Martin Luther
Broken Eggs
James 2:16
A Living and a Dead Faith
By faith things are accomplished
Topic : Faith, and works
Like Legs
Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again—until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other.
Martin Luther
The question is asked: how can justification take place without the works of the law, even though James says: “Faith without works is dead”?
In answer, the apostle distinguishes between the law and faith, the letter and grace. The ‘works of the law’ are works done without faith and grace, by the law, which forces them to be done through fear or the enticing promise of temporal advantages. But ‘works of faith’ are those done in the spirit of liberty, purely out of love to God. And they can be done only by those who are justified by faith. An ape can cleverly imitate the actions of humans. But he is not therefore a human. If he became a human, it would undoubtedly be not by virtue of the works by which he imitated man but by virtue of something else; namely, by an act of God. Then, having been made a human, he would perform the works of humans in proper fashion. Paul does not say that faith is without its characteristic works, but that it justifies without the works of the law. Therefore justification does not require the works of the law; but it does require a living faith, which performs its works. - Martin Luther
Broken Eggs
A young boy, on an errand for his mother, had just bought a dozen eggs. Walking out of the store, he tripped and dropped the sack. All the eggs broke, and the sidewalk was a mess. The boy tried not to cry. A few people gathered to see if he was OK and to tell him how sorry they were. In the midst of the works of pity, one man handed the boy a quarter. Then he turned to the group and said, “I care 25 cents worth. How much do the rest of you care?”
James 2:16
James 2:16 points out that words don’t mean much if we have the ability to do more. - Stanley C. Brown
A Living and a Dead Faith
The Lord receives His highest praise
From humble minds and hearts sincere;
While all the loud professor says
Offends the righteous Judge's ear.
To walk as children of the day,
To mark the precept's holy light,
To wage the warfare, watch, and pray,
Shew who are pleasing in His sight.
Not words alone it cost the Lord,
To purchase pardon for His own;
Nor will a soul by grace restored
Return the Saviour words alone.
With golden bells, the priestly vest,
And rich pomegranates border'd round,
The need of holiness express'd,
And call'd for fruit as well as sound.
Easy indeed it were to reach
A mansion in the courts above,
If swelling words and fluent speech
Might serve instead of faith and love.
But none shall gain the blissful place,
Or God's unclouded glory see,
Who talks of free and sovereign grace,
Unless that grace has made him free!
By faith things are accomplished
By faith things are accomplished
About two years ago when I was in the fifth grade a Faith - based story happened to me after I became a Christian. During that time I was looking for a way to spend more time praying and would forget to include my migraines in prayer or write then down. Eventually I wrote them down and began praying. I remember asking the Lord to take away my migranies and I was not sure about what to say because I had not been praying for long . It was during this time that I learned about how faith, works, and prayer should be taken more seriously . About three months later when I had not had any migranes I began to pray more seriously and took to belief the scripture "ask and it shall be given to you" why this was so amazing was that I would get a mirgane every two to three weeks and I no longer got them . It was then that I realized that I was totally healed. After a while I began to thank the Lord for what he had done for me, which was to heal me. Today I still don't get any migranes and I continue to thank him for what he has done. I hope someday that you can achieve the prayer of faith like I have.
For it is by faith things are accomplished every thing is possible to him who believes. One example of how faith is used in my sermon is through prayer. I know if I give up I willl never make it. It is during this time that you will want to give up or have thoughts about giving up. You will be faced with a lot of doubts and questions whether you should really fall through on this or give up. Don't listen to your thoughts for they will lead you astray, but hold unto faith and you won't be shaken for you will be strong. Also don't be one who has doubts or is given into temptation for he will never make it.
Faith brings both healing and spiritual growth to the believer as the believer holds unto there faith and God helps them. They see that there healing is true. Spiritual growth happenes as they seek God and rely on God. It becomes easier to thank God for meeting even are simple needs seeing that this is part of Gods love.
Faith involves both prayers and hope. Through prayer we talk to God. We expect God to help us. The believer learns to trust in God for daily needs. Our hope grows as God meets are needs. Over time prayer and Bible reading become more and more and faith grows.
I hope someday that you can achieve the prayer of faith like I have. You have now heard my illustration and my introduction to faith. I now end this sermon with are you serious enough to change this world to a world of faith, works, hope, and prayer or will you someday leave this world with nothing done.
- David Luscomb
