Good Produce F.R.O.G

Growing Pains, our faith will be tested but we can and will endure by holding on to Christ and the good gifts that He gives us: - Salvation/His Spirit

- Wisdom from Above (which we will see more of)

- His very Word.

This morning turn with me to James 2:14-26

James 2:14–26 CSB

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works. You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder. Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete, 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 justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works in receiving the messengers and sending them out by a different route? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Background:

The ESV Study Bible (Purpose, Occasion, and Background)

As a result of the troubles, conflict has entered the churches, and they have splintered into fighting factions. Moreover, some have fallen into a worldly lifestyle (James 1:27; 4:4) and have failed to put their faith into practice (1:19–26), with the result that they have become “double-minded,” wavering between God and the world (1:8; 4:8).

I titled the message this morning Good Produce. Have you ever been to a produce market where they sell fruits/vegetables/there is this place where I am from that has really good fresh produce and the first time I was there I was like man there is a lot of people here a bunch of the produce was sold out or getting close to it because they had really good produce. They weren’t just saying they had good produce but it was obvious what they had what was good. The same should be true of followers of Jesus what we produce from our lives should be good. We should be full of good produce if you will.

There is an powerful picture here in James 2. If you are not actively living for Christ more than likely you are actively living for the world.

This passage here is where we understand clearly that our faith must be active for it to be genuine.

Like He is literally like a coach that is saying get in the game. Put your jersey on, and live like Jesus. Be a witness for God, serve people, spend time with God, encourage others, because He is saying if you are not in the game your faith is not genuine.

I mean James is pretty clear in this section that

A faith that is not active is a faith that is not alive.

That is why James goes on to say, James 2:26

James 2:26 CSB

For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

And even from the first verse of this section, verse 14 again reads

James 2:14 ESV

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

Scholars say James definitely wrote these questions expecting a negative response, meaning you could read that verse like this:

It is no good, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works. This faith cannot save him.

Reading that I don’t want anyone to be confused because some may say that this contradicts what Paul wrote in Ephesians, but seeking the Lord for wisdom and seeking is Word you will see that they actually compliment each other. Not contradict.

Paul says Eph. 2:8-9

Ephesians 2:8–9 CSB

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.

Some people stop there and say well that doesn’t sound like what James is saying, but if you read one more verse Paul says Eph. 2:10

Ephesians 2:10 CSB

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

So they both talk about faith and works, and this is what they would both agree on.

That yes we are indeed saved and adopted into the family of God by grace through faith alone and BECAUSE WE ARE SAVED our life now produces good works because God is working in and through us.

- Salvation produces Good Works

NOT

Good works produce Salvation.

When we walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 25), enjoying a loving relationship with the Lord, our actions indicate that closeness. Pleasing Him is our delight. - GotQuestions.org

Pauls says this,

Philippians 2:12–13 NLT

Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

The result of our salvation is good works, obeying God. God is working in us giving us the desire and power to produce the good that pleases Him. His Spirit in us produces good fruit.

If you jumped into your quiet time this morning there was a question: “Explain why you have trouble being quick to listen and slow to speak, slow to get angry. The thing that came to mind was two things that make it difficult for me is listening, being slow to speak, being slow to get angry requires patience and focus. Two things that our culture struggles with because of our fast paced world and a ton of things battling for our attention, but man the Spirit of God gives us patience and He will help us to keep our eyes on Jesus. What this looks like practically is maybe setting down our phones.

Active Faith is a Faith that is Producing. James 2-3

It can be said like this

Genuine Faith produces Genuine Works,

AND you could even go on,

Genuine works proves genuine faith.

You’re like but James says that Abraham was justified by works and Paul says it was not by works that Abraham was justified. So what is that? It is the same thing,

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 2

The primary way in which Paul uses the word “justify” (Gk. dikaioō) emphasizes the sense of being declared righteous by God through faith, on the basis of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice (Rom. 3:24–26), whereas the primary way that James uses the word “justify” (Gk. dikaioō) here in James 2:21 seems to emphasize the way in which works demonstrate that someone has been justified, as evidenced by the good works that the person does (cf. Matt. 12:33–37)

So I think the question in this passage, is if we are justified and saved by grace through faith alone which produces good works in us, what are those good works/ or genuine works that should be producing in us?

In this context specifically,

If you look at what is goin go on before this passage, in the midst of, and after this passage you will see a few things:

- Active faith looks like loving everyone regardless of status, or looks.

This is a big part of the book as a whole, because several times James refers to the rich and the poor, and here in Chapter two we see that a problem of division, or divide has risen.

That is why James says,

Love your neighbor as yourself. James 2:8

James 2:8 CSB

Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.

There was a problem with people in their gatherings showing favoritism to the rich and disregarding the poor.

James was very clear, that this was not how our faith is lived out.

Every person was made in the image of God, and we are called to love everyone just as Christ loved us.

Love does not mean, we just simply say that we love them, but that our actions display that we love them.

That why James 2:15-16 says,

James 2:15–16 CSB

If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?

It is easy to say we love someone, but it rings true to that person when a need is met because it then shows that we care to look more into the situation to see how we can serve them. The person you are praying and witnessing to try to go out of your way to serve them, meet a need, this is a practical way to help them that you don’t just say you believe in Jesus but that you live like Jesus.

A genuine faith produces a love for others and others meaning not just those who love us back.

Jesus said Matthew 5:46-47

Matthew 5:46–47 CSB

For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same?

Let your love be out of the ordinary. Love all people even those that don’t like you or love you back. Jesus, our Savior did this.

Then the other think that James goes on to write on is our tongue.

How many of you, if you’re honest, your mouth gets you into more trouble than anything else?

I’ve got a three year old, His name is Deacon and He is so cool and such a blessing, but at 3 years old there isn’t much that he does that gets him in trouble, I mean there are a few things, but right now, He got a little be of a smart mouth that get him in trouble real quick.

James wrote some pretty harsh things about the tongue. James 3:6-8

James 3:6–8 CSB

And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. Every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish is tamed and has been tamed by humankind, but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

- Active Faith looks like being conscious of what we say so as to speak truth and life.

One of the things that you could do is write an encouragement card. What a great opportunity to live this out!

I think that is why James, going back to chapter one said, to be quick to listen and slow to speak.

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 3

A person’s words reflect his character and thus are a key to his whole being

Jesus said, Luke 6:45

Luke 6:45 CSB

A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

So reflect, does what you say reflect Christ, or does it reflect your flesh?

Does what you say hurt people, or does it help people?

I’ve got to be honest, there was a time in my life where I would joke around about everything, but it got some bad that people would say I just can’t believe a word you say. The Lord convicted me.

You are either actively living for Jesus or you are actively living for the world.

I heard story but there are two fields with a fence in the middle. One is beautiful, things are alive, and growing. the fruit and crops look good. The other field is interesting, it looks good but things are dying, nothing is really alive, the trees and grass are artificial and the fruit/crops are fake. They look good but not worth eating and there is this person sitting on the fence that is in the middle. There are people in both the fields. sooner or later God comes and gets the people in the good field, and the devil takes the people in the not so good, fake field. And the person that is still sitting on the fence. the devil comes and says oh you’re coming with me, the person replies no, no I wasn’t in your field, I was right here in the middle the whole time. I didn’t step in the good field or the bad field I stayed on the fence, then the devil replied I know, but I’m the the one who put up the fence. The fence is mine, so you are too.

Active Faith is a Faith that is Growing more like Jesus, and Active Faith is a Faith that is producing good works that reflect Jesus in the way that we love people and speak to people.

- Do you struggle to love all people? Remember how much God loves you, even when you are stubborn.

- How is your mouth? Ask God for wisdom for the things that you speak. Is there someone you have hurt with what you have said? Seek to sow peace, and ask for forgiveness.

- Examine your faith and surrender to the Lord. Is your faith active? God will help you, lead you, empower you to do what He has put on your heart.