Faith Without Mercy is Dead

Passion Creek Church

Faith Without Mercy is Dead

September 17, 2023 • Trey Van Camp • James 2:1–13

It’s part of our human nature to play favorites. We often move towards, look up to, and speak highly of those who have wealth or achievements while also looking down to, ignoring, or withholding mercy from those who lack these things. Christians aren’t immune from this sin of favoritism, and it goes back to the very beginnings of the church. James likely witnessed his half-brother Jesus correcting this sin by extending mercy to the poor, the ignored, the marginalized, and the outcasts.

According to Jesus, the Kingdom belongs to the least of us. As a leader of the early church, James applies the way of the Kingdom to how we treat others. By accepting the free mercy of God as a gift rather than as something we have to achieve, we can then extend that same mercy to everyone regardless of their wealth or status. But to try and earn mercy or to withhold it from others is to neglect the heart of the gospel itself.

Praying for Healing

November 19, 2023 • Trey Van Camp • James 5:13–20

In this message, we study James 5 and discover the meaning behind a "prayer of faith."

The Only Path to Greatness

November 12, 2023 • Trey Van Camp • James 5:7–12

As James nears the end of his letter, one of the last encouragements he wants to give is a call to perseverance. In a world accustomed to anger, favoritism, slander, and ambition, it’s easy to feel the pressure to give up on the practices of Jesus, the truths of Jesus, or even on the way of Jesus altogether. But James reminds us that perseverance in our relationships with others and with God will reap rewards. Everything we deeply desire, from formative friendships to a tangible hope in God, requires us to pass through suffering with endurance, not sidestep suffering with escape. When we commit to loving each other well and maintaining hope in God, we become people able to reject the lies of the world and live out the truth of the gospel.

Invisible Greed & Inevitable Pain

November 5, 2023 • Trey Van Camp • James 5:1–6

As humans, we’re all accustomed to greed. By default, we strive to hoard and live extravagantly in order to build up wealth for ourselves and our families. But according to James, this lifestyle comes at a cost. Not only do we feed our greed at the expense of the poor and oppressed, but we also bring rot to our own souls. The more we indulge, the less like Jesus we become. But the gospel frees us from this trap of greed. In Christ we have no reason to hoard, live extravagantly, or perpetuate injustice because we have true and lasting contentment that comes from living a life focused on the Kingdom in communion with God.