A Dynamic Faith
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Introduction to James
Before we get started I wanted to give some background information on the letter of James.
After Peter moved on from Jerusalem to start new churches, Jesus half brother James rose up as a leader of the church in Jerusalem, a church of messianic Jews. This church was the first christian community ever, and we know that while James was leading it suffered some very hard times.
There was a famine that led to great poverty
These messianic Jews were being persecuted by the traditional Jewish leaders in Jerusalem.
Jacob led these people with courage until he was killed by the Jewish leaders because he became a follower of Jesus.
James was a person who actually opposed Jesus at first. But after Jesus death and resurrection he appeared to James, and from that point on James was a loyal follower of Jesus.
In this letter we have the legacy of Jacob’s teaching and wisdom condensed into a very short but powerful work.
He begins this address with a greeting to all the messianic Jews who are living outside the land of israel.
This letter is different than Paul’s letters in that it doesn’t address the specific problems of one local gathering, but is a summary of his wisdom for every messianic community.
The goal of this letter isn’t to teach us deep theological knowledge but to get get inside your personal space and business and challenge the way that you live.
There are thought to be two major sources that heavily influence James. One is Jesus’ life and teaching especially the sermon on the mount. The other one is the book of Proverbs.
Jacob literally grew up with both Jesus and the Book of Proverbs. James gives several wisdom speeches and one liners that are easy to memorize.
What James is ultimately doing is calling the multiple Jesus communities to become truly wise by living according to Jesus summary of the Torah, Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.
Chapter one is basically a greeting and encouragement
Chapter two begins with James speaking about the dangers of favoritism.
And today we are picking up at James 2:14-26
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
James here outlines three different kinds of faith.
Dead Faith - James 2:24-17
This kind of faith is all talk and no walk
Their prayers sound good in public and their all their beliefs are good
they can quote all the right scriptures in the bible but they have no actual walk with the Lord.
This kind of faith is only an intellectual faith
this person knows the doctrine of salvation, but they don’t know the salvation that is offered, because they have never fully submitted themselves to God and trusted in Jesus for their salvation.
they are all words, but no works.
The question is “can this kind of faith save?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
If you say you have faith but have no changed life. = Dead faith
So how do you know whether or not you have this kind of faith.
Do you walk it like you talk it?
Do your works measure up to your words?
Look at the next kind of faith
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
James tells us that even demons have a type of faith
They believe in God
They believe that Jesus is God
They believe in hell
They believe Jesus is the Judge
You see in dead faith its just intellectual
In demonic faith it is intellect and emotions
it says they believe and shudder
The question is “can this faith save”
No. Correct beliefs and and emotional feeling isn’t enough
True faith involves more.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
Being a christian involves trusting Christ and living for him.
The people that have this kind of faith have a faith that is limited to
Having the right doctrines
enjoying an emotional experience while attending services
James says these kinds of faith can’t save you.
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
they are two sides to the same coin
A true faith isn’t just checking a box of the right beliefs
A true faith isn’t just an emotionalism - goosebumps when i sing hear certain songs.
It is a faith that leads to obedience.
To many people they hear this passage of scripture and it makes them uncomfortable. It actually made Martin Luther (the one from the 1500’s not the civil rights leader) uncomfortable.
Because Paul kept talking about “faith alone”
But Paul was talking to a group of people who thought they could earn their salvation by being religious
And James is talking to people who think they can live however they want to because they had the right beliefs and enjoyed a good church service.
I know there are probably two groups of people here today.
The first group is that you just showed up because you enjoyed the Christmas eve service and decided to come back and check out what this Jesus thing is all about. I want you to know that I am glad you are here today! You are welcome at our church.
And there are those in this second group.
I know that if I sat down and had a conversation with each of you that no one wants a dead faith, and no one wants a demonic faith.
No one woke up this morning and got dressed just trying to figure out how you could fool a bunch of people.
I know you are here because you want a dynamic faith. And if you are like most people you’ve tried to change your actions but you just struggle.
What I want for you is for 2020 would be a year a year of growth for you in your faith.
I want us to see the things that impact our faith. I am committing myself to evaluate three things in my life on a consistent basis. And I believe that these aren’t just for me, but they are for everyone.
As we go over this I want to be clear, you must have a crisis of faith in your life where you realize your need for Jesus. You trust in his death on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins. His death and resurrection are our path to eternal life. That is the only path to eternal life. When that happens he gives us Holy Spirit to help.
But how do we grow and have a dynamic faith.
We change the stories that impact us.
We all like a good story. Whether its a book or a movie, or even a video game. We like stories. The parts of the bible that tend to stick in our minds tend to be stories. When Jesus spoke he did so in parables, or stories.
We are creatures who live by our stories. From early on we are told stories by our parents, which help us makes sense of life, or how life should be. When we have a significant experience we tent to put them into stories.
Some of us have narratives that are running and in some cases ruining our lives.
You are bombarded with stories. From Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat. Our teachers give us stories, our bosses give us stories, our friends give us stories. We are constantly being told who we are by the world. By magazines, by advertisements, by news articles, and constant news television. But the stories that are told in those places don’t even come close to comparing to the story that God has about you.
Kristen posted this on facebook this week and I wanted to share it with you.
I am created by God.
He designed me. So I’m not a mistake.
His Son died for me so I could be forgiven.
He picked me to be His own, so I’m chosen.
He redeemed me, so I am wanted.
He showed me grace, just so I could be saved.
He has a future for me because He loves me.
I am a Child of God!
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Some of you struggle with the thoughts going through your heads.
Your brain is negative. Part of that can simply be because you don’t take the time to put God’s thoughts in your head. Rather than combat the random thoughts of anxiety with the Word of God, we continue to listen and meditate on negative possibilities. Things are just going to be bad.
But we have to question the stories that are running through our heads and ask if they match up to what Jesus has said about us.
Its no coincidence that Jesus first sermon was about having a change of mind.
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
The word repent is the word metanoia in greek. It means change your mind. This is where transformation begins. Trust the stories that God has for you.
The second way we grow a dynamic faith is through our practices.
I know so many people who what to grow in their faith, but they never do devotions. They never take time to read their Bible. They want to grow, but church is just an option when they have time. They want to grow but they refuse to sing during worship. They want to grow but they don’t pray. And so they ask God, give me the desire.
Following your feelings is what children do. Do the right things and feelings will follow.
Start doing devotions every day. Grab an our daily bread devotional in one of the lobbies. Thats actually how I picked my scripture for today.
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
We participate in these exercise to change the way that we live.
Lastly what helps grow our faith is through community.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,