WEBVTT 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:22.640 Well, good morning, First Baptist El Dorado, Arkansas. 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:35.039 It's a joy to be with you this morning, and I do appreciate the invitation that your pastor extended to me to come and to continue this series in the book of James, talking about authentic faith. 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:42.479 I've known Brian, yeah, at least 11 years, and uh your pastor I've known for probably 10 years or longer as well. 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:48.799 Um, and it's just been great to watch him grow and develop, becoming one of the best young leaders uh in the state. 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:51.679 But I'm not telling you anything you don't already know about him, right? 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:56.880 And uh and I also want to say this he knows how blessed he is to be here leading uh this church. 00:00:56.960 --> 00:01:01.840 Uh, you are one of the best churches in our Arkansas Baptist State Convention. 00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:03.600 So, on behalf of Dr. 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:09.359 Sonny Tucker and all those who serve at the convention, thank you uh for your support of our work. 00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:18.159 Um, what we do would simply not take place without churches like First Baptist El Dorado and the the that you're giving through the cooperative program. 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:20.879 It allows us to do so many things. 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:27.280 Um, and the impact is not just just here in our state, it's it's really uh a broader impact. 00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:31.359 Um, how many of you know what the day after tomorrow is? 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:37.040 Somebody said Memorial Day, day after tomorrow. 00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:44.640 Okay, I confess I can't hear a word you're saying, but you're saying lots of ideas. 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:49.200 It is the first day of the Atlantic hurricane season. 00:01:50.159 --> 00:01:51.359 Did you know that? 00:01:51.680 --> 00:01:54.400 No, we don't think about that much here in South Arkansas. 00:01:54.480 --> 00:01:56.319 I live in Texas, Canada, so I'm right here with you. 00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:58.239 It's just not something that gets on our radar. 00:01:58.400 --> 00:01:59.599 But I want to tell you something. 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:07.519 The folks in South Louisiana know what Tuesday is, they pay attention to when hurricane season starts. 00:02:08.240 --> 00:02:23.360 Last year they discovered who Arkansas Baptists were because we spent about 84 days down there in disaster relief deployment, funded by your giving through the cooperative program. 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:30.080 In those 80 some odd days, they served over 200,000 meals. 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:35.280 They provided over 2,000 showers. 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:37.120 Now you think, well, shower, that's not a big deal. 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:41.759 Well, it's not a big deal unless you've gone three or four days in the heat and humidity of South Louisiana and haven't had one. 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:43.759 Then it becomes pretty important. 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:48.159 Uh washed over 800 loaves of clothes. 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:57.520 And most importantly, there were over 200 recorded salvations by the witness of those who were down there in disaster relief. 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:02.879 Your giving makes a difference in the here and now and in the hereafter. 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:07.439 So thank you so much for being faithful and supporting the work of the cooperative program. 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:09.520 It is making a difference. 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:12.960 Now, here's something you didn't know about me. 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:17.439 Uh, a lot of that disaster relief took place in my home state. 00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:18.960 I'm a Louisiana boy. 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:20.719 That's just plain and simple. 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:22.159 I'm an Arkansas Baptist. 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.120 We've been here since 2003 when we moved here. 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:34.000 I was on staff at Beach Street First Baptist in Texas, Canada, so I'm an Arkansas Baptist, but I'm a Louisiana boy, and that makes me an LSU fan. 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:38.159 Now, before you start throwing things, hold on, don't get up and walk out on me. 00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:40.960 Let me, yeah, we're we can still be friends. 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:48.159 Let me let me temper that a little bit by telling you both of my daughters are graduates of the University of Arkansas. 00:03:48.639 --> 00:03:49.599 You feel a little better now? 00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:50.560 Yeah. 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:53.840 It always brings a smile back from those frowns. 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:58.879 Yeah, I'm I'm I have to say it with a little tear in my eye, but it always makes you smile. 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:13.360 Several years ago, my oldest daughter uh was in town on the Thanksgiving break, and on a Friday morning, we decided we wanted to go watch LSU and Arkansas play football in War Memorial Stadium. 00:04:13.439 --> 00:04:15.919 Remember those days when they used to play on that CBS game? 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:21.759 I'm still a little bitter at CBS for taking that game away, but but we decided to go catch that game. 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:28.639 Now, we didn't have tickets, and we had no guarantee because if I remember right, both of them were ranked in the top 25. 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:31.040 It was a pretty important game in the SEC West. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:35.279 But we're gonna go anyway, so we got in my truck, started the drive down I-30. 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:39.759 And on the way, she began to make some phone calls trying to find us some tickets. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:47.680 And she finally got in touch with an old college buddy of hers who actually worked for one of the sports talk radio stations there in Fayetteville. 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:50.000 And he said, Yeah, he had one ticket left. 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:57.360 So she knew she had a ticket, she knew she could get in, so we continued on down the road to War Memorial Stadium. 00:04:57.920 --> 00:05:03.040 When we got there, of course we had to, you know, get in all the lines and park, and we finally started walking up to the stadium. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:11.759 And what I did before I got on my little pickup truck was I grabbed a license plate she had given me when she first enrolled in the University of Arkansas. 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:14.240 And it's one of those house-divided license plates. 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:14.879 Have you ever seen them? 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:18.000 Half of it's the University of Arkansas, half of it's LSU. 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:23.759 And I took a piece of paper and taped it on the back of it, and I said, need one ticket. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:25.439 Because here's how it works. 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:33.839 If you've never been to one of these games, if the game's not very popular, you'll see people standing on street corners and outside the ticket gates, and they'll have all their extra tickets in their hands. 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:35.199 Two tickets, four tickets. 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:37.920 You know, they're trying to get a little of their money back. 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:40.480 That was not the case for this game. 00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:42.000 In fact, it was just the opposite. 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:46.240 You saw people walking around, need two tickets, need four tickets. 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:51.759 I tried to get a little edge on them by having that neat sign and printed on the back. 00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:53.759 Wasn't working very well. 00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:57.199 We have walked around the stadium a couple times trying to find just one ticket. 00:05:57.279 --> 00:05:59.360 That's all I need, just one ticket. 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:01.519 It got close to kickoff time. 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:03.279 My daughter's getting a little anxious. 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:09.920 Um, she hates to miss the kickoff, and she wants to, I mean, she feels like the whole game is ruined if she's not there from the very first play. 00:06:10.160 --> 00:06:19.279 And so she's about ready to go into the stadium, and I'm about to resign to the fact that I'm gonna have to go back out to the tailgate area and probably watch it on some television, maybe that somebody's got there. 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:29.519 When this guy walked up to us, and he is all decked out in his hog gear, and he looked at me kind of like, hmm, I don't know about you. 00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:31.199 He said, You still need a ticket? 00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:32.879 I said, Yep, see the sign right here. 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:34.399 Need one ticket. 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:39.360 He said, Well, I had made up my mind I was not gonna sell this ticket to an LSU fan. 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:43.759 That would just be one less voice in the stadium cheering against my hogs. 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:53.040 He said, But I recognize that your daughter is decked out in hog gear, and surely her dad can't be that bad of an LSU fan. 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:56.160 And so he sold me that one ticket. 00:06:56.240 --> 00:07:00.240 And I was able, we didn't get to sit together, but we were in the stadium, and I could actually see her. 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:03.360 She wasn't too far away from where this guy's ticket was. 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:09.759 I benefited that day from the fact this guy recognized that my daughter was a hog fan. 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:14.800 Sometimes in life it is good to be recognized for who we are, right? 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:16.240 Would you agree with that? 00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:31.360 Well, in thinking about this theme of authentic faith, I think it would be good for us to ask the question of all of ourselves this morning: is my faith authentic enough to be recognized? 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:39.920 Is my faith in Jesus Christ authentic enough to be recognized, particularly when I'm outside of the church? 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:45.439 Last week your pastor preached from chapter 1, dealing with temptation, and did an incredible job. 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:47.279 And I believe that was last week, right? 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:48.240 Yeah. 00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:52.160 Did an incredible job on the idea of dealing with temptation. 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:57.680 And the passage that he preached on concludes with James mentioning this in verse 18. 00:07:57.839 --> 00:08:02.000 It says that God gave us birth through the word of truth. 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:05.600 That birth there is not talking about natural physical birth. 00:08:05.680 --> 00:08:07.439 That's talking about spiritual birth. 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:10.079 It's talking about our salvation. 00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:16.879 And James reminds us that our birth, our salvation comes from the word of truth, from the word of God. 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:21.600 Without the word of God, we would not even know we need salvation. 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:26.399 But from Genesis to Revelation, the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached. 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:29.199 And that's how we came to know Jesus. 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:34.080 So the word of truth is, of course, the word of God that he's talking about there. 00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:37.600 And this morning I want us to look at authentic faith. 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:50.159 And we will see that not only does our salvation come from the Word of God, but our ability to live out in authentic faith has its roots in God's Word. 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:54.399 Authentic faith is indeed empowered by the Word of God. 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:56.159 And that's our topic this morning. 00:08:56.799 --> 00:09:01.440 And James gives us some hints here of what to do to live out this authentic faith. 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:04.559 And there are three requirements that he gives to us. 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:08.399 And we're going to look at those in verses 19 through 27. 00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:10.559 Let's pray as we begin this morning. 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:24.639 Father, we're thankful that we were able to come and to worship you this morning in song and to be reminded how great you are, Lord, and that truly, God, your greatness is right here with us this morning. 00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:27.039 So we thank you for your presence. 00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:33.759 And we confess a dependency upon you this morning as we look at your word, Father, that you would use it to teach us. 00:09:33.919 --> 00:09:35.039 In Jesus' name. 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:35.919 Amen. 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:39.600 So let's look at three things that James says is required. 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:44.240 First of all, he said, authentic faith must receive the Word. 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:46.399 Authentic faith must receive the Word. 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:48.639 Look at verses 19 through 21. 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:51.840 He says, My dear brothers and sisters, understand this. 00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:56.639 Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. 00:09:56.799 --> 00:10:00.000 For human anger does not accomplish God's righteousness. 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:11.279 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:13.679 James is a very practical book. 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:17.279 There are over fifty imperative direct commands throughout the book. 00:10:17.919 --> 00:10:21.440 He's just telling you, here's what you do to live out in authentic faith. 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:24.559 And here in this passage we see three commands. 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:29.679 He says, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:32.320 Now, what does he mean by that? 00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:36.879 Well, there are generally two interpretations of what is meant here. 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:38.720 Both of them are correct. 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:41.440 Neither of them will conflict with each other. 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:43.519 They don't conflict with the rest of Scripture. 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:46.320 But I want to share with you those two interpretations this morning. 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:53.279 First, some scholars will apply this to the way that we communicate with each other, the way that we talk. 00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:56.000 Do we listen to each other? 00:10:56.480 --> 00:11:01.279 A couple of Saturdays ago, on a Saturday afternoon, my wife was working. 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:02.559 I was home alone. 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:05.440 I think I was watching an LSU baseball game. 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:07.120 And the doorbell rang. 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:12.559 Now, our neighborhood, that's kind of unusual for somebody just to drop by on a Saturday afternoon. 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:20.960 And I opened the door, and standing on our front porch is the former college roommate of my youngest daughter. 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:23.759 I can only imagine the look on my face when I opened the door. 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:27.279 I'm like, what are you doing here? 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:31.919 The first thing she said was, after she said hello, was I'm sorry I'm late. 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:33.840 I'm thinking, Leah, late for what? 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:35.919 I don't even know why you're at my front door. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:52.639 And then about that time, after a couple of awkward moments of looking at each other, something in the back of my brain began to percolate about a conversation Sandy, my wife and I had had the night before, while I think I was also watching a Hellish U baseball game. 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:57.600 Something about somebody was going to come sometime to get something for somebody to take somewhere. 00:11:57.759 --> 00:12:01.519 I, you know, it just really wasn't gelling very well in my mind. 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:08.480 And so I invited her in, just it was just feeling horrible leaving her standing out there on the front door. 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:13.360 Her husband was out in their car, too, I noticed, thinking, well, why isn't he coming up? 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:21.759 And so I began to think, okay, maybe if I walk around the house, I'll find whatever she's obviously she's the one who's come to get whatever this is. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:25.039 And so I walked down the hallway just like I knew exactly what I was doing. 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:27.919 And I'm looking in bedrooms, nothing. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:34.320 And open the garage door, and finally, sitting out on an old dresser in our garage is a stack of baby diapers. 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:37.759 I thought, oh yes, she's come to get those diapers for her newborn out in the car. 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:44.000 They were diapers my daughter, who lives in Streeport, was giving to this young lady who lives in Dallas. 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:48.159 You can understand my confusion as to what in the world she was doing on my front porch. 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:52.480 But so I gave her those diapers and she went happily on her way. 00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:56.000 I didn't listen very well to my wife the night before. 00:12:56.240 --> 00:12:58.720 That could be what James is talking about here. 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:02.799 Because you see, how well we listen to each other shows how much we value each other. 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:04.559 I didn't value my wife very much. 00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:06.080 I've already confessed this to her, by the way. 00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:10.080 We've already had a discussion about this, that I'm going to try to listen better. 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:14.720 She should know after 30-something years, when Ellie's on TV, she's got to go yank me by the ear. 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:15.840 She's got something important to say. 00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:17.440 But anyway, that's that's another story. 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:21.279 So better listening could be what James is talking about here. 00:13:21.919 --> 00:13:32.080 Other scholars, however, believe that James is talking about a higher conversation, a higher interaction, one that really is far more important. 00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:38.480 Some scholars believe that James is referring to how we approach the word of God. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:46.879 And as proof of that, they will point to the many times James mentions the word in just a few short passages. 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:49.759 In verse 18, he calls it the word of truth. 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:50.799 We've already talked about that. 00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:54.480 In verse 21, he refers to it as the implanted word. 00:13:55.279 --> 00:13:58.799 In verse 22, he talks about being doers of the word. 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:02.799 In verse 23, he warns of being a hearer only of the word. 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:08.320 And then in verse 25, he calls it the perfect law of freedom. 00:14:08.799 --> 00:14:15.279 James is telling us in verse 19 how to handle the word of truth that he mentions in verse 18. 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:18.639 The word of truth, of course, is God's word, the Bible. 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:28.080 And so I believe, as do many scholars, that James is concerned about these Jews that he's writing to, these believing Jews who have heard the truth about Jesus. 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:33.679 He's concerned about what are they now doing with the truth that they've heard? 00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:36.720 Have they indeed received it? 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:42.879 The word that is translated received there in verse 21 indicates an acceptance of. 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:50.799 Have they accepted the truths about Jesus, particularly compared to what they had been taught previously? 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:58.799 You know, the American church probably has more access to the Word of God than any other country in the world. 00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:03.279 I'm guessing most of you have multiple copies of the Bible at home. 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:05.279 They're all over our churches. 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:09.600 We have them on our phones and computers and other digital devices. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:13.679 We have the word of God accessible to us everywhere. 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:15.600 We can hear it at any time. 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:18.240 The question is, do we receive it? 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:21.840 Do we accept what God is giving to us? 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:26.000 Because just because we hear it doesn't mean automatic acceptance. 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:33.919 If we're honest, don't we sometimes come to God's word not really listening to what God might be saying? 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:51.120 Or worse yet, we read it hoping to confirm our own way of thinking, trying to find some proof text to support our thoughts, possibly ignoring what God is actually saying, and maybe even getting a little angry. 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:55.919 When God tells us to do something in our flesh, we just don't want to do it. 00:15:57.200 --> 00:15:59.519 I came across a cartoon this week. 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:01.440 I think they're gonna have it up on the slide here. 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:01.759 Yeah. 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:03.200 I don't know if you can read all that. 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:05.919 Uh the guy on the left says, Hey, I forgot my Bible. 00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:07.360 Do you have one I can borrow? 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:08.639 The lady says, Of course. 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:09.519 I always carry a spare. 00:16:09.679 --> 00:16:13.039 How many of you ladies have a spare Bible in your purse this morning, not counting your phone? 00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:13.919 Yeah. 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:17.679 Almost all illustrations break down at some point, but let's continue on anyway. 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:20.879 He says, Wait, why is everything blacked out except God is love? 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:25.519 And her response is, I just think there shouldn't be so much negativity in there. 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:27.679 So I put my marker to work. 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:32.320 She blacked out the parts that she doesn't like, and then Spurgeon nails it. 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:39.679 He says, the fact is we oftentimes read Scripture, thinking of what it ought to say rather than what it does say. 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:46.080 It said of Thomas Jefferson, he had a Bible, and he literally cut out the parts he didn't like. 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:52.559 His Bible was all cut out, getting rid of the things that didn't align with his way of thinking. 00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:57.440 God's people rejecting God's word is nothing new. 00:16:57.759 --> 00:17:04.160 You go back to the prophets of the Old Testament, they would boldly proclaim a direct word from God. 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:06.960 And so many times their word was rejected. 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:09.279 God's people refused to listen. 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:16.000 The Apostle Paul would go around and preach in the synagogues, teaching about Jesus. 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:18.240 And it was rejected. 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:19.680 There was no acceptance. 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:22.319 Sometimes he was nearly beaten to death. 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:29.440 And of course, Jesus himself taught a truth that was not received by those who heard it. 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:40.000 Then James goes on to say that we're to lay aside those sinful and selfish ideas that promote rejection of God's word. 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:44.160 And we're to humbly pick up and receive the word of God. 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:50.400 Dear friends, authentic faith begins when we receive humbly God's word. 00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:56.640 Second thing James points out to us here is that authentic faith remembers the word. 00:17:57.200 --> 00:17:59.119 Authentic faith remembers a word. 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:01.279 We're going to skip verse 22 just for a moment. 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:02.079 We're going to get back to it. 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:04.880 But look down at verses 23 through 25. 00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:13.039 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. 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:18.640 For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was. 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:30.559 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. 00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:34.319 Now this point is very much tied to the one we just looked at. 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:37.680 But in these verses, James describes two men. 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:52.000 He describes one man who looks in a mirror and he gives this ridiculously ridiculous illustration of looking at yourself and then walking away, and then you couldn't go pick yourself out of a police lineup. 00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:55.599 He said, Don't be like that guy. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:19:04.000 See, we've got to remember the word, and he compares it in verse 25 with a man who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom. 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:11.920 That phrase intently means bending over and getting an up close look at something. 00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:21.920 A couple weeks ago, my little two-year-old granddaughter was up at our house, and we were out in the backyard, and it gets kind of rough in my place on the back. 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:22.960 I don't do a lot to it. 00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:25.279 There's a creek running through it, kind of woodsy. 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:28.720 And we let her get back there, and she was just flitting around going. 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:31.279 I mean, she's a two-year-old attention span, you know, about that long. 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:39.519 And so she's just going from one thing to the next until she came upon something that stopped her in her tracks. 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:43.279 She saw a hole in the ground. 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:46.160 And boy, she just she just stared at it. 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:47.119 She knew what it was. 00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:49.680 She said, Hold hole. 00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:52.079 Yeah, baby, that's a hole. 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:55.359 She quit that flitting around and she paid attention. 00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:58.880 She looked intently at that hole she discovered. 00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:02.079 In a similar way, we need to look at God's word. 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:04.720 We need to read it. 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:06.319 We need to study it. 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:08.480 We need to take a deep dive into it. 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:15.359 We've got to be content, stop being content with just this little daily dose approach to God's Word. 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:23.359 One commentary I read said that the language here carries the idea of looking with a penetrating absorption. 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:27.119 We need to absorb the Word of God. 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:30.480 We need to make it a part of who we are. 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:39.599 In Deuteronomy, God gave one of the most important commands he ever gave to the nation of Israel. 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:42.720 And it's related to remembering God's word. 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:48.000 Deuteronomy 6 says, Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:52.720 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:56.160 These words that I'm giving you today are to be in your heart. 00:20:56.400 --> 00:20:57.839 Repeat them to your children. 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:03.759 Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:08.160 Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. 00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:12.000 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:17.359 Authentic faith doesn't forget God's word. 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:20.480 Authentic faith remembers God's word. 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:22.880 We let it lodge in our hearts and in our minds. 00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:26.640 It is essential to having an authentic faith. 00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:39.119 For 15 years, as Brother Bryan mentioned earlier, I worked for Lifeway as their church consultant for all of Arkansas, some of Texas, Louisiana, even went out to Washington, Oregon for a whole glorious year. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:41.279 I don't look back on that too fondly. 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:42.880 But anyway, that's another story. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:47.839 We were very fortunate at Lifeway to have a world class research center. 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:55.599 And they embarked on some research trying to figure out what it is that makes us grow spiritually. 00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:59.680 Basically, what they were trying to figure out is John. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:03.039 John sits on this end of the pew, and Bill is on this end of the pew. 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:06.640 John is growing spiritually, Bill is not. 00:22:06.880 --> 00:22:11.680 They're both here in church all the time, but John's faith is obviously authentic. 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:13.440 Bill's not so much. 00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:15.839 What is the difference in the two? 00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:20.240 What is helping John to grow in his faith and Bill not? 00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:26.240 Do you know what the number one trait that folks like John were exhibiting in their Christian walk? 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:30.480 Was daily Bible engagement. 00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:41.680 John would get in God's word every day and he would dig deeply, trying to discover truths that would impact how he lives his life. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:45.279 Bill was satisfied with just a little daily dose. 00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:48.319 Folks, authentic faith requires us to slow down. 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:52.880 We can't be like my little granddaughter just flitting around looking at the word of God randomly. 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:55.839 We've got to focus on it intently. 00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:59.279 That is how authentic faith grows. 00:23:01.200 --> 00:23:06.960 Thirdly, James says to us that authentic faith obeys and reflects God's word. 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:11.039 Authentic faith obeys and reflects God's word. 00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:14.480 Look at verse 22, and then we're going to read 26 and 27. 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:19.920 James says, but be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:26.720 If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless, and he deceives himself. 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:36.559 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. 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:46.160 So so far we've seen that authentic faith receives the word, that it remembers the word, and we see now that we are to obey and reflect the word. 00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:52.319 James 122 could really be the theme verse for the whole book of James. 00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:53.680 It's about doing. 00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:55.279 It's about having a faith. 00:23:55.359 --> 00:24:02.240 And I love the term, I think that your pastor used in his first sermon, James, he called it an actionable faith. 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:03.759 An actionable faith. 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:06.000 It requires us to do something. 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:11.680 And James says that you have not really listened to the word if you have not obeyed the word. 00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:16.000 See, the bottom line is the word of God evokes action. 00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:18.319 It causes us to do something. 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:23.519 And he says, if there is no action from the word, then there has been no acceptance of the word. 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:30.480 Authentic faith truly is revealed in what we do with the word of God. 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:37.680 His words in verse 22 are very similar to the ones he heard Jesus use on the Sermon on the Mount. 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:47.680 Jesus said, Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:57.599 If our faith is only built on merely listening to the words of Jesus, then can we really claim to have an authentic faith if we're just hearers? 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:01.200 You see, we can't just be willing to obey the word. 00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:03.839 We have to actually obey the word. 00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:07.920 We can't just be willing to help the poor. 00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:10.640 We have to actually help the poor. 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:12.799 We can't just be willing to share our faith. 00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:14.480 We have to actually share our faith. 00:25:14.640 --> 00:25:16.880 We can't just be willing to live a life of purity. 00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:22.559 We have to actually live lives that are pure and holy before God the Father. 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:28.160 Jesus said things like, You're my friends if you do what I command you. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:31.839 And he said, If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. 00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:36.160 And then John wrote in 1 John 2, 4, he got really strong. 00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:42.880 He said, The one who says, I've come to know him, talking about Jesus, yet doesn't keep his commands, he is a liar. 00:25:43.279 --> 00:25:45.519 And the truth is not in him. 00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:50.240 So how do we understand all this? 00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:57.279 How do we understand a truth that on one hand brings freedom from our sins without doing anything? 00:25:57.519 --> 00:25:58.960 We don't earn our salvation. 00:25:59.119 --> 00:26:01.839 We don't do anything to become a child of God. 00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:04.240 We just receive the free gift. 00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:12.240 And yet, on the other hand, we're told we must do something for our faith to be authentic. 00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:16.799 See, understanding this concept brings the whole passage together. 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:22.960 And the answer is not that we just muster up obedience to the best of our ability. 00:26:23.200 --> 00:26:26.720 It's not that we just try harder to be a better Christian. 00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:28.799 That's not the answer at all. 00:26:29.119 --> 00:26:34.240 The key is to first be empowered by the word of God. 00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:36.319 By the living word of God. 00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:39.279 We've got to first receive the word that's implanted in us. 00:26:39.440 --> 00:26:45.039 Embrace it, focus on it, remember it, memorize it, make it a part of who you are. 00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:50.880 This word, this is not some ordinary book. 00:26:51.200 --> 00:27:04.559 Hebrews 4.12 says the word of God is living and sharp and powerful, and that it pierces into the dividing asunder of soul and spirit in joints and marrow, and it discerns the thoughts and the intentions of the heart. 00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:06.240 This is a living word. 00:27:06.880 --> 00:27:12.319 This is what empowers our spirits to obey the commands of Jesus. 00:27:13.599 --> 00:27:19.119 Paul wrote to Timothy, a very godly young church leader, about the word. 00:27:19.359 --> 00:27:31.759 He said, All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:38.720 You simply can't do the will of God without the word of God. 00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:43.839 It's an essential to be a part of the kingdom of God. 00:27:46.079 --> 00:27:54.559 It is only after we have absorbed this living, life-altering Word of God into our beings that we're able to obey it. 00:27:55.279 --> 00:28:00.319 Without it, we simply don't have the ability to obey. 00:28:00.559 --> 00:28:06.400 Our flesh will overcome us, and we won't be able to do the things God has told us to do. 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:14.640 And we'll be like that one that James talks about, who looked at himself in the mirror, walked away, and couldn't remember what he looks like. 00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:20.319 That's what will happen if we don't embrace and engage faithfully and consistently God's word. 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:27.039 The power to live a life of obedience, to have authentic faith, is found solely in the Word of God. 00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:29.759 There's no other option, there's no other plan B. 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:36.640 It is God's primary plan for living in authentic faith, for being obedient to what He's called us to be. 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:50.079 James concludes this section in verses 26 and 27, and I will too, by giving three marks of true and acceptable religion, or to use the term we're using, authentic faith. 00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:55.440 You know, the word religion doesn't have a real positive connotation in our culture today. 00:28:55.759 --> 00:28:59.440 You want to pick a fact with somebody, bring up religion at work or somewhere. 00:28:59.599 --> 00:29:01.200 Yeah, just don't. 00:29:01.359 --> 00:29:05.759 And really the word religion is not found very often in the New Testament. 00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:19.200 But James is introducing a section here where he's going to show us that true religion, authentic faith, is characterized by a lifestyle of obedience to the Father that reflects his heart for all of humanity. 00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:27.920 You see, that's our goal here in engaging the Word, is not to be smarter, but to be transformed in such a way that the world sees Jesus in us. 00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:31.519 And we don't do that apart from the Word of God. 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:38.559 The first mark of authentic faith, according to James, is controlled speech that displays this changed heart. 00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:41.359 And he makes that point in verse 26. 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:47.759 And later on, much of chapter 3, he'll dig really deep into this idea of controlling our tongue. 00:29:47.839 --> 00:29:52.559 And I'm going to assume that your pastor is going to get to that, so we're not going to spend a lot of time here this morning. 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:56.319 But remember, James is leaning heavily on the teachings of Jesus. 00:29:56.480 --> 00:30:01.599 And Jesus clearly taught that what we say is a reflection of what is in our hearts. 00:30:01.759 --> 00:30:08.000 Matthew 12, 34, he said plainly, for the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. 00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:13.359 Authentic faith is reflected in how we speak. 00:30:13.599 --> 00:30:19.279 The second mark is this authentic faith is reflected in how we care for those in need. 00:30:19.680 --> 00:30:25.279 He talked about caring for the orphans and widows, and in James' day, they were helpless. 00:30:25.680 --> 00:30:30.079 They were so dependent upon others in society to take care of them. 00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:34.160 You see, our God is a defender and sustainer and provider for such people. 00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:36.000 He cares about them deeply. 00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:42.240 And his provision almost always comes to the hearts and hands of God's people. 00:30:43.279 --> 00:30:54.000 Today across the world, millions of children lack parents to get them up off to school, to get them in bed at night, to feed them, to provide for them. 00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:59.599 In the United States alone, there are over 400,000 children in foster care. 00:31:01.119 --> 00:31:04.960 That's about twice the population of the city of Little Rock. 00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:06.559 Let that sink in. 00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:10.799 400,000 children that need our help. 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:12.240 That need our help. 00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:17.599 And of those 400,000, almost 100,000 are waiting for permanent adoptive parents. 00:31:18.640 --> 00:31:24.000 Their birth parents are no longer fit to care for them or have abandoned them worst. 00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:34.799 James is saying what God says throughout all scripture that we must live lives that are selfless and pay more attention to others who are in need than our own needs. 00:31:34.960 --> 00:31:36.960 Remember, this is the religion that God accepts. 00:31:37.119 --> 00:31:40.720 He's a father to the fatherless, he shows it through his people. 00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:48.799 Looking after orphans and widows and other helpless people in our society is not an option for the church. 00:31:49.119 --> 00:31:51.599 That's not something we can kick off to the government. 00:31:51.680 --> 00:31:57.200