What causes fights, jealousy, and division—even among believers?

In this powerful message from James 4, Pastor Jayden Zwerner walks us through one of the most confronting passages in Scripture. James doesn’t blame circumstances, politics, personality conflicts, or other people. He goes deeper. The root of conflict, he says, is the battle within us—desires that were once good but have become ultimate.

Building from James 3:13–18, we’re reminded that true wisdom is humble, peace-loving, full of mercy, and sincere. But when envy and selfish ambition take root, disorder follows. James 4 asks the hard question: What happens when “me, my, and mine” take the driver’s seat of our lives?

Through the story of Rachel and Leah (Genesis 29–30), we see how unchecked jealousy and comparison can spiral into relational destruction. What begins as a good desire can slowly become an idol—reshaping our identity, our prayer life, and even our friendships.

This sermon explores:

• Why conflicts often reveal deeper heart issues
• How good desires become “ultimate things”
• What it means to delight in the Lord (Psalm 37:4)
• The danger of friendship with the world (James 4:4)
• The hope found in James 4:6 — “But He gives us more grace.”

The invitation is not shame—it’s grace. The same grace that saved you is the grace that sustains you. When we humble ourselves, submit to God, and draw near to Him, He promises to lift us up.

If you’ve ever wrestled with envy, comparison, unanswered prayer, or frustration that obedience isn’t “paying off,” this message is for you.

📖 Scripture Focus: James 3:13–18; James 4:1–10
🙏 Closing Prayer: Psalm 51:10–12

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In James Week 5, Pastor Aaron McRae tackles one of the most challenging and relevant issues in our everyday lives: our words. From trained animals and massive ships to raging wildfires, James uses vivid imagery to show that while humans can tame almost anything, no one can tame the tongue.

Walking through James 3, this teaching reveals the sobering truth that uncontrolled speech can wound deeply, divide communities, and even shape the direction of our lives. Words are never words “just slipping out”—they reveal what is stored in the heart. Gossip, anger, careless teaching, and online speech all carry disproportionate power, especially in a world where everyone has a platform.

But James doesn’t leave us stuck. The tongue may not be able to be tamed, but it can be transformed. Through submission to God, repentance, wisdom, and the renewing work of Jesus, our words can move from destruction to healing, from division to reconciliation. As followers of Christ, we are called to speak life—words that glorify God, build others up, and point people toward the reconciling hope of the gospel.

Resources & Scriptures Referenced

Primary Passage

• James 3:1–12
• James 1:26
• James 4:7–8

Supporting Scriptures

• Proverbs 18:21
• Ephesians 4:29
• Matthew 12:34–37
• 2 Corinthians 5:16–21
• Psalm 19:14

Practical Tools

• Good, God, Gospel Conversations
  https://goodgodgospel.com/

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What does it mean to have a faith that actually lives?

In James 2:14–24, Pastor Woody Morwood challenges us to recapture an undeniable, living faith—a faith that moves beyond words and belief statements into real, visible action. James confronts the idea that faith can exist without deeds and asks a sobering question: Can that kind of faith save?

Through a powerful story of a small church faithfully serving people released from prison in Venezuela, this message reminds us that faith is not a claim to make—it’s a life to live. A faith rooted in Jesus will always express itself through love, compassion, and obedience. True faith shows up in real moments, responds to real needs, and moves toward people—not away from them.

James teaches that faith and action are not competing ideas. They are inseparable. Faith is a verb, and when it is alive, it shapes how we love, serve, give, and live every day.

This message invites us to examine our faith honestly and ask: Is my faith moving—or has it stalled?

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Playing favorites may feel like a phase we outgrow, but James confronts how deeply partiality still shapes our lives—and our faith. In James 2:1–13, we are warned that favoritism based on status, appearance, wealth, or ideology is incompatible with faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.

This teaching by Pastor Aaron McRae exposes how easily we absorb the world’s habits of ranking, judging, and dividing others, often without realizing it. James reminds us that true faith is not merely held—it is lived. Faith in Jesus must look like Jesus, expressed through mercy, humility, and love for neighbor without exception.

Through Scripture, cultural insight, and practical application, this message calls believers to examine their hearts, reject unconscious bias, and live under the “royal law” of love. Ultimately, James leaves us with a defining vision for Christian living: mercy triumphs over judgment.

James Study Journal – Weekly Scripture readings, reflection prompts, and space to apply the teaching personally or with a group - https://hillsidechurches.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/James2026_Journal_FINAL.pdf

Discussion Guide – Designed for small groups, coffee groups, or families to process the message together - https://hillsidechurches.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Discussion-Guide-1.18.26.pdf

Resources & Scripture References
Primary Text: James 2:1–13

Supporting Scripture
-Leviticus 19:15, 18
-Genesis 1:27
-Galatians 3:26–28
-John 1:14
-John 15:12–13
-Exodus 33:18–19
-Ephesians 3:17–19

Referenced Authors
-Douglas Moo, James
-Scot McKnight, The Letter of James
-N.T. Wright, Early Christian Letters for Everyone
-Scott Sauls, Irresistible Faith

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What does it really mean to hear God? In James Week 2, Pastor Aaron McRae explores how genuine listening to God’s Word is proven not by information received, but by lives transformed. Using the image of a hearing test, James challenges us to examine whether we are merely hearing Scripture—or actually responding to it with obedience.

Walking through James 1:19–27, this message unpacks how hearing God begins with listening more than speaking, slowing our anger, humbly welcoming the Word, and intentionally putting it into practice. Pastor Aaron highlights James’s warning against self-deception: when we hear without doing, we convince ourselves we’re growing when we’re not. True faith is not just orthodox belief but lived obedience that expresses itself in transformed character and compassionate action toward others.

This teaching invites us to quiet the noise of our lives, tune our hearts to God’s voice through Scripture, and respond with concrete, faithful steps. When we hear like God intends, our hearts are aligned with Him—and our lives become attentive to the needs of the people around us.

Resources

• James Study Journal – Weekly Scripture readings, reflection prompts, and space to apply the teaching personally or with a group - https://hillsidechurches.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/James2026_Journal_FINAL.pdf
• Discussion Guide – Designed for small groups, coffee groups, or families to process the message together - https://hillsidechurches.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Discussion-Guide-1.18.26.pdf
• Scripture Focus: James 1:19–27; Psalm 85:7–8
• Recommended Reading:
  • James by Douglas Moo
  • James by George M. Stulac
  • Caring Enough to Hear and Be Heard by David W. Augsburger

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In James Week 1, Pastor Aaron McRae opens the Book of James by addressing one of life’s hardest questions: How do we trust God in the middle of real suffering? James does not deny the reality of trials—he names them plainly—and invites believers into a new, Jesus-centered way of viewing hardship, vulnerability, and perseverance.

Drawing from James 1, the sermon reframes trials as places where God forms resilience, maturity, and hope. Rather than offering clichés or quick fixes, Scripture calls us to honest faith—one that asks God for wisdom, resists despair, and clings to Jesus when suffering lingers. True faith is not proven by the absence of pain, but by perseverance shaped through it.

📚 Resources & References

Books & Authors Referenced

• Tish Harrison Warren — Prayer in the Night
  Quote on deciding God’s goodness apart from outcomes.
• Brennan Manning — Ruthless Trust
  Reflection on suffering, loss, and the danger of shallow explanations.
• K.J. Ramsey — This Too Shall Last
  Quote addressing suffering, American Christianity, and enduring pain.

Biblical Passages

• James 1:2–5, 12–15
• 1 Peter 1:6–7
• Romans 5:3–5
• Hebrews 12:2–3
• John 16:33
• Psalm 46:1
• 1 John 2:16–17
• 1 Corinthians 10:13

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We live in a culture obsessed with efficiency—quick fixes, shortcuts, and life hacks that promise fast results. But what if the life God is forming in us requires something slower, deeper, and more transformative?

In this message, we explore the difference between life hacks and life-giving habits, and why spiritual maturity is not accidental—it is formed through intentional rhythms, practices, and relationships over time. Using Colossians 1, Hebrews 5, and other key Scriptures, this teaching reframes Christian maturity not as doing more religious activity, but becoming fully trained in Christ for the sake of others.

We examine common cultural lies about identity, truth, and independence, and contrast them with biblical habits that lead to real formation: knowing and relying on God’s love, ongoing engagement with Scripture, sacrificial service, and authentic interdependence within the church. This message challenges cultural Christianity and invites us into a committed, formed, resilient faith that lasts.

If you are entering a new year asking, “Who am I becoming?” or “What kind of faith do I want to build?”, this teaching offers a clear, biblical vision for spiritual growth rooted in Jesus—not hype, not shortcuts, but transformation.

Resources in this Sermon

Scripture Passages

• Colossians 1:21–29
• Hebrews 5:11–14
• 1 John 4:15–18
• Romans 12:1–2
• Philippians 3:15–18
• 1 Corinthians 3:1–3
• Psalm 16:11
• Galatians 5:22
• Philippians 4:4–6

Books & Authors

• Invitation to a Journey — M. Robert Mulholland Jr.
• Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You — Marcus Warner, Jim Wilder

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In this message, Pastor Natalie Moore walks through Acts 16 to reveal how the gospel of Jesus reaches people from every background, circumstance, and moment of desperation. From Lydia’s open heart, to a nameless enslaved woman set free, to a Roman jailer asking, “What must I do to be saved?”, one truth becomes unmistakably clear: the gospel is for everyone.

Pastor Natalie highlights how the same Holy Spirit who empowered the early church is alive and active in believers today, challenging us to consider whether we are living out our faith with the same boldness and obedience as those who came before us. Through Paul and Silas’ worship in prison, their response to suffering, and their care for people in crisis, we are reminded that followers of Jesus are called to offer a Savior before a solution.

This teaching also reframes evangelism as a relational, prayerful way of life—sharing not only the gospel, but our lives—through intentional relationships, hospitality, and trust in God’s timing. Whether you are new to faith, facing a season of desperation, or longing to share your faith more confidently, this message invites you to recognize divine opportunities and live anchored in the hope of Jesus.

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