James: Religion That Works
“The Righteous Life”
February 26, 2006
Introduction: We have been looking at the writing of James, the brother of Jesus. He wrote to Jewish believers who had been scattered from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria because of the persecution against Christians. James has talked with them about how to approach trials and temptations and now is looking at a piece of practical advice for anyone who is living in the midst of great struggle.
Today, we are going to look at what James has to say about true religion. What is it that hinders our walk with Christ and our ability to live as he desires? What is it that God has called us to and what is his plan for us?
I. The foundation of a righteous life is receiving the Word of God.
“My dear brothers, take note of this: 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. 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.” James 1:19-21 (NIV)
When James uses the term, “take note of this,” he is saying be ready to listen. He is telling his listeners to be ready to hear what God has to say. To be unwilling to hear the Word of God will make us unable to obey the Word.
There are three actions that James instructs us to take in order to prepare ourselves for the life God has intended for us.
1) Quick to listen.
This quality shows that we are ready to hear form God. We are ready to listen to what we need to make our lives different.
James is writing to people in the midst of trials. He is writing to a group horribly oppressed and pressured by the circumstances of life. When we are in the midst of trials and temptations, there is the temptation to simply speak what is on our mind. We simply begin to complain or to blame or to challenge whatever we do not think to be just and right.
Scripture tells us over and over again to be willing to listen to the voice of God.
“Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance—“
Proverbs 1:5 (NIV)
“Listen, friends, to some fatherly advice; sit up and take notice so you’ll know how to live.”
Proverbs 4:1 (Message)
“Jesus called the crowd together again and said, "Listen now, all of you—take this to heart.”
Mark 7:14 (Message)
Reluctance to listen will block the reception of truth.
If we choose not to listen to what we are told, we run risk of having to experience consequences that are difficult and painful.
In his memoir of his experience in a Nazi concentration camp, Elie Wiesel notes that before his village was ever emptied of the Jewish settlers, a poor man, Moshe the Beadle, who had been deported on some of the first trains of Jews out of the Hungarian village and had seen first hand the destruction of many Jews at the hands of the Germans had tried to warn the village where he lived. No one was interested in hearing.
Story from “Night” pages 4-5
No one can say of course what would have happened had anyone listened, but we will never know.
We must be quick to listen.
2) Slow to speak.
All too often we are unable to listen because we are unable to stop speaking. We simply want to make our point and to get on with our lives.
If we are “slow to speak” our emotions are better controlled and our words are better chosen.
The fastest horse cannot catch a word spoken in anger.
Chinese Proverb in Bits & Pieces, July 25, 1992, p. 5.
3) Slow to become angry.
Anger will close the mind to God’s truth.
“For man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” James 1:20
We have to camp out here for a while. God has been talking to me all week about this area of my life. I have an anger issue. It is really easy for me to explode and go off like a Roman Candle.
Angry explosions are brutal and dangerous. They are most dangerous for the people closest to the blast.
A lady once came to 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!" Billy Sunday.
Anger is so ungodly. It blocks everything that God is about. In our anger, the righteousness of God and the grace of God do not have a chance to flow out of our lives.
It is not a sin to become angry. What is a sin is to let your anger move out of control.
Look at what Jesus had to say about how we should live.
“Happy are those who strive for peace--they shall be called the sons of God.”
Matthew 5:9 (Living)
Have you ever seen an angry peacemaker?
Anger is just so controlling of our lives. We love to be angry. It makes s feel justified, right, and in control. Anger is so destructive.
Of the 7 deadly sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back--in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.
Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking Transformed by Thorns, p. 117.
Anger eats away at our soul.
How to deal with anger:
1) Get right morally.
“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent.” James 1:21
There is a connection between moral depravity and anger. Look at the link that Paul draws with anger and other sins:
“But now is the time to cast off and throw away all these rotten garments of anger, hatred, cursing, and dirty language.” Colossians 3:8 (Living)
When we are trapped by immorality it is almost impossible to make right choices in our emotions.
2) Accept the Word of God.
“Humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” James 1:21 (NIV)
The Word of God accepted and put into practice in our lives can change us. It teaches us and shows us how to live. When we are living by the power of the Word of God we are less likely to walk in anger.
II. The structure of a righteous life is application of the Word of God.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 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. 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.” James 1:22-25 (NIV)
The value of the Word of God in our lives is doing what it says.
We must be willing not only to hear the word but to put it into practice. If we are not going to put the word of God into practice, we are only going to be fooling ourselves in the condition of our souls.
“For it is not merely knowing the law that brings God’s approval. Those who obey the law will be declared right in God’s sight.” Romans 2:13 (NLT)
It is not enough for us to simply study the word and internalize it. It must have an impact on how we live our lives.
The word cannot save us. But it gives us the instruction of God to shape our lives and to give us the ability to live the righteous life God desires.
Three areas to allow the truth of God to work in our lives:
1) Speech
“If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue,” James 1:26a
An uncontrolled tongue shows our “religion” to be merely an external show.
2) Self-Deception
“He deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” James 1:26b
When we are self-deceived, our “religion” does not make a difference in the way we live.
3) Life Change
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27
The person whose religious experience is genuine will put spiritual truth into practice and his life will be marked by love for others.
Conclusion: How are you doing in putting your religion into practice? Are you allowing the Word of God to change your life and the actions of your life to show love toward others? Today, my challenge to you is to allow God to shape your life by your word and for you to be willing to be obedient to the truth of God.
Prayer: God, today I seek to live according to your truth. I desire to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. I pray that you would give me victory over my anger and would help me to repair broken relationships of those affected by my anger. I pray that I would honestly seek a life that is guided by your truth, and is evidence of your love. I choose today to walk in honest relationship with you and with others. Help me today to honor you in all that I say and all that I do. Amen.
