Am I merely a hearer of the Word?

Or, am I a doer of the Word?

Yesterday

We LOOKED at what we must ‘do’ to ‘receive’ the Word of God.

Did you do what you needed to do to receive the Word in these verses of James?

Today

We will LOOK at what it means to ‘dothe Word of God.

Open GODcha to the Book of James.

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As We Begin, Go to the Author of THE BOOK

Oh Lord, as we come to meet with You forgive us for fresh sin this wk, even perhaps this morning. Remove anything that would get in the way of us hearing You today. Teach us and make known to us the way in which we are to walk and the work we are to do, (Exo 18:20).

LOOK at What God Says

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Where will you start off?

READ God’s Word

Read James 1:19-27 again, asking the 5W’s and H. 

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We ended at verse 21, where James said we receive [embrace, follow] the implanted word in humility and purity.

 

Now in verse 22, James begins with ‘But’.

But what

What are we to do? 

What are we not to be?

Why?

What is being contrasted? 

 

Unlock the Meaning 

Let’s unlock ‘prove’ and ‘doer of the Word’ that are Key to verse 22.

 

Understand God’s Words

Check Out the Meaning

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Prove, gínomai, to become or to come into or bring into existence. To be found. And in this verse the idea is we are to continually become, be found, doers.

NOTE: the Grammar for  prove is a present imperative being a command that is a continuous lifestyle.

This is NOT optional!

 

Doer of the Word, poiēteâs, performer, to make something. A doer, keeper of a law or precept (Rom. 2:13; James 1:22, 23, 25; 4:11).

NOTE: the Grammar for ‘doer of the Word’ is a present imperative being a command that is a continuous lifestyle. 

Again, NOT an option!

 

Hearerakroateâs; In the NT, it has the meaning of one just listening without practicing what one hears.

 

Deludeparalogízomai; deceive.

 

What are we commanded to ‘do’?

But prove yourselves [continually be founddoers of the Word [continually a keeper of the law],

In CONTRAST,

What is true of one who is merely a hearer’ of the Word?

“…and not merely hearers [listening without practicing what one hears] who delude [deceive] themselves.” (Jam 1:22-25, 4:11)

 

We see: The one who merely hears, but doesn’t obey, is kidding himself!

LISTEN…

 

Am I continually proving to be found a doer of the Word?

Or, am I merely a hearer who doesn’t obey the Lord?

Am I kidding myself?

Respond to God…LIVE it out!

 

Let Truth Explain Truth About

Doers vs Hearers

CR-Cross References-Word Search Tutorial >

Examine yourself as God speaks.

1. According to Joshua, what must wedoto be doers of the Word

We are commanded to meditate on the Word day and night, to be careful to do according to all that is written in it… (Jos 1:8)

 

We see: We must meditate on the Word.

THINK: What does it mean to meditate on the Word?

It’s just a tap away.

 

THINK: What is necessary to meditate (ponder, mutter, speak) on the Word and do it?

We must be in the Word, learn it, and know it.

 

Make this practical: As you go throughout your day, as circumstances arise, you think of and meditate on Scripture you know that applies to your attitude, words, and actions in those situations, and talk to God!

LISTEN…

 

What am I doing to:

know the Word;

be in the Word;

stay in the Word;

meditate on the Word?

Do I have a heart to do according to all that is written in it?

Respond to God…LIVE it out!

 

2. What is the result when we do the Word?

a. Success and prosperity. (Jos 1:8)

THINK: What does success and prosperous mean?

Success means to act with insight, wisely, to be prudent.

Prosperous means you will accomplish satisfactorily what is intended.

Understand: God enables success, victory, when we do what He says!

LISTEN..

 

Do I want: a prosperous way; success?

How is meditating on the Word changing my life and enabling me success?

Am I living a life of victory?

Respond to God…LIVE it out!

 

b. It isn’t the the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but it is the doers of the Law who are justified. (Rom 2:13)

Understand:  The Jews were accustomed to hearing the Law read to them.

Understand: One is justified by faith in Christ. (Rom 3:28) 

We see: Paul is making the point that Jew or Gentile – one proves they are justified (declared righteous; right before God) by what they ‘do’. 

 

Understand: ‘Do’ would be to believe in Christ.

We see: ‘Do’ then means to obey the Law!

LISTEN..

 

What am I doing that proves I am justified?

Do others know I have been justified because of what I ‘do’

Respond to God…LIVE it out!

 

3. What does it mean to be a doer of the Word?  

By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 

The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him(1Jo 2:3-4)

 

We see: To ‘do the Word’ is to OBEY the Word.

LISTEN..

 

Do I know the Lord?

Do I have a heart that wants to obey the Lord?

Do I pick and choose what I want to obey?

Am I a liar saying I know the Lord, but I do not obey Him?

Respond to God…LIVE it out!

 

4. What happens if we are NOT WILLING to be ‘a doer of His Word’?

a. “Not everyone who says to Jesus, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ (Mat 7:21-27)

 

b. “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not ‘do’ what I say? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: (Luk 6:46-47)

 

I can’t think of anything more sobering, frightening, serious and devastating to hear.

 

We see: there will be MANY who are deceived about their eternal destiny

We see: there will be MANY who will be turned away from heaven because they did NOT do the Word.

LISTEN..

 

Will I enter heaven one day because I have done the will of the Father – bowed the knee to Jesus?

Will I enter heaven one day because I am doing what He has commanded regarding:

trials;

temptations;

hearing, speaking and anger?

Am I willing to do the will of the Father?

Or, am I deceived about my eternal destiny?

Do I say I believe?

I go to church?

I said a prayer?

I walked the aisle?

I’ve been baptized, confirmed? 

I say Lord, Lord, but practice lawlessness? 

Will I heed this warning and come to grips with my desperate condition?

Respond to God…LIVE it out!

 

5. What does Luke tell us Mary ‘did’? 

Mary sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. (Luk 10:39)

Understand: Listening means to hear with attention; to hear, perceive with the ears.

To hear so as to perform what is spoken, to obey.

LISTEN…

 

Am I like Mary?

Am I willing to do the one thing that is necessary?

Am I willing to sit at the feet of Jesus, and listen intently? 

Why am I on this journey? 

Is my desire to receive the Word? 

Respond to God…LIVE it out! 

 

What Did We LEARN

We LEARN

We Are Commanded to continually prove ourselves to be doers of the Word.

To Be a Doer:

We must listen intently to the Word!

We must meditate all day long on the Word.

Our responsibility is not only to receive the Word of God, but to do it, obey it, put it into practice.

The Result

We are promised we will:

Be blessed in what we do!

Have success!

We LEARN

In contrast to doers, there are Merely Hearers.

The Result

They delude themselves.

Jesus will say, “depart from Me, I never knew you.”

 

This is very sobering and gives us much to meditate on. 

Let’s Call It a Day!

Reflect on the importance of God’s Word and doing it

Meditate on all you have seen and learned today.

Remember this self examination is for our good!

Talk to the Father who is a good God, desiring to bless you and grant you success!

Journal Your Discovery in Your Notes

Take a minute to put what you have LEARNED about doing the Word not only in your Notes but also in your hardbound Bibles next to Jam 1:22-25.

Video Tutorial>  Notes Tutorial >

Suggestion: Record your findings also in Joshua and Romans.

 

Let’s Pray

Perhaps. . .

OH FATHER GOD, do not let any of us be deluded about ourselves, thinking that reading and hearing Your Word is enough. May we constantly desire to be with You like Mary, to enjoy sweet, precious time with You Lord Jesus! Jesus You are the Word that became flesh, and Father You speak to us through Your Son, (Joh 1:14); (Heb 1:2). Give us ears to listen intently, to hear with the intent to do what You tell us to do! Please help us to stay in Your Word, to know it and meditate on it throughout the day at any given time for any given situation. May we live prosperous and successful live. You have commanded us to continually be found to be doers of the Word, not merely hearers! May we choose to obey You! We ask this in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen! 

Rest tomorrow and worship God!

Meet you in a couple of days to LOOK James 1:26-27.

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