Listen (James 1:19-27)

Listen to this weeks sermon

Listening and Doing
19My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
26Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

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• Big Idea:
  
  • We can't share the gospel until we've heard and responded to it ourselves. 
• Take Note                                                                                                                                
  • James is talking about being quick to listen to God's word.  1 Corinthians 8:1; Matthew 27:23
  • When we're quick to listen to God it leads to becoming slow to speak.
• Doers of the Word                                                                                                                                                       
  • We forget who we are, whose we are, and what He's called us to. Acts 2:38; Jeremiah 17:9 
  • Do we open ourselves up to hear and respond to the gospel when we open the Word?
• This Isn't about Us                                                                                                                  
  • Listening to people is a means of demonstrating Christ's love.
  • If we're willing to listen to others we'll get clues about how we can bless them.