The questions: Don’t just listen to who? Do what? And the answers: Don’t just listen to Jesus. Do what He said. In a sense, it seems so obvious. At least it should seem obvious that someone who calls themselves a Christian would naturally listen to Christ. And do what Christ said. And yet, it’s not always the case. Not only today, but even back in the early church. Even way back in the 1st century AD. It seems that old saying, the more things change the more they stay the same, is really true.
Seriously, as a Christian, you don’t go to church and then sit there with your hands over your ears. And you don’t cover your eyes so that you can’t see anything either. But tell me. How often do we leave the church with our hands over our mouths?
And how often do we keep that virtual church pew (or chair) with us, so that when the opportunity arises to actually do something that Jesus would have done, we can remain seated? With our eyes closed. And our ears covered. Not speaking. And certainly not moving into action.
Don’t just listen to Jesus. Do what He said.
We probably think that’s a new problem. Christians used to be involved in carrying out Jesus’ work. But not anymore. It’s knowledge that matters. After all, Christians are about faith – not works. We just have to believe, and we’re saved. I wrote about that a while back – Are we supposed to Believe God, Believe in God or Follow God? That one was about following. This one – it’s about doing.
Of course, we’re supposed to follow the teachings of Jesus. Live our lives according to His example and what He taught. But we’ve also got the Holy Spirit, who will prompt us to do things. If we take our hands off those virtual ears through which the Holy Spirit talks to us. And if we get up off that virtual church pew and act.
Don’t just listen to Jesus. Maybe I should really say, do listen to Jesus. And then, do what He said. We seem to have so much trouble with that.
But it’s not just today’s problem. Lots of Christians are familiar with the opening of the passage below. But do you know the rest of it?
Listening and Doing
Jas 1:19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Jas 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
Jas 1:26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
The “word”, of course, is Jesus. Note what James says. If all we do is listen, we are deceiving ourselves – lying to ourselves. We’re not following Jesus. We’re not acting on the things the Holy Spirit brings to our attention.
And just in case you’re thinking the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with Jesus:
Wisdom From the Spirit
1Co 2:6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him”— 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:
1Co 2:16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord
that he may instruct him?”
But we have the mind of Christ.
The mind of Christ? That’s the Holy Spirit.
So – Listen to / read what Jesus said. But don’t stop there.
Study what Jesus said. Try, as best as we can, to understand what Jesus told us.
But don’t stop there either.
We must move what we learn from our heads to our hearts. Have faith.
But still, keep going further.
We must also let what we have in our hearts also move our feet. And our hands.
We must “do” something that comes as a result of our faith.
Keeping knowledge and faith to ourselves isn’t what Jesus asked for.
Don’t just listen. Do.
You know – as in the light on the hill. As in the Great Commission. And as in faith with deeds.
Don’t just listen. Do.
Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay