James 1:20-27

SERMON OUTLINES

HOW TO LISTEN TO A SERMON James 1:20-25

Introduction: If a sermon is wasted, the time gone is multiplied by every person who fails to hear. If 100 people fail to hear one half-hour sermon, 50 man-hours are wasted!

Proposition: How to really hear the sermon so as to get the most out of it.

I.

PREPARE YOURSELF TO HEAR James 1:21 a

A.

Get ready physically. Proper rest, preparation the day before. The state of your physical body has much to do with your spiritual attitude.

B.

Get ready intellectually.

1.

Lay aside worries (Unpaid bills, Sunday dinner, etc.)

2.

Determine in your heart you will listen. (Plan it!)

3.

Prepare to take notes. (Have Bible, paper, pen ready)

C.

Get ready spiritually.

1.

Lay apart filthiness (All ungodly attitudes).

2.

Pray beforehand.

3.

Expect something big in your own heart (Sir, we would see Jesus.)

II.

HOW TO HEAR THE SERMON James 1:21 b

A.

RECEIVE IT

1.

Pay attention to what is said.

2.

Take careful notes.

3.

Ask yourself pertinent questions as you hear.

4.

Listen critically, determining whether or not what you hear is true according to the Scripture. (Acts 17:11)

B.

SUBMIT TO IT

1.

With the spirit of meekness. (Receiving it yourself, not expecting it to hit your neighbor.)

2.

Expect the sword to cut. (That is the purpose of the Sword of the Spirit)

C.

UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE

1.

The stakes are high (Salvation, preservation, purification, growth.)

2.

Hear in order to do (James 1:22).

3.

Hearers only are self-deceivers.

III.

PROPER USE OF THE WORD (James 1:23-25)

A.

See ourselves as we really are.

B.

Clean up, buck up, pick up, grow up. (We must or we are lost!)

C.

Be ye reconciled to God.

HUMAN AND DIVINE WRATH James 1:20

Proposition:

What is the difference between human and Divine wrath, and what should our attitude be toward both?

I.

HUMAN WRATH worketh not the righteousness of God.

A.

What excites human wrath?

1.

Selfishness. (Desiring that for which we have no right)

2.

Vanity. (Thinking more highly of myself than I should.)

3.

Impatience (Not awaiting the right time, nor the due season).

B.

What form does human wrath take?

1.

Excited emotion (or passion).

2.

Irrationality (1 Samuel 25:17).

3.

Violence (Peter cutting off the guard's ear).

C.

What follows human wrath?

1.

Undignified behavior (Foolish, Proverbs 14:17; folly, Proverbs 14:29).

2.

Sin (Even to the point of ruined lives. Proverbs 29:22)

3.

Blasphemy (vain and vile speech; taking the Lord's name in vain).

II.

DIVINE WRATH does the righteousness of God.

A.

What excites Divine wrath?

1.

All unrighteousness and ungodliness (Romans 1:18).

2.

Usurpation of God's authority (Ephesians 5:6; John 3:36).

3.

All that destroys God's work. (Thus joining the beast Revelation 14:10)

B.

How is it manifested?

1.

Not in heated passion.

2.

In calm, deliberate judgment.

C.

How does it operate?

1.

In longsuffering (2 Peter 3:11).

2.

In condemnation

3.

In judgment.

4.

In eternal destruction

D.

What the effect upon man?

1.

God's hate for sin is established.

2.

God's Word is vindicated.

3.

God's power and authority is demonstrated.

III.

OUR ATTITUDE toward Divine and human wrath should be what?

A.

Toward human wrath.

1.

Avoid it except where impossible (Romans 12:17).

2.

Control it. (Proverbs 16:32).

3.

Heed the Scriptures (Follow God's example and let your wrath work righteousness!).

B.

Toward Divine wrath.

1.

Recognize the possibility.

2.

Fear it

3.

Avoid bringing it upon yourself

4.

Seek the Righteousness of God.

CONCLUSION: Man's wrath worketh sin; God's wrath works against sin

TWELVE SERMON TITLES WITH THREE-POINT OUTLINES

THE SOURCE OF ALL GOOD THINGS James 1:16-18

1.

Good and perfect gifts come from above. James 1:17.

2.

Good and perfect gifts come from the Father, James 1:17.

3.

All good and perfect gifts are the will of the Father. James 1:18.

WHAT EVERY MAN KNOWS James 1:19-20

1.

Everybody loves a good listener.

2.

Think twice before you speak.

3.

Count to ten when anger comes.

TO LISTEN IS BETTER THAN TO SPEAK James 1:19-21

1.

A fast-to-speak person easily expresses wrath.

2.

A fast-to-hear person more easily hears God's Word.

3.

To confuse the above is to deceive ourselves.

EMPTY IT BEFORE YOU FILL IT James 1:21

1.

Empty your life of filthiness.

2.

Fill your life with the Word.

3.

And your soul shall be saved.

RECEIVING THE WORD OF GOD James 1:21

1.

Hearing with the attitude of meekness.

2.

Implant it in your heart.

3.

Through it your soul is saved.

THE GREAT DELUSION James 1:22-24

1.

Having enough for the appearance of reality (Hearing the Word).

2.

Short enough to miss the real thing (Not doing the Word).

3.

Desiring enough to be deceived (Deluding yourself).

VAIN AND PURE RELIGION CONTRASTED James 1:26-27

1.

Harm to fellow man makes religion vain. James 1:26.

2.

Good to fellow man is pure religion. James 1:27 a.

3.

Freedom from spots of sin is pure religion. James 1:27 b.

BEHOLD YOURSELF James 1:23-25

1.

Yourself as others see you (Your natural face.)

2.

Yourself as God sees you (Your spiritual self.)

3.

Yourself as redeemed by the blood of the Lamb (Continuing in the law of liberty.)

ITS EASY TO FORGET James 1:22-26

1.

What manner of man you really are. James 1:24.

2.

That an evil tongue can spoil good deeds. James 1:26.

3.

That you must do as well as hear. James 1:22.

VAIN RELIGION James 1:26

1.

Caused when a man falsely thinks himself to be religious.

2.

Caused when a man bridles not his tongue.

3.

Caused when a man deceives his own heart.

PURE RELIGION James 1:27

1.

Before God: it is undefiled.

2.

Before man: it helps those in need.

3.

Before self: it is unspotted from sin.