HOW TO WALK THE WALK
Text: James 1:19-27
Introduction
1. Read James 1:19-17
2. The 19th-century Danish theologian Soren Kierkegaard identified two kinds of religion -- Religion A and Religion B. The first is "faith" in name only (2 Tim. 3:5). It’s the practice of attending church without genuine faith in the living Lord.
Religion B, on the other hand, is a life-transforming, destiny-changing experience. It’s a definite commitment to the crucified and risen Savior, which establishes an ongoing personal relationship between a forgiven sinner and a gracious God.
3. Do you have Religion A or Religion B?
a. Religion A means nothing.
b. Religion B changes not only our lives, but the lives of those around us.
Proposition: Our faith has got to be faith in action, or it’s not faith at all.
Transition: What are some practical ways we can live out our faith?
I. Think First, Speak Second (19-21)
A. Be Swift to Hear
1. Notice first of all that the instructions that James is giving in this sections is given to the church - "Wherefore, my beloved brethren..."
2. In this first section James gives us four imperatives for living out our faith. The first one is "be swift to hear."
a. God has given us one mouth and two ears.
b. This should indicate to us that we should spend twice as much time listening as we do talking.
3. When we talk too much and listen too little, we communicate to others that we think our ideas are much more important than theirs.—Life Application Bible Notes
4. Not only should we be listening to what others tell us, but we should also listen to what God is telling us.
5. A continual talker cannot hear what anyone else says and by the same token will not hear when God speaks to him. Expositor’s Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM
6. Prov. 8:32 "Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it."
B. Be Slow to Speak
1. The next instruction that James gives goes right along with the first one - "be slow to speak."
2. Illustration: I think one of the greatest inventions known to man is cruise control. However, on a curvy highway like Rt. 12, cruise control is a bad thing.
3. We all love to speak, but sometimes we just need to keep our thoughts to ourselves.
4. Some people refer to the KISS method as "keep it simple stupid," but sometimes it needs to be "keep it shut stupid."
C. Be Slow to Wrath
1. The next thing he tells us is to "be slow to wrath."
2. Anger will close the mind to God’s truth.
3. And a fiercely argumentative attitude is not conducive to the humble reception of truth. Expositor’s Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM
4. Prov. 14:29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
5. In the next verse James tells us why we should get in control of our anger - "worketh not the righteousness of God."
a. You are never going to be the king of person that God desires from you as long as your temper is out of control.
b. You are going to have difficulty winning souls to Christ if you have a hot temper.
D. Lay Apart All Filthiness
1. Then James ties it all together by telling us "lay apart all filthiness."
a. The Greek word translated "lay apart" (apothemenoi) was primarily used of taking off garments.
b. Hebrews 12:1 speaks of throwing off any excessive weight, such as unnecessary clothing, to make ready for the race of faith.
2. We need to get rid of those things in our life that are contrary to the nature of God because they will keep us from receiving the blessings that God has for us.
3. Rom. 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
4. Those things will keep us from the transformation that God desires for us.
Transition: Another way we can practically live out our faith is...
II. Don’t Just Read It, Do It (22-25)
A. Doers of the Word
1. James tells us to not just be hearers but doers of the word.
2. It is not enough merely to "listen to the word" or, by the same token, merely to read it.
3. Those who congratulate themselves on being hearers of the truth are deceiving themselves. If they assume that this is all that is needed, they are sadly mistaken. Expositor’s Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM
4. “Deceiving” is from a verb used in the New Testament only here and in Colossians 2:4.
a. The word means “to cheat or deceive by false reasoning.”
b. The deception comes from thinking they have done all that is necessary when actually listening to the Word is only the beginning.
5. James says the one who listens and does nothing is like a man who glances at his face in a mirror and then forgets what he looks like.
a. Some commentators have suggested that this is just a quick glance into a mirror.
b. However, the opposite is true. Instead, it refers to careful observation. It is attentive scrutiny of an object (TDNT, 4:975).
c. In other words, you thoroughly study it, understand it completely, and still don’t do what it says.
B. Blessed In All He Does
1. On the other side of this James says talks about the one who does look intently into the word and "continues" in it, and is a doer of the word, this person will be blessed in all his does.
2. He is the blessed man of Psalm 1 who meditates in God’s law day and night.
3. Faithful In Menial Task
W. B. Riley used to tell the story of a man who had walked the streets of Philadelphia searching for employment. One day he happened to go into the office of a well-known businessman by the name of Girard. When he asked for a job, Mr. Girard answered, "Yes, I can give you work. See that pile of bricks out there? Carry them over to the other end of the yard and stack them up."
By nightfall the man reported that the project was completed and received his pay. When asked if there would be more work the next day, his employer said, "Yes, come in tomorrow and carry those same bricks back to where you found them." The following morning he came in early and got busy without a word. For more than a week he was instructed to carry bricks back and forth until it was evident that he could be trusted to do exactly what he was told.
Then he was given a new and bigger responsibility—to go downtown and bid on a large quantity of sugar. Not recognizing him, the people at the auction were surprised by the bid of this total stranger. When it was accepted, the auctioneer asked who would pay the bill. "Mr. Girard," the man replied. "I am his agent." He had earned this position by being faithful in a menial task.—Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations
4. If we will be faithful in the little things then God will bless us with big things.
Transition: Finally James tells us...
III. Walk the Walk, Don’t Just Talk the Talk (26-27)
A. Bridal the Tongue
1. Again James goes back to taming the tongue.
a. He talked about just a few verses ago, and he will return to it again in chapter 3.
b. Do you think it is important? Why?
c. Because words hurt!
2. There are scores of people out there that won’t darken the door of a church because of something someone in the church said to them when they were younger.
a. Not only do words hurt, but the damage they do can last a lifetime.
b. Don’t let some unwise words spoken in anger or ignorance keep another person from the kingdom of God.
3. Be Careful My Tongue; You are little, but strong; So often your words Are somehow all wrong. You don’t want to hurt; And yet there’s a sting; And so I must guard you, A worrisome thing. How often I’ve wished That I could recall Some harsh word you’ve spoken, Not meant at all. And though I’m forgiven And have peace of mind I know there are sores That such things leave behind. So "God, guard my tongue In each word I say, So they may be pleasing To Thee, Lord, I pray."—Eleanore Livingston Root
B. Pure Religion
1. In the final verse James gives a look into what Religion B looks like.
2. He says "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."
3. In the first century, orphans and widows had very little means of economic support.
a. Unless a family member was willing to care for them, they were reduced to begging, selling themselves as slaves, or starving.
b. By caring for these powerless people, the church put God’s Word into practice. —Life Application Bible Notes
4. People who have Religion B are those who don’t just talk about what they should do, but the do what they should do.
5. They don’t just talk religiously; they act it out in their lives.
Conclusion
1. If we want to have Religion B we have to:
a. Think first, and speak second
b. Do it and not just read it
c. Walk the walk and not just talk the talk
2. What kind of religion do you have; A or B?
