The Implanted Word - James 1:19-21

The Word Implanted and the Call to Hear God’s Word

Okay, let's go to the Lord in a word of prayer, and then we will begin. Father we're so grateful for this time that you have given to us. It's good to be back here at Kootenai. We pray that your Holy Spirit would do his work now as we go to your word we pray For illumination.

We pray that we would indeed as James says be quick to hear your word. We pray for Our hearts to be receptive. We pray that your Holy Spirit would break up Hard ground And and make it soft to the reception of your word that we would live lives of obedience and so doing we have glorified you.

We thank you for the richness of your word. We thank you for its sufficiency and we pray that we would indeed through it be more conformed Into the image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ our King and it is his name.

We pray amen.

Amen.

Well, I'm not sure if you can remember or not. But as I have opportunity to preach I am preaching through the book of James. So if you will take your copy of God's Word and open to the book of James chapter 1.

Right after the book of Hebrews sandwiched between Hebrews and first Peter you should find the book of James be in James chapter 1 19 through 21. James chapter 1 19 through 21. Let's begin reading in verse 18 for a little bit of context because I don't come into play in a minute verse 18 in The exercise of his will not ours his will he brought us forth by the word of truth.

So that we would be a kind of firstfruits among his creatures. This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear slow to speak and slow to anger. For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness in humility. Receive the word implanted which is able to save your souls. May God bless the reading of his word. So we've been working through the first chapter of James here and because it's been over a year since I've preached.

So just briefly as a little bit of reminder. Beginning in the opening verses of James we see three different tests of Believers three different tests of believers. The first test is the believers response to Trials.

We see that trials are inevitable and though trials are not Enjoyable, we certainly can count them as joy when we know that God is good. He is sovereign. He can never act towards us in any way that is outside of his character in his nature.

We see that we can ask God for wisdom in verses 5 through 8. We see that both poverty and wealth in and of themselves can be Trials and we see in verse 12 the reward for enduring the trials of life says we will be given the Crown of life and I believe in the Greek the better rendering is the crown which is Life who is life.

Jesus himself is life. I am the way the truth in the life. So Jesus himself is our reward for enduring the trials of life. In verses 13 through 18. We see the second test. The second test of the believer is temptations.

How do we respond to temptation. Each of us is accountable for our own sin? The devil didn't make us do it. Nobody made us do anything. We are each Responsible and accountable for our own sin. We see a sobering warning that sin left unrepentant leads to death.

In verses 17 through 18. We see that every single good gift comes down from God. We see that the greatest gift that God gives us is our own salvation. Which is a direct result not of the exercise of our will but of God's will.

Our redemption was conceived. It was decreed and it was secured from eternity.

Past.

Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost in our salvation. We see is brought forth by the word of truth. It is brought forth by God's Word. So with that as background, let us go to our primary passage 19 through 21.

James says This you know, my beloved brethren. Everyone must be quick to hear slow to speak and slow to anger. Here we have a brief yet very important interlude if you will as we go to the third test the third test of the believer is how we respond to the Word of God and here James deals with Being quick to hear being slow to speak and being slow to anger.

James says this, you know, what do you know? You know that our salvation is brought forth by the word of truth what he said in the previous verse in verse 18. And notice how James? Addresses his readers.

He says this, you know, my beloved brethren. That is a tender address from James to his readers. Remember that James was the half-brother of Jesus and we say that he was the half-brother of Jesus of course because Jesus was conceived of a virgin Mary and.

But after Jesus was born then Mary and Joseph had other children the old-fashioned way. So we refer to James as being the half-brother of Jesus and notice in as James opens his letter. He does not appeal to his familial relationship with Christ.

He doesn't boast about that. He doesn't say anything about being reared in the same home as Jesus. He says I am James. I am the bondservant in the Greek literally. I'm the doulas. I am the slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

James is not coming to his readers as their superior. He is coming to them as their fellow doulas. He knows that his most important relationship is not his familial relationship. His most important relationship is being a part of the family of God and that happens when we are Adopted into his family by the merits of what Jesus did for us on the cross.

He says this, you know, my beloved brethren. He loves his readers. He was the leader of the church in Jerusalem. This is a real pastor's heart. He loves his readers and he has concern for them this, you know, my beloved brethren that everyone must be.

Quick to hear.

Slow to speak and slow to anger. Now, let's break these things down just a little bit.

Quick to Hear the Word of God

Quick to hear.

Hear what. There's some debate as to exactly what Jesus James is referring to here. Are we to be quick to hear just kind of in a general sense that we're supposed to be good listeners. Or is there something specific here that he is referencing and I think both actually are in view.

There's a lot of echoes from the book of Proverbs in James letters. James letter has been referred to as Christianity and blue jeans. It's a very practical letter and so I think there is this in view this general sense that we are to be Quick to listen and also a specific sense that we're to be quick to listen to the Word of God first in the general sense.

Proverbs chapter 1 verse 5 Says this a wise man will hear Listen and increase in learning and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel. Proverbs chapter 4 verse 1 Hear O son the instruction of a father and give attention that you may gain Understanding in the text that brother Dave read for us just a moment ago.

Chapter 4 beginning of verse 20 my son give attention to my words. Incline your ear to my saying. There's a lot in the book of Proverbs about Listening and I think all of us understand that there's there is a measure of wisdom.

There is a measure of knowledge when we meet someone who is quick to Listen who is quicker to listen than he is to speak. We seem to recognize this. Someone who is careful. Someone who is measured. Someone who is deliberate.

Someone who is more careful to listen than he is to speak displays knowledge. Verse 28. Proverbs 17 verse 27 says this it says he who restrains his words has Knowledge. Someone who is careful with his words has knowledge.

In verse 28. Even a fool when he keeps silent is considered wise. Even a fool when he keeps silent is considered wise. You may be standing in the presence of someone Who just doesn't have sense to come in out of the rain?

You may be standing in the presence of someone who's elevator doesn't quite go all the way to the top. But you wouldn't know that until when opens his mouth and then does away with any suspense. Even fools are considered wise when they remain silent.

Have you ever had someone try to tell you something? About something that you begin to realize they really don't know what they're talking about. You know, there's a lot of people out there that want you to think that they know something about just everything and I've met several of these of course you have to and as you listen to them.

Then you begin to realize they don't really know as much as you they would like you to think that they know. So even a fool is considered wise when he remains silent. Proverbs 29 verse 20 says do you see a man hasty in his words?

There is more hope for a fool than for him. There is this general sense in which there is wisdom in Remaining silent being quick to hear quicker to hear than we are to Speak. One of my pet peeves is when I hear people quote the Bible out of context and in Real pet peeve when I hear politicians do it.

It bugs me to no end, you know, they will quote some verse of Bible Scripture and it's obvious. They don't have the first clue as to what that verse is talking about. But they quote it like they do it bugs me to snow in and I see politicians on both sides of the aisle do it.

Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, you know, she did it just this past week or so. She quoted a ironically a verse out of Romans 1 which deals with the wrath of God. But you know what Sean Hannity does the same thing every night when he does his program he says.

Let not your heart be troubled. He doesn't have the first clue as to what that verse means. Even a fool when he keeps silent is considered wise. So there's that general sense there is also the specific sense we're to be quick to listen quick to hear the words of God the words of God if it is the word of truth that brings forth our Spiritual life and we know that because that's exactly what James says in verse 18.

If it is the Word of God that brings forth our salvation. How much should we pay heed to it after our salvation? If someone saves you from a burning building. How much would you want to thank that person.

If someone saves your life, how much would you want to thank them? How how grateful would you be to that person? And so if it is the Word of God and it is that brings us forth from death to life. How much more should we pay heed to it give attention to it after our salvation yet?

So many people profess to be Christians because they prayed some sinners prayer. That's not even in the Bible when they were six seven years old. They got baptized but after that they never pick up the Word of God.

They never read it and they never study. Oh, but I'm a Christian. That's not the way it works. We as Christians should take every opportunity to expose ourself to the Word of God for it is by this that we live.

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by what. Every word that comes out of the mouth of God. I have little confidence in the salvation of someone who professes to be a Christian and yet shows no interest in the Word of God first.

Peter chapter 2. Verse 2. Peter says like newborn babes long for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation. One of the sure signs of regeneration is that you have a hunger a desire for the Word of God.

When the Holy Spirit of God saves someone he indwells that person that person is indwelled by the third person of the triune Godhead in The Holy Spirit of God creates in that person a desire for the Word of God.

We long for it just like a babe longs for milk and. Someone who professes to be a Christian but has absolutely no interest in the Word of God. That is not someone who is indwelled by the Holy Spirit. We must be quick to listen to God's Word.

For it is by this that we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Word of God that contains everything pertaining to life and godliness. And it is tragic that there is this pervasive almost a disdain Amongst so many people who profess to be Christians for doctrine and theology.

So many people who profess to know Christ have a palpable disdain for doctrine and theology and they say I don't need doctrine. I Don't need theology. That's just for the professors. I I don't need doctrine.

I don't need theology. I just I just love Jesus. That is a foolish statement. That is a foolish statement dear friends if we love Jesus. Then don't you think we would want to get to know him and the only way to get to know him is by knowing him In his word and it is sound doctrine.

It is right theology that deepens our knowledge of God and When our knowledge of God is deepened then that enables our love. For God to be deepened if you love someone you want to spend time with that person, right?

You want to get to know that person? If we truly love Christ We should want to spend time with him. We should want to get to know him in the only way to know Christ is by knowing him in his word. Paul says in Philippians chapter 1 verse 9.

He says in this I pray that your love would abound still more and more in knowledge and Discernment, you see the Bible never separates knowledge of God and love for God. It always Combines these things.

It is false professors That make the separation that the Bible does not make communion with God. Communion with God dear friends is not this mystical Experience in which you get some kind of a buzz or Holy Ghost goosebumps.

That's not communion with God. Communion with God is when we spend time in his word getting to know Christ in his word. When our knowledge of God is deepened that enables our love for God to be deepened.

JC Ryle was the bishop of Liverpool in the 1800s. JC Ryle said this he said hearken my believing reader. What is the cause of your weakness? Is it not because the fountain of life is little used? Is it not because you are resting on old experiences and not daily gathering new manna?

Daily drawing new strength from Christ. It is the Word of God that sustains us. It is the Word of God that nourishes us. It is by the Word of God that we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What is the surest way to remedy a lack of an appetite for the Word of God? To spend time in the Word of God if you don't hunger for God's Word then start spending time in God's Word. And if you belong to Christ just the time in God's Word in and of itself will cultivate will nourish Your hunger for the Word of God.

We're to be quick to hear quick to hear the Word of God and then James says we're to be slow to speak. Quick to hear and slow to speak. Being slow to speak is the flip side of being quick to listen. It's impossible to be quick to hear and quick to speak at the same time.

Right. I mean if you're flapping your gums all the time, then you're not doing a lot of listening. So being slow to speak is a flip side of being quick to listen now. Let me say first of all what this does not mean when James says be slow to speak.

He is not saying do not speak. There is a time to speak and I would add this there sometimes is even a time to be quick to speak. Because Peter tells us to do that doesn't he first. Peter chapter 3 says Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.

Set him apart as Lord in your hearts always being ready to give an answer. For those. For the hope that is within you to those who would question it yet with gentleness and reverence. So we're always to be ready to give an answer for the hope that was that is within us if somebody ever asked you.

Why are you a Christian? You need to be quick to speak. You need to be ready to answer that question. Why are you a Christian. Why do you believe the Bible. And a lot of people if you ask them that they'll say well I was raised that way.

Hope you got a better answer than that. Sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart always being ready to give an answer for the hope that is within you. So there is a time to be quick to speak. So what does this mean be slow to speak?

What it means is this dear friends? We should not speak on God's Word if we really do not know what God's Word says.

Okay.

We should be slow to speak on the Word of God if we really do not know what the Word of God says. Presenting God's truth to people should absolutely.

Terrify us.

Preaching is the most terrifying thing that a man could possibly do. Speaking of the things of God to someone should absolutely Terrify you. Whether you're a man or a woman now ladies, you can't preach biblically.

But you can present the gospel to people. You can share the gospel people. Titus 2 older's lady older ladies teach the younger ladies. Sharing the Word of God to people should terrify us because of the one whom it is.

We are representing Isaiah chapter 6. This is Isaiah's vision. I just want to read this for you and think of what Isaiah is saying here. Isaiah chapter 6 verse 1 says in the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne lofty and exalted with the train of his robe filling the temple.

Think of that. What Isaiah saw. Seraphim stood above him each having six wings with two. He covered his face with two. He covered his feet with two. We flew in one called out to another and said holy holy.

Holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. It is only the holiness of God that we see repeated like this in Scripture three times one right after another. Holy holy, holy this is a terrifying scene and The foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out why the temple was filling with smoke.

Imagine that and. Then Isaiah said this woe is me for I am ruined. For I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips. Isaiah was given this vision of the Lord of glory the thrice.

Holy God sitting on his throne and he cried out. Woe is me. I.

Am.

Ruined think of the one that we are representing and. Yet we have preachers today that so cavalierly get up in the pulpit and and they play Lucy-goosey with the text of God's Word. They have no idea who they are representing.

We should be very slow to speak. If you do not know what God's Word says about something, please do not teach God's Word. Preaching is a terrifying task. Psalm chapter 138 verse 2. God says this. He says I have magnified my word according to my name.

He magnifies he lifts up his word synonymous with his name and Woe to the man. Who would be careless with God's Word. We would be just as well being careless with God himself because that is what we are doing.

Please don't offer meaningless platitudes and Christian cliches to people. We've heard these Christian cliches, right? God helps those who help themselves. No, he doesn't. God helps those who understand that they cannot help themselves.

God helps those who understand that they are sinners and deserve nothing. But the wrath of God and they cannot work their way into heaven. God does not help those who help themselves. He helps those who cannot help themselves.

When God closes a door, he opens a window. I Don't even know what that means. That's just dumb. But all these Christian cliches and we throw these things out like they're biblical and they're not biblical.

Let go and let God. Your friends you don't have to let God do anything. Our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases. Psalm 115 verse 3. Let go and let God that's meaningless. How about this one?

God will never put anything on you that you can't handle. Heard that one before you know what? That's a lie. That's a lie. God will absolutely put things on you that you cannot handle. Absolutely, he will read the New Testament read about what happened to the Apostles.

Read about what happened to the disciples. Stephen was stoned. Peter was crucified upside down. John the Baptist beheaded. Paul beheaded. All of the Apostles were martyred for their faith. Look at the lives of Justin Martyr and William Tyndale and John Huss.

All these men who are executed for their faith in Christ. You better believe God will put things on us that we cannot handle. But in those times God's grace will be sufficient these men went to their deaths proclaiming Christ.

Many of these men as they were being bound to the stake and the fire being lit. They were proclaiming Christ. You think they did that on their own strength? Not in a million years. Not in a million years.

But in those times of acute trial that is when God's grace is sufficient and he glorifies himself. Please let's do away with these meaningless platitudes. Yes. God will put things on us that we cannot handle.

We must be very careful very very careful with the Word of God. In recent weeks, there's been some news about a certain celebrity That has supposedly been saved and made a profession of faith in Christ.

And boy, I got myself into a lot of trouble when I when I exercised caution about Kanye West's Profession of faith, you know. This was just making big news and people everywhere were all excited about even people in our theologically conservative Circles or form circles very excited about Kanye West and him becoming a Christian and he put out this album Jesus is King and all this and they just he had this platform.

He's doing the Sunday services and all that and he's you know, and I exercise some caution. I said, whoa, wait a minute. Some caution is an order here. Boy I got blasted up one side down the other for that but just right after that and what's he do goes and Performs at Joel Osteen Church, and now he's got a partnership with Joel Osteen.

He's bringing reproach on the name of Christ. There's videos of Kanye West out on these Sunday services and he's telling the whole world that it's okay to be a Roman Catholic. Never mind that the Roman Catholic Church has literally anathematized the very gospel itself.

Has anathematized salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone telling the whole world. It's okay to be a Mormon. Mormons have a different Jesus. Says it's okay to be a modalist. It's okay.

If you don't believe in the Trinity like TD Jakes, that's okay. No big deal, and he's got this huge platform. He's got a presumably most of not all the followers that he used to have and now he's got this whole new swath of followers professing Christians because he now claims to be a Christian and he's up on the platform just Barging around like a bull in a China shop with no idea what he's doing and he's leading a lot of people astray.

He is leading millions and millions and millions of people astray. Let me read to you a short passage out of John MacArthur's commentary on James. I found this interesting now. Keep in mind what I'm about to read was written 20 years ago.

John MacArthur says this he says it is tragic when new converts, especially celebrities are Immediately encouraged to begin speaking publicly not simply to give testimony to their salvation. But to begin giving advice and counsel about other aspects of Christian doctrine and practice for which they are not biblically or experientially.

Prepared.

Not only does it tend to foster pride and false confidence in the new convert But almost inevitably offers shallow and often erroneous and spiritually dangerous ideas to those who hear them. I Was written 20 years ago Like right off the pages of today's paper dealing with Kanye West.

I'm not making a definitive statement one way or the other about whether or not Kanye is a True Christian, I have my concerns a lot of concerns, but I am saying this he shouldn't have a platform. Handling the Word of God is Far too serious a matter to be putting celebrities who profess to be Christians up on a platform.

And having people watch them and listen to them lifting them up. They have no idea what they're doing. If you don't handle the Word of God rightly you bring reproach on the gospel. There's a reason that Paul said in 1st Timothy chapter 3 verse 6 that elders should not be new converts.

Charles Spurgeon says this. Listen to this quote from Spurgeon. Spurgeon says quote if we play at preaching we have chosen an awful game. To shuffle text like cards and make literary essays out of themes which move all heaven and hell is shameful work.

We must be serious as death in this solemn task. It is the Lord high and lifted up the train of his robe fills the temple the earth shakes. Smoke that is the one that we are representing. We must handle God's Word with.

Care.

Quick to hear slow to speak. The adjectives quick and slow. Do not necessarily denote the rapidity or lack thereof of our actions. But the attitude in the disposition we have that govern our actions. James says we must be slow to anger slow to anger.

Now. What does this mean? Well, let's break this down a little bit. There are two different Greek words for anger or gay in Thoomas. Or gay refers to a strong Persistent settled disposition of active anger.

Thoomas refers to the Explosive sudden outburst of wrath or gay and Thoomas. Think of it this way. Mount St. Helens. Mount St. Helens presumably since God created the world had this still has this huge reservoir of molten rock lava.

Underneath the earth's crust. Sitting there. That's that's or gay. Okay when it erupted on May 18th 1980 that's Thoomas. Does that make sense? So this settled disposition towards of anger. That's or gay.

Thoomas is the violent eruption. Which is the word here? The word is or gay now. Thoomas is used in other places. You can go to Galatians chapter 5 verse 20 Paul talks about the deeds of the flesh that is Thoomas.

That's an outburst of wrath, but here it's or gay. This is a strong persistent settled disposition of active anger. Be slow to that as It was with hearing there's a general sense that we're to be slow to anger.

And then there is a specific sense in which we're to be slow to anger. It is good to be slow to anger. It is good to be slow to take offense in a very general way. Patience is after all one of the fruits of the Spirit right.

Love joy peace patience kindness goodness gentleness. Faithfulness and self-control. It's one of the fruits of the Spirit. So there's very general sense in which it's good to be slow to anger. Paul in his great and lofty love chapter 1st Corinthians 13 the very first descriptor that he uses of love is what?

Patience love is Patient and if you're not being patient with someone then you're not showing that person love at least not at that moment. So there is this general sense in which it is good to be slow to anger now.

Admittedly for some of us that comes easier than it does for others right and this really comes down to our personalities. I'm a pretty laid-back person. You know, I nothing riles me a whole lot. I could my hair could be on fire and I probably wouldn't get real excited about it.

I'm just kind of got it that kind of a personality other people a Little bit more tightly wound shall we say, you know and for other people other personalities it's more difficult for them to be slow to anger than For some others and there's no silver bullet to this.

All of us have to Romans 8 13 our flesh put to death the deeds of the body. It's a matter of discipline, but granted this does come more easily for some than it does for others. So is it there is that general sense?

But there is a specific sense in which we are to be slow to anger and it is this. We are to be slow to become angry now watch this. We're to be slow to become angry at something that God's Word Teaches that is the context here after all because again verse 18 he talks about the word of truth.

We're to be slow to be angry at something that God's Word teaches. That may sound a little odd, but let me explain this. There are a lot of doctrines in the Bible that lost people non-christians hate.

They hate the teaching that we are all sinners. They hate the teaching that we are all bad people and we are. There's only one who is good and that is God. They hate the teaching that we cannot work our way into heaven.

They hate the teaching of hell. They hate the teaching that Jesus is the only way to be saved the exclusivity of Christ. Even though Jesus himself said that in John 14 verse 6 so lost people hate these doctrines.

They have an anger against these doctrines that God's Word teaches. There are some doctrines however that even professing and note my use of the term professing. Believers are angered by penal substitutionary atonement.

That God literally punished his son on our behalf. There are many people who profess to be Christians who profess to believe this book and yet they hate that doctrine. They have an anger towards it. They have an anger towards the doctrine of repentance.

They have an anger towards the doctrine of lordship salvation. They have an anger towards the doctrine of election. Because the doctrine of election strips us of our pride doesn't it takes away everything that we think we have to contribute to our own Conversion and dear friends.

I was born in the Bible Belt. I was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Not just the Bible Belt the buckle.

The.

The bullseye of the buckle of The Bible Belt and I can tell you That for many people in the Bible Belt many people who profess to be Christians. Regardless of where they are. The Bible is great. Until it becomes inconvenient.

The Bible is great until it challenges us. The Bible is great until it goes against our tradition. Bible is great until it calls us to do something that is uncomfortable until it calls us to own our own sin.

Before a relationship is restored the Bible is great until it makes us uncomfortable. Then it's not so great anymore. And these are professing believers. Dear friends when someone brings to you Needed an appropriate correction from the Word of God.

Our unredeemed flesh the initial reaction is going to be to bow up like because none of us enjoys being corrected. But if you realize that someone is bringing to you needed an appropriate biblical correction.

Be very slow to be angry. Receive that correction because if you're angry at biblical truth. Your problem is really not with the person that's bringing you the truth. Your problem is with God. The problem is with God.

Be slow to anger. Anger does have its place. James is not saying never be angry. He's saying be slow to anger. Anger does have its place. Romans chapter 12 verse 9 Paul says hate what is evil cling to what is good.

Anger has a place hatred has a place we are to hate what is evil in Revelation chapter 2 Jesus letter to the church in Ephesus Jesus says this I have this against you that you left your verse your first love.

But in business then verse 6 he says something very interesting he says after he says I have this against you you've left your first love, but This you do have. This you do have going for you. You have that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans.

Which I also hate they had that going for them. They hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans which Jesus also hated so there is a biblical place for anger. There is a place for hatred. But we are to be slow to anger.

We are to make sure that our anger is rooted in God's Word is rooted in sound doctrine in right theology. James says. For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. The anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

Now. What is this righteousness? This is not here in this context a judicial righteousness. This is not talking about our Salvation our regeneration our right standing judicially before God. That's not what James has in view here.

This is referencing a godly lifestyle. The anger of man does not produce a Godly lifestyle a lifestyle that is pleasing to God. We are to be slow to anger because we must make sure that it is the right anger appropriate anger.

Why. Because the anger of man. The anger that is rooted in selfishness the anger that is rooted in pride the anger that is rooted in greed. The anger that is rooted in Self-righteousness. The anger that is rooted in jealousy.

The anger that is rooted in perceived Injustices done to us that kind of anger does not work. The righteousness of God Does not result in a godly life and this is one of the problems one of the many problems that I have with the social justice movement because the whole social justice movement is rooted in anger that people have because of Injustices where the real or perceived that was done to them.