Living Out Resurrection: Faith in Action
Summary
The journey through the book of James invites us to move beyond words and beliefs into a living, embodied faith. In this season of Easter, as resurrection life continues to bloom around us, we are called to reflect on what it means to truly live as resurrection people. The heart of the gospel is not just a set of ideas or doctrines, but a call to action—especially on behalf of the vulnerable: the sick, the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the stranger. James challenges us to show up for one another, to let our faith be seen in the way we care for those on the margins, and to resist the temptation to settle for a faith that is all talk and no substance.
Anger and wrath are real and present in our lives, especially when we see injustice and suffering. James does not ask us to suppress our anger, but to be slow to wrath, to discern how we channel our passion. Wrath poured out on others does not produce God’s righteousness, which is not about right belief or purity of ideology, but about right relationship. We are invited to pour our overwhelming emotions into the hands of God, who can hold what is too much for us, and to practice the holy work of slowing down, grounding ourselves, and seeking wholeness.
At the core of our being is the “word” planted deep within us—the logos, the logic of love that is the blueprint of all creation. This is not merely the words of scripture, but the living Christ, the love that binds the cosmos together. When we look in the mirror, we are called to see this logic of love reflected in ourselves, to remember who we truly are, and to live out of that truth. Forgetting this leads us to be shaped by the propaganda and lies of empire, but remembering calls us home to our truest selves.
Faith is not just something we believe; it is something we do. James calls us to be “poets” of the word—makers, performers, artists of love in the world. Our lives are meant to be the poetry of the gospel, not just an audience admiring from afar. True devotion is to care for the vulnerable and to resist the contamination of empire’s values. We must consciously choose what forms us, filling ourselves with the logic of love rather than the ambient lies of domination and greed.
Salvation, in this vision, is not a ticket to heaven but the lived reality of warmth, food, connection, and love. Faith that does not result in action is dead—a mask over a tomb. But faith that comes alive in us brings new life to the world. We are called to shed our masks, to come home to ourselves, and to participate in the resurrection life that God is bringing about in all creation.
Key Takeaways
- Anger is not the enemy; unexamined wrath is. James distinguishes between holy anger and destructive wrath, urging us to be slow to let our passions boil over. The work of justice will make us angry, but we are called to channel that energy wisely, grounding ourselves and pouring our pain into God’s hands rather than inflicting it on others. This is a practice of liberation and wholeness, not passivity. [41:06]
- The “word” planted in us is the logic of love, not just scripture or doctrine. The logos is the creative force of Christ, the love that undergirds all things and is woven into our very being. When we feel lost or disconnected, we are invited to come home to ourselves, to remember that the truth of God’s love is already within us, calling us to live out of that deep identity. [47:32]
- Faith is meant to be embodied, not just believed. James calls us to be “poets” of the word—those whose lives are a creative performance of love and justice. It is not enough to admire or intellectually assent to the gospel; we are to make it visible and tangible in our actions, especially in how we care for the vulnerable. [51:01]
- The world is full of competing logics—empire’s propaganda and the kingdom’s logic of love. We must be intentional about what forms us, choosing to immerse ourselves in the teachings and communities that build right relationship. If we do not make conscious choices, the values of domination and exclusion will seep in unnoticed, contaminating our faith and practice. [58:08]
- Salvation is communal, concrete, and present. It is not about individual escape or afterlife rewards, but about meeting real needs—feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, loving the outcast. Faith that does not result in this kind of action is dead, a mask over a tomb. But when we let the logic of love come alive in us, we participate in the resurrection life that God is bringing to all creation. [01:02:01]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[25:13] - Testimony: Faith in Action
[31:16] - Prayer for Justice and Community
[32:27] - Living as Resurrection People
[33:34] - What Does Resurrection Change?
[35:16] - Show, Don’t Tell: The Power of Action
[36:43] - Anger vs. Wrath: A Deeper Look
[39:10] - Practices for Grounding and Grief
[41:06] - Pouring Out Wrath to God
[43:02] - Righteousness as Right Relationship
[44:39] - The Word Planted Within: Logos
[46:07] - Coming Home to the Logic of Love
[48:31] - Mirrors, Memory, and Identity
[51:01] - Becoming Poets of the Word
[54:40] - The Heart of the Gospel: Caring for the Vulnerable
[57:18] - Counter-Formation in a Culture of Lies
[59:48] - Faith Without Works Is Dead
[01:02:01] - Salvation as Wholeness and Action
[01:05:47] - Faith as Orientation and Embodiment
[01:08:10] - Life in the Kingdom vs. Empire
[01:27:08] - Communion: Remembering and Embodying Love
[01:30:36] - Open Table: All Are Welcome
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Living Resurrection Faith (James 1–2)
---
### Bible Reading
James 1:19-27; 2:14-17 (CEB or NRSVUE recommended)
> 19 Know this, my dear brothers and sisters: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to grow angry. 20 This is because an angry person doesn’t produce God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore, with humility, set aside all moral filth and the growth of wickedness, and welcome the word planted deep inside you—the very word that is able to save you.
> 22 You must be doers of the word and not only hearers who mislead themselves. 23 People who hear the word but don’t do it are like those who look at their faces in a mirror. 24 They look at themselves, walk away, and immediately forget what they were like. 25 But there are those who study the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continue to do it. They don’t listen and then forget, but they put it into practice in their lives; they will be blessed in whatever they do.
> 26 If those who claim devotion to God don’t control what they say, they mislead themselves. Their devotion is worthless. 27 True devotion, the kind that is pure and faultless before God the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their difficulties and to keep the world from contaminating us.
> 14 My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it? Claiming to have faith can’t save anyone, can it? 15 Imagine a brother or sister who is naked and never has enough food to eat. 16 What if one of you said, “Go in peace! Stay warm! Have a nice meal!”? What good is it if you don’t actually give them what their body needs? 17 In the same way, faith is dead when it doesn’t result in faithful activity.
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### Observation Questions
1. According to James, what is the difference between anger and wrath, and what does he say about how we should handle these emotions?
[[36:43]]
2. What does James mean by “the word planted deep inside you”? How does the sermon describe this “word”?
[[44:39]]
3. In James 1:22-25, what metaphor does James use for people who hear the word but don’t do it?
[[48:31]]
4. What does James say is “true devotion” or “pure religion” in verse 27?
[[54:40]]
---
### Interpretation Questions
1. The sermon says that anger is not the enemy, but unexamined wrath is. How does this distinction help us understand what it means to be “slow to wrath” in our own lives?
[[41:06]]
2. The “word” or “logos” is described as the logic of love, not just scripture or doctrine. What does it mean for this logic of love to be “planted” in us, and how might that shape our identity and actions?
[[46:07]]
3. James calls us to be “poets” of the word—makers, performers, artists of love. What does it look like to be a “poet” of the gospel in everyday life, rather than just an admirer or audience member?
[[51:01]]
4. The sermon says that salvation is not a ticket to heaven but a lived reality of warmth, food, connection, and love. How does this understanding of salvation challenge or affirm your previous beliefs?
[[01:02:01]]
---
### Application Questions
1. Think about a time when you felt anger about injustice or suffering. How did you respond? What practices could help you slow down and pour out your overwhelming emotions to God, rather than letting them spill onto others?
[[41:06]]
2. The sermon invites us to “come home” to ourselves and remember the logic of love planted within us. Are there moments when you forget who you truly are? What helps you remember your identity as someone loved by God?
[[47:32]]
3. James says faith without works is dead—a mask over a tomb. Are there areas in your life where your faith is more about words or beliefs than about action? What is one concrete step you could take this week to embody your faith?
[[01:05:47]]
4. The heart of the gospel, according to James, is caring for the vulnerable. Who are the “orphans and widows” (the vulnerable) in your community today? How might you or your group show up for them in practical ways?
[[54:40]]
5. The sermon warns about the “contamination” of empire’s values—domination, greed, exclusion. What are some ways these values might be seeping into your life or community? How can you intentionally fill yourself with the logic of love instead?
[[58:08]]
6. The sermon describes salvation as communal and concrete—meeting real needs. Is there someone in your life who needs warmth, food, connection, or love right now? What could you do this week to participate in God’s resurrection life for them?
[[01:02:01]]
7. The idea of being “poets of the word” suggests creativity and performance. What is one creative way you could make the gospel visible and tangible in your daily life or relationships?
[[51:01]]
---
Closing Prayer:
Invite the group to pray for courage to embody the logic of love, to care for the vulnerable, and to participate in God’s resurrection life in practical ways this week.
Devotional
Day 1: Faith Must Be Embodied in Action, Not Just Words
True faith is not simply about believing or speaking the right things; it is about allowing the logic of love, the very essence of Christ, to transform us so deeply that our lives become poetry—living, breathing expressions of God’s love in the world. When we merely hear or talk about faith but do not act, we are like those who look in a mirror and forget who they are, losing sight of the love and purpose planted within us. The call is to become doers, performers, and poets of the word, letting our actions reveal the truth of our faith and the resurrection life within us. [48:31]
James 1:22-25 (NRSVUE)
"But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing."
Reflection: What is one concrete way you can embody the love of Christ for someone in your life today, moving beyond words into action?
Day 2: Slow to Wrath, Quick to Discernment
Anger is a natural and even holy response to injustice, but wrath—violent, punishing passion—does not produce the right relationships God desires. Instead, we are called to slow down, notice what is rising within us, and pour out our overwhelming emotions to God, who can hold them, rather than letting them spill destructively onto others. This practice of holy discernment helps us resist being conduits of violence and instead become agents of healing and right relationship, grounded in the logic of love. [42:13]
James 1:19-21 (NRSVUE)
"You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls."
Reflection: When you feel anger rising today, what practice can you use to slow down and offer your emotions to God instead of reacting in wrath?
Day 3: The Heart of the Gospel—Caring for the Vulnerable
At the core of the gospel is the call to care for the orphans, widows, the sick, the outsider, and all who are vulnerable; this is the true measure of devotion and the evidence of a living faith. Faith that does not result in tangible care for those in need is empty, no matter how correct our beliefs or how passionate our words. The kingdom of God is revealed in our radical participation in justice, compassion, and solidarity with the marginalized, not in mere aesthetic alignment or religious performance. [54:40]
James 1:27 (NRSVUE)
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."
Reflection: Who in your community or city is vulnerable or in distress, and what is one step you can take this week to show up for them in love?
Day 4: Faith Without Works Is Dead
Belief alone, even if it is correct, is not enough—faith that does not result in faithful action is lifeless, like a whitewashed tomb. The resurrection life is not about performing holiness while dying inside, but about allowing the logic of love to bring us truly alive, transforming us and the world around us. Salvation is not just a future hope but is found in meeting real needs—feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and loving our neighbors—so that our faith becomes salvific for our community and the cosmos. [01:06:41]
James 2:14-17 (NRSVUE)
"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,' and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead."
Reflection: Is there a place in your life where your faith has become passive or performative? What is one way you can let your faith come alive through concrete action today?
Day 5: Remembering Who You Are—The Logic of Love Within
The logic of love, the very word (logos) that called creation into being, is implanted deep within each of us; when we forget this, we lose ourselves to the propaganda and lies of empire, but when we remember, we come home to our true selves and to God. The journey of faith is a continual process of remembering and re-membering—gathering the scattered pieces of ourselves and our community into wholeness, rooted in the love that binds all creation. In every act of communion, connection, and justice, we are invited to remember who we are and to let the resurrection life of Christ come alive in us and through us. [01:27:59]
John 1:1, 14 (NRSVUE)
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth."
Reflection: What helps you remember the love and purpose God has planted within you, and how can you intentionally return to that truth today?
Quotes
But right now, we're in a season of reflecting on what it means to embody the resurrection, to look at what happened when empire tried to kill love and love came alive anew again and again, completely unrecognizable to those stuck in the ways of death. [00:32:52] (19 seconds)
If resurrection is real, then what is different about my life? And this is what the letter of James is trying to capture for a people. A people who, within their own community, within lifetimes that we're still living and breathing, we're trying to grapple with, the resurrection just happened. What do we do? [00:33:34] (24 seconds)
But in that moment, it felt good because I had something bubbling up within me and I wanted to pour it out on someone else. You know what doesn't help us get to the kingdom? That wrath, that punishing, vengeful rising up within this violent passion, it does not help us get there. [00:39:10] (20 seconds)
But what is it for you? What are the things that you need in order to keep you grounded? Because this fight is going to make you angry and it should. Looking around at the ways of the world is upsetting, especially if you've seen the kingdom, especially if you know what's possible, especially if you have taken off that veneer of numbing yourself. [00:40:02] (25 seconds)
Slow it down and then pour it out somewhere else. You know who can hold all of that? God. The spirit of God can actually contain the things that are too big for us to pour out on one another and too painful to hold inside. [00:41:19] (18 seconds)
And so, part of the practice of liberation, part of moving towards wholeness is actually recognizing in ourselves when that wrath is bubbling up, slowing it down and pouring it out into the hands of God, the one who can actually hold it. [00:41:37] (18 seconds)
It is holy, holy work to be slow to wrath. And it is hard. But don't ever let anyone give you this passage and tell you it's about passivity or not being angry. It is about a discernment that refuses to be a conduit for violence. Okay? [00:42:29] (25 seconds)
You are made with the blueprint, the logic of the whole creation, the whole cosmos which is the love that binds together and heals into wholeness. Welcome it. welcome it says James. It is implanted in you. It is a part of you. It is the fabric of your being and when we talk about Jesus, when we talk about the word, that's what we're talking about, the love that binds your very cells together, the love that breathes creation into existence, the love that is powerful enough to heal the whole cosmos over the course of eternity. [00:46:29] (41 seconds)
When you fly off the handle, come home to yourself. When you drift from your values, come home to yourself. When you can't recognize yourself in the mirror, come home to who you are and welcome the logic of love that brought you into being. [00:47:46] (16 seconds)
The scriptures are so consistent. Care for the vulnerable, the physically vulnerable, the economically vulnerable, the socially vulnerable, the sick, the orphan, the outsider, the widow. If these are not in your teaching, your teaching is soulless. It is a cheap imitation. It wears the veneer of Jesus or Christianity or religion or spirituality, but underneath it, it is dead. And that is what James means when he gets into his whole faith without works is dead. Let's go on. [01:00:19] (35 seconds)
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