Element Christian Church
James: Part Twelve: Works and Wisdom
Locations & Times
Element Christian Church
4890 Bethany Ln, Santa Maria, CA 93455, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
Welcome to Element
We strive to ensure the biggest thing people think when they hear about Element is Jesus! Our aim is to glorify God by teaching and living out the Scriptures, transform community into Gospel community and planting churches.
New to Element? Need prayer? Just want to connect?
Click the link to fill out our Digital Connect Card so we can know you were here and send you a "Welcome" email.
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/295918Maundy Thursday
This year Element will be doing a Maundy Thursday service instead of a Good Friday Service. This service can be a little deeper than our other services and is intended for those who already believe and not necessarily someone who doesn't already know Jesus.<br><br>Maundy Thursday may sound odd to our ears, but it ranks among the richest and most complex of Christian celebrations. It is a prelude to Easter and anticipates Jesus’ coming suffering and resurrection power that will be given to followers of Christ to enable us to truly love one another. Maundy means mandate and we look at the mandate to remember the Gospel and how that remembrance leads us to love one another; as Jesus washes the disciples feet in the nature of a servant, so we too serve one another.<br><br>Childcare available for ages birth-Kindergarten.
Easter Celebration Services
Join us Easter Eve - Saturday, April 16th at 6:30pm for a smaller crowd*<br><br>OR<br><br>Sunday April 17th at 9am & 10:45am in person or virtually on our Livestream<br><br>*Saturday service will only have children's programs for ages birth-Kindergarten
The Weekender
The Weekender is a 2-day event intended for anyone who wants to move beyond simply attending services on a Sunday and explore how to get better connected both to Christ and to our church. Things kick off on Friday night, April 8th, and includes dinner with some of our staff, elders, and other leaders, as well as an introduction to Element’s vision and core values. On Saturday morning, we’ll share the theological beliefs that shape those values, how your role and spiritual gifts can fit within our community, and answer any questions you might have.
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/354544Baptism Sign Ups
Our next baptism celebration will be taking place Sunday, May 15th! If you are interested in being baptized, please fill out this link!
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/282489Church Center - the app
Free in your phone's app store and a huge resource to stay in touch with Element! Download today!
All the things
We mention all sorts of links throughout service, this is a summary of all of them in one place! Find our YouTube, current sign ups, ways to connect and more!
https://linktr.ee/ourelementWorks and Wisdom
Any time we have a misplaced identity (where we find our worth from people or things) we will lash out if we perceive those things as being threatened. What we need to see is that our worth comes from Jesus and that worth can never be taken from us because we are His. Jesus doesn’t just love some future version of us, He actually loves us here and now. Understanding these truths gives us the ability to live out our faith in the world in ways that reflect the goodness of God and not the fear so many others live in.
Kent Hughes says that wisdom comes to us in 4 specific ways:
• Reverence. Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." When we see God for who He is—holy, loving, and sovereign—a deep respect for Him brings us to the doorway of wisdom. When we truly see God we become humble and receptive to God’s wisdom.
• Conversion. We become those who are (as the Apostle Paul says 161 times) “in Christ,” who belong to Jesus. It indicates relationship with God through Christ that comes with conversion and salvation. A true relationship with Christ brings God’s wisdom to us and opens us to further wisdom.
• Scripture. The Scriptures constantly repeat that wisdom comes from God’s Word. If we want to live in wisdom we should spend time reading and thinking about God’s Word.
• Prayer. James starts his letter by telling us James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
God will always keep His word, the question becomes, “will we live in it?” The true root of wisdom is, as we have seen, a profound understanding of the greatness of God and our own smallness which will bring about humility. No one can be considered wise who is not at the same time humble
Read James 3:13-18.
• What’s the most foolish thing you’ve ever done (or second most if number one is too embarrassing)?
• Do you consider yourself a wise person?
• What/who do you look to for wisdom in your life?
• How is the wisdom from above different than the wisdom from below?
• In what ways does wisdom from above bring gentleness?
• In what ways does wisdom from above bring an openness to reason?
• In what ways does wisdom from above bring a fullness of mercy?
• In what ways does wisdom from above bring impartiality?
• How have you experienced ‘wisdom from below?’ Has it ever hurt you?
• Do you believe that God will always keep His word?
• What might God be calling you to grow in?
• In what ways do you want wisdom to be the train map of all of God’s decisions?
• How can we gain wisdom through reverence?
• How can we gain wisdom through conversion?
• How can we gain wisdom through scripture?
• How can we gain wisdom through prayer?