Sermon Central
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Joyful Test Taking
Contributed by Jim Drake on Aug 27, 2007 (message contributor)
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1. Identify Yourself
Contributed on Aug 27, 2007
James identifies himself, his Lord and his audience in the introduction to his epistle. What is your identification?
1. Identity in the world (James) 2. Identity in the Lord (a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ) 3. Identity in the church (to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting) This morning we’re going to be starting a new series in the book of James. Before we read our text this ...read more
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2. The Purpose Of Testing
Contributed on Aug 27, 2007
As Christians today, we have to endure testing. But God doesn’t only call us to endure it, He calls us to have joy in it. He calls us to have joy in it because there is a purpose behind it.
1. Testing produces patience (3) 2. Testing produces perfection (4) 3. Testing wants wisdom (5) 4. Testing finds faith (6-8) JAMES 1:2 It’s back to school time, isn’t it? Teachers are excited. Parents are excited. Kids are excited. You can just feel the excitement in the air, can’t you? ...read more
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3. The Nature Of Testing
Contributed on Sep 10, 2007
Like everything ordained by God, He intends testing and trials for our good. But Satan twists God’s good tests into temptation. His desire is for us to fail God’s good tests by succumbing to the temptation he brings from them.
1. God’s intentions for His tests are good (9-12) a. God’s pattern for testing (9-11) b. God’s freedom from testing (12) 2. Transition verse (13) 3. Satan’s intentions for God’s tests are evil (14-15) a. Satan’s pattern for temptation (14) b. Satan’s bondage from temptation ...read more
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4. The Promise In Testing
Contributed on Sep 10, 2007
While testing is an everyday part of the Christian life, we can take comfort in the promises God has given us.
1. God promises His perfect provision—God is always good. (17a) 2. God promises His permanent position—God never changes. (17b) 3. God promises His purposeful plan—God has a plan. (18) Two brothers were left alone in the kitchen. The older brother pulled the egg carton out of the ...read more
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5. Test 1: The Bible Test
Contributed on Oct 1, 2007
The first test of faith we must pass is the Bible test. In order for our faith to be real, we must receive God’s holy, inspired, infallible Word the right way and respond to it the right way.
1. How should you receive the Word of God? With meekness (19-21) a. Receive with meekness by listening b. Receive with meekness by humbling ourselves c. Receive with meekness by implanting 2. How should you respond to the Word of God? With action (22-27) a. Respond with action by ...read more
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6. Test 2: Preference Test
Contributed on Oct 8, 2007
When we glory in the status of people, we forget how far we all fall short of the glory of God. The only thing we can glory in is the imputed righteousness of Christ. We forget that when we don’t treat people right.
1. Introduction (2:1) 2. Treat people in light of man’s motives (2:2-4) 3. Treat people in light of God’s purposes (2:5-7) 4. Treat people in light of Jesus’ commandments (2:8-11) 5. Treat people in light of God’s mercy (2:12-13) JAMES 2:1 I recently heard a story about a man who was the ...read more
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7. Test 3: Works Test
Contributed on Oct 23, 2007
We don’t work for our faith—true Christians work as a result of our faith. The right kind of works are always a sure test to prove the genuineness of faith. James continues with the third test of faith—the works test.
1. Works that show compassion for God’s creation (14-17) 2. Works that show trust in God’s Word (18-19) 3. Works that show hope in God’s promises (20-24) 4. Works that show service to God’s people (25-26) JAMES 2:26 Men, I want you to try this when you get home. Go into your wife’s ...read more
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8. Test 4: The Tongue Test
Contributed on Oct 23, 2007
Jesus said what is in a person’s heart inevitably comes out of his mouth. As water flows from a well, words from your mouth reveal the source’s purity. Knowing that, it makes sense that James would make the tongue test a test of true faith.
1. The first characteristic of a test-failing tongue is that it is condemning. (1-2) 2. The second characteristic of a test-failing tongue is that it is controlling (3-5a) 3. The third characteristic of a test-failing tongue is that it is consuming (5b-6) 4. The fourth characteristic of a ...read more
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9. Test 5: The Wisdom Test, Part 1
Contributed on Nov 2, 2007
There are two types of wisdom—man’s wisdom and the kind of wisdom that only comes from God. The kind of true wisdom that only comes from God is evidence of real faith.
1. Introduction (13) 2. Roots of test-failing wisdom (14) 3. Attributes of test-failing wisdom (15) 4. Fruits of test-failing wisdom (16) JAMES 3:13 Have you ever flown on one of those little puddle-jumper airplanes? I have and let me tell you, they’re not very much fun. If you’re in ...read more
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10. Test 5: The Wisdom Test, Part 2
Contributed on Nov 9, 2007
What kind of wisdom passes the test of faith? The kind of wisdom that James describes as only coming from above.
1. Roots of test-passing wisdom (17a) 2. Attributes of test-passing wisdom (17b) 3. Fruits of test-passing wisdom (18) JAMES 3:13 Who is a wise man? What is wisdom? It’s interesting that two people who are known for their wisdom asked that very same question. Solomon did. In ...read more
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11. Test 6: Pride Test, Part 1
Contributed on Nov 30, 2007
James asks his readers where their continual desire to fight amongst themselves comes from. And his answer is surprising. Rather than point his finger at an outward cause of their strife, he tells them it is because of each of their individual selfishne
1. What are the Prevailing Symptoms of selfish pride (4:2-5) 2. What is the Primary Source of selfish pride (4:6) 3. What are some Practical Solutions for selfish pride (4:7-12) JAMES 4:1 Two old friends were sitting on the front porch one Sunday afternoon when one of them began to confess ...read more
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12. Test 6: Pride Test, Part 2
Contributed on Jan 5, 2008
The pride test is actually a three part test. We already covered the first part when we talked about selfish pride (Pride Test, Part 1). The second part of the test is about presumptive pride. That’s where our text takes us today.
1. Presumptive pride is futile 2. Presumptive pride is arrogant 3. Presumptive pride is sinful Well, here we are, standing at the edge of a New Year. People use this time of the year for different things, don’t they? Of course, some people just use the New Year as an excuse to party. But ...read more
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13. Test 6: Pride Test, Part 3
Contributed on Jan 5, 2008
This is the final part of James’ sixth test of faith—the pride test. This third part of the pride test deals with our pocketbooks--greedy pride.
1. The first example of greedy pride is hoarding treasures 2. The second example of greedy pride is defrauding measures 3. The third example of greedy pride is indulging pleasures A story is told about a rich man who was in the hospital on his deathbed. The doctors had only given him a short ...read more
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14. Test 7: Patience Test
Contributed on Jan 13, 2008
The coming of the Lord. What a great and wonderful day it will be when our Lord Jesus returns. Until He returns, we are called to be patient. In this passage, James gives us the seventh test of our faith--the patience test.
1. Patience has natural evidences 2. Patience has eternal consequences 3. Patience has a cloud of witnesses The coming of the Lord. What a great and wonderful day it will be when our Lord Jesus returns. We just finished celebrating the first coming of Jesus when He came as a tiny, helpless ...read more
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15. Test 8: Integrity Test
Contributed on Feb 12, 2008
God demands that His children be people of integrity. People who are honest and reliable. This is the next-to-last test of faith that James gives us--the integrity test.
1. The importance of individual integrity 2. The implication of individual integrity 3. The intentionality of individual integrity 4. The incentive of individual integrity This Wednesday night, American TV is hitting a new low. It’s almost hard to say that with all the trash that’s on TV ...read more
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16. Test 9: Afliction Test, Part 1
Contributed on Feb 12, 2008
This sermon looks at the first key to passing the affliction test--the individual key.
1. When experiencing affliction, your first individual responsibility is to pray (13) 2. When experiencing affliction, your second individual responsibility is to call (14) A few weeks ago, our family went to see a movie called National Treasure. I won’t go into all the details with you, but ...read more
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17. Test 9: Affliction Test, Part 2
Contributed on Feb 12, 2008
This sermon looks at the second key to passing the affliction test--the corporate key.
1. Corporate confession 2. Corporate prayer I saw a sports headline a couple of weeks ago that really surprised me. It turns out that one of the freshmen for the University of Tennessee’s football team got into some trouble with the law. That’s not really the surprising part. It seems that ...read more
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18. Remediation
Contributed on Feb 12, 2008
As we’ve taken these nine tests of faith througout the book of James, we haven’t gotten the results we were hoping for. That’s why we need to show God’s grace by remediating each other.
1. Results that show the need for remediation 2. Responsibilities for providing remediation 3. Rewards for giving remediation As many of you know, I used to write curriculum for our military schools. And one of the things you have to do when you write curriculum is that you have to write ...read more