Righteousness, Self-Control & the Judgment to Come

Introduction

• Weekend celebration: ~3,000 participants graduating from the 10-week “Rooted” discipleship experience at Lake Pointe.
• Upcoming evangelistic weekend: “Christmas at the Movies,” Nov 29–30, designed for guests far from God.
• CS Lewis’s fictional dialogue in hell: the most effective lie is “There is no hurry.”
• Transition to Acts 24: the Apostle Paul on trial before Governor Felix and his wife Drusilla—powerful, elite, yet spiritually undecided.

Faith Without Works Is Dead

Introduction

• The study opened with light conversation on New-Year resolutions, “trying” vs. “doing,” and how mere intention quickly fades.
• Tonight’s focus: James 2 : 14 - 26, presented as the “apex” of James—everything before it points forward and everything after it looks back.
• Goal: allow the passage to “penetrate marrow,” producing conviction and action rather than mere agreement.

Passing the Baton: Running the Relay of Faith

Introduction

• Pastor opens by honoring students who led worship, remembering his own first preaching opportunity.
• Announces “Christmas at the Movies” (Nov 29–30) designed for evangelism.
• Sets tone: Today’s shorter message focuses on what will matter when believers are “hugging Jesus”—handing down the faith.

Favoritism, Faith & Mercy

Introduction

• Recap of James 1: external trials require internal, Spirit-formed responses (“listen and do,” “quick to listen, slow to anger”).
• Transition: James now moves from the general (chapter 1) to specific conduct issues—first up, favoritism in the church.

Ready or Not, Here He Comes

Introduction

• Pastor begins with lighthearted remarks about arriving “disheveled” after family soccer and cheer events, then quickly shifts: no sleepy listeners—today is about the return of Jesus.
• Series theme: “Run to Win” (1 Cor 9)—races have a finish line; believers must live in view of the end.
• Hide-and-seek illustration with his children: escalating count and the shout “Ready or not, here I come!” parallels Christ’s escalating signs and certain return.

Trials vs Temptations

Introduction

Ice-breaker question: “Which is harder to deal with—trials or temptations?” The group used personal experience to compare the two and set the stage for studying James 1:12-15.

True Success in Surrender

Introduction

• Guest preacher: Ernest Smith, Lead Pastor of Front Range Church (Castle Rock, CO), a Lake Pointe church-plant (2013).

• Ernest recounts Lake Pointe’s partnership, highlighting the Strategic Launch Network and personal support from Pastors Steve & Josh.

• Sets the stage by confessing a lifelong struggle with comparison and the cultural pressure to “be successful.”

• Central tension: God’s definition of success vs. our drive for status, wealth, and control.

• How God re-defines achievement through Naaman’s healing and our own obedience.

Faith, Trials & Wisdom

Introduction

• Initial brain-storm: participants named “faith,” “trials,” and practicality as hallmarks of James.
• Leader highlighted four biblical men named James and identified the letter’s author as “James the Just,” half-brother of Jesus and senior pastor of the Jerusalem church (circa A.D. 40).
• Purpose of the letter: equip scattered Jewish Christians to live out genuine faith amid persecution.

Facing The Two-Question Test of Eternity

Introduction

• Pastor returns from vacation and 20th-anniversary trip, grateful for church family and fellow pastors who preached in his absence.
• Launches new series, “Run to Win,” promising some weighty themes.
• Opens with a lighthearted “St. Peter at the gate” joke to expose common confusion about salvation and judgment.
• States pastoral priority: preparing believers for eternity above all else.
• Sets goal for message—clarify exactly what happens the moment after death and at Christ’s return.

Contending for the Faith

Introduction

• Ice-breaker: everyone rated their fear of heights (0 - 10). The leader later tied this to “spiritual heights,” safety harnesses, and the assurance God gives in vv. 24-25.
• Session goal: finish the Jude series (week 5) by exploring vv. 20-25—how believers contend inwardly (vv. 20-21) and outwardly (vv. 22-23), and how God ultimately keeps them (vv. 24-25).