CRCF””10-4-09
Just Do It!
James 1:22-27
ME
My Daddy is a former Marine, raised by a career Air Force Colonel. So, growing up, obedience was often communicated and executed in military fashion. Daddy said, “Jump!” And on the way up, I would ask, “How high?” Questions like “Why?” were not well-received. Even understanding and agreement with the given command was far from sufficient. Many a time, I”™ve heard my Daddy say, “Son, just do it!”
There”™s a principle here that Daddy and God both highly endorse:
Doing what you know is more important than just knowing what to do.
WE
Do you struggle more with doing what you know, or knowing what to do?
I dare say that for everyone of us the answer is, doing what you know!
We really need to get one simply truth this morning:
Doing what you know is more important than just knowing what to do, so that you don”™t deceive yourself about what is important to God and miss His blessing.
Tony Evans: “Many of us are spending so much time being like the Joneses that we don”™t have enough time to be like Christ.” (57)
Doing what you know is more important than just knowing what to do.
GOD
Let me show you where this comes from in God”™s Word.
James 1:22-27 (NLT)
22 But don”™t just listen to God”™s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don”™t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don”™t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26 If you claim to be religious but don”™t control your tongue, you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.
Doing what you know is more important than just knowing what to do.
–Zit Illustration
Contemporary English Version
22Obey God’s message! Don’t fool yourselves by just listening to it.
CEV
25But you must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free. God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don’t just hear and forget.
English Standard Version
25But 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.
Henry Blackaby:
“What you do reveals what you believe about God, regardless of what you say.”
James learned all of this from Jesus. He Himself understood and showed us what it means to love God:
John 8:29 (NLT)
“And the one who sent me is with me””he has not deserted me. For I always do those things that are pleasing to him.”
And Jesus also taught His disciples the necessity of obedience:
Luke 6:46-49 (NLT)
“So why do you call me ”˜Lord”™, when you won”™t obey me? I will show you what it”™s like when someone come to me, listens to my teaching, and then obeys me. It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who listens and doesn”™t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will crumble into a heap of ruins.”
John 14:15, 21 (NLT)
“If you love me, obey my commandments . . . Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them.
Matthew 21:28-32 (NLT)
“But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ”˜Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.”™ The son answered, ”˜No, I won”™t go.”™ But later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, ”˜You go,”™ and he said, ”˜Yes, sir, I will.”™ But he didn”™t go. Which of the two was obeying his father? They replied, ”˜The first, of course.”™ Then Jesus explained his meaning, ”˜I assure you, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. For John the Baptist came and showed you the way of life, and you didn”™t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to turn from your sins and believe him.”
Doing what you know is more important than just knowing what to do.
YOU
So, how should this change your life, and mine?
Do what you know God wants you to do, so that you can enjoy real freedom and blessing from God.
The Kind of Obedience God Wants
26 If you claim to be religious but don”™t control your tongue (Speech), you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows (Serving the Needy)in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us (Purity).
Do what you know God wants you to do, so that you can enjoy real freedom and blessing from God.
1 John 2:6 (NLT)
Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did.
WE
I imagine that our lives would radically change if we simply made it our aim to do what we already know that God wants us to do. If we just focused on our speech, serving others and being pure, that would cause real revival and have a major impact on our community!
–Zit Illustration Revisited
Doing what you know is more important than just knowing what to do.