Read Together: James 1:16-25
As we saw in Matthew 7:24-29, the right response to Jesus’ teaching and the way of wisdom, is to listen to Jesus’ words and obey them. We build our lives upon Jesus, by hearing and doing his Word. James 1:16-25 reminds us of the crucial importance of the Word in our lives. God causes us to be born again through the word of truth (1:18). It is the implanted word that saves our souls (1:21). This word is fundamentally the gospel, the good news about Jesus and the call to believe in him and turn away from our sins.
This word calls from us a response. We are called to be doers of the word not hearers only (1:22). The word should make us active, not passive. It calls us to hear and obey, to listen and do. We all face a danger as we listen to sermons, go to Bible studies, and read the Bible as individuals that we deceive ourselves and become like the foolish man who built his house on the sandy foundation of his own wisdom. We hear the Word, read it, and know it backwards and forwards. But we don’t build our lives on it. We look at the mirror of God’s Word, and we are confronted with our sin, but we close our Bibles, walk to our cars, and forget. And as a result, we are unchanged.
A key to becoming a doer of the word, is remembering what the Word is and what the Word does. God’s Word is his perfect law. It is good and better than any word you’ll ever read. And it is the law of liberty. It is the law that leads to true freedom. It is the way to freedom from sin, guilt, anxiety, doubt, and on and on. Obeying God’s Word leads to true flourishing. Those who persevere in the word and do it are those who are truly blessed, who know true joy and flourish under God’s blessing (1:25). They are those who will stand, by faith in the gospel-word, when the last day comes.
Discussion Questions
- What does it mean to be a doer of the word?
- Does this command to obey God’s Word contradict salvation by faith alone? Why not?
- What are some ways you can grow to be someone who doesn’t just listen to God’s Word, but obeys it?
Ideas for Younger Kids
- Get out a handheld mirror and talk about times when we see something in our reflection that we should change: broccoli in our teeth, chocolate on our face, and so on. Just like when we see something in the mirror that we should change, when we read God’s Word it should lead us to change our lives so they line up with God’s Word.
- Read “The Sermon That Was” in The Biggest Story Bible Storybook (pages 300-303).
Memorization: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22)
Song: “How Firm a Foundation” Listen here.
Pray Together
Praise God for his perfect Word that points us to Jesus as the way of salvation and teaches us how to live.
Ask him to forgive you for when you have been more like the foolish man and have heard the Word but didn’t do it.
Pray that God would help you put his Word into practice each day.
Pray that God would so work in our church family that we would be a church defined by faith in the Word that leads to obedience to the Word.
Go Together
Here are some ideas to grow in doing the Word:
Commit to using these Faith Talk guides each week to help you grow in your application of Sunday’s sermon.
Commit or recommit to reading God’s Word regularly (as individuals and families). As you read, ask the question: How can we live this out today? Consider even writing down your answer in a notebook until it becomes a habit.