“Listening and doing”

Text: James 1:19-27
Sermon:

• This is one of my favorite books in the Bible. This letter has always challenged me to live out my faith. This letter often buries deep into my heart and my mind. Many of the challenges are practical and thoughtful.
• Looking at our scripture for today, we see James encouraging Christ-followers to think through their actions and their reactions in certain situations. Even though our instincts try to force us to act out our frustration or anger, we need to be renewed in our thoughts and our actions.  
• Inward change must affect outward conduct. No matter how spiritual we may think we are, we could all control our speech more effectively.
• As believers, we are free to live as God created us to live.
• This section of scripture, we will hear a lot of preaching about verse 21, which tells us to get rid of evil in our lives. We will then be taught what is evil and how we can eliminate it; Many of these evil things were simply things that were seen as odd or abnormal to the majority.  
• We will even hear teachings from verse 19 and 20, where we are told to quick to listen and slow to speak. This will often be paired with the teaching of how we should not question the authority of a family member or the pastor. 
• But I feel that the teaching of verse 22-24 is vastly overlooked. Either that, or these verses are minimized; It encourages us to not just listen to the teaching of the word, but we should be people to do what the Bible says.
• I believe this subject is highly misunderstood. Too often the term “Doing what the Bible says,” is used to mistreat people, mentally and emotionally harm people and to enforce dominance of one culture over another.   
• Yet, in verses 22-24, we see that we are expected to follow what the scripture says, but what does the bible say? Jesus’ teachings us to love our neighbors through word and actions (Mark 12:31) feed the poor (Luke 14:13-14; Matthew 25:35-37; Romans 12:20; Acts 20: 35) clothe the naked (Matthew 25:36-40), and stand up for the oppressed (Matthew 25:31-46, Luke 4:18–19, Luke 18:1-8)  
• The word “doer” means “describes one who does something as his occupation such as a producer, a poet or an author.”
• Rick Renner states, “Now James uses this word poietes in James 1:22 to tell us that we must put forth our fullest efforts and most creative abilities in doing what we have heard preached! We cannot passively hope that the Word becomes a part of our lives; we must get creative and find ways to make the Word a practical part of our lives.”
• “Steven Cole makes the point that "Obedience should always be the bottom line of Bible study or biblical preaching. Correct application must always be built on correct interpretation. But to study the word just to fill your head with knowledge, without applying the word, short-circuits God’s purpose in giving it.”
• The use of this term “hearers” by James again implies that in ancient times there was frequent public reading of the Scriptures along with oral instruction.
• I also want to focus on verse 27, another verse that I truly love. It states that true religion is “To look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
• We are not called to be people of authority. We are called to be people of love and people who care for those that need help and assistance.

 
Conclusion: Let us be people who have open hearts, open minds and open doors.