Series: Momma Says… (James)[#6]
WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD
James 2:14-26; 3:13-18
Introduction:
Regardless of what we do at this church, or how clever the sermons may be, or how good the music is; we need to look at where the rubber meets the road. This morning I want you to reflect on the 3 most important questions I could ever ask.
1. When I die where will I spend eternity?
2. How sure am I of my eternal destination? Put a percentage to it.
3. If I am the only Jesus someone ever meets would they be drawn to Jesus or repelled from Him?
Let’s now waste anytime, let’s get to the questions at hand.
1. When I die where will I spend eternity?
There are 2 options: Heaven or Hell. Which one would you like to end up at? If your answer is Heaven, then what must a person do to be saved from eternal punishment in Hell? (Let congregation respond.)
Admit (Admit that you are a sinner.)
Believe (Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and was raised physically from the dead.)
Confess (Confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and was raised physically from the dead.)
If you are old enough to understand that you are a sinner and have never admitted that you are a sinner then you are not saved.
If you believe that there is a God, but not that Jesus is the only way to Heaven; then you are not saved. Just because you believe that there is a God is not enough. “Do you still think it’s enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror” (James 2:19)!
If you have admitted that you are a sinner and even believe that Jesus Christ has paid your price; but have never confessed that with your mouth, then you are not saved.
WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER ON #1?
2. How sure am I of my eternal destination? Put a percentage to it.
What is the number you put on this question? Are you 50% sure, or 75%, or 99%, or 100%? Have you ever heard of a game called “Russian Roulette”? This is where you take a pistol and place a bullet in 1 of the 6 chambers. You then spin the chamber, put the pistol to your head, and pull the trigger. Obviously, if you shoot yourself you lose. Your chances in not losing are 83%. Hey that is good odds. So why don’t we play that as 1 of our games today during the Super Bowl fellowship? Who wants to play? How ludicrous! Why would you take that sort of chance with your life? Now think about that. Why would you be willing to leave out of this building today not being a 100% sure of your eternal destination?
Am I trying to cause you to question your salvation? Yes, I am.
James 2:14-26
But you say, “I’m not saved by works but by grace”; and you are correct. But, please stop quoting that 1 verse and then stop.
Ephesians 2:8-10
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
What are we created in Christ Jesus to do? Underline the words “good works”.
Let me ask, “If you have doubts about your salvation, what is your doubt”? Most of the time, when you doubt your salvation it is because you are being disobedient to God. You are not dealing with the sin in your life. You are not following the commands of God. Your guilt from your disobedience is causing you to doubt that you belong to the Family of God.
There is a piece of good news for you, if this is you. Being convicted about the sin in your life is a good sign that the Holy Spirit dwells within you, which means you are saved; but back to my question earlier concerning our game of “Russian Roulette”. Are you willing to take any chances? Is feeling guilty about sin enough evidence for you or would you like more assurance?
Let’s continue on question #2 by going to question #3.
3. If I am the only Jesus someone ever meets would they be drawn to Jesus or repelled from Him?
Everything we are talking about here refers to the statement, “Actions speak louder than words”; but if that is not enough evidence I would like to look at another passage of Scripture.
James 3:13-18 (Message)
“Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom — it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats. Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.”
I think you get the point. If someone followed you around everywhere you went for a week, would they want the Jesus you have or would they be turned off to Jesus?
When you got saved, did your life change? Did your desires change? If you are spiritually dead in your sins without Christ and then you are resurrected from the dead when you are saved, should there not be a dramatic change?
What is your answer to question #3? I can assure you that if your answer to question #2 is 100% based upon the evidence of your faith; then the answer to #3 will be, “They will be drawn to Jesus”.
Conclusion:
The bottom line is this: “What is killing churches is Christians who do not even resemble Jesus Christ”. We can come to church and talk about what Christ means to us. We can come to church and talk about how great our God is. But, if we are not going to, ”Live well, live wisely, live humbly” before people, then what’s the point.
What is the vision of Bel Aire Baptist Church? What is our purpose? What is our focus? Here it is:
1. Lead the lost to Jesus Christ!
2. The people of Bel Aire Baptist Church live lives in the world that lead the lost to Jesus Christ!
3. The people of Bel Aire Baptist Church participate in all of the activities of the church for these purposes: 1) To worship Jesus Christ, 2) To grow stronger in Christ, and 3) To take our faith beyond the walls of this church so that lost people are led to Christ.
IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS!
“Dear brothers and sisters, what’s the use of saying you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can’t save anyone.”
