Supernatural Transformation
The Listener
James 1:22-24 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.
Back when the telegraph was the fastest method of long-distance communication, a young man applied for a job as a Morse Code operator. Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the office that was listed. When he arrived, he entered a large, busy office filled with noise and clatter, including the sound of the telegraph in the background.
A sign on the receptionist’s counter instructed job applicants to fill out a form and wait until they were summoned to enter the inner office. The young man filled out his form and sat down with the seven other applicants in the waiting area.
After a few minutes, the young man stood up, crossed the room to the door of the inner office, and walked right in. Naturally the other applicants perked up, wondering what was going on. They muttered among themselves that they hadn’t heard any summons yet. They assumed that the young man who went into the office made a mistake and would be disqualified.
Within a few minutes, however, the employer escorted the young man out of the office and spoke
to the other applicants, “Gentlemen, thank you for coming, but the job has just been filled.”
The other applicants began grumbling to each other, and one spoke up saying, “Wait a minute, I don’t understand. He was the last to come in, and we never got a chance to be interviewed. Yet he got the job. That’s not fair!”
The employer said, “I’m sorry, but the last several minutes while you’ve been sitting here, the telegraph has been ticking out the following message, If you understand this message, then come right in. The job is yours. None of you heard it or understood it. This young man did. The job is his.”
“Let he who has ears to hear, use them.”
A true story, two guys came from a history of drug addiction and problems with the law. They ended up crossing paths in a Christian drug and alcohol program where they made decisions to follow Christ.
Both pressed into the program. They both heard the same teachings day in and day out and by the grace of God graduated the program as best friends.
As they parted ways, one guy went on to pursue dreams that God laid upon his heart and the other guy walked away from the program only to gradually fall away from the Lord.
The contrast between these two guys is similar to the two men James compares in today’s scripture.
I have come to the conclusion that life can be narrowed down to two outcomes, either you will live life as a reflection of God or as a shadow of this world.
The fact is that just listening to God’s word without application is deception, but applying God’s word after listening, results in the blessings of God following you through life.
At the foundation of my passage is this comparison in which James says the man who just hears the word is like the person who looks and sees a reflection of himself, but the man who hears the word and practices what he has heard is like the person who looks and sees the perfect law that brings liberty.
Both men take a different direction when they hear the word. This leads them to different results. The bottom line is that you are either a passive Christian or a pro-active Christian in your response to God’s word.
Passive Christians deceive themselves! The passive Christian hears the word and that’s it. They barely respond or react. The people who James was writing to would actually go and listen to the public reading of scripture and be content with just that.
James is emphasizing the fact that hearing and knowing is not enough, what really matters is to practice what you hear and know. Trying to do it any other way will bring deception upon yourself and to those around you.
If you cannot hear and apply God’s word, how can the people in your sphere of influence do the same?
At a first glance, when you see this passage, you would immediately think that the man who looks in the mirror and forgets what he looks like was careless in his self-examination. But in the Greek text, to look does not mean to look carelessly, but to understand and consider attentively.
Clearly, the way that the man looked at the mirror was enough for him to process the word. Since he had time to process the word, this man then chose to be passive in his response.
In this man’s passivity, he becomes a reflection of himself and not of God. This not only can hinder his walk but also has the possibility to do the same to others.
To counter passivity, one must be pro-active in their response to God’s word.
Pro-Active Christians bring blessings upon themselves! A proactive Christian is known to be a true hearer of the word. To be considered a true hearer, one must both hear and practice the word on a continual basis.
James compares this person to a man who looks and sees God’s perfect law. He sees the ideal character that can result by practicing it daily.
Doers of the word are not discouraged by the depth of God’s commands but welcomes them because they know that God would not command them to do anything that was beyond their control.
Ultimately, a doer of God’s word, not just listens attentively, but also practices consistently. And it is in their consistency that they will be blessed in whatever they do.
In my view, there is a vast difference between hearing and listening. The men in the telegraph office who were waiting to be interviewed were hearing a lot of things in the busy office, even hearing the telegraph clicking in the background, but it was only the young man who got the job who was listening.
You see hearing is something that occurs passively, it is something we have no control over. Whereas listening is something that occurs actively, it is something that we have control over. Hearing doesn’t always result in an action, but listening always does.
Listening is when we use our ears to hear rather than just letting our ears hear. We know we’re hearing when we are aware that someone is speaking, we know we’re listening when we respond to what someone is saying. Listening can sometimes come from hearing, but hearing always comes from listening.
God wants people to listen to him. Yet, we live in a world where many people don’t ever hear God let alone listen to Him. And sadly, even the people who do “hear” Him, aren’t listening.
Supernatural Transformation occurs in part when we become listeners, not mere hearers of God’s voice.
Do we hear the voice of God in a world that is filled with noise and clatter? Better yet, are we listening for the message God wants us to hear?
Nehemiah 8:3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
Proverbs 8:32-33 “Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to my instructions and be wise; do not ignore it.
Matthew 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
At least seven times in Revelation 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22” He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches?”
God expects you and I to learn to listen and act upon the things spoken to us in His Word. To not only hear His Word but listen to them.
If we are to be supernaturally transformed and have the heart of Christ manifested in our lives then we need to not only hear the truths of God but we also need to listen to them!
That is, we need to not only be aware that God is speaking but also respond to what He is saying.
One characteristic that stands out about Jesus is when Jesus encountered the Father in those quiet times. He entered with the purpose of listening to the Father. He purposely positioned Himself to HEAR what the Father wished to say.
How do we spend our time with the Father, doing all the talking, with God not getting a word in edge wise, or do we spend it listening to hear what God has to say?
There is a lot that God wants to say to us folks but if we’re not listening we won’t hear it!
If we are to be just like Jesus, we need to purposely place ourselves at the feet of Jesus and listen to what He wants us to hear!
Not only did Jesus spend regular time with God in prayer, He also spent regular time in God’s Word. While in the trauma of the wilderness temptation, Jesus used the Word of God to deal with Satan.
Three times he is tempted, and each time He resists the attack with the phrase, “It is written” (Luke 4:4,8,12), and then he quotes a verse. Jesus is so familiar with scripture that He not only knows the verse, but He knows how and when to use it.
The listener is one who is careful of what He listens to. He matches up what He hears with what He knows is right. He goes to the right source, the WORD. Do you know that there are only two ways one can study the Bible?
You can: Study it with your mind made up.
Or Study it to let it make up your mind.
The listener will go to the word of God to listen to what it says, not to tell it what to say! So much error and misinterpretation of the Bible has come about because people aren’t really listening to it!
John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
It is important that as we approach God’s word that we pray for His Spirit to show us the meaning, and the application of His word to our life.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will help us Hear the truth! And as His word says, the truth will make us free!
If we would read God’s Word for the purpose of hearing His voice, wouldn’t we read it in greater fashion? I promise we will hear it when we are listening for it.
Now, the Listener can’t be satisfied with what someone else has heard.
Would you do that with your vacation? Would you send someone else on a vacation on your behalf and then have them tell you all about it when they get home?
Would you hire someone else to romance your spouse and then have them tell you all about it so you can enjoy your relationship?
How about eating? Would you be satisfied to have someone tell you about the culinary delights they enjoyed on your behalf?
I don’t know about you but the answer for me is NO! I want to experience those things FIRST-HAND!!
And yet, this is what many people are satisfied with in their relationship to the Father. Folks, the listener is one who realizes that listening to God is a firsthand experience.
When God asks for our attention, He doesn’t want us to send a substitute; He wants us. He invites us to vacation in His splendor. He invites us to feel His touch. He invites us to feast at His table of plenty.
He wants to spend time with us. With a little effort, our time with God can be the highlight of our day and we’ll realize that we aren’t satisfied with anything but a first-hand experience.
The life of Christ was never a life of independence from the Father but a life of dependence upon the Father. Every breath, thought and action was based upon His dependency on the guidance of the Father.
John 5:19-20 Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father
doing, because “whatever the Father does the Son also does.” 20 “For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does.” Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.
Jesus did nothing without the Father’s approval. The judgments He spoke of were the judgments of the father. The words of warning were the word of warning from the Father. The love He showed was the Father’s love.
His heart was set upon acting in accordance with the will of the Father. Jesus’ response was dependent upon what He heard from the Father and what the Father did through Him!
What does God desire in you and me? The same! Jesus was setting the example of what is possible in our lives. What has happened in Jesus’ life can happen in ours!
How are we acting, independently or inter-dependently? Where is our heart leading us? a life by ourselves or a life that is hidden in Christ with the Father? A life that is born out of a dependent response from hearing and listening to His voice! Remember, “God loves us just the way we are, but He refuses to leave us there!!”
Jesus was not only dependent in His relationship with the Father but it was also built on intimacy. John 14:11 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; ….
As we walk with the Father He desires that we have the intimacy that He has with the Son.
God draws several pictures to describe the relation-ship He desires. One is of a vine and branch. John 15:5,7 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing? If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
God wants to be as close to us as a branch is to a vine. Think about this picture for a moment. A branch cannot be separated from the vine, or it will die. The branch is always connected to the vine.
God also used the temple to depict the intimacy He desires. 1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.
God is NEVER away from us, not even for a moment! God doesn’t come to us on Sunday mornings and then exit on Sunday afternoons. He remains with us, continually present in our lives.
God also used marriage to show His desire for and the possibility of intimacy with Him. Revelation 21:2 describes the church as the bride of Christ. Romans 6:5 tells us that we are united with Christ.
You’ll notice that people who live long lives together eventually begin to sound alike, to talk alike, even to think alike. As we walk with God, we take on His thoughts, His principles, His attitudes.
We take on His heart. Actually He’s already given us His heart.
One last picture, God uses the comparison of sheep and their shepherd to describe the intimacy He desires with us. Psalms 100:3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
You don’t need to know much about sheep to know that a good shepherd never leaves the flock. If you see a flock coming down a path, you know that a shepherd is nearby. If you see a Christian ahead, you can know the same.
The Good Shepherd never leaves his sheep. But notice what John says, John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
Here it is again, “LISTEN”. Intimacy and dependency upon the father is born out of our listening to His voice. When we respond to what He says, and when we follow where He leads.
The more we search the Bible, the more we realize that unbroken communion with God is the intent and not the exception. Within reach of every Christian is the unending presence of God.”
We as believers of Jesus Christ are called to become people who respond to the word of God by consciously listening and effectively practicing what it requires us to do so that we are blessed and not deceived in all we do in life.
The heart of this passage is the imperative command that is found in the beginning of verse 1:22, which is to become doers of the word. James is not inviting us to become doers of the word, whenever we get a chance, but absolutely commanding us to become doers of God’s word, now.
To become a doer of the word, according to James, a hearer must complete a two-step process that will result in a reward for their efforts. A doer must not only hear the word of God but must practice what they hear on a continual basis in their lives. Completing the process, that James calls us to do, will follow with a life that is blessed in whatever one does.
I’d like to conclude with something in Max Lucado’s book, “Just Like Jesus” that sums up best what has been said. It is a story of the dancers who had no music.
Can you imagine how hard that would be, dancing with no music. Day after day they came to the great hall just off the corner of Main and Broadway.
They brought their wives. They brought their husbands. They brought their children and their hopes. They came to dance.
The hall was prepared for a dance. Streamers strung; punch bowls filled. Chairs were placed against the walls. People arrived and sat, knowing they had come to a dance but not knowing how to dance because they had no music.
They had balloons; they had cake. They even had a stage on which the musicians could play, but they had no musicians.
One time a lanky fellow claimed to be a musician. He sure looked the part, what with his belly-length beard and fancy violin. All stood the day he stood before them and pulled the violin out of the case and placed it beneath his chin. Now we will dance, they thought, but they were wrong. For though he had a violin, his violin had no strings. The pushing and pulling of his bow sounded like the creaking of an un-oiled door. Who can dance to a sound like that? So the dancers took their seats again.
Some tried to dance without the music. One wife convinced her husband to give it a try, so out on the floor they stepped, she is dancing her way and he danced his.
Both efforts were commendable, but far from compatible. He danced some form of partner-less tango, while she was spinning like a ballerina. A few tried to follow their cue, but since there was no cue, they didn’t know how to follow.
The result was a dozen or so dancers with no music, going this way and that, bumping into each
other and causing more than one observer to seek safety behind a chair.
Over time, however, those dancers grew weary, and everyone resumed the task of sitting and staring and wondering if anything was ever going to happen. And then one day it did.
Not everyone saw him enter. Only a few. Nothing about his appearance would compel your attention. His looks were common, but his music was not. He began to sing a song, soft and sweet, kind and compelling. His song took the chill out of the air and brought a summer-sunset glow to the heart.
And as he sang, people stood, a few at first, then many and they began to dance. Flowing to a music they had never heard before, they danced.
Some, however, remained seated. What kind of musician is this who never mounts the stage, who brings no band, Who has no costume? Why, musicians don’t just walk in off the street. They have an entourage, a reputation, and a persona to project and protect. Why, this fellow scarcely mentioned his name!
“How can we know what you sing is actually music?” they challenged.
His reply was to the point: “Let the man who has ears to hear use them.” But the non-dancers refused to hear, so they refused to dance.
Many still refuse. The musician comes and sings. Some dance. Some don’t. Some find music for life;
others live in silence. To those who miss the music, the musician gives the same appeal: “Let the man who has ears to hear use them.”
Let God have you, and let God love you and don’t be surprised if your heart begins to hear music you’ve never heard and your feet learn to dance as never before.
Just listen maybe you can hear Him now?
Amen!