Sermons on James
Advent 3A Be Patient
James 5:7-11 Patience is of two kinds. The kind we practice with one another and the kind we practice in relation to God. One mark of a Christian congregation is that we are patient with one another, not grumbling. It is important for us to show this kind of patience. The other is a patience of faith, as we wait for God to fulfill his promises in spite of the challenging circumstances we may face. We may think things ought to…
Faith Expressed in Works
Pentecost 24B James 2:14-26 Some find a conflict between James and Paul on the subject of faith and good works. But a closer look reveals that they are in agreement. A deeper look at what faith is and the role of good works solves the apparent disagreement. So what is faith? It has three parts as a triangle has three sides; knowledge, assent, and trust. And what about good works? What are they? Well, there are two kinds of works;…
True Riches
Pentecost 22B James 5:1-6 The passage before us is not an easy one to hear. It pulls no punches and offers little, if any, gospel. It is a stern warning against the ungodly rich and to Christians who find themselves acting in a similar way. The rich young man turned away from following Jesus because he could not sell what he had and give to the poor. He loved his worldly wealth more than Jesus. So too, we often envy…
The Future Determines the Present
Often we approach life with the thought that the present determines the future. In some ways that may be true. But James challenges us to think about life the other way around. For the Christian the future can inform and determine the present. There are all kinds of things that stir us up. These are not just external but internal as well. James refers to this internal stirring as suffering, cheerfulness, and sickness. But how do we respond to these.…
A Taught Tongue
James reminds us that the tongue is a restless evil full of deadly poison. Like a wildfire it starts small but can set the world on fire. Is there hope for us to control our tongues? Jesus’s healing of the mute boy with an evil spirit is our first clue today of the hope we have to control our tongues and use them for good. Our OT reading from Isaiah gives us a second clue in what we call the…
No Partiality, But Love
Are you partial? Of course. We all are in some ways. But when it comes to receiving others God, who is impartial calls us to be impartial. So why is partiality a sin? James gives us two reasons: one that it is based on false distinctives and the second that it is contrary to the royal law of love. But the question still remains as to how we overcome partiality in our lives. It starts with God who is impartial…