25 February 2007: JAMES 1:22 - THE RELIABLE WORD: TRUTH APPLIED

SERIES: 4 of 4 on God’s Word.

[MOVIE] This series is like making a movie; there’s more film on the cutting room floor than in the projector! Likewise, there's more remaining in God’s Word (which you need to hear) than I could ever fit in this series.

Thus far we’ve had …

1. THE LIVING WORD: TRUTH INCARNATE
2. THE VISIBLE WORD: TRUTH REVEALED
3. THE DIVINE WORD: TRUTH INSPIRED

Lastly we have …

4. THE RELIABLE WORD: TRUTH APPLIED

TEXT: JAMES 1:22

Prove yourselves doers of the word … not merely hearers who delude themselves.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What does God expect relative to His Word?
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. HE EXPECTS US TO PRESENT OURSELVES DILIGENT DOERS!

A. As God Approved!
B. As An Unashamed Worker!
C. As An Accurate Handler of the Word of Truth!

II. HE EXPECTS US TO PROFIT PERSONALLY!

A. Through Being taught!
B. Through Being Reproved!
C. Through Being Corrected!
D. Through Being Trained in Righteousness!

III. HE EXPECTS US TO BE ENLIGHTENED!
IV. HE EXPECTS US TO BE SPIRIT TAUGHT!

TRUTH CLAIM: God's Word was established “from the beginning,” intentionally! God intended man not only listen to what He had to say [Romans 10:17] but be “doers” of it as well!

[C. S. LEWIS] Quarreling over “faith” or “works” is common with many. Concerning this, C. S. Lewis said, “it does seem to me like asking which blade ... of the scissors does the cutting." [Paraphrased]

[J. Vernon McGee] Said being a Christian is like rowing a boat, you have to put both oars in the water in order to achieve your objective. One oar is called "faith," the other "works." Use both or row in circles.

[Einstein] … is credited with offering the following simile to explain his theory of relativity. (I’ve modified it for this message) "When you and your sweetheart spend two hours working on something together, it seems like two seconds. [e.g., Jacob waiting for Rachael] When you sit on a hot stove for two seconds, it seems like two hours." [Paraphrased]

So too, when you labor together with a friend or a favorite book for two hours, it doesn't seem so long. But when you spend time with someone you don't like or are made to read a book you don't want to, a few mo-ments is like a whole day.

If Jesus is better than your best friend, His word must be better than any book?

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What does God expect relative to His Word?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:
God expects many things of us; here are just a few:

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.”

2 Timothy 2:15

I. HE EXPECTS US TO PRESENT OURSELVES DILIGENT DOERS!

A. As God Approved!
B. As An Unashamed Worker!
C. As An Accurate Handler of the Word of Truth!

“... we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in God’s sight.”

2 Corinthians 4:2

“You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.”

Deuteronomy 4:2

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate (or complete), equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

II. HE EXPECTS US TO PERSONALLY PROFIT!

A. Through Being Taught and By Teaching Others!
B. Through Being Reproved and By Reproving Others!
C. Through Being Corrected and By Correcting Others!
D. Through Being Trained in Righteousness!

“For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being united by faith in those who heard it.”

Hebrews 4:2

And that doesn’t even address the final clause, “that the man of God may be adequate (or complete), equipped for every good work.”

III. HE EXPECTS US TO BE ENLIGHTENED [illuminated]!

“... even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, … should shine on them."

2 Corinthians 4:3-4

IV. HE EXPECTS US TO BE SPIRIT TAUGHT!

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, comparing spiritual with spiritual. For a natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

1 Corinthians 2:12-14

[SUBSTANCE] The child of God without an spiritual understanding of Scriptures is like a solar heater without the sun.

"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside."

Matthew 13:19

Let me give you some other things God expects of us [use as you see fit and as time allows]:

V. HE EXPECTS US TO BE FRUITFUL!

“But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Matthew 13:23

VI. HE EXPECTS US TO AVOID LIFE RULING TRADITIONS!

“making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down."

Mark 7:13

VII. HE EXPECTS US TO BE HIS FAMILY!

“But He answered and said to them, ‘My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.’”

Luke 8:21

VIII. HE EXPECTS US TO BE BLESSED!

“He said, ‘More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’"

Luke 11:28

IX. HE EXPECTS US TO DEFEND OURSELVES WITH THE WORD!

"take … [up] the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God ..."

Ephesians 6:17

"… [and] the word of the LORD is proven; [for] it is a shield to all who trust in Him."

2 Samuel 22:31

“always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”

1 Peter 3:15

[MOTION] What do a juggler, a tightrope walker, and a unicyclist have in common? They each must keep in motion at all times to do what they do!

To keep a proper balance requires action, if conflicting forces are to be combated, each must adjust to circumstances. If we’re to combat the conflicting forces of this world, we must keep “The Body” in constant motion. God did not intend His Bride sit comfortably on her collective haunch.

X. HE EXPECTS US TO BE JUDGED BY THE WORD!

“He who rejects Me, and doesn’t receive My words, [already] has that which judges him; the word I’ve spoken will judge him in the last day.”

John 12:48

XI. HE EXPECTS US TO OBEY HIS WORDS!

"He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me."

John 14:24

XII. HE EXPECTS US TO BE WASHED IN THE WORD!

“You’re already clean because of the word which I've spoken to you.”

John 15:3

[re: The Bride] "that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word"

Ephesians 5:26

XIII. HE EXPECTS US TO SPEAK HIS WORD WITH BOLDNESS!

"... they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness."

Acts 4:31

XIV. HE EXPECTS US TO HOLD FAST HIS WORD!

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life...

Philippians 2:14-16

XV. HE EXPECTS US TO LET THE WORD DWELL IN US!

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom …

Colossians 3:16

XVI. HE EXPECTS US TO TAKE ON THE SOLID STUFF, NOT THE FLAKY FLUFF!

For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. For solid food belongs to those who are mature, that is, who by reason of practice have their senses trained to discern both good and evil.

Hebrews 5:13-14

as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow ...

1 Peter 2:2

[PRACTICE] Chas. Swindoll wrote, "What is the sign of [Christian] maturity? Practicing what you hear. Through practice you become mature.

You see, it is one thing to grow old in the Lord, but it is another thing to grow up in the Lord. There are many ... cruising from church to church, from Bible conference to Bible conference, filling notebook after note-book, wearing out Bible after Bible, who are still some of the crankiest, fussiest, most irresponsible people you [will ever] meet. Why? Because they do not practice what they hear."

APPLICATION: Remember: the pot must be on the burner if the water is to boil. It makes little sense to know why and how water boils if your pot is never placed on the burner … let alone to the sink to be filled!

I’m tempted to say: It’s a sign of our times that people want something for nothing … but it has always been that way.

Solomon wrote long ago [Ecclesiastes 12:13] a child of God really only needs to do two things:

1.) Fear God and
2.) Keep His commandments.

How could anyone do either of these without the Word of God as a guide?

• Could man fear an unknown God?
• Could anyone keep commandments which have never been heard?

God's Word applies to each of us equally; no one is exempt from its reach:

• We are either washed in the Word or we are not!
• We are either equipped for works of service or we are not!
• We are either obedient or we are not!
• We are either pleasing to God or we are not!
• We either love the Book and its author or we do not!

God's true child should take very seriously God's admonition to be "doers of the Word," for Jesus, His Son, is The Word!

I am not a Solomon but I can give you some free advice:

1.) Read your Bible frequently.
2.) Read your bible fearfully.
3.) Read your Bible prayerfully.
4.) Read your Bible expectantly.
5.) Read your Bible humbly.
6.) Read your Bible faithfully.
7.) Read your Bible personally.
8.) Practice what it preaches!
9.) Don't cheapen God's grace … count the cost!

RELATED LINKS: The SHEEPS CRIB

SPECIFIC TAGS: Bible, Scripture, Word

GENERAL TAGS: Homiletics, Preaching, Sermons