Hear, Do, Persevere (James 1:19-25)

Imagine standing on the edge of a deep and perilous canyon. On one side is where you are now, caught in the struggles, the trials, the temptations that constantly threaten to pull you down. On the other side, there's freedom, transformation, a life in Christ that's vibrant and victorious. But how do you get there? What's the path? What's the bridge?

‌This isn't just a metaphorical question; it's the very essence of our Christian journey. We all stand at that precipice at various points in our lives, don't we? We hear God's Word; we know it's right. But then the trials come, and we falter, we stumble, we give in.

‌Why does this happen? What's missing? How can we move from being mere hearers of the Word to doers, to those who not only know God's truth but live it out? How can we not just know the way but walk it, not just hear the call but answer it, not just see the bridge but cross it?

‌That's the question we're going to grapple with today. That's the challenge we're going to explore as we delve into the book of James. And that's the transformation we're going to seek as we open our hearts to God's Word.

‌So as we stand here together at the edge of that canyon, let's ask ourselves: Is knowing enough, or are we deluding ourselves, trapped in the comfort of hearing without the courage of doing? And how can we find the strength, the wisdom, the grace to cross the bridge, to truly be transformed by God's Word?

‌Know This (19-21)

James 1:19–20 (ESV) — 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 of God.

We live in a world that's quick to speak, quick to react, and often quick to anger. Our mouths are often faster than our ears, our anger quicker than our understanding. Have you ever found yourself caught in a heated moment, your words racing ahead of your thoughts? I bet you have. We all have. It's like a raging fire that consumes reason and empathy. James is crystal clear about this. He presents us with a counter-cultural wisdom, a pathway that's not just about controlling our tongues but cleansing our hearts.

‌This isn't merely a call to better communication or polite conversation. It's a radical call to transform the very core of our being. It's about cultivating a heart that's receptive to God, a heart that's humble, patient, and discerning.

1. Quick to Hear: In a world that's often too busy to listen, being quick to hear is about opening our hearts to listen. James wants us to listen carefully to what God's Word is trying to tell us. We have access to the wisdom that transcends our own understanding. It's about making space for God to speak into our lives, to guide, correct, and heal us.

‌2. Slow to Speak: Being slow to speak isn't about silence; it's about wisdom. It's about taking time to reflect, to weigh our words, to allow God's Word to shape our response. It's a refusal to be reactionary and a commitment to being thoughtful, deliberate, and gracious.

‌3. Slow to Anger: Anger is often a symptom of a deeper issue, a heart that's unyielding, unloving, or unforgiving. Being slow to anger is about allowing God's grace to penetrate those hard places, to soften, to cleanse, to restore.

‌James continues:

‌James 1:21 (ESV) — 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

This is the path to cleansing. It's a rejection of the ways of the world and an embrace of the ways of Christ. It's a way that's not just about controlling our tongues or tempers but cleansing our hearts, not just about hearing God's Word but becoming it. It's about cleansing your heart. It's about receiving God's Word with meekness, humility, and openness. It's about letting it get planted deep inside, where it can take root and bear fruit.

‌But notice that James calls us to put away "all filthiness and rampant wickedness." This isn't a gentle suggestion; it's a robust challenge. Strip away the grime, the sin, the selfish desires, and receive God's Word like a precious seed. Let it implant in you. Let it grow. Let it transform you. Let it push you forward toward perfection.

‌So as we stand at the edge of that canyon, as we ponder the path from mere hearers to doers, let's recognize that it's a journey of the heart. It's a call to cleanse, to purify, to make room for God's Word to dwell within us.

‌And as we do, we find that the bridge to transformation isn't a distant dream but a present reality, a pathway that's available to each one of us, a way to cross from knowing to doing, from hearing to living. We are on that bridge right now, having taken some steps forward. Let us not turn back. God beckons us on.

‌Do This (22-24)

‌James 1:22–24 (ESV) — 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.

There's a real danger lurking in the shadows of our faith, one that we might not even realize. It's the danger of hearing without doing. We come to church, we hear the Word, we feel a momentary conviction, and we think we've done something. But have we really?

‌James confronts us with a truth that might sting a little: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." Deceiving ourselves! That's strong language, isn't it? But it's true. When we hear and don't do, we're fooling ourselves. We think we've achieved something, but we've missed the point.

‌We might say, “Isn’t knowing enough?” NO! We are trapped in the comfort of hearing without the courage of doing. At this point we can confidently say that knowing is not enough. Hearing is good; it's vital. But it's just the starting line, not the finish line. God isn't going to do something for us if we refuse to respond to His Word. We need the courage to act in accordance with what we know to be true.

‌And here's where it gets really real. James says that a hearer and not a doer is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and walks away, forgetting what he looks like. Forgetting his very identity!

Now, why would James use such an image? Here's why: Because when we hear God's Word and don't act on it, we're forgetting who we are. We're forgetting our identity as followers of Christ.

Illustration:

‌Picture a soldier, trained, equipped, and given specific orders. He hears the commands, understands them perfectly, but then he turns and walks away, ignoring the orders, abandoning his mission, forgetting his very identity as a soldier. I think we can confidently say that soldier isn’t going home with any medals.

Application:

‌So, let's get down to it: Are we forgetting who we are? Are we leaving this building, leaving God's Word behind, unapplied, undone, leaving our identity as Christians on the pew?

‌So, as we go out into our week, let's not just be hearers. Let's be doers. Let's remember who we are in Christ, who we're called to be. Let's live in a way that reflects our identity, not just inside these walls but out there in the real world.

‌Because the truth is, hearing without doing is like looking in a mirror and forgetting who you are. And as Christians, we're called to something more. We're called to action. We're called to remember, to live, to be who we are in Christ.

‌Persevere (25)

‌James 1:25 (ESV) — 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

So, we've tackled hearing, we've grappled with doing, but James isn't done with us yet. He draws us to something deeper, something more profound: the law of liberty. And not just looking into it but persevering in it.

Now, what's this "law of liberty" James talks about? It's the gospel, my friends. It's the beautiful, life-giving truth of Jesus Christ. It's the freedom we have in Him, the liberty from sin and death. But it's not just about a quick glance; it's about a long, loving gaze. It's about persevering.

"But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." There it is! The blessing is in the doing, and the doing is in the persevering.

Some of us might be tempted to hear and do whatever God wants, but we have our limits. When the trial and temptations cost too much, we want to give in or give up. James calls us to persevere and hold our gaze on the only goal worth living for.

Illustration:

Think of a marathon runner, fixed on the finish line. He doesn't just glance at it and then look away. No, he keeps his eyes on the prize, even when his legs are screaming, even when every fiber in his body is crying out to quit. He perseveres, and in that perseverance, he finds the strength to keep going, to reach the goal.

Application:

Are we like that runner? Are we fixed on Christ, persevering towards His image, running the race with endurance, not swayed by trials or temptations? Are we living in the freedom of the gospel, not just glancing at it but gazing at it, letting it shape us, mold us, transform us?

Because that's where the obedient heart is found, my friends. That's where surrender to God begins. It's in the persevering. It's in the relentless pursuit of Christ, even when the road is rough, even when the path is steep.

So let's be those people. Let's be the ones who look into the law of liberty and persevere. Let's be the ones who find blessing in the doing because we're faithful in the trials, because we're pressing on towards the image of Christ.

It's not just about hearing. It's not just about doing. It's about persevering. And in that perseverance, we find the heart of obedience, the heart that surrenders to God, the heart that is shaped by Christ.

‌Why Do We Struggle to Hear, Do, and Persevere?

‌We've uncovered the importance of hearing God's Word, the necessity of doing it, and the profound call to persevere. But let's face reality, friends: it's hard. The struggle is real. Why is that? Why do we falter in hearing, stumble in doing, and waver in persevering?

Struggling to Hear:

‌First, our hearts. They can be hard, can't they? We're bombarded with so many voices, so many messages, that the will of God sometimes gets drowned out. We need to cultivate a heart that's open, receptive, ready to hear what God has to say.

Struggling to Do:

‌Next, our wills. It's one thing to hear; it's another to act. We struggle because we're comfortable, because we fear change, because we're attached to our ways. To do God's Word requires surrender, humility, a willingness to step out in faith.

Struggling to Persevere:

‌Finally, our endurance. Life's not a sprint; it's a marathon. And marathons are grueling. Trials come, temptations lure, distractions divert. Persevering requires stamina, focus, a relentless commitment to the goal. It requires fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author, and finisher of our faith.

‌So, here's the challenge: Are we cultivating the soil of our hearts to hear God's Word? Are we actively planting, nurturing, doing what He calls us to do? And are we persevering, through thick and thin, fixed on Christ, growing towards His likeness?

‌Because the struggles to hear, do, and persevere are real, but so is the grace of God. So is His strength, His help, His guidance.

Let's not settle for struggle. Let's strive for growth. Let's be hearers, doers, perseveres. Let's be those who, despite the obstacles, press on, lean into God, and find in Him the grace to hear, the courage to do, and the strength to persevere.

‌Because in the hearing, the doing, and the persevering, we find our true selves, our identity in Christ, our path to a life that's fruitful, faithful, and free.

‌Conclusion

‌We've discovered the vital importance of hearing God's Word, not as mere spectators but as engaged listeners. We've wrestled with the call to be doers, recognizing that hearing without action is a self-deception, a forgetting of who we are in Christ. And we've delved into the deep waters of perseverance, learning to gaze at the law of liberty and let it shape our very being.

‌Why do we struggle to hear, do, and persevere? Because it's not easy. Because it demands something of us. But friends, let's not be disheartened. Our faith is not a passive endeavor. It's a living, active, growing relationship with the living God.

‌So, as we leave this place today, let's take these truths to heart. Let's not just be hearers. Let's be doers. Let's not just glance. Let's gaze. Let's not just start. Let's persevere.

‌Let's remember that our identity in Christ is not something to be forgotten as we walk away from the mirror but something to be embraced, lived, celebrated.

‌Let us go forward in faith, with hearts open to hear, with wills ready to do, with spirits determined to persevere. Let us press on towards the image of Christ, in humility, in surrender, in obedience.

‌May we hear, do, and persevere, finding in Christ not just the way to live but the way to life itself, a life that's abundant, joyful, and free.

‌And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all, today, tomorrow, and always.