Faith Works Faith Shows Up Three Types of Culture How we view the - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Faith Works

Faith Shows Up

Gu Guilt lt & Innoc

• cence

Sh Shame & Ho Honour Fe Fear & Power

Three Types of Culture

In Individualisti tic - We Western Co Collectivistic - Ea Easte tern rn An Animist stic - Tr Tribal al

How we view the world makes all the difference.

Different Perspectives

Who is right?

Ch Church Outside Pa Palestine So Socially Stra Strati tified Di Difficult Times

The World of James

Fa Family Re Reputation Fr Friends dship / Loyalty

SO SOCIAL CONTEXT VA VALUES

• A commitment to excellence in the beginning creates future opportunities.
• The Gospel spreads at the speed of friendship.
• God uses generosity of his people as a safeguard against greed in our lives.

Wh What doe

• es faith look
• ok like

ke? Wh What do

• wor
• rks

ks look

• ok like

ke? Ho How do you see the world?

What does it look like? Hope is the future tense of faith

The Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37

Wh What is written? Ho How do you read it it? Wh Who

• is you
• ur nei

neighb hbour?

Showing Mercy - A question of eternal life

Lo Love God & nei neighb hbour Do Do this and live Go Go and do

• li

likewise se

QU QUESTI TION AN ANSWER

Faith & Works

James 2:14-26 What if? (vs. 14,15) Good wishes not enough (vs. 16,17) Loyalty to God (vs. 18) Evidence – not talk (vs. 19,20) What God wants (vs. 21-24) Demonstrated allegiance (vs. 25,26)

James 2:14-15 What if?

What good are you, my family members, if you say that you are loyal and trust God but your actions do not show it? Can your empty claims somehow make you approved by God? What if one of our family members was poor? What if you could see that they had nothing in their pockets and

• nly had the clothes on their backs? They wouldn’t even

know where their next meal is coming from!

James 2:16-17 Good wishes are not enough

Suppose one of you says to them, “Have a good night! Take care of yourself! Buy yourself a nice coat, you deserve it! And go treat yourself to your favorite meal tonight!” But you do not give that family member anything that they need — what good are you? In this way, your claims to know God, without any action to back it up, have no effect. They are impotent and futile, like a corpse. Talk is just meaningless chatter unless you show it with your walk.

James 2:18 Loyalty to God

I know some of you are thinking, “Some people are loyal to God with their words, and others with their actions. ”That is rubbish! How can you have one without the other? Go ahead and try to show me your loyalty to God without

• action. As for me, I will demonstrate my loyalty to God

through my actions.

James 2:19-20 Evidence - not talk

You agree that God is one. That is nice, but it is only a start. Do you think agreeing to some doctrine will get you approved by God? Even the demons “the evildoers” can agree that God is one. Surely you’re better than them, aren’t you? At least they tremble in fear of the Almighty One! You empty-headed fool! Do you really need evidence that mere talk without action means nothing?

James 2:21-24 What God wants

Take our illustrious father Abraham. Do you recall? He received privileged status with God because he offered his son Isaac as a

• sacrifice. Look! Abraham’s words and his actions were working
• together. They were not separated. His actions made his

profession of loyalty complete. Abraham’s actions actualized what was written about him before - “Abraham believed God and he was considered righteous before God.” Because of his demonstrated loyalty to God, Abraham was renown as a friend

• f God. Do you get it? God esteems people because of their

actions, not their empty words.

James 2:25-26 Demonstrated allegiance

Here is an example of the same principle with someone not as illustrious - Rahab the prostitute. She was given esteem by God because of her actions in helping the spies hide and escape. Her actions demonstrated her allegiance to God. If you take away the spirit from a body, then the body is

• lifeless. In the same way, take away action from a

profession of loyalty, and it is a corpse.

We have started on the journey of exercising faith We have practiced generosity Now it is time to align our faith and works

Our Journey

Wh What do

• you
• ur wor
• rks

ks look

• ok like

ke? Wh What oppor

• pportunities do
• you
• u see?

Wh What doe

• es you
• ur faith look
• ok like

ke?

James’ Message

• We are not saved by our works, but our works reveal our

faith in God’s plan for our lives. Our deeds are evidence

• f what’s inside our hearts.
• Don’t just stand on the sidelines of your faith, go out in

faith knowing that God will guide your path whatever that may be.

I was hungry and thirsty - Matthew 25:40 Get up and serve

• Your neighbour
• Your church
• Your Lord

We don’t just go to church, we are the church!