BE YE DOERS OF THE WORD Pastor James J. Barker
Text: JAMES 1:18-27 INTRODUCTION: 1. My message this morning is entitled, “Be Ye Doers of the Word” (James 1:22). 2. Our church has a lot of hearers (and I thank God for that) but we need more doers. In fact, there is a danger in hearing Bible preaching week after week and just listening but not doing. The Bible says these types of hearers are deceiving themselves (1:22). I. RECEIVE THE WORD
(1:21). 1. Let us consider this phrase, “the engrafted word” (1:21). Vine’s Expository Dictionary says the word means “implanted” and says, “The metaphor is that of a seed rooting itself in the heart.” 2. Our Lord Himself used this metaphor in His parable of the sower (cf. Matt. 13:18-23). 3. Which type of heart do you have – the way side, the stony places, the thorns, or the good ground (13:18-23)? 4. The Word of God should be received “with meekness” (James 1:21). Some people come to church with a haughty attitude. Then the Word of God stings them like a sword (it is called “the Sword of the Spirit” in Ephesians 6:17) and they receive it “with meekness.” 5. Now they are ready to do business with God. Now they are ready to submit to the Lordship of Christ. Now they are ready to humble themselves before God, and like Saul of Tarsus cry out to God, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). 6. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…” 7. The Word of God is “able to save your souls” (1:21; cf. vs. 18; I Peter 1:23). 8. The Word of God is like seed rooting itself in the heart. The Word of God is like a sharp sword discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart. And the Word of God is like a mirror (James 1:23-25). 9. The Holy
Spirit uses the Word of God to transform us (II Cor. 3:18). II. HEAR THE WORD
(1:21). 1. Here is where a lot of people miss out. They allow things to distract them from properly hearing the word. This is why I do not like it when people get up and start walking around and going to the bathroom (etc.) during the preaching service. 2. Parents – try and see to it that your children go to the bathroom before the preaching service. Ushers – try and keep an eye on this. 3. This is why we have a
nursery and children’s church for our babies and youngsters. When there is commotion people can
easily be distracted. I am
particularly concerned about sinners and their need to hear the clear
proclamation of the Gospel. 4. We must listen carefully as
the Word of God is preached.
Our Lord said that the devil is waiting to swoop in and snatch the word
away (cf. Matt. 13:19). 5. This Scripture also reminds
us that the Word of God must be properly expounded so that the listeners can
understand it (Matt. 13:19; cf. Nehemiah 8:1-8, 12,
13). 6. We must read the Word
of God. We must hear the
Word of God. And we must
keep the Word of God (cf. Rev. 1:3;
22:7). III. DO THE WORD
(1:22-24). 1. I want to spend more time here because this is where many people (even many Christian people) miss the boat. They hear the Word but they are not “doers of the word” (1:22). 2. We are to hear the Word, but
then we are to “continue therein” (1:25).
3. Some might wonder, “How can
one be a doer of the Word? 4. You are a “doer” of the Word
when you are a “doer of the work” (James 1:25). We are not saved by our good works, but
if we are genuinely saved we ought to be doing good works (cf. James 2:17, 20,
26).
5. Good works will follow a
genuine conversion like night follows day (cf. Eph.
2:8-10). 6. There are some similarities
between the book of James and our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount (cf. Matt.
7:24-27). 7. Are you a “wise man” or a
“foolish man” (Matt. 7:24, 26)? 8. Many people are religious
(James 1:26), but they are not saved. It has been often said that Christianity
is not simply a religion – it is a
relationship. 9. Religious people are
preoccupied with fancy ornate buildings, preachers with colorful robes and
impressive titles, elaborate rituals, a religious hierarchy, and an organized
church calendar.
10. According to the NT there is
only ONE DAY on the church calendar and that day is the Lord’s
Day. 11. What about these other
religious trappings? ·
Fancy ornate buildings? Do we see this in the
NT? ·
Preachers with robes and titles? Did the apostles wear fancy robes? Did they have worldly titles? Did the apostle
Paul? ·
Elaborate rituals?
The preaching of the Word should be
central. ·
Religious hierarchy? According to the NT, there are just
pastors and deacons in the local church. 12. Some people claim to be
religious but they will not “bridle” their tongue (James 1:26). Many church members use profanity. And
some are like the gossiping woman who came forward at the invitation and said,
“Pastor, I am laying my tongue on the altar.” He said, “Sister, our altar is not big
enough for your tongue.” 13. I heard a pastor say that he
was driving to a meeting with another preacher and this other preacher kept
running down other preachers.
Finally the pastor stopped him and said, “Will you mind cutting it
out? I have to preach tonight and
it will be hard for me to preach after listening to all this garbage!” He said the preacher with the unbridled
tongue then pouted for the whole rest of the trip. 14. Being a “doer of the word”
means having a genuine love and concern for others (1:22, 26, 27). When James refers to “the fatherless and widows” he is
not giving us an exhaustive list.
These are merely examples of people in
need. 15. “Visit” (1:27) means to look out for, to keep an eye on
them, be concerned about their welfare. 16. There is coming a day when our Lord is going to separate
the goats from the sheep and the goats will be sent into the fires of hell. Our Lord said He commend His sheep
because they helped the sick and hungry. 17. You’re not saved by doing good works, but the Bible
teaches that if you are truly saved you will do good
works. 18. I think this means if you really love God you will go
out on visitation. If you love God
you will reach out and help others.
If you love God you will offer to drive people to
church. 19. If you love God you will love others. You will have a burden for souls and a
burden for missions. 20. But unfortunately, many church members are
deceived. They think they are good
Christians when in fact they are selfish. Let me ask you – are you deceiving
yourself? (James 1:22-24). 21. Some are generous when it comes to their immediate
family, but stingy when it comes to the work of God. I knew a deacon in a Baptist church who
admitted that sometimes he gave his tithe to his son because the son had money
problems. That is
wrong. 22. We ought to take care of our children. We ought to take care of our
family. First Timothy 5:8 says,
“But if any
provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath
denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” 23. We have to provide for our
family, but we’re not supposed to rob God.
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only” (1:22). 24. We hear preaching about prayer but yet many Christians
seldom pray. Our Lord said in
Luke 18:1, “men
ought always to pray, and not to faint.” “But be ye doers of the
word…” 25. Our Lord also had a lot to
say about fasting. He said, “When
ye fast” – not, “If ye fast…” 26. We hear preaching about studying the Bible but many
Christians seldom read the Bible.
“Study
to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Tim. 2:15). 27. People hear all of this but
they are not doing it. Too
many other activities (like watching the boob tube) crowd out the Word of God
and crowd out prayer and crowd out soulwinning. 28. “Unspotted” means “unstained” (1:27). We live in a very dirty
world. It is hard to live in this
wicked world without becoming soiled and contaminated.
29. Mass media and modern technology such as the Internet
have inundated us with every form of filth imaginable. Even some of the
commercials on television are lewd and smutty.
30. How can we keep ourselves clean? We must make every effort to keep
ourselves “unspotted from the world.”
We must “lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of wickedness” (James
1:21). 31. If you had a coat and it fell into the sewer you would
not want to wear it. The soul of
man is more precious than the body; we must not let it be contaminated by the
filthy sins of this wicked world. CONCLUSION: 1. James uses an interesting
_expression in 1:26 – “seem to be religious.” There are many people who “seem to be
religious” but they are not saved. 2. Over 100 years ago, William
Booth said, “I am of the opinion that the dangers which confront the coming
century will be religion without the Holy Ghost; Christianity without Christ;
forgiveness without repentance; salvation without regeneration; politics without
God; and heaven without
hell.” |
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