James: Trial/Joy

The letter of James is chocked-full of guidance for practical living written to new Christian communities spread throughout a thoroughly secular and antagonistic Roman world. It’s so practical that it lays out stark contrasts between what active faith looks like over against dead religion or the surrounding unbelieving culture, so you can get a closeup view of the difference.We begin a sermon series through this letter declaring that faith is still active and actually “works” in countering even a thoroughly secular Boston. The gospel faith works in the followers of Jesus to think and act differently in the realities of life in closeup, practical ways.This Sunday we began by looking at trials and how faith works to provide joy in the midst of challenging circumstances. In these hard times, the distinctness of faith working in us can be notably seen.