Doing the Hard Work - James 3

1. Prayer
God of unsearchable mystery and light,
your weakness is greater than our strength,
your foolishness brings all our cleverness to naught,
your gentleness confounds the power we would claim.
You call first to be last and last to be first,
servant to be leader and ruler to be underling of all.
Pour into our hearts the wisdom of your Word
and Spirit, that we may know your purpose
and live to your glory. Amen.

2. The Church Calendar
September 19

3. James 3
DOING the HARD WORK

4. Who is wise and understanding among you?
Show by your good life that your works are
done
with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you
have
bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts,
do not be boastful and false to the truth.
Such wisdom does not come down from
above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.
JAMES 3:13-15 (NRSV)

5. For where there is envy and selfish ambition,
there will also be disorder and wickedness
of every kind. But the wisdom from above
is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing
to yield, full of mercy and good fruits,
without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.
And a harvest of righteousness is sown
in peace for/by those who make peace.
JAMES 3:16-18 (NRSV)

6. Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy
life and is characterized by getting along with
others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing
with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and
cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop
a healthy, robust community that lives right
with God and enjoy
its results only if you do the hard work of
getting along with each other, treating
JAMES 3:17-18 (MSG)

7. James 3
DOING the HARD WORK

8. ”Suppose some of the people you met every
day were like the people in v.16, and others
like the people in v.17. Which one would
you rather see coming towards you down
the street? Which one would you rather have
as your neighbor? The question answers
itself. The challenge is how to become
that neighbor yourself…the answer is
wisdom that comes from above.
Pray for it. Persevere.”
N.T. WRIGHT

11. Wednesdays 10.6, 13, 20 & 11.3, 10, 17
7:00 – 8:30pm @ Vintage & on Zoom

12. O God, our teacher and guide,
you draw us to yourself
and welcome us as beloved children.
Help us to lay aside our envy and selfish ambition,
that we may walk in your ways of wisdom
and understanding
as servants of your peace.
Amen.
Benediction