Faith in Action: Living Out Our Belief

MBC Life Class Emotional Health/Balanced Life 5

1. Living Faith Vs. Lifeless Faith

Matthew 13:31–32 ESV

31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

Jesus spoke in parables. Parables are short stories of morals that were often expressed with imagery and metaphor.

When the disciples asked why Jesus spoke in parables, He answered

Matthew 13:11–13 ESV

11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

When we read this parable or short story of the Mustard Seed, we will understand that Jesus was teaching that the Kingdom of Heaven is similar to a mustard seed. Being the smallest of seeds, it can grow as one of the largest plants and eventually will develop into a tree. When it has grown into a tree others will be able to partake in it.

Later Jesus will use this same example of a mustard seed in

Matthew 17:20 ESV

20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Anyone who knows anything about plants, will know that just merely putting a seed in the ground is not enough. One must till the ground preparing for the seed. Then after placing the seed in the ground, one must water it and fend off predators and weeds from consuming it.

Our faith is a mustard seed initially. It starts off small with believing on Word of God that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again for you and I because our sins and iniquity.

The seed of our faith then settles in and begins to sprout as we listen and apply the methods of the apostles by repenting of our sins and being baptized in our saviours names, Jesus.

We then being to see our seed of faith spring from the ground and we witness life above ground as our leaves from that seed take shape when we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

This is what happens to us spiritually when we become born again Apostolic Christians. Then the next natural healthy things begin to happen.

Storms of life begin to press of against that sprout of faith bending it left and right. Our faith then becomes stronger and our trust in God grows deeper.

Many of us here today are more than likely at this point. You have been followed what the Apostles preached and practiced. You have and more than likely are going through storms in your life.

But what now? Is the rest of your life about conquering storms? Is it being faithful to the House of God?

James offers us insight of what we are to do with our faith.

James 2:14–17 ESV

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

As we have read, James challenges believer that faith that is not backed by action is lifelss and ineffective. The greatest example of this is Jesus.

Jesus’s ministry was active and service-oriented. Our faith must also manifest or be revealed in tangible ways to demonstrate its authenticity.

This is part of what was expressed in Sunday’s service. People will not be able to partake of the fruit of the seed of faith in our life if we are not active with it.

2. Works That Witness

James 2:18–20 ESV

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

Our works should be the evidence of our faith, contributing to a testimony that speaks of Christ's transformative power in our lives and communities.

Matthew 12:33 ESV

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.

People will only know about Jesus through our active faith.

Mark 11:12–14 ESV

12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

This fig tree is an example unto us when we are not fruitful. We must take the faith that we have from this room and become active with it.

3. Faith That Follows

James 2:21–24 ESV

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Abraham’s faith was counted as righteousness because it led him to action. True faith compels us toward obedience and trust in God's promises, influencing not just ourselves but also impacting our communities for the better as Christ empowers us.

Our faith will move people to repentance.

Testimony

Hebrews 11 is the Hall of Faith. In the Hall of Faith, the author of Hebrews give us numerous examples from the Old Testament of individuals who were moved by their genuine faith.

(READ EXAMPLES)

Hebrews 11 (ESV)

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

2 For by it the people of old received their commendation.

3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.

10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.

12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.

16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,

18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”

19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.

21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—

33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.

36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.

37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—

38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,

40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

The faith of the individuals in Hebrews 11 was directly intertwined with their DNA. By Faith Moses refused to be called a son of Pharoh’s Daughter, but instead held on two his true identity being Hebrew. He would rather be mistreated with his people than to be spoiled with the riches of Egypt. All because of his faith.

You realize using this example alone, that when Moses began to take God’s people from Egypt that Egyptians left their nation behind to join him. Egypt is a typology of a world of sin.

When we have genuine faith that we allow to move us, people can’t help but to leave the spoils of this sinful world behind. They will witness the greatness of our Jesus,all because of us being moved with genuine faith.

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

I want to close on this point today. That serving is a great step to live out our faith. However, if we are not also active in pursuing to learn more through study, then the root system of our mustard seed of faith will not be able to withstand all of those that come to us.

We must have deeper roots than we have ever had before.

I believe that the Church of the Last Day, will not be a Church that knows how to dance the best, knows how to run around the aisle, or knows how to hype up a room during worship. There is nothing wrong with these things, I do believe we need to praise God. However, the Church of the Last Day will do all of this things but will also have such a grounding in the Word that it won’t matter what persecution comes our way, it won’t matter what storms of life may come, and it won't matter what people will do or say against us because we will have such a conviction from the Word that we will stand up on it through it all.

My challenge today is that if we are not active in growing our faith, then there is never a better time then now.

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