January 24, 2021

How to listen to the preaching (part 3)

Every week we hear minimum 2-3 sermons. If you read, and study the Bible, attend small groups, all of that accumulates into a big pile of information. It is no surprise that some struggle with the listening and application of so much.

There are some, who always have something to share about the sermon, and there are some who have nothing to say. Which group are you in?

One of the greatest secrets of successful parenting is this: parents need to teach their children to receive their teaching. Our text for today comes from James 1:19-25… As you find your way…

This is what James does to the recipients of this letter. He is instructing them how to handle his teaching! I think, it is especially helpful for those who want to build their lives on the Scripture.

3 steps toward effective sermon listening (come from the imperatives in our text (v. 19, 21, 22))

  1. Learn to listen (vv. 19-20)

Effective listening demands energy and effort; mental tension, focused attention, spiritually sensitive heart.

The Word mentioned here is the OT! The NT books were not written yet.

  • the seed (v. 21), the mirror (v. 23), the law (v. 25)

Have you ever compared Bible with all other books? What’s the difference? It is God-breathed, inspired by God Word; it demands action in response. There are a lot of imperatives (commands, or calls to action). The book of James has the highest percentage of imperatives out of the whole NT!

  1. Be teachable (v. 19a)

Why? Because we are not ready to take in the Word; we know so much already. We become slow to hear. 

Ramey “…perhaps the preaching is good, but you are the problem. You are burned out on listening. It seems like all you do is listen, while experiencing little growth and change in your life. Week after week, good sermons go in one ear and out the other without ever penetrating your mind or piercing your heart and transforming your life. Perhaps you have the discernment and the desire to obey, but you’re listening to and watching so much during the week that’s not important or entirely accurate that you’ve trained yourself to only half listen, a habit you can’t seem to ‘turn off’ on Sunday mornings. All these hearing problems are the result of never being trained to properly appreciate and practically appropriate God’s Word.” (Ken Ramey, Expository Listening, 10).

The sincere desire for learning is one of the marks of a genuine believer.

Ps. 119:12 “Blessed are You, O Lord; Teach me Your statutes.

Ex. Of careless listening: one wife observed that her husband is not listening to her, she just threw in a small phrase: “and she died.” And husband just jumped in the air… “who died?”

Do you come to the Word with the anticipation of hearing God?

  1. Be attentive (v. 19b)

Problem: we are quick to speak. We know a lot, and ready to share our wisdom… so we end up speaking and never learn.

You cannot be effective listener if at the same time you speak!

Here is the problem: you can listen faster than a preacher can talk. The average listener can process over four hundred words per minute, where the average speaker speaks at about one to two hundred words per minute (mine is 50 words per minute). What do you do with that extra brain capacity while you are waiting for the preacher to catch up with you? You fill your mind with thoughts. This is speaking in your head.

James talks here not only about verbal speaking but what takes place in your mind. Sometimes what we say inside is louder than what we say outside. Our thoughts might be very loud.

What happens in your mind while reading? You cannot really hear God’s Word if your mind is speaking!

Learn to silence your own “radio” and listen to what God has to say. 

  1. Be calm (v.19c-20)

So we have the ear problem, mind problem, and now heart and emotions.

The issue is our emotions get in the way of the truth. Emotions that take over us, overwhelm us, swipe us away, and we turn numb.

What gets us angry? 

We get angry at what surrounds us: poorly synchronized traffic lights, unskilled referee, slow cash register… 

We get angry at church: the music, the people, sermons are too long, or too short; they are boring, too passionate, too dry…

Often we even get angry at the Word itself: it confronts our sin; it reveals our nature; it commands us to do something…

When emotions take over, person cannot hear all that God is speaking. Ex. Moses (Numbers 20:1-12). God spoke, but Moses was irritated…

Are there emotions that hinder you from the Word?

Application:

  • Do you prepare our mind for the listening?
  • Do you fight in your mind to listen and not speak?
  • Do you avoid irritation, anger, and other emotions?
  1. Accept the Word (v. 21, 25)

We talked about hearing, now James takes one step further, and speaks of the Word entering the heart; it must take the root in there.

James uses the image of the farmer on the field, sowing the seed.

  1. Put the sin away (v. 21a)

Sin is in the way; sin that’s hidden, kept in secret.

“Filthiness” – the word is closely related to the term used for earwax. So fitting for our context of hearing the Word.

Sin in your life is like a wax in the ear.

1 Peter 2:1-2

In order to truly long for the Word, must first put off the sin in our life.

Is there sin your life, that you have not confessed to God, asked for forgiveness, and turned away from it? If you secretly entertain yourself with your secret sin, you will not benefit from the Word. 

Either sin will keep you from the Bible, or the Bible will keep you from sin!

  1. Humble yourself (v. 21b)

The absence of humility is the problem. Some Christians come to hear if there is anything new, interesting presented by the preacher. But this is coming to church to be entertained. 

George Whitfield: “Come to hear them, not out of curiosity, but from a sincere desire to know and do your duty. To enter His house merely to have our ears entertained, and not our hearts reformed, must certainly be highly displeasing to the Most High God, as well as unprofitable to ourselves.”

Pride expresses itself this way: 1) the Word does not correspond to my convictions (we disengage). 2) the Word confronts my sin (I don’t like it).

Is the Word of God another entertainment for your mind? Do you keep it at a distance?

  1. Taste the Word (v. 21c)

“able to save your souls” – the greatest thing that can happen to any living human – salvation! You don’t experience radical transformation from reading any book, but the Bible! We can say – they have tested it!

The Scripture is not meant simply to be seen and heard, but to be tasted! (Ps. 19:9-10)! 

“When you see the sun, you know it’s bright. When you taste honey, you know it’s sweet. When you see Jesus Christ in Scripture, you know he is Lord. And when you put God’s word into practice, you know it’s for real.” (Barry Cooper, Can I really trust the Bible? 80). 

Do you taste it?

  1. Apply the Word (vv. 22-25)

Finally the easiest part ☺

  1. Don’t deceive yourself (v. 22)

(22) “deceive” – is to be blinded to the reality of one’s true religious state. 

How do we lie to ourselves?

  • if I hear the Word, it is all that matters…
  • if I accept, and agree with it, it is all that matters…
  • if I speak about it, preach it, it is all that maters…

There is danger in it – our hearts can grow harder and harder to the truth and become insensitive if we do not practice anything:

Hebrews 5:11-14

Some Jewish Christians consistently did not put to practice the Word, as result they did not grow, and become dull of hearing! 

  1. Memorize the Word (vv. 22-24)

(v. 22) “hearer” – among the Greeks, this was a common term for persons who were attending lectures, but not disciples of the lecturer. They were only listeners. Today’s equivalent is auditing the class in college.

(v. 24) Theme of memory. Memorizing, so that not to forget!

The best way of remembering – is not to add more info, but literally memorize!

  1. Purposefully apply the Word (v. 25)

“effectual doer” Not to forget then, is to put to practice what you hear.

(v. 25) – “looked into” – to “stoop down”, “look by bending over.”

The point of the metaphor – as we look into the physical mirror to inspect and improve our physical appearance, so we should gaze into the spiritual mirror to inspect and improve our spiritual appearance. Scripture discloses our sin, our need for repentance and the promise of grace.

(vv. 26-27) – outflow of the teaching on the Word; when it is applied, you will end up visiting the needy.

Question that you can ask yourself to help you apply the Word:

  • What biblical truths you already know but haven’t yet applied?
  • What is the one think that you should apply from today’s text?

Practical steps to take:

  1. Read the Word on a daily basis. This will develop in you a healthy appetite for God’s Word. (no eating disorders…)
  2. Pray for yourself. Pray that God would make your heart soft and receptive to His Word, that you would delight in the truth.
  3. Pray for the preachers. Spurgeon said that his success in preaching was due to a group of faithful prayer partners .
  4. Confess your sin. Act upon what you already have been entrusted. 
  5. Minimize your usage of the internet and TV.
  6. Make the church your priority:
    1. Be home on Saturday evening
    2. Prepare everything for Sunday on Saturday
    3. Get enough sleep
    4. Don’t be late. Be in church 10 mins. prior to the service.
    5. Fight off all distractions: talking, texting, internet browsing. 
  7. Be engaged in the worship service:
    1. Sing passionately.
    2. Listen carefully to the prayers.
    3. During sermon, follow through the text in your Bible.
    4. Take notes.

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