Thrive Through Faith
Notes
Transcript
Thrive Through Faith
INTRODUCTION
ILL- Dead Snake- Blake- dead snakes do not have the power to kill.
Dead faith does not have the power to change the world.
READ James 2:14-26
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.
Pray
3 Types of Faith
Dead Faith (14-17)
Dead Faith (14-17)
James 2:14-17
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.
James is not contradicting Paul, that we are saved by faith, not by works.
He is saying that if we are truly saved it changes us.
True faith is active.
Hope Vs. Faith
Dead Faith= faith that is not real.
Intellectual faith.
ILL- Jean Loefelholtz. - Fake Plant Illustration
Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
VS 15-16- Proof of active faith is how you treat others.
Dead faith hurts others.
Active faith loves others.
Demonic Faith (18-19)
Demonic Faith (18-19)
James 2:18-19
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!
Shock Tactic
Daily affirmation of the Jews
Deuteronomy 6:4
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
James is telling them the affirmation of one God means nothing if it doesn’t change the way you live.
Demons believe in a lot
ILL- Jesus throws Legion into swine
Mark 5:7-10
And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”
For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”
And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”
And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country.
Believe God exists
Believe deity of Christ
Believe Jesus is the son of God.
Demons’ faith is emotional.
Trembled at thought of God.
ILL- Seed and Sower- Rocky Soil
Matthew 4:16-17
the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Intellectual faith (point I) and Emotional faith do not save.
Dynamic Faith (20-26)
Dynamic Faith (20-26)
James 2:20-26
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.
Abraham and Isaac
The Gift
The Journey
The Preparation
The Sacrifice
Abraham’s faith was complete surrender.
Dynamic faith is the result of a changed life.
We are saved by faith the proves itself in works.
Ephesians 2:8-10
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.
CONCLUSION
ILL- Moving during COVID
Does your faith in Jesus Christ affect how you go through these difficult days? Are you able to Thrive?
Do you have dynamic, saving faith?