Rolling Hills Community Church // Franklin Campus

Faith Works: The Book of James // How to Be Rich

·40 min·4 clips

James, the half-brother of Jesus, writes a letter to persecuted Christians about living out faith in money, suffering, and prayer.

The episode is part of the 'Faith Works' series on the book of James, delivered at the Franklin campus of Rolling Hills Community Church. The host begins by framing faith as a lifelong journey that starts with salvation and matures through daily trust in God. He introduces James as the half-brother of Jesus and a leader in the early church, writing to persecuted Christians scattered from Jerusalem. The sermon is structured around three key areas from James 5: faith seen in money, suffering, and prayer. First, the host discusses money, citing James's warning to rich people about hoarding wealth and exploiting workers, and emphasizes that the love of money is the root of evil, not wealth itself. He shares a personal anecdote about a man in Indiana who learned to tithe, illustrating the three Ps of giving: percentage, priority, and progressive generosity. Second, the host addresses suffering, encouraging patience and trust in God's sovereignty, using the examples of farmers, prophets, and Job to show how faith grows through trials. He references Romans 8:28 to affirm that God works for good in all things. Third, the host covers prayer, highlighting the importance of confessing sins to others and praying boldly, with examples from Elijah's life. The sermon concludes with a call to action, inviting listeners to salvation, confession, or renewed faith, and shares a story about a hospice nurse recognizing people of faith. The host ties the message to historical persecution, noting how faith spread the church throughout the Roman Empire, and ends with communion preparation.

As heard by us

A plain sermon on generosity, priority, and the pull of money.

This sermon keeps its focus on faith, stewardship, and generosity, tying first fruits and paychecks to the broader question of what money is for.

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Why you'd press play

If money makes you twitch, this sermon takes aim at your wallet and your giving.

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