Acts

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INTRO

VISION AND MISSION

Vision = who

Mission = what

Love = why

Acts = how

My vision for Allegan Bible Church is to be a church who is utterly sold out for the gospel of Christ. Fully commited to following Him whatever that means for you and your family living in harmony with the rest of the body of believers. That ABC would be a church characterized by real true Bible preaching but more then that real true gospel changed and directed lives that make an impact for His kingdom with everyday eternity in mind. I see this being fulfilled in us as we seek to live out the great 2 commandments in tangible ways.

This series is about casing a vision for you… to show you what I see, to help you see it for yourself and to wet your appetite for it… to long for it and strive after it together...

First talked about the vision of a spirit filled church made up of spirit filled people who are seeking after God.

Second we talked about the message of grace that saves, sanctifies and seals His people for himself.

Last week we talked about how Love is the driving engine for us

Today I want to discuss with you the end of result of all these ingredients… The natural outcome if you will…

LOVE ACTS - 4 Part [4/4] | James 2:14-24

The Church we want to be...

Outlines for Growing Christians 6. Good Works of a Christian (Philippians 2:12–16)

The born-again Christian should practice good works. He should act, talk and live differently. Jesus spoke of Christians as being lights—Matthew 5:14–16. We can either shine for the Lord, or we can hide our light. A light is of no value unless it is used. The church often does not have an impact upon the world because the Christians are not producing good works.

James 2:14–24 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.

A mere profession is not true faith… Real faith is proved by action!!

Big Idea of the Message: The Spirit filled church is driven to share the message of God’s saving grace by their love for God and neighbor, which manifest itself in tangible acts of faith.

Good works do not produce salvation (Eph. 2:8–9). However, salvation through faith in Christ should produce good works. Real faith always acts; it believes and practices. Faith will stir and excite the Christian. Without action faith is dead!

Application Point: I will seek to be a believer who’s faith takes action!

PRAYER

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MESSAGE

Fruit of Spirit Galatians 5:19–25

Saved by faith by the work of God for our good works Ephesians 2:8–10

The Acts of Faith are Saving

James 2:14 ESV

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

Jesus paid the price to redeem us

We must place our trust in Him

True faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Eph. 2:8; Rom. 4:1–3.

Works cannot save. Titus 3:5.

The law cannot save; nor was it given to save. Gal. 2:21, Gal. 3:11; 3:24.

The Acts of Faith are Practical

James 2:18 ESV

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.

Test of true salvation

Faith that truly has saved will truly produce

THE RESULTS OF TRUE FAITH.

Faith that saves will produce works. Eph. 2:8–10. James 2:20.

The only evidence of true faith—to men—is our works. James 2:18; Matt. 5:16; Titus 2:11.

Faith without works is likened to:

Lifeless love. James 2:15, 16.

Dead orthodoxy. James 2:19—Faith without works is dead.

The Acts of Faith are Enduring

James 2:24 ESV

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

AN ILLUSTRATION OF TRUE FAITH.

Abraham was justified by faith—before GOD. Rom. 4:3; 19–25. We are justified the same way. Rom. 5:1.

Abraham’s faith was proved genuine years later by his willingness to offer up Isaac. James 2:21; Heb. 11:17–19. Thus he was justified before men.

Outlines for Growing Christians 16. Faith and Works (James 2:10–26)

II. Practical Faith—vv. 14–19

A. Impractical faith—v. 14. What value is it to have faith if we do not use it? It is lifeless, it is dead!

B. Indifferent faith—vv. 15–16. “If you have a friend who is in need of food and clothing, and you say to him, ‘Well, goodbye and God bless you; stay warm and eat hearty,’ and then don’t give him clothes or food, what good does that do?”—LB.

C. Impact of faith—vv. 17–18. Unless you show that your faith has made you Christ-like, and unless it makes you become interested in helping others, your faith is in vain.

D. Impersonal faith—v. 19. Satan believes in Christ, but he is not a Christian. He believes in his mind only. Note Romans 10:9–10.

III. Powerful Faith—vv. 20–26

A. Problem of faith—vv. 20, 24. Believing without doing is not really faith. Faith acts! Note v. 24.

B. Practicing faith—vv. 21–22. “Was not our early father Abraham right with God by what he did? He obeyed God and put his son Isaac on the altar to die. You see his faith working by what he did and his faith was made perfect by what he did”—NLT.

C. Personal faith—vv. 21–25

1. Abraham—vv. 21–23. His faith acted; he obeyed God fully.

2. Rahab—v. 25. Her faith saved her—Joshua 2, Hebrews 11:31.

D. Power of Faith—v. 26. The body is dead without spirit, so the Christian is lifeless without faith.

Does your faith work? Does your faith get results? Are you willing to trust God for the impossible? Note Jesus’ words in Mark 16:16. We are saved by believing. But we maintain our Christian experience by faith. By putting faith and works together we get results.

Handfuls on Purpose for Christian Workers and Bible Students, Series I–XIII Faith and Works (James 2:14–26)

I. A Live Faith. Works are an evidence of a real live faith. The possibility of the possession of a dead faith is here declared (14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 26). Just as a live body will manifest its life in action, so live faith will move.

II. A Profitable Faith. Works make faith profitable (14). “What doth it profit?” is a great question. Here we have profit associated with faith. It is essential that we should have a profitable faith.

III. A Working Faith.

1. FAITH LEADS TO SHUDDERING (19). Real faith leads us to believe in a living God. But what does such a faith lead to? It makes even devils tremble, or, as it could be rendered, “The devils also believe and shudder” (M. reads, “So do the devils, and they shudder”). Has your faith in the existence of God led to shuddering yet?

2. FAITH LEADS TO SACRIFICE (21). Abraham’s faith led him to Mount Moriah, and to offering his son. Real faith will lead us to Calvary, and to accept the sacrifice Christ has made.

3. FAITH LEADS TO JUSTIFICATION (24). That is, real, living faith.

IV. Perfection of Faith (22). Faith can mature. The proof of a strong and maturing faith will be seen in a plenitude of works.

CLOSE

Outlines for Growing Christians 6. Good Works of a Christian (Philippians 2:12–16)

Some non-Christians produce more good works than the born-again Christian. Jesus said the world should see our good works—Matthew 5:16. Some non-dedicated Christians bring shame to God’s work by not living a fully dedicated Christian life. Thank God for those who live so that they bring honor and glory to God and His work.

Does your faith work?

Does your faith get results?

Are you willing to trust God for the impossible?

James 2:20 ESV

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

Good works do not produce salvation (Eph. 2:8–9). However, salvation through faith in Christ should produce good works. Real faith always acts; it believes and practices. Faith will stir and excite the Christian. Without action faith is dead!

Big Idea of the Message: The Spirit filled church is driven to share the message of God’s saving grace by their love for God and neighbor, which manifest itself in tangible acts of faith.

Application Point: I will be a believer who’s faith takes action!

PRAYER

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