Sunday Sermons

We have begun our new Advent sermon series, The Prophet’s Song, looking at several verses throughout the book of Isaiah that point us to the very first Christmas and the arrival of Jesus. In week one we look at the promise the Lord made to give his people a sign, namely the birth of a Son who would be Immanuel, God with us. This promise not only gives us lyrics for our favorite Christmas carols, but also fulfills our deepest longings.

James 5:13-20 is the final passage in the letter and thus concludes our fall sermon series. The book ends with James instructing us on the role of prayer in a life that is faithful to the Lord. Not only are we personally challenged to pray in all circumstances, but we are taught what to do in times of weakness and how to lift one another.

In 5:7-12, James turns his attention from those who are unrepentant and wicked with their riches back to his people. It is a passage that is meant to encourage and challenge the church as we wait patiently in the uncomfortable context to which we live. It is another reminder that our hope is never found in current circumstances but in that which is to come.

As we turn our attention to the last chapter of James, James turns his attention to the rich. He has some blistering things to say here, namely that those who depend on wealth and riches to help them in the final judgement will not only find them to be useless to help them, but will be useful against them. Ultimately, this passage helps us as Christians to trust in Christ, not riches, and treating others justly and generously.

James is a letter that isn’t afraid to say hard things to the people of God. This week’s passage is no exception in its explanation of what it looks like to live a humble life of faith in light of serving the sovereign God of the universe. Not only is it appropriate to recognize God’s control over all things, but it is actually evil to unrighteously assume our control over our own lives.

Chapter four of James begins with him addressing the issue of quarrels amongst the people of God. What James points out is that these disputes find a deeper root than the destructiveness that we can see on the surface. Though our sin is connected to a deep seated idolatry, we serve a God who gives grace freely and invites us to draw near to him.

In this Sunday’s sermon, we get a chance to see why James is sometimes referred to as the ‘Proverbs of the New Testament’. With his focus squarely on wisdom, James gives us two versions of it: Earthly wisdom and ‘wisdom that is from above’. And even though the same term is applied to both, they produce very different fruit and reap a very different harvest.

In our series, we have moved on to chapter 3 and it seems like James takes an awkward turn as he dives right into the power and use of the tongue. Though he may seem to be jumping subjects too quickly, the connection between our faith and the use of our speech is strong. So strong, in fact, that James declares we would know perfection if we could avoid stumbling in what we say.

This week’s text is probably the signature passage of James. It would be difficult to find another portion of the bible that is more controversial or misunderstood. Yet, as followers of Christ and believers in the inerrancy of His word, it is our duty not to shy away from such passages; but to dig in and apply them. And what we end up finding doesn’t contradict the gospel as we know it, but gives us a richer understanding of the nature of saving faith.

We have now entered into Chapter 2 in our ‘Real Faith’ series in James and are beginning to examine some of the passages that are quickly identifiable with the epistle. Chapter 2 begins with James getting very specific with his concerns over how the body of Christ treats one another; particularly in the area of giving preference to some and denying it to others based on worldly measures. As we come to understand the passage, it is necessary that we honestly examine our own hearts and apply the questions that it raises to ourselves and to Grace Church as a whole.