“What is the relationship between faith and works?” That is the central question of the letter of James, and in this passage we come to the heart of the answer. Faith and works, James tells us, are not in some sort of theological competition with each other. The truth is just the opposite – faith…

Everyone has favorites – from a favorite sports teams, to a favorite movie, to a favorite flavor of ice cream. And those types of favorites are fun. You could even say they make life more interesting. But in James 2:1-13, we learn that having favorites is not always harmless. Indeed, when having favorites leads to…

James 1:22 records some of the most challenging words in the Bible – “Be doers of the word,” James writes, “and not hearers only!” According to James, there is no such thing as a Christian whose life is not being changed because of his or her faith in Jesus. In this sermon, we examine three…

What does it look like to put our faith in action when we are tempted to sin? That’s the question James takes on in James 1:12-18. The answer, he tells us, is that we need to stand strong against temptation by relying on the spiritual resources we have in the Lord. In this sermon, we…

Some puzzles are harder than others (we’re looking at you, Rubik’s Cube!). But the hardest puzzles are the personal ones that affect our lives directly. In James 1:2-11, we read about God’s solution to three of life’s most common and puzzling problems — what to do about troubles, decisions, and money. Text = James 1:2-11.…

If we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and not at all by the works that we do (Ephesians 2:8-9), then why do we need works? It’s nice to be helpful and all; sometimes it even makes us feel good to help other people. But when push comes to shove and helping…