Text: James 3:3-12
​
Sermon:

• In this passage, we see the importance of the words that we use. James paints a picture of how our words motivate our actions. He does this through a variety of images, such as fire, the rudder of a boat, and even some animals.
• While I believe that that this is another scripture where it can be used to misinform congregations, the Biblical truth is still valid. Our thoughts and our words create our actions.
• In truth, our intention in what we say is more important than the words that we say. If we use negative words consistently, we are destroying the confidence of the ones that we are speaking to. Which means we are effectively destroying the relationship.
• This is highly evident in the raising of children. In their neuroscience experiment, “Do Words Hurt?”, Maria Richter and collaborating scientists monitored subjects’ brain responses to auditory and imagined negative words. To be frank, their study proved that negative words release stress and anxiety-inducing hormones in subjects. Additionally, a study found increased levels of anxiety in children associated with higher rates of negative self-talk.
• This also impacts adults as well, in their jointly written book, Words Can Change Your Brain, Dr. Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist at Thomas Jefferson University, and Mark Robert Waldman, a communications expert state, “a single word has the power to influence the expression of genes that regulate physical and emotional stress.”
• “By holding a positive and optimistic [word] in your mind, you stimulate frontal lobe activity. This area includes specific language centers that connect directly to the motor cortex responsible for moving you into action. And as our research has shown, the longer you concentrate on positive words, the more you begin to affect other areas of the brain.”- Newburg, Waldman.
• Negative, angry and critical words cause emotional and physical damage, not only to the listener, but to the speaker. A single negative word, whether spoken to a stranger, a friend or a family member, can leave a lasting impression that might never be erased. Negative words create negative attitudes, destroy relationships and block communication. For children, the effects are more serious. Studies have found that connections between the left and right sides of the brain are underdeveloped in adults who were verbally abused as children by their parents or by peers.
• Our thoughts become our words, and therefore our language.
• Those who frequently engage in negative self-talk tend to be more stressed. Negative self-talk can lead to a lowered ability to see opportunities and a decreased tendency to capitalize on these opportunities.
• Thinking and speaking negative thoughts over and over can permanently damage parts of your brain that regulate your memory, emotions, appetite, and sleep patterns. Feelings of anxiety and sadness increase, and the ability to experience long-term satisfaction decreases. Unfortunately, thinking and saying positive words does not have the same dramatic effect on your brain. You need to speak a positive word multiple times to counteract the effect on your brain of one negative word.
• When we adjust our self-talk and the way that we speak to our friends, family and community members, we are growing into a community that expresses love and compassion for the community around us.

 

• Let us be people who love to speak truth in love.

 
Resources:

• https://www.verywellmind.com/negative-self-talk-and-how-it-affects-us-4161304
•  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8295361/
• https://brm.institute/neuroscience-behind-words/
• https://tinyurl.com/bpd33d4r
• https://tinyurl.com/mr43ndts
• https://tinyurl.com/2hwe97yx
• https://tinyurl.com/42568vxx

Text: James 2:1-9

Sermon:
Imagine two scenarios with me: 1.) We are meeting at the sanctuary of our church;
everyone is settling in their seats. A visitor enters the sanctuary. They are nicely groomed
and nicely dressed. They smile big and greet everyone with a handshake. How do we
greet them? Do we make them feel welcomed? 2.) We are meeting at the sanctuary of our
church; everyone is settling in their seats. A visitor enters the sanctuary. They are clothed
in dirty, oversized clothes. They sit down distant from the rest of the congregation. They
timidly greet the few people near them, and they remain quiet. How do we greet them?
Do we make them feel welcomed?
Both visitors are looking for a place to feel cared for and safe. Both visitors are looking
for companionship, yet traditionally, only one of these visitors will be immediately
accepted.

As a society, we tend to treat well-dressed, impressive-looking people better than those
that are in shabby, disheveled clothes. We do this because we would rather identify with
successful people because we believe their success will benefit us.

We treat people this way for a few reasons: 1.) Poverty makes us uncomfortable, and we
don’t want to face our responsibilities to those who have less than we do. 2.) We want
rich people to join our churches and help support them financially.

As usual, Jesus focused his attention on the poor and those in the outskirts of society.
Jesus understood the value of human beings. Our value is inherently given to us by God.
We do not add on to our natural value by the resources that we have or the money that we
have. Jesus loves us regardless of our financial status. Jesus loves us and expresses his
love for us, which reminds us how to love others regardless of their status.

If we claim Christ followers, then we must live as he required, showing no favoritism and
loving all people regardless of whether they are rich or poor.

Regardless of how we perceive them; we are living out our faith fully. In our faith, we are
demonstrating Jesus’ love to those who may not know it.

James presents three principles on faith 1.) Total commitment to Jesus is an essential part
of faith. A person cannot be a Christian simply by affirming the right doctrines or
agreeing with biblical facts. You must be all in. 2.) Godly actions are a natural by-product
of true faith. A genuine Christian will have a changed life. 3.) Faith without good deeds
doesn’t do any good.

Paul has emphasized the purpose of faith: to bring salvation. James emphasized the
results of faith: a changed life that results in serving others and not copying the world
around us.

We should not ignore rich people, because then we would be withholding our love. But
we must not favor them for what they can do for us while ignoring the poor people, who
can offer us seemingly little in return.
​
Conclusion: Let us be people who love fully and accept freely.

Text: James 1:19-27
Sermon:

• This is one of my favorite books in the Bible. This letter has always challenged me to live out my faith. This letter often buries deep into my heart and my mind. Many of the challenges are practical and thoughtful.
• Looking at our scripture for today, we see James encouraging Christ-followers to think through their actions and their reactions in certain situations. Even though our instincts try to force us to act out our frustration or anger, we need to be renewed in our thoughts and our actions.  
• Inward change must affect outward conduct. No matter how spiritual we may think we are, we could all control our speech more effectively.
• As believers, we are free to live as God created us to live.
• This section of scripture, we will hear a lot of preaching about verse 21, which tells us to get rid of evil in our lives. We will then be taught what is evil and how we can eliminate it; Many of these evil things were simply things that were seen as odd or abnormal to the majority.  
• We will even hear teachings from verse 19 and 20, where we are told to quick to listen and slow to speak. This will often be paired with the teaching of how we should not question the authority of a family member or the pastor. 
• But I feel that the teaching of verse 22-24 is vastly overlooked. Either that, or these verses are minimized; It encourages us to not just listen to the teaching of the word, but we should be people to do what the Bible says.
• I believe this subject is highly misunderstood. Too often the term “Doing what the Bible says,” is used to mistreat people, mentally and emotionally harm people and to enforce dominance of one culture over another.   
• Yet, in verses 22-24, we see that we are expected to follow what the scripture says, but what does the bible say? Jesus’ teachings us to love our neighbors through word and actions (Mark 12:31) feed the poor (Luke 14:13-14; Matthew 25:35-37; Romans 12:20; Acts 20: 35) clothe the naked (Matthew 25:36-40), and stand up for the oppressed (Matthew 25:31-46, Luke 4:18–19, Luke 18:1-8)  
• The word “doer” means “describes one who does something as his occupation such as a producer, a poet or an author.”
• Rick Renner states, “Now James uses this word poietes in James 1:22 to tell us that we must put forth our fullest efforts and most creative abilities in doing what we have heard preached! We cannot passively hope that the Word becomes a part of our lives; we must get creative and find ways to make the Word a practical part of our lives.”
• “Steven Cole makes the point that "Obedience should always be the bottom line of Bible study or biblical preaching. Correct application must always be built on correct interpretation. But to study the word just to fill your head with knowledge, without applying the word, short-circuits God’s purpose in giving it.”
• The use of this term “hearers” by James again implies that in ancient times there was frequent public reading of the Scriptures along with oral instruction.
• I also want to focus on verse 27, another verse that I truly love. It states that true religion is “To look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
• We are not called to be people of authority. We are called to be people of love and people who care for those that need help and assistance.

 
Conclusion: Let us be people who have open hearts, open minds and open doors.

Text: John 6:60-70
Sermon:

• Before we investigate this scripture, let’s go ahead and make sure that we understand the context of this scripture. Right before this scripture, we see Jesus teaching his disciples about being the Bread of Life, which includes scriptures such as “54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” Jesus also states, “55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.”
• These terms are highly controversial if we take them literally. This is highly controversial if you take them out of the context of these instructions being spiritual practices and not literal. Why is Jesus being so controversial here?
• The scripture that I want us to investigate is verse 63 and 64, “63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.”
• The Holy Spirit gives spiritual life. All Spiritual renewal begins and ends with God. He reveals the truth to us, lives in us and then enables us to respond to that truth.
• The term Spirit means “the spiritual nature of Christ, higher than the highest angels and equal to God, the divine nature of Christ.”
• Looking at our scripture for today, we see that Jesus’ words are meant to give life. We are receiving life not only in the physical sense, but we are receiving life in a spiritual sense.
• The way these life-giving words impact us physically is encouragement. When we read the Bible, or we attend a church service we are encouraged in our difficult times. We can feel empowered and strengthened to keep moving and growing in our most difficult times. Through these words and church services, we can come together as a community and encourage one another.
• The way these life-giving words impact us spiritually is connection. When we study the teachings of Jesus, we realize that so much of his teachings discusses attributes of our Spiritual connection with the creator of the universe. This also connects to the context of the chapter. Jesus is teaching a spiritual concept when he teaches about the Bread of Life.
• It is important for us to be open to Jesus’ spiritual teachings. As we see in the scripture, some of the disciples left because the teachings were offensive. I believe this is because the disciples had an expectation of Jesus and his teachings that was not met.
• Some of the expectations could have been: 1. They realized Jesus was not going to overthrow the conquering messiah-king as expected. 2. Jesus refused to give in to their self-centered request. 3. Jesus emphasized faith, not deeds. 4. Jesus’ teaching were difficult to understand/offensive.
• People often look to their own imagination, instincts, and some intangible wisdom inside them. People often have their own expectations of who and what Jesus was supposed to be. People project their desires onto their religious beliefs.
• Jesus was not trying to drive believers away, He was simply telling the truth and giving them a choice. Jesus gave the disciples to the option to stay and learn from Jesus’ teaching or to also leave. This is a great freedom.
• God wants us to live in freedom. God wants us to think through our beliefs and place our trust in Jesus’ teachings. We are not meant to be trapped by our Christian identification. Our faith is meant to heal us and connect us to the God the Creator. This freedom also connects us to each other and other communities.
• In some churches, members are talked down to when they question their faith or when they have doubts; this scripture indicates that Jesus does not condemn or mistreat church members for their questions/doubts or their concerns.
• We see that Jesus is leaving the spiritual door open for doubts, concerns and questions in the church. Members can come and go as they please. A relationship with Jesus is an open door.  

 
Conclusion: Let us be people who are open doors.

​Text: Psalm 111
Sermon:

• Let’s time travel to 2006. I was 19 years old, and my family was visiting New Port Beach. In the early evening, I walked along the pier. As The sun goes down, I looked out into the ocean being colored by the sun. It was then that I learned of God’s creation.
•  At this time, I had found a church community that began to teach me of the character of God. I was amazed seeing God’s incredible work in my life as well as God’s work in the life of my friends.
• I believe that every single one of us can remember some of our most powerful interactions with God. Every single one of us could recall and share times when the Holy Spirit showed us who God is through God’s provision.
•  That’s what this psalm is doing: the writer is reflecting on God’s influence on the lives of God’s people as well as their own. I believe that we could also see God’s provision within our communities and our personal lives as well.
• Throughout the Psalm, we can see that God is gracious, compassionate, faithful, and trustworthy.
• Even in our darkest, most difficult times, these characteristics remain true. It is in those dark moments that we need to remember who God is at the core. When we can remember God is, we are able to remember who we are.
• Since this passage indicates that God is gracious, compassionate, faithful, and trustworthy. We should also be gracious, compassionate, faithful, and trustworthy.

 
Conclusion: Let us be people who Praise God and display God’s characteristics