The Reason We Preach

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.

“Know this” = it is imperative that you know this.

“My beloved brother” / “Let every man” = each and every Christian should know and understand what James is going to say.

1. Hear God’s Word. (vs. 19-20)

A. To hear God’s Word you must be speedy.

“Quick to hear” = to be speedy to and have a great affinity for.

B. To hear God’s Word you must be slow.

“Slow” = inactive, dull of mind, stupid

Slow to speak.

Slow to anger.

We MUST hear God’s Word, but simply hearing is not enough...

2. Receive God’s Word. (vs. 21)

A. To receive God’s Word you must put away sin.

Once for all - like taking off dirty clothes.

We need to rid ourselves of the filth that is in our lives.

B. To receive God’s Word you must have a heart of meekness.

“Meekness” = having an attitude of teachability and a willingness to submit to what you are hearing.

We must HEAR and we RECEIVE but there is more to it...

3. Do God’s Word. (vs.22-27)

James 1:22–27 ESV

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.

3. Do God’s Word. (vs.22-27)

Don’t be deceived that merely hearing God’s Word is good enough.

(3)A. To be a doer you cannot ignore or forget God’s Word.

If we ignore or forget and we didn’t receive God’s Word.

We only heard it.

Like looking in a mirror and seeing but doing nothing.

We didn’t receive the information given to us.

We heard it / Saw it.

We ignored it and forgot about it.

If we don’t act promptly we will forget.

We cannot ignore.

We to obey quickly.

We need an action plan.

John 8:31 ESV

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

(3)A. To be a doer you cannot ignore or forget God’s Word.

(3)B. To be a doer you must dig into God’s Word.

“Looks into” = to stoop down to take a close look at.

“Perfect law, the law of liberty” = our rule for life

We need to make sure we are doing what it actually says, not just what we think it says.

We need to make sure we are doing all that it says.

So we must dig deep.

Hebrews 5:11–14 ESV

11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

(3)B. To be a doer you must dig into God’s Word.

(3)C. To be a doer you must persevere in God’s Word.

In contrast to ignoring and forgetting.

Continuously studying and learning.

Continuously yielding to God’s will.

No matter how hard.

No matter the cost.

Diligently and intentionally submitting to God’s Word.

We are trying to model that for you in our services.

Ephesians 5:19–20 ESV

19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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.

(3)C. To be a doer you must persevere in God’s Word.

Psalms are the perfect inspired word of God,

Hymns are used to recite doctrinal truth.

This includes far more than the songs in the hymnbook.

Spiritual songs offer believers the opportunity to express their personal responses to God as we retell the attributes of God.

We read, sing, and pray a Psalm.

We sing a hymn.

Often using an old familiar one.

We sing spiritual songs.

Pastor Mikes is working lead us in biblical songs.

We are persevering in in God’s Word.

The more we learn the more we work to align with scripture.

We want to take God’s Word seriously.

This hasn’t come without criticism.

We are singing new songs people don’t know.

We are doing things different than we have before.

We will persevere in God’s Word in spite of that.

Not only do we want to obey with a heart of submission, we want to shepherd you in that. We want to model that for you.

James doesn’t simply say we need to do what we hear...

But we need to continuously do what we hear and receive.

It is a lifestyle not a one time action.

2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

(3)C. To be a doer you must persevere in God’s Word.

Sometimes it means doing the unpopular thing.

And continuing to do it no matter how hard it is.

(3)D. A doer of God’s Word will receive blessing in obedience.

This is another conditional blessing.

IF your faith is real.

IF you are a real doer.

IF you humbly submit.

THEN you will be blessed in the doing of the Word.

Not just the doer, but the work done will be blessed.

Unlike future reward promised earlier...

James 1:12 ESV

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

(3)D. A doer of God’s Word will receive blessing in obedience.

This blessing is received in the present!

As we engage in regular study of God’s Word,

In diligent submission before God’s Word,

in humble obedience to God’s Word,

He shall make our way prosperous and give us good success in accomplishing God’s plan.

Joshua 1:8 ESV

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Psalm 1:1–3 ESV

1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

(3)D. A doer of God’s Word will receive blessing in obedience.

(3)E. A doer of God’s Word will be obvious to others.

James 1:26–27 ESV

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.

(3)E. A doer of God’s Word will be obvious to others.

“Religion” as James uses it, refers to the outward expression our inward devotion.

If we are hearing, receiving, and doing the Word, the doing will be obvious to those around us.

James identifies 3 areas out lives will obviously show our obedience.

I. Our communication.

If we are living The Word we will control our communication.

The word is tongue but it is far greater than that.

What do we say to others?

What do we interact with that communicates a message?

What do we share on social media?

Is our communication negative and complaining or thankful?

Does our communication lift others up or tear them down?

Our communication should be obviously different than the world around us.

If our communication isn’t right then our religion is useless.

II. Our compassion.

“Visit the widows and orphans in their affliction”

This is an example James gives.

“in their affliction” tells us we need to GO to those who need help.

A true heart of obedience moves us to action.

Just as Jesus looked at the crowds and was moved with compassion.

We are quick to want pastor or “the church” to DO

But what about you… you are the church.

Get your hands dirty.

Get in there and do.

Too often church attendance is enough.

Teaching Sunday school or helping in Awana is enough.

What about life on life through the week?

The things God commands us to do.

III. Our character.

“Keep yourself unstained from the world.”

Don’t let marks of the world get on us.

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.