THE SERMON, - BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER!

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1 THE SERMON, - BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER! James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. Over many years in our nation we have been suffering from an erosion of Christian principles; there is a spiritual drought throughout the land, and as believers we must take our share of the responsibility for this deterioration. God has explained to us in His Word what we must do to be lifted out of this morass but are we listening?! He has said, II Chron. 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. One of the foundations upon which our faith is built is the faithful preaching of the Word of God. In the Old Testament we regularly come across the formula, Thus saith the Lord (415 times); in the New Testament we read about the preaching of the Word; in Church History, - ancient and modern, - God mightily worked when His Word is held high and preached. And yet, how is it that many evangelicals today would seek to substitute the preaching of God s Word with some other means? On the authority of the Word of God I can confidently tell you that it is a good thing to be under the Word of God. It is a privilege that many of our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout this world recognise with fear as they fellowship in countries ruled by the barbarism of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and many other anti-christian religions and societies. Are you grateful to God for the freedom you have to come into His house this morning, to worship Him and to read and study His Word together? Have you come prepared to meet Him? Are you expecting to meet Him? Do you believe He is here, and that to bless us With the Spirit s quick ning power; Saviour, grant the prayer we offer, While in simple faith we bow, From the windows of Thy mercy Pour us out a blessing now. Do you really believe that He can do that? Can He visit Pathhead Baptist in such a mighty way? Yes, I believe He can and He uses His Word to teach us this great lesson. Since the preaching of the Word has always been central to the formula God uses, James here again emphasises its importance. Let s look at these two verses from three particular straightforward viewpoints: 1. BEFORE THE PREACHING OF THE WORD

2 2. DURING THE PREACHING OF THE WORD 3. AFTER THE PREACHING OF THE WORD 2 Incidentally, in my preparation for the study of God s Word in sermon preparation I also have a before, during and after. Before I come to prepare for studying for a sermon I have my own personal study from another portion of Scripture. This means that my mind is already fixed on the Word and not on something I ve watched in the morning news, or something I have been thinking about during the night. I try to focus my mind only upon seeking God s face. During the time I spend studying the Word I try not to have any interruptions, - I set aside (in particular) all day Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (especially in the mornings), and Sunday afternoons. The mornings are particularly precious. Usually I sweat studying God s Word, - it has such an impact; I seek to keep my mind on nothing else. And after the time I spend studying the Word, I thank the Lord for what He has given me and I simply spend a short time sitting back in my seat thinking about what I have studied for, if it has no impact upon me, it is unlikely to impact upon anyone else! It is a serious responsibility God s people have when they come before the Word of God and you can tell the difference between a Christian who spends valuable time in God s presence, before the Word, and one who doesn t. Let s continue then BEFORE THE PREACHING OF THE WORD We are so privileged to have God s Word that it is fairly obvious we must approach it in no light manner. There should be preparation even before we enter this place of worship to meet with God. Consider Who He is that we come to meet. Consider Who we profess to worship. Moses was warned to take the shoes from off his feet; the Psalmist proclaimed, 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully; Isaiah prophesied, 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

3 3 There should be no stumbling into the place of worship half-asleep or half-hearted. We cannot expect much if we are not prepared to receive much. None of us has come to the church this morning unwashed or unshaven, - we have prepared outwardly to be here; what inward preparations have we made to meet with God? We prepare for work, we prepare to meet our friends, we prepare for many things that lie in the week ahead how have we prepared this morning to meet with the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Sovereign, Almighty and Eternal God?! We shall never meet anyone on the same level as the One we say we have come to meet with this morning! Isaiah came into His presence prepared, - or so he thought. Regularly he walked up the steps of the Temple and in through its mighty doors; his garments would have been clean and suitable for the occasion; his thoughts would have been concentrating upon what he was about to do and yet, when he was confronted with the holiness of God he could not help but declare, 6:5 Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Our text instructs us how to prepare, James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness,. Some things need to be dealt with before God s Word can rest on our souls. He is not willing to share with anything contrary to His Word. Sin and the acceptance of God s Word don t sit together! The Bible says, Prov. 15: 9 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. Sin isn t good for us, and God wants only the best for His children. Sin, - in all its shapes and forms, - is something we need to seek to eradicate (with the help of the Holy Spirit). None of us would presume to say we never sin, but the believer is never content until the sin he lapses into, - even for a moment, - is dealt with completely. God offers no forgiveness to one who continues in sin for whatever reason and sin in the heart of the believer is no preparation for worship or for the study of God s Word. It s just not acceptable to Him! What is this superfluity of naughtiness James speaks about? Well, it s another angle on filthiness.

4 4 It gives the picture of the beautiful garden with all its flowers and bushes nicely planted. However, after a while, one weed starts to pop up and then another and another. These weeds are taking from the soil nutrients that the good plants need. You ve got to weed them out and tend the soil carefully. Any wee growths that might attach themselves to the good plants need to be separated and destroyed. There is nothing else for it, God s Word says, as you prepare yourself to listen that you lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, Before the preaching of the Word. DURING THE PREACHING OF THE WORD Well, the Bible tells us plainly how to do this too, receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. It is an instructive Gospel command receive. It is the door through which God s grace enters to us. We are not saved by working, but by receiving; not by what we give to God, but by what God gives to us, and we receive from Him. It ought to come in through the ear and make its way to our heart, and into the conscience, - you must receive God s Word, in order to be blessed by it. Imagine someone going to a feast, sitting down at the banqueting table and not having anything to eat! Will that person not go away hungrier than when they arrived! We re not merely talking here about listening to a man but it is what he preaches from the Word of God. God s Word is to be heeded and attended to. Believer, if you don t listen to and heed God s Word, He will hold you accountable. And James says there is a particular way to receive receive with meekness. There are many believers who sadly don t receive the Word of God because they don t approach it with a meek and teachable spirit. Spurgeon described such people, They come up to God s house, but the only seat they will occupy therein is the judgement seat. They judge the pastor, they judge the deacons, they judge the people in front of them, behind them, and to the sides of them. In the words of James 3:10 My brethren, these things ought not so to be. When you know it is God s Word and criticise simply because you don t like the one who is preaching it,

5 5 I ll quote from Spurgeon again, Ye may judge me as you like; small matter shall that be to me; for we are not anxious as to men s judgement, but our judgement is with the living God. If the preacher truly declares the Word of God, woe unto the man who sits in judgement upon it: this same word shall judge him at the last great day. I know churches that have got rid of their Minister simply because he preached the truth of God s Word and many in the congregation didn t like it. I was in my first church (during my seventh month out of 6½ years), six people professed faith in Christ within the space of a fortnight and at the elders meeting I was told I was preaching the Gospel too much and too directly. I politely informed the gentlemen that I wasn t there to preach what they wanted me to preach, but what God set before me in His word. When Tertullus stood before Felix and accused Paul he called him a pestilent fellow (Acts 24:5) and you find with Paul that wherever he went, there was either a riot or a revival! During the preaching of the Word when it does disturb, - when it speaks to you, - the Bible says you must receive it with meekness. It is there for you and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (II Tim. 3:16). Meekness is something that is not too much in demand nowadays but, nevertheless, it is the spirit with which the Bible instructs us to receive God s Word and so it is able to save your souls. Jesus said, Mt. 18:3 Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. In other words, the door of Heaven is open to those who sit at Jesus feet and and are willing to learn from Him. And what does James mean when he says, receive with meekness the engrafted word? We are not bidden to receive men s words, but God s Word. With just one single utterance God created the heavens and the earth such is the power of His Word! Engrafted means to fix deeply, to plant firmly, to embed, to implant. It means to set something in that will never come out! the inborn word (RV).

6 6 This is God s Word, for God s people; receive it in its entirety even the truths which it contains that you don t yet understand. When something is engrafted an incision is made, - there has got to be a cut or a gash. When you engraft something you have to engraft both plants, - you wound the tree, and you also wound the better tree which is to be grafted in. You get the picture the new life from the master tree is inserted into the old stem and they are joined together. That was the picture Jesus painted when He spoke about the vine in Jn. 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. When the Word is being preached how we ought to understand these simple pictures from nature like the ground that is ploughed up and prepared ready for the seed of the Word to fall and grow or the sponge soaking up the water. Accepting it so readily! Before during the preaching of the Word and AFTER THE PREACHING OF THE WORD First of all, there is a positive command here, - be ye doers of the word. Each time I come to preach the Word, - here or anywhere else, - the burden I have is that God s Word is accepted and received. When it is not, I feel offended, - I don t feel offended for my sake, but I feel personally offended because God s Holy Word is being rejected. When the Word of God gives instruction we are beholden to obey it not dilly-dally, or put it off, or explain it away, or simply ignore it. The people that God used in Scripture were just ordinary people who had a burden for the Word of God to be received. They were doers, - people who listened to God and did His bidding. They didn t always understand His ways, but they trusted Him and had confidence in His Word for they understood that He has everything worked out meticulously in accordance with His will and plan for the ages. After the preaching of the Word the hearers acted upon it to the glory of God; the Word laid the seed in their hearts, and the plant that grew up out of that seed spoke entirely of Him. Hearers need to be doers. Secondly though, there is also the negative side to the command, be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.

7 7 If you only hear and don t do, then the word is wasted, - there has been no point to it! It s like the teacher in the classroom; it s coming near the end of the day and all the fourth years are listening (sleeping?!) to the lesson; and then as soon as the bell rings they are out of that room as quick as their legs would carry them and the teacher and lessons are left! In some churches you hear the watch make the sound that twelve o clock has arrived, - there s a watch goes off in three or four parts of the congregation and that s the preacher s cue to know his time is up! When the bell rings that s it until next Sunday! 168 hours in the week and it s a burden to give God even one hour! Hearers only, no thought given to doing. The text closes with this solemn word, deceiving your own selves. To deceive the soul has eternal consequences, - that is how serious listening to and doing the Word of God is. It is very easy to deceive yourself, to shut your mind off to God s Word after it has been preached. It s easy to say with King Agrippa, Acts 26:28 Almost thou persuadest me, or with Felix, v.25 Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. Do you know, that when Jesus preached even some of those who said they were His followers rejected His word, Jn. 6: 60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Yes, even after the preaching of the Word by the Master Himself! Conclusion The sermon before, during and after. May the Lord find us listening this morning and may He grant to each of us the desire to lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save [our] souls. 22 [and that we would] be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving [our] own selves.