Don’t Just Hear, Act on the Law of the LORD

It is easy to sit in church and hear a sermon and think that it is great and it all makes sense. We get instruction and can see the benefit of it as we leave after service. Yet, that is where it all ends a lot of the time. We hear it and then tuck it away.

“²³For 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. ²⁴For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.” – James 1:23-24 (ESV)

I know that too often we find ourselves receiving something, like instruction, and then walk away putting it aside as not useful, the Law of the LORD is no exception. How is it useful in today’s world as conditions are different? How are we going to implement those things here? Are they really the same today as they were in biblical times?

Doing the work of the LORD is not about our understanding of the impacts, but rather doing the work.

“¹⁸And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” – Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)

Jesus did not tell us to hear Him and then think about going and making disciples. He said to “go” which is action and not thought. He did not tell us who would accept His invitation, He said to invite them. He did not say to have intentions on delivering the gospel, He said to deliver it. Our work is to do the work that we are given. We are to take action and not just sit and only profess to know.

“²⁵But 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.” – James 1:25 (ESV)

James gives us the extension of and the results of our acting on the Law of the LORD. We will be blessed in doing so. He does not tell us that we will be receiving riches, or that our lives will be made easier, or that all of a sudden, everything will be in line, he tells us that we will be blessed. Line that up with the second part of Matthew 28:20 above and it aligns that our blessing will be our communion with Jesus always. Now that is a blessing. Don’t just hear the Law, but act it and you will be blessed.

What is your approach to learning you have received? Are you one who hears and tucks it away? What if you were to act on the Law of the LORD and receive His blessings of communion with Him?

Understand the Law

It is important to read God’s Law and to be refreshed in it on a regular basis. We cannot follow the law if we have not read or heard it read. The excuse of ignorance is not an acceptable reason to go against the Law of God. As important as it is to read God’s Law, it is just as important, if not more, to understand it.

“⁷Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. ⁸They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.” – Nehemiah 8:7-8 (ESV)

The passage above is part of the passage titled “Ezra Reads the Law” in my English Standard Version (ESV) Bible. We can see the parallel to the regular reading of God’s Law every seven years. God’s Law is to be shared with or regularly consumed by the people, whether that is reading aloud to them or they read to themselves. But to go along with that reading, there needs to be understanding. And for that, we need help.

You see, I am only one person and am influenced by all the things around me. Those influences will direct me to seeing things in my reading. Some of them good and some not so good, but I am influences by them none the less. I study daily the Word of God and yet, my understanding may not be complete or accurate.

There are plenty of resources that can and do direct me to understanding. I have different versions of God’s Law, physical and online commentaries, and books and periodicals that can guide me. But, I cannot stop there. I have to seek out others and discuss my understanding with them to confirm my understanding and gain correction and training where needed.

I/we are in need of not just reading/hearing of God’s Law, we need to understand it. Understanding is where we gain the proper application of God’s Law to our lives. I have to for sure dive into God’s Law and use all the written resources available, but I also need to meet with others to gain understanding of God’s Law and It’s application in my life and worship of Him.

What is your approach to God’s Law? Are you reading/hearing it and stopping there? What if you were to read/hear it and then dig into it with ALL resources to understand and apply It to your life?

Draw Near With and From the Heart

This morning I was led to the book of Hebrews and reminded of a sermon series titled, “Jesus is Better”. This was the series that was being delivered when I first began my dedication to studying God’s Word and sharing my learning through my writing.

“¹⁹Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ²¹and since we have a great priest over the house of God,²²let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” – Hebrews 10:19 – 22 (ESV)

In the verses above I was reminded that “Jesus is Better” in that He gave all of Himself in death for me. He provided the way for me to commune directly with Him and not through another. That He is the High Priest. And that I have the opportunity to draw near to Him because of it.

Here is the catch, cause as we all know there is always a catch. I come and draw near to Jesus from my heart. Not with platitudes or sayings for the world to see and hear. Not just showing up on Sunday mornings or at Christmas and Easter. Not simply through my words. But I draw near to Jesus our LORD with and from my heart that is filled with Him and where I am led by the Holy Spirit.

The title of the passage in my ESV Bible where I am in this morning is “The Full Assurance of Faith”. Not the temporary assurance. Not the assurance for now, but the “full” assurance. I know in my heart and from my heart that Jesus died in my place and that because of that, I have the chance to draw near to Him. In that chance, I am assured that He is there when I come. I know without a doubt that He is waiting for me. I am confident that He is their waiting for me with His arms wide ready to comfort and protect me from any and all. I draw near to Him with and from my heart. Jesus is Better than any and all that came before or come after.

How are you coming to Jesus? Are you coming to Him from the surface of your life? What if you were to look in your heart and find the one who is better, Jesus, and draw near to Him with and from your heart?