Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

On January 13th, we began to embark on the journey of studying the letter of James.

We have spent almost 2-3 months on the 1st chapter.

We took a break from James going back July to September.

In total, we have covered 25 lessons.

Today is the 26th lesson on the letter of James.

This is the 26th lesson on the letter of James.

Whether if you’ve been through for every lesson of James, or most or some parts, or you came later on in our study, the most important thing you need to know is the importance of studying the Bible even if it’s just one book.

I hope that after going through James, you would have a better idea of what this letter teaches.

There is one person who has been to every single lesson of James, EXCEPT one.

(Dillon).

(Award Chips/Snacks)

Let’s turn to one last time in 2019, Lord willing.

READ.

ILLUSTRATION

Let me begin by asking you a question: do you know someone who’s been reported missing?

When a family member goes missing, it is always an anxious moment.

Lately, I have been seeing a lot of news regarding that on FB.

Family members can’t do much to find the missing person besides waiting upon the rescue team and the police force to find that person.

It is a time of great joy when that person is found, but it is a great sorrow and sadness when that person is found deceased.

Can you imagine being lost in the woods, but no one came looking for you?

After many days of being lost, you may start to wonder, “Why is no one looking for me?”

If you are a Christian, then you are a member of God’s rescue mission.

Can you imagine

Let’s turn to one last time in 2019, Lord willing.

READ.

EXPOSITION

He begins by saying, “My brothers.”

Again, if you remember, James has been using this phrase many times in this letter.

Test: What does he mean?

Answer: He’s talking to Christians - including brothers and sisters.

This is important because it affects the way you read and interpret the Bible.

As I mentioned way back in probably the 1st or 2nd lesson of James, James is talking primarily to Christians.

He mentions “brothers”, “my brothers” or “my beloved brothers” in a total of 15 times through this letter.

James is primarily to Christians who have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

He begins by saying, “My brothers.”

Again, if you remember, James has been using this phrase many times in this letter.

Test: What does he mean?

Answer: He’s talking to Christians - including brothers and sisters.

It does not mean that non-Christians can’t learn anything from this letter.

There are good principles for non-Christians to learn and apply in their own daily lives.

However, don’t misunderstand in thinking that obeying James’ instructions would earn you access to heaven.

But, since James wrote these instructions for believers, Christians are to obey out of their love and gratitude towards Jesus.

He challenges them to demonstrate their faith in Christ by their obedience.

Just like an apple tree, rooted in the ground, is supposed to produce apples, true Christians, rooted in their relationship with Jesus, are supposed to produce fruit of works.

Fruit of the Spirit, obedience and love for the Lord are evidence that you are a truly born-again Christian.

This instruction is in a conditional statement: “IF.”

If this happens, then logically, this should consequently happen.

In James’ case, if this situation happens, then the Christians are to do something about it.

BIG IDEA: Christians are in on a rescue mission to restore those who wander from the truth.

James’ concluding letter gives a weighty instruction to believers.

It is perhaps an instruction that we may not even think of doing.

And I got to admit, this teaching is difficult to do and sometimes scary to do.

I have been a Christian for at least 10 years.

Over at least those 10 years, I have seen many people who once called themselves Christians turned their backs on God and walk away from the Christian faith.

I’m not only talking about those outside of OBC, I’m talking about those who once called OBC their home church.

I knew those people.

For some of them, they suddenly left the church.

For some of them, they slowly stopped coming.

Why did they leave?

For one of them, this person told me that he stops believing in God because of all the suffering that he went through.

For this person, it was an intellectual reason.

For another person, this person told me continuously that she’s busy with extracurricular activities on Sunday and she became busy with school.

Eventually, this person dated a non-Christian, and that’s sometimes the ticket out of the church.

What does it mean to wander from the truth?

Going back to the text, James tells us in the beginning of the conditional statement: “if anyone among you wanders from the truth...”

Who is this person wandering from the truth?

1. Professing Christians can wander away from the truth:

Who is the

It seems that James is talking about someone who is among the Christians.

James does not specifically state if this person is a Christian.

It could be anyone who is a part of the Christian community.

In verse 20, James refers this person as a sinner.

Remember, James is writing to a community of Christians.

Within a community, there are definitely Christians, but there are also non-Christians roaming in their midsts.

This person MIGHT be a Christian depending on the outcome of verse 20, which we will talk about later.

In verse 20, James refers this person as a sinner.

What does it mean to “wander?” I’m not talking about wandering where you leave the classroom and wander in the hallway.

To wander means “to no longer believe what is true, but to start believing what is false.”

It means to “stray.”

Sometimes this wandering is sudden and sometimes it is subtle.

People who wander away from the faith is not something new.

It’s common throughout the Bible.

You can consider the Old Testament when the Israelites failed to trust God and His promises, and began backsliding and trusted in Egypt and all the satisfying things that Egypt had to offer.

You can consider Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.