James 2:14-24
You are sitting down working on a puzzle. It has seriously taken you weeks to get close to finishing. You look up and realize that you only have 2 more empty spots for pieces. Excitement races through your fingertips. You look down in horror, realizing that you only have one piece left!
A PIECE IS MISSING!
You search frantically nearby for the missing piece. You won't be satisfied until that puzzle is finished. Its nowhere near. You look under the chairs, the sofa, the tv...nothing! You're desperate and start tearing apart the couch cusions, determined to find this missing piece. You even search the litter box (ehk...but that's how important it is to you to find this missing piece!).
In James 2:14-24, James informs us of a piece of the puzzle of our lives that is VERY important. Sadly, it is a piece that many people in the body of Christ, the church, are missing. This peace is...good works.
Now, don't get the wrong idea. James isn't saying that good works save you (we'll talk about that next Wednesday night-The Perfect Body Part II-so BE THERE). What James is saying is that if the world is going to care about the faith we always talk about (and believe me we do A LOT of talking) they have to see that faith in action.
From man's perspective, the thing that is missing in the life of the church is works. The music is nice, the testimonies are nice, the Bible studies are nice. But, what about when you walk out that door and go on about your life. Is that "going on" something that will show the people around you that your faith in Jesus is a faith worth having?
Truths from James 2:14-24
Truth 1: A faith that doens't put any action behind its words is useless (v 15-16, 20)
Truth 2: The works of the body of Christ (the church...that's us!!!) show the world that there is a faith worth having.
This is the idea of the perfect body. A puzzle with a missing piece does not create a perfect picture. In the same way the body of Christ (the church...again, that's us!!!) is not perfect usless it is DOING SOMETHING in a practical everyday way to impact the world, and encourage other believers to impact the world, for CHRIST!!!
The Challenge
The challenge for you is to do something about it this school year.
Remember man's perspective...you talk of your faith, but I don't see any works to prove you have it...so your faith is dead to me without any works.
What are WE...what are YOU going to do THIS SCHOOL YEAR to prove to others that your faith in Jesus Christ alone is a faith worth having?
A Few Ideas
Here are a few ideas we talked about on Wednesday night:
- Carry Your Bible to School
- Walk Away from Ungodly Conversation
- Ask People to Stop Cursing Around You
- Help a Struggling Classmate with Homework/Studying
- Help Out with Local Soup Kitchens, Clean Up, Elderly, etc.
- Pass out Tracts
- Help Someone Find a Lost Pet (basically, taking time to help when you can in any way!)
- Share Your Lunch
- Take Your Friends Lunch Trash to the Trash Can for them
- Give away some of your Christian Music to Friends who Need a more positive listening experience
These are a very few ways that we can start putting in that missing piece. Think of some more. Live out your faith daily, in every small way. Then, when people ask you why you do it, share that faith...share Jesus...it will be more effective that way!
