5.5.36 8.6.2017 James 1.16-18 Gratefully Serving a Gracious God

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

James 1:16–18 ESV

We bask in the glow of the “Father of Lights”

St

Are you Eclipse Ready?

Entice: Are you Eclipse Ready?

Got your spot picked out?

God your spot picked out?

Entice:

Appropriate snacks?

Moon Pies!

Believe it or not the upcoming eclipse, and Other Astronomical Phenomena, is actually helpful for understanding this mornings text.

And Other Astronomical Phenomena

Other Astronomical Phenomena

Is helpful for understanding this mornings text.

Engage: The God who calls us

Engage:

The God who calls us does not

Does not

Change

Does not change

Shift

Get Eclipsed

Instead He

The phrase No shadow of turning (which you may have sung” indicates the shadows cast by the heavenly bodies because of their revolution and movement across the skies. The ancients understood how eclipses worked. James realized that for the simple or uninformed the changes of the heavenly bodies might indicate similar malleability in God

Instead James says He is stable and decisive. He

Gives

Instructs

Provides

and

Nurtures

Provides

Protects

Engages

And Engages

His own nature should motivate us to love Him, live for Him and pursue the kind of growth and maturity He desires for His children.

Expand:

There are many reasons and motivations for following and serving God.

Excite:

The best reasons of all are founded in a simple faithful reaction to who He is and what He has done to save us.

There is no better motivation for focused Christian Living that a Great, Giving God.

Explore: There is no better motivation for focused Christian Living that a Great, Giving God.

• Explore: There is no better motivation for focused Christian Living that a Great, Giving God.

Explain: The essence of this passage is distilled into three admonitions.

1 Be Careful. 16

▾ 1 Be Careful. 16

Two statements one negative and one seemingly insignificant provide insight as to how we can guard our lives; emotionally, physically, and spiritually from the risks of the world.

Two statements one negative and one merely in passing provide insight as to how we can guard our lives; emotionally, physically, and spiritually from the risks of the world.

1.1 Vigilance.

Do not be deceived

1.2 Community.

My dear brothers

2 Be Thankful. 17

2.1 Quality of His Gifts

2.1.1 Good Gifts.

2.1.1 Good Gift

2.1.2 Perfect Presents.

2.2 Source of His Gifts=come down from above.

2.3 Character of His Gifts.

▾ 2.3 Character of His Gifts.

2.3 Character of His Gifts.

The Character of God’s gifts is derived from His character as the gracious giver

2.3.1 He is the "Father of Lights."

2.3.2 He is the unchanging One.

3 Be Fruitful. 18

3.1 It is His Desire for us.

3.2 It is His Design for us.

3.2.1 Brought us forth...

3.2.2 By the Word of Truth.

3.3 It is His Destiny for us.

No Shadow of Turning...

We find it challenging to be consistent in our discipleship.

We get distracted

We get jaded

We get stuck

James aids us by advising us to be watchful, grateful and productive.

James reminds us

to be

watchful

grateful

productive

Christian

All Possible because

The Unchanging Father of lights

Sent the Light of the World..

Into the World...

To save the World.

Anyone.

Everyone.

You

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