Introduction:
A. I heard about a man who came into worship late one Sunday.
1. He asked someone in the back of the auditorium, “Is the sermon done yet?”
2. The person wisely answered, “The sermon has been preached, but it has yet to be done.”
3. Wow! You talk about a statement that is truthful and insightful!
4. The sermon isn’t done when it is preached, but when it is practiced. Amen!
5. Many years ago, A. W. Tozer lamented: “There is an evil which I have seen under the sun…It is the glaring disparity between theology and practice among professing Christians. So wide is the gulf that separates theory from practice in the church that an inquiring stranger who chances upon both would scarcely dream that there was any relation between them. An intelligent observer of our human scene who heard the Sunday morning sermon and later watched the Sunday afternoon conduct of those who had heard it would conclude that he has been examining two distinct and contrary religions…It appears that too many Christians want to enjoy the thrill of feeling right but are not willing to endure the inconvenience of being right.”
6. That was a pretty scathing critique of Christians and Christianity as Tozer observed them in the 1950s, and although my optimistic and hopeful side wants to think we aren’t like that today, my realistic side has to admit that far too often we are just hearers, rather than doers of the Word.
B. At the beginning of this series I said that there is no more practical book in the Bible than James.
1. These verses today are some of the most direct and practical in this little letter.
2. But in addition to their practicality, there is also an edge to these verses.
3. James doesn’t just say, “This is the way you should live.”
4. With an air of confrontation, he says, “If you are not living this way…then your religion is”…and it’s hard for me to even say it…he says. “Your religion is worthless.”
5. That’s strong language, don’t you think?
6. Twice in this section he warns us against self-deception.
7. Satan would be very happy for us to profess our faith while not actually putting it into practice.
8. But God would not be happy about that one bit.
C. Guided by the Holy Spirit, James declares: If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself. (James 1:26)
1. I personally think that James could have substituted any number of things for “controlling his tongue” in that verse and it would have been just as truthful.
2. He could have said, “If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his greed, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.”
3. Other substitutions could be “lust, hatred, or hostility,” just to name a few.
4. The point is: True religion makes a difference.
5. True religion is heart felt and life changing.
6. William Barclay, the great commentator wrote, “James does well to remind us that that which is heard in the holy place must be lived in the market place – or there is no point in hearing at all.”
D. So, with that in mind, how does James define religion that makes a difference?
1. What does God accept as pure and faultless religion?
2. What does it look like and should it look like?
I. What Religion That Makes a Difference Looks Like
A. When I try to summarize these verses, I can see James saying that religion that makes a difference is characterized by three things: Godly language, godly love and godly lifestyle.
1. Let’s briefly examine each of them.
B. First of all, religion that makes a difference is characterized by GODLY LANGUAGE.
1. James will have a lot to say about godly language when we get to chapter 3, and we will really concentrate on that subject when we get there, but for now let’s notice what he says about it here in chapter 1.
2. In verse 19, James wrote: “My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger…”
3. Then in verse 26, as we already noticed, he added: “If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.”
4. Hardly any test of one’s religion could be more practical and revealing as than this one.
5. Are we able to listen?
a. Do we know when and how to hold our tongue?
b. Can we control our temper, which usually reveals itself through our tongue?
6. I don’t believe that being known for a sharp tongue and a fiery temper will make any of us an effective influence for Christ and his church.
7. There was a young man who once approached Socrates, the great philosopher, to ask if Socrates would teach him the gift of oratory.
a. As the young man made his request, he kept talking with an incessant stream of words.
b. Finally, Socrates placed his hand over the young man’s mouth and said, “Young man, I will have to charge you a double fee.”
c. When the fellow asked why, Socrates said, “I will have to teach you two sciences. First, how to hold your tongue, and then, how to use it wisely.”
8. Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
9. If we are going to have a religion that makes a difference in our lives and in the lives of others, then it must be characterized by GODLY LANGUAGE (Godly speech and godly words).
C. Second, Religion that makes a difference is characterized by GODLY LOVE.
1. In verse 27, James wrote: “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…”
2. One of the first things we note about authentic religion is that it is relationship oriented.
3. As opposed to seeing Christianity as a plan or a system, Scripture reveals that everything can be boiled down to two great commandments: Love God and Love your Neighbor.
4. False approaches to religion attempt to pile up good works and try to win acceptance; but true religion accepts God’s gracious love and passes it on to others.
5. Godly love is far more than a love that says, “Because you love me, I love you back.”
6. Godly love is a love for those who are downtrodden and in distress - a love for those who are weak and vulnerable.
7. In NT times, the widows and orphans were certainly among the most vulnerable and needy, and for that reason they are recipients of divine concern.
a. Psalm 68:5 declares that God is “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows…”
8. If we are going to have a religion that makes a difference, then we must have hearts that beat and that break for the things that burden the heart of God.
9. As long as there are widows and orphans in the world; as long as there are homeless and poor people; as long as there are victims of abuse, crime and illness; then we Christians are called to do something about it.
10. Why? Because God cares. God cares and therefore, we should care. Amen!
11. In the second chapter of James, he will challenge us about putting our faith and love into action.
12. He asks the question: “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?’ ” (2:15-16)
13. Religion that makes a difference is characterized by GODLY LOVE – a love that looks out for the needs of others – especially the most vulnerable.
C. Third, Religion that makes a difference is characterized by A GODLY LIFESTYLE.
1. In verse 21, James wrote: “Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent…”
2. And in verse 27, he concluded, “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
3. In those two verses, we see that James challenges us to be holy and pure.
4. We deceive ourselves and we harm our witness, when we claim to be a Christian, but then continue to live in worldly ways.
5. The world we live in is certainly characterized by moral filth and prevalent evil, and we can easily be polluted by the things of the world.
6. But as Christians, our calling demands that we take seriously the task of removing moral filth and evil from our lives.
7. Yes, it is all around us. Yes, everybody else is doing it. Yes, it is hard to resist it. But with God’s help we can and must live a godly lifestyle.
8. We must strive for godly sexual ethics, godly business ethics, and godly social ethics.
9. We must keep far from us things like cheating and lying, gambling and drunkenness, and promiscuity and defiling entertainment.
D. Does any of this sound easy? By no means.
1. Religion that makes a difference is hard and it requires our constant attention and our very best effort.
2. More than that, it requires God’s assistance. It requires supernatural wisdom and power.
3. The good news is that James not only tells us what we must be, but he gives us some insight into how we can be successful.
II. How To Have A Religion That Makes a Difference.
A. James gives us three steps that enable us to develop a religion that makes a difference.
B. First, James says that we must REGULARLY LISTEN to the WORD.
1. In verse 19, James wrote, “My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger...”
a. We often do the opposite – we are quick to anger and quick to speak and slow to listen.
2. The old saying is true, “God gave us two ears and one tongue, so we should do twice as much listening as speaking.”
3. Certainly we must learn to listen to others, but more importantly we must learn to listen to God.
4. Notice in verses 22 and following, James talks about listening to the Word.
5. We must open ourselves up to hearing God’s voice.
a. God’s voice is heard in Scripture.
b. God’s voice is heard in the godly counsel and teaching of God’s people.
c. And God’s voice is heard in the soft whispers and prompting of the Holy Spirit.
6. Therefore, the wise and dedicated servant of God will do all he or she can to listen to God.
7. That certainly includes, reading and studying His Word, listening in worship and Bible study, and seeking godly counsel.
8. We will not be successful in having a religion that makes a difference, without having a listening heart and mind.
9. But, just hearing won’t cut it. We must do more than hear.
C. Second, James says that we must HUMBLY ACCEPT the WORD.
1. In verse 21, James wrote, “humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”
2. Notice that James says that the Word is planted in us.
3. James is saying that our heart is like a garden, and the Word is like a seed.
4. I’m sure you remember Jesus’ “Parable of the Sower.”
5. In that parable Jesus warned us about having a heart that is hard, or rocky or weedy.
6. Once we hear the word, we must accept it – which means we must receive it and believe it.
7. But additionally, we need to keep our soil free from hardness and weeds, so that the Word can take root and grow without hindrance.
8. Many times the Word teaches us things that are against our thoughts and will, but we must trust God and work to accept God’s Word and God’s Will.
9. Even though these first two steps are important in helping us have a religion that makes a difference, they are incomplete without the final step.
D. Finally, James says that we must IMMEDIATELY OBEY the WORD.
1. Hearing the Word and accepting the Word are useless without obeying the Word.
a. James wrote: But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror. For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. (1:22-24)
2. James humorously illustrates his point with the mirror illustration.
3. How many of you spent some time looking at a mirror this morning?
a. Hopefully none of the mirrors broke as we did so! Amen.
4. Why do we look at ourselves in the mirror? (Certainly not to practice making funny faces.)
5. We want to look our best, right?
a. We want our hair to look its best.
b. Men, you want your faces shaved or your beards to be trimmed.
c. Ladies, you don’t want your make-up to look like Bozo the clown! Right?
6. So, when we look in the mirror and see that there is some work to be done, we don’t just forget about it and walk away.
a. Rather, we get to work on what needs attention, right?
b. If we notice that our hair is sticking up or lying flat from our pillow, we don’t say oh, well, that will have to do.
c. If we notice there is a fleck of pepper stuck between our teeth, we don’t say, I think I will leave it there, I may need it later!
d. No, when we look in the mirror and see something that needs attention, we do something about it.
7. But unlike a physical mirror, which only reflects our outward appearance, the mirror of Scripture reveals our inner character and reveals where our lives need work.
a. It does us no good to look intently into God’s mirror, to see what needs to be addressed, and then walk away and do nothing about it.
8. But James gives us this wonderful promise. Look at verse 25, “But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who works—this person will be blessed in what he does.”
a. God’s perfect Word leads to freedom, and obeying it leads to blessing.
9. Religion that is all about listening, but never gets around to doing is worthless, and if we think otherwise we are just deceiving ourselves - that’s what James is trying to tell us.
Conclusion:
A. As we wrap up this lesson, let me tell you a story about a man named Erik Weihenmayer.
1. At the age of 33, Erik Weihenmayer (pronunciation: Why – Hen – Mayer) was a phenomenal athlete. He loved to skydive, snow ski and climb mountains.
2. He was one of the youngest to climb the seven highest peaks in the world.
a. On May 25, 2001 he reached the summit of Mt. Everest, a peak that 90% of those who begin to climb never finish, and one that has taken the lives of 300 people since 1953.
3. What makes Eric’s accomplishments even more amazing is the fact that he is blind.
a. He suffers from a degenerative eye disease that completely took his eyesight at age 13.
b. All of his mountain climbs have been without the benefit of his eyesight.
4. How, you might ask, is it possible for a blind person to climb the highest peaks in the world?
a. If you ask Eric, he will tell you that he has learned to listen well.
b. He listens to a bell tied to the back of the climber in front of him.
c. He listens to his climbing partners who yell information like: “Death fall two feet to your right!”
d. He also listens to the sound of his pick as he jabs it into the ice, so he knows whether his footing will be secure or not.
5. For Erik Weihenmayer, being a good listener is a matter of life and death.
6. But for Erik it is not only important that he listens, but that he also accepts and obeys what he hears.
B. And the same is true for us as well.
1. We must not only learn to listen to the Word, but we must also humbly accept it and then immediately obey it.
2. And if our religion is going to be acceptable to God and really make a difference, then it must be characterized by godly language, godly love and a godly lifestyle.
C. I’m certain that everyone who is listening to this message right now, needs to not only hear God’s Word, but act on it.
a. For those who need to receive God’s salvation for the very first time, I urge you to put your trust in Jesus and be united with Christ in baptism (Gal. 3:27).
b. For others hearing this lesson, perhaps God is saying that you need to quit just listening and start acting on what you know the Word is calling for you to do.
c. I urge all of us to quietly listen to what God is telling us to do, and then to prayerfully obey His commands.
d. God will bless us and will bless others through us, when we put His Word into practice.
Resources:
• “Religion that Makes a Difference” Sermon by David Owens (2006).
• James – Hands-on Christianity, by Charles Swindoll, Insight for Living, 2003.
• Quote from A.W. Tozer, The Root of the Righteousness (1955; Camp Hill, Pa.: Christian Publications, 1986), pp. 51-53.
