Well, good afternoon. It's good to see you here. Let's take our Trinity hymn books and turn to 574. 574, have thine own way, Lord. 574. Let's stand together as we sing. ♪ Ever shall reign ♪ ♪ Ever shall reign ♪ ♪ Ever shall reign ♪ ♪ Ever shall reign ♪ ♪ I have made you human and still ♪ ♪ Have I no place for you? Have I no place? ♪ ♪ Search me and find me, Master of the Universe ♪ Have I no praise, Lord? Have I no praise? Have I no praise? ♪ Broken and weary ♪ ♪ Healthy I pray ♪ ♪ Power of shelter ♪ ♪ This world is thine ♪ ♪ Christ, we envy thee ♪ ♪ Savior divine ♪ ♪ That Thine own name ♪ ♪ O Lord, Thy King ♪ ♪ Have such fame ♪ ♪ Filled with Thy Spirit ♪ ♪ Till all shall sing Thy praise ♪ Brother Tim, would you ask God to meet with us this afternoon? Father, we thank you that your goodness is everlasting from day to day. The benefits as Christians we have in Christ are overwhelming as we consider the words of scripture, the encouragement for the believer and for the unbeliever. Father, we pray that your spirit and word would have an effect on those who do not walk with you, nor even communicate with you. Father, we ask and commit this time to you, praying for Pastor and Cliff as they do their share in our worship of you. And Father, may our worship be led by your spirit, applied to our hearts by your spirit, and that we would rejoice in the Holy Triune God because of the Lord Jesus Christ. We pray in his name, amen. Amen. Proverbs 21. Verse 1 is always a good reminder anytime if you follow politics at all, that it's always good to remember that the King's heart is like channels of water in the hand of Yahweh. He turns it wherever He pleases. You need to remember that when you watch We don't see kings anymore. We have one, Charles. But the Macrones and the Bidens and the Putins, to name a few. And you see them. Think of this verse. Their heart is in God's hand. And He's turning it wherever He wills. So what comes from them, policy-wise, is God's will. And this is solidified for us in verse 30. Jump down there. Because many men, I almost said these men, I don't want to fall into making judgment statements on what we see because, you know, we need to remember David's words too. Remember that proverb where he said, he was very humble and he said, Lord, I don't exercise myself in matters that are too great for me. And so when it comes to politics at that level, it's really above us. But keep this in mind as well. Their hearts are in the hands of Yahweh and there is no wisdom, there is no discernment, and there is no counsel against Yahweh. Their policies may be outwardly anti-Christian and thus anti-Yahweh, of course, and yet it is God's hand that is guiding their heart and bringing His will to pass. Verse 2, every man's way is right in his own eyes. But Yahweh weighs the hearts. So if you were in Sunday school with Bill this morning, it has extra meaning for you. Verse 3, to do righteousness and justice is chosen by Yahweh over sacrifice. Notice the frequency of the Old Covenant name of God, Yahweh. Haughty eyes and a proud heart. The fallow ground of the wicked are sin. The thoughts of the diligent lead surely to profit, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty. Working for treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting breath by those who pursue death." There are three verses, bang, bang, bang. Marketplace, our callings. The destruction of the wicked, verse 7, will drag them away because they refuse to do justice. There is a reason. The way of a guilty man is perverse, but as for the pure, his work is upright. That's how John tells us, you know the righteous from the wicked because they do righteousness. And then some counsel to young men according to one commentator I read. Choose carefully your spouse. It is better to live in a corner of a roof than in a house shared with a contentious woman. And that woman is going to come up to us again in verse 19 if you drop your eyes down there. It is better to live in a desert land than with a contentious and vexing woman. One of the things, as I've mentioned, I like about the legacy is it faithfully seeks to faithfully translate a given Hebrew word with the same English word both times. So in both contexts, we have a contentious woman. And in one case, it's better to live in a corner of a roof. In your own house, the other case, it's better to be totally apart from any kind of social contact at all. And such is contention in a home. Verse 10, the soul of the wicked craves evil. His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes. He's the guy that no matter what you do, it will not please him. When the scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise, and when one considers wisdom, he receives knowledge. The righteous one considers the house of the wicked, turning the wicked to ruin. Again, this is a man in the place of justice, meeting out justice. He who shuts his ear to the outcry of the poor will himself also call and not be answered. A gift in secret subdues anger. and a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath. To do justice is pleasure for the righteous, but is ruin to the workers of iniquity. A man who wanders from the way of insight will rest in the assembly of the dead, like the widow who is dead while she lives, if she lives in pleasure. The assembly of the dead. Rephaim is the word. He who loves pleasure will become a poor man. He who loves wine and oil will not become rich. The wicked is a ransom for the righteous. And then he explains the usage of the word ransom. It's not an atonement, but it's rather, and the treacherous is in the place of the upright. It is better to live in a desert land than with a contentious and a vexing woman. There is desirable treasure and oil in the abode of the wise, but a foolish man swallows it up. He who pursues righteousness and loving kindness finds life, righteousness, and glory. A wise man goes up to the city of the mighty. and brings down the stronghold in which they trust. Reminds us of Paul's words, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they're not fleshly, but they're mighty through God to bringing down strongholds. He who keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles. Arrogant, haughty, scoffer are his names who acts with arrogant fury. The desire of the sluggard puts him to death, for his hands refuse to work. All day long, he is insatiably craving while the righteous gives and does not hold back. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination. How much more when he brings it with a wicked scheme or a wicked mind? A false witness will perish, but the man who listens will speak forever. A wicked man displays a brazen face, but as for the upright, he establishes his way. There is no wisdom, there is no discernment, and there is no counsel against Yahweh. The horse is set for the day of battle, but salvation belongs to Yahweh. Now in your Trinity hymn books again to number 700. 700, trust and obey for there's no other way. Let's stand together as we sing. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, our glory, patience, and our faith ♪ How we do this I will ♪ ♪ See the light within us still ♪ ♪ And with all who watch us share the way ♪ ♪ With us share the way ♪ ♪ For there's no other way ♪ ♪ To be happy in Jesus' eyes ♪ ♪ But you just can't obey ♪ ♪ And the shadow can't hide ♪ ♪ The dark in the sky ♪ ♪ But we can't wait to be guided away ♪ ♪ Now bow down for a tear ♪ ♪ Now set your eyes here ♪ ♪ In the right the way ♪ ♪ Trust and obey ♪ ♪ Trust and obey ♪ ♪ There is no other way ♪ ♪ To be happy in Jesus' name ♪ ♪ God is just in the way ♪ ♪ Go and share in the air ♪ ♪ And somehow be shared ♪ ♪ God's love in time is living way ♪ ♪ God be for all of us ♪ ♪ And for all the world ♪ Trust and obey. Trust and obey. For there's no other way. To be happy in Jesus. But to trust and obey. Though he never can prove the delights of his love, until all the day long memory lasts. How the neighbor he shows, and the joy he bestows, ♪ Who will trust in your name ♪ ♪ Trust in your name ♪ ♪ There is no other name ♪ ♪ To be happy in Jesus ♪ ♪ But to trust in your name ♪ ♪ In that ocean sea ♪ ♪ We'll sit at his feet ♪ ♪ While we walk by his side in the rain ♪ ♪ The stars we will view ♪ ♪ The oceans we will know ♪ There is no other way to be happy in Jesus' name. This afternoon I just want us to look at one text of Scripture primarily found in James chapter 1. James chapter 1. The Word of God tells us that His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. The Word of God tells us that a young man will make his way clean by taking heed to the Word of God. The Bible tells us, Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee. And so this afternoon, in just a few moments that we have together, I want to challenge us with regard to our relationship to the Word of God. Are we a people who are profiting by the Word of God? I find that oftentimes those circumstances and events that come into our lives that we're not sure how to handle them, that we need to be in God's Word so that by the principles of God's Word He might direct our paths, that we might walk and live and respond to things as we ought according to His Word. Does my conduct match the Word of God? The Apostle Paul states that we're to walk worthy of the Gospel. And I pray that if you were to ask one of the young people, what does that mean? They would be able to tell you, it simply means that my life ought to match up to what I profess. And if I profess to be a Christian, then the Word of God ought to be that which dictates how I live my life. And so the verse of Scripture that we will look at this afternoon is James chapter 1 and verse 21, where we read these words, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted which is able to save your soul. The context in which this direction is given to us as believers begins back at verse 18. Back at verse 18, the Apostle James tells us that the child of God has been brought into a relationship with God by hearing the word of truth. It was by hearing the truth that we were brought into union with Christ and born again by His Spirit. And then it's interesting that the very next thing James says is that we are to be quick to hear. slow to speak, and slow to anger." I always found that a bit curious. He reminds us that we are the children of God through the Word of Truth. And then, by the way, let me give you a little proverb that you can repeat to each other. Be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. And while we often use that, when someone we believe is talking way too much, you know, someone just dominates conversations and talks all the time, and you might be tempted to say, you know what the Word of God says, be quick to listen and slow to speak. But I believe in the context, what James is saying, especially when it comes to hearing the Word of God, that we need to be a people who are quick to hear. We ought to desire to hear from God in His Word. And we ought to be slow to speak, to tell us, this is the way I think it ought to be, and slow to anger. And I believe it's the idea of be careful that you don't find yourself arguing with God and what He says, but find yourself in submission to His Word in every area of your life. You know, sometimes when I'm done preaching, someone may come to me and say, wow, that was a hard sermon. I have trouble doing that. Well, my quick response is, is it God's Word? Yes. Then where's the trouble except for your flesh? God gives you everything you need. You have the Spirit and you have His Word. Now do it. Just do it. We often try to make things so much more complicated than they are. If God's Word is clear, then be obedient to it. Don't find controversy with it. Sometimes we argue this way. Well, God, when He wrote and gave us His words, He didn't know my circumstances. He didn't know where my life would be. He didn't know what I'd be going through. My friends, He did, and His Word is still true. So obey it. As you read down through this section of Scripture, it's that familiar portion of Scripture in which he compares looking into a mirror to reading the Word of God. get a true glimpse of who you are and how we need to be not only hearers of that Word, but doers of that Word, and how we need to be in the Word. We need to be meditating upon that Word. We need to be memorizing that Word. And then we need to be obeying that Word. And guess what the results of all that? It's like a math problem. Look into God's Word. Meditate upon God's Word. Memorize God's Word. Obey God's Word. Okay? There's the equation. Is that what they're called? I'm not a mathematician. Now put a line underneath it. Put an equal sign. And what is it equal to? He says, this man will be blessed in what he does. this man will know satisfaction in life and have a happiness in life even in the midst of those challenging events and circumstances that we travel through. So as we come to verse 21 and the direction that James gives us here in this passage, I have just two simple points. First of all, something that we need to put aside, and then secondly, something that we need to receive. So something we put aside, and something we receive. And so we come here to this verse, And before He gives us the positive, He gives us the negative. And we read it this way, Therefore, having already put aside... There's an implication. As James is writing to these people, he assumes that they're already putting aside these things that he mentions here, this filthiness and wickedness. They are in the midst of putting it aside. He believes that they're not in the midst of playing with it. They're not in the midst of excusing it. They understand it is evil and they need to put it aside. That must be done before we receive the Word of God with profit. If you remain in your sin and come to God's Word and expect it to be a profit to your soul, it will not. And so James is suggesting that his readers are already involved in this activity of putting aside. That leads us secondly here under putting aside, to notice together the action that is taken. Would have put them aside. Or we could translate it, cast them away. The command is simply this. Do not do such things. Cast them off. Take whatever steps are necessary to keep your distance from that which is filthy. The language that James uses here carries with it the idea or the metaphor of taking off clothes. So, maybe you're one of these people when you get home I confess. My wife is here, so I can't get away with not confessing. When I get home, I take off my jacket, and I just set it someplace. Just cast it aside. And then I get ready to go someplace, and I'm like, Trish, where's my coat? And she says, I hung it up where it belongs. That's my bad habit. I just cast it off. Imagine if you went to my house. She was gone all weekend. There's probably Coats and jackets laying different places in my home, but probably not in my closet where they should be all right And that's the idea that James uses here. We just cast it off Put it from a distance from us. It's the same thing that we read in Colossians 3 in verse 8 but now you also put them all aside and And he mentions what they are, anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive speech from your mouth. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 7, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is before us." The writer of Hebrews is saying anything that hinders you from running as you ought to run, cast it aside. Put it off. 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 1, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. These things you're to cast off. Keep your distance from them. But here in James 1 and verse 21, James sets before us two things that we need to cast off. The first one is what he says is all filthiness. All filthiness. This is the same terminology that James will use in chapter 2 and verse 2 when he says, For if a man comes into your assembly with gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, And there comes in a poor man, and here's the word, in dirty clothes. So, this filthiness has the same idea of dirty clothes. The root word here used, that we translate filthiness, when used medically, this is what I found interesting, means Wax in the ear. Wax in the ear. And perhaps there's one or two thoughts here. One is that this filthiness is those sins that are not visible except to the seeing eye of God. Those sins that others do not see in you, but God knows altogether. Do you have any? Nobody's head's moving either way. I'm going to look straight ahead. I do. I do. And I imagine all of us do. Those sins that perhaps nobody else knows about. Maybe your spouse. But for the most part, people would never know. But you know. You're aware. And maybe that's why James doesn't list anything here, because if he lists, okay, how about anger? And you could say, nope, that's not me. I don't have a problem with anger. How about envy? No. Nope. Nope. James must not be talking to me. And so he just leaves it very general terms. Filthiness. Or perhaps he has in mind anything that hinders you from hearing and receiving and understanding the Word of God. Anything that hinders you from obeying God's Word. Remember the writer of Hebrews, what he says? One of the warnings, you become dull of hearing. Thaw of hearing. And the term that the writer of Hebrews uses is the idea of pushing out. Pushing out. And it's the thought that as the Word of God comes, you may hear the sound of a voice, but you push it out. You're not listening. And you end up walking out The same way that you walked in with no effect from God's Word. And sometimes it goes like this. Boy, pastor gave it to so-and-so this morning, didn't they? I hope so-and-so was listening to pastor. He or she needed that. but we're pushing out the truth from our own lives. And maybe it's because there are pet areas in our lives that we do not invite the Word of God to. We say, Lord, You can have any room in the house, and I'll live by that Word except this one area. And I do not want your word to be pushed in to my life in this area. Did you ever feel that way? Filthiness. Peter uses the same type of language in 1st Peter 2 and verse 1. Therefore, put aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander. And like the newborn baby longs for the pure milk of the word so that you may grow in respect to your salvation. Is there anything in our lives that would hinder us from receiving and growing in the Word of God? Those things need to be put away. And for some of us it may be things like, I've tried it, and it just doesn't seem to work, and I'm about ready to give up. Or as Paul says, I just become weary in well-doing. And I know what God's Word says, and I understand what that means for me and how I ought to live, but I'm just weary. And James says, put those things aside and receive my word, filthiness. And then he goes on and he says here, and all that remains of wickedness. All that remains of wickedness. It's a very general word that James uses here. Its root word has the idea of badness. It covers in a broad way everything that might be wrong in character and conduct. James uses even this language. Notice he says, "...and all that remains." You know, there's something about wickedness, things that are wrong, that just keep popping up, you know. One of our, one of the ladies that came to the house to help with mom loved to do landscaping. And so, she wanted to landscape our yard, our flower bed and bush bed or whatever it's called. And at first, I said, no, just take care of mom. I don't want you to do, no. Finally, I gave in. And she worked out there, and she put that netting down, and she put the bark down, and it looked really nice. Really nice. For about two weeks. And then those weeds start popping up. And I told Tricia, I thought I wasn't going to have to weed. Try all you want. Those little weeds will pop up. You know? And that's what sin does. And we try to crucify it, and we think we've got it down, and we think it's down for the count, and we think, yeah, I've done away with you, and it pops its head back up. And we've got to crucify that thing again, and again, and again. And I remember when I was a younger man, and an older man told me, those weeds that pop up, I still battle with in my old age. And I remember thinking, oh, please don't tell me that. But now that I'm an old man, those same weeds pop up, and I've got to crucify them all the time. We long for that day when the presence of sin will be done away with. But until then, we have a responsibility to cast away All wickedness. It's an ongoing battle. Ongoing battle. The idea of remaining wickedness is the same idea that Mark uses in Mark chapter 8 and verse 8 with the feeding of the 4,000. It says, the disciples had picked up seven basketfuls of pieces that were left over. The idea of being left over is the idea of remaining. And we have this ongoing battle with sin that we need to cast away. So that's something to put aside. But now then, secondly, notice something to be received. Something to be received. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, In humility, receive the Word implanted which is able to save your soul." First of all, the content of what's being received. It is the Word of God. The primary means of growth God has given is His Word. Just as at conversion, We were confronted with the Gospel message and that by the Spirit we were made alive in our hearts. So, throughout our Christian walk, we grow, we mature in our new natures by receiving the Word of God. Notice where we're to receive that Word. where that Word is to be received is in the heart. It's in the heart. It's our innermost being. It's not that we receive the Word of God and then outwardly we put on a show, but it comes into our hearts. It is implanted. The only time this Word is found is right here in the New Testament. It's deep roots. It ought to have deep roots in our lives. It's the same metaphor used in the parable of the sower, where Christ speaks of the message of the Kingdom of God coming to a man as seed is sown in his heart. In his heart. So we ought to receive the Word of God in our hearts. James also tells us how we're to receive it. How we're to receive it. James says we must do it in humility. Humility. So he's telling us to come to the Word of God with submission, with an open mind. We ought to come with enthusiasm, with a willingness to hear. I was talking... He's not here. So this morning in Sunday school class with the young people, we were talking about how their week was going. And today I ask them just an unusual question. I usually ask them something like, how's your week? What's going on today? I said, what's the worst thing that happened to you this past week? I was amazed how quickly they were able to answer that question. But one of them said, oh, the worst thing to happen to me was I had to listen to lectures in driver's ed. And maybe that's how we come to the Word of God. I've got to listen to another lecture by Pastor Walden. Now, I do remember Driver's Ed. And perhaps Mr. Perry could give us more stories about Driver's Ed and kids listening in class. But as I recall, sitting in the lectures was not the most exciting part of Driver's Ed. You're sitting there saying, I just want to get behind the wheel. I don't care about all the rules. As the young man said this morning, we did watch a couple films about wrecks that were pretty exciting. But other than that, it wasn't, you know. But here, James says, we need to come with hearts and minds that are open. I want to hear from you. When we read individually, Lord, You teach me. I come. Areas of my life that need to be exposed, expose them and help me to live as I ought. We have an example in David, in David's prayer there in Psalms 25. Make me to know Your way, O Lord. Teach me Your path. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation. For You I wait all day long. Teach me Your Word. Make Your way known to me." You've got to come as a child who's eager to receive the food of God's Word. When we come to God's Word, we ought to remove the blinders of our theological bent and our doctrinal tradition. But Lord, I want to be taught. I can remember years ago when I first was confronted with the doctrines of grace. something that was brand new to me. And I remember the controversy swirling around, the doctrines of grace. And I remember spending some time in which I came to my Bible and said, Lord, You teach me. I know what I've been taught all my life. And many of those things I was challenged. Do you believe them because it's in God's Word? Or do you believe it because it's what you've been taught all your life? And there was that disposition that says, Lord, if I've been taught something all my life, but it's contrary to the Word of God, You expose that. You make that clear. Do not let me come with my own prejudices to Your Word and try to take my prejudices and convince myself from Your Word. But may Your Word convince me of the truth. So if you know anything about my background, when I came to embrace the doctrines of grace, people would say, how in the world did you come to embrace the doctrines of grace? How did you come to that understanding? And I wasn't trying to be a smart aleck, but it came across that way, because I would say, I read my Bible. I read my Bible. I don't have to call them the doctrines of grace. I call them the truths of the Gospel, which is found in my Bible. So we need to come with a spirit of humility to receive the Word. Come with open arms and open hearts to receive the Word of God. And what happens? This man will be blessed in what he does. This man is blessed. Here it says, in humility receive the Word implanted which is able to save your souls. Which is able to bring deliverance and clarity and help so you can live and bring glory to God. Every day should provide us with fresh evidences that we're saved, that we are the children of God. As we hear His Word, as we read His Word, as we memorize His Word, as we meditate upon His Word, that we are the children of God. So here is what I want to set before you this afternoon just to challenge you. Nothing new here that I don't think you haven't heard before, but you know, sometimes we can become lazy. Or maybe I should phrase it this way. Sometimes I can become lazy and I just need to be reminded of the elementary truths concerning the importance of being in God's Word and profiting from that Word all the days of my life. Let's pray. Father, thank You for giving us this time together and thank You for the reminder. Father, may we be diligent in casting aside all filthiness and wickedness And may we delight and humbly receive the Word of God in our hearts. Father, we pray that You would help Your people to live as they ought, even in a dry and weary land. Father, we pray that we might shine as lights in the midst of darkness because of the way we live. Help us. Help us to love one another. Help us to love others around us. Help us to hate our sin and to crucify that sin. May You help us to be a people that are growing and maturing in the things of God. So we pray that again, this Word would not come and be blown away, but that, Father, we would receive it and that we would practice it by Your grace as we ask these things in Christ's name, Amen. Well, in closing this afternoon, take the Trinity Hymnbook, turning to page 451. We began this morning with that word. In Psalm 119, teach me, O Lord, the ways of your statues, and I shall keep them until the end. So now we come to the end of our day of worship with that same prayer and desire I trust on our hearts. 451, teach me, O Lord. Let's stand as we sing. Teach me, O Lord, Thy way of truth, and from Thy will not depart, that I may send thus Thee away, dearly and understanding heart. If thy commandments take me far, or if thy law my joy shall be, give me your heart and house I will, from death to heaven and be free. Turn now thy eyes toward me, and watch me in my ways to tread. Oh, let thou servants know thy worth, and those who love thee, revere thee yet. ♪ Burn them away, ye foes and fear ♪ ♪ My righteousness I confess ♪ ♪ To know thy gracious, my desire ♪ ♪ Rejoice in the righteousness ♪ Amen.