Main Point: Jesus is the King who fulfills Israel’s story and thereby gives hope to the whole world

Key Scripture: Matthew 1:1-17

Main Point: Persevering in the meantime requires prayerful dependence on Christ

Key Scripture: James 5:13-20

A General Reminder: Give Every Situation to God (5:13)

Whatever your circumstances, always be mindful of God. Express your prayerful dependence on him, and give your situation to him in prayer or praise

A Specific Appeal : Depend on the Lord Together (5:14-18)

When we pray with faith, we ought to anticipate a positive answer to that prayer, rather than assuming that God will give a negative answer

All of us ought to be active in confessing our sins to one another and praying for one another, that we might be healed both physically and spiritually

A Final  Encouragement Watch Out for One Another (5:19-20)

As we make our way through this fallen world, waiting for the Lord’s return, James wants us to watch out for one another

Main Point: Because Christ is coming again, be patient in suffering and steadfast in faith

Christ is Coming Again (5:7-8)

God will vindicate his people and give them victory over their enemies. That is a promise! But that promise is something we have to wait for

Because Christ is coming again, we don’t have to vindicate ourselves or retaliate against our enemies. We leave the judgment to him

Be Patient in Suffering (5:10)

Be Steadfast in Faith (5:11)

Because Christ is coming again, be patient in suffering and steadfast in faith

Put Patience into Practice (5:9, 12)

1. Waiting for the Lord keeps us from turning against one another in times of difficulty (v. 9)
2. Waiting for the Lord keeps us from manipulating others to change our situation (v. 12)

Main Point: Real Riches are Found in the Righteous One

Key Scripture: James 5:1-6

Who are the 'rich' in James? (v.1)

What is the result of their work? (v. 2-6)

What is our comfort?

Jesus will bring perfect justice for His persecuted people

“Revolution against evil systems only produces systems under the control of revolutionaries.” - Andrew Isker

Main Point: Submit your plans to the will of God while continuing to do good

Key Scripture: James 4:13-17

The Arrogance of Thinking We Control our Plans (4:13-14, 16)

Why is it so arrogant to think that we can control our plans? Because we are neglecting God’s rightful authority and power and elevating ourselves in his place

The Humility of Submitting our Plans to God (4:15)

God is the one who rules our plans, and that whatever plans we make, he has the right to fulfill them, redirect them, or even thwart them, according to his good pleasure and will

1. Apply God’s wisdom to your planning
2. Trust God with the results

The only real test of whether we’re truly submitting our plans to God’s will is how we respond when they don’t go the way we want

The Necessity of Continuing to Do Good (4:17)

Fear of presuming upon God is not an excuse to do nothing, or to leave undone things we know are right and good to do

Main point: Nurturing peace in the church comes from submitting to God rather than our worldly desires

Key Scripture: James 4:1-12

Why Churches Fight: Serving our Desires (4:1-6)

When we allow our passions and desires to shape our interactions with one another in the church we are betraying our faith and acting as enemies of God

What do I really want? What am I zealous to accomplish or acquire? And if I cannot have it, is it really worth dividing over, or destroying others to get it?

Every step in the Christian life is made possible only by the grace of God that comes through the person and work of Jesus Christ

How to Bring Peace: Submitting to God (4:7-10)

God gives grace to the humble so that we can submit to God instead of our worldly desires, and so bring peace to one another in the church

Resist the devil (v.7)

Draw near to God (v. 8)

Repent from your sin (vv. 8b-9)

Let God exalt you (v. 10)

Putting Peace into Practice: Refusing to Slander (4:11-12)

Submission to God means keeping his law, and keeping his law means loving our brothers and sisters in Christ and refusing to slander them

Theological Triage: Understand the Issue

Pastoral Triage: Understand the Person

Main Point: With eyes fixed on Jesus, be zealous in fleeing earthly wisdom and pursuing heavenly wisdom

Key Scripture: James 3:13-18

Wanted… a truly wise person (v.13)

Flee earthly wisdom (vv.14-16)

Pursue heavenly wisdom (vv.17-18)

Main Point: Beware of the danger your tongue can do, and surrender it to Christ, who alone can tame it

Key Scripture: James 3:1-12

The Terrible Responsibility  of Teachers (3:1)

Given the greater influence that teachers have among God’s people, there is therefore a greater responsibility expected from them

Even qualified leaders have in their body the one member that can ruin the whole thing—the tongue

The Temptation  We All Share (3:2-12)

1. The power of the tongue for good (vv. 2-5a)
2. The power of the tongue for evil (vv. 5b-8)
3. A powerful dilemma (vv. 9-12)

The sad reality is that our words as God’s people sometimes give life, and other times deplete it, which is completely contrary to our faith

Cutting, careless, and contaminated speech is out of step with our faith and contrary to God’s vision for his creation

The Only One Who Can Tame the Tongue

We are to let the word of Christ dwell richly in us, so that its way of speaking becomes our manner of speech

Is what I’m about to say true? Helpful? Holy? Productive?

Series: Steadfast Faith (James)

Main Point: A faith that saves is a faith that works

Key Scripture: James 2:14-26

When our Lord returns and our claims of faith in Christ are evaluated, will there be any evidence on that day that our faith is real?

 Your Faith: A Faith that Saves (2:14-17)

The faith that saves is faith in Jesus Christ

It’s possible to have all the right doctrine, and still have a dead faith

1. Works reveal the true object of our faith
2. Confession without obedience is unremarkable
3. Works confirm the genuineness of faith

Justification: to be declared righteous before God’s throne, not guilty of our sin

When we trust in Christ we receive our verdict in advance of that final trial. We are already declared ‘not guilty’ of our sin even though the final judgment is yet to come. This is what Paul emphasizes when he talks about being justified by faith

When we stand before God in the final judgment, our works will provide evidence that our faith in Christ is real. Works confirm the genuineness of our faith. This is what James emphasizes when he talks about being justified by works

Do I have a living faith?

1. Do I believe in Christ?
2. Has my belief in Christ produced obedience in my life?

Examine Your Life: A Faith that Works (2:18-26)

Ask the Lord: What steps of obedience do you want me to take today?

• Are there sins I need to repent of?
• Are there commands I need to finally obey?
• Are there opportunities I need to embrace?

Exercise Your Faith: Put Saving Faith to Work

Main Point: When mercy triumphs over judgment, there is no room left for partiality among God’s people

Key Scripture: James 2:1-13

The Warning: Show No Partiality (2:1)

The Symptoms and Nature of Partiality: Judgmental Distinctions (2:2-4)

When we show partiality, we are taking on God’s role as judge, and issuing verdicts in advance without even knowing the people we’re judging

The Risks of Partiality (2:5-11)

1. Partiality causes us to oppose people whom God approves (v. 5-6a)
2. Partiality rarely gives you what you’re looking for (vv. 6-7)
3. Partiality is out of step with the kingdom law of Christ (8-11)

The Remedy for Partiality: When Mercy Triumphs over Judgment (2:12-13)

Remember what the gospel of Jesus tells us: that God has mercy on sinners

Favoritism thrives where love is cold and mercy is withheld