INTRO.- Take note of this. Pay attention to this. Pay attention to scripture. This is divine revelation. This is the Word of God.
ILL.- One day a professor was discussing a particularly complicated concept. A pre-med student rudely interrupted to ask, "Why do we have to learn this pointless information"
"To save lives." The professor responded quickly and continued the lecture. A few minutes later, the same student spoke up again. "So how does physics save lives?" he persisted.
"It keeps the ignoramuses like you out of medical school," replied the professor.
There are some people who shouldn’t go to medical school. This doesn’t mean, however, that they should stop learning about good things in school or college that pertain to maintaining life.
Likewise, some people should not become preachers of the gospel. They might not kill anyone but they might not do any good either! Some people are just not cut out to preach. But this doesn’t mean they should stop learning the Word of God. All Christian people need to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (II Peter 3:18) And where do we get this knowledge? THE BOOK!
If there is anything we should “take note of,” it’s scripture. We should take good note of it, meaning, pay special attention to it. Why? Because scripture can save us in the sense of leading us to one who saves by His grace!
II Timothy 3:13-17 13 While evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Continue in what you’ve learned. Hopefully, you’ve learned some scripture. If so, CONTINUE IN IT. Continue to pay attention to the Word of God. Read it. Study it. Hide it in your heart so that you won’t sin against God. (Ps. 119:11) Sin will keep you from the Bible or the Bible will keep you from sin!
PROP.- James says to take note of important matters of life.
1- Take note of your listening
2- Take note of your speaking
3- Take note of your anger
4- Take note of your sin
I. TAKE NOTE OF YOUR LISTENING
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen.
ILL.- Before the beginning of an athletic event, awaited by thousands of fans, a little dog strayed from his master onto the field. From the grandstand on one side of the field, one whistled. Presently, many were whistling to the dog from all sides of the field.
In the middle of the field, the little dog, filled with confusion and fright, crouched to the ground. Then, a boy at the end of the field put two fingers into his mouth and whistled shrilly and loudly. The little dog, recognizing his master’s call amidst the others leaped to his feet. With ears erect, the dog ran swiftly to its master.
Can you hear your master calling you above all other calls in this world? BE QUICK TO LISTEN.
ILL.- July 13, 2011. New York (CNN) -- A New York town clerk announced her resignation in a letter saying that she would be compromising her "moral conscience" if she signed marriage licenses between same-sex couples.
Laura Fotusky said her decision was based strongly on her religious convictions and obeying the law of God over the law of men. "The Bible clearly teaches that God created marriage between male and female as a divine gift that preserves families and cultures," Fotusky wrote. "Since I love and follow Him, I cannot put my signature on something that is against God."
That lady could hear God calling her above the call of the world. She chose to listen to God above all others.
ILL.- The minister’s sermon concerned the relationship between fact and faith. “That you are sitting before me in this church,” he said, “is fact. That I am standing, speaking from this pulpit, is fact. But it is only faith that makes me believe anyone is listening.” Are you listening to God through the preached Word of God?
ILL.- I like that old story about the southerner who was in New York on business and went to church on Sunday while he was there. (good lesson for us all! Go to church on vacation, etc.)
As the preacher began his message the southerner got caught up in the message and shouted “Amen!” The preacher was unaccustomed to anyone saying, “Amen” during his sermons so it shocked him to the point that he lost his place in his sermon. A deacon saw this and went to the southerner and said, “You’re disturbing the preacher. You’ll have to be quiet.”
The southerner nodded his consent. But after a few minutes he got excited about the sermon and shouted, “Amen” again. That same deacon came back to him and said, “Now listen. I told you to be quiet.”
The southerner said, “I can’t help it. I got religion.” The deacon said, “Well, shut up anyway. You didn’t get it here.”
In many churches you can tell that some people don’t get any religion or fire from God because you never hear a peep out of them! Or you never see any change in their behavior! THAT’S THE REAL TEST OF LISTENING TO GOD!
We all should be quick to listen to God at home when we read His Word and when we come to church and hear His Word taught and preached!
II. TAKE NOTE OF YOUR SPEAKING
19 slow to speak. Slow to speak what? BAD STUFF. Bad words. Angry words. Mean words.
ILL. Johanne Brahms, the German composer, was absolutely truthful in everything he said. He could not tell even the ordinary conventional fib. His friends were as wax in his hands. He was a great a man as he was an artist. There was not a blot on his superb character. But he was never accustomed to restraining himself nor to holding his tongue. If he disliked anything he would say so frankly. This bluntness combined with his rough manner frequently made him appear very harsh.
The following remark of some wit was current in Vienna. One evening, Brahms, on taking leave of his hostess at a party, said, “Kindly excuse me if I by chance have forgotten to offend one of you guests.”
In other words, “if I didn’t offend you verbally, I meant to do that. Please forgive me for not offending you.” He sounds like some of those late night comedians on TV.
Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Don’t speak words that tear people down. Speak words that build people up! Or the old adage may apply: If you can’t say something good then don’t say anything at all!
Colossians 4:5-6 “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Speak gracious words.
II Timothy 2:24-26 “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”
Don’t quarrel or argue with people. Be kind. Be gentle. Be slow to speak unless it’s good stuff.
ILL.- A woman once came to one of the old Puritan preacher of London and told him that the bands which he wore with his pulpit gown were altogether too long, and that they annoyed her greatly. She would like his permission to shorten them. Confident that he would agree, she had come armed with a pair of scissors. The minister kindly handed over the offending bands to the woman, who shortened them according to her taste with her scissors and then handed the fragments back to the minister.
When he received them, he thanked her and said: “Now, my good woman, there is something about you that is altogether too long, and which has annoyed me greatly, and since one good turn deserves another, I would like permission to shorten it.”
“Certainly,” said the woman, “you have permission to do so, and here are the scissors.” Whereupon he said, “Very well, madam, stick out your tongue.” BE SLOW TO SPEAK!
III. TAKE NOTE OF YOUR ANGER
19-20 And slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
ILL.- A lady once came to preacher Billy Sunday and tried to rationalize her angry outbursts. "There’s nothing wrong with losing my temper," she said. "I blow up, and then it’s all over." "So does a shotgun," Sunday replied, "and look at the damage it leaves behind!"
Generally, getting angry does leave a lot of damage behind. Think of all the bad things that have happened as a result of anger. People get angry and fight. Some get angry and cuss.
Some get angry and kill others.
ILL.- Rubel Shelly is the President of Rochester College, MI. He wrote: It’s All the Rage! “It appears to be all the rage these days. Rage, that is. It comes in countless varieties — road rage, grocery store rage, airline rage, youth sports rage, restaurant rage, standing-in-line rage, can’t-get-in-line rage, etc.
“Think about the sports pages of your newspaper. Poor sportsmanship and anger literally “beat out” scores and game highlights. The fiercest action is in the stands. A Texas mother slaps the mother of a girl on the winning basketball team at the end of the game. A Florida high school baseball coach breaks an umpire’s jaw after a disputed call. A father beats another father to death in an argument over rough play at their sons’ hockey practice.
“All sorts of explanations are offered for this epidemic of anger. Social scientists blame stress, high expectations, and multi-tasking. This isn’t merely a psychological problem. It’s a moral issue that reflects a lack of the virtue called self-control. It is a lack of respect for other people and reflects the childish sentiment some never outgrow that everything must happen my way.
“Where did I get the idea that I am entitled to everything I want whenever I want it? Has our materialistic and narcissistic age so infected us all that no one can do without, wait her turn, or lose an athletic contest? Do others have rights?” And he’s right!
Ephesians 4:26-27 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
Psalm 37:8 “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.”
Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Proverbs 29:11 “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”
Ecclesiastes 7:9 “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.”
Be slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
IV. TAKE NOT OF YOUR SIN
21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
ILL.- Two guys who were not known for being overly smart were driving a delivery truck down a road when they came to a tunnel. The sign read: "Warning: Maximum Height 10 feet zero inches", so they got out and measured their truck. Unfortunately, the truck was just over 12 feet high.
They didn’t know what to do, when finally one of them looked both directions and said, "I don’t see any police, let’s go for it!"
As ridiculous as that sounds, there are many folks who take the same approach to sin. "If nobody sees us, then it’s OK to go ahead and do it. We can get away with it!"
And people can no more get away with sin than those two guys could get away with driving that 12 ft. high truck through a 10 ft. high tunnel! Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap!
Job 31:33 “....if I have concealed my sin as men do, by hiding my guilt in my heart...”
Concealing sin in our hearts is not the thing to do! Instead of concealing our sins, we should confess our sins!
I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Job 13:23 “How many wrongs and sins have I committed? Show me my offense and my sin.”
Psalm 19:13 “Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.”
Psalm 32:5 “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”— and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”
How do we get rid of all moral filth or any evil in us? We pray. We confess our sins to the Lord. We ask for mercy and forgiveness. And we humbly accept the word of God in us. We study God’s Word. We hide the Word of God in our hearts that we might not sin against Him!
Take note of your sin and do something about it. Don’t take pleasure in it. Take it to the Lord and let Him deal with you.
CONCLUSION------------------
Did you ever make a “to do” list? Well, here’s a good “to do” spiritual list:
- Make sure you always listen to God every day.
- Think before you speak. Better yet, say a prayer before you speak to anyone.
- Don’t let your anger get the best of you. Let the Lord get the best of you.
- Go after sin in your life with a big hammer. The big hammer of God’s Word!
Steve Shepherd, Jonesboro Christian Church, AR
jonesborochristianchurch@suddenlink.net
