📖 Main Text: James 2:18-26

In C.S. Lewis' book, The Screwtape Letters, he brilliantly portrays a senior demon (Screwtape) advising his inexperienced nephew (Wormwood) who is seeking to lead a 'patient' away from God. Through a series of carefully crafted letters, Lewis seeks to show the spiritual warfare going on continually in the unseen realm. Readers will observe that demons believe many orthodox truths, and yet their belief does not lead them to honor and worship the Lord. James implies that the faith of many people is no better than the faith of demons: "Even the demons believe - and shudder!"

📖 Main Text: James 2:14-17

You may as well separate weight from lead or heat from fire as works from faith,” said the Puritan Thomas Watson. This illustrates the point James makes in the next section of his letter: a true and living faith is always accompanied by good works. Anyone who claims to be a Christian but does not live a life of good works has reason to seriously doubt the authenticity of their profession. As has been said many times: we are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone!

As mentioned last week, in chapter one James exposes three areas where we are in danger of deceiving ourselves: the first is with regard to temptation (v. 16); the second is when we hear the Word without acting on it (v. 22); and the third is when we do not control our speech (v. 26). Our Lord is not interested in our accumulation of Bible knowledge if it doesn’t transfer from our heads to our hands. He desires obedience, and in this text He tells us how to do the Word as opposed to merely hearing it.

The Puritan John Owen once said, "Temptations... put nothing into a man, but only draw out what was in him before." This captures a key part of James's teaching in the next section of his letter. As believers, it is important to our sanctification that we understand how temptation works in our lives. We need to understand where it comes from and what is its awful potential. As someone has said, if we viewed temptation as a rattlesnake instead of a creampuff, there would be much less sinning among us. May we gain a proper, biblical perspective of temptation as we consider James's words this morning.

We are excited to have Aaron Bolduc and his family with us this week! Aaron will be preaching on the important topic of “A Christian Testimony”. He is a gifted Evangelist that Lighthouse has supported for just over one year. His passion is to strengthen local churches through preaching and teaching, training pastors, conducting evangelistic training, and ultimately by raising up the next generation of Biblical Evangelists.

The words of James 1:2 are familiar to many Christians, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” “Count it all joy” is the first command of the letter, but what could James possibly mean by this? Are we really to consider the trials of life joyful? Understanding what James means is critical if we are to respond correctly to trials. The hymn writer, John Newton, wrote, “Why should I complain / of want or distress, / temptation or pain? / He told me no less; / the heirs of salvation, / I know from His Word, / through much tribulation / must follow their Lord.” And so it is. May we listen carefully to what our Lord has to teach us about testing through trials.

Out of 108 verses, the book of James contains 59 different commands! This is more per total word count than any other book in the New Testament. The numerous commands make the book eminently practical, and for this reason it is a favorite for many believers. But why so many commands? This question gets to the heart of James’ purpose: to clearly distinguish between living faith (which saves) and dead faith (which cannot save). Genuine, saving faith is a living faith that works! As we begin this study, we’ll see that James opens his letter by indirectly teaching us important truths about the Christian identity, and identity which is part of a living faith.

He Is Risen!

Christianity does not open by telling us how we must live. Instead, it begins by telling us what Jesus did for us in history. He humbled Himself and became a man, who lived a perfect life and died on the cross for the sins of all who repent and believe. However, He did not remain in the tomb! Three days later, He arose, victorious over death! As the Apostle Paul wrote, " .... If Christ has not been raised then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain ... But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead"(1 Corinthians 15:14,20). The resurrection changes everything. In this series we'll consider the truths of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection, and how these truths transform us to live to the glory of God!

Tonight we gather to remember the cross of Christ and reflect on the suffering, sacrifice, and love displayed in His death. Good Friday calls us to slow down, behold the weight of what Jesus endured for sinners, and worship with gratitude for the redemption He purchased in our place.

Christianity does not open by telling us how we must live. Instead, it begins by telling us what Jesus did for us in history. He humbled Himself and became a man, who lived a perfect life and died on the cross for the sins of all who repent and believe. However, He did not remain in the tomb! Three days later, He arose, victorious over death! As the Apostle Paul wrote, “ … If Christ has not been raised then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain … But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead…” (1 Corinthians 15:14,20). The resurrection changes everything. In this series we’ll consider the truths of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection, and how these truths transform us to live to the glory of God!