In Sermon Illustrations: "James 2:14-20"

James Uses Paradoxes To Convey Stabilizing ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2001

James uses paradoxes to convey stabilizing wisdom. Paradoxes are like literary oxymorons. Top Ten List of Oxymorons. 10. Computer security 9. Political science 8. Tight slacks 7. Definite maybe 6. Pretty ugly 5. Twelve-ounce pound ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-18

Tags: Workplace, Descriptions Of God, God's Omniscience

I Saw A Peanuts Cartoon. Charlie Brown And Linus ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2001

I saw a Peanuts cartoon. Charlie Brown and Linus are inside all bundled up and Snoopy’s out in the cold shivering in front of his empty dog dish. Charlie and Linus are having a discussion on how sad it is that Snoopy is hungry and cold. "He’s cold and hungry. We ought to do something about it." ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-17

Tags: Faith Vs. Works, Poverty, Giving General

R. Kent Hughes, In His Book, James—faith ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Miano on Apr 21, 2001

R. Kent Hughes, in his book, James—Faith That Works, shares this story. "It is said that Napoleon, while looking at some papers, let slip the bridle of his horse, which reared so that the Emperor was in danger. A corporal of the grenadiers leaped forward and caught the bridle, bringing the ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26, 2 Kings 25:27-30

Tags: Faith General, Examples Of Faith, Assurance

Denomination: *other

Be Warm And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2009

BE WARM AND FILLED! What does it mean that God has placed Christ’s church in our hands? One of the most stirring indictments on the church ever penned was made by Charles Schultz many years ago. Snoopy is shivering out in a snowstorm beside an empty food dish. He was looking longingly, ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Tags: Servanthood

Roll-Up-Your-Shirt-Sleeves Christianity  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 26, 2009

ROLL-UP-YOUR-SHIRT-SLEEVES CHRISTIANITY When DAVE THOMAS died in early 2002, he left behind more than just thousands of Wendy’s restaurants. He also left a legacy of being a practical, hard-working man who was respected for his down-to-earth values. Among the pieces of good advice that have ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26, Luke 10:1-10, Romans 15:1-13

Tags: Faith Vs. Works

Pulling On Both Oars  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 26, 2009

PULLING ON BOTH OARS An old Scotsman operated a little rowboat for transporting passengers. One day a passenger noticed that the good old man had carved on one oar the word "Faith" and on the other oar the word "Works." Curiosity led him to ask the meaning of these oars. The old man, being a ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26, James 5:1-7

Tags: Faith Vs. Works

Underdoing Personal Responsibility

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 5, 2010

UNDERDOING PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY Craig Groeschel, a well known pastor and author of the "Christian Atheist" says: "As Christians, we can be tempted to 'overdo faith.' I put that in quotes because it would be more accurate to say it's 'underdoing personal responsibility.' There's really no way ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Tags: Faith Vs. Works

Just Follow Directions  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 5, 2011

JUST FOLLOW DIRECTIONS Robert Kupferschmid was an 81-year old man who had no flying experience. However, due to a tragic emergency, he was forced to fly an airplane. On June 17, 1998, he and his 52-year-old pilot friend, Wesley Sickle, were flying from Indianapolis to Muncie, Indiana. During the ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Tags: Faith Vs. Works

Vacant Homes, Vacant Lives  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 9, 2011

VACANT HOMES, VACANT LIVES TIFTON, GA — The most interesting thing about Tifton is an abandoned Victorian house filled with thousands of bats. Tift County declared the once-elegant house in the town’s historic district off limits after a bat specialist said that maybe 20,000 bats had moved in, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:11, Psalm 119:11-16, Luke 11:1-13, Galatians 5:22-23, Psalm 84:1-12, John 2:13-23, Luke 7:36-50, John 1:46-56, James 2:14-26, Luke 11:24-26, Matthew 12:43-45, Matthew 12:44-45  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Bible Influence

Angels Of Reconciliation  PRO

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 26, 2012

ANGELS OF RECONCILIATION With his life in disarray, Steven Lavaggi sat on his bedroom’s wooden floor, and began searching his Bible for answers. His wife had just left him to marry a writer for The Rolling Stone Magazine. Ten days later, Steven discovered his son was stricken with Juvenile ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17, James 2:15-20

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Methodist

Almost Giving

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 21, 2012

ALMOST GIVING One of the Ad Council's most effective public service commercials is the "Don't Almost Give" campaign. One ad shows a man with crutches struggling to go up a flight of steps. The narrator says, "This man almost learned to walk at a rehab center that almost got built by people who ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:38, James 2:16

Tags: Giving General

Position Versus Discipleship

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 7, 2013

POSITION VERSUS DISCIPLESHIP C. Gene Wilkes, in his book Jesus on Leadership, says, "Confusion arises when you equate higher 'positions' with leadership . . . As long as 'position' is honored above discipleship -- being a follower -- church leaders will honor the ambitious over the obedient." We ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Tags: Faith Vs. Works

Parachute Illustration

Contributed by David Goering on Nov 2, 2019

SCRIPTURE: James 2:19 "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." ILLUSTRATION: Two men are on a plane, an announcement comes over the loud speakers and says "This plane is going to crash, please put on the parachute that is under ...read more

Scripture: James 2:19

Tags: Faith, Salvation, Repentance

The Story Of Lawyer And A Doctor  PRO

Contributed by Kelly Fellows on Dec 7, 2007

The Story of Lawyer and a Doctor A doctor was being sued for malpractice – the new lawyer on the case was anxious to win his case Question: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse? Answer: No. Question: Did you check for blood pressure? Answer: No. Question: Did you ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Tags: Faith, Work

Denomination: Foursquare

An Old Scotsman Operated A Little Rowboat For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 2, 2008

An old Scotsman operated a little rowboat for transporting passengers. One day a passenger noticed that the old man had carved on one oar the word “faith” and on the other oar the word “works.” Curiosity led him to ask the meaning of this. The old man, being a well balanced Christian and glad of ...read more

Scripture: James 2:17, James 2:20, Hebrews 11:6, Titus 1:16, Titus 3:8  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith, Works

Breathe

Contributed by Rob Mills on Apr 13, 2022

“We cannot exhale what we've not ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14

Tags: Faith, Works

The Power Of Kindness: A Tale Of Compassion And Humility.

Contributed by Jm Raja Lawrence on Sep 22, 2023

Once upon a time, a lady worked at a meat distribution factory. One day, when she finished with her work schedule, she went into the cold room to inspect something. But in a moment of misfortune, the door accidentally closed and she was locked inside. Although she screamed and knocked with all her ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:27, Matthew 25:40, Galatians 6:2, 1 John 3:18, James 2:14-17, Luke 6:31, Proverbs 11:25, 1 Peter 4:10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Love, Humble, Respect

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Thief On The Cross Didn't Go To Church!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 3, 2024

A pastor saw one of his sheep in the grocery store and got around to asking where they had been lately. Was it something I said? Is it another church?" The man laughed and said, "Oh, no, we love you and the people of our church." The pastor was left to his own curiosity. He then ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Tags: Church, Salvation, Work, Excuses, Tithing, Thief On The Cross, Faith, Grace, Service, Baptism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational