Implant The Word

Implant the Word

Scripture: James 1:21; Matthew 13:55; John 7:3-5; First Peter 4:11

In my final message of 2021, I talked about faith and time. At the close of that message I asked you this question: “In 2022 will you have words of faith on the inside of you and use them to help you use the time that your Heavenly Father has given to you as a blessing to Him here on earth?” In short, have you planted God’s Word on the inside of you to help you deal with what you will face in 2022? You have heard me speak hundreds of times about the importance of God’s Word in our lives. You have heard me implore you to take notes during the sermon on Sundays and attend Bible Study – both of which could help you further plant the Word of God in your hearts. Still some of you do not take notes during the sermon, and even though you can attend from the comfort of your own home, you do not make the effort to attend Bible Study or simply do not see it as something that’s important to you. Now some might say that the topics (sermons and Bible Study) are not interesting or you’re just not getting anything out of it. And you know what, I can accept that if people were studying on their own and the Word was bearing fruit in their lives by the choices they make. We all know that what we have implanted in our hearts relating to God’s Word is demonstrated daily in how we live. This morning, in follow-up to last week’s message, I am not asking a question, I am simply going to tell you what the Word says. The title of my message this morning is “Implant the Word” and I will tell you now that some of our toes will be stepped on as mine were as I prepared this message.

James 1:21 says, “Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remain of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your soul.” This James was the brother of Jesus and a leader of the Jerusalem council (Acts 15), not the Apostle James. It is believed that he was the oldest of Jesus brothers based on Matthew 13:55 which says, “Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brothers, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?” James said that we should put aside all filthiness and what remains of wickedness and receive with humility the word of God which, when implanted, will save our souls. I want you to concentrate on the “putting aside” part of this verse. First of all, “putting aside” is a decision. It’s not something that just happens and James understood what it meant to put aside “bad attitudes” and receive the word of God with humility. If you recall, James did not believe that Jesus, his brother, was the Messiah and even challenged Him concerning His mission. Turn with me to the book of John where a story is referenced of James and his brothers confronting Jesus. We will begin reading at verse three.

“His brothers therefore said unto Him, ‘Depart from here, and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You do. 4 For there is no man that does anything in secret, when he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world. 5 For neither did His brothers believe in Him.” (John 7:3-5) James initially did not believe in His brother. Based on Scriptures in the books of Acts and Corinthians, Jesus appeared to James after His resurrection and this caused his conversion and he joined the Apostles after he saw Jesus. His conversion was sure, as Paul referred to him as a “pillar” of the Church in Galatians 2:9. Paul would visit James when he had the opportunity and when Peter was released from prison, he told his friends to tell James of his release (Acts 12:17). Although James started out as a non-believer, once he was converted, he became the prominent leader in the Church, winning the respect of the Apostles and other disciples. So James was speaking from experience when he said “Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remain of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your soul.” James was talking about an attitudinal shift that he had to make in reference to Jesus and the people had to make in reference the His Word. He said that we should implant the Word in our hearts with humility because once implanted it could save us. The word “implanted” is important. In the King James it’s “engrafted.” Regardless of which word you use, this is what is important: the Word of God will not be a part of you until you make it a part of you. And one of the things that many Christians miss is this: once the Word of God is inside of you, you have to nurture it so that it will grow. That’s when it becomes “implanted.” We put the Word of God inside of us and then we nurture it so that it will “grow or spring up, or produce” in us what God desires for it to produce.