Richvale Community Church
Sunday, February 22 2026
- Good morning.Years ago, we were in Egypt, driving through Cairo. It was blazing hot, and the traffic was absolute chaos. Cars everywhere. Horns constantly blaring. Lanes were more of a suggestion than a rule.But what really caught our attention wasn’t the traffic — it was the buildings.Almost every house looked half-finished.… it seemed that every thing Above the second floor was Unfinished. Exposed. Incomplete.It looked like a city that had stopped building halfway up.So we asked our driver, “Why does every house look unfinished?”He told us that once a building was officially completed, the taxes increased dramatically.So families would build the foundation, finish the first level, and then stop.When it comes to faith, We have a solid foundation..The prophet Isaiah said that the Mesiah would come to Zion as a stone, a tested stone, a precious corner stone of a sure foundation…This was fulfilled in /christ.Paul said in Eph 2 the church was build of the foundations of the apostles and the prophets and Christ Jesus himself - being the cornerstone..We have solid foundation in Christ…Where We’ve trusted Him. We believe the gospel.But sometimes we get stuck…we hit roadblocks…tests and trials..and thr building stops...We find our selves in this space of I completion.…and we long for is Real Faith …The good news is that JESUS SAID THAT HE IS author and the finisher of our Faith..We are in our Sermon Series — Real.L. Faith that works.We are in the book of James and— James is an amazing teacher and mentor .… There is humility about James..In the opening verses — James introduces himself as servant of the God and Lord Jesus Christ-Remember this is James the half-brother of Jesus…He was the Lead pastor of the Jerusalem.Who is writing at a difficult time..— He is writing to encourage Jewish Christians (12 tribes) who been scattered in the Rome Empire because of persecution..As a community they are facing many tests and trials…James approaches these challenges with Truth —..In Chapter James 1.16-17James says …don’t be deceived by the test you are in… or temptation you are facing… it is not because God is mad at you.. He is not an angry God …ready to pounce on you… when you mess up..Don’t loose sight who God is… God is good —He says every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights of whom there is no variation or shadow or change….God doesn’t change— regardless of our trial or tests… or temptation —God remains the same…Then James applies God’s —his unchangeableness ..to the gift of salvation… He says it is this everlasting God who has brought us Salvation!,
James 1:18 ESV 18 Of his own will he (the Lord) brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.James TIES THE New Birth to the Word of GOD.. that bears fruit IN OUR LIVES…JAMES IS SAYING..God DIDN’t give us a brand of Christianity that leaves us dependent on our own strength. GOD doesn’t say, “Try your best, and maybe you’ll make it.”No—He has given us real faith for real-life problems. Faith that overcomes.New birth leads to fruitfulness… Faith that works..And WHAT James is about JAMES SAYST/s Faith requires action.—1. Guard Your Heart — Be Attentive to Its ConditionThere is a subtle difference between the way psychologists view the mind and the way the Bible speaks about the heart.Psychology often analyzes mental processes — how information is received, processed, and expressed — treating the mind almost like a mechanism. Input. Processing. Output.But the Bible goes deeper. Scripture is not merely concerned with how we think.It is concerned with what drives our thinking — the intentions, desires, and moral commitments that originate from the heart.In Scripture, is the central organ is thr heart..— the control center from which the motions of life flow.That’s why Proverbs says,“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23)Everything flows from thr heart.Our words Our reactions Your obedience — or your resistance — flows from our heart..…James 1:19–21 ESV 19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.James saysbe quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.James says Good Communication begins with listening..Be Quick to listen!!Why is listening to others important?\because.Listening Values the-thoughts and opinions of others—Listen improves our ability to understand others-even when we disagree, our willingness to listen shows respect and reveals a genuine effort to grasp their perspectivelistening helps us see the whole Person..Peter DruckerThe most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.Peter F. Drucker; Peter Drucker..James gives us an order of communicationHe says… Listen first and then speakBe Quick to listen and - be slow to speak .James believes that our words carry spiritual weight…- they shape reality and carry consequences that extend far beyond the moment of speaking.This is not a new teaching we see in the OT that..Proverbs 25:11 ESV 11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.Proverbs 12:25 ESV 25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.A good word bring hope and life but at the same time words bring death — Prov 18.21Proverbs 18:21 ESV 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.—-Jesus taught this same principle — during his minstry He emphasized that we should pay attention how we listen ..He said “take care how you hear””In the parable of the wise and foolish builders … Jesus say a the wise man built his house up on the rock and foolish man build his house on the sand…then the rains add floods came and began to test the buildings..the one building stood on the solid foundation stood.. thr other collapsed!Now…Jesus is not talking about construction… he is taking about hearing And doing..the word.Jesus explain a the parable..Matthew 7:24–27 ESV 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. …Later..Matthew 7:24–27 ESV 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.The wise man hears His words and does them — and builds on the rock.The foolish man hears His words and does not do them — and builds on sand.Both men hear.Both men build.Both houses face storms.The difference is not exposure to truth.The difference is response to truth.BUT it is More than Communication thatJames is dealing with — the heart — he add be slow to anger..Where did all this anger come from — ?These where Newly formed Christians were scattered —an separated from loved ones and families - they were on the Margins suffering from social oppression and persecutions.— they were being taken advantage of by Rich —We have an idea…James says be slow to anger..—- James knows that this is area that cause us to all fail… Anger in in two…ways…we can express or outwardly or we repressed it…(we hold it in)and repressed anger —leads to depression…James say Don’t loose your peace…Instead expose it to truth,,James 1:21 ESV 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.James shows us how to deal with anger… ()He… saysPut away your anger by coming to the Word..He says Received the implanted word..with meekeness) Which is able to Save our souls..The truth is a get can’t save us..—… …it’s can’t justify us — make us righteous before God…Only Jesus is our Justifier….The is why James says go back to word ..The word has be received to take effect..When God’s word is imbeded in our hearts it produces Holiness… It justifies and saves us..… Andrew Murrey the South African pastor and theologianPut itt like this..Holiness is not something we do or attain; it is the communication of the divine life, the inbreathing of the divine nature; the power of the divine presence resting on us.Andrew MurrayT/s Faith isn’t proven by what we know, but by what we do.1. Pay attention to Our Heart2. Govern Your Responses — Be Attentive to Your ReactionsJames is — a practitioner of faith.He’s not a theologian tucked away in an ivory tower, debating ideas with other scholars.He’s the kind of pastor who pulls up a chair at your kitchen counter, looks at your life, and gets into your business.He sees our struggles, our temptations, our doubts — and challenges us to respond faithfully, not just theoretically.He sees the Bible as a utility tool — not a dusty book on the shelf.That has practical application..James 1:22–25 ESV 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.James tells us that Our Faith needs to have action…Just a few years ago we celebrated the 500-year anniversary of the Reformation.Before the Reformation, the Bible wasn’t accessible to the average person.Part of the issue was that during the middle ages the cost of producing books was too expensive. Every book was handwritten by scribes, so there were limited copies of any book.When it came to the Bible, the copies that existed were confined to the clergy in monasteries and universities.It wasn’t until the invention of the Gutenberg printing press - that the Bible became accessible to the masses..The Reformers built on the heals of the foundation of the medieval times and Renaissance period—and the Bible became the most printed book of any other work.In fact most People learned how to read and write through the learning of the ScripturesToday we live in world of -unprecedented access to the Bible—the average home in has 4 bibles… every Hotel has a Gideon bible and on top of that we have kinds of Apps… available….James says, it not availably of the word but what do we do with the Word of God? -James says don’t be hearer psbe a doer of God word..He gives us an example of a common household object… A mirror..In Ancient times mirrors were made of polished bronze or copper produced dim and warped reflections -And so it took a careful study rather than a casual glance to see oneself clearly —James uses humor… to disarm our defenses…It’s the same strategy often used in scripture.For example the prophet Nathan used with David.After David’s sin with Bathsheba, Nathan didn’t walk into the throne room and say, “You’re an adulterer and a murderer.”If he had, David might have shut down, defended himself, or flexed his authority.Instead, Nathan told a story.He spoke of a rich man with many flocks and herds and a poor man who had just one little ewe lamb. This lamb wasn’t livestock—it was family.It grew up with his children. It ate from his table. It drank from his cup. It slept in his arms.You can almost see David leaning forward. He’s a shepherd at heart. He knows what it’s like to love a lamb. The story disarms him. It pulls him in.Then Nathan tells how the rich man, instead of taking from his own abundance, stole that one beloved lamb to feed a traveler.David burns with anger. “That man deserves to die!”And then the trap closes.“You are the man.”James does the same thing..…He uses humor and Hyperbole and literary device to expose spirtual blindness…He saying to us…We can spend time in the word… Bible studies… we can preach sermons… prepare lessons…WE can love the processes of learning spiritual principles … and then never have it apply it..James says Word needs not only to be believed by to be put into practice…James brings us back to the mirror.He says the one who looks into the perfect law — the law of liberty — and continues in it, that’s the one who is blessed.James 1.25James 1:25 ESV But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.Church, this isn’t a casual glance. This is someone who leans in. Someone who lingers. Someone who lets the Word examine them.He calls it the perfect law because it fully reveals God’s heart.And he calls it the law of liberty because — it says us free... Sin promises freedom but leaves us bound. God’s Word may confront you, but it sets you free.The blessed man, the blessed woman, is not just a hearer — but a doer.t.That’s where the freedom is.That’s where the blessing is.T/s Faith isn’t proven by what we know, but by what we do.3. Ground Your Walk — Be Attentive to Your DirectionMost of us have heard of the Mandela Effect — when large groups of people share the same false memory.It’s named after Nelson Mandela, because many people were convinced he died in prison in the 1980s — but he actually died in 2013.Or take The The Berenstain Bears. Many of us remember it spelled “Berenstein.” It wasn’t. It was always “Berenstain.”It’s amazing howconfident we can be — and still be wrong.James adresses the problem of religion..James 1:26–27 ESV 26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.James give the real meaning religion.When James wrote this letterthere was plenty of religion -Even in Judaism…You have different groupsYou had the Sadducees who controlled the temple and and the Pharisees (who emphasized oral tradition and meticulous law-keeping).You had the scribes who interpreted the Law.. claimed to be the experts…If you want to find Religion you could find it….James presses on the Meaning of Religion…What is Pure religion..First it’s Gods getting a hold of our words…. It is having control of our tongues… but it more than that..James 1:26–27 ESV to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.Now what is surprising is that it is not about Temple or about synagogue……James says that real faith isn’t just what you do in your worship service —In the Ecclessia — the assemblies and gatherings… but what you do in life…Authentic faith bleeds into everyday life…James says the practice of true religion is caring for the vulnerable and resisting worldly corruption —Jesus consistently prioritized the marginalized—healing the sick,dining with tax collectors and sinners,and defending women and children when society dismissed them.Jesus said.. “whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40)This embodies exactly what James says gere..Faith that with out works lacks substance .. compassion towards others.Timothy warns about the danger of loosing our compassion for others…He says in 2 Timothy 3.1-5 He warn us of the dangers of drifting from authentic faith..He says in the last days — there will be difficult times -people will be lovers of self,of money..proud — arogant - abusive. disobedient to their parents. -heartless…unappeasable.. slanderious, brutal, reckless - swollen with conceit..It is quite the list…. The root problem is lacking in love and compassion… it self-centered -religion.2 Timothy 3:5 ESV 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.Her is the thing Religion never solves anything…“Information alone doesn’t change a thing.—obedience does.”People don’t care how much we know they care how much we care..ConclusionThere is a clear flow in the book of James — spiritual growth that happens in the middle of trials.REAL FAITH GROWS UNDER PRESSRUE..His message is simple but powerful: You can grow. You can mature. You can become steadfast…where you are.lHOW?let Gods word impact and take root in your heart..THEN stand back and WATCH WHAT HAPPENS..Charles Spurgeon once said an acorn may seem small, fragile, even ordinary.But inside it lies the potential — not just for one oak, but for a whole forest.The same is true for God’s Word planted in a heart…What starts small — TAKES ROOT.. IT WILL withstand storms, and grow into a life that bears lasting fruit.The potenial of one seed is incredible… A.W. Tozer.The widest thing in the universe is not space; it is the potential capacity of the human heart. Being made in the image of God, it is capable of almost unlimited extension in all directions.A. W. TozerThis morning James challenges usGuard your heart.Govern your responses. Ground your walk.Receive the Word.Let it shape your thinking, your speech, and your actions. Put it into practiceBecome a practitioner of Gods word…. Be a Doer of the word.. and..When life tests you — as it surely will — you won’t just survive —You will thrive..Amen .lets pray James 1:18CSB
James 1:19–21CSB
Proverbs 25:11CSB
Proverbs 12:25CSB
Proverbs 18:21CSB
Matthew 7:24–27CSB
James 1:21CSB
James 1:22–25CSB
James 1:25CSB
James 1:26–27CSB
2 Timothy 3:5CSB
Richvale Community Church
5308453694
24 members • 9 followers