Counterfeit week 3

James 2:14–17 (ESV)

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 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? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

INTRO - Service in Nursing Home

How many of you guys have ever been a part of a service project or need to get hours for serving?

When I was in High School I had to get 40 hours of community service hours in order to graduate. I went to Crown Point High School.

The one thing I was not excited to serve. The first service project I was involved in was at a nursery home. I was harassed by an elderly woman in a wheel chair looking for a good time. I was 15.

I felt awkward there at first, but then I started getting involved in doing other activities with them. I did exercises with them, I gave them food, I listened to their stories and one of them even talked to me about their faith.

After a while I really enjoyed serving at the nursing home and it no longer became about trying to get hours for school, it became about serving God by giving my time to be with people in need.

transition & Point:

Serving God by helping those in need is a sign of authentic faith.

Scripture

Let’s go back to this passage in James for a moment. For some background info. James, the author of this letter, was the brother of Jesus and wrote this letter to encourage Christians that were dealing with some very hard circumstances. This part of the letter was to help Christians understand what it means to have authentic faith.

Let’s look at these verses first in James 2:14-17

James 2:14–17 (ESV)

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 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? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

What James is saying here is that it is not enough to say that you have faith or that you are a Christian. People know you are a Christian because of your actions.

I can tell you all day how much I enjoy Olivia Rodrigo’s music, but if all you see on my Spotify playlist is Drake, Lil Nas, and the Jonas Brothers, you know somethings up.

You will not find Driver’s License on that playlist.

My point is, saying something without backing it up, isn’t enough.

This is so important when it comes to our faith.

If we don’t back up what we believe, our faith is dead. It would be better if we didn’t say we are Christians, then to say we are Christians and live like we weren’t.

Let’s keep reading this passage, just one verse.

James 2:19 (ESV)

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

James’ tone is almost sarcastic here: “wow that’s great”

You know who else believes there is a God? - DEMONS

Evil powers that lie, manipulate, and have power in the unseen realm that love chaos. They also believe in God, and their belief in God causes them to be afraid. So afraid that they shudder or shake just to think about God because God can cast judgment on them since they are evil.

As humans, we can talk about Jesus while sitting at the SIP in Highland, and not feel anything and not do anything about it.

What we understand from this verse is that if your faith in God does not go beyond knowledge it is actually worse then useless.

Knowing there is a God is no more useful to my faith, then me knowing that going to the gym is useful for my health.

But if I keep eating the way I do, I’m going to keep my love bump growing.

Real faith is about your belief moving you and you will not believe what God can do through you.

Helping those in need is key to having authentic faith.

Many of us are ok with just focusing on ourselves and our futures and that’s important to do, but if everything becomes about ourselves, we will start to begin that God’s only concern is about what we want and not about the needs of other people.

Think about this question for one second:

“Who are the people in need that I can serve right now?”

Think about our world, “where are the needs?”

Think about your community, “where are the needs?”

Think about your family, “where are the needs?”

Think about your friends, “where are the needs?”

Something dIfferent

What I want you to do right now, is take 3 minutes, and write down people in your life that you know have a need.

Parents

Friends

Teachers

Pastors

Community leaders

Here are some action steps I want you to consider as you think about those in need.

1. Use your Gifts

James writes, if a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 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?

If you have the ability to help someone, but you just say, I hope the best for you, that isn’t doing anything to help!

If you are good at math, and someone you know is struggling with it, help them out.

If you know someone at your school wearing the same raggedy shoes everyday, get together with your friends to find out what shoe size they wear and get them a new pair.

We need to learn how to be selfless and aware of those in need and figure out how we can do better.

2. Use your Words

a. There are people who struggle to speak about what they need.

We need to be able to speak on behalf of those who are in need and work together to come up with a solution for that need. God has given us the gifts, for some of us he has given us the ability to speak. So we must speak out for those who won’t.

The Bible says that faith comes by “HEARING.” And guess what, if you believe in Jesus, you have the WORD that needs to be heard.

Use your voice and declare the truth,

Use your voice and speak for the needy.

3. Use your people

The people around you right now are your people.

We need to be able to come together as a team, as a body of believers, and figure out what needs there are in our own community.

We don’t serve alone, we serve together.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 (ESV)

And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

When it comes to work, this verse makes it clear that when we come together, it’s a lot harder for anything to come against us.

We aren’t meant to try and grow in our faith alone, we do it together.

Are you connecting with other Christians who want to serve?

Do it! When we come together with what we believe, we can serve like there’s no tomorrow and we can see what God can do through all of us as His children.

We need to realize that a sign of having authentic faith is serving those who are in need

I also want to be sensitive to those here who have needs themselves.

Many of us have been hurt and having faith seems like an impossible task, but just know that our God is faithful and can bring you comfort. He is a good God, He is a loving God; He wipes away our tears, He knows our every need and He is willing to help us. Will you trust in Him to help you.

Philippians 4:19 (ESV)

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

It’s in Jesus Christ that we have all of our needs met. He paid the price for our sin so that we could be set free from trying to find our needs met in the world. He gives us everlasting Life just because He loves you. This gift of life is yours and if you believe it, and you accept Jesus, the power of freedom is given to you as a responsibility to share with others.