Welcome to the Church on the Rock-Nashville, Arkansas weekly sermon podcast! We're delighted to have you join us as we explore and share the teachings that guide our faith and inspire our community.

At Church on the Rock, our vision is clear: We are committed to seeing the lost saved and the hurt restored. We strive to disciple, train, and empower individuals within our ministry, equipping them to serve and ultimately send them out to plant other ministries, continuing this cycle of faith and growth.

Each episode features insightful sermons that aim to strengthen your faith and provide spiritual nourishment. We hope these messages will not only uplift you but also inspire you to share God's love with others.

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Date: 3/23/2025

Pastor: Nick Birmingham

Church: Church On The Rock Nashville, Arkansas

Scripture Reference: James 1:19-27

Show Notes:

Introduction:
- Welcome and God's goodness acknowledged.
- Introduction to James 1:19-27 as the focus of the sermon.
- Personal anecdote about heart stickers and a public encounter to illustrate how people are always watching.
- Theme: Continuing the "City On A Hill" concept, emphasizing hearing, doing, and living God's word.
- Acknowledgment of the distractions and challenges of modern times.
- Addressing the common feeling that current struggles are unique, highlighting that scripture shows otherwise.
- Relating the feeling of teenagers who say “you don’t understand” to the idea that people think the bible is not relevant today.
- Emphasis on James’ instruction to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
- Prayer for the message to inspire living faith out loud.
The Struggle with Listening and Speaking:
- Personal story about impatience in Little Rock traffic to illustrate the struggle with listening and controlling anger.
- Transparency about personal struggles to connect with the audience.
- Highlighting the universal struggle of being quick to speak and slow to listen.
- James' encouragement to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
- Context from James 1:2-5 and 12-18:
  - Trials as opportunities for growth.
  - Importance of seeking wisdom from God.
  - Clarification that temptation comes from personal desires, not God.
James 1:19-27 Breakdown:
- Point 1: Be Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak, Slow to Anger (James 1:19-20):
  - "Know this, my beloved brothers" - emphasis on understanding how to act.
  - Importance of intentional listening in a noisy world.
  - Dangers of hasty speech and the harm words can cause.
  - Importance of creating space for God to speak.
  - Anger destroys relationships.
  - Ancient literature quote: “Be quick to hear but deliberate in answering.”
  - Think before you speak.
  - The negative effects of quick responses in texts or social media.
  - The negative real world effects of uncontrolled speech.
  - Proverbs 29:20.
  - Pausing and seeking God's guidance before responding.
- Point 2: Don't Just Hear, Live It (James 1:22-24):
  - Being doers of the word, not just hearers.
  - Action authenticates faith.
  - Living intentionally in alignment with God's word.
  - Explanation of the mirror analogy: regularly examining oneself.
  - Nominal Christians.
  - NT Wrights explanation of the mirror analogy.
  - Practical application: reflecting on God's word daily.
- Point 3: Real Religion Produces Life Change (James 1:26-27):
  - Controlling the tongue as a marker of true religion.
  - The destructive power of words.
  - Proverbs 18:21
  - True religion cares for the vulnerable (orphans and widows).
  - Living differently as Christ followers.
Application/Conclusion:
- James' invitation to live a radical life of listening and doing.
- Prayer for the congregation to be marked by deep engagement with God's word and care for others.
- Invitation to accept Christ.
- Prayer for those who need a re-ignition of their faith.
- Prayer for God to help everyone live out the message of the sermon.
Closing Remarks:
- Thank you for tuning in.
- Encouragement to subscribe and support the ministry.
- Blessing and farewell.