Being Christ's Hands and Feet

Series: What is the difference between a church and a non-profit?

a business?

church is a non profit, but these 4 things distinguishes us

Mission will keep us together: unhealthy debate will distract us and tear us apart

not agreement; not understanding; not learning; but commitment to one another and a common mission will

James 2:14–26 NIV

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 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 considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Dead Faith

criteria for judgment -neglecting the orphan and widow

be well; be fed; too bad; I wish someone would do something about it;

busy defending belief while the poor are right in front of us; ask the destitute how much they care about the debate, how much they need it

can’t see belief, but we can see the fruit of belief

can’t see belief, but we can see the fruit of belief

James 2:17 NIV

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

;

Dangerous Faith

no mission - opinion, not belief

James 2:19 NIV

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

Dynamic Faith

James 2:24 NIV

You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

what if I say a prayer?

Jesus said not feeding the hungry, clothing the naked you will suffer judgment - harsh; not just doctrine

Speech

sarcasm

tearing flesh

James 3:5–6 NIV

Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.