We didn't have a traditional service Sunday morning at Tabernacle so this week so I don't have notes, just my memory of the story and scripture with a little input from what I've read. We were having a breakfast with more casual dress, upbeat music, and laid back atmosphere of fellowship to celebrate reaching a milestone in paying down our debt as a church. It was a really fun time and I hope that everyone enjoyed the time to relax and just enjoy God's presence as much as I did.
That being said, we were fortunate enough to hear a devotional from Sam White. The text he used is found in James 1:22-25. He started it off with a story of three guys who were out deer hunting, a doctor, a lawyer, and a preacher. Well as they were preparing to head into the woods for their hunt, out of nowhere steps a huge trophy buck. All three men pull their guns up and fire in the buck's direction at the same time. And as luck would have it, it must have been a perfect shot because the buck dropped dead in his tracks. As you can imagine, the argument of who shot the deer then began. Fortunately for the hunters, a game warden was nearby and came over when he heard the shot. He began to ask the three men how they managed to bag such a large buck and each one told their part of the story and how they were now uncertain of who had killed the deer. The game warden decided to investigate for the men and went over to look at the deer. Quickly, he looks up and tells them that the preacher killed the deer. The men were surprised at how quickly he could tell and hadn't checked each man's gun to see if they were different or not. The curious hunters asked the game warden how he knew and his simple answer surprised them all...the preacher must have shot the deer because the bullet went in one ear and out the other.
How true is that in many churches today?
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." - James 1:22-25
If someone was to ask us at Sunday dinner what the sermon was about, would we even remember it then? Or how many of us barely stay awake and just sit through church each week to check it off our to do list for being a good person? This message doesn't stop with paying attention to a sermon. We are also to study God's Word for ourselves in daily quiet time. The as we grow in knowledge of the word, we will act on it more regularly. Don't just talk the talk, we must walk the walk in our Christian lives.
Christians, don't put too much pressure on yourselves though because we will still make mistakes. We are not called, nor expected, to be perfect. If we were perfect God would not have had to send his Son to die on the cross for us. But because of our sins, "God did not send Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him" - John 3:17. Jesus didn't come to hold us to an immeasurable, unattainable, perfect standard. He came to be the perfect, unblemished, sacrifice that saves us from eternal hell.
World, just because a Christian makes a mistake or commits a sin does not mean that we are a hypocrite. We're not perfect, and most of us don't claim to be. For the most part, we're just like non-Christians, especially in outward appearances. But we have one things that sets us apart, our faith in Jesus Christ. And that is why we are able to make mistakes and still receive salvation. It is by God's grace alone, and our faith alone that we are made right. Our actions are just a reflection of the word God has put in our hearts.
So as you hear or read God's Word this week, act on it and you will be blessed (v.25)
#ActionsTalkLouderThanWords #JustDoIt
That being said, we were fortunate enough to hear a devotional from Sam White. The text he used is found in James 1:22-25. He started it off with a story of three guys who were out deer hunting, a doctor, a lawyer, and a preacher. Well as they were preparing to head into the woods for their hunt, out of nowhere steps a huge trophy buck. All three men pull their guns up and fire in the buck's direction at the same time. And as luck would have it, it must have been a perfect shot because the buck dropped dead in his tracks. As you can imagine, the argument of who shot the deer then began. Fortunately for the hunters, a game warden was nearby and came over when he heard the shot. He began to ask the three men how they managed to bag such a large buck and each one told their part of the story and how they were now uncertain of who had killed the deer. The game warden decided to investigate for the men and went over to look at the deer. Quickly, he looks up and tells them that the preacher killed the deer. The men were surprised at how quickly he could tell and hadn't checked each man's gun to see if they were different or not. The curious hunters asked the game warden how he knew and his simple answer surprised them all...the preacher must have shot the deer because the bullet went in one ear and out the other.
How true is that in many churches today?
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." - James 1:22-25
If someone was to ask us at Sunday dinner what the sermon was about, would we even remember it then? Or how many of us barely stay awake and just sit through church each week to check it off our to do list for being a good person? This message doesn't stop with paying attention to a sermon. We are also to study God's Word for ourselves in daily quiet time. The as we grow in knowledge of the word, we will act on it more regularly. Don't just talk the talk, we must walk the walk in our Christian lives.
Christians, don't put too much pressure on yourselves though because we will still make mistakes. We are not called, nor expected, to be perfect. If we were perfect God would not have had to send his Son to die on the cross for us. But because of our sins, "God did not send Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him" - John 3:17. Jesus didn't come to hold us to an immeasurable, unattainable, perfect standard. He came to be the perfect, unblemished, sacrifice that saves us from eternal hell.
World, just because a Christian makes a mistake or commits a sin does not mean that we are a hypocrite. We're not perfect, and most of us don't claim to be. For the most part, we're just like non-Christians, especially in outward appearances. But we have one things that sets us apart, our faith in Jesus Christ. And that is why we are able to make mistakes and still receive salvation. It is by God's grace alone, and our faith alone that we are made right. Our actions are just a reflection of the word God has put in our hearts.
So as you hear or read God's Word this week, act on it and you will be blessed (v.25)
#ActionsTalkLouderThanWords #JustDoIt
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