James 1:19-21
Good morning Saylorville Church! I’m Pastor Jason, and we’re back in the Book of James this morning. We took a week off last Sunday for a really important message from Pastor Pat, who gave us a biblical perspective on what’s happening in the Middle East right now. If you haven’t listened to that message yet, do that as soon as you can. And next week, we’ll be hearing from Lucas Bair for a special message during our Saylorville Missions Weekend. So, today, I’m squeezing in between with our next passage in our series, “Keeping It Real.”
And here’s James, 2,000 years ago he’s writing inspired Scripture to a bunch of Hebrew Christians – Jewish people who have been spread out all over Asia Minor – they’ve been dispersed because they’re being persecuted for their faith. They’re being tested, and James says to them and to us today, “The way you respond to tests and trials – that’s a pretty good indicator of where you’re putting your trust.”
But James, you might say, it’s kind of been a week. I’ve failed so many times. I want to pass. I want to have faith. I want to remain steadfast. I want that crown of life you talked about. But every time a trial shows up, I feel like it catches me off-guard. The tough stuff in life just always seems to knock me over. How can I be better prepared?
When I lose my job, when my bank account runs dry, when my relationships are falling apart, when I’m failing my classes, when it seems like I just can’t say no to sin – How can I prepare to face the inevitable trials, tests, and temptations of life?
And the answer 2,000 years ago, and today is essentially this – God’s Word. The Bible. James says, If you want to respond well to tests and trials, you must know and obey the truth.
In the face of stress and struggles – start with Scripture.
But if you’re anything like me here this morning, there are times when you sit down to read your Bible, or you come to church and hear a message, or you’re in your Community Group – it just seems like it doesn’t connect. Like here’s the Bible, and here’s your life and they’re on two totally separate tracks.
You start saying things like, “I’m just not getting anything from my Bible reading”, or “The Bible isn’t relevant for my life right now”, or even, “I already have Jesus, but I need real answers to my real problems.”
Let me humbly suggest that If God’s Word isn’t making a difference in your life right now, the problem isn’t with God’s Word, it’s with your life.
And more specifically, the problem may be in the way you’re approaching God’s Word this morning. So, as we get into our passage for today, James says, if you’re a Christian, you can actually respond better to tests and trials by preparing your heart to receive the truth of God.
And it’s pretty straightforward – in typical James style, he just lays it out there for us to see, and we’ll back up to verse 18 to help us connect our passage to the context, and I want you to see how he points back to God’s Word throughout these verses:
James 1:18 – Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
James 1:19-21 – 19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
James 1:22 – But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
So one of the main themes throughout these passages is this: The key to overcoming trials is a correct approach to the Word of God.
And here’s what I noticed about myself and maybe you find yourself here sometimes too. The way I respond to truth is directly related to the way I receive truth.
So James gives us really practical ways to prepare our hearts to receive truth, before we even open our Bibles, or listen to a message, or have a conversation with another believer.
And my hope and prayer this morning is that, this week you’ll be able to remember this passage, the principles we see this morning, and we’ll practice them together.
Five Ways To Prepare Your Heart Before You Open Your Bible
First: Be Quick To Hear (vs. 19)
If you want to respond well to tests and trials, if you want to have victory over temptation in your life. Start with open ears.
If you’ve got kids or you’re a teacher, this is the season of parent/teacher conferences, right? We just had a few of these this week. And one of the terms that our son’s teachers have used several times is “active listening.” In other words, when the teacher is talking, you need to pay attention with your eyes, your ears, and even your posture. Why? Because listening well will help you respond well. If you’re not listening, you won’t learn.
And this is true of us when we approach God’s Word too. If we’re not quick to hear, we’ll miss what God is trying to show us about Himself and about us.
Samuel understood this. Remember young Samuel in the Old Testament? As a young boy, he heard God’s voice and responded by saying, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10)
So, how do we practically do this? When we sit down to read our Bible, or when we’re hearing God’s truth on a Sunday morning? How can you and I prepare our hearts to lean into truth? To listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit? How can you and I be better hearers of God’s Word? Here’s one idea to get you started:
Approach God’s Word in listening prayer. Quiet the noise. Tune out the chaos. Take a deep breath and pray these simple words:
Lord, I’m ready to listen. Speak to me through your Word.
Maybe you’ve said something like this, “I just don’t get anything from my Bible reading.” I’ve been there at times. I think we all have. Don’t quit. Don’t give up on it. Just change your approach. Here’s what I think James would tell us if he were here this morning: Be quick to hear. Approach God’s Word in listening prayer.
Next, Be Slow To Speak (vs. 19)
And this counsel from James just flows naturally from what he just told us. If you want to be prepared to receive and respond to truth, you need to open your ears, and then close your mouth.
I’ll confess to you that I struggle with keeping my mouth shut at times. I’m just keeping it real here! Listen, I wake up in the morning and I roll over in bed and I want to talk to Meredith right away. “How did you sleep, what are you doing today, what are we having for dinner, who’s coming over?” Meredith takes a little more time to wake up. We actually have this rule now in the morning that I can’t start talking until she says something first. Sometimes I just lay there awake staring at her just waiting for her to make a sound! Then it’s on! I can be three conversations deep before she even opens her eyes.
Every once in a while, my patient wife will look at me and say, “Why so many words?”
You know, the old Testament Book of Proverbs is full of warnings to those of us who tend to use lots of words…
Proverbs 10:19 (NLT) – Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.
Some of you need to make that verse the background on your phone right now or put it on a post-it note on your car dashboard. More words lead to more sin. So close your mouth.
Proverbs 13:3 (NLT) – Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.
You’ve said things you didn’t mean, right? Things that have hurt people. Things that were flippant, sarcastic, rude, or even untrue. Words can ruin a moment, a friendship, even someone’s life. So just keep your mouth closed.
And James himself, just a few pages from our text this morning, lays down this vivid illustration:
James 3:6 (NLT) – And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
Listen, if that doesn’t make you want to shut your mouth I don’t know what will!
And here’s what James is telling us in our passage about how to approach God’s Word: You won’t hear from God if you’re doing all the talking!
God is trying to tell us amazing things through His Word. Stop interrupting Him. Stop pretending like you’ve got something better to say. Stop trying to tell everybody what you know and just close your mouth. You might just learn something.
And for me, when I really dig into this, what I’m often trying to do is fill the silence with noise so I don’t have to deal with the truth. So that I don’t have to really do the hard work of silently examining the depths of my own heart – because that might reveal something sinful. And I sometimes don’t want to go there. So, I talk. Because it’s easier than dealing with the truth that I’m a sinner who desperately needs Jesus every minute.
I’ve been just soaking in Psalm 131 recently. Check it out this section from vss 1 and 2:
Psalm 131:1-2 – 1 I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. 2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul…
I want to say that. I want to mean that. I want to declare that as a banner over my life. But I’m not there yet. I still need to work on that kind of silent examination before the Lord.
So, what can you and I do this week to obey this command to be slow to speak when we’re faced with the truth? Here’s another simple prayer to pray before you even open your Bible:
Lord, calm my soul and quiet my mouth. Let me hear You in the silence.
And then open up the Bible, and ask Him to show you things about Him and about you that you’ve never seen before! And don’t ruin it by speaking!
Next, James tells us to Be Slow To Anger (Vs. 19)
Remember, we’re still in this context of preparing our hearts to receive God’s Word so that we can respond rightly to tests and trials and temptations. And we’ve already been told, “Open your ears, close your mouths,” and now he says, “Watch your emotions.” Be careful how you react to the truth.
We don’t have enough time to really open this one up here this morning – maybe we’ll go a little deeper in the podcast this week – but I think this is what James is driving at: How do you respond when the Bible steps on your toes? When the truth you read is uncomfortable? Or maybe, to put into the context of relationships, “How do you react when someone confronts you with sin in your life?”
If you’ve ever justified, rationalized, minimized, or tried to excuse your sin – James is talking directly to you. Those responses are signs of pride and point to a lack of humility before God, and they are all stepping stones on a pathway that leads to anger.
In fact, this word, “anger”, that James uses here? It’s one of two words that the New Testament writers usually use. One of them refers to that fiery, volcanic anger that explodes like a nuclear bomb and destroys everybody around. When you’re a child, this kind of anger shows up in temper tantrums. When you’re an adult, it shows up in the comments section on social media. This anger is like the pot of water you put on the stove and it boils over uncontrollably.
But James is using the other word for anger – it refers to the kind of emotion that’s harder to see on the outside, but is just as deadly. This is the kind of anger that harbors bitterness, it shows up in long-term resentment. It’s the passive-aggressive response to your spouse. The silent treatment you give your roommate when he hurts your feelings. This is the anger that makes you feel numb over time. It’s like the water that goes into the freezer and turns to ice. Hard. Cold. And brittle.
And this, James says, is how some of you have responded to God’s truth. Maybe it was recently – a friend gently called you out on something and you iced over. “What right does she have to judge me? She has no idea what I’m going through.”
Or maybe it’s been years since that moment of truth. Maybe a Community Group leader tried to encourage you to grow a little deeper, or a preacher stepped on your toes a little. Or maybe you read something in Scripture that confronted the way you were living, and you’ve been bitter ever since.
Some of you have been giving God the cold shoulder for years.
But nobody likes to admit this, right, so, here’s a quick test. Just ask yourself, when I hear these statements, what’s my initial reaction? Is it pride and anger? Or humility and confession?
“Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44) – Hamas, ISIS, Republicans, Democrats?
“Be anxious for nothing” (Philippians 4:6) – Rent, groceries, your future, you kids?
“Store up treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20) – What does your house, your garage, your storage unit, your bank account say about where your treasure is?
“Avoid all sexual immorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3) – Your Netflix cue, your phone history, your relationships outside of marriage, your thought life?
“Pray for those in authority” (1 Timothy 2:1-2) – The President you didn’t vote for, the school board you don’t support, the teacher, the boss, or the parent you didn’t choose.
How do you feel about God’s Word when you don’t like what it says?
My guess is, right now there are some of you who are listening to this and you’ve been angry with God for years. You don’t want to admit it, and you’d never call it that, but that’s exactly what it is. It’s made you cold and brittle and numb, and you need to confess it. Some of you have justified, rationalized, minimalized, and ignored your sin for so long you don’t even recognize it as sin anymore. And you wonder why you don’t seem to get anything out of your Bible reading?
It’s time for us to say along with King David, who was caught in his adultery, and murder, and deceit – when he cried out in humble confession:
Psalm 51:4 – Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.
And here’s what we know, if and when we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us of those sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
So, next time to get your Bible out, before you even open it up, here’s a simple prayer of humble confession to pray out loud, “Lord, I’ve sinned against you. Forgive me. Prepare my heart to accept Your truth.”
Be quick to hear. Slow to speak. Slow to anger. And now, in verse 21, James urges us to prepare our hearts to receive the truth by putting away what he calls “all filthiness and rampant wickedness”.
Put Away All Filthiness And Rampant Wickedness (vs. 21)
Meredith and I are part of a really fun Community Group. We meet on Tuesday nights. There’s four couples and like 100 kids. We have a family meal together, we laugh, we cry, we eat way too much ice-cream. It’s amazing.
But a few minutes before everybody shows up we’re going nuts trying to clear up the house, right? So we set the table, pick up the toys, take out the trash, clean up the bathrooms, and then someone always grabs a vacuum. Now, several months ago, we were doing this routine, when I learned something for the first time – and I’m not sure why it took me so long. I was vacuuming away, and Meredith said, “Hey, when was the last time you emptied that thing out?” And I was like, “Emptied what out?” and she pointed to the vacuum and said, “All the junk from the vacuum? When was the last time you cleaned that out?”
And I’m telling you, I’m almost 45 years old, and I can honestly say I never once thought about cleaning out that thing in the vacuum that holds all the dirt that you sweep up. And Meredith says something like this to me, “Babe, you need to empty out all of that junk or else the vacuum won’t work like it’s supposed to.”
One of things that sometimes happens in our Community Group, and I bet it happens in your group too – is that God will use a passage we’re reading, or a comment from someone in the group, or even something that stuck out from the Sunday sermon – God will use that little piece of truth to remind us that there’s some junk in one of our lives that needs to be emptied out. That there’s a pile of sin that we need to repent of – so the Word of Truth can do what it’s supposed to do.
And you know what happens when we do that – when we put aside all the filthiness and wickedness – all that sin in our lives? We’re able to be filled with truth again. When we open up our Bibles, our hearts are pure and ready, we’re prepared to hear God’s truth, to respond rightly, and to grow.
The Psalmist put it this way in Psalm 24:3-5
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
So, friends, here’s a prayer that will help us put aside every semblance of known sin and purify our hearts as we prepare to engage with God’s Word. Very simply, “Lord, I repent completely. I hold nothing back. Fill me now with your truth.”
And then be ready to repent again, and again, and again. Because, like the dirt in your vacuum, sin has a way of coming back.
Quick to hear. Slow to speak. Slow to anger. Complete in repentance. And now, ready to welcome the truth of God’s Word.
James ends this paragraph by tying it all together. The Word of Truth that brings salvation to Believers is the same Word of Truth that keeps the Believer saved and will one day ultimately save him forever.
So, lastly this morning, Receive With Meekness The Implanted Word (vs. 21)
Now that’s a little bit of a mouthful, so let’s unpack it quickly. The picture here is one of a seed being planted. Familiar to the original readers of the New Testament, and familiar to us here in the Midwest. James is drawing from the same illustration Jesus used in what we call the “Parable of the Sower” found in the gospels. In the parable, Jesus compares the hearts of people to the soil in a field. When the seed, which is the Gospel – the truth – lands on the different types of soil, there’s different results. And Jesus urges his listeners to have hearts that are like the good soil – ready to receive and respond to the truth of the Gospel.
So James jumps on that illustration and applies it in this context. If you want to respond well to trials and tests, if you want to stay strong in the midst of stresses and struggles, before you even open your Bible, make sure your heart is ready to receive the truth.
I love that little word that our English Bibles have translated “receive” there in verse 21. It’s a word that means, “to lay out the welcome mat.” It carries this idea of inviting, of eagerly accepting something into our lives.
And so, James is giving us another word picture, he’s telling us that the Gospel – the truth of God – he’s telling us to open up our arms, lay out the welcome mat, and eagerly accept truth into our lives.
Meredith and I have a welcome mat on our front doorstep, and even a little sign next to the door that says, “Welcome”. So if you come to our house, we want you to know that we’re friendly people and we’re probably going to let you in. But we also have one of the video camera doorbells. So, we know who’s at the door. And even though our doormat says, “Welcome”, we can actually choose whether or not we even answer the door! And yes, there have been times when we’ve heard the doorbell, looked at the video to see who it is, and pretended not to be home!
We’ve never done that to any of you!
But, stick with me here, how many of us do that to the Lord? You seem welcoming, but when the truth shows up on your doorstep, do you invite it into your life? Not everybody does. Watch this:
John 1:11-12 – 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Here’s what we know. We’re sinners. All of us. We’re born in sin and if we were left on our own we would spend our whole lives serving ourselves and our own desires. But God created us and desperately wants to have a relationship with each of us, but because of our sin, we can’t ever get close to God. So, God the Father sent Jesus, His Son to pay the price for our sin though His death, claim the victory over sin in His resurrection, and He’s now back in Heaven preparing a sinless place for those who accept Him, who welcome Him, who receive Him. He’s standing at the door…knocking.
If you’re here this morning, or listening sometime later, and you haven’t received Jesus – if you’ve not welcomed Him into your life – don’t wait. Invite Him in. Please let us know if that’s you. We’d love to show you the truth about how to open the door and let Jesus in.
And if you are a Christian – here’s a simple prayer you can pray before you open the Bible, before you come to church, before you meet with your Community Group. “Lord, the door is open for You. I welcome Your Truth.”
Here’s how we’ll wrap this up this morning as the band comes to the stage. This week, you will have trials. You will be tested. There will be temptation. But you’ve been given the answer, the solution, the weapon – The Word of God. Are you ready to use it? Are you prepared to receive it? Here’s how to prepare your heart before you open your Bible:
- Quick to hear: We’re going to approach God’s Word in listening prayer.
- Slow to speak: Before we open our Bible, we’re going to take time for silent examination.
- Slow to anger: When we’re confronted with truth, we’re going to respond in humble confession.
- Put away sin: We’re going to clean house. Opening up our lives and giving them totally over to God. Completely turning away from sin.
- Welcome the truth: When truth is at our doorstep, it’s going to get an eager welcome. We’re opening the door and welcoming truth into our hearts and lives.
Let’s pray:
Lord, we need You. This week, make us quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger, help us put away sin completely, and cause us to welcome the truth.
Lord, I’m ready to listen. Speak to me through your Word.
Lord, calm my soul and quiet my mouth. Let me hear You in the silence.
Lord, I’ve sinned against you. Forgive me. Prepare my heart to accept Your truth.
Lord, I repent completely. I hold nothing back. Fill me now with your truth.
Lord, the door is open for You. I welcome Your Truth.
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