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Listen Well To Love Well

James: Faith Works
Sunday, May 26, 2024
Pastor Jojo Ma

 

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.

I.          The importance of listening well [vv19-21]
II.        The importance of living well [vv22-25]

I.         The importance of listening well [vv19-21]
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.

“Being heard is so close to being loved that most people cannot tell the difference.”

One of the most important things we can do while on this earth is to invest in relationships and listen well to others. That is truly a powerful form of love and care.

Do we hear Him speak through His Word? Do we slow down enough and let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly? Are we making time to be good listeners to Him who is most important, showing Him honor and love in that specific way?

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.

Eccles 7:9 Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.

If we want to temper our anger, we should begin by listening well, slowing down.

20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Biblical Counselor David Powlison: “I’m against that.”

The problem is that anger usually turns sinful very quickly for us. Just think about the last few times you got mad or angry. Did it turn sinful? Did it produce godliness in you and love for others? Did it produce harsh words or a gentle spirit?

Our goal should not be to be less angry, but to be more Christlike in our anger.

Ex 34:6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

Start with this: Slow down, listen well, first to God and then to others. Then pursue the right path and loving others.

21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Be intentional to slow down in life and think deeply about God and the study of Scripture. It’s able to save you and sanctify you. Nothing else can do it but God through His Word.

II.        The importance of living well [vv22-25]
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.

James wants to make sure we understand what genuine faith is, what real Christianity looks like lived out. Do you have a desire to grow and practice what you read and hear from God’s Word? Is that desire there? Is it growing with time?

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.

She is a doer of the Word because she keeps going back to the Word in her life. Call it the “circle of spiritual life”.

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.