Making Sure Your WORK Matches Your WORDS & WORSHIP

SERIES: BEING A GREAT PERSON FOR A GREAT GOD The GREAT COMMITMENT James 2:14-26; Selected Scriptures By D.Z. Cofield, Th.M., D.Min. November 27, 2022 Responsive Reading James 2:14-26 (ESV): Leader: What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? Congregation: If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, Leader: and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? Congregation: So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Leader: 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. Congregation: You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Leader: Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Congregation: Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? Leader: You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; Congregation: and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. Leader: You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Congregation: And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? Everyone: For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. 1. What you SEE and SAY should move you to SERVE. (vv. 14-17) James 2:14-17 (NLT) – 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? 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? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Galatians 6:10 (NLT) – Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. 1 John 3:17-18 (NIV) – If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 2. What you BELIEVE can only be proved by how you BEHAVE, not by who you say you believe in (vv. 18-25) James 2:18-25 (NLT) – Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? 21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. 25 Rahab the prostitute is another e...