the zombie apocalypse

the zombie apocalypse

Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands? James 2:20

a time for action?

James 2:18b

Wasn’t our ancestor Abraham “made right with God by works” when he placed his son Isaac on the sacrificial altar? James 2:21

Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

ἀγάπη (love)

ἁμαρτία (sin)

Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.

πίστις

"faith"

• feminine noun

• conviction of the truth of anything

James 2:14

James 2:18a

I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, “Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I’ll handle the works department.”

Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything?

James 2:15-16

includes his action. It’s that mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named “God’s friend.” Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works? James 2:23b-24

Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it?

For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you?

Isn’t it obvious that faith and works are yoked partners, that faith expresses itself in works? That the works are “works of faith”? James 2:22

Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

James 1:26-27

The full meaning of “believe” in the Scripture sentence, “Abraham believed God and was set right with God,” James 2:23a

After that, Pharisees and religion scholars came to Jesus all the way from Jerusalem, criticizing, “Why do your disciples play fast and loose with the rules?” But Jesus put it right back on them. “Why do you use your rules to play fast and loose with God’s commands? Matthew 15:1-3

God clearly says, ‘Respect your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone denouncing father or mother should be killed.’ But you weasel around that by saying, ‘Whoever wants to, can say to father and mother, What I owed to you I’ve given to God.’ That can hardly be called respecting a parent. You cancel God’s command by your rules. Matthew 15:4-7

Frauds! Isaiah’s prophecy of you hit the bull’s-eye:

These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn’t in it. They act like they’re worshiping me, but they don’t mean it.

They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy.”

Matthew 15:8-9

second....

LISTENING offers the opportunity to understand

and live....

James 2:26

next....

so far....

The very moment you separate body and spirit, you end up with a corpse.

how we treat each other is how we can expect to be treated...

Separate faith and works and you get the same thing: a corpse.

Malachi 3:8-11

"Do honest people rob God? But you rob me day after day"

"The tithe and the offering—that’s how!"

first......

" Bring your full tithe"

"Test me in this"

what now?

"pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams"

The same with Rahab, the Jericho harlot. Wasn’t her action in hiding God’s spies and helping them escape—that seamless unity of believing and doing—what counted with God?

James 2:25

10/2 - 12/30

• give

under pressure we reveal what we have faith in...

• missed

• full refund

Mark 12:41-44

"large contributions"

"Sitting across from the offering box"

"she gave extravagantly"

"two small coins—a measly two cents"

"what she couldn’t afford"

"she gave her all"

Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life. James 1:12

talk and act like a person expecting to be judged by the Rule that sets us free. For if you refuse to act kindly, you can hardly expect to be treated kindly.

Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time. James 2:12-13

“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. John 15:5-6

You are already pruned back by the Message I have spoken.

He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more.

I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer.

“Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me. John 15:4

John 15:1-3

Demons do that, but what good does it do them?

That’s just great.

Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful?

living the Kingdom life

James 2:19