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Friday, 27 November 2009

Friday, 30 October 2009

RELATING TO GOOD WORKS [JAMES 04]

Date: 10/11/2009 Awana Varsity
Resources: John MacArthurs Commentary on James, & a sermon series from Denton Bible Church
Audio: http://eek-71.xanga.com/audio/53cd43732661/

How the Christian Relates to GOOD WORKS
James 2:14-26

INTRO
• How does the Christian deal with James ch. 2?... vs 17? vs 21 & 25?
• How do you answer the question "If we are saved b Grace, & once you are saved you can't lose it, then can do whatever evil you want?"
• You can't be truly saved and yet live a rebellious life... Paul, Peter, John, Jude, all deal with this same question.
• write in your bible margin...
      > vs 14 "question"
      > vs 18 "challenge"
      > vs 21 "examples"
      > vs 26 "illustration"

1. QUESTIONS... vs 14-17
• Question #1 (vs 14) Is there such a thing as "saving faith" w/o a CHANGED life?
• Question #2 (vs 15-16) If all my faith produces is "religious TALK", what good is it?
• Conclusion (vs 17) faith w/o works is DEAD. It is necrotic (necrosis)... like a dead, gangrenous limb

2. CHALLENGE... vs 18-20
• I dare you!... can you SHOW that you are a Christian merely by your words? NO you cannot!
• consider Judas...
• vs 19 a Jewish "doctrinal statement"
• there is no difference between an orthodox but dead "christian" and a demon!... Demons are the greatest example of dead orthodoxy
• Conclusion (vs 20) faith w/o works is EMPTY and barren

3. EXAMPLES... vs 21-25
• ABRAHAM...
      > vs 18 circle "show me"... vs 22 "you see"... vs 24 "you see"
      > James is not talking about Justification before God, BUT BEFORE MEN
• 1 Pet 3:1-6
      > wives win unbelieving spouses by "showing them" their fsith
      > children, what do you hate to do? (dishes, vacuum, etc.) then DO IT. SHOW THEM your faith!
• RAHAB the Harlot...
      > believed Gods message, received his messengers see Heb 11:30-31,
      > how did she SHOW she believed it?... she left a different way, turned her back on Jericho

4. ILLUSTRATION... vs 26
• How do you know you are ALIVE as a Christian?
• there is a "body" and a "spirit"... a DOCTRINAL form and a functional OBEDIENCE.
• Fruit of the Spirit

CONCLUSION
• a faith that saves is a faith that works!
• dead branches are broken off and burnt up... see Jn 15:6
• to be a Christian is to be BORN AGAIN... to be CHANGED... to be DIFFERENT!
• Jesus wants nothing to do with external profession w/o internal change that works its way out into CHANGED LIVES... don't be a Judas!

Friday, 16 October 2009

RELATING TO SNOBBERY [JAMES 03]

Date: 10/14/2009 Awana Varsity
Resources: John MacArthurs Commentary on James, & a sermon series from Denton Bible Church
Audio: http://eek-71.xanga.com/audio/a5a3c3717869/

How the Christian Relates to SNOBBERY
James 2:1-13

INTRO vs 1-3
• definition: "SNOB" = one who blatantly imitates, fawns over, seeks association with those regarded as social superiors. One who tends to rebuff, avoid, or ignore those regarded as inferior. One who has an offensive air of superiority.
• Jesus did not respond to "wrappers", He responded to HEARTS... widows, orphans, poor, children, women, lepers, etc. Jesus made NO room for snobbery.
• vs 1 "favoritism" = partiality, "respecter of faces"
• there is such a thing as proper divisions in church... by spiritual gifts, according to faithfulness, etc. BUT NOT by "wrapper"'
• vs 2-3 James' EXAMPLE...you SIT HERE... you STAND THERE... jewelry & clothes equals "wrapper" ("sit with me, I want people to associate your success with me")
• 4 ways the Christian should view "snubbing" in the Body of Christ...

1. SNOBBERY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST IS EVIL vs 4
• I put myself in a POSITION I don't deserve, bringing a STANDARD that is not Gods, for a REASON that God doesn't sanctify... causes DIVISION because I am in the wrong place, I have elevated myself as a judge

2. SNOBBERY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST IS ERRONEOUS vs 5-7
• just look around, Christianity is a humble, working class faith.
• lookup --> 1 Cor 1:26-28
• Heaven will not be a Country Club or Miss America pageant. Followers of Jesus are not the most talented or most beautiful, we are a middle class people... few millionaires, few rocket scientists, few all-stars.
• Being a snob is INCOMPATIBLE with the Gospel... I am Lost, needing Mercy, needing Grace, an unworthy, needy, guilty, rebel!

3. SNOBBERY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST IS DISOBEDIENT vs 8-11
• Gods law is fulfilled in loving your neighbor. If you don't you break ALL the law!
• To treat someone differently based on their "wrapper" is SIN!
• vs 10 the law is a UNIT, a pane of glass, break a portion and you break the whole thing. The law is not a "THING"... it flows from a PERSON, it emanates from the very character of God Himself.
• BIGOTRY violates the character of God b/c it fails to love His people as he does, it makes some people worthy of His love and some not. God instead chooses people from every tribe, tongue, people, & nation (read Rev 5:9-10)
• James reasoning... we think that when we hurt "little people" that its of little consequence... BUT you have violated God, He's big, so its a BIG deal!
• God identifies Himself with the "little guy"... Pro 17:5, 19:17; Exo 22:21-27; Lev 19:9-10, 14;

4. SNOBBERY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST IS DISASTROUS vs 12-13
• because it might indicate that you ARE NOT SAVED?!?
• read 1 Jn 4:7-8, 11,... 20-21 IF you are born of Him you should be loving
• vs 13 the Judgment Seat of Christ is for believers... WHO should FEAR the Judgment Seat?... the one who has not shown mercy (snob, bigot, harsh)
• My love for others verifies that I belong to God. My love for others shows that my faith is REAL...

CONCLUSION
• How do I know my faith is real? I am more loving, compassionate, not a snob, I love others. Mercy triumphs over judgment
• being a snob is INCOMPATIBLE with the Gospel
• Snobbery in the body of Christ is a BIG DEAL. It is a WICKED, EVIL, SIN. lookup Acts 2:44-47 to see how it is supposed to be
• Illustration: do you believe serious news if its in "The Enquirer"?...no... the world will not believe our "good news" if we place it alongside the ridiculousness of our bigotry!