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May 27, 2007 |
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James Chapter 1 &
2 1)
Info a)
James was the ½ brother of our Lord
Jesus b)
He was called “James the
Just” c)
It is possible that James did not
believe in Jesus until after the resurrection of our
Lord 2)
Prepare to
RECEIVE a)
1:19 My dear brothers take note of
this everyone should be QUICK TO LISTEN SLOW TO SPEAK and SLOW
TO BECOME ANGRY i)
Quick to listen = hear God’s
word ii)
Slow to speak = if you are talking
too much you can’t hear God iii)
Slow to anger
b)
1:20 Man’s anger does not bring about
the righteous life that God desires i)
An angry attitude is not the
atmosphere in which righteousness flourishes ii)
10 ways to control your anger
(1)
Don’t let your stress level go beyond
a 2 or a 3 on a scale from 1 to 10 (2)
Attack problems not people
(3)
Practice the Presence of Christ
(4)
Take a time out & count to
10 (5)
Read Philippians 4:6-8 over and over
again (6)
Do not repay evil for evil
(7)
Don’t stay angry it is a choice
Ephesians 4:26 (8)
Realize what unresolved anger will do
to you 10) Have a hobby
11) Get alone with the
Lord c)
1:21 Therefore get rid of all moral
filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly RECEIVE the word
planted in you which can save you i)
Moral filth strip it off the old
dirty clothes ii)
REPENT! iii)
Humble your self
iv)
The word has power and potential to
save you 3)
Be a doer
a)
1:22 “But prove yourselves doers of
the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves”
b)
the hardest part of deception is
self-deception c)
1:23 For if anyone is a hearer of the
word and not a doer he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a
mirror d)
1:24 for once he has looked at
himself and gone away he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he
was i)
We are afraid to do this because of
our own garbage ii)
Don’t merely glance at it
iii)
Once you have looked at the mirror
don’t forget what you have seen iv)
Obey what the word tells you to do
e)
1:25 “But the one who looks intently
at the perfect law the LAW OF LIBERTY and abides by it not having become
a forgetful hearer but and effectual doer this man shall be blessed in what he
does i)
The Law of 4)
DO NOT
a)
2:1 “My brethren do not hold your
faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of PERSONAL
FAVORITISM. b)
James was forbidding a practice that
was already in practice c)
James was speaking of an ATTITUDE
that is inconsistent with faith in Christ d)
James’ example of
favoritism: e)
2:2-3 For if a man comes into your
assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes and there also comes in a
poor man in dirty clothes and you pay special attention to the one who is
wearing the fine clothes and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to
the poor man, “You stand over there or sit down by my foot stool”.
f)
2:4 have you not made distinctions
among yourselves and become JUDGES with evil
motives? g)
Judgment is God’s job not
yours h)
We are prone to judge people based on
their past and not their future 5)
DO a)
2:8 if however you are fulfilling the
ROYAL LAW, according to the Scripture “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS
YOUR SELF” you are doing well b)
The Royal law = the law that rules
all other laws or sums up all other laws c)
2:12 “So speak and so act as those
who are to be judged by the law of liberty” i)
We will be held accountable according
to God’s word 6)
Favoritism is always shown to the
rich 7)
It is not a sin to be
rich 8)
It is not impossible for a rich man
to be saved however it is hard 9)
All poor people are not rich in
faith, being poor is not a guarantee of
salvation 10)
God receives glory through the weak
1st Corinthians 1:26-29 11)
Money will not solve all your
problems it will create a new set of problems 12)
Money intensifies your
personality 13)
Don’t be attracted to the valuable
things in this life that will not have any value in the kingdom at
all Actions speak louder then
words 14)
2:15-16 “If a brother or a sister is
without clothing and in need of daily food and one of you says to them Go in
peace be warmed and be filled and yet you do not give them what is necessary
for their body what use is that” 15)
Faith without works is
dead 16)
God is not interested in lip
service 17)
2:19 “You believe that God is one.
You do well; the demons also believe and shudder”
1.
There is a difference between
knowledge that God exists and saving faith 18)
The example of
Abraham 19)
Saved by faith through
grace 20)
2:23 “And Abraham believed God and
it was reckoned to him as righteousness” 21)
b) Reckoned =
deposited 22)
His works validated his
salvation 23)
2:21 “Was not Abraham our father
justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the
altar” 24)
What works of service do you have to
prove your salvation |