Fine Arts Night 2019

Intro

Opening Story/Illustration: I remember when I was at Southeastern and I got a job on campus. I was excited because this meant I would save gas money by not having to drive to my place of employment. I lived on campus, I went to class on campus, I ate on campus, and I worked on campus. I quickly learned that while it was good for my gas bill, it wasn’t great for my car repair bill. Cars are made to move. Tires, it turns out, if you leave them sit for a semester, they tend to dry rot on you.

Transition to the text: The Christian life is much this way. There are many Christians who attend church every week and they park themselves in the pew - and many are dying of dry rot. Why? The Christian is supposed to be on the move. Our faith should move us to action. So much so, that there is a passage in the New Testament where James, the brother of Jesus, tells us that faith without works is dead.

Text:

James 2:14–26 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. 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? 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. 25 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? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Transition to points: Let’s take a look at this quickly tonight

Points

Faith or belief must be more than mental agreement with the facts

There is a common misconception in, particularly American Christianity, that salvation is simply saying a prayer and then moving on with life.

Many people think because they were baptized or because they are church members or because they said a prayer one time that they are saved - even though no real life change has occured.

We equate belief with simply agreeing with the facts.

James warns us here, even the demons agree with the facts.

It’s not about simply agreeing with the facts that you are sinner and need a savior, that Jesus died in your place, and that he resurrected on the 3rd day.

It’s about - How will you respond to these facts? How is your life going to change in light of these facts?

The fact is Jesus first loved you and proved it to you by dying on a cross. The fact is that Jesus is the son of God and proved it you and to me by rising again. These facts demand both our love and our allegiance.

Works do not save you - Works are proof of your salvation

Works are proof of your salvation

Martin Luther, the famous monk who sparked the protestant reformation, is famous for not liking the book of James. He thought it was in contradiction to the doctrine of salvation by faith alone. He famously said that the book of James was good for starting fires.

But upon closer examination of our text, James isn’t refuting salvation by faith alone, he’s offering a different perspective on it. He’s completing the picture given to us by Paul.

Apparently the people James is writing to here are have the same misconception many in our day have - that faith is simply mental agreement with the facts.

James says - It goes beyond that.

He says, “I’ll show you my faith by my works.”

For James, works complete faith.

Can you really believe something if you don’t act on it?

Conclusion

What does all this have to do with tonight?

What does all this have to do with tonight?

That’s what this is about tonight. Fine arts is about helping students discover, develop, and deploy their gifts.

It’s about reminding them that their faith is more than coming on Sunday mornings, but it is about serving God and serving others. It is about doing something with the facts that they believe.

And it is about you - Because many churches are full of people who are sitting in the pew and dry rotting spiritually. In light of what God has done for you, what should you do? The correct response is to give him your life, your time, your talents, and your treasure.

So if you’re just sitting, soaking in the facts of faith each week and not doing anything with it, I want to encourage you - Get involved somewhere doing something for Jesus.

Now What?

Tonight I want us to pray - Pray for two things.

Let’s pray for our students that God would use them this weekend at Fine Arts.

Let’s reflect on our own lives - Where are we simply sitting and agreeing with the facts instead of doing something about what we know?