Time to Draw Near
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What does it mean to have ‘enough’? The world’s wisdom would tell us to avoid poverty and seek wealth at all costs. But James reminds us that both poverty and wealth can be challenges when they tempt us to take our eyes off of an eternal perspective. Comparing what we have to others in the world can cause us to see our worth in our possessions, while having an abundance of wealth can lead us to forget that this world isn’t our permanent home. Instead, in both poverty and wealth, God calls us to look to Him as provider, remembering that our eternal home is with Him, completely free from the pursuit of worldly wealth.
What do you do when you don’t know what to do? When life brings a challenge and we don’t feel at all prepared or equipped to manage it, God makes us an amazing promise: if we ask Him for wisdom, He’ll provide it. But James’ encouragement is that we ask in faith and without doubt. We’re not supposed to ask God for wisdom, and then continue to try and figure it all out in our own strength. God wants us to ask Him for wisdom in humility, then trust in His strength to carry us through.
Everyone faces challenges in life. Some are devastating or even life-altering. Why does God allow these things to happen? How do we get through hard times? And more than that, how is it possible that we would be able to find joy in the midst of them? The book of James shows us that because of God’s great love for us and the hope of the gospel, followers of Jesus have access to an eternal perspective of joy that can sustain us through every circumstance.
How does our faith in Jesus Christ work its way out in our daily life? That’s the question the book of James answers for believers. James himself was completely transformed by his faith in Jesus (who also happens to be his brother). His letter is an incredibly practical guide for what it looks like to live out our faith in our everyday lives, loving and serving others here, near and far.
What do you make of Jesus? Sooner or later everyone will face that question. The story of Nicodemus reveals the character of Jesus as he patiently and lovingly opens Nicodemus’s eyes to the truth about who He is and why He came. Jesus does the same for us - drawing near to us, meeting us where we’re at, and offering a free gift of grace and mercy if we surrender our lives to Him. Are you ready to recognize Jesus as Lord and accept the gift?
One of the first announcements of Jesus’ ministry was by John the Baptist, calling Jesus “The Lamb of God”. It’s an important reminder that this baby born at Christmas arrived with a very important and specific purpose: to become the sacrifice for our sin. Our substitute. Jesus is far more than a great teacher, healer or prophet. He is God’s perfect sacrifice to atone for the sins of all who believe. He is the Lamb of God - our one and only Savior.
Waiting for anything is hard, and waiting on God can be especially difficult. In our impatience, we often take matters into our own hands, putting our hope and trust in our own strength instead of patiently waiting on God to move. The Christmas story reminds us of the patient, eternal perspective God wants us to have. 2,000 years after His promise to Abraham, the Savior arrived - the perfect fulfillment of God’s plan to redeem His people, and our eternal hope in the here and now.
The life of John the Baptist is a perfect picture of the Advent season. Even before he was born, God had chosen John to be the voice of his generation to announce the arrival of the promised Messiah - the Savior of the world. The story of John’s birth is an encouraging look at God’s sovereign plan, and the humble servants who received God’s call on their lives with reverence and awe.
For the Christian, baptism represents a public identification with Christ. Through the waters of baptism, we reenact the death and resurrection of Jesus, symbolizing the new life we've been given.
Pride comes all too easily for most of us. We want others to see us as strong, self-sufficient and in control. But the Christian life is an exercise in recognizing our weakness, and in humility, relying on God for all things. When we put our faith in an all-powerful God who loves and cares for us, we can put our pride aside and boast in our weakness, giving thanks to the Lord who makes all things possible.
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Sermons by: Mark Yule
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