Diligent Joy (Part 1 of 2)

Becoming a Doer of the Word

Our message this morning is about being a doer of the word. We're going to look specifically at how to be a doer of the word and the gospel motivation behind that principle—what needs to take place in our lives to make us doers of the word.

James chapter 1, verses 19 through 25, teaches us how gospel motivation can lead us to holiness and make us effective and happy people. We've often heard that God wants us holy, not happy. But God's purpose is to make us happy with himself—his holiness is the source of our joy. Being a doer of the word leads God's people to be effective and blessed, filled with joy.

God is glorified and pleased when his people hear what he says, do what he says, and enjoy the benefits. God is well pleased when his people hear him, put his words into action, and enjoy the benefits.

Quick to Hear, Slow to Speak, Slow to Anger

My beloved brethren, everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

— James 1:19-20

This is practical for personal relationships—be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. But the main emphasis is being quick to hear the word of God. Verse 19 instructs us to be hearers. Verse 21 says receive the implanted word. Verse 22 says be doers, not hearers only.

Psalm 131 illustrates this:

Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.

— Psalm 131:1-2

Being slow to speak when hearing God's word means not being distracted by lesser things. David quiets his soul by removing pride—not lifting himself up, not exalting his own importance. He is calm and quiet, ready to receive what God says.

Apply this to relationships: be quick to hear God so you respond with his perspective. When God speaks, listen—nothing is more important. The word "speak" can mean chattering or noise, so don't let distracting thoughts intrude. Prioritize God's word above bills, the week ahead, or anything else.

We're not to speak or get angry when God speaks. Anger here means being displeased with God's message. Pride makes us angry because God says he is most important, and his words exalt him, not us.

James exhorts: pay attention to God, embrace his word with joy. Man's anger doesn't produce God's righteousness—it's ineffective, not diligent, not blessed.

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

— James 1:21

This implanted word saves our souls—not just helpful hints, but eternal life from sin's ruin, bringing right relationship with God.

In John 6, 5,000 followed Jesus for food, not truth. When he preached the gospel as bread of life, they left. Jesus asked his disciples if they would leave too. Peter replied, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68).

Putting Aside Sin to Hear

Sin prevents hearing: put aside filthiness (corruption—any behavior or thought not as God intends) and excessive wickedness (surplus sin, stockpiled through practice).

Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

— 1 Corinthians 14:20

Be infants in wickedness—inexperienced, fumbling. Don't practice sin to become expert. Be mature in thinking: fill your mind with gospel, Christ's life, death, intercession, return. Think on what is good, pure, lovely. Take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Scrutinize thoughts—destroy wicked ones.

Rampant wickedness sees no boundaries. Become poor in sin, an infant in sin. These vices stem from pride—seeking self over others.

The virtue is humility: receive the implanted word humbly, more impressed with God than ourselves, esteeming others higher. Humility acknowledges God is right, true, desirable—we want to do what he says.

Examine yourself: Is God important? Is he the center? If not, put pride and corruption to death. God's people should grow effective at killing pride, joyful in it as a pastime—hunting better ways to kill sin with open Bibles.

Doers, Not Hearers Only

Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

— James 1:22

Hearing only is one side; doing is the other. Hearers only are deluded—frauds. Like gazing in a mirror then forgetting your face.

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.

— James 1:23-24

The mirror is God's word—the most accurate mirror, reflecting who you are. It exposes sin (like the law), but also comforts and encourages.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

— 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Divine comfort comes from Scripture, not rogue living. People avoid the Bible because it bothers them—calls out sin. But it offers remedy: gospel restoration, not condemnation. Implanted humbly, it saves souls.

The word bats 100%—unlike limited human studies. God's estimation of humanity, its problems, and fixes brings eternal change. Look into the mirror, receive your mission, and put it into practice immediately.

Rejecting a Consumer Mentality in Church

In many ways, church becomes an opportunity to go and get something out of it, but we fail to recognize that's where we receive our agenda and mission. We're studying Ephesians in youth group, in chapter four, where it describes the purpose of preaching and ministry: to equip the body for service.

There's freedom in the kind of service you can do. God calls us all to a particular ministry, though it may not be abundant right away. We have ability to choose or be directed into areas, but there's something we should be doing—either service in the church or diligence in our own lives: applying the message, correcting sin, acting constantly and ongoing.

Looking Intently: Gripped by the Word

Looking intently means being gripped by something—so impressed you're captivated, hooked on the Word of God. Your heart is reeled in by the greatest Fisherman, drawn into Scripture's truths. You can't help but be gripped, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus:

Luke 24:32 – “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

James calls it the perfect law. Is he referring only to the first five books of the Old Testament? Or the Old Testament as a whole? The word "perfect" is the same in Romans for Christ being the end of the law—the purpose and point.

Romans 10:4 – “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

James 2:11-12 quotes the moral law of the Old Testament. James 2:8 calls it the royal law: loving your neighbor as yourself, which Christ preached. The perfect law is the entire Word of God—the law and grace forming unity, exposing sin and pointing to Christ.

We're looking into Scriptures for Christ, understanding ourselves as sinners saved by grace. Every time you go to Scripture, it bubbles up sin; you need Christ to scrape it off. Hunt what exposes sin, convinces of sin, prompts seeking Christ's remedy. Fellowship with God, hear Him on other life areas—resolving issues, marriage, parenting, relationships. Expose yourself to the Word; things change and grow better.

The End Result: Blessed in What You Do

This produces something real. In addition to the Word saving our souls, God gives abundant grace.

John 1:16 – “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”

God doesn't just save us—He gives benefits, rewards, a higher quality of life for doers of the Word. This doesn't mean no suffering or pain, but it grants ability to endure with positive outcome and joy. The more God grows magnificent in your life, the less circumstances steal joy.

A person gripped by the Word—recognizing its sufficiency, that it saves, looks intently into this perfect law of liberty—becomes an effectual doer and is blessed in what he does.

James 1:25 – “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.”

Warning: Burnout Without Doing the Word

Word of caution for those starting ministry: not being a doer leads to burnout. Ministry is hard, burdensome, taxing. Without the Word, no effectiveness or joy—burnout is guaranteed.

The same in marriage: two sinners combine incomes, households, sin—burnout happens without the Word. In the workplace, even secular jobs like retail, where criticism is constant—if work isn't unto the Lord and you're not doing the Word, it's taxing.

For effectiveness in marriages, lives, relationships, ministries, parenting—whatever you're struggling with—plug it in: no permanent joy without doing the Word. Anything else is temporary pragmatism. The world chases effectiveness and joy that way; we find it as doers.

Characteristics of a Doer

The doer diligently puts off sin, thinks rightly about self—humility as a creature purposed to serve, worship, glorify God, removing pride's interference.

When confronting or advising, we dismiss: “I've already been doing that.” Instead, let the Word speak. Don't excuse: “I know to love my wife, but she's mean.” The Word stands without exceptions.

This person, gripped by the Word, immediately practices what God says—do or don't. Like learning music or coding: watch without practice, you forget and stay ineffective. Every Scripture portion applies now—not later. The doer becomes effective in all things and experiences joy.