Bay Leaf Baptist Church

In his sermon on James 4:11-5:6, Pastor Jared Richard explores how pride—which God hates—is the root of all sin. Using the metaphor of invasive weeds that must be pulled from the root, Pastor Richard identifies three manifestations of pride that threaten the Christian heart. First, a judgmental view of others reveals we've forgotten our own sinfulness and God's mercy toward us. Second, a presumptuous view of the future shows we're planning without acknowledging God's sovereignty, forgetting that "this is the day that the Lord has made" (Psalm 118:24). Third, a self-indulgent view of wealth demonstrates we've forgotten that "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof" (Psalm 24:1). The solution to pride isn't simply behavior modification but remembering who God is—sovereign, holy, and gracious—which properly reorients our understanding of ourselves. When we humble ourselves before God, submitting to His lordship in every area of life, He promises to lift us up. This begins with repentance and faith in Ch