5.11.43 9.17.2017 My Faith is a work in Progress-Rooted in Reality James 2.14-17

The Secret of functional faith  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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A Work in progress...

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.
▾ Start:

I’m not perfect.

None of us is.

1 Entice:

Jesus saves us.

Jesus saves us.

And the rest of our lives we strive to

Make Faith

And the rest of our lives we strive to

Real

Make Faith

Active

Real
Active

Effective

Effective
Our Lives are always a

Our Lives are always a

Work in progress

Work in progress

You can’t see the progress

Without doing the work

Jesus shows the way

No one had a stronger belief

No one was more submissive to scripture

No one was “holier”

No one had a stronger belief

And Jesus backed this obedient belief...

with action

2 Engage:

Elbow grease

Service

Why?

No one was more submissive to scripture

Belief+behaviors=faith

No one was “holier”

Attitude+action=faith

And Jesus backed this obedient belief with action.

Conviction+compassion=faith

Elbow grease
Service
Belief+behaviors=faith
Attitude+action=faith
conviction+compassion=faith
The words
3 Expand:

Faith without works is dead

were not written to create a theological controversy. They are not theoretical. They state a bald, simple truth. If you claim to have faith and do not serve, love, act, intercede-you don’t really have biblically defined faith. Here is where we sometimes miss the point. James does not intend to make a prediction about our faith or note a trend about “believers” he is simply stating a fact.

No action=No faith.

It is not an accident that his image of dynamic, active faith reflects upon the words of Jesus when He discusses serving “the least of these.” James is not talking about intensely debated and nuanced “works of keeping the law.” He’s talking about
4 Excite:
Loving your neighbor as yourself

Loving your neighbor as yourself

And that’s as real as it gets.

Since faith is a work in progress it has to be rooted in reality.

• Explore: Since faith is a work in progress it has to be rooted in reality.
Explain: James shows us some basic marks of real, active faith…
• Explain: James shows us some basic marks of real faith…
Real faith...
▾ Body of Sermon:

1 Asks Real Questions.

James 2:14 ESV
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
▾ 1 Asks Real Questions. 14

1.1 Value of faith.

• 1.1 Value of faith. (What does it provide?)

What does it provide?

How is it demonstrated?

1.2 Virtue of faith.

• 1.2 Virtue of faith. (What does it prove? or What is the point?)

What does it prove?

What is the point?

Real faith...

2 Addresses Real Situations.

James 2:15–17 ESV
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.
• 1 Entice:
• 2 Engage:
▾ 2 Anticipates or assses Real Situations. 15-16
• 3 Expand:

2 Addresses Real Situations.

• 4 Excite:
• Explore: Since faith is a work in progress it has to be rooted in reality.
• Explain: James shows us some basic marks of real faith…
▾ Body of Sermon:
▾ 1 Asks Real Questions. 14
• 1.1 Value of faith. (What does it provide?)
• 1.2 Virtue of faith. (What does it prove? or What is the point?)
▾ 2 Anticipates or assses Real Situations. 15-16
James 2:15–16 ESV
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?

15-16

• 2.1 The needs that surround us. 15
• 2.2 The responses that define us. 16
▾ 3 Accepts Real Consequences. Reality. 17
• 3.1 Belief+behavior=Faith.
• 3.2 Behavior without belief is legalism…Belief without leads to paralysis
▾ Shut Down:
• Suffering people in a fallen world. That's as real as it gets. Jesus calls us. Saves us. Equips us. In order that we can follow His Lead.
• Suffering people in a fallen world need faithful disciples who will answer the hard questions…who will be ready to deal with hard situations…who are unafraid of the consequenes because they trust Jesus so completely that they have given Him full Lordship of their actions,
attitudes and assets.
• No one's faith is complete until they are dead and gone. Until that day it is a work in progress. This church exists to help all of us be more faithful. More in touch.
• No one was ever more real, more in tune, more available than Jesus. Through His Holy Spirit He leads us deeper into a more real faith.

2.1 The needs that surround us. 15

2.1 The needs that surround us. 15

• 2.1 The needs that surround us. 15

2.2 The responses that define us. 16

• 2.2 The responses that define us. 16
Real faith...
Real faith...

3 Accepts Real Consequences.

3 Accepts Real Consequences.

▾ 3 Accepts Real Consequences. Reality. 17
James 2:17 ESV
17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

3.1 Belief+behavior=Faith.

• 3.1 Belief+behavior=Faith.

3.2 Behavior without belief is legalism

• 3.2 Behavior without belief is legalism…Belief without leads to paralysis

Belief without behavior is invisible

Rooted in Reality

Rooted in Reality
Suffering people in a fallen world. That's as real as it gets. Jesus calls us. Saves us. Equips us. In order that we can follow His Lead.
• Suffering people in a fallen world. That's as real as it gets. Jesus calls us. Saves us. Equips us. In order that we can follow His Lead.
Suffering people in a fallen world need faithful disciples who will answer the hard questions…who will be ready to deal with hard situations…who are unafraid of the consequences because they trust Jesus so completely that they have given Him full Lordship of their actions, attitudes and assets.
• Suffering people in a fallen world need faithful disciples who will answer the hard questions…who will be ready to deal with hard situations…who are unafraid of the consequenes because they trust Jesus so completely that they have given Him full Lordship of their actions,

attitudes and assets.No one's faith is complete until they are dead and gone. Until that day it is a work in progress. This church exists to help all of us be more faithful. More in touch.

attitudes and assets.
No one's faith is complete until they are dead and gone. Until that day it is a work in progress. This church exists to help all of us be more faithful. More in touch. More real.

• No one's faith is complete until they are dead and gone. Until that day it is a work in progress. This church exists to help all of us be more faithful. More in touch.

• No one's faith is complete until they are dead and gone. Until that day it is a work in progress. This church exists to help all of us be more faithful. More in touch.
No one was ever more real, more in tune, more available than Jesus. Through His Holy Spirit He leads us deeper into a more real faith.
• No one was ever more real, more in tune, more available than Jesus. Through His Holy Spirit He leads us deeper into a more real faith.
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