CTK Lord's Day Worship

James 1:12–18 shows us that every trial forces a question: will we interpret hardship through the serpent’s lie, or through the Father’s goodness? Temptation begins when we start to believe that God is withholding something good from us. From there, lust conceives sin, and sin brings forth death.

But James calls us to a better verdict: “Do not err.” Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights, who does not change. Even the trials we would never choose are being used by God to prove, refine, and grow His people. The world, the flesh, and the devil mean hardship for our destruction, but our Father means it for our good.

The crown of life is not earned by our endurance; it was won by Christ, who endured every temptation without sin. Christians endure not to become beloved children, but because we already are beloved in Christ. So whatever trial comes this week, do not interpret it as abandonment. Receive it by faith from the Father who gives good gifts, strengthens His people, and has promised life through His Son.

Title: The Crown of Life

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What grieves us most? The First Commandment teaches us not only to reject false gods, but to be sorrowful when the true God is dishonored. This homily calls us to name our rival gods, repent, and rejoice that Christ has perfectly kept this command for His people.

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." —Exodus 20:3

Title: Rivers of Water

For more information about Christ the King Reformed Church please visit our website: https://ctkreformed.com

The grass withers. The flower falls. But the Word of our God stands forever. This sermon on James 1:9–11 considers poverty, wealth, and the temptation to read God’s favor through earthly circumstances—and calls us to boast only in the Lord.

Title: The Truth of the LORD Endureth

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The 10th commandment exposes sin at the root: not just what we do, but what we want. Coveting is discontent that quietly accuses God’s providence—and the opposite of coveting isn’t poverty, but gratitude. Christ frees us by cleansing the heart and giving new desires.

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." — Exodus 20:17

Title: Accusing God's Providences

For more information about Christ the King Reformed Church please visit our website: https://ctkreformed.com

James doesn’t command a feeling—he commands a reckoning: count it all joy when trials come, because God is refining faith into endurance. When you lack wisdom, ask God—who gives generously and without reproach—but ask in faith, not double-mindedness. The aim is maturity: “perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

Title: Her Perfect Work

For more information about Christ the King Reformed Church please visit our website: https://ctkreformed.com

Beyond simply prohibiting lies, the 9th Commandment requires us to hold a charitable esteem of those around us. We explore how we fail to protect our neighbors' reputations through gossip and slander, how we judge without sufficient evidence, and where we've allowed hearsay to deceive us into believing lies about others. As fallen people, we are all prone to bearing false witness, especially in our own minds. Join us as we confess these sins and discover the grace that comes through Jesus Christ, who bore witness to our redemption through His death and resurrection.

Title: Having a Charitable Esteem

For more information about Christ the King Reformed Church please visit our website: https://ctkreformed.com

James opens his letter with a simple greeting—but it’s a word for scattered saints in every age. This Lord’s Day we began a new series in James by looking at James 1:1: a servant of God, writing to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. If you feel displaced, pressured, or disoriented, take heart: disorientation is not abandonment. Christ is Lord of the exile, Lord of the roads His people walk, and He calls us not only to hear the Word—but to do it.

Title: The Epistle of Straw

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The eighth commandment is more than “don’t steal”—it also calls us to open-handed generosity. God trains us to see our work and resources as a means to love our neighbor, giving freely according to our ability and others’ needs. May the Lord grant us repentance where we’ve clung too tightly, and grace to reflect Christ by cheerful giving.

Title: Giving & Lending Freely

For more information about Christ the King Reformed Church please visit our website: https://ctkreformed.com

After the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus comes down the mountain as One greater than Moses—not merely delivering God’s Law, but fulfilling it with divine authority and mercy. When the leper comes, Christ does what the Law could never do: He touches the unclean and makes them clean, immediately and completely. This is the good news: Jesus is willing, Jesus is able, and in Him there is no condemnation.

Title: One Greater Than Moses

For more information about Christ the King Reformed Church please visit our website: https://ctkreformed.com

This week’s reading of the Seventh Commandment calls us to honor what God calls good—protecting marriage, refusing to normalize unfaithfulness, and pursuing holiness not only in actions but in heart and speech. Yet even here, the hope of the gospel stands firm: Christ is the faithful Bridegroom who pardons the guilty and strengthens the tempted.

Title: Normalizing Faithfulness

For more information about Christ the King Reformed Church please visit our website: https://ctkreformed.com