Sermon Tone Analysis

NAMB

Good Morning!

What a wonderful day to be in God’s house!

I hope that you are excited about being here!

Earlier Ricka did a fantastic job introducing the Annie Armstrong Easter offering.

Our goal as a church this year is to give $1000.00.

This offering is great because every dollar given is directed directly towards supporting missionaries, church planters, and support groups around this country and even in places like Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and Even the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands!

I am talking about Church planters Like i used to be in Saipan!

Saipan is a US commonwealth island and falls under NAMB to provide church planters, so in years past, you directly funding my family as we planted churches by giving to the Annie Armstrong Easter offering!

So this year, let’s do what we can to further support Church planting among North America and all associated territories.

Let’s try to reach or even surpass our goal!

James - Intro

James was the brother of Jesus

James was not a believer

James choose to not follow Christ

Jesus Appeared to James and Changed everything I Corinthians 15:7

James became a leader in the church

Paul and Peter went to James as their pastor

James made major decisions about the church, her doctrine, and her future

The Book of James was one of the first books of the new testament written

James was martyred for his belief in Jesus

James 1:1-18

Get Real

A Study in James

Through the Storms (James 1:1-18)

Today we are starting a new series called “Get Real.”

For the next several weeks, we are going to take a close look at the very controversial book of James.

Before we get into this study this morning, I would like to ask you if you would make a commitment with me.

The book of James is only 5 chapters and only takes up 3-4 pages in most Bibles.

Will you commit to reading the entire book of James once a day until we finish this series?

I believe it could change your life.

Do you want to be a Real Christian?

Would you like to experience Real Growth?

Would you like to have a Real effect on people around you? Make this commitment with me to read through the entire book of James each day until we finish this series.

Make a copy of it and staple it together to carry with you on your lunch break.

Read it at breakfast, or during a break at work.

I believe it can change your life.

The Book of James is an often overlooked and forgotten book of the Bible.

Recently, however, it has been getting more press as it address many social issues that we face today like, materialism, and poverty.

The book of James is actually the book that split the catholic and protestant churches hundreds of years ago.

We are going to look into that in a few weeks.

Today we are going to look at how to get through the storms of life.

In the next few weeks we are going to look at things like, favoritism, having authentic faith, having a provocative faith, knowledge, wisdom, how to plan out our lives, prayer, suffering, materialism, and much more.

It is going to be a great series, I hope that you will plan on NOT missing a Sunday!

In society today I think that you would agree that most people want what is real.

You don’t want a Walmart Cola, if you had your choice you get a real Coke or Pepsi!

You don’t want a fake friend, you want a real friend.

Most people today want to experience what is real, not what is fake.

People want to experience real community.

People want to experience real, vibrant faith.

Ever met a fake person?

Always has that fake person smile on?

You knew that if you turned your back they would turn on you in an instant?

IF you know anyone like that, or if you are like that!

Then you know who this book was written too.

It was written to Jewish Christians were for the most part, “Faking It” They were not living out their lives as Christ had instructed, so James wrote a letter to give them a wake up call.

A historian put it this way, “James was a simple, homespun preacher who was perturbed at people who were not living right.”

He wrote this letter to Christians who should have known better, Jewish Christians who knew the law, who had left Jerusalem and lived in modern day Iraq and Iran.

James wrote to these Christians to address several problems.

Like, divisiveness, intolerance, favoritism, and the overpowering desire for wealth and power.

Really if you were to sum up the book of James it would be “stop sitting around and do something!”

There are two parts of this book.

First, roadblocks that keep you from living out your faith.

Second, ways to live out that kind of faith.

Today we are going to focus on a topic that falls into that roadblock category.

Turn to the book of James and chapter one.

James was one of the first books written in the new testament, but was one of the last to be included in the Bible as we know it today.

It was recognized as inspired in the 4th century.

It was written somewhere between 45 and 50 AD.

This means that it was written 10-15 years after Christ ascended.

It was written by James, the brother of Jesus Christ!

Imagine, this book was written by a man who grew up with Jesus.

He probably knew him better than Peter and John!

James was stoned to death in 62 AD by Jewish leaders.

James was a church leader in Jerusalem.

Many of the people that he is writing to in this letter are facing major persecution just like what ended his life.

They didn’t know how to face it, so he addressed it in this letter.

James 1:1–4 (ESV)

How is it possible to rejoice and face trials at the same time?

Most of us really don’t have any idea do we?

When we face hard times, when we have a bad day, we get mad!

We blame people, we blame God, we wonder what we did to deserve this bad day!

So how is it possible to take James’ advice and rejoice?

How is it possible to say thank you for the trials that we face?

That is what Count it all Joy means!

Right now, all of us are facing trials.

Maybe it is a financial need, you don’t know how that next bill will be paid.

You feel that no matter what you do, you will never catch up financially.

Maybe it is a trial with a family member.

A child, a spouse or parent.

Maybe you are that couple that is saying “we struggle to connect with each other.”

Maybe it is relationally, spiritually, emotionally.

You are thinking, is there an end in sight?

Things used to be better than this.

Maybe it is a child, you just can’t get through to him or her, this child will not listen to anything you say.

There are days that you are in so much pain that you just sit and cry, no you scream, I don’t know how to get through to them!

Parents?

There are many of you here dealing with hurt that you’re received from parents.

Things you have held onto for years.

Broken promises, hurtful things that they said, maybe something you said to them.