Actions Speak Louder than Words: From Words to Works

Pray

Give Honor

James 2:14–26 (NKJV)

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 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? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 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. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Actions speak louder than words

Talk is cheap

Don’t talk about it be about it

You’re doing too much talking

These are probably some of the things you said or heard someone say to another,

That had a lot to say, but very little to back it up!

Be it in a heated argument,

or a simple conversation

We all have had a point. Where we got tired of the talking, and wanting to see some action.

and the truth is,

We all know some people who say all of the right things, but have nothing to back it up!

Mike tyson once said in an interview talking about fighting, he’s never been scared of someone who talks a lot before a fight.

he said because the loudest one in the room, is usually the weakest one in the room.

In other words, the one who has the most to say, is usually not doing a whole bunch of anything.

and While it may be true that talking with a level of confidence and prowess can get you through some doors.

it is equally true that one can not stay in those doors, if their actions don’t align.

Actions, are so much louder than words

Ralph Waldo Emerson once stated, "What you do should speak so loudly that I cannot hear what you say."

And this principle is true on so many levels.

On your job

In your house

with your children

With your money

With your attitude

and most of all with your faith.

and thats what James is trying to teach us this morning.

to use less words and do more work.

We’re continuing in the book of James this morning. The book of James is such a profound book.

This book gives practical insight on how one should successfully walk out this christian life.

One theologian suggests that James is a bit like the Old Testament book of proverbs, dressed in New Testament clothes.

This book of James, as pastor Houston suggested, is written to believers to encourage their faith and challenge their faithfullness.

James teaches that it is not good enough to proffess our faith, but we must learn to practice our faith.

Because the truth is, True Faith is Revealed not by what you say, but by what you do.

, and it is my assignment to help you examine your life to see how we can go from words, to works

And so the question becomes:

How do I go from speaking it to doing it?

How do I go from passive faith to active faith?

How do I go from mere words to works?

to go from words to works, we must

to go from speaking it to doing it

to go from passive faith to active faith

you must first....

Accept the Responsibilities of an Active Faith v. 14-17

James starts this portion of the scriptures by asking a thought provoking question

that sets the foundations of today’s text.

James asks:

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?

James asks the question what does it profit?

What good is it?

What is the point?

What comes from it?

Where is the increase?

What does it profit?

For a man to say he has faith, but yet the works do not follow.

James asks this question, then follows up with a scenario

James gives an illustration saying

If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food

and one of you says to the other

“Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,

but you do not give them what they need,

what does it profit?

James asks the question twice “What does it profit?”

This profit in the original language means

“Benefit” or “increase”

So James asks

How does it benefit or How does one increase, if they say they have faith, but can not show they have faith?

How is one better, from talking about faith, but not walking out your faith

How has one gotten closer to God, if he’s talking a whole bunch, but not doing a whole bunch of working

and The truth of the matter is,

There is a responsibility that comes with an expression of faith.

There is a responsibility that comes with one who states they have faith.

One can not say they have faith, without accepting the fact, that there is a responsibility of action that comes with faith’s expression.

You have a responsibility, to put your faith into actions, by your works.

You have a responsibility to help your brother,

You have a responsibility to help your sister,

You have a responsibility to give to the needy

You have a responsibility to move where God says move

You have a responsibility to go where God says Go

You have a responsibility to do what God says do.

And the only way, that you can go, from words to works,

Is if you accept the responsibilities that comes with Faith.

And the truth is, no one benefits from your words alone!

If someone is in need, your words will not help them out of that situation

How many times have we seen some one on the side of the road and said I’m praying for you?

How many times have we seen someone that looks to be hurting, and says I hope you feel better?

And the truth is, your true expression of faith is not saying I hope you such and such

It is I’ll help you such and such

And I hear you

Pastor Mike it’s a scam

Pastor Mike they are not hurting for real

Pastor Mike they just want….

It’s not our responsibility to take an assessment

It’s our responsibility to take action!!!

There are so many people who are hurting

There are so many people who don’t know Christ

There is too much work to do in the community

Too many mouths to feed

Too many souls that are lost

Too many people depressed

We don’t have time to hear the gift of gab!!

We must accept the responsibility of action, and use whAt God gave us, to help someone else

If you’re going to go from words to works,

Not only must you accept the responsibility of active faith.

but you also must

“TELL STORY ABOUT ME BEING A MAN AND NOT TAKING OUT THE TRASH”

Produce the Results of Active Faith v. 18-20

James in v. 18 says that someone will says “you have faith and I have works” James gives a response and says “Show me your faith without your works and i will show you my faith by my works.

James says that one might argue that faith and works are separate.

That one can merely have faith and one can Just have works.

But the truth is, Faith and Works go hand and hand.

Because, that My faith is displayed, by my works.

So when James says Show me your faith without your works,

What he essentially asks is,

what results did you saying you had faith produce?

How did it help you?

What came from it?

What was presented from it?

How did it help you get closer to God?

What picture of you did it paint?

But then he responds to himself and says

I gotta answer for all of those.

he says

, my works are what helped me

My works are what produced results

My works helped me get closer to God

My works painted a picture of my faith

My works are what helped my credit score

My works are what helped me out of the dark place

My works are what pushed God to show me favor

My works are what pushed me to tithe more

My works are what pushed me to be a better husband

My works are what pushed me to be a better preacher

My works are what helped me to understand how God’s a healer

My works are what helped me understand God is a way maker

My works are what helped me understand that God’s a mind regulator.

My works are what produced God’s power and provision to show up in my life.

and “My works” is not a song that I sung or a sermon that I preach but my works were when I saw someone in need, I helped them

When I got the job i paid my tithes and managed my money- because of my works.

My works is my obedience to God

My works is my sacrifice

My works is me staying kept

My works is me moving when God says move

My works is going where God tells me

My works is doing what God tells me.

My works is following God’s lead

My works is sowing

My works is giving

My works is loving

My works is caring

My works are what produces the results of an active faith.

Because a WORKLESS FAITH is a WORTHLESS FAITH.

FAITH THAT DOES NOT HAVE WORKS ATTACHED TO IT, IS LITERALLY A FAITH THAT CAN NOT BE USED.

BUT FAITH THAT HAS WORKS ATTACHED TO IT IS A FAITH THAT IS USEFUL.

Faith without works, is like getting a planet fitness or one life membership and not going.

You can have as much faith as you want in planet or one life, but if you do not go, you will not get skinny.

If you want the results, you gotta put in the work.

I want you to Look at every part of your life and see if you faith in that area produces results!

Your marriage

Your work life

The people around you

Your friend circle!

Your finances

Your serving

Is your faith active in those areas?

THE QUESTION BECOMES, WHAT IS THE RESULTS OF A FAITH PUT TO WORK.

THE RESULTS are

SPIRITUAL GROWTH

NATURAL GROWTH

SUSTAINABILITY

PROVISION

INCREASE

YOU WILL GROW IN WHATEVER FIELD YOUR WORK IS IN.

BECAUSE A FAITH AT WORK PRODUCES RESULTS.

and here’s the good news,

When you accept the responsibilities

and produce the results

You will

RECEIVE THE REWARD OF ACTIVE FAITH

JAMES GIVES 2 EXAMPLES OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PUT YOUR FAITH TO WORK.

James uses the story of Abraham to show the benefits of active faith.

YOU GET HIS PRESENCE

The bible says that Abraham sacrifices his only son. when you look at the story of Abraham,

you see that Abraham was told by God to sacrifice his only son in faith of what god will do.

Abraham was going up the mountain, and his son said, I see the wood, I see the fire, but I don’t see the sacrifice, Abraham kept walking up the hill.

He places the wood on the altar,

He places his son on the altar,

then he takes a knife, about and ready to stab his son,

The angel of the Lord shows up,

and the angel of the Lord says don’t touch him.

Aren’t you glad that when you do what God says, Gods presence shows up?

The reward is that when God’s presence shows up, everything about God shows up with it.

Come here Hebrew boys,

not only do you get presence, but you get

2. You get Provision

The bible says that after an angel of the Lord called out to him and said Abraham, don’t lay a hand on that boy

The Bible says that Abraham looked and saw a ram caught in the thicket of the bush.

Which means that God made a way, when he put his faith to work.

because when you put your faith to work, God’s provision shows up.

Not only would you get God’s presence and provision,

but another reward you get is

2. God’s protection,

The bible uses the story of Rehab.

Rehab, was a prostitute and an innkeeper, that hid the two spies on her rooftop and protected them from the authorities of Jericho.

She had heard about the Israelites' victory over other neighboring kingdoms and recognized that their God was mighty.

Rehab believed that the God of Israel was the true God and trusted in the promise that the Israelites would conquer Jericho.

In return for her assistance,

Rehab asked the spies to spare her and her family when the Israelites attacked the city.

The spies agreed, and Rehab was instructed to tie a scarlet cord from her window, which was part of the city wall, as a signal for the Israelite army not to harm those inside her house.

When the Israelites marched around the walls of Jericho, as directed by God, the walls miraculously collapsed, and the city was conquered. Rehab and her family were the only ones spared and brought safely outside the city walls.

Because of Rehab’s faith, God protected her family.

3. God’s Power

See from the Genealogy of Rehab comes a man named Jesus.

He showed his faith in his father in the garden of Gethsemane. He says, Lord if it be thy will, let this cup pass me, but nevertheless not my will but thy will be done.

he was taken, beaten, spit on, mocked, drugged,

a crown of thorns place on his head.

he was scorned.

Nails in his hand

Ribbets in his feet

A crown of thorns on his head

and he died.

but early sunday morning.

he God up.

but he didn’t get up with some power, He got up will all power.

because faith and works produce power from God.