Doing the Word
What does it mean to listen to God? How do we know we are doing God’s will? How do we live within the will of God?
Followers of Jesus are to hear the word of God and do the word of God. We can know the will of God by knowing God’s word. We can know we are living in the will of God by doing what God’s word says.
In John’s Gospel account, Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15, ESV).
James, the half brother of Jesus, wrote, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22, ESV).
You may have heard the expression, “Talk is cheap.” God is less concerned with what we know, and with what we say we will do to obey him, as he is concerned with us being faithful in doing what he says.
As the saying goes, “Practice what you preach.” It matters more that we practice our faith than merely talk about our faith. People would rather see a sermon lived out than hear a sermon. God would rather us obey his word and live out our faith rather than know a lot of information about his word and only talk about it.
This is why Jesus says, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24, ESV).
This is also why Jesus told the parable of the two sons called by their father to work in his vineyard. Jesus said, “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’” (Matthew 21:28-31a, ESV).
We know we are listening to God’s word when we do what it says. We know we are living in the will of God when we obey God’s word.
May we be doers of God’s word and put our faith into practice so that we will be obedient followers of Jesus, walking in the will of God, and making God known in the world through our obedience.
A Collect for the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 21): “O merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed from all our sins and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).
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