A Faith that Moves You

Pretty much every city in Mexico has a cathedral and a plaza or square - at the center ---

Big cathedral in Guadalajara - art all around the top of the cathedral tells the story of Jesus entering our world, living a life of good works and victory over sin, being sacrificed for our sin, and rising again to give us new life…

I was just overwhelmed with how much God loves, how he’s taken care of my sin, adopted me into his family, and how he is constantly giving - pouring out his grace - and supplying for my every need....

as I was exiting the cathedral there was this man begging - I instinctively just walked by - TO BE HONEST I was a little annoyed that he was just taking money from people, - And if i gave him what I had put in my pocket I’d be giving away my limited supply of money for enjoying my holiday - he’d probably waste it on alcohol or something anyway.... so I just walked by...

- How do we know she had faith in her Father?

You could argue that she had faith in him long before she jumped but that faith was tested by the real life situation she was in - and it was the act of jumping that revealed the reality of her faith - as long as she sat on the edge of the roof her faith was just theoretical… just a possibility… but when she jumps it is a reality you can not deny! if she had not jumped then there is no way we could say that she truly had faith!

right after I walked past a question popped into my mind - “Do I really believe God loves me and is generously providing for me?

You see it is in real life - in the every day practical realities of life that our faith is constantly being tested … in that moment God’s spirit convicted me and I realized my faith was being tested - do I really believe… By his Grace God is generously providing for me - which means I don’t deserve it - —

Our church is studying the book of James. James talks about all kinds of every day life stuff - how we speak, how we treat people who are different from us, how we respond to problems in life — because James understands that in the practical realities of every day life our faith is being tested - even when we are on holiday in mexico!

James was most likely written by the half-brother of Jesus who became a leader in the Jerusalem church… many people had left Jerusalem to live elsewhere because of persecution - So James wrote a general letter to be passed around to all the clusters of believers from his church who were now living scattered throughout the Roman Empire.

Purpose / Intention Statement: James writes to give wisdom to believers who are under considerable cultural pressure and persecution for continuing to live distinctly as people of genuine faith in Jesus

- If she did not jump there is no way we could say she truly had faith in her father!

second beggar = moved to action turned in my tracks and gave…

And at the heart of the teaching in James is a concern that people who call themselves Christian - truly have a genuine faith in Jesus .

But and after Jesus rose from the dead he finally believed that his half brother really was the promised messiah - the one and only Son of God -

James the brother of Jesus, believed in Jesus after Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to him. Then over time he became a leader in the church in Jerusalem. Many people from the Jerusalem church had to leave Jerusalem because of persecution -

If the boathouse was on fire - how could her faith in her father save her without causing her to jump?

Church scattered into the roman empire - because of persecution…

which he explicitly writes about in

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?

‘That’ faith = making a distinction - the person who says he has faith but no outward actions - no works connected to that faith..

‘That’ faith =

James 2:15–16 ESV

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 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?

James 2:17 ESV

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

If the faith you have doesn’t influence your daily life and conduct - if it doesn’t move you in the real world - then it is a useless dead faith - it’s not genuine - it’s not real.

that should scare some people - a life void of good works - like feeding your hungry brother in Christ, or practically loving your neighbor - is a sign that your faith is useless - lifeless - dead

lot of people I meet - that’s how they view the Christian faith - they think it is useless for everyday life… it’s a personal spiritual experience, for a warm fuzzies, but useless for living life…

faith isn’t important for education, faith is basically irrelevant for family issues - go see a therapist, faith is not for the workplace etc.

Craig Groshel’s book - “The Christian Atheist: Believing in Jesus but living life as if he doesn’t exist.”

That title describes a lot of people who call themselves Christians - but according to James - that faith — is dead and useless - its not saving faith

But some people will protest I have faith you just can’t see it.. (heart & mind)

James 2:18 ESV

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.

James 2:19 ESV

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

Genuine faith can not be expressed without action…

doctrinal confession is important - it is good - but confession alone is not a demonstration of true faith! Of saving faith...

ABK days - Christie climbing up on the boathouse. Tim standing with outstretched arms just jump I’ll catch you… as we all looked on wondering what she would do, with wreck-less abandonment she flung herself off the edge of the roof into his arms....

- How do we know she had faith in her Father?

You could argue that she had faith in him long before she jumped but that faith was tested by the real life situation she was in - and it was the act of jumping that revealed the reality of her faith - as long as she sat on the edge of the roof her faith was just theoretical… just a possibility… but when she jumps it is a reality you can not deny! if she had not jumped then there is no way we could say that she truly had faith!

If the boathouse was on fire - how could her faith in her father save her without causing her to jump?

James 2:20 ESV

Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

James 2:21–22 ESV

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

James 2:23 ESV

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.

The scripture quoted is

James 2:23–24 ESV

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. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

The scripture quoted is

“Scripture was fulfilled” = the real meaning and full significance was realized - entered reality… it became real when Abraham was tested…

James 2:24 ESV

You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Loh, I.-J., & Hatton, H. (1997). A handbook on the Letter from James (p. 94). New York: United Bible Societies.“Scripture was fulfilled” = the real meaning and full significance was realized - entered reality… it became real when Abraham was tested...

Which on the surface sounds like a problem = other places Paul teaches clearly that is faith that saves no works = even points out that Abraham was declared righteous because of his faith not because of what he did....

The reformers were right when they said ‘sola faith’ or faith alone - meaning that salvation is a gift that is received through faith - we can’t earn our salvation by doing good works - our good works are never enough - our works are inconstant and incomplete … without faith in Christ we are dammed - we are screwed - we are hopeless - anyone who depends on doing works to be right with God will never be right before God - Christ saves we can not save ourselves.... you can follow the traditions of your church all you want it will do you no good with out placing your faith in Jesus…

This was a problem during the reformation - 1500-1600s when Martin Lutur and others called people back to the scriptures and the good news of the Gospel - The reformers were right when they said ‘sola faith’ or faith alone - meaning that salvation is a gift that is received through faith - we can’t earn our salvation by doing good works - our good works are never enough - our works are inconstant and incomplete … without faith in Christ we are dammed - we are screwed - we are hopeless - anyone who depends on doing works to be right with God will never be right before God - Christ saves we can not save ourselves.... you can follow the traditions of your church all you want - you can do all kinds of good works but it will do you no good with out placing your faith in Jesus…

Make no mistake we are saved by God’s Grace through Faith in Jesus alone - James is not preaching a different message here - he is simply emphasizing that Genuine Saving faith is inseparably linked with works.

we’re not just saved from --- we are also saved for....

Loh, I.-J., & Hatton, H. (1997). A handbook on the Letter from James (p. 93). New York: United Bible Societies.“but the Gospel Has two shoes” Genuine Saving faith is always accompanied by good works....

Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Genuine Saving faith is inseparably linked with works. They form a single quality; one cannot be present without the other.

A Handbook on the Letter from James James 2:23

In other words the initial declaration of righteousness on the basis of faith (Gen 15:6) is given its real meaning and full significance through the final declaration of righteousness on the basis of the kind of faith accompanied by and showing itself in works (Genesis 22).

James 2:25 ESV

And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

James 2:26 ESV

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

If the faith you have doesn’t influence your daily life and conduct - if it doesn’t move you in the real world - then it is a useless dead faith - it can’t be genuine - it’s not real.

It’s in the every day stuff of life that your faith is being tested - how will you talk, how will you treat others, --- the rest of James

Knowing this is why when after I walked by the beggar outside the cathedral I was convicted in my heart - of my sin -

After walking past the first beggar outside the cathedral in Guadalajara, my attention was drawn to a older lady - she was frail, head bowed, holding out her hands, shuffling in and out of a steady stream of tourists.... I had already walked past her - but I couldn’t walk any farther - I just had to give - because Christ has given generously to me - so I turned around went back and gave…

A Handbook on the Letter from James James 2:19

Affirming that God is one without allowing it to influence your life and conduct is simply inadequate and unreal.

A Handbook on the Letter from James James 2:19

Affirming that God is one without allowing it to influence your life and conduct is simply inadequate and unreal.

After walking past the first beggar outside the cathedral in Guadalajara, my attention was drawn to a older lady - she was frail, head bowed, holding out her hands, shuffling in and out of a steady stream of tourists.... I had already walked past her - but I couldn’t walk any farther - I just had to give - because Christ has given generously to me - so I turned around went back and gave…

IN the every day stuff of life that your faith is being tested - genuine faith in Jesus moves you in the real world — the more you move in response to faith the more real your faith becomes

It is the same for you - the genuineness of your faith is not tested by how well you can quote scripture, or explain what you believe - the real test is does faith in Jesus MOVE YOU in the REAL WORLD - - it is in the every day stuff of life that your faith is being tested - genuine faith in Jesus moves you in the real world — the more you move in response to faith the more real your faith becomes....

A Faith that Moves You

Just back from Mexico…