick to be teachers Paul says:

Colossians 3:16 ESV

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

See what comes before being teachers: knowing God’s Word. So, all of us are called to teach in some way. And those who teach will be judged as to how right or true those things that were taught.

Being a preacher is a sober calling. There is no fear in preaching or teaching to small or great numbers of people but the fear is that what is taught needs to be accurate according to God’s Word.

The issue today is that many think that they are teachers but have no grounding at all in the faith or in the Word of God. Kanye West proclaimed recently that he had become a Christian and immediately he has been asked up with so-called famous ministers to share his thoughts with congregations. What does Scripture warn about a preacher of the Word?

1 Timothy 3:6 ESV

6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Pride. They think they understand and know it all and it brings glory to them. That’s the issue. True preachers of the Word are not in it for themselves but for the glory of God but that cannot be said the same for those new to the faith. I am not making judgements about whether Kanye is a Christian or not but if he is not taught the foundations of the faith he will continue to live for the world and himself rather than be a true follower of Christ.

And don’t think that just because you have been a Christian for years that you are a teacher because, unfortunately if you are not and have not been grounded in God’s Word, you are still a novice, still immature, still unable to teach.

Before we speak of the Word make sure you have understood what it says.

Be slow to anger with the Word

Maybe you’re thinking “how can you be angry at the Word?”. Let me put it this way. What if it says something you disagree with? I’ve been heckled during church services when I spoke of hell and when I spoke on anger. That last one is very ironic! You might not show outwardly but there is a slow simmering anger or bitterness building up over something the Word of God says or what the preacher said about that Word or at the preacher themselves.

Proverbs 13:13 ESV

13 Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.

Maybe God has put a finger on something that builds resentment in you. Could be anything at all. Husbands do you love your wives? Do you do your part in alleviating the hardships of the fatherless and widows? Do you hate being told that you have to do your part?

Wouldn’t it be interesting if I have pointed out a fault you have without me even realising it when I have been here preaching! Almost every sermon I have challenges us to become more like Christ, more holy, more in line with the Word of God. Is there something that God has spoken to you about and you have not yet resolved it? If not, God will continue to bring it back to you until you do.

20-21

And now we can understand more clearly these verses. Don’t go up against God’s Word, don’t be angry but submit instead to what God says. That deals with our pride, our self-righteousness, and puts us in line with the thoughts of God. The Word does not allow for unholiness in our lives, gives us no excuses for doing those things which we know to be wrong.

Let me be clear here. The hearing and doing the Word of God is not some religious exercise for us. It is not done in our strength. We have just celebrated the death and resurrection of Jesus. He imparts to us His righteousness and His Word. It is His work from beginning to end. It is He who saves our souls. Not the doing of certain works.

But clearly, if we are Christ-followers, if we have been saved, then out of gratefulness and love we will allow His Word to have centre point in our lives for it is He who IS the Word of God. Now we have to have conduct that is upright before God. Evidence that we are practising righteousness is in how slow we are to anger. Now we have something to measure our own selves by. Let me say again, because it also convicts me: Evidence that we are practising righteousness is in how slow we are to anger.

Indeed, we are told to strip off these negative behaviours as we would strip of clothing. Would we be disciples of Jesus? Would we follow in His footsteps. Then a prerequisite is that we remove the dirt in our lives that is morally defiling us. Let us receive the Word with humility and a teachable spirit.

Here James speaks of the saving of our souls. If he is writing to believers then it is not about salvation but about the continuous saving of God in our daily lives as well as the future saving with our resurrected bodies.

We are saved, we are being saved, we will be saved.

We have been made holy, we are being made holy, we shall be holy.

If we have come to Christ the first and last are true of us. We are saved and holy. We will finally experience true salvation and holiness. But the middle part: being saved and being made holy, is down to how much we allow God’s Word to permeate us by the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our submission to Him.

If Christ is not in your life then you are not saved and you are not holy. But a way of escape from hell is available through the cross, the death of Jesus and His resurrection. Do not be slow to hear God’s Word to you today. Be saved from your life of sin and receive eternal life. Speak to me afterwards or to one of the congregation who can point you to the way of salvation.

Conclusion

Are we quick to hear God’s Word? are we slow to speak? Are we slow to anger?

What has struck you today? How shoddy we are as Christians when it comes to the Word of God? Don’t expect to understand all things but in due course as you spend more time with God and His Word you will understand more. Perhaps, God has spoken to you already about something that is unresolved or undone. Get it sorted and then see the blessing of God on you.

Song 364 When we walk with the Lord

Benediction

Colossians 3:15–17 ESV

15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

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