James 2:14-19
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Intro: Welcome my Friends
BIBLE TEXT: James 2:14-19 “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!”
Sermon Title: GROW UP & SHOW UP
Joke:
An Englishman and an Irishman go to a bakery. The Englishman steals three buns and puts them into his pockets and leaves. He says to the Irishman: “That took great skill and guile to steal those buns. The owner didn’t even see me.”
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“That’s just simple thievery,” the Irishman replied. “I’ll show you how to do it the honest way and get the same results.”
The Irishman then proceeded to call out the owner of the bakery and says: “Sir, I want to show you a magic trick.” The owner was intrigued so he came over to see the magic trick.
The Irishman asked him for a bun and then he proceeded to eat it. He asked two more times and after eating them again the owner says: “Okay my friend, where’s the magic trick?”
Title Points: SHOW ME DON’T TELL ME
Outline 1
Bible Text : James 2:14 “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?”
One Teaching Idea: (1 Sentence or Less)
Many people think their belief alone, without any good deeds , is satisfactory in God’s sight.
However, talk is cheap, and so cheap claims are worthless.
Faith not accompanied by deeds has no saving value.
Anyone can say he has faith,
but if his life-style remains selfish and worldly, then what good is that faith?
It is merely faith that believes about Jesus, not faith that believes in him.
Paul Concerned with the exercise of “true faith,” or saving faith—this faith not only opens the door for grace, but leads to obedient action
Ephesians 2:8–10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Paul
Calls “works” those legalistic efforts to secure one’s own salvation—any attempt at self-justification was called works. For Paul, the beginning of salvation was always faith. After that, works followed
Example - Pharisees or religions that are built on rituals or good deeds
Galatians 3:2 “This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—”
We first come to God by faith, receiving what we could never hope to earn.
Then, out of gratitude, we seek to serve the One who loves us in every way we possibly can.
Our faith leads to grateful work.
James is telling us that, given enough time, faith will demonstrate its liveliness by action
THIEF ON THE CROSS
The dying thief said a few words of profound eloquence: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”
The thief truly believed yet was able to do no “works” … or was he? Did even this man’s short-lived, genuine faith lead to real action? Certainly it did!
The apostle Paul clearly describes what is probably the first “work” most believers do when their faith is genuine:
they verbally confess their faith
(see Romans 10:9–10 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Most of us have a great deal more time than the thief on the cross.
Does our life count for as much?
Do we declare our faith and then demonstrate it throughout our life?
Physically - We can’t just say we are physically fit and live a healthy lifestyle, but then we pollute our bodies with horrible things.
Spiritually - We can’t just say we have faith in God but our lifestyle doesn’t line up with anything in the bible
Cross Reference:
!st Point: You have the talk but do you have the walk
SING SONG: If you are saved and you know it your life will show it.
One Application:
We first come to God by faith, receiving what we could never hope to earn. Then, out of gratitude, we seek to serve the One who loves us in every way we possibly can. Our faith leads to grateful work.
James is telling us that, given enough time, faith will demonstrate its liveliness by action
Personal Story:
Outline 2
Bible Text James 2:15-16 “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?”
One Teaching Idea: (1 Sentence or Less)
If we going to make an impact as believers with the need in this world. We must do our part with the need right in front of us, if we call ourselves followers of Christ.
Cross Reference: 1 John 3:17-18 “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
2nd Point: Faithful with the little things
One Application:
WHAT ABOUT PHYSICAL NEEDS?Have we received God’s gracious gifts and yet withheld them from others? Here are some ways we can give:•
Look for a single parent in need of help—car repairs, child care, help with financial or legal concerns.•
Provide meals for a sick or grieving family.•
Help a student whose college finances are a burden.•
Assist a young family with clothes and toys for the children.•
Help a young couple facing stress by funding a retreat or vacation for them.
Personal Story:
Outline 3
Bible Text : James 2:17-18 “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
One Teaching Idea: (1 Sentence or Less)
Faith is like a calorie
You Cant see it, but you can see the affect of it
Is your faith just words in a creed.
You can not have faith without works
Cross Reference:
3rd Point: The proof is in the pudding
One Application:
Personal Story:
1. Is your faith just a empty claim
My early years as a believer did not show anything outside of church that I was a believer
Outline 4
Bible Text : James 2:19 “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!”
One Teaching Idea: (1 Sentence or Less)
Cross Reference:
The demons have complete and thorough conviction that there is one God, but they are terrified by that truth. They believe in God only to hate and resist him in every way they can. Their “faith” even moves them to a negative reaction, while the faith of some of James’s readers isn’t real enough to give them a shiver.
4th Point: Let your faith move you towards Jesus
One Application:
If we say we have faith it must be stronger than the demons! That’s why our life must show it
Personal Story:
I was raised Catholic, and all I witnessed is family members faith did not have any works pointing to know and follow God