A Faith that Works is More Than Just Words
Faith that Works • Sermon • Submitted
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Last Sunday I said that we are like a tea bag— not until it is dipped into a cup of hot water, you wouldn’t know it’s flavor and aroma
Our character is revealed when we are under a lot of stress or tremendous amount of pressures
James said..
To be happy even in times of adversity
The testing of our faith produces perseverance
Perseverance spells the difference between success and surrender— between giving up and keeping up!
Our perseverance will lead us to spiritual maturity
No matter what you’re going through— let me encourage you to Persevere [magtiyaga]
When nothing seems to work in our lives, we need “A Faith that Works”— and “The Faith that Works Perseveres”
As we continue with our series from the book of James we see that the faith that works not only perseveres— but also
“The Faith that Works is More Than Just Words”
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
Before we proceed, I’d like you to direct your attention to this minute and a half video
PLAY VIDEO
Wherever you go there’s a NEED!
“The Faith that Works is More Thank Just Words”— it requires actions!
It is easy to go to church— but it is difficult to be the church
Here in the US many claims to be Christians— study even shows that more than 2 out of 3 claims that
But many of these people appear to live according to their own rules, not by trusting in God’s Word.
What they say about their faith and how they choose to live don’t line up.
Real faith is more than just the words they say.
For instance, if I say that I am a very good singer, what will that make me? Nothing!— Unless I sing, no one will know if I am truly a good singer!
You are not a very good singer just because you say that you are very good singer— in the same manner
You are not a person of faith just because you said your are— What’s the use of in saying you have faith, if it doesn’t show up in the way you live and the things you do?
Earlier I said that 2 out 3 Americans profess their faith in the Lord Jesus— But something don’t seem to add up
70% of our population says they are Christians and yet our number is declining
What happened to “the” church?
You want to know what happened? Let me tell you what happened over the span of 2,020 years
Always keep in mind that after the Holy Spirit enabled Peter to say his very first sermon in front of a huge diverse crowd— around 3,000 were added to their number that single day
From then on, they gathered in Homes [Home Churches] Worshipping God, Ministering to one another, Fellowshipping with each other, Discipling those who are added to their number and Evangelizing at every opportunity
Paul went to missionary journeys planting churches— the church in Jerusalem was their “mother church” so to speak— it was their “go to” church whenever they needed to consult something
But, looking back, you will see how the church deviated from the original purpose that the Lord has for his bride
The church built a wall instead of a bridge [Vatican Experience]— it made it very hard to bring people in— and made it very easy for people to leave the church
Christians developed a wrong idea about the church— they were made to think that it is a “place” to go, or an “event” to attend, rather than a “family” to belong
The church spent so much time, talent and treasurer building fortresses with fortified walls— instead of building homes that could love & care for people who had need
The church became so engrossed with programs and projects instead of people
The church became very critical with doctrines that divided it— the reformation even widen this divide
And then comes Covid-19— It is very clear in my heart and I can hear the Lord speaking loudly saying— “enough is enough!”
This has got t to change! God wants us to go back to how it was before when the church first started during the apostolic age
God wants to be the church again— not a place to go to— not an event to attend— but a family to belong
I love Pastor Justin’s encouragement today— mentor a young person— “we must teach our children, otherwise, someone else will”
Share your testimony not just to glorify God, but also to help others learn from your past
Send out care packages— it is very easy not to notice that there are a lot of people around us that needs them
Host a Life Group or open your home as a church
There’s a lot that we can do in line with the Lord’s original and unchanging purposes for his church— Worship, Ministry, Evangelism, Fellowship and Discipleship
You don’t have to do everything— but you gonna pitch in to do something!— after all, you are wonderfully SHAPEd for something— with the partnership that we now have with LBCF, I will have more time to a one-on-one mentoring
We gotta to do it because “The Faith That Works is More Than Just Words”
Yes the Word is very important— though James said that faith without deed is dead
Let us always remember that people believed in Jesus not just because of His Words and miracles, but because of His actions
Do you remember when the big crowd followed Jesus to the other side of the lake? He told them..
26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
Today I’ll be talking to you about “good works,” but before I do that
Let me lay some important foundational truth where this message stands
9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
It is by his grace that we are saved— not by works so that no one can boast [Ephesians 2:8-9]
James isn’t saying we are saved by our works. The Bible is clear that we are saved by faith in Jesus, nothing more and nothing less.
But our attitudes and actions should be evidence of our faith— This is the difference between fake faith and real faith
ILLUSTRATION
An old Scotsman operated a little rowboat for transporting passengers. Show image of the Boat
One day one of the passengers noticed that the good old man had carved on one oar the word "Faith," and on the other oar "Works." — Show image of Oar
Curiosity led him to ask the meaning of this. The old man being a well-balanced Christian and glad of the opportunity for testimony, said, "I will show you."
So saying, he dropped one oar and plied the other called Works, and they just went around in circles.
Then he dropped that oar and plied with the one called Faith, and the little boat went around in circles again---this time the other way around, but still in a circle.
After this demonstration the old man picked up Faith and Works, and plying both oars together, sped swiftly over the water, explaining to his inquiring passenger, "You see that is the way it is in the Christian life.
Dead works without faith are useless, and ’faith without works is dead’ also, getting you nowhere.
But faith and works pulling together make for safety, progress, and blessing.
If you haven’t already, please go ahead and open your Bible to the letter of JAMES 2:14-26
BOOK
BOOK
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 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? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 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. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 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. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. 25 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? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
LOOK
LOOK
WHAT GOOD IS IT, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IF SOMEONE CLAIMS TO HAVE FAITH BUT HAS NO DEEDS?
James asserts that “genuine” faith affects the believers behavior
Faith that does not affect behavior is superficial [shallow, surface]
FAITH BY ITSELF, IF IT IS NOT ACCOMPANIED BY ACTION, IS DEAD
A living faith is expressed by deeds of Christian love— such as looking after widows and orphans in distress
HIS FAITH AND HIS ACTIONS WERE WORKING TOGETHER
James uses the example of Abraham who proved his faith through deeds— God found him faithful through his actions
HIS FAITH WAS MADE COMPLETE BY WHAT HE DID
Works are the result of faith
A PERSON IS CONSIDERED RIGHTEOUS BY WHAT THEY DO AND NOT BY FAITH ALONE
This phrase implies that the cooperation of Abraham’s faith and deeds was acceptable in God’s sight
James is not saying that people must perform works in order for God to accept them. No!— Rather, he is asserting that an individual’s “true” conversion will be justified by deeds of Christian love
Deeds are the proof of conversion— and they are natural result of being faithful to God
Deeds demonstrate the validity of a person’s profession of faith— and this is what James meant when he said…
FAITH WITHOUT DEED IS DEAD
How would you know if your faith is dead or alive?
Take a look at your actions and see if they back up what you say you believe.
And while you do that, I’d like you to remember these 3 important things...
THREE THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT GOOD WORKS
TOOK
TOOK
MY RIGHTEOUSNESS AND GOOD WORKS CANNOT SAVE ME
4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
Paul said this numerous times— he also said this to the church in Ephesus and to his spiritual son Timothy
MY GENUINE FAITH WILL PRODUCE GOOD FRUIT
When John the baptist was preparing the Lord’s way— this was his warning
8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
THE LORD WILL REWARD EVERYTHING THAT I DO FOR HIM
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
We, as a church family, are not reward-oriented, but it is God’s pleasure and will that we receive an inheritance as our reward
APPEAL
APPEAL
Church Family listen… I have a very good news for everyone today
It all started with the vision that God gave to our church 5 years ago
Our VISION
"To Glorify God by building communities that are spiritually healthy, morally upright, physically fit, mentally alert, emotionally happy and financially stable. To share His love to the un-churched, un-loved, un-inspired, un-motivated
and especially to the believers of Jesus Christ.”
We translated that vision into a mission statement
Our MISSION
“Making disciples to save the lost. Planting churches to share the gospel. Sending disciples to do the same.”
Through out the years we say that Agape is a “Church with No Walls”
Almost 2 years ago we started our Online Ministry— Since we said that our church is a “Church With No Walls”— we felt the need for a “bridge”
With the evolution of technology— getting the Word out did not just become accessible, but it became very affordable
We took advantage of the Lord’s gift of technology, and use it for the ministry
We started several Home Churches in the Philippines and in the Middle East particularly in Dubai And since then, we continue to receive applications to qualify as Agape Home Churches
Despite of our very meager resources— with very limited funds, no staff, and very few volunteers— we managed to keep the mission going through the help and grace of the Almighty
There was not a day that passed that I did not pray for this vision and mission that we received from the Lord
Until Covid-19 came— it was a great confirmation that our mission to plant Home Churches is on the right track
It is what the Lord wants for His church going forwardCovid-19 is very obvious and compelling— God wants His people to gather in Homes
The Lord gave us the passion
The Lord gave us the confirmation
And then the Lord gave us the affirmation through the LB CHARITABLE Foundation
LBCF granted our request for a grant towards our mission fund— with this partnership, our mission will not just take off from the ground, but it will soar high like an eagle
And I like you all to become part of this mission…