REDEFINE YOUR FAITH
Text: Ephesians 2:8-10; James 2:14-18, 24
Someone described Christianity as one beggar telling another beggar where to find good food. Brennan Manning in his book, Ragamuffin Gospel, says it this way: “We are all equally privileged but un-entitled beggars at the door of God's mercy."
KEY: If you know good news and do good deeds, that brings good will...
What Paul Says About Grace “GOOD NEWS”
“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” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
If you have discovered that grace, then you should live ______________fully.
What James Says About Works “GOOD DEEDS”
James gives what appears to be a contradiction to what Paul has just said about good news.
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?”“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do” (James 2:16-18).
Faith and Deeds
(Look at the contrast between Paul and James - Romans 3:28 and James 2:24)
There is absolutely NO c_______________________ or tension between Paul and James here.
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).
BOTH Paul and James have in mind the same thing — SAVING FAITH.
“A FAITH THAT _______________.”
Maybe I missed out on some of the good things that G had “Prepared in advance,” for me to do.
Guess What ? You’re a Minister
He’s counting on you to pay attention when you get to that intersection.
If you know good news and do good deeds, that brings good will...
Watch Out at the Intersections
The wise words of a drivers instructor: “___________ things or ___________ things can happen at that intersection.”
Wouldn’t it be amazing this week if you and I look for ways to minister, whether at home or work, to allow our faith to show up, to be graceful in how we live, to use this “life on loan” from God to make a difference in somebody else’s life?
Don’t Just Sit There
How is your story like or unlike Larry Walter’s adventure?
Are you living gracefully—sometimes in the big dramatic ways, but more often than not in the simple ways where the intersections come all day long?
Because you can’t just sit there, can you?
