James 1:19-27 Hearing and Doing
Good morning brothers and sisters! Today we continue to look at the book of James on how we can lived a life aligned with what we believe. Today’s passage is all hearing the word and doing it. But James highlights for us a surprising reason we have so much trouble actually doing what the word of God says. Let’s read the passage and see if you can identify for yourself what that reason is.
James 1:19-27 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, 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. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the 1 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. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves’ and their religion is worthless. Religion 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.
雅各书 1:19-27 听道与行道
早上好，弟兄姐妹们！今天我们继续探讨《雅各书》，看看我们如何过上与我们信仰一致的生活。今天的经文讲述的是听道与行道。但雅各为我们指出了一个意想不到的原因，为什么我们在实际行道时会遇到这么多困难。让我们一起来读这段经文，看看你能否自己找出这个原因。
雅各书 1:19-27 我亲爱的弟兄们，这是你们所知道的。但你们各人要快快地听，慢慢地说，慢慢地动怒， 20因为人的怒气并不成就 神的义。 21所以，你们要脱去一切的污秽和盈余的邪恶，存温柔的心领受那所栽种的道，就是能救你们灵魂的道。22只是你们要行道，不要单单听道，自己欺哄自己。 23因为听道而不行道的，就像人对着镜子看自己本来的面目， 24看见，走后，随即忘了他的相貌如何。 25惟有详细察看那全备、使人自由之律法的，并且时常如此，这人既不是听了就忘，乃是实在行出来，就在他所行的事上必然得福。26若有人自以为虔诚，却不勒住他的舌头，反欺哄自己的心，这人的虔诚是虚的。 27在 神我们的父面前，那清洁没有玷污的虔诚，就是看顾在患难中的孤儿寡妇，并且保守自己不沾染世俗。
In the year 2000 a woman underwent surgery to have a tumor removed from her body. The surgeons removed the tumor successfully, stitched her back up, and sent her home. But the woman continued to be in pain, developed an infection and died shortly after. Stunned, the doctors soon discovered what had caused the infection. A medical sponge. Apparently the surgeon had forgotten the sponge inside the patient. And It killed her!
Forgetting can have massive consequences. And James tells us that the main reason we don’t go and actually do the word is we forget This hits quite dose to home doesn’t it? We read the word or hear a sermon and feel very challenged/encouraged in that moment. But then what happens? We go work, get caught up in the busyness of the day. Then someone asks you what did you learn in the bible? And you say, “Man it was
really good!” Yeah. what was it? “Uhh…l can’t remember, but it was great!”
I confess that has happened to me many many j times. Now I don’t want to discount the encouragement and strengthening God provides in that moment when you are hearing/reading the word. That’s still very precious.
However, James says you can’t stop there! If you really want to live a life aligned with God s word then you need to obey it. Well how? James gives us 3 steps for becoming a doer of God’s word.
2000年，一名女子接受了手术，去除她体内的肿瘤。外科医生成功地切除了肿瘤，缝合伤口后将她送回家。但这名女子依然疼痛，感染并在不久后去世。医生们震惊之余，很快发现了感染的原因——一块医用海绵。显然，外科医生在手术时忘记取出这块海绵，而这块海绵最终害死了她！
遗忘可能会带来巨大的后果。雅各告诉我们，我们没有去实际行道的主要原因是我们忘记了。这是不是非常贴切？我们读经或听讲道时，往往感到非常受挑战或鼓舞。但接下来会发生什么呢？我们去工作，被一天的繁忙所淹没。然后有人问你，在圣经中学到了什么？你会说，“哦，真的很棒！” 是的，是什么呢？“呃……我不记得了，但真的很棒！”
我承认这种情况在我身上发生过很多很多次。我并不是要贬低在你听道或读经时，神所提供的鼓励和力量，那依然是非常珍贵的。
然而，雅各说你不能止步于此！如果你真的想过上与神的话语一致的生活，那么你需要顺服它。那么怎么做呢？雅各给了我们三个成为行道之人的步骤。
1 - Accept the word
2 - Look Intently at the Word
3 - Be set Free by the Word
Now remember the book of James is closest in genre to wisdom literature like Proverbs, so in today s passage he jumps around from powerful practical advice about anger, listening, your words, serving orphans and widows, etc. But all of this is tied to the idea of being a person who does the word James is saying don’t just say you love Jesus, show me!
Now the Apostle Paul is such a great example of this look at
1 Corinthians 4:17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
Paul says, look at my life and you’ll see that it agrees it matches with everything I’ve said. How amazing. That’s what we want!
So let’s look at verse 19-20 again.
James 1:19-20 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
1 - 接受话语
2 - 认真查看话语
3 - 被话语释放
请记住，《雅各书》的文体最接近智慧文学，如《箴言》。在今天的经文中，他从愤怒、聆听、言语、服侍孤儿寡妇等方面提供了强有力的实用建议。但所有这些都与成为行道之人的理念紧密相连。雅各在说，不要只是说你爱耶稣，行动起来给我看！
使徒保罗就是一个很好的例子，来看一看他是如何做到的。
哥林多前书 4:17 因此我已打发提摩太到你们那里去。他在主里面，是我所亲爱、有忠心的儿子。他必提醒你们，记念我在基督里怎样行事，在各处各教会中怎样教导人。
保罗说，看看我的生活，你会发现它与我所说的一切一致。多么令人惊奇！这正是我们所渴望的！
让我们再看《雅各书》1:19-20节
雅各书1:19-20节 我亲爱的弟兄们，这是你们所知道的。但你们各人要快快地听，慢慢地说，慢慢地动怒， 20因为人的怒气并不成就 神的义。
You want your life to align with God’s word, then first become a listener. I know a lot of mom’s who tell their children, “God has given you two ears and one mouth, because you need to listen twice as much as you speak!”
You see choosing to be slow to speak and focusing on listening to others makes you more like Christ. How? You become others-centered instead of self-centered. You’re choosing to value and pay attention to what others have to say instead of thinking only about what you will say.
proverbs 17:28 “even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent”
It’s hard to think of wiser advice for improving your friendships, your marriage, your workplace relationships than to close your mouth more and seek to better listen and understand others. If you practice Jame’s words, I will not be surprised if you see an impact right away.
Now James talks about anger. We often have a wrong assumption about anger and think it can I useful tool to solve our problems. I’ve seen this in’ Japanese shows so many times. The character’ unleashes their anger and frustration at another person, and the recipient of the anger goes away changed and moved realizing that they were wrong and should have listened to that person. Does that ever happen in real life? Almost never!
你希望你的生活与神的话语一致，那么首先要成为一个倾听者。我知道很多妈妈告诉她们的孩子：“上帝赐给你两只耳朵和一张嘴，因为你需要倾听的时间要比说话的时间多两倍！”
选择缓慢言语并专注倾听他人会使你更像基督。为什么？因为你变得以他人为中心而不是以自我为中心。你选择珍视并关注他人的言论，而不仅仅考虑自己要说什么。
箴言 17:28：“就是愚昧人在他闭口无言的时候也可算为智慧。”
闭口多听、努力理解他人，这是改善友谊、婚姻和工作关系的最明智建议之一。如果你实践雅各的话语，我相信你会立刻看到影响。
雅各书中谈到了愤怒。我们经常错误地认为愤怒可以成为解决问题的有用工具。我在日本电视节目中看到过很多次这种情况。角色们释放他们的愤怒和挫折感到另一个人身上，而那个接受愤怒的人最终会改变并意识到自己错了，应该听从对方的建议。这种情况在现实生活中会发生吗？几乎从不！
See we tend to think If I get more angry at my spouse, or my kids. or my employees they will listen to me. You don’t feel listened to so you want to force them to listen to you. Forcing people to listen to you comes with a cost, it damages trust and love in a relationship. So James says human anger doesn’t lead to the righteousness that God desires- It won’t bear good fruit in your life.
Now James doesn’t take time here to talk about an exception called righteous anger, but if you want to know more, look at the sermon on Psalm 7 from last summer.
James 1:21 Therefore, 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.
Here we see the first step in walking an aligned life. “Humbly accept the word planted in you.” In verse 18 James says that God brought us to life, that we were born
again through this word. Bible commentators agree that James is talking about the gospel message, the saving word. Now he’s talking to Christians who already have the gospel planted in their hearts. But he tells them you need to humbly accept the gospel. In order to see change in our life first we have to humbly admit we’re wrong. We need help. We need grace, we need the cross! A Christian never graduates from the gospel of the cross. Rather Christian maturity is learning to lean on, cherish and ’ cling to the cross more than before.
我们往往会误以为，如果我对配偶、孩子或员工更加愤怒，他们会听我的话。当你觉得自己没有被听取时，你想要强迫他们听你的意见。然而，强迫别人听你的话是有代价的，它会损害关系中的信任和爱。所以雅各说，人的愤怒不会带来神所喜悦的义，它不会在你的生活中结出好果子。
雅各在这里没有详细讨论称为正义愤怒的例外情况，但如果你想了解更多，可以看看去年夏天关于诗篇第7篇的讲道。
雅各书1:21节 所以，你们要脱去一切的污秽和盈余的邪恶，存温柔的心领受那所栽种的道，就是能救你们灵魂的道。
在这里，我们看到步入与神话语一致生活的第一步：“存温柔领受那栽种在你们心里的道”。在第18节中，雅各说神借着这道使我们重生。圣经注释员一致认为，雅各在谈论福音信息， 拯救的道。他对已经心里有福音种子的基督徒说，你们需要存温柔领受福音。为了看到生命中的改变，我们首先要谦卑地承认我们的错误，承认我们需要帮助，需要恩典，需要十字架！一个基督徒永远不会超越十字架的福音。相反，基督徒的成熟是学会比以往更多地依赖、珍视和依恋十字架。
“The first thing, then, is receive. That word ‘receive’ is a very instructive gospel word; it is the door through which God’s grace enters to us. We are not saved by working, but by receiving; not by what wo give to God. but by what God gives to us, and wo receive from him.” - Charles Spurgeon
So the first step is to receive and acknowledge your need for the gospel, his Word. The second step is to look intently at the word,
2 - Look Intently at the Word
James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
James is such an amazing guy. As the brother of Jesus he lived most of his life hearing the word of Jesus, but not believing and doing it. If anyone I understands this failure and self-deception it’s I James. Jesus was actually constantly preaching this same warning to his followers:
Luke 11:28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those . who hear the word of God and keep it!”
So James echoes this warning by giving us a powerful illustration to show what this self-deception looks like.
“因此，第一件事就是接受。‘接受’这个词是一个非常有启发性的福音词语；它是上帝恩典进入我们生命的门户。我们得救不是因为我们的作为，而是因为我们的接受；不是因为我们给予上帝什么，而是因为上帝给予我们什么，我们从他那里接受。”
- 查尔斯·斯波尔金
因此，第一步是接受并承认你对福音、对神话语的需要。第二步是专心查看这话语。
2 - 认真查看话语
雅各书1:21节 只是你们要行道，不要单单听道，自己欺哄自己。
雅各确实是一个了不起的人。作为耶稣的兄弟，他大部分生活都在听耶稣的话语，但并没有相信并实行。如果有人理解这种失败和自我欺骗，那就是雅各。事实上，耶稣经常对他的追随者们传讲同样的警告：
路加福音11:28 耶稣说：「是，却还不如听 神之道而遵守的人有福。」
因此，雅各通过一个强有力的比喻来警示我们自我欺骗的模样。
James 1:23-24 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
The word of God is like a mirror. We look into it and the Word shows us our current spiritual reality, not what we imagine, but the truth. And we see for a moment the anger, or lust, or bitterness, or other moral filth m our heart that James is talking about and we might feel convicted.
Now when you get up in the morning and look in the mirror and you see your hair is “poof!” (crazy hair), and there are pimples on your face, and bags under your eyes, what do you do? You fix it! That’s the normal thing to do,
So James is saying a Christian who hears the word or reads it, but doesn’t act on it is not normal. It’s like forgetting the sponge inside the patient, a doctor doesn’t do that!
No. a normal Christian takes immediate action to fix and get rid of sin in their life. Now not all problems in our life can be immediately and easily fixed like a bad-hair day, but as Christians we are called be action-oriented.
If as you read the bible you realize you have been speaking too harshly to your husband or wife, go apologize right away. Don’t wait, you’ll forget. As you’ll read the word you realize you’ve been a bad friend, don’t wait. Make plans right then to do something to show your friend care.
雅各书1:23-24节 因为听道而不行道的，就像人对着镜子看自己本来的面目， 24看见，走后，随即忘了他的相貌如何。
神的话语就像一面镜子。我们凝视其中，话语向我们展示我们当前的属灵现实，而不是我们所想象的，而是真理。我们会一时看到雅各所说的愤怒、欲望、苦毒或其他道德污秽在我们心中的痕迹，我们可能会感到被责备。
当你早上起床看镜子，发现头发像“噼啪！”（乱糟糟的头发），脸上有痘痘，眼睛下有眼袋，你会怎么做？你会修整一下！这是正常的做法。
因此，雅各在说，一个基督徒听了神的话或读了神的话，却不去行动，这是不正常的。这就像外科医生忘记在患者体内取出海绵一样，医生不会犯这样的错误！
是的，一个正常的基督徒会立即采取行动来修复并摆脱生命中的罪。并非我们生活中的所有问题都能像处理糟糕的发型一样立即而轻易地解决，但作为基督徒，我们被呼召成为行动派。
如果在阅读圣经时，你意识到自己对丈夫或妻子说话太过苛刻，立即道歉吧。不要等待，因为你可能会忘记。如果你在读经时意识到自己做了一个不好的朋友，也不要等待。立即制定计划，采取行动来表达你对朋友的关心。
James gives us an antidote to forgetting is in verse 25
James 1:25 But whoever looks intently into the 1 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.
Look intently to the word. First we accept the word humbly, then we look at it. Now the greek phrase for “look intently” speaks of a penetrating examination, looking so closely and thoughtfully, like someone bending over to get closer to look.
This is why it’s so important to take the word that you read and memorize it, journal it, pray on it, meditate on it
Psalm 1 Says that Blessed is the man who’s “delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
This promise of blessing for those who meditate and think on the word is everywhere in the Bible. I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say it is a keystone to Christian growth.
So we accept the word, we look intently into the word, and lasUy we are set freed by the word.
3 - Be set Free by the Word
雅各在第25节给了我们一个防止遗忘的解药。
雅各书1:21节 惟有详细察看那全备、使人自由之律法的，并且时常如此，这人既不是听了就忘，乃是实在行出来，就在他所行的事上必然得福。
“专心查看话语”。首先，我们谦卑地接受话语，然后我们仔细查看它。希腊文中的“专心查看”一词指的是深入的审视，非常仔细和深思熟虑地观察，就像有人弯腰靠近以便更仔细地观察一样。
这就是为什么把你读过的话语记住，记录在日记中，为此祷告，深思熟虑，是如此重要的原因。
诗篇第1篇说，“有福的人是他喜爱耶和华的律法，昼夜思想这律法。”
在圣经中，对那些默想和思考神话语的人的祝福的承诺无处不在。我认为说这是基督徒成长的关键，并不为过。
因此，我们接受话语，我们专心查看话语，最终我们被话语释放。
3 - 被话语释放
Notice James says the perfect law of God brings freedom. It’s Jesus’ words that can cure us, heal us and set us free from sin in our life. But we only enjoy this freedom when we choose to invite his word more deeply into our heart. Medicine does you no good if you put it in your mouth, then spit it out! You have to swallow.
A number of years ago I had a bad cavity and the dentist cleaned out and filled it. A few years later that tooth was killing me so I went to a different dentist. He looked at my tooth and said you need a root canal. What! Why? There is cavity inside your tooth that was filled because it wasn’t cleaned out deep enough. We want God to clean deeply all the sin from the depths of our heart, and when we meditate and pray the word we’re inviting God to set us free.
So a Christian who looks intently at God’s word experiences greater freedom, and James says this should be visible in several ways.
James 1:26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves’ and their religion is worthless.
注意，雅各说神的完全律法带来自由。耶稣的话语能治愈我们、医治我们，并使我们从生命中的罪恶中得到自由。但只有当我们选择将他的话语更深入地接受到我们的心中时，我们才能享受这种自由。如果你把药放在嘴里然后吐出来，药就对你没有好处！你必须吞下去。
几年前，我有一个严重的龋洞，牙医清理并填补了它。几年后，那颗牙开始剧烈疼痛，于是我去了另一位牙医。他检查我的牙齿后说，你需要做根管治疗。什么？为什么？因为你的牙齿里面有一个龋洞，填补时没有清理干净。我们希望神彻底清洁我们心中所有的罪恶深处，当我们默想和祷告神的话语时，我们在邀请神来释放我们。
因此，一个专心查看神话语的基督徒会经历更大的自由，雅各说这应该在几个方面显而易见。
雅各书1:26节 若有人自以为虔诚，却不勒住他的舌头，反欺哄自己的心，这人的虔诚是虚的。
Being freed by the word shows itself in greater control over your tongue, or your words. No gossiping, no condemning, no cutting words, lying, manipulating, etc. James says it doesn’t matter how on fire you seem worshipping, serving if your tongue is out of control. That kind of religion is worthless. Instead, invite God to cut the cancer out. God cares more about your character than your service to him.
Another aspect of obeying the word that will be visible in your life is compassion.
James 1:27 Religion 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.
The kind of worship that God wants is someone who shows compassion for others, especially the weak who can’t offer you anything in return. That’s true worship, and that is the gospel message.
You see we have nothing to offer God, we are weak human beings, and yet he sent his own son Jesus Christ because he had compassion on us. God didn’t just say “I love you.” He showed us his love with action. God is a doer.
Romans 5:6-8 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
被话语释放表现在对舌头或言语的更大控制上。不传播流言蜚语，不定罪，不用刻薄的言辞，不说谎，不操纵等等。雅各说，如果你的舌头失控，不管你在敬拜或事奉上看起来多么火热，这样的宗教是毫无价值的。相反，邀请上帝来割除恶癌。上帝更关心你的品格，而不是你对他的事奉。
遵行话语在生活中可见的另一个方面是怜悯和同情。
雅各书1:27节 在 神我们的父面前，那清洁没有玷污的虔诚，就是看顾在患难中的孤儿寡妇，并且保守自己不沾染世俗。
神所喜悦的敬拜是那些对他人表现出怜悯，特别是那些无法回报你的弱者。这才是真正的敬拜，也是福音的信息。
我们看到，我们对神无所奉献，我们是软弱的人类，然而他因怜悯我们，派遣他自己的儿子耶稣基督来到世间。神不仅仅说“我爱你”，他通过行动向我们显明了他的爱。神是行动者。
罗马书5:6-8节 因我们还软弱的时候，基督就按所定的日期为罪人死。 7为义人死，是少有的；为仁人死，或者有敢做的。 8惟有基督在我们还作罪人的时候为我们死， 神的爱就在此向我们显明了。
Jesus perfectly obeyed the word of His Father. When Jesus was mocked, and spit on, he didn’t get angry. When he was cursed (translation note: cursed as in blasphemed and mocked) and crucified on the cross what did he do? He forgave! And if you cry out to God for mercy and forgiveness, guess what he will do? God listens.
Romans 10: 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
You see after hearing this message saying Do Do Do the word you might be mistakenly burdened. No no. my prayer is that you feel incredible freedom, because the transforming power is not in you, it’s in God and his word. All we have to do is Humble ourselves. Receive his word, meditate on it, and enjoy the freedom God brings.
Let’s Pray.
耶稣完全顺服他父神的话语。当耶稣被嘲笑、唾弃时，他没有生气。当他被诅咒（译注：指亵渎和嘲讽）并被钉在十字架上时，他做了什么？他宽恕了！如果你向神哀求怜悯和宽恕，猜猜他会怎么做？神是会倾听的。
罗马书10:13节 因为「凡求告主名的就必得救」。
听到这样的信息，说要去实行实行实行神的话，你可能会错误地感到负担重重。不不，我的祈祷是希望你感受到无比的自由，因为变革的力量不在于你，而在于神和他的话语。我们所要做的只是谦卑自己，接受他的话语，默想并享受神带来的自由。
我们来祷告。