Two Ears One Mouth
Text: James 1:19-20
Introduction
1. Admittedly we all have trouble listening.
Maybe we are watching our favorite TV program, and our husband or wife is talking to us about something that is important to them.
As they talk, we may mumble, "Hmm", "Yeah", and "Uh Huh".
Until they finally give up, saying with annoyance in their voice, "You are not listening to a word I’m saying!"
2. Outside of the need to know Jesus as Savior this is perhaps our country's biggest problem; we don't listen to others. Even when we do, we are already thinking about how we are going to respond! If you don't believe me, checked any social media! How many people do you know that are either mad or won't even speak to a family member or close friend because of something that was said on Facebook or Twitter?
3. Perhaps this is why James tells us...
A. Be Quick To Listen
B. Slow To Speak
4. Let's all stand together as we read James 1:19-20.
Proposition: We should be willing to truly listen before we speak.
Transition: First, James tells us...
I. Be Quick To Listen (19a).
A. Understand This
1. One of the things I love the most about James' letter is that it is so practical. It deals with some of the basics of life. One of the things he addresses frequently in this letter is personal relationships with others.
2. In particular he deals with what we do with our mouths, and the reality of life is we often talk too much and listen too little.
3. That is why in this section he says, "Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen..."
A. The expression be quick to listen is a beautiful way of capturing the idea of active listening.
B. We are not simply to refrain from speaking; we are to be ready and willing to listen.
C. One commentator suggests that the phrase “swift to hear,” used in James 1:19 (i.e., tachus eis to akousai), relates primarily to the hearing of or the ready obedience to the Word (referring to 1:18).
D. It is not just an imperative concerning normal social interaction or communication. It is, in fact, the trait of a good pupil, “quick to learn, slow to forget” (Ropes, International Critical Commentary, James, pp.168f.).
E. This “quick” listening is obviously to be done with discernment. We are to check what we hear with God’s word.
F. If we don’t listen both carefully and quickly, we are liable to be led into all kinds of false teaching and error (Barton, 1074).
G. Early congregations of believers were small and often met in homes.
H. In such informal gatherings there were undoubtedly discussions of Biblical truth.
I. James warned against quick, ill-considered comments, which would only lead to confusion (Steinberg, The Complete Biblical Library – Hebrews-Jude, 201).
J. "James is right to say this, for it is stupid to think that someone who is not prepared to learn from others will somehow be well-equipped to preach to them. Someone who want to become wise must first of all ask for this gift from God, as James has already said. Then he must find himself as a good teacher and in the meantime discipline his tongue so that he says nothing useless but restricts himself to preaching the truth which he has recently learned from others" (BEDE, Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture, 17).
4. A major problem that we have in our society today is the desire to want to be heard. What happens when everybody is talking and no one is listening? Chaos
B. Be Good Listeners
1. "Truth is more safely heard then preached. For when it is heard, lowliness (humility) is preserved, but when it is preached some bit of boastfulness may steal an almost in unawareness, and this brings corruption" (Augustine, Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture, 17).
2. Be quick to listen...
A. To Others
i. Proverbs 12:15 (NLT)
15 Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.
ii. It's easy to talk, but listening is hard. In fact, listening is a skill.
iii. We have insatiable desire to want to be heard, to have our thoughts and opinions out there for the world to...or read.
iv. However issues arise when we are unwilling to listen to what others have to say.
v. We need to slow down our mouths and speed up our ears.
B. Sound Doctrine
i. 1 Timothy 4:16 (NLT)
16 Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.
ii. The key word to understand here is SOUND doctrine, because there is more than enough unsound or incorrect doctrine floating around in the church today.
iii. In fact, this is one of the things that Paul warns us about. He said in the last days people will listen to doctrine taught by demons.
iv. He says that people will be willing to accept any doctrine that is pleasing to the ears, and that there will be preachers who will preach doctrine that tickles itching ears.
v. So as we are quick to listen to doctrine we must be certain it is based on sound Biblical principles.
C. The Spirit
i. Revelation 2:7 (NLT)
7 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.
ii. Even more so than listening to people, we must make sure we are listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
iii. We must listen for that still small voice of the Spirit.
iv. Prayer is a two-sided conversation, but all too often we spend all of our time in prayer telling God what we want and not enough time listening to what He wants.
v. Make sure in your prayer time that you are taking the time to listen to the Holy Spirit.
vi. Open your ears and heart to be able to hear what God is saying to you.
D. The Word
i. Psalm 78:1 (NLT)
1 O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying,
ii. Listen to what the Word of God is saying to you on a daily basis.
iii. If all of the Word that you are listening to is here on Sunday morning you are doing yourself a great disservice.
iv. You must hear from the Word of God daily.
v. Take time everyday to open your Bible, read a good healthy dose of Scripture and allow God to speak to you.
vi. Let me say again, don't leave your Bible on your seat at church...your chair can't read!!!
vii. In order to hear from the Word of God you have to read the Word of God!
Transition: In addition to being quick to listen James tells us to...
II. Be Slow To Speak (19b-20).
A. Be Slow
1. Another major problem besides being unwilling to listen as that we are in too big a hurry to speak.
2. That's why James says, "...slow to speak, and slow to get angry."
A. Quick to listen and slow to speak should be taken together as sides of the same coin.
B. Slowness in speaking means speaking with humility and patience, not with hasty words or nonstop gabbing.
C. Constant talking keeps a person from being able to hear. Wisdom is not always having something to say; it involves listening carefully, considering prayerfully, and speaking quietly.
D. When we talk too much and listen too little, we communicate to others that we think our ideas are much more important than theirs.
E. James wisely advises us to reverse this process. We need to put a mental stopwatch on our conversations and keep track of how much we talk and how much we listen.
F. When people talk to us, do they feel that their viewpoints and ideas have value?
G. We should also be slow to get angry.
H. The word here translated anger is more appropriately translated "wrath," and seems to imply a continuing resentment.
I. It is tragic but true that ill-considered observations sometimes lead to resentment which does not demonstrate righteousness (Steinberg, 201).
J. Anger closes our minds to God’s truth.
K. It is anger that erupts when our egos are bruised.
L. It is just the kind of anger that rises from too much fast talking and not enough quick listening!
M. When injustice and sin occur, we should become angry because others are being hurt.
N. But we should not become angry when we fail to win an argument, or when we feel offended or neglected. Selfish anger never helps anybody (Barton, 1074).
3. That's why it is important to hear what James says next, "Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires."
A. What happens when we listen too little and talk too soon? We get angry! Then usually the other person gets angry because we are angry which results in hurt feelings and broken relationships.
B. Anger that results in thoughtless, uncontrolled temper and leads to rash, hurtful words can never make things right in God’s sight.
C. Our anger toward others does not create within us a life that can withstand God’s scrutiny. Why not? Because expressed anger tends to be uncontrollable.
D. Anger is inconsistent with Jesus’ command to love our enemies and not hate our brothers.
E. Anger takes away God’s role as judge. In fact, we can be sure our anger is wrong when it keeps us from living as God wants us to live (Barton, 1075).
B. Pray, Think, Wait
1. "Because a diseased mind has no control over its own judgment, it thinks that whatever anger suggests must be right" (Gregory The Great, Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture, 17).
2. Be slow to speak...
A. In Public
i. James 3:1 (NLT)
1 Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.
ii. Getting up and preaching to others looks cool, but with it comes great responsibility.
iii. It requires being accurate to Biblical teaching.
iv. It requires hours of study and work.
v. Most of all you answer to God for what you teach.
B. Your Opinions
i. Proverbs 17:28 (NLT)
28 Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.
ii. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but not every opinion is right.
iii. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but not everyone needs to agree with your opinion.
iv. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but no one has the right to force their opinion on others.
v. In the end, the only opinion that really matters is God's opinion.
C. Critically Of Others
i. Proverbs 26:20 (NLT)
20 Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
ii. It's easy to criticize.
iii. It's easy to find fault with others.
iv. It's easy to pick someone else apart.
v. But it's hard to look in the mirror and see what's wrong with you.
vi. Just because you see fault in someone doesn't mean you need to talk about that someone behind their back.
vii. Remember what Momma used to say, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all!"
viii. Remember that Scripture says we will all give an account for every idle word.
D. In Prayer
i. Matthew 6:7-8 (NLT)
7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.
8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!
ii. You won't impress God with your eloquent speech.
iii. You won't impress God with your many words.
iv. Prayer is a lot like preaching...keep it simple stupid!
v. Tell God what you want, and let him tell you what you need.
Conclusion
1. Outside of the need to know Jesus as Savior this is perhaps our country's biggest problem; we don't listen to others.
2. Perhaps this is why James tells us...
A. Be Quick To Listen
B. Slow To Speak
3. Two important things to remember...
A. You have two ears and one mouth. Spend twice as much time listening as you do speaking.
B. Pray, think, and wait before you speak!
