Making It Real Series

Making It Real

Introduction

I would like for everyone to remain standing… (as a sign of honor for God’s Word).

And we will take turns reading the Scripture that will come up on the screen… (I will go first, then you).

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow,

producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.

11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to,

and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

12 You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!

13 Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the Lord’s name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love.” - Isaiah 55:10-13

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16,17

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. – Hebrews 4:12,13

Prayer

OKAY – today we are beginning a brand new message series (an in depth study of the book of James, and as always I am pretty pump up about it…

AND – if you have been around MGCC you know that I not only get pretty pumped up about every series that we do…

BUT THAT – I believe that every series has the potential to lead us to radical life change…

AND LISTEN – I have good reason for feeling this way.

AFTER ALL – every series that we do, every conversation that we have on Sunday is grounded in the living and active word of God.

OKAY – it’s June 28, 2015 and like I said we are kicking our new series on the book of James, a conversation we are calling ‘Making It Real…’

NOW - to be honest, I have no idea how long it will take us to get through these 5 living and active God-breathed chapters made up of over 2,400 words…

Making It Real

Making (verb)

1. to bring into existence by shaping or changing material, combining parts, etc.:

2. to produce; cause to exist or happen; bring about:

3. to cause to be or become

4. to put in the proper condition or state, as for use; fix; prepare:

5. to bring into a certain form

Present tense – implies continuous ongoing activity.

Real – (adjective)

1. true, existing

2. being an actual thing; having objective existence; not imaginary:

3. genuine; not counterfeit, artificial, or imitation; authentic:

FRUIT…

MGCC – James is a book about,

making ‘it’ real…

AND – the ‘it’ (in ‘making it real’) is faith…

YEAH - James is a book about making our faith real…

Touch 5 people and tell them… let’s make it real.

AND LISTEN… if we real Scripture we will find that

FAITH - is like a really big deal and that having ‘real’ faith is something that we all should desire because…

• Faith even as small as a mustard seed can move mountains (Matthew 17:20)

• Many times it is by faith in the name of Jesus that we are healed… (Acts 3:16)

• It is through faith that a righteous person has life (Rm 1:17)

• The promises of God are received by Faith (Rm 4:16)

• Through our faith Jesus brings us to a place of undeserved privilege. (Rm 4:16)

• We are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8)

• As we see in Hebrews 11… by faith people overthrew kingdoms, quenched the fury of the flames, became strong in battle, their weakness was turned to strength and they received what was promised.

QUESTION…

SO – are you convinced that faith is something we should all desire? Awesome!

AND – here’s the deal… in the coming weeks we are going to see that REAL FAITH (among many other things) according to James

• Turns trials into triumphs

• Defeats and overcomes temptation

• Does not merely listen to the Word, it does what it says

• keeps us humble, not proud.

• directs our tongues to bless and encourage, not to slander and curse.

• causes us to show mercy, not judgment.