Our scripture reading schedule in that New Testament portion. I have posted the schedule out on the bulletin board, as it is lacking from most of the bulletins. This brings us through the close of the book of Hebrews and through the book of James. Hebrews 12 and 13, the closing chapters. brings home the message of persevering in the faith. And the book concludes in chapter 13 with practical moral encouragements. We've heard some of that in our reading of the law this afternoon. The book of James bears the name of its author, and this is James the Just, the half-brother of Jesus. It is one of the earliest books of the New Testament, being written sometime in the early to mid 40s. It is written to these early Christians scattered outside of Jerusalem, and it instructs them in their calling in a wide variety of contexts. It is intensely practical, touching on that wide range of topics from their life together in their assemblies to their daily trials. The first chapter touches on several of the themes that will be expanded further in the remainder of the book, chapter two, reproves partiality and calls for a living faith that is demonstrated in an obedient life. Chapter three calls for a self-discipline that begins with taming the untamable tongue and concludes with a call to live according to that peaceableness which accords with divine wisdom. Chapter four reproves pride in its various forms, and the concluding chapter provides final encouragement to live faithfully and persevering together in affliction, caring for one another. I want to read in your hearing chapter one, where there is, as it were, a kind of introductory outline of topics that will be touched in the rest of the book, even while there is some brief instruction in each of these topics. Each of these gets expanded in the coming chapters. But here, we can be mindful of the abbreviated form and of particular note It has been pressed on my heart as we considered the Lord's instruction about the life of those who will follow Him. It is to take heart and be encouraged in our suffering. is the opposite of what we're disposed to do. Naturally, we fall into complaining rather than seeing what the Lord is doing in those trials and tribulations. Other things, how we treat one another in the assemblies and so on are touched here, but he presses particularly that theme and we'll return to it. And it is so needful for us that we will remember our calling is to take up our cross, that there is a good that's being done in all of our suffering. This is the repeated theme in Christ's teaching and here in the epistles and James presses that here along with other subjects he'll expand. Let's stand together and hear this first chapter of James' brief epistle. James chapter 1 at verse 1. James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greetings. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials. knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience, but let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, For he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field, he will pass away, for no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass, its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes, so the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. Blessed is the man who endures temptation, For when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted with evil, nor does he himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then when desire is conceived, It gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of light, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will, He brought us forth by the word of truth. that we might be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror. For he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it and is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless, pure, and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this, to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and keep oneself unspotted from the world. Thus ends the reading of God's holy word. You may be seated.