Receive The Word

[0:00] The Word of God.

[0:16] James 1.16, it says, Do not err, my beloved brethren, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,! and cometh down from the Father of lions,! with whom is no fear, neither bearableness, neither shadow of turning.

[0:33] Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let us every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.

[0:51] For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

[1:07] But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. The Word of God is spoken of here in these verses.

[1:23] And the first thing I'd like to refer to is verse 18. Verse 18. It says, Now we know in Matthew there's a load of begats and begotten, isn't there?

[1:39] Various people born. It's birth. It's the new birth. Of his own will he begat us. He made us born again.

[1:50] He rebirthed us. He made us born again with the word of truth. And the first thing about the Word of God is the Word of God shows us how to be saved.

[2:03] To be saved. That's really the starting point, isn't it? The Word of God shows us about conversion, about conception of new life.

[2:13] The miracle of new life. It's a life-giving seed. The Word of God, as the sower went out to sow in the parable of our Lord.

[2:24] He compared the Word of God to being life-giving seed that can germinate and save a soul. In 1 Peter 1, verse 23, it says, Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the Word of God.

[2:43] Born again by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. In Romans 10, 17, it says, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

[2:57] Faith springs to life as his Word impacts, as his Word is heard. Faith springs to life. Peter got faith when he heard the Word of Jesus.

[3:09] When Jesus was there, as the precarious time, at the storm, they were on the lake, in the boat. And the Lord walked to them upon the water.

[3:23] In Matthew 14. In Matthew 14, verse 28, Peter said, Lord, if it be thou bid me come unto thee on the water.

[3:33] And he, Jesus said, come! And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

[3:45] He walked on the Word. The Word of faith. At the Word of Jesus, faith comes. At the Word of God, faith comes. Faith springs to life. We're begotten.

[3:56] We're born again. By that incorruptible seed. That seed which will not perish. But that seed which lasts forever. The Word of God. It prompts faith.

[4:07] It births faith. God uses his Word as a life-creating facility. As faith comes from hearing the Word of God.

[4:22] As we act on his Word, just as Peter did. He stepped out on that simple Word. Come! And he came. He obeyed. He acted upon the Word of Jesus.

[4:33] And he stepped out on his Word. You know, the Word of God has the power to convert a soul. There was a convict dying in an Arizona state prison.

[4:46] He had a loathsome disease. He was dreadfully afflicted. And one day a person gave him a New Testament. One of the visitors to the prison.

[4:59] And this prisoner started to read the Word of God. He started to read the Bible. As he was there in his cell. And he became so convicted of his sin.

[5:10] That he threw the New Testament onto the floor. He didn't want to hear it. It was too confronting. He hurled it the length of the cell.

[5:22] And when the book landed upon the floor. It fell open to the first letter of John. And a verse boldly outlined in red. Caught the angry man's eye.

[5:35] And he stooped down and read what it said. And it said this. It's the blood of Jesus Christ. His Son cleanseth us from all sin.

[5:52] And that message brought the prisoner to his knees. Crying out to God for forgiveness. For cleansing. For healing. And he became a new man in Christ Jesus.

[6:04] He started a Bible class for the convicts. And in time secured an unconditional pardon from the governor of Arizona. And the governor's pardon freed him from prison.

[6:17] But the pardon the Lord gave brought him purity of spirit, soul and body. And through him brought many others into the kingdom.

[6:29] The word of God shows us how to be saved. Be saved. As you hear and act upon the gospel. The good news.

[6:41] Christ's saving work at the cross. Where he bled and died. And rose again. For our sin. For our justification. For our salvation. The word of God.

[6:52] It prompts faith. It says be saved. Secondly. It says be transformed. The word of God has life transforming power. As well as life converting power.

[7:04] We see that in verse 21. In part it says receive with meekness. The engrafted word. The word of God. Can only work with a receptivity.

[7:17] As you have that teachable heart. As you have that heart. That he softens by his spirit. That heart. Where his word can find entry. That heart. Where his word can find a lodging place.

[7:30] A receptive heart. Not a rocking. Hard. Stony heart. But a heart softened. Opened up. By the spirit of God. A heart.

[7:41] In which the word can be planted. And activated. Received. And germinated. And there it can flourish. As we see in 1 Peter 2. Verse 2. It says.

[7:51] As newborn babes. Desire. Crave. The sincere milk. The sincere milk. The milk. The milk. The milk. The milk. That you may grow there by. And I've been around some babies lately.

[8:02] And when they get hungry. They start to. Ah. Have you heard that? We need to get that kind of craving. For the milk. That craving for the word. That longing.

[8:13] That hungering. That thirsting for it. That we want to be filled. With the word of God. That we may grow there by. As newborn babes. Desire. Milk. And it's that receptivity.

[8:25] That our Lord wants from us. As newborn babes. Desire. Crave that milk. The pride of man. Can be a barrier. To receiving the word of God.

[8:36] James writes. Receive with meekness. The engrafted word. That word. That can be planted. And. Implanted. Into our heart. Received.

[8:47] Receive it with meekness. It's pride. It's pride. It's pride that stops us sometimes. It's pride. That stops us kneeling. It's pride. That stops us.

[8:58] Humbling ourselves. And coming unto him. Isn't it? Let's face it. And we Christians. Can get proud too. The pride of man. We need to. Bow it down.

[9:09] We need to. Crucify it. It's a barrier. To receiving the word of God. James writes. In verse 19. Here. Wherefore my beloved brethren. Let every man be swift to hear.

[9:22] Slow to speak. Slow to wrath. For the wrath of man. Worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart. All filthiness. And superfluency.

[9:33] Of naughtiness. Now that's talking about. Laying apart. That which is filthy. Laying apart. That which is not pure. Laying apart. That which is unworthy of him.

[9:43] Receive the word. It's been said that other books. Have been given for our information. Some books have been given for our education.

[9:56] This book. Has been given for our transformation. It's got a transforming power. So that a man. Can be changed. From the inside out. So we're no longer.

[10:09] Full of pride. But we're receptive. We're laying apart. The pride. We're putting it away. We're putting it aside. We're putting away. Impurity. We're putting away.

[10:20] The wickedness. That comes so naturally. We're getting rid of it. We're putting it away. As someone also said. Sin will keep you from the word.

[10:31] But the word. Will keep you from sin. Thy word. Have I hid in my heart. That I may not sin. Against thee. What can a young man.

[10:42] How can a young man. Cleanse his way. By taking heed. Their tomb. According to. Thy word. So as the word. Is implanted. It's got a transforming power.

[10:53] It'll transform you. From the inside out. How is your receptivity. To the word of God. Are you receptive to it. Do you long for it.

[11:03] Have you got a poor reception. I know sometimes. In past times. We had poor reception. At our place. In terms of. The TV signal. In fact. We haven't turned it on.

[11:14] For some many years now. But. There was a poor receptivity. Sometimes we can have a. Poor receptivity. To the signal. That God wants to send.

[11:25] Into our hearts. That signal. Of his word. We can have. A poor receptivity. To it. God wants us to tune out. The impurities. The filthiness.

[11:36] The wickedness. That pollutes. That ensnares. That interferes. With God's signal. With God's message. And instead. Tune in. To God's message. The Lord's message. And it's interesting.

[11:47] To see. The word. Received. And received. In relation. To the word. It occurs. Often. As a pair. As we read.

[11:57] In Acts 2. 41. They that gladly. Received his word. Were baptized. And the same day. Were added. Answer them. Three thousand. Or so souls.

[12:09] They gladly. Received the word. They acted on it. They were baptized. In Acts 17. 11. It says. These were more noble. Than they. In Thessalonica.

[12:20] In that they received the word. They received the word. With all readiness of mind. And searched the scriptures. Daily. Whether those things were so. They received the word.

[12:31] With readiness of mind. And they searched the scriptures. Whether these things were so. 1 Thessalonians 2. 13. It says. Paul writes. That we thank God.

[12:42] Because when you receive. The word of God. As you heard it from us. You received it not. As the word of man. But as it is in truth. The word of God.

[12:53] Which effectually worketh in them. That believe. You received the word. You received. The word of the preachers. The apostles. As the word of God.

[13:04] That effectually worketh also. In you that believe. Are we receptive to it. And we all can take stock. Think how we could spend. More time.

[13:14] With the word of God. How can we study it. More effectively. I heard a little. Way of. Considering how to better study.

[13:26] The word of God. And it's based on. A five. Letter acronym. Spec. S.P.E.C.K. Ask yourself these five questions.

[13:37] When you read the scriptures. S.P.E.C.K. A speck. As it were. A speck in your eye. Is there any sin. To avoid. Is there some sin.

[13:49] That the word is speaking. Up to me about here. In whatever passage. You may read. Sin to avoid. P. Is there any promise. To claim. Perhaps there's promises here.

[14:00] That you can lay claim to. Of course. There's some. Sections. That. Are specifically. To Israel. Specifically. To. An old covenant time. To.

[14:11] A set time. In God's face. Of working with the church. But there's promises here. Right through. That we can lay claim to. Promises to claim.

[14:21] E. An example. To follow. Is there any example. To follow. We see. Good and bad examples. In the word of God. You know. It tells us. Warts and all. Doesn't gloss over.

[14:33] Or show things. Through rose colored glasses. There's examples. Of men. And women. Who failed. And fell. There's examples. Of men and women. Who. Walk with God.

[14:44] An example. To follow. C. Is there any command. To obey. There's commands here. There's commands. To obey. And lastly. Is there any new knowledge.

[14:56] I need to heed. Is there some new knowledge. That I can. Learn. Here today. So just to repeat that. Spec. Sin. Is there any sin. To avoid.

[15:07] Is there any promise. To claim. E. Is there any example. To follow. C. Is there any command. To obey. And K. Is there any new knowledge.

[15:18] I need. To heed. Study the word. Study it. Take opportunity. To study. We've got some. Formal. Meeting. Times. Times. You can come. And study.

[15:29] The word of God. You may even say. To a brother or sister. Why don't you come. Round my place. And we could study the word. I know there's some folk. Talking about. Some informal meetings. Where people just get together.

[15:40] And open the scriptures together. And bounce things off. One another. That's a good thing. We want to encourage that. In this church. So number one. Be saved. By the word. It's.

[15:52] Got converting power. Be saved. We can be begotten. Born again. By the word. Secondly. Be transformed. Be transformed. By its message.

[16:02] As your hearts are opened. Unto it. There's a transforming word. As you lay aside. The sin. As you. Take time. Aside.

[16:13] To study. To be transformed. By its message. And thirdly. Be a doer. Of the word. Be a doer. Of the word. Verse 22. Be ye doers. Doers. Of the word.

[16:25] Doers. Of the word. The word is meant to be life changing. Life impacting. We're not the same. When the word. Is at work.

[16:35] There's a conversion happens. As we read in Psalm 19. Verse 7. The law. Of the Lord. Is perfect. Converting the soul. Converting the soul.

[16:46] There's hearers of the word. And there are doers. The kind of Christianity. That we need to. Find. Find. Is that which will work. In the everyday.

[16:57] Where the rubber hits the road. It's like. Someone put it like this. Faith. With works. Is a force. Faith. Without works. Is a farce. Faith.

[17:08] Without works. Is death. The word. Will. Activate us. It'll prompt us. It'll unleash us. It'll harness us. It'll send us. The word of God.

[17:18] It'll put us to work. It'll activate us. There's a doing. Of the word. It's not an inactive. Passive thing. Christianity. Is a forceful. Active. Aggressive.

[17:33] Forceful thing. Someone said this about. A life. We will get out of life. What we are willing to put into it.

[17:45] Yes. God can multiply. Our efforts. But remember that. Zero. Multiplied. Is still zero. If you put nothing in. Into your Christian life.

[17:57] Then. What will God do with that. But if you put your own humble. And weak. And pathetic efforts. Such as they are.

[18:08] God can multiply. That little that you have. Just as he did. With the loaves and fishes. Put your little in. Put yourself at his.

[18:19] Disposal. Ask God to use. Those talents. Those gifts. Those abilities. That you have. For his glory. And as you put. What you have. On the altar.

[18:30] He'll multiply that. He'll help you. And use you. So be a productive. A working. Serving Christian. The word will activate you. It'll motivate you.

[18:41] And be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing. Till you get there. Be sticking with it. Stick with it. Like a postage stamp. There's lots to be done.

[18:53] There's many opportunities. So friends. Think of it. Am I a hearer only? Kind of Christian. Do I fall into that category?

[19:03] Ask yourself that question. The word says you're deceiving yourself. You're deceiving yourself. You're deluding yourself. Please don't make that mistake. To be a hearer only Christian.

[19:14] Instead. Let the word of God fire you. Let it. Set you ablaze. Let the word of God ignite you. Energise you. And provoke you.

[19:26] For his glory. A preacher once praised three important virtues. That makes a person suitable for Christian service. Dependability.

[19:38] Availability. And stickability. I've heard it put to. F.A.T. Faithful. Available.

[19:49] Teachable. We need to be an F.A.T. Christian. Amen. Faithful. Available. Teachable. And our Lord wants us to be real. To be people of action.

[20:01] Christianity with its boots on. You know. I look back in my life. At one fellow that made an impact on my life. I think he was in his 80s. And he was still delivering meals on wheels.

[20:14] And he was very active. And using every opportunity to be a light for Christ. Where he was. And he died with his boots on. I think just about literally.

[20:24] He died with his boots on. And he wanted to be about serving the Lord. In some capacity. And that's how we want to be isn't it? To be people of action. To be people with the boots of faith on.

[20:36] As it were. Faith that works practically in the day by day. That's real. People in whom the word is lived out. And applied day by day by day.

[20:54] Is the word working? Another story of a prisoner. This man. This man. He was cunning and brutal. Repulsive.

[21:07] He was a repulsive man. He had a reputation for being mean and nasty. He was known for his daring. The utter absence of all feelings.

[21:19] When he committed acts of violence. And the chaplain had spoken to him several times. He couldn't get through to him. This man was rock solid against anything to do with God.

[21:33] At last he expressed a desire for a certain book. But it was not in the library. And the chaplain pointed to the Bible. Which he placed in his cell. He said. Do you ever read that book?

[21:44] The prisoner gave no answer. But he looked at the man. As if he was going to kill him. The question was kindly repeated. With the assurance he would find it well worth reading.

[21:58] The convict said this. He said. Mister. You would not ask me such a question. If you knew who I am. What have I to do with a book of that sort?

[22:10] And the chaplain answered. I know all about you. And that's why I think the Bible is the book for you. It would do me no good.

[22:20] He cried. I'm past all feeling. Doubling up his fist. He struck the iron door of the cell. And he said. My heart is as hard as that iron. There is nothing in any book.

[22:32] That will ever touch me. Well said the chaplain. You want a new heart? Did you ever read the covenant of grace? To which the man answered suddenly.

[22:43] By inquiring what he meant. By such talk. He said. Listen to these words. And he read from the Bible. He read this. A new heart. Also will I give you.

[22:54] And a new spirit. Will I put within you. The word struck the man. With amazement. He asked to have the Bible. And he read the words again and again.

[23:07] And when the chaplain came back to him the next day. The wild beast was tamed. Oh sir. He said. I never dreamt of such a promise. I never believed it possible.

[23:19] That God would speak in such a way to men. If he gives me a new heart. It will be a miracle of mercy. And yet I think he's going to work that miracle upon me.

[23:32] For the very hope of a new nature is beginning to touch me. As I never was touched before. The word of God touches lives.

[23:43] It converts the soul. It transforms people. And the word of God activates people. With a whole new dimension. There's a story of some school children in Singapore.

[23:56] Apparently in Singapore. Certainly this article says. That the school children are taught to roll their eyes. They weren't punished for it.

[24:08] The children were taught to. I don't know how you do it. But you might try that at home. When you get home today. The children were taught to roll their eyes. Every morning before assembly.

[24:20] They stand in rows. In the playground. Rubbing and rolling their eyes. To slow music. They're called eye robics. So teachers say the daily exercises help improve the blood.

[24:35] Relax the eye muscles. And reduce the eye strain. So some of you people that wear glasses. You probably didn't do enough of that eye rolling. As a youngster. Myself included.

[24:45] Some say it can even improve eyesight. And the point is that every muscle. In the human body. Can benefit from regular exercise. Regular use of our muscles.

[24:57] Otherwise they can wither away. But with regular use. They can grow stronger. Just as maybe rolling your eyes. Can help your eyes grow stronger. Faith is a muscle.

[25:08] Faith is a muscle. As we read in Matthew 25. The story of the parable of the talents. Our Lord talked of men.

[25:18] Exercising their faith. Using their talents. Using what ability they had. And of those who elected not. To exercise their faith.

[25:29] The result. Two men who worked their faith muscles. Were rewarded. With more talents. More opportunities. To use. Their talents by faith.

[25:40] But the man who. Allowed his faith muscle. To remain dormant. The one who put his talent. Aside. Was stripped. Of his opportunity.

[25:52] To use his faith. It was withered. By lack of use. And we all need to be encouraged. Exhorted. To find opportunity. To use our God given.

[26:03] Abilities. To exercise our faith. Use that faith muscle. As it were. God's given you faith. Exercise that faith. Put it into action.

[26:15] Lest it wither away. Do what it says. Obey the word. Exercise your faith. Let it live. Apply the word. To every situation of life.

[26:28] The word of God. It's not meant to be something. We dust off. And bring to church on a Sunday. And neglect. The rest of the week. But the word of God. Is meant to be activating us.

[26:39] Apply. Obey. Right through our lives. And as we think of many scriptures. For example. Some scriptures we could take to heart.

[26:51] Edify one another. That's a word we can obey. Isn't it? We can apply. Abide in Christ. Draw near to God. Seek the Lord.

[27:03] Love the Lord your God. With all your heart. With all your soul. With all your mind. With all your strength. Love your neighbour. As yourself. Think how you can apply the word.

[27:14] That you won't be just a hearer only. That it won't be just something that goes in one ear and out the other. But you'll put your faith into action. Find opportunities to activate your faith.

[27:27] So that you can be those who are saved by the word. Saved not by works. But by putting your trust in Christ. You can be like those prisoners we read about.

[27:38] Transformed. Converted. Saved. By God's mercy. You can be those who are transformed. As the word does its working.

[27:49] In every part. In every moment. And you can be those that the word is done. Not just a hearer only. But a doer of it.

[28:01] That it will be something you'll apply. Why? Friends. To close. Think of it. That life giving seed. Of the word of God. Sprung up.

[28:12] Within your heart. Have you received the word? With gladness. Have you received it? And acted upon it. Your only hope is Christ. It's nothing of your own doing.

[28:23] It's only everything that he has done. And just surrendering to that. Friends. Trust him. Trust Christ today. He died. And now he's risen.

[28:34] He's alive. And he's coming again. And we need to be ready. Be found. Watching. Working. A people waiting. Prepared. For that prepared place he's making for us.

[28:48] Friends. The word will convert. The blood of Jesus Christ his son still. Cleanseth us from all sin. If your heart is unclean.

[28:58] There can be a wonderful cleansing power. By the power of the blood. There can be a wonderful converting power. As the Holy Spirit. Works in your heart.

[29:11] Friends. I urge you today. The most critical thing. Is if you're lost. That you'll realise it. You know. It's really a good thing.

[29:24] If you are lost. To admit that you're lost. Some people think. Oh. She'll be right Jack. I'm pretty. I'm not as bad as the next guy. I'll get there on my own.

[29:34] Goodwill. And my own. Credits. But no. All we like sheep. Have gone astray. We're always an unclean thing. Even the good things.

[29:45] That we do. Are just. Are just like a dirty rag. That's how good. Our righteousnesses are. Even the best of them. They're not fit. For the kingdom. Your only hope. Is the.

[29:56] Sin cleansing blood. It's your only hope. Your only hope today. Please call upon him. I urge you today. Make peace with God. Don't rest. Until you find rest in him.

[30:08] And friends. If you're a believer. Let that transforming work continue. As you continue to be sanctified. As you continue to put away. All filthiness. As you continue to put away.

[30:19] Everything that would deter. And distract you. And that you're the doer of the word. Not a hearer only. Put it into action. In your life. To be a believer.

[30:34] To be a believer. To be a believer. To be a believer. To be a believer. To be a believer. To be a believer. To be a believer. Thank you.