Time to make an application
James 1:19-27
Last week we started a study of the book of James. The general theme that I am looking at is a Faith that Works. Last week the subject was Pure Joy. James explains to his readers then and today that trials come in spite of our faith. In James’s day is was addressing persecutions and we related to the 3 F’s of problems today – Family, Finances and Physical or FITNESS.
The general idea was that people of faith have something to hold on too even when the times are dark and rough. Our slender life line of faith connects us to a great anchor, holding us in place.
Not that it is pleasant, but we actually learn from our bad times and hard experiences and when each time passes our faith in God Grows.
James does not believe that God sends the trials or that we should just take his opinion about the trial sin our lives. When we hade doubts and questions…when we wonder why god does not seem to respond or provide us a miracle we can call out to God…..He explains that we can ask god for wisdom and he will freely give it with gives with judgment on us for asking.
We can ask God for wisdom…understanding….not necessarily knowledge. Knowledge answers Who, Why, where and Why….Wisdom builds trust and peace and hope.
So, James calls his readers to have “Joy” in spite of their situation because God is with them in the moment and their real joy is one that comes in God’s time.
In today’s reading the focus remains on faith. Today’s reading reminds me of using lemon juice to write a note on paper. The only way for someone else to see the message is for it to become visible.
James’ statements tell me something of how faith, something invisible, becomes something visible in a believer’s life.
In our reading today James reminds his readers of the family kind of relationship that they share… “Dear Brothers” He is still not claiming any special authority or position. He is writing as an equal, offering his counsel.
“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”
Two psychiatrists meet at their 20th college reunion. One is vibrant, while the other looks withered and worried.
“So what’s your secret?” the older looking psychiatrist asks. “Listening to other people’s problems every day, all day long, for years on end, has made an old man of me.”
“So,” replies the younger looking one, “who listens?”
James suggests that we should be quick to listen. As I thought about that I realized how hard that is for me. Perhaps it is hard for you as well.
Listening is different than hearing. We hear noises all the time. We learn to tune things out. We often don’t really hear the traffic as we drive along in our cars. I guess it becomes background noise…and other things hold our attention like the radio. Unless we hear the screeching of car tires or the sudden sound of a siren right around us.
Then suddenly our attention becomes focused. I think that James is suggesting a willingness to listen to people and actually hear what they are saying is important.
The giving of a flippant answer or just tossing out “Your Opinion” can be a problem if your were not listening to another person and suddenly the screeching sound of a question comes your way.
But I wonder if his suggestion has a deeper context. I wonder, if we have a problem listening to people if we might have a problems listening to God in scripture reading. If we are more interested in reading to advance the bookmark more than listening to and finding meaning in what we read.
He adds to be slow to answer….How often have I just said no or yes to my children’s request without thinking…without getting all the information.
How about snapping answer to a person’s comment or request with no consideration or real thought, with no prayerful consideration of the situation … just my reaction and my suggestion.
Slow to speak indicates to me that we consider how and even if we should answer.
I believe that people respond much better and longer term to encouragement than a tong lashing and that is why James added the statement to be slow to anger.
When I take a moment to thank back to times when I became angry, especially at acquaintances or strangers and all too often family. I can almost always look at the suggestions from James and realize that I could have had a lot less embarrassment and hard feelings and a lot fewer apologies if I held tightly to this one line of scripture.
I have found that I am rarely disappointed when I hold back my angry comments.
But, I have often regretted my words spoken in anger. When a slower response, better chosen words could have been just as effective and spoke better of me as a person.
I believe that James is suggesting that the way we respond to people and situations is an outward sign of our faith.
If we don’t really listen and we offer flippant and perhaps un-loving comments those are bad indicators of our faith condition.
However, we only make it worse if we become angry.
-- Now don’t jump to a conclusion before I finish, listen to just a bit more….There is definitely a time and place for anger.
But, all too often we get angry for the wrong reasons, we misunderstand; we decide that we already know better sometimes not really listening to what people have to say.
-- Back in the middle ages a craftsman of limited training was seen often at the discussions between the architects of a cathedral, a friend asked if he understood Latin, the language of the management. "No," said the craftsman, "but I can tell who is wrong in the argument." When asked how he determined this, the craftsman said: "By watching who becomes angry first."
Often anger flares up in us because someone else thinks differently. Most of the anger we express is anger that comes from within us…limited to our sole understanding of fairness and right and wrong.
When our anger is rooted in what we feel and think and not based on what would anger God, then there is a good chance we are hurting how people see us….
-- Faith is supposed to help us act differently.
It is supposed to enable us to change and improve the God given image of God seeded in us from creation.
The wrong expression of anger is a sign that we are not doing well in our maturity in a righteous life.
James seems to be very real to me. His words and descriptions hit home and make me think.
While he speaks simple truth about what people are like, he seems to understand that his readers are a work in progress.
He says, “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.”
He does not say “if you have a problem… he just continues, “Therefore….”
Just like trials we discussed last week, we have a tendency to listen poorly and speak quickly and to blowup with anger when it is inappropriate.
Don’t think that you have an excuse, because he is calling us to change. We have been told what to do as a response to a problem we have. He is expecting us to take the information and to make an application….We are to do something about our flaw.
Basically, he is suggesting that we strip off the moral filth and the evil that influenced us…like changing clothes and taking a bath. I will suggest that he is talking about confession of sin, of repentance and a prayer for God’s mercy and help.
He is saying that we need to take action and Humbly accept the word planted in us.
Getting rid of the evil leaves a void and something must replace your sin. To do that James is suggesting growing in the word.
How has the word been planted in each of us?
If we are brothers of James, we have a seed of faith placed in us by the Holy Spirit.
That seed is released to grow by hearing and reading scripture. It is encouraged by the interaction and counsel of brothers and sisters in letters, books and especially in the words and actions of our trusted church family.
The only way it grows is for us to be humble enough (teachable) to receive counsel and to admit that we are still in the process of cleaning up and shedding evil.
-- The seed of faith when we apply the word of God grows not by our actions but by our choice.
James continues calling for action by saying, Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
That sounds pretty clear. Don’t just listen to the Word….Do what it says.
He is pressing pretty hard. For us, we might say, you can’t just come to church as a sign that you are a person of faith. You have to do something as a response to what you hear when you leave the building. Just hearing means nothing, a response is required
“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
Do ya’ll have mirrors at home?
We do. I don’t necessarily like what I see in my when I get up in the morning. In spite of my displeasure with my image, I still find the mirror to be useful in Trimming my mustache, brushing my hair and making sure my face is clean.
My mirror helps me to avoid mistakes in my appearance when I go into public…Let me show you my Driver license photo sometime, a day when I failed to check my appearance.
Like a mirror, the word of God, and the loving words of your church family can cause you not to enjoy what you see in yourself, your life, your actions and words.
James is suggesting that when you see the truth about yourself, as a person of faith you must respond. You should take the knowledge you personally gain and make an application to change in your life and the lives of others.
So, when the Sunday School lesson challenges your opinions, when a sermon or a hymn speaks to you; you can’t just let them be something you hear…. You need to allow God to help you change or act and reach out.
If you leave a service and forget the message and the application, then you are forgetting what you look like….forgetting who you look like.
-- Forgetting the image that should be visible to the people you meet because your faith.
We will end with this last quote, But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
Perhaps you are thinking that we don’t live under the Law any more.
Notice he says perfect law. The Law of Moses over the generations was impacted by the interpretation of man. In an attempt to stay right with God they made things harder. The rules became stricter to keep out of trouble with God.
I do the same thing with my income taxes when I read the forms. I tend to error on the side of caution wanting to stay out of trouble.
Jesus came to circumvent the law as it had become and return it to perfection. He came to make the law of God understandable and easier to follow.
He came to write the law on the hearts of men.
Don’t get the wrong idea, there can still be misinterpretation, wrong thinking and worse a complete ignoring of the truth. However if a person of faith looks intently, examines the details and compares what faith tells them about God they will find freedom.
Freedom to know their purpose.
Freedom to accept the promises.
Freedom to receive the power and comfort.
Freedom to apply what they understand about God to a world.
Personally, I believe that James has grounds to sue Nike for copyright infringement.
I believe that he is the first one to tell people to Just do it!
Not just do it because have to but, do it because you want too.
Faith becomes visible when we turn our hearing and understanding into action and application.
We live in world that does not know how to listen to anything but guilt, and pain and suffering.
People of faith respond to do what is right acting out of hope and joy and peace.
Look at yourself in the mirror and see what you may need to do to make a difference as you enter the world today.
It is time to make an application. Apply for God to help you and mature you to grow in righteousness. Apply to take the gift of wisdom and offer it to a world that is full of questions. Let your faith be visible by the way you live and act. And the things you do.
All Glory be to God!
