Transformative Obedience: Living the Word of God

Devotional

Sermon Summary

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips


Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 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 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. [00:01:16]

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. [00:01:35]

Now there's great wisdom in this, isn't there? Because it is possible to derive a measure of satisfaction just from listening. If the person who teaches is enthusiastic or clear or concise or helpful or whatever it may be, then the listener may be caught up in the enthusiasm of the preacher. [00:03:02]

But of course, if five minutes or 15 seconds after the benediction, when the Bible is closed and the music begins to play, if that same individual who has determined that this has been a worthwhile exercise and has been profitable and good for them, if they themselves remain unchanged by it, then James says it's really a useless exercise in the extreme. [00:03:38]

In other words, it's possible to be charmed by the Bible being taught without being changed by the Bible being taught. And there are wonderful illustrations in the Bible of those who were hearing, who were listening carefully, and yet who remained absolutely unchanged. [00:04:04]

The superficial casual glance of man number one here in verse 22, the superficial casual glance looks into the mirror and immediately forgets, fails to do anything about it, is a picture of the individual who treats the Bible, who treats the word of truth in the same way. [00:07:23]

The right response says James is the response of careful obedience. He moves very quickly from his illustration in man one to the man who by contrast, verse 25, looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard but doing it. [00:10:29]

Now James has already talked about the truth. He spoke about the word of truth, which is a reference to the gospel as taught by Jesus and then as understood and taught by the apostles. But given the fact that he is writing to a congregation or to people, many of whom came out of a Jewish background, many of whom had a clear understanding of the law in its ceremonial aspects, in its civil aspects, in its moral implications to them as summarized in the Ten Commandments. [00:11:33]

Our freedom in Christ, and this is the paradox, is tied directly to our obedience. It is by our obedience that we're free. Disobedient people think they're free, but they're in bondage. Obedient people may feel themselves constrained, but they're in freedom. [00:17:41]

If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. This is verse 31 of John 8. If you hold to my teaching, you're really my disciples. Remember we talked earlier about the people who listened to the lectures but didn't become disciples. Jesus may well have the same thought in his mind. [00:18:08]

To see the law by Christ fulfilled and hear his pardoning voice changes a slave into a child and duty into choice. To see the law by Christ fulfilled and hear his pardoning voice changes a slave into a child and duty into choice. [00:20:01]

When you read the parable of the sower, it becomes perfectly clear that there's a tremendous amount of wastage in the whole process, isn't there? But the good soil, said Jesus, represents the hearts of those who receive the truth when it is planted in them, who obey it, and who go on. [00:22:38]

Ask a question about this sermon