Be Quick, Be Slow, Put Away, Receive

James 1:19-21
February 28, 2021
Abraham Hong

Sermon Script

Christian life is hard. And one reason why Christian life is hard is because words are hard. It is not easy to be good with words.

Now, when I’m talking about being good with words, I’m not talking about how hard it is to write a good paper for school. I’m not talking about how hard it is to get a child to go from “Mama” to “The wheels on the bus go round and round.” And I’m not talking about how hard it is to win in a game of Scrabble or Bananagrams.

Words are hard in Christian life because it is not easy to be quick to hear words. It is not easy to be slow to speak words. And we often find ourselves reacting to words with anger instead of receiving words with meekness. Words are hard.

But the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ is this. Jesus loves us. He saved us from sin and from death. He has made us into a new creation. And he is sanctifying us so that we are becoming more holy, more wise, and more righteous… when it comes to words.

This is what makes the book of James very exciting. Today’s passage puts before you the heart, mind, and will of your King. And by his grace, by his power, and by his love, you will grow into these commands. You are indeed becoming a person who is quick to hear and slow to speak. You are indeed becoming a person who is less and less angry and more and more meek when it comes to words. This is very exciting. God’s plans for your life and your sanctification are very exciting.

So with that in mind, here are five futures for you. Five futures for you to grow into when it comes to words.

First, be quick to hear. Be quick to hear when people give you their words. And, more importantly, be quick to hear when God gives you his words. This is a very beautiful command. When you are quick to hear, you are being intentional and active as a listener as your concentration and focus is on understanding the one who is speaking to you. When you are quick to hear, you are not thinking about your response, your story, your advice, or your defense. You are not thinking about your words. You are thinking about the words of the one who is speaking to you. Because that time is not about you and that time is not for you. This is very beautiful. Being quick to hear is really an act of service. It is ultimately an act of love.

But as you grow into this future, remember this: your Father in heaven is quick to hear you. He is quick to hear you when you pray to him. He is quick to hear us when we worship him together on Sundays. This is very beautiful. Dear Highland, be quick to hear. This is your future. This is God’s will for you.

Second, be slow to speak. Be slow to speak when people give you their words. And, more importantly, be slow to speak when God gives you his words. This is a very sobering command. When you are slow to speak, you are taking time to think carefully about your words as you exercise restraint and avoid the temptation to give an immediate reaction. When you are slow to speak, you are trying not to be hasty or rash or foolish with your words. Because you cannot take back words that are bad or wrong or hurtful or evil. This is very sobering. Listen to these words from Proverbs 10:19 with regard to other people. “When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.” And listen to these words from Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 with regard to God. “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.”

But as you grow into this future, remember this: your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was slow to speak for you. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth (Isaiah 53:7). This is very sobering. Dear Highland, be slow to speak. This is your future. This is God’s will for you.

Third, be slow to anger. Be slow to anger with regard to other people. And, more importantly, be slow to anger with regard to God. This is a very amazing command. When you are slow to anger, you are avoiding anger at all costs - knowing that anger is never commanded by God in the Bible, knowing that anger opens the door to terrible sins, and knowing that anger does not produce the righteousness of God. When you are slow to anger, your thoughts and emotions do not end up with wrath inside your heart or rage that comes out in your words. According to Colossians 3:5-10, anger is included in a list of sinful things that belong to the old and earthly self. According to Galatians 5:19-21, those who have fits of anger will not inherit the kingdom of God. According to Ephesians 4:31, all anger is to be put away from us. And according to Matthew 5:21-22, anger is connected with murder. There is no place for anger in the Christian life. This is very amazing. Contrary to popular belief, we are never given the green light to be “lovingly” angry at our children and we are never given the green light to be “rightfully” angry at our enemies. Contrary to popular belief, we are never given the green light to be “righteously” angry about social injustice and we are never given the green light to be “authentically” angry at God. We are only given red lights.

But as you grow into this future, remember this: the Lord is slow to anger. The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6). This is very amazing. Dear Highland, be slow to anger. This is your future. This is God’s will for you.

Fourth, put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness. Put away filthy words that you may not realize are really offensive and disrespectful to people who are made in the image of God. Put away words of rampant wickedness that you may not realize are really sinful and violent against others whom you carelessly run over. And, more importantly, put away filthy words that you may not realize are really offensive and disrespectful to God. Put away words of rampant wickedness that you may not realize are really sinful and violent against the name and the honor and the witness and the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus. This is a very decisive command. The moment of truth is right here and right now. Are you going to humbly admit that in the eyes of other people, your words, your conversational life, and the way that you listen and speak and get angry at people is not as clean as you think and is actually quite filthy? And are you going to put it all away? Are you going to humbly admit that in the eyes of God, your words, your pilgrim life, and the way that you listen and speak and get angry at God is not as biblical as you think and is actually quite rampantly wicked? And are you going to put it all away? This is very decisive. There is no middle ground. There is no waiting period. It is all or nothing. You either put it all away. No more filthiness and rampant wickedness. Or you keep it all on. The filthiness and rampant wickedness continues.

But as you grow into this future, remember this: Your old self was crucified with Christ and put away. The body of sin has been brought to nothing. You are no longer enslaved to sin. You have died with Christ. You are dead to sin. And you are alive to God in Christ Jesus. This is very decisive. Therefore, dear Highland, put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness. This is your future. This is God’s will for you.

Fifth and finally, receive with meekness the implanted word. Receive with meekness the implanted word for when God gives his words to us, knowing that God’s word is able to save our souls. This is a very humbling command. When we read the Bible individually, and when we receive God’s words in all the parts of our corporate Sunday worship service when God speaks to us, we are to receive and listen and trust and obey his words with meekness. With humility. With submissiveness. With dependence and with need. When we study the Bible, we do not approach it thinking that we already know it all or coming up with our own interpretations of what we read. We do not approach it thinking that it is tedious or boring or useless. We approach God’s word with the fear of the Lord. And when we humbly receive God’s word each and every time that he speaks to us during our Sunday worship services, we receive his call to worship with reverence and awe. We receive his law with obedience. We receive his assurance of grace with comfort and joy. We receive his word and the sermon that explains his word with hunger and need. We receive his blessing with thanksgiving. All of this is meekness. This is very humbling.

But as you grow into this future, remember this: Our Lord Jesus Christ was meek. He was meek for us, for our salvation. He humbled himself. He became a servant who suffered. He was gentle and lowly in heart for us. He loved us. This is very humbling. Dear Highland, receive with meekness the implanted word. This is your future. This is God’s will for you.

It is not easy to be good with words. And after hearing everything so far in this sermon, you may feel hopelessness or despair. I don’t think that I can be quick to hear and slow to speak and slow to anger. I don’t think I can put away and receive what I am supposed to put away and receive. But I hope that what I say next will help you. Ask God for you to grow in the fear of the Lord.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Perhaps you noticed this throughout my sermon. When believers read this passage, they usually think about how they need to be good with words when it comes to other people. But that is the wrong place to start. If you want to be a person who is quick to hear and slow to speak, then be quick to hear God and be slow to speak to God. It is all connected. If you have anger issues, then please realize that you ultimately have anger issues with God. It is all connected. If you want to make things right with people in your life, then begin to make things right with God. It is all connected. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. At the end of today’s passage, it does not say, “receive other people with meekness.” It says, “Receive with meekness the implanted word.” Receive with meekness the word of God. All of this ultimately comes down to you and God. If you want to be good with words, then I invite you to grow in the fear of the Lord.

It is not easy to be good with words. But I close with these encouraging words. Remember that God is producing righteousness in you. And remember that God’s word is able to save your soul. God brought you forth by his will and you are his firstfruits. You will receive the crown of life for all of this. Count it all joy right now. We look forward to the day when you meet Jesus face to face. There is a very good chance that you will be slow to speak and speechless when you see him for the very first time. But do not be afraid. I am sure that Jesus will be quick to hear your first words to him in-person. And very good words will be given and received.

Soli Deo Gloria