Restoring Our Hearing
Series: Real Faith (The Book of James)
Brad Bailey - July 7, 2013
Intro
So glad to see everyone. One thing we all share in common is some type of morning routine. From
that moment are eyes begin to open...we each likely have some set of things we do...some
restroom...shower... coffee...make bed. And at some point...we face the THE MIRROR. We have to
take a look at that morning face. I'm glad you did...and you're glad I did. Imagine if we all showed
up just the way we woke up.
Today... as we continue in our series entitled Real Faith based on the Biblical Book of James...
something more tragic is suggested... James says we can come... see ourselves in the light of God's
Word...and leave... without doing anything.
Let's stand and read aloud together...
James 1:18-26 (NLT)
18 He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his
prized possession. 19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen,
slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God
desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has
planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. 22 But don’t just listen to God’s word.
You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the
word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and
forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if
you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
He begins by turning the very source of all hope...
James 1:18 (NLT)
He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his
prized possession.
God's Word is that which gives LIFE !
He is speaking to those scattered who have received the life of Christ... and he is awakening them
and us to grasp that God has given a new birth...(“brought us forth”) ...of his own choosing and
will...by the "true word" (“by the word of truth.”) [1]
That is the power not simply of a book...but God whose Spirit inspired and now illuminates as
we read and hear.
It is treated here the very same way that the Bible treats the Spirit of God himself.
We are born again by the Spirit (John 6:63), and we are born again by the word of God. The Spirit
dwells in us, and the word is implanted in us.
Perhaps you have been told that you "should" read the Bible...and like any teenager...or grown
teenager...we resent being told what we should do. We correlate the Bible to be something we
simply "should" read...something obligatory to make others hapy...to prove we are good...to make
God happy.
James declares a wake up call: this is the very source of life.
We should consider more vital than if we were gasping for our last breath and someone gave us
oxygen. More vital than if staggering across Death valley...and rain suddenly came.
It is like being left in silence...a deathly silence...and then hearning a voice that calls out to us. For
silence is death...it means we have been left...abandoned...death. When you give up on
someone...you just ignore them.
But God is speaking that which offers life.
Jack Hayford expressed the nature of God's WORD so powerfully when he said:
Consider the one thing this world which you and I can touch that has "eternity"
written into its fabric. It's the Word of God. Every time I take a Bible in hand, I hold
eternity, because the life-force inherent in that Word exceeds all time and space: "Heaven
and earth will pass away, but My Word shall not pass away."
Pause to slowly speak those words above. Pensively allow them to engrave
themselves on your soul, for they hold the seeds of the deepest, grandest point of
understanding any human being can ever gain. Your life becomes durable, fulfilling and
successful in direct proportion to the degree the Word of God becomes alive to your being,
life, breath as healing and creative power.
Whether we open these Scriptures on our own or together...God is speaking and always by his
Spirit.
Does it bless us with life?
James says... not necessarily.
Is it possible for a person to go to church every week and still not enjoy God’s blessing? According
to James, it is.
James 1:19-21 (NLT)
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and
slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. 21 So get rid of
all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it
has the power to save your souls.
He begins by speaking into our RECEPTIVITY...
1. Our need for RECEPTIVITY.
James quotes a common proverb in James 1:19. He introduces it by saying, "Understand this"...
or “Take note of this”... make sure you pay attention to this—because everyone (without
exception) needs this reminder.
He concludes these statements in verse 21 telling us to “humbly accept the word planted in
you.” The word translated "accept" literally means "to welcome." [2]
> It's about receptivity.
Such receptivity lacked in some Jesus engaged. Jesus said of the leaders who were trying to kill
him:
“You seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.” - John 8:37
The word of truth was not implanted in them.
Be careful not to cast them aside too quickly. These leaders knew their Bibles better than
anyone. But the word of God “found no place in them.” It was not implanted in them.
Why? Well...we could say because they were too full of themselves.
Do we humbly make room...or are we too full of ourselves?
What he essentially says is that: You can't receive because you are full of yourself !
Seeds cannot find life in soil that does not welcome it.
How can we overcome the problem?
James refers to 3 Barriers to receptivity... to humbly accepting God's Word.
1. Self-focus.
“You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak…”
You're full of your own self focus...so be slow to speak and quick to listen
We have to discipline ourselves to pay attention to what someone else is saying. If we’re not
careful, instead of listening, we’re thinking about what we want to say. that's why
“Quick to listen” is accompanied by the added instruction to be “slow to speak.”
We can be so enamored with what we think...and what we have to say. When there is a potential
accusation upon someone...they are given the right to... "to be silent" ...because "anything you say
may be used against you." What comes out may reveal something in you that you will only be
responsible for.
I heard a lawyer this week speaking of the high profile cases...and about the risks of having a
defendant take the stand...she said...Jody Arias took the stand and spoke more than anyone has...
found guilty... OJ Simpson didn't take the stand... was acquitted...but in civil case he did take the
stand...wand was found guilty. Her point was that we may think we have a lot that the judge and
jury should hear... but it's we who may do well to shut up and listen to what we need to hear.
How much more with God.
Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 (NIV)
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the
sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. 2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not
be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let
your words be few.
"Go near to listen." If we understand whose presence you stand before...you will be slow to
speak...and quick to listen.
I must clear away my self-focus.
2. Self-righteous anger.
“You must all be … slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God
desires.”
You can get stuck in your own anger
You’ll notice that James speaks of ‘man’s anger’ as having the limits that can never produce the
righteous life of God.
Only God operates out of a perfectly secure nature. Our nature operates out of insecurity and
defensiveness and so many other dynamics.
Anger itself may be a natural part of reactions in life...but it can become consuming... to our
thoughts... emotions... even physiologically... as anger "floods" us hormonally. [3] It will seduce us
to believing it has given us back power and control...when in fact it will merely consume us.
We can allow it to reign and consume us...to make us sovereign little self-righteous beings. And
when we are self-righteous we don't want to face God very intimately... and we begin to change
orbits... and drift into a darkness.
I must let go of my self-righteous anger.
3. Moral resistance. “…get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives.”
The word we see translated as "filth" was used in more physical medical terms for the stuff that
clogs the ears... that had to be removed so that it wouldn’t obstruct hearing. When we are full of
contempt towards others... or greed.... or lust...we are not going to be able to hear the very voice
we are resisting.
When I was a teenager... and my parents were speaking instruction...in a lesser secondary degree
they may have reflected something life-giving...but if I had things I was doing in violation of
them...stealing... cheating.... and lying....do you think I would be hearing them? No. There was
unresolved stuff between us.
In the same way.... if we say we want to hear God... we will have to consider what He already said.
I must surrender my moral resistance. (the desires that resist what is truly good)
He says...in contrast to such self focus...and anger...and moral conflict...
" ...humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your
souls." - James 1:21b
There is the receptivity needed.
Someone once said, “The greatest distance truth has to travel is the eighteen inches between a
person’s mind and that person’s heart.” In verse 21 James describes the word that we are to receive
as “implanted” . The Word is to become a part of who we are.
> James says that such planting comes by humility... meekness....
Jesus spoke the Word of God to the Pharisees of His day. But that Word did not profit them
because they did not receive it for what it was—truth sent from God.
They set themselves up as judges over that Word, rather than allowing that Word to judge
their lives.
They were prideful rather than humble.
They were arrogant and critical rather than humble and teachable.
Humbly accepting God's Word comes with hearts that stop...and say: I need you to help me.. I
submit to you. Open my eyes to see the greatness of what is really there. Come to me through your
word. Satisfy my soul. [4]
He goes on...
James 1:22-25 (NLT)
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling
yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a
mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully
into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard,
then God will bless you for doing it.
James goes on to describe the issue of RESPONSIVENESS
2. Our need for RESPONSIVENESS
The idea that we should be 'doers and not merely hearers' may be something we have heard before...
but lets not miss the irony of familiarity. The whole point is that we can learn to hear without
responding.
We have come a long ways in our ability to do this. [6] As those living in the United States in
modern times... we don't lack the opportunity for "hearing" God's Word.
• Americans bought over 20 million Bibles last year...about half a million Bibles in a week.
• The Bible easily would blow away any other best seller on the national book list which is the
reason it is routinely excluded from these lists.
• About 92 percent of Americans own at least one Bible, and the average household has three.
• The recent TV mini-series called 'The Bible' just reached sales of 1 million copies on DVD
and similar formats last week. [6b]
• There are over $4.5 billion of Christian books sold each year in the U.S.
• Christian radio programming is now second only to country music
• We have the largest percentage of Christian programming in television, radio, and internet.
What a gift. People are starving for getting even small portions of the Scriptures for entire
communities... and we have a level of access and formats never imagined.
> But it also reflects the most dangerous dynamic of all...
We've become educated beyond our level of obedience.
Most of us have more knowledge than obedience...more revelation than application
We have surplus of knowledge and a deficit of obedience.
In terms of health.... some would call this spiritual obesity. Perhaps better we can just call it
"Cultural Christianity"... we become so familiar with some aspect of information...we no longer
sense what it truly calls us to. [7]
It's about responsiveness.
James illustrates his point by comparing a person who looks in a mirror.
Most of us probably get our first glance at ourselves while we are still pretty scary looking.
Our eyes have that bleary, dazed look.
Our hair is sticking out in strange places.
Facing our mirrors first thing in the morning is NOT that pleasant .... of an experience.
Mirrors are very honest little things. They do not compromise.
They do not gloss over our defects and tell us we are better-looking.... than we really are.
They show us every wrinkle ..... every gray hair.
In fact, .... the better the mirror, .... the more flaws we will see.
So why do we all have mirrors .... in our bathrooms?
Well.... because as unpleasant as it may be to confront our own faces first thing in the morning,
We know ..... if we do not take a look at ourselves, ......and make some minor ...... or in some
cases major adjustments, .... the rest of the world is going to see .....that morning face!
So, .... It is better to "face" the truth, ....and make the changes.
In the same way: If we are going to be all that God wants us to be, .... then we must have a clear
vision of who we are ..... and a clear vision of what needs to change in our life.
The word of God is mirror for the soul... which the Holy Spirit uses to enable us to see ourselves as
we really are.
The view we get is not what we think based on experience or what others think based on their
observations... it is how God see us.
James describes the guy who sees that he needs to wash his face, sees that he needs a shave, maybe
even accents to that reality. But then walks away and does nothing about what he sees in that
mirror. He saw something he needed to see. But it did him no good because he did nothing about it.
He immediately goes his way and does not give it another thought. RT
James says the person who operates this way is susceptible to something very serious—selfdeception.
We often think that if others think we are responsive to God.... it's good enough. We might think
that at worst the danger is that of deceiving others.
> But look what he says... "You are fooling YOURSELVES."
If you walk away from the mirror.... you're the one who forgets you never brushed your
hair...washed your face. The rest of us see it all day.
We can fool ourselves with simple avoidance.
If our will remains central.... we may feel okay... but we will be the sovereigns of our own
universe... and our own destiny.
There is no blessing that can flow because we are the center and source of our orbit.
We may think we are fine with God because we made no argument with Him.... there's no big
outward contention....we said we'd vote for his idea...offer some sign of agreement. [5]
We can fool ourselves with our academic focus.
The issue he is raising is more about the significance we give to what God says...not some
mysterious depth we must find.
We need to be very careful of thinking of the Scriptures as merely a source of knowledge.
It can become something we want to "master' when it is God seeking to master us.
It may be fascinating to study and gain fresh understanding and insights....but let not confuse depth
with response.
James says it's a mirror... not an optical illusion... with hidden meaning.
It's simple but not simplistic... mysterious but not mystical.
Some think that the basic knowledge is milk and that there is a less obvious meaning which is the
meat. I have news...it's not true. Mark Twain was more on target.
Mark Twain - "It's not the part of the Bible I don't understand but the parts I DO understand that
bother me."
God is not interested in our academic agreement. He doesn't feel more secure and confident
because you agree with Him.
In relationship to the Sovereign source and center of all existence...what matters is not our
agreement...but our alignment...our acceptance in action.
Jesus told the story in Matthew 7 of two builders.
Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)
"...everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built
his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against
that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears
these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on
sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and
it fell with a great crash."
One house...did not fall....one house "fell with a great crash."
We hear the difference between rock and sand and it seems easy to grasp. We need to choose
what we build our lives upon. these two men set out to build upon different foundations.
But what made the difference?
In Matt 7:24 Jesus gives this interpretation of his story. "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.”
It's not a matter of some people believing the wrong ideas and another believing the right ideas.
Jesus said it was a matter of who put them into practice.
> ONE HOUSE STOOD.
In the same way, in verse twenty-five, James speaks of “one looking into the perfect law of
liberty....will be blessed”
Notice that he is not simply talking about someone who merely looks at God’s word. He is
talking about someone who looks intently.
The connotation of the word translated as "look" is "to stoop down and gaze into."
(It is the same word that was used to denote the way Peter, John, and Mary stooped down to look
into the empty tomb on Resurrection morning (John 20:5, 11). It also found in (1 Peter 1:12) where
we are told that the angels desire “to look into” the glories of salvation that are outside of their
personal experience.)
John 8:31-32 (MSG)
Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. "If you stick with this, living out
what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and
the truth will free you."
God's word is after your freedom.
So how do we restore our hearing?
Let me just surmise what stands out from what these words have told us.
1. Have the courage to face reality... to look in the mirror.
How do you feel when you go to the mirror...there can be a little apprehensiveness...and that is
good. Every time we come to the Word...we should be a little nervous.
Hebrews 4:12 tells us that God's Word is active...sharper than any two edged sword.
It will seek to separate what is good and bad.
2. Recognize that looking in a mirror does not make you better looking.
Many believe the Bible changes our lives.... the Bible does NOT change our lives... only our
response to the Bible by the power of he Holy Spirit changes our lives.
Make it a rule...to always find ONE THING you can apply.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lets take a moment to consider how we may too full of ourselves.
Some of us may realize that a barrier to receptivity is our self focus...we may be good intelligent
people...but we are too enamored with what we think.
Some of us may realize that a barrier to receptivity is the work of anger in our lives. To defend
some hurt and pain in life we have become angry...and with it... self righteous. We have lost our
humility before God.
Some of us may realize that a barrier to receptivity is an area of moral resistance. There is an area of
our lives we don't want to allow God to have...so we try to control what we hear from God.
Resources: Steve Furtick, Richard Tow, John Piper; and various specific resources noted in "Notes"
Notes:
1. John Piper states:
"This is a reference to the gospel (Colossians 1:5; Ephesians 1:13; 2 Timothy 2:15). So he is saying
that our second birth, our new creation in Christ, happened “by the word of truth,” when we heard
the gospel of Christ." however...that broad Gospel is the center of the Word and Piper notes it is
woven into the full fabric...and therefore all of God's Word is powerful to save us. Such salvation is
not simply of initial salvation of soul...for most his audience we're considered "saved" in the faith in
Christ.
2. Verse 21 - This is a picture of planting seed in fertile soil. The aorist imperative of "receive"
indicates that this is more than receiving, it is "welcoming", i.e., the receptivity of a teachable spirit.
"Meekness" is an inner disposition of gentleness and considerateness". The "engrafted Word"
occurs only here in the New Testament. The nature of the Word is to root itself in the soil of the
believing heart. James reminds his readers of the delivering power of the Word...which is able to
save your souls." The present tense of "to save" suggests that this deliverance is a process, i.e., The
Word can continually deliver you from the power of sin as it has delivered you from the penalty of
sin.
3. Regarding anger
From http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Anger_how_it_affects_people
Anger triggers the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. Other emotions that trigger this response
include fear, excitement and anxiety. The adrenal glands flood the body with stress hormones, such
as adrenaline and cortisol. The brain shunts blood away from the gut and towards the muscles, in
preparation for physical exertion. Heart rate, blood pressure and respiration increase, the body
temperature rises and the skin perspires. The mind is sharpened and focused.
4. As John Piper describes...
"When you open your Bible, say to God: I trust you, I submit to you, I need you to help me. Incline
my heart to love your word. Open my eyes to see the greatness of what is really there. Satisfy my
soul with the glory of Christ revealed in all of this book. I bow. I yield to the supreme truth and
value of this book. In all meekness and lowliness, I look to you. I wait for you. Come to me through
your word, my Savior and my Lord and my God and my friend and my highest treasure. That would
be a meek way of receiving the implanted word."
5. Richard Tow states:
People liked Ezekiel’s preaching for all the wrong reasons. They came to church and listened to him
preach. But they did not necessarily receive the Word as instructive for their lives. They responded
to it more like a form of entertainment. Listen to what God said to Ezekiel about that. Ezek 33:31-
32 “My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they
do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy
for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a
beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into
practice.” When Christianity becomes nothing more than a wholesome form of entertainment we
are in big, big trouble—just like Israel was in Ezekiel’s day.
6. Regarding Bible in U.S.
From http://www.biblestudy.org/beginner/why-so-many-bibles.html
The Bible Society of the United Kingdom calculates that the number of Bibles printed between
1816 and 1975 was around 2.45 BILLION. By 1992, the estimated number printed rose to nearly
six billion and by 2007 to 7.5 billion. A complete translation of God's word has been published in
over 450 languages. The New Testament alone has been distributed in nearly 1,400 languages, with
the Gospel of Mark in over 2,300 languages. They represent the primary means of reaching over
90% of the world’s population with God's truth.
These statistics reflect the fact that the United States, since its inception, has been a Bible-reading
and believing nation. This is evident in such founding documents as the Constitution and the Bill of
Rights.
From http://www.saintmatthewschurches.com/BibleFacts.aspx
Below are some interesting facts about the Bible:
• At least 20 million Bibles are currently sold each year in the U.S. in addition to tens of
millions that are distributed free. In 1956, that number was about 8 million in the U.S.
• The American Bible Society advises that they distributed 60.2 million Bibles last year in the
U.S.
• In the last 40 years, eight new Bible versions published in English have sold well over 100
million copies. (These versions include: Good News Bible, New English Bible, Living
Bible, New International Version, etc.).
• The number of editions of the Bible that readers are buying is staggering. Most other books
are available in only two editions: hardcover and paperback. In contrast, just one Bible
publisher, Zondervan, has 350 editions of the Bible in print this season.
• About 92 percent of Americans own at least one, and the average household has three. Twothirds
say it holds the answers to the basic questions of life. A recent Gallup survey advises
half of Americans say they read their Bibles at least once a month.
• Research sponsored by the Christian Booksellers Association and Zondervan publishers
advises that the average Bible consumer owns nine Bibles, and that he or she "is looking for
more".
• The Bible easily would blow away any other best seller on the national book list which is the
reason it is routinely excluded from these lists.
From
http://www.cathedralconsulting.com/files/REPORT.%20Christian%20Retail%20Industry%20Resea
rch.pdf
CBA estimated the value of all Christian products sold by its member suppliers in 2006 to be
approximately $4.63 billion.
From
http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-contemporary-radio-stations-continue-steady-growth-
36241/
Contemporary Christian radio continued to grow in 2008, adding 28 stations over the past
year and more than doubling its numbers from a decade ago.
The radio format is the second most popular music format following Country radio, which has lost
more than 350 stations since 1998, according to Inside Radio and M Street Corp Publications,
which tracks radio statistics.
From
https://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/183-more-people-use-christian-mediathan-
attend-church#.UdkXG3fn-70
• A much larger percentage of adults than gather as a church community is exposed to religious
information and experiences through various forms of media.
• Nearly half of all adults - 46% - listen to a Christian radio broadcast in a typical month.
• The percentage of adults who watch Christian television programming - an estimated 45%
tuning in to a Christian program during a typical month.
• Today, one out of every six adults (16%) spends some time visiting faith-oriented websites
during a typical month.
• Overall, one-third of all adults read a Christian book
• About one out of five adults absorb one or more of these Christian media on a daily basis.
Approximately half rely on these media for spiritual input during a typical week. The proportion
rises to some two-thirds over the course of a month.
• Over 90% of evangelicals - have exposure to Christian media each month.
6b. June 27, 2013 according to http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2013/06/27/the-bibletops-
1-million-sales-on-video.html?page=all
7. Dr. Howard Hendricks in Living by the Book describes some subtle substitutions in our response.
We can substitute
• interpretation for application.
• rationalization for repentance.
• emotional experience for a volitional decision
