14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you
say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith
save anyone?
1.
Writing to
Christians
a.
That has been a recurring
theme
2.
They are
claiming to have faith but james is questioning it
3.
He is raising a
difficult question
a.
Have you ever
had yoru faith questioned
b.
This is a
dangerous place for james to go
c.
Can’t accuse
james of being shallow and easy on people
d.
There is no good
way to question someone’s faith.
e.
4.
James is
questioning that they are even claiming to have faith
5.
There is no
point in even talking about faith if you don’t’ have actions
6.
Faith isn’t
about words.
7.
Faith only makes
sense in the context of actions
8.
There are
different kinds of faith
9.
Faith that is
only words saves no one.
10.
What is making
james question them
11.
Can you have lightening
without thunder
12.
He isnt’ saying
they don’t’ have faith, he is asking what kind of faith is it.
13.
Is it enough
faith to even claim.
15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food
or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good
day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or
clothing. What good does that do?
1.
Setting up an illustration
2.
Talking about Christians
a.
Family members
b.
Not just a stranger
c.
They have no clothing and food
d.
We greet and send them off with best reguards
e.
They notice they have no food or clothing
f.
They give them nothing
3.
What are they really saying
a.
Sucks beign them
b.
I know you are hungry and have no where to stay
but….i don’t care
c.
Well I care but not enough to do something about
it.
i. Some
people have faith but not enough to do soemthign about it.
4.
This is where we bring back 1:18 quick to listen
a.
These people don’t listen very well
5.
They don’t move at the speed of love
6.
What is the point of saying love if you don’t
show it
7.
Talk doesn’t’ feed or cloth people
8.
This is a very common sense that no one argues
with
a.
I am sure the recepients reading are tracking
9.
Might as well say what your actions are saying
10. We
like to talk more than act
11. How
often are our words shallow and void
17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it
produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
1.
In the same way as we all agree that it’s
pointless to say good reguards when you clearly don’t’ mean it, its pointless
to have faith and let it do anything
2.
Faith that isn’t marked with deeds is dead and
useless
3.
That is a hurting statement
a.
You have lived yoru life believeing something
about yourself that you aren’t
b.
James points it out.
4.
Some of us have faith but it’s useless
5.
Do we have useless faith
6.
What’s the point in having faith if it’s
personal
7.
Many people talk about how their faith is
personal
8.
Faith isn’t personal. It’s external
9.
Faith is alive. It’s meant to live and breath.
10. Faith
has a purpose
a.
To live it out
b.
Not to keep it in
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have
works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith
by my works.
1.
There is a debate by how people live their lives
a.
Some have faith
b.
Some have works
2.
Again, he is calling people’s faith out.
3.
James is challenging people to show their faith
that doesn’t’ have works
4.
James steps up and says you do that, and I will
one up you and prove his faith
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the
demons believe that—and shudder.
1.
You try to prove you have faith casue you
believe in God
a.
That’s how most people show they have faith.
b.
That’s just words
2.
Anyone can believe in God.
3.
The demons believe in God.
4.
They believe so much they shudder when thinking
about him.
5.
IOW he is real to them!
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