Doers of the Word

James 1:21-24 “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”

This week, Michael writes that when Jesus preached the sermon on the mount in the Gospel of Matthewchapters 5, 6, and 7, he concluded with three parables. One was the illustration of the narrow way through the narrow gate. Then he told them the parable about good fruit and bad fruit. He finished with the parable of the house built upon the rock.

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a former physician and renown British preacher and pastor of the Westminster Chapel of London, wrote a commentary on the sermon on the mount. Leaders need to keep the vision in front of the people for proper understanding and life-application. A leader reminds the flock of God, who they are in Christ. The purpose of preaching is to remind us not only who we are, but more importantly, “whose” we are. According to Lloyd-Jones, in Jesus’ parable about the narrow way and the narrow gate, Our Lord established a new kingdom in the midst of the kingdoms of this world. Jesus called out His chosen people out from the God-rejecting world to conform them to His heavenly kingdom which is not of this dark and fallen world. The kingdom of light, the kingdom of heaven, is unlike any other kingdom. The subjects of the kingdom of light will be hated by those of the kingdom of darkness. Jesus told His followers that they would be persecuted for following Him. He said His followers would need to be above reproach. Therefore, bless those that persecute you and despitefully use you, and say all manner evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven. He said to go the second mile beyond the call of duty. If someone steals your cloak, don’t sue him. Instead offer him your coat.  

Jesus said to the crowd at the sermon on the mount, “You’ve heard the sermon. Now, what are you going to do about it?” What is the purpose of following in Jesus’ footsteps unless you do that which he’s called you to do. One of the major themes of the book of James is, “be doers of the word and not hearers only.” As followers of the Way of Jesus, our challenge is to stand in the midst of the persecution of this world. This is a test. The sermon on the mount is practical ... it’s meant to be lived “where the rubber meets the road.” As one of our brothers prayed, “may our bibles be wrapped in shoe leather.”

The fleshly sense of human pride will well up in our hearts when we feel wronged, offended, and despitefully used. As husbands, how do we react when we’re offended by our wives? Jesus said, “husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her.” As Christian husbands and priests in our own homes, we’re called to represent our wives, interceding on her behalf before God. The outstanding principle to which Jesus has called us is narrowness. In John 14:5, Jesus said to his disciples, I’m going and you can’t follow me yet. Then He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. If you believe in God, believe also in me. If you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Father. The Father’s characteristics are evident in my life. I always do my Father’s will. According to 1 Timothy, there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus [fully God and fully man].

God’s way is the exclusive way. Jesus is the only way in God’s Plan of Salvation. We’re saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Unlike worldly false religions who think that everyone has a “spark of the divine,” Jesus said, “I am the way ... no man comes unto the Father except by me.” The world’s politically correctness will argue that God wouldn’t condemn anyone to death who doesn’t accept Jesus Christ as Lord. They think that God would allow people into heaven because of their good works. However Jesus said, “There is none good, (in the flesh), no, not one.”

Jones says that the narrow gate is like a turnstile that limits what you can bring in. Diagnostic questions screen people to determine if they are bound for heaven. The first question is, “if you are standing at the gate of heaven, why should Jesus let you in?” The answer to this question will determine the person’s heart. Are they aware of the way of salvation? Have they confessed “Jesus is Lord” and have they believed that God raised him from the dead? Jones says that when we enter the narrow gate, we become exceptional. The Christian way of life is not popular. It is contrary to the way of the secular world. Only God can call a person that He bound for heaven. We who are born-again are the result of God’s election. A Christian has changed Lords from self to Jesus. He’s no longer lord of his own life. When a man or woman becomes a Christian they begin to see themselves apart from this world of darkness. They must separate themselves from the fallen in sin world’s direction.  

The small gate to the narrow way leads to life but the wide gate to the broad way leads to destruction. Jesus said, why do you call me Lord and yet do not do what I have commanded you? He did not call us to a program of behavior modification. He called us to heart modification. As David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” He called us to defeat the kingdom of self. He’s called us to our own “white funeral” where we die to self in order to live for him. According to Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

When Jesus spoke to the people at the sermon on the mount, He connected with those who were ready to accept His holy word. According to 2 Timothy 2:24-26, “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

As men and women of God, and servants of the Lord, we’re called to gently correct those who oppose the nature’s God, their Maker. To correct means to restore to an upright position. In fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Father, the Holy Spirit and one with another in the household of faith, there is fullness of joy. We’re sanctified, set apart for the purpose for which God has called us. We’re separated as lights shining through the darkness to call God’s people from the darkness of this world into the glorious light of His gospel of truth so that we may live to the praise of the glory of His grace and be doers of the Word!

Your brother in Christ, Michael