February 2, 2025

• Welcome and Announcements
• Lifesong
• Prayer of Invocation
• Wonderful Words of Life
• Thy Word
• Scripture Reading - James 1:17-27
• Ancient Words
• Pastor's Message - Hearers and Doers
• Jesus Draw Me Close

James 1:17-27

¹⁷ Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
¹⁸ In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
¹⁹ This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;
²⁰ for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
²¹ Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
²² But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
²⁴ for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
²⁵ But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
²⁶ If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.
²⁷ Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

SERMON NOTES - Hearers and Doers

GOD IS THE UTMOST GIVER ( v. 17)

• "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." - James 1:17
• James doesn't itemize the gifts he means, and while we might think he means material or physical gifts, which certainly God does give, we shouldn't omit the greater gifts, the spiritual blessings that are ours in Jesus.

GOD'S WORD IS OUR UNFAILING RESOURCE (vv. 18-25)

• James says that we were brought forth by the word of truth. What He means is that we are saved through the truth of God's word.
• James say that were "brought forth by the word of truth", so as a preacher, the word of truth (which is synonymous with the gospel) is the only message which is able to save someone.
• James also says that our salvation was the result of God's will. Another way to say it is that your salvation is because of God's election.
• James also calls his readers first fruits. In Old Testament law the first ripe fruit was called the first fruit and was given to God as an offering. First fruits were the first of the rest of the harvest. It meant there was more to come. In the context of resurrection, Paul wrote that Jesus is the first fruits; the first of the rest.

GOD'S COMMAND IS FOR OUR UNABRIDGED OBEDIENCE

• Believing and accepting the gospel, receiving the word of truth, does not end once we are saved, but is the starting point of obedience for the rest of life, including our relationship with one another.
• James does not clarify the specific reason he says, "everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger", but from several places in the book it appears that some believers were at odds with one another.
• If you want to grow in righteousness, submit to God's word which requires both removing the negative and putting on the positive. James uses a metaphor of taking off and getting rid of dirty, nasty, soiled clothes and replacing them with the garment of obedience to God's word.
• Get rid of anything and everything that is morally bad and evil whether it be an attitude or action.
• Notice the command demands the removal of the negative, so that we can embrace the positive.
• How should we receive God's word? What our attitude be towards to Scripture? James says in humility. We are to humble ourselves under the authority of God's word. We are to line up ourselves under its truth not, alter and conform it to our version of truth.
• Hearing the word is necessary, but it is not the same as doing the word. God gave us His word not merely for information, but for transformation; it is meant to change us but that change comes through obedience to its truth.
• James says that we are to be doers of the word not just a hearers. Simply stated, we are to obey what the bible tells us to do.
• Are there any commandments to obey? Are there any promises to claim? Are there any examples to model? Are there any sins to avoid? Are there principles to follow?
• "James is not describing a man with a poor memory, but rather a man with poor priorities. He doesn't remember what he saw in the mirror because he doesn't regard it as very important. God, heaven, eternal life, and all of the other doctrines in the Bible are interesting and nice, but this guy has a career to pursue. He's got money to make. He's got his hobbies and toys that are his passion on his days off. He forgets what God's word says about his sins because, really, it just isn't all that important compared to these other priorities in his life." cf. https://www.preceptaustin.org/james_122-24#1:23 (Retrieved January 29,2025)
• To live under the authority of His word is to experience the fulness of life.