AMBASSADORS OF FAITH (5 OF 13)
Scripture: JAMES 2:1-13
This content is part of a series.
Ambassadors of Faith
Series: Christian Living in Today's World
Michael Romero
James 2:1-13
Introduction:
You might have noticed the reason many preachers and Christians like to stay away from the book of James. The entire book talks about the tests that we will face on our Christian journey. If you think about it tests are everywhere.
Every year our kids go to school and every year there is a multitude of tests. Before you can go to the next grade level you have to be able to pass a test and prove you have learned the year's material. The same goes with college. Professors lecture, assign homework, and test their students throughout each semester and in the dreaded "finals" every year.
When it comes to being a follower and student of Jesus Christ, why should we expect anything different? God tests us to see how much we are retaining and applying to our daily lives.
In today's text James takes us to another place in our study of testing. One we haven't dealt with so far. We have learned that our faith must bring us closer to God and farther from the world but what happens when the world comes to you? What happens when the world shows up in church on Sunday morning?
In order to connect to last week's passage we must remember that James defined pure religion.
James 1:27 (NASB95)
"27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."
He talks about serving those people in the church and to keep ourselves unstained or untouched from the world. Then he changes gears and in James 2:1-13 addresses the way people act when the world comes to us.
What will they think of you? What will they think of this church? What will they think of God?
One of the great TV personalities once said to a group of Christians, "The way you act will determine the decisions people will make about God".
So we need to understand that apart from f ...
Series: Christian Living in Today's World
Michael Romero
James 2:1-13
Introduction:
You might have noticed the reason many preachers and Christians like to stay away from the book of James. The entire book talks about the tests that we will face on our Christian journey. If you think about it tests are everywhere.
Every year our kids go to school and every year there is a multitude of tests. Before you can go to the next grade level you have to be able to pass a test and prove you have learned the year's material. The same goes with college. Professors lecture, assign homework, and test their students throughout each semester and in the dreaded "finals" every year.
When it comes to being a follower and student of Jesus Christ, why should we expect anything different? God tests us to see how much we are retaining and applying to our daily lives.
In today's text James takes us to another place in our study of testing. One we haven't dealt with so far. We have learned that our faith must bring us closer to God and farther from the world but what happens when the world comes to you? What happens when the world shows up in church on Sunday morning?
In order to connect to last week's passage we must remember that James defined pure religion.
James 1:27 (NASB95)
"27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."
He talks about serving those people in the church and to keep ourselves unstained or untouched from the world. Then he changes gears and in James 2:1-13 addresses the way people act when the world comes to us.
What will they think of you? What will they think of this church? What will they think of God?
One of the great TV personalities once said to a group of Christians, "The way you act will determine the decisions people will make about God".
So we need to understand that apart from f ...
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