Sermon Tone Analysis

What’s up Vertical!

It is HERD Night.

I love these nights because it reminds me that we get to worship God through music, fellowship and the preaching of His Word, altogether in unity.

We continue on our journey through the book of James- for the sake of time, let’s jump into the main point:

Main Point: We must hold the Word of God as the highest level of authority in our lives in order for us to become “doers of the Word.”

Take notes- Remember you don’t have to write everything i say or everything on the slides.

Write what you understand.

Whatever caughts your attention and don’t freak out if you miss something.

Students, if there is one goal I have as your pastor is to teach you that you have the ability to read, understand, and carry out the truths that are on Scripture.

You must hold the word as the most authoritative standard in your life.

One of the phrases you might or might not be familiar with is the idea of Sola Scriptura.

Sola Scriptura means that Scripture alone is authoritative for the faith and practice of the Christian.

The Bible is complete, authoritative, and true.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Scripture is not one of good book that has some great tweetable quotes.

The Bible is the codified canonized complete Word of God.

Let’s read what James 1:19-27 and see some principles that can be extracted from this section.

In these passage we see a warning, an exchange, a response and a challenge.

First:

A Warning against Anger

James 1:19-20 “19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

James transitions from trials and temptations to a very important topic- being doers of the Word- yet He uses a very interesting transition statement.

He reminds his readers that being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry are qualities of a spiritually mature Christian.

Remember- James is writing a letter to all believers with the goal of helping them grow spiritually.

2 tim 3 16 “16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”

This got me thinking: Anger often comes from being self-centered and not other centered.

Which is what James is saying: your anger does not benefit your walk with God- it often just hurts people, hurt you and your reputation.

What would your life look like if you were quick to hear other and slow to speak your mind?

After James gives a warning, he jumps into:

A Command to Exchange

James 1:21 “21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

James gives us an exchange that must be present in the life of a believer.

To get rid of filth and to accept the Word of God.

This needs to be an intentional process.

Filth is prevalent around us, if you are not actively trying to get rid of filth, it will eventually creep in…

Remember temptation is a product of our own desires

James 1:14 “14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.”

If you are constantly feeding your mind with immoral

Language

Images

Video

Conversations

You will likely fall pray to temptation more easily

This is not about being legalistic (don’t do anything) but it is about being wise.

1 Cor 6:12 “12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.

“I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.”

Remember, James is asking you to exchange- get rid of filthy but that is not all

The key words here is to “accept humbly the word.”

Which means to submit to the authority of Scripture.

You give scripture the highest authority in your life.

why?

Because it has a benefit for your life.

“When the Bible and I don’t agree on something.

I don’t change the Bible, I change myself.”

Then James jumps to the part that is easier said than done.

A Response to Knowledge

James 1:22-25 “22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.

Do what it says.

23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”

If you take comfort in the fact that you have heard the word, but you do not allow the conviction of the word to encourage you to change, you are deceiving yourself.

Charles S. Spurgeon” I fear we have many such in all congregations; admiring hearers, affectionate hearers, attached hearers, but all while unblessed hearers because they are not doers of the word.”

I’ve done this where I listen to a pastor preached a sermon and I immediately think: “Man, my friend should be here to listen to this” not acknowledging that in reality what is being preached is for me to hear, accept and do.

James uses an illustration that for a long time I did not comprehend.

Mirror

He is simply saying- no one looks at the mirror for no reason.

You look at a mirror to make sure you are looking good, you’re make up is not running, your hair is in the right place, your clothes are matching, so on.

We look at a mirror with an intention do fix our appearance.

The Bible works in the same way, the Bible will make you realized that there are some behaviors, thoughts, attitudes, beliefs that are wrong.

Yet many people look at the word and walk away from it not doing anything about it.

James is saying you need to respond to the knowledge the Bible brings to you, when you intently read it.

Lastly, James brings:

A Challenge to Devotion

James 1:26-27 “26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

“I’m spiritual, not religious.”

- This has a connotation that religion is a bad thing.

Let me speak to this for a second.

Student, True Religion is a good thing.

Empty/worthless religion is not.

Religion/Worship — the activity of showing love and devotion to a deity; also involves the necessary knowledge concerning beliefs and practice to be able to participate in worship.

Devotion to God is what we were created for.

(James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts) I don’t have time to unpack this but let me say say it again.

Religion, devotion, worship, commitment to God is a good thing.

Knowing about God is not enough, God wants devotion to Him, fully.

Guitar- Illustration- I am not a good guitar player because I have not devoted myself to play guitar.

Our religion knowledge is worthless unless it translate into the practical way we treat others with out words and our actions.

Main Point: We must hold the Word of God as the highest level of authority in our lives in order for us to become “doers of the Word.”

Psalm 1:1-2 “1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”