Faith with Hands and Feet

This winter and spring we jump into one of the books in the New Testament that is easy to sidestep because it seems to be so hard hitting. But seen another way, the book of James is practical and specific about what a life of faith looks like.

James doesn’t let us stay in the realm of the theoretical; he presses us to wrestle with how faith in Jesus will impact the specifics of life: what I do with my money, and how I speak, and how I handle conflict, and what I should do when I come face to face with someone in need, and so on.

Two things are central to understanding James. First, this isn’t a law book filled with rules to obey. The whole book is about how love responds to love. It’s all built on the starting assumption we have already experienced the astounding love of God made known to us in Christ and that we desire to live our lives as a response to that love. James, in his letter, shows us how to live according to “the royal law of love.”

Second, James is calling the church up to deeper maturity in our faith. A mature outlook, for James, is one that actively and thoroughly incorporates the presence and purposes of God in every part of daily life: speech, conflict, wealth, future planning, trials, temptations, and more.

May God use this series to lead us still more deeply into a life of faith and love.

January 15:  Inviting the Church, James 1:1

January 22:  Facing Trials, James 1:2-4

January 29:  Seeking Wisdom, James 1:5-8

February 5:  Mistrusting Riches, James 1:9-11, 5:1-6

February 12: Resisting Temptation, James 1:12-18

February 19: Slowing Our Reactions, James 1:19-20

February 28: Doing the Word, James 1:21-27, 4:17

March 5:        Missions Sunday

March 12:      Loving our Neighbor, James 2:1-9

March 19:      Showing Mercy, James 2:10-13

March 28:      Living Faith, James 2:14-26

April 2:           Palm Sunday

April 9:           Easter Sunday

April 16:         Watching our Words, James 3:1-12

April 23:         Relating with Wisdom, James 3:13-18

April 30:         Humbling Ourselves/Befriending God, James 4:1-10

May 7:            Honoring One Another, James 4:11-12

May 14:          Submitting to God, James 4:13-16

May 21:           Practicing Patience, James 5:7-12

May 28:           Offering Prayer, James 5:13-18

June 4:             Seminary in a Suitcase report

June 11:           Covenant Next Celebration