Listening and Receiving The Word “Real Life” [James] Series [7] James 1:19-21

WHAT DOES “REAL FAITH” LOOK LIKE IN REAL LIFE? 1:2-18Trials & Suffering [Test of Real Faith] 1:19-5:6Authentic Christian Spirituality [Characteristics of Real Faith] 5:7-20Trials & Suffering [Triumph of Real Faith]

WHAT DOES “REAL FAITH” LOOK LIKE IN REAL LIFE? 1:19-5:6Authentic Christian Spirituality [Characteristics of Real Faith]  1:19-27The Word of God  2:1-13Partiality  2:14-26Works  3:1-12Tongue  3:13-18Wisdom  4:1-12Quarrels, Worldliness, & Slander  4:13-17Boasting about Tomorrow  5:1-6Abusive Wealth

WHAT DOES “REAL FAITH” LOOK LIKE IN REAL LIFE? 1:19-5:6Authentic Christian Spirituality [Characteristics of Real Faith]  1:19-27The Word of God  2:1-13Partiality  2:14-26Works  3:1-12Tongue  3:13-18Wisdom  4:1-12Quarrels, Worldliness, & Slander  4:13-17Boasting about Tomorrow  5:1-6Abusive Wealth

WHAT DOES “REAL FAITH” LOOK LIKE IN REAL LIFE? In today’s text (vs.19-21), our focus question on REAL FAITH is this: “What are the prerequisites of a heart in responding to the Word of God?”

THREE PREREQUISITES OF A HEART IN RESPONDING TO THE WORD 1) ATTENTIVE LISTENING: Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. 19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (vs.19-20)  “Quick to hear” means active, eager listening to the Word with urgency.  “Slow to speak” means to restrain from coming up with our own conclusions and knowledge.  “Slow to anger” mean to refrain our hostile defiant reaction to God’s Word when it seems distasteful to us.

Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Proverbs 17:27 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. Proverbs 14:29 Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9

THREE PREREQUISITES OF A HEART IN RESPONDING TO THE WORD 1) ATTENTIVE LISTENING: Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. 19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (vs.19-20)  “Quick to hear” means active, eager listening to the Word with urgency.  “Slow to speak” means to restrain from coming up with our own conclusions and knowledge.  “Slow to anger” mean to refrain our hostile defiant reaction to God’s Word when it seems distasteful to us.  The key is our eager attentive listening to the Word.

“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:9

THREE PREREQUISITES OF A HEART IN RESPONDING TO THE WORD 2) GETTING RID OF THE HINDRANCE: Put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness... (v.21a)  Sins in our lives hinder the way we listen to God.  To put away the sins in lives can never be partial—it must be ALL filthiness and wickedness (external & internal).  The root word for filthiness here means “ear-wax”—it is spiritual ear-wax that must be removed for hearing God.  Sometimes, rampant wickedness may include subtle heart- attitude of pride, stubbornness, or lukewarmness.  The key is to get rid of ALL hindrances of listening.

1 "If you return, O Israel, declares the LORD, to me you should return. If you remove your detestable things from my presence, and do not waver, 2 and if you swear, 'As the LORD lives,' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory." 3 For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: "Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. Jeremiah 4:1-3

THREE PREREQUISITES OF A HEART IN RESPONDING TO THE WORD 3) RECEIVING WITH MEEKNESS: Receiving God’s Word with humility and teachability. …and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (v.21b)  When we listen to the Word, we are to receive with MEEKNESS which a heart-attitude of humility and teachability.  It is the heart-attitude of Jesus [“gentle and lowly in heart”] – Jesus’ self-description in Matt 11:29.  Why? Because it can save our souls—here more than justification but daily deliverance of sanctification.  The key is our willful glad submission to God’s transforming Word.

1 Then Job replied to the LORD: 2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. 4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ 5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:1-6 [NIV]

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE 1.Listen attentively to THE WORD OF GOD.  Be quick to listen [to God], slow to speak [your conclusion], slow to anger [your angry defiant reaction].  Have this posture: “Speak, Lord—your servant is listening.” 2.Get rid of ALL HINDRANCES to listening.  Get rid of all your “ear-wax” out by removing all immoral and evil things from your life.  Get rid of all the distractions from listening to God. 3.Receive God’s Word WITH HUMILITY AND TEACHABILITY.  Don’t harden your heart—be tender and open to the Word.  Cultivate a meek heart [humble and teachable] to the Spirit of God who speaks through Scripture.