Introduction

James 1:19-21 ESV  Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;  (20)  for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  (21)  Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

• Now this Sunday is deacon ordination Sunday, so we have a special bit of service at the end… therefore I am going to try to preach a shorter message… wish me luck…
  • But really, the message today is really simple…
    • Don’t get mad at Scripture.
    • Don’t get angry, humble yourself… repent from any wicked ways or mindsets you have… and read the Word of God with meekness… That’s it… that’s the message.

• The proper way to receive God’s Word.
  • Last week we talked about how we probably don’t give God’s word enough credit…
    • Because James introduce this subject of God’s Word by saying it was by God’s will and God’s Word that you were saved.
    • So we talked about how vital The Word of God is to Christianity, to our salvation, to living our Christian life, to leading others to Christ.
      • And we closed that message with a little 2 minute clip of Reverend Billy Grahm explaining how to read God’s word.
        • To read it with reverence, it is an interview with almighty God.
        • Read it with expectancy, expecting God to speak to you.
        • Read it with dependence on the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit inspired the writing of the Bible, the Holy Spirit can interpret it to you!
        • Finally Reverend Grahm said we ought to take time with the Bible, not just reading it as a ritual, but spending half an hour every morning reading your Bible and praying.
• But Billy Grahm left a thing or two out, when talking about how to read your Bible… and that’s what we are going to talk about today.

Point One – Don’t Get Angry at God’s Word

James 1:19-20 ESV  Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;  (20)  for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

• How many times? How many times as a pastor have I seen people leave the faith because they were angry at God’s word?
  • Maybe you have heard this verse preached about Christian Character…
    • That Christians should be slow to anger quick to listen and slow to speak.
      • And I think that is true of Christian Character… all of that is true.
      • BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS VERSE IS ABOUT.
      • IT IS ABOUT THE TENDANCY FOR MAN TO GET ANGRY AT THE WORD OF GOD.
        • And church I have seen time and time again people leave the faith because they are angry with the word of God.
• So let’s break this verse down line by line and see what James says is the way we should read the word of God, the way we should receive God’s word.
• First He says be quick to hear.
  • When you are reading God’s Word you should be reading it as if the Word is a teacher and you are a student.

Galatians 3:24 KJV  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

• The law is our schoolmaster, the word is our teacher, our guardian… our job is to LISTEN. To learn. To Grow.
  • When you read, don’t read into Scripture what you want! Your not the teacher!
    • Read to listen! Read to learn. Read to grow.
      • When you went to school you would not go thinking “I don’t care what the teacher has to say today, I am going to learn long division!”
      • No! You learn what the teacher teaches, and you listen.
    • The worst way to have a conversation with someone is to ignore everything they are saying just waiting to say what YOU want to say.
      • You ever had a conversation with someone like that…
      • Like “All you want to do is say what you want to say, you are not even listening!”
      • So we need to not treat the Bible like that, we need to be quick to listen to the Word of God.
    • And that brings us to the second line of instruction… be slow to speak.

James 1:19 ESV  Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

• Be slow to speak when you are reading the word of God.
  • What exactly to you have to say to God that is so important that you are going to speak over His word?
    • Job tried to be quick to speak to God once… remember how that turned out… God rebuked him and then Job said this:

Job 40:4-5 ESV  “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.  (5)  I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.”

• Who are we to tell God what His word means?
  • HE TELLS US!
    • Look being a preacher is an easy job when you figure out this simple lesson: Just say what the Bible says. That’s it!
      • But so many of us bring our own thoughts and theories and understanding to the Word that we end up speaking more than God speaks.
      • But we get so excited don’t we… we read one verse, and that verse reminds us of something… and our mind starts racing…
      • What does this verse mean? I bet it means this, or that… or this other thing…
        • And that reminds me of the one time my Grandma looked at me funny and how it made me feel…
          • Next thing you know you are creating some false theology from half a verse that you read… because instead of listening to it, you spoke to it.
      • Listen, there are whole denominations that believe that birthday parties are evil because John was beheaded at a birthday party.
        • That’s people talking to scripture… that scripture had NOTHING to do with weather we celebrate birthdays or not… but some dude was quick to speak… he probably hated birthday parties anyway because his mom never got him that Iron Man toy he wanted…
          • So now he reads that John was beheaded at a birthday party and runs with that until his entire denomination is preaching against birthdays.
        • Some denominations don’t believe we should sing.
        • Others don’t think we should dance before the Lord.
        • Some say it is a sin to eat meat.
        • Others say that interracial marriage is sinful.
      • These were all people who were speaking instead of listening when reading the Word.
        • Because if you were listening you would never come to these conclusions.
  • Now I will note that it says “Be slow to speak” because there are times when God will inspire you afresh from His Word… and the Spirit will move inside of you… and God will reveal to you something prophetic and powerful to the point that you have to stop and meditate on that… not changing the meaning of the Word but seeing new prophetic meaning in it.
    • And God just shows you this verse in a different light then  you have ever seen it, and your spirit adds new meaning to a passage that can be life changing.
• But, those times are few and far in between… you should be VERY careful with them… when you are looking at a different meaning than the obvious… because it is very dangerous… so be slow with it and make sure it is from God.
• Finally  the verse says “Be slow to anger”.
  • There are going to be times were the word of God makes you angry…
    • Because there our flesh is fallen and cursed, and it does not mix well with the holy and perfect word of God.
    • It’s not ok to get angry at God’s Word… but if it is going to happen, which it is, it should at least be slow… few and far between… and easily fixed.
  • Least we find ourselves falling away from the faith because we are angry at God’s Word.
• You see verse 20 makes it clear… no one has ever become righteous because they were angry at God’s Word…

James 1:19-20 ESV  Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;  (20)  for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

• Why do we get angry at God’s Word? Because of filthy filthy sin… that brings me to my second and final point this morning:

Point Two – Don’t Bring Your Filth Into the Word

James 1:21 ESV  Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

• You see we get angry at God’s word because of our wickedness.
  • I have seen many young people fall away from God because they are angry they He would send sinners to hell.
    • And don’t get me wrong, we shouldn’t be ok with people going to hell.
    • God is not ok with people Going to hell, His Word says He is not willing for any to perish but all to come to repentance.
    • None the less, we know people will go to hell. Why? Because of their sin… because they deserve a just punishment for sinning against an infinitely holy God.
  • Now think about this for a second… people get mad at God for sending sinners to hell… instead of getting mad at sinners for rejecting God’s perfect sacrifice…
    • Like “He sent His son to die for you and you are going to refuse that?!”
      • Look, I gave a guy my kidney… I would be pretty angry if that guy took up drinking and smoking and destroyed my kidney…
      • AND THAT’S JUST MY KIDNEY! Imagine giving your son’s life for someone and them being like “Nah, I choose sin”.
      • Now why would you be mad at the person who sacrificed His Son, instead of being mad at the sinner who rejected that gift.
• But this is what we do, our own sin, our own filth, clouds our judgment… and we bring our filth in the Word and we get angry.
• I was talking to a guy this week who left Christianity for Islam…
  • One of the reasons he said was because it is impossible for man not to lust.
    • He said we are designed to lust.
    • Therefore it is Ludacris for Jesus to tell us that it is a sin to look at a woman in lust.
      • And he looked at me and said “wouldn’t you agree”?
  • And I said NO! I wouldn’t agree!
    • He said “you think it is possible for man not to lust?!”
  • I said “yeah, I do it every day… I only think sexual thoughts about my wife. Do I find other girls attractive, sure, but I don’t undress them in my mind”.
• He couldn’t believe it, he thought I was crazy…
  • I said “listen man, you let your sin dictate how you read the Bible… and because of that you have gotten angry at God. That’s not God’s fault, that’s your fault”.
• The people who want to say homosexuality isn’t a sin… those aren’t supper saints who are denying themselves… those are reprobates who are trying to make their sin ok… and make you ok with their sin.
  • But in doing so we deny scripture and we deny the gift of Christ.
• So next time you find yourself getting angry at scripture… take a step back and ask yourself “What’s wrong in here?”
  • Pray a prayer like David… David had just slept with a married woman and had her husband murdered… then the prophet of God, Nathan, rebukes David’s sin…
  • Now most of would have gotten angry with Nathan! We would be defensive…
    • “WHO ARE YOU TO SAY THESE THINGS TO ME! I AM THE KING! I CAN DO WHAT I WANT! OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!”
  • But that is not what King David did… instead of getting angry with God’s word… David wrote Psalm 51. Right after Nathan rebuked him, the Bible says David wrote this Psalm:

Psalms 51:9-13 ESV  Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.  (10)  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  (11)  Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.  (12)  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.  (13)  Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.

• Now just as a final note, I am not suggesting you should not seek out understanding, when a verse confuses you.
  • Yes! Please do, search, study, ask questions, read more… but I am saying when your reaction is anger… something might be wrong in your heart.

Conclusion

• So in conclusion, what is the proper way to read the Word of God?
  • Read it with humility and meekness, be slow to speak, quick to listen, and slow to anger… and leave your sin out of it… amen?
• Gospel Call