I don't know if you noticed what is hanging right here (in front of pulpit), but this was our project last week after worship to remind ourselves we're in this together. It was kind of like a little mosaic that we had to put together because we're in this together. Right?

Today we're going to begin by looking at 'what's your story?' One of the tactile elements that I've created is on the communion table and I invited you to pick one up after worship and to write your story. The story is not a big story - there's not much space so it's for you to be concise and think about your story with God. And how you pass that story along. This is kind of like a little mini testimony that you can give to somebody. I was taught that to give your testimony should be no longer than 3 minutes. A minute of what my life was like before, a minute of when Christ revealed himself to me, and last is what my life is like now as I trust and obey God. For there's no other way.

We're going to be looking at this idea of 'what's your story.' Bruce Larson was a Presbyterian minister at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle, Washington. And, later he went down into southern California at the Crystal Cathedral after Robert Schuller had retired. He helped the Crystal Cathedral until it closed.

Someone asked him one day about how to give sermons that people respond to...that people will remember. He said people will not probably remember the points that you made in your sermon for very long. How many of you remember those nine points from last week? I didn't think so. That's why I went through them rather quickly. But he [Bruce Larson] said to put what you're trying to say in a story, because they'll remember the story. Isn't that true?

A few weeks ago I talked about a story of the three (3) golden gates. And, people have remembered that. They have told me that - that is so good.

Stories have amazing power to inspire, to educate, to stay with us long after a sermon is forgotten. People's stories always seem to fascinate us. Perhaps because we can relate to parts of their stories. Or because it triggers something in us from their story. There's so many reasons on why stories are important ways to communicate the Christian message and life with one another.

Of course, Jesus used a lot of...

Today we're looking at finishing James. I know you're going to say we missed chapter 4, but we'll come back some other time. We're going to look at the last passage of James. In my opinion, I think the letter of James kept going, but we just don't have it anymore because it just abruptly ends. [reading of James 5:13-20 (NIV)]

May God give us understanding of that word this morning. This man's name was Jim. He was an executive in a large financial institution in Omaha, Nebraska. He was diagnosed with a severe liver disease, incurable. He would need treatment in the hospital every couple of months, which meant he would spend a week or so in the hospital. Does that sound like fun? No.

So, he and his wife became members of our church before he was diagnosed and they were very active on the committees and in mission projects. Anything we needed, Jim and Donna were there. One thing about Jim was that he did not want anyone to know that he was in the hospital. Any of you like that? He didn't want anyone to know. He was uncomfortable. When I walked into his hospital room one day...now, back in the day before the wonderful thing of HIPPA, I could go to a hospital's pastoral care department and look and see if any members of the church were admitted into the hospital. I miss those days. We had privileges, you might say.

During that initial hospital visit, he told me he just did not want visits. He wanted to be alone during this treatment time. And, I wanted to respect his wishes. But I told him if I was visiting other members of the church at the hospital, I would just pop my head in and say 'hello' and be on my way. Well, soon he would wave me into the room for the visit.

As his health declined, our visits...

An angel appears at a faculty meeting and tells the deam that in return for his unselfish and exemplary behavior, the Lord will reward him with his choice of infinite wealth, wisdom or beauty. Without hesitating, the dean selects infinite wisdom

"Done." says the angel, and disappears in a cloud of smoke and a bolt of lightning. Now, all heads turn toward the dean, who sits surrounded by a faint halo of light. At length, one of his colleagues whispers, "Say something."
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The dean looks at them and says, "I should have taken the money."

Uncle Ben gave this advice to Peter Parker, "with great power, comes great responsibility," is a guiding principle that has defined Spider Man's character throughout the years. This advice emphasizes the importance of using one's powers for the greater good and the responsibility that comes with them. It has been a central theme in Spider Man's story, influencing his decisions and actions as he battles crime and heroically saves lives.


James said it this way: "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom."

This morning we're in week three of looking at this 'Beyond Belief' from the book of James. Sometimes when you read James, you're like, "Man that's a stretch - that's really hard."

Today we get to one of the hardest: truthful speech. We're going to look at the first 12 verses of chapter 3 from the book of James. Those ancient words that still impart. So listen to what James writes to us today:

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Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us,
we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being
tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we
curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

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So may God give us understanding into that word this morning.

I want to begin with this wonderful poem and I have it up here on the screen for us. It's an old old poem. It says:

"If you are tempted to reveal a tale someone has told about another, make it pass before you speak: The three gates of gold these narrow gates.

: : First, is it true?,

: : Is it needful? In your mind, give truthful answer. And the next is last and narrowest,

: : Is it kind?

And if to reach your lips at last it passes through these gateways three, then you may tell the tale, nor fear...

Last week we started looking in the book of James. We looked at the idea of how God challenges us to view what goes on in our world. Are we to be all about power and strength? We learned that for James it was all about meekness and being humble. Today the lesson will begin in chapter 2. James may be the brother of Jesus who didn't believe Jesus was the Messiah until after the resurrection. James in his writing is a clear direction for the church for any age and time. On the surface this lesson we're going to look at is to be about partiality and judgement, but at a deeper glance, it is pointing to Christ's value as the basis for deep relationships with one another. Let us read James 2:1-10:

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Favoritism Forbidden

"1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in.
3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it."

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In the movie 'Friday Night Lights,' I know that's an older movie. It's a movie about a small Texas town that lived and breathed football in the fall. We came from Nebraska so we understand that talking about Husker football. Wow! I just want to let you know - it's huge...

So, to begin, we are going to look for the next 5 weeks in the book of James. It's a great book. It is a book about 'doing' and 'being'. I have the passage we're going to look at and it's in your bulletins and even if you want to open the Bible it's in the pew: James 1:17-27:

"Trials and Temptations
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Listening and Doing

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by
the world."

May God give us understanding of His word this morning.

Now, I really like Disney and Pixar. Maybe because I grew up down the road from Disneyland in Southern California. If we went to the top of my street in Fullerton, California at 9:35 every evening we could see the Disneyland fireworks.

In a world where so much of what we get from the media is full of imagery that are kind of unsavory and not appropriate for kids...I like the new high tech animated movies. Movies like Monsters Inc, Shrek, Robots, Cars. I've watched them a lot - they're funny and they are clever.