Faith that works. James 2:14-26. WBC 26/10/03am
INTRODUCTION:
Blondin (Jean Francoise Gravolet) B. 1824. was one of the greatest tightrope walkers of all time, and there are many legends told of feats he performed. One of the most often told stories of Blondin is of his crossing over the Niagara Falls on a tightrope. He reportedly did that several times. At some point he turned to his large audience, which included numerous reporters from various newspapers, and he asked them, ¡§How many believe I can walk across this tightrope over the Falls pushing a wheelbarrow?¡¨ People cheered loudly ¡X they were sure the great Blondin could do it. Then he asked, ¡§How many believe I can push a wheelbarrow across the tightrope with a man sitting in it?¡¨ Again, there was a loud response. Blondin then pointed to one of the most enthusiastic men in the audience, and said, ¡§Okay, you get into the wheelbarrow.¡¨ Needless to say, the man made a quick exit.
That¡¦s the issue, here
- folks who say they believe but
o won¡¦t step out¡K act on it
o no evidence
- won¡¦t get into the wheelbarrow!
Examples, today, might be ¡V
- ¡¥the person who says they believe, but can¡¦t put their life in Jesus¡¦ hands¡¦
- the person who says they¡¦re a Christian- but never goes to church or hangs around with other Christians. Birds of a feather, you know
- or who says they¡¦re a Xian- but act worse at work than anyone else. Bitch, criticise. Difficult
- who passes the needy by. Doesn¡¦t get involved in life of others
James asks the Qn- ¡¥do they really believe?¡¦
- can such faith be saving faith?
- Those outside the church say the same: ¡¥show me! Don¡¦t preach at me. Show me!¡¦
Faith IS what saves. James is in no doubt about that.
- he doesn¡¦t believe people are saved by what they do
o at intro to this chap (2;1), he¡¦s just called them ¡¥brothers¡¦ because they have faith in Jesus
- but James believes genuine faith results in
o changed life
o works
- you¡¦re not saved BY what you do (works) but FOR works
I¡¦ve given examples of OUR day. James gives 4 examples of his day, that illustrate different kinds of faith
DEAD FAITH v14-17
- the ¡¥keep warm and well fed¡¦ person
He makes the example easy. It¡¦s not someone you don¡¦t know who¡¦s ended up gravitating to Winchester
- it¡¦s your brother/sister. Someone who loves the Lord. Has taken life seriously¡K taken responsibility for their soul
o ended up without clothes or daily food
The persons response to this situation is so telling¡K revealing
- their faith is not the thing that causes them to ACT
- seems to be the justification for NOT acting!
¡K you see- they can PRAY! (and they almost do!)
- off you go. Keep warm and well fed. Oh, God bless you
- (Not pooh-poohing prayers for God¡¦s blessing)
But it has me asking (about them AND me!)
- is their faith chosen, selected, designed to
o protect THEM. ABOUT them!?
o Keep comfortable
o A talisman
o A comfortable cocoon into which they can retreat from the challenges of life/reality/faith?
James is SO challenging!
How does he describe such faith?
- it¡¦s dead, really. ¡§Faith that does no work does not work¡¨
- useless- to help the person in need
- useless to the ¡¥professing¡¦ believer- as they don¡¦t have real faith! They have religion!
Now- nobody is saying Christians have a monopoly on niceness, kindness, philanthropy
- there are MANY people who do SO much good
o know what I think?
„X Genetically nice. Born nice.
„X God active in them, though they don¡¦t (yet?) know it
- But the thing with real Xians is- they BECOME active. Nice!
o Born swines, sometime¡K but are changed!
o Illustr: Kirk- it IS a religion of love, based on Jesus¡¦ love
o Janet- SMILE (Kosovo)
o David & Jane Thompson
- Now: probably ALL v nice, beforehand, - but with ME: I was self-centred and selfish!
o So- the change is very marked!
o I had a moment of thinking of OTHERS this week! Miracles DO happen
- Jesus Christ¡K through His people¡K is responsible for many/most of the social changes of our world (one solitary life)
o Slavery, apartheid, gender equality, care homes, orphanages etc, etc. I could go on
o Started by Christians!
Faith works! Genuine faith leads to genuine works. Genuine faith SHOWS. It is a light on a hill
James is really into ¡¥testing¡¦. (because life is!)
- life¡¦s events/people
o are, yes, tests to faith (& I hope you pass, he says)
o are also opportunities to SHOW your faith. Grow your faith. Show maturity
- the beggar. The pest. The boss
o does your FAITH affect how you act/react to them?
o If it doesn¡¦t- is it real faith?
- Trials. The lonely. The awkward. The poor. The marginalised
o Great opportunity to show- your faith, God¡¦s love
Some comes out of compassion. Heart changed in love. Some out of commitment
- do you think I REALLY want to be sorting someone smelly out at 9pm on a Sunday night?
o No! But (I tell myself) ¡¥I have decided to follow Jesus¡¦
- ¡¥Ah- but that¡¦s you. You¡¦re a Pastor. I¡¦m called to something different¡¦
o sounds a bit like the ¡¥you have faith, I have works¡¦ argument, here
If you have genuine saving faith then there should be works as well
- none of this faith/works¡K evangelical/social action divide
o BOTH
- Maybe I need to let some of you have a chance to show/grow your faith, too
Faith works. Or it¡¦s dead
DEMONIC FAITH v18-20
My second ¡¥D¡¦
You may have come to a point where you believe in god¡K Jesus. The need for Him in your life
- oh, good. But there¡¦s more. You must act on it.
You may have come to a point where you believe your doctrine is pure. Perfect! Really understand
- oh, good! But there¡¦s more. You must act on it
You may have come to a point where you believe God gives peace. Is trustworthy
- oh good! But there¡¦s more. You must act on it. Let the peace in
o it¡¦s a contradiction to say there¡¦s a God and then panic as if there isn¡¦t one when things go wrong
Faith must lead to works
You see ¡V the demons believe all these things. They are more doctrinally pure than most bishops!
- but they can¡¦t take the step of LETTING Him in in Love. Letting him be boss/Lord. Let it take affect (apart from shuddering)
- ACTING ON IT
So- it¡¦s not just about what you believe. If you can¡¦t yet act on it, receive it
- you¡¦re not there yet. There¡¦s more journeying to come
- ?[until then- no peace as
o = intellectual integrity crisis
o = just religion. Facts not acted on in faith
- (I guess these demons are religious, eh? Right dogma. No relationship/love, yet) ]
DYNAMIC FAITH v20-25
Here are 2 great examples of faith
- extremes chosen¡K and at different ends of the spectrum
o so, you¡¦ll see yourself in there, somewhere
Abraham: 2000 BC Father of the faithful. Jew. Hero. Male. Rich. Respectable
Rahab: 1400BC Tart, basically. Poor. Made money from selling body. Gentile. Disreputable
But when God spoke to them- they both RESPONDED in faith
- showing their faith was real
- > their faith led to ACTION (the point being- so should ours)
In brief- Abraham
Waits years for his own, promised, son. Finally- when he and his wife, Sarah, were past it- the child (Isaac) comes
- God says ¡§give him up to me. Sacrifice him¡¨ (the nations around did this)
- Abraham responds in faith- believing God can bring him back from the dead, if necessary (inside he knows God¡¦s not into such sacrifice)
- As he¡¦s about to do it- God says ¡§STOP¡¨. ¡§You acted. I KNOW you really believe, now. Here¡¦s a ram. The only person who will sacrifice their son is ME¡¦
Rahab
Has her brothel in the walls of Jericho. She¡¦s one of the gentiles being kicked out by the incoming Jews. But when the Jewish spies come to her- she risks all and hides them. She finds faith in their one God- and this is the evidence of it. She shows it to be faith that works
Now- it¡¦s time to close
- just time to think about whether we have
o faith that WORKS
o faith that SHOWS
o maybe God will show you HOW it should
„X work. Show.
„X Show you the step you should take
(and then a poem)
Edgar Guest wrote a very popular poem about faith at work. Faith that works- and how it shows.
¡§I¡¦d rather see a sermon¡¨
"I¡¦d rather see a sermon than hear one any day;
I¡¦d rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way.
The eye is a better pupil, more willing than the ear;
Fine counsel is confusing, but example is always clear,
And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.
I can soon learn how to do it if you will let me see it done;
I can watch your hand in action, but your tongue too fast may run.
And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true,
But I¡¦d rather get my lesson by observing what you do
For I may misunderstand you and the high advice you give,
But there is no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.
What I see a deed of kindness, I am eager to be kind.
When a weaker brother stumbles, and a strong man stands behind
Just to see if he can help him, then the wish grows strong in me
To become as big and thoughtful as I know that friend to be.
And all travellers can witness that the best of guides today
Is not the one who tell them, but the one who show the way.
One good man teaches many; men believe what they behold;
One deed of kindness noted is worth forty that are told.
Who stands with men of honour learns to hold his honour dear,
For right living speaks a language which to everyone is clear.
Though an able speaker charms me with his eloquence,
I say, I¡¦d rather see a sermon than hear one any day."
