Redeemer Presbyterian Church - Traverse City, MI

The Book of James ends this Lord’s Day. James has been a highly practical letter. We haven’t learned doctrine in the way we do in Paul’s letters, but we have learned how to live out our doctrine. Chiefly, James has been concerned with our developing wisdom. Wisdom is right perspective: seeing the things of earth from the perspective of heaven. The final thing we need to see from a heavenly perspective is prayer. Often times it is difficult for us to pray. But, if we saw prayer from a heavenly perspective, it would be difficult to get us to stop praying! This week, with God’s help, we will see James display for us the purpose and the power of prayer. And we will see how prayer is a privilege granted in the gospel.
 
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In James 5:12, we are commanded to let our yes be yes, and our no be no. In this, James is appealing to the word of Christ from the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5. This Lord’s Day we will see that this strong prohibition toward oaths is in reality a call to integrity. It is the Evil One who says “Yes” when he means “No” (Matt 5:37). But God’s Words carry integrity - that which He says He will do, He does. And the good news is that in Christ, God has spoken the ultimate “Yes” of the forgiveness of sins and granting everlasting life. Therefore, James calls on us to pattern our speech and actions after the Lord Jesus Christ, and not after the Evil One.
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When I was growing up, my favorite part of summer were the fresh pies my Grandmother would bake. I remember asking my Grandma for constant updates as she dutifully went through each step of preparing an excellent pie. As I would ask “Is it ready yet?” she would smile and reply “patience is a virtue.” I remember thinking, “I don’t want patience, I want pie!” This Lord’s Day, James is calling us to patience. Not patience as we wait for something temporal, like a pie. But patience as we await the greatest event of human history: The triumphant return of the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s hard to exercise patience as we await the return of the Lord. Sin exists in the world and in our hearts, and sin’s consequences are painful. James encourages our patience not only by reminding us that the return of Christ is closer than we might think (5:8), he also calls us to patience by remembering the character of our God (5:11). As we wait His return, we rest in His compassionate and merciful character.
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Today's message is brought from Hebrews 1 by Elder Rob Whims
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The holiday season is now behind us, and as such we resume our series in James. This week we are picking up in James 5:1-6 where we read strong words that James has in store for the rich. He warns them not to trust in their earthly riches on the Last Day. Gold, silver, diamonds, and rubies will all rust and corrode when brought into the burning presence of Holy God. However, the riches and the robes of Christ’s perfect righteousness will not. The one who is rich in Christ is rich toward God, and this wealth is eternal.
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This Lord’s Day is also the last day of the year. Known commonly as, “New Years Eve”. New Year’s Eve is full of tradition: staying up late, celebrating with family and friends, watching the ball drop, making resolutions, etc. But at our New Years Eve parties, there’s one guest that is very unwelcome: Death. In fact, death is a reality we prefer to avoid every day of the year, and at all costs. However, Scripture teaches us that it is foolish to ignore our mortality, and that wisdom is bound up in our willingness to number our days (Psalm 90:12).
And so this New Years Eve, we are going to look together at Ecclesiastes chapter 12, which is written to be a funeral song for the reader. In Ecclesiastes 12, Solomon has invited us to attend our own funeral. But even as we walk into the shadow of our own tomb for such a Biblical meditation, we find that the Lord Jesus Christ is already there, prepared to roll away the stone and speak our names.
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This hundred-year-old liturgy of seven lessons walks us down a dramatic journey from Genesis to Revelation. At every turn, it celebrates the prophecy and coming of Jesus Christ to rescue his people. This evening we remember the history of our salvation by walking through the Bible and responding in song. We come together to rejoice that Christ came, rescues us from sin and death, and on the last day will take us to a new home to be with him forever.
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This Advent season, we have considered the question, “What Child is this?” In following the path to the manger the Old Testament outlines, we have learned that this Child is: our Prophet, our Priest, and our King. And on Christmas morning, we learn another, all important, truth about who this Child is. He is our God. In Christ Jesus and in Him alone, God has descended from Heaven. In Christ the fullness of Deity is revealed to us. There is nothing which God would have us know about Himself that He has not chiefly revealed in Jesus. The humbling and exalting truth of Christmas is this: God has arrived. View the entire service at https://www.youtube.com/@redeemertc
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He is named King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning, and the end. He is the one who stands in the midst of the golden lamp stands, clothed with a long robe with a golden sash around His chest. The hairs of His head are white like wool, His eyes are a flame of fire, His feet are burnished bronze and His voice like the roar of many waters. In His right hand He holds seven stars, from His mouth comes a sharp two-edged sword, and HIs face is like the sun shining in full strength. This is King Jesus. And this Lord’s Day, God willing, we will learn of what it means to live under the blessedness of His reign.
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This Lord’s Day marks the second Sunday of the season of Advent, and our series titled “What Child is This?” This Sunday we will see how the Scriptures promise us a coming Priest. However, this priest will be unlike the Levitical priests in that He will continue forever. This Permanent Priest alone is able to unburden our souls from sin, and intercede before God on our behalf.
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