Listen To Audio Download Audio

This is an Audio Sermon.

Abstract

We begin a new and exciting sermon series this week from the book of James.The title, "Faith That Works," says it all: This is a book about faith in action. As with any New Testament book or letter, we must begin our study by identifying the writer and the unique contributionof his work. When you receive a letter by mail or email the first thing you do is find out who sent it. Your knowledge of that person will inform your understanding of the content of that letter. Likewise, we will begin with a thorough consideration of this writer--a fascinating figure in the early church. For one thing, James was the half-brother of Jesus, giving him a compelling perspective on Christianity. An unbeliever during the early public ministry of Jesus, he grew to become one of the most influential Christian leaders in Jerusalem after the resurrection. In preparation for this series, I encourage you to purchase one of two commentaries on the book of James. The "Life Application Bible Commentary" on James iswell-written andinformative. It is written insimple language and includes practical application for the reader. The "New American Commentary" on James (by Kurt A. Richardson) is written on a deeper level and contains somewhat more technical language. For those of you who wish to study the biblical text in greater detail, you'll enjoy this companion.