Sermon Series Introduction

Living Faith: A Study of the Epistle of James

I once put a young hydrangea in a pot and placed it outside on a rarely-used side porch. Then, I forgot all about the plant I had carefully planted. Predictably, in the dry and scorching heat of the summer, the plant was all but dead when I stumbled upon it weeks later. Although my plant had a good start, it was too weak to handle the heat of a South Carolina summer. 

Like harsh summer conditions on a plant, the Christian life is often one of continual adversity. We face outward struggles that wear us down and leave us wondering where God is and inner struggles that dry up our spiritual appetites and leave us too exhausted to encourage or care for others. 

Thankfully, God gave us the book of James. 

Our brother James, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes to Christians like us who know harsh conditions. They were scattered from their homeland due to persecution and living as refugees. Life was hard, and the heat was on. Unfortunately, instead of leaning into their faith, God’s character, and one another, they turned inward and clung to their pride, prejudice, and anger. 

The good news for them and us is it doesn’t have to be that way. While God never promises us “easy,” Christians can bloom and flourish amidst the harshest conditions. The book of James reminds us of God’s abundant grace, which gives struggling believers like you and me a living faith. A faith that:

• Thrives by the grace of God in the heat of affliction,
• Displays humility and brotherly love in the heat of conflict, and
• Reveals itself authentically in the heat of suffering.

This summer, we’ll explore James’s letter to first-century Christians and, in the process, be equipped to display a living faith through the trials we face. 

Join us Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM for our 13-week summer series, “Living Faith: A Study of the Epistle of James.”