Scripture: James 1:19-25
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 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. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 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.
Sermon Notes:
There is a huge correlation that fits in with the parable of the sower ( Matthew 13:1–23, Mark 4:1–20, Luke 8:4–15) . When Jesus ended the portion he said the following - "He who has ears, let him hear."
Then he explains the parable. We look at the parable and see that it does a huge with hearing the word of God, the type of soil we meet in evangelism, the sovereignty of God and how we have to be people who have deep roots in the word.
The is an obvious question how does James know this, obviously we could say that the Holy Spirit told him or the disciples told. In Luke we read that just after Jesus said this parable there was Jesus's mother and brothers waiting to see him. (see Luke 8:19)
James has been reminding us so far about faith being a active portion and James is now drawing us into the place where faith matters the most. That is in being obedient to the word of God.
James first addresses anger. He says that we are to slow to anger, quick to hear and slow to speak. He reminds us that the anger of men is not equal to the righteousness of God.
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger (Ephesians 4:16) Paul reminds us what the Psalmist says in Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath in Psalm 37:8a
This is what James is now pointing us into. We are to be people of the word. This is the way we grow up when we are going through trials. We are to be people who drink from the stream. Psalms 42:1-2 and the I AM the Living water (see notes).
Why?
This way we are able to persevere under trials, fight temptations and "save our souls".
James reminds us to renounce - put away far from us filthiness, and the abundance of wickedness. This is important. We cannot enjoy the world and all its filth while consuming the word of God. They do not mix well. This is the truth.
James reminds us to receive the implanted word. I love the way John Piper explains this. He says we cannot receive our Kidney but we can receive the word. This is a wise saying. We know that when we are born again we have to word of God the holy Spirit implanted in us. But we need to receive the word for our edification. We need to let the word wash us over daily. (Ephesians 5:26) ...
See this in comparison with the last weeks sermon, there sin was conceived, here the word is implanted. There is a divine exchange not only on the cross but in your life.
This is how the Word works. This is why James exhorts us to be receivers. The word recharges us, preserves, builds , strengthens us. It deepens our roots that we may stand among thorns. The roots of plant break stones, concrete and mountains because they desire water - so should we. Desire to drink from the brook of life.
This is why we have to be doers of the word. Practice preaching the word to yourself. You need to hear the word. Just like a man looking at a mirror and forgetting if there was a hair standing up so will we forget if we do not practice the word.
The word is meant to give us life, this is why it is there. It is not for us to learn a bunch of verse and point and win arguments - it is meant to deepen our roots.
See
2 Timothy 3:17
1 Thes 2:13
Hebrews 4:12
1 John 2:14
James 1:21
The word is the prefect law - the law of liberty - law of freedom that has set us from (Romans 8:2) from sin - therefore there is no compulsion for the person to obey the law or the word, but only the one who is rooted in it will be blessed. In other ways, when we hear the word, it should break us, change us, and we should pursue the word. This is for our good. It will bring in fruit of repentance.
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