James the Son of Thunder

In this sermon from The Dirty Dozen series, Wayne Surface explores the life of James, one of Jesus’s favorite apostles and the first of the twelve to be martyred. Drawing from Acts 12, Luke 9, and Matthew 7, Pastor Surface challenges us to consider what our reputation truly is and what “name” Jesus would give us based on our actions and character. The message focuses on three key themes: (1) understanding our spiritual nature and what controls us, (2) living fully for Christ rather than merely being willing to die for Him, and (3) making our life’s “dash”—the time between birth and death—count for God’s glory. Whether your personality is bold like James or gentle like others, God calls us to be Spirit-controlled and to live with purpose, knowing that how we spend our days matters eternally.