JAMES

Looking into the Bible
July 31, 2022

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Why did James say “just do it” throughout his book? Because this book of James is about: AUTHENTIC FAITH.

*APPLICATION *is the key*.

*James gives four important commands for us to do:

James 1:19-21 - My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent…

1. Be quick to LISTEN.

2. Be slow to SPEAK.

3. Be slow to ANGER.

4. Get RID of all moral filth.

*Now after you have followed the commands: James said, “don’t just STAND there.”

James 1:2 - and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

James 1:22 - Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Listen: means to AUDIT.

Deceive yourself: it means to reach a conclusion by FALSE reasoning.

Matthew 7:24 – “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

*A lot of us want to highlight our Bible. But the question is, do we let the Bible highlight our lives?

*James compares the BIBLE to a MIRROR.

Two types of people:

• people who PEEK

• people who look INTENTLY

James 1:23-24 - Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

Isaiah 6:5 – “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

Luke 5:8 - When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

The peekers do two things:

1. NOTHING

2. DEFLECTING the image to someone else

James 1:25 - But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does.

We are to look intently:

I. I must RECEIVE God’s word. (vs. 19-21)

“… accept the Word planted in you …” (vs. 21)

II. I must REFLECT on God’s word (vs. 22-25)

III. I must RESPOND to God’s word (vs. 22-27)

James 1:22 – “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. DO WHAT
IT SAYS!”