_SPECIAL STUDY_ ALIVE AND FREE IN CHRIST _A Brief Consideration of Galatians 5:13-26_ Alive means to be joined. Freedom means to be loosed. It appears that they mean the opposite. To be alive in this world means the body is joined to the spirit. To be alive in Christ means our Spirit is joined to... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER I James 1:1 SALUTATION _Text 1:1_ James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion, greeting. _Queries_ 1. Is there more than one James in the New Testament? (Identify them, if possible.) 2. Is the position of servant generally c... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER II _THE WAGES OF THE WISE_ James 1:2-15 TRIALS PRODUCE STEADFASTNESS _Text 1:2-4_ 2. Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations: 3. Knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. 4. And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect... [ Continue Reading ]
_SERMON OUTLINES_ IS TEMPTATION A JOY? James 1:2-4 Proposition: When should a Christian not have joy in temptation, and how could a Christian find joy in temptation? I. Temptation is no joy. A. The Christian hates sin, and does not want to sin. B. The Christian is instructed by God to flee t... [ Continue Reading ]
TRUE WISDOM IS GOD-GIVEN _Text 1:5-8_ 5. But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6. But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting; for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tosse... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ANTICIPATION OF THE RICH AND LOWLY _Text 1:9-11_ 9. But let the brother of low degree glory in his high estate: 10. and the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. 11. For the sun ariseth with the scorching wind, and withereth the grass; and th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SOURCE OF ALL GOOD THINGS _Text 1:16-18_ 16. Be not deceived, my beloved brethren. 17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning. 18. Of his own will he brought us fort... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER III _RECEIVING FROM GOD_ James 1:16-27 _Introduction_ After fourteen verses of showing the Way of the Wise, James has concluded that our trials are good for us, producing steadfastnessthat true wisdom is not produced of man, but comes from God. Since this wisdom comes from God, we should... [ Continue Reading ]
TO LISTEN IS BETTER THAN TO SPEAK _Text 1:19-21_ 19. Ye know this, my beloved brethren, But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20. for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21. Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, rec... [ Continue Reading ]
SERMON OUTLINES HOW TO LISTEN TO A SERMON James 1:20-25 Introduction: If a sermon is wasted, the time gone is multiplied by every person who fails to hear. If 100 people fail to hear one half-hour sermon, 50 man-hours are wasted! Proposition: How to _really hear_ the sermon so as to get the most... [ Continue Reading ]
LISTENING IS POINTLESS WITHOUT DOING _Text 1:22-25_ James 1:22. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. 23. For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror; 24. for he beholdeth himself, a... [ Continue Reading ]
VAIN AND PURE RELIGION CONTRASTED _Text 1:26-27_ 26. If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man's religion is vain. 27. Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their... [ Continue Reading ]