FAITH FACTOR #2 – TRUE RELIGION

11.3.10 – Thrive
Pretty simple tonight – If you have an ESV, you already know my main points
James 1.19-27
Nothing new or complicated – just really hard to do
PRAY
I. Hear the Word (1.19-21)
Last week you talked about trials and tribulation. Read :19-21
Why does a section on not being angry come after a section on trials? I don’t think it is random
(some say James is random – like Proverbs – not a good view)
Our natural, INITIAL reaction to confrontational speech (which James is going to do a lot of)
is usually rage (vocal expression of anger) or bitterness (harboring deep seated anger) – James
is going to tell them big stuff and hard stuff (like trials happen to God servants and that
temptation is not from God but usually from our own desires)
THIS IS BUCKLE UP TIME – GAME TIME – I’ll be throwing it out, you better be picking it
up (you have dishonored the poor man)
So James starts with a command: KNOW THIS – YOU MUST KNOW THIS (not a
suggestion) – “beloved brothers” – not a command for a command’s sake – it is out of love
A. Be slow
to speak
to anger – not saying that all anger is wrong (Eph 4.26)
Lack of listening combined with lack of restraint in speech leads to anger - quick-
tempered, selfish anger shows that you don’t trust God and you don’t love others
B. Be fast
to hear – what is this?
It is opposite of anger
Quick – immediately – YOUR FIRST REACTION – Why slow to anger?
Because quick anger does not work God’s righteousness
That is the wrong type of work – it doesn’t please God – it has never
and will never – not according to God’s will
THEREFORE (since anger doesn’t please God)
Put off (take it off – like clothes) moral uncleanness (used of dirty clothes)
and wickedness (everything that doesn’t please God – opposite of virtue -
Phil 4.8 think on these things)
What is added to your character (external clothes) – you are wearing
your anger or your bitterness
INSTEAD – Use humility (gentleness – not overly impressed with yourself
– opposite of wrath) – receive – put on (added later – not what you were
born with) the Word (let it become a natural process)
WHY?
Because it saves your soul – salvation is continual – you are being saved –
made more like Christ
APPLICATION:
What is your initial response to the Word?
 Doubt, anger
What is your response to your parents’ biblical admonition?
Anger
Should be one of reception (your first response) in humility – letting it
become part of you – take the old clothes off (some of you may need to do
that)
Take off your initial reaction (which is unclean/vulgar and base)
II. Do the Word (1.22-27) READ 22-27
Become (to be born) – calls for you to make this a habit – become and continue to be
Do the word (Jewish audience would have understood him talking about the law)
NOT JUST HEARER – you can’t stop at just hearing it and saying “that’s true” or
saying “amen” – This was a huge part of Jewish life (hearing was part of home life
and synagogue life – Dt. 6)
If you just hear, you DECEIVE (miss the point, miscalculate – word is used of
people who intentionally deceive) yourself
A. It makes sense – gives us an every day example
If you hear and don’t do – you are like a guy who LOOKS INTENTLY into the
mirror at his BIRTH face (FACE HE WAS BORN WITH) – LOOK IS USED TWICE
(not as if he is groggy from waking up) – He is really looking – but then he
immediately forgets (PROBABLY NEGLECT is better) what he was like
Christ talks about a hearer but not a doer – the foolish man who builds his house on
the sand (Mt 7)
B. It brings blessing
The one who looks into the perfect law/word – LOOKS INTENTLY- bending
over to look at the minutia
PERFECT/COMPLETE - Word of God is not like their mirrors – polished
metal – doesn’t work exceptionally great – it is perfect
LAW OF FREEDOM – not bondage/slavery
And perseveres – not simply hearing and forgetting
A HEARER WHO DOES – A DOER WHO DOES
He will be blessed in his doing (NOT THE SLAVERY THAT HE WAS
EXPECTING-IT IS THE LAW OF FREEDOM)
C. It is true religion
A HEARER WHO DOES/ A DOER WHO DOES – THAT IS TRUE
RELIGION BEFORE GOD (the religion that God recognizes)
If you think you are religious (a pretty good Jesus follower – actually
describes someone who is meticulous in their religious observation)–
acceptable to God – RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD – LOOK AT THREE
THINGS
Rom 2.13 - For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of
the law who will be justified.
1. Do you control your tongue?
If you can control your tongue, you can control your body – The
tongue is impossible to tame
 If you can’t bridle your mouth (put a bridle in your own mouth, not
the mouth of someone else) – your religion is
vain/worthless/nonproductive – THE SMALLEST THING – your
tongue – you are deceiving yourself – you are not religious (SOME
OF THE MOST DILIGENT “HEARERS” are the most GOSSIPING)
2. Do you help the helpless?
This is pure religion and undefiled (used to describe)
The poor was on James’ mind because most Christians were poor at that
point in time
Help those that can’t help you back (orphans and widows)
Visit those that God the FATHER loves – nothing in it for you – not even
recognition from other Christians
Do it when they are in affliction (not talking about the rich little widow
that pays you $40 for walking her across the street)
3. Are you clean?
Be clean like Christ is clean – same word to describe the unspotted
sacrificial lamb (without fault, spotless, unstained?

James is all about being real

– he lived as Jesus’ half-brother (didn’t believe – Jn 7.5 – he heard it all of his life) – he
knew how to play the game (JEWISH people knew it too)
– the leader of the Jerusalem church – know how many people play the game
Starts out right up front – works are the result of faith (50 imperatives in 108 verses – this
series is going to nail you over and over – what will be your response?)

Are you DECEIVING YOURSELF? So easy – hearing but not doing

You look and look into the Word of God – and agree and agree – but never do it – just
like the mirror man – IT IS SO EASY TO LET OURSELVES BE DECEIVED (ESPECIALLY
YOU GUYS WHO ARE GROWING UP IN CHURCH – YOU HEAR THE WORD ALL THE
TIME, YOU AGREE WITH IT – AND YOU NEGLECT TO DO IT – WE EQUATE
HEARING WITH DOING)
Obedience is how you know you know – the hallmark of a child of God – not whether you hear
– THE ONLY PROPER RESPONSE TO HEARING THE WORD OF GOD IS DOING IT
Apply:
Did you hear last week’s sermon?
Did you do last week’s sermon?

Example: when foster lady told us about this kid who needs to be adopted

Small group questions:

Why does James spend so much more time on Doing than on Hearing?
Have you been Hearing the Word (receiving the implanted Word)?
At Thrive?
At the main service?
Have you been Doing the Word?
At Thrive?
At the main service?
Use last week’s Thrive and sermon as a test case:
Thrive – did you hear (receive the implanted Word) that we should count it all joy when we
meet trials – or did you react against that truth
Did you hear (receive) the fact that we shouldn’t blame God when in trials?
Have you done it this week?
Counted trials as joy
Not blaming God
Main service – did you hear (receive) the idea that divorce is wrong – no matter what our
culture says or what the situation is? Do you value marriage like God does and our church desires
to?
Will you do it?
Go into seeking a marriage that is permanent?
Say to yourself right now that divorce is never an option?
Are you practicing pure and undefiled religion?
Have you controlled your tongue?
When is the last time you have cared for the helpless?
Are you unstained from this world?