YOU SHOW ME YOURS & I LL SHOW YOU MINE SCRIPTURE: JAMES 2:14-25 CONCEPT: OUR FAITH MUST BE SEEN BY THE ACTIONS WE TAKE TO EXERCISE AND EMPLOY IT. INTRODUCTION: WE AS CHILDREN COME INTO THIS WORLD WITH A NATURAL CURIOSITY. WE EXPLORE AND DISCOVER LIFE, AS WE UNWRAP THE WONDERS OF THIS WORLD. DISCOVERING NATURE AND STARS IN THE SKY. FINDING THE BEAUTY OF ANIMALS AND THE WORLD OF INSECTS AND BUGS. CHILDREN IDENTIFY THE SPLENDOR OF THIS WORLD, ONE DISCOVERY AT A TIME.
I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I REALIZED THAT LITTLE BOYS AND LITTLE GIRLS WERE DIFFERENT. I WASN T SURE HOW, BUT WAS TOO SHY TO EVER ASK. THAT IS UNTIL ONE DAY, WE WERE PLAYING A GAME CALLED MOMMIES AND DADDIES AND THE LITTLE GIRL, I TELL YOU SHE WAS SOMETHING. MY MAMA WARNED ME ABOUT HER. SHE SAID, JOHNNY, I WANT YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM THAT LITTLE GIRL. BOY SHE S FAST. YEAH AND SHE S MANISH, SHE'S HOT. MAMA SAID, THAT LITTLE GIRL JOHNNY IS
NASTY AND I WANT YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM HER. DON T PLAY WITH HER AND KEEP HER OUR OF MY YARD. I CAN T TELL YOU HOW SHE GOT INTO MY YARD ONE DAY. AND FOR THE LIFE OF ME I CAN T TELL YOU HOW SHE GOT INTO MY BASEMENT. SHE ASKED ME, JOHNNY YOU WANT TO PLAY A GAME. I SAID YEAH. SHE SAID YOU BE DADDY AND I LL BE MOMMY. I SAID, OK. SHE SAID, JOHNNY. UN HUH? CAN I SEE WHAT YOU HAVE? AND I DIDN T KNOW WHAT TO DO. AND ALL I COULD THINK TO SAY WAS, YOU SHOW ME YOURS AND I LL SHOW YOU MINE .
AFTERWARDS, I
WENT AND TOLD MY MAMA WHEN SHE GOT HOME AND SAID MAMA, I M SORRY MAMA BUT THAT LITTLE GIRL GOT IN OUR YARD MAMA (I KNEW MY NEIGHBOR SAW ME AND SHE WAS GOING TO TELL MY MAMA ANYWAY AND SO I FIGURED I BETTER FESS UP) AND MY MAMA ASKED ME, AND WHAT HAPPENED. I SAID, MAMA SHE ASKED IF SHE COULD SEE MY, YOU KNOW . AND SHE ASKED ME, AND WHAT DID YOU SAY , AND I TOLD HER, MAMA, I TOLD HER THAT IF SHE SHOWED ME HER'S I D SHOW HER MINE AND MY MOTHER LIKE A NINJA, JUMPED UP AND WITH OUT EVEN
TOUCHING THE FLOOR GOT OVER TO ME IN A SPLIT SECOND AND SAID, I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM THAT LITTLE GIRL. NOW I M GOING TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING. YOU SHOW ME YOURS TURN AROUND. I M GOING TO SHOW YOU MINE. MY BELT AND THE BACK OF MY HAND. BOY SHE SHOWED ME SOMETHING THAT DAY. YOU SEE YOUNG PEOPLE, OFTEN OTHER KIDS WILL TRY TO GET YOU TO DO THINGS THAT AREN T RIGHT. DON T LET THAT BOY TELL YOU THAT YOU DON T REALLY LOVE HIM UNLESS YOU SHOW HIM SOMETHING. DON T YOU LET THEM USE YOU AND ABUSE YOU. DON T LET THAT BOY GET UNDER YOUR HOOD OR PUT THE KEY INTO YOUR IGNITION. THAT BOY DON T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE. I MEAN DON'T LET THAT BOY GIVE YOU A TUNE UP OR GET BEHIND YOUR WHEEL. IF YOU GOING TO SHOW EM ANYTHING, SHOW EM THAT YOU ARE GOD S CHILD AND THAT YOU RE GOING TO WAIT UNTIL YOU RE READY TO GET MARRIED, BEFORE YOU START SHOWING YOUR STUFF TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT WANTS TO SEE STUFF. YES THEY DO. THEY WANT TO SEE IT IF THEY RE GOING TO BELIEVE IT. SEEING IS BELIEVING. MISSOURI IS CALLED THE SHOW ME STATE. WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT IS ONE WHERE PEOPLE WILL OFTEN LEAD YOU ASTRAY OR SAY ONE THING, BUT DO ANOTHER. WE ARE TAUGHT TO NOT JUDGE A BOOK BY IT S COVER. AND TO NOT MARRY A PIG IN A POKE. MAMA WOULD TELL US, THAT YOU CAN T TELL A BOOK, BY IT S COVER AND THAT EVERYTHING THAT GLITTERS AIN T GOLD.
WE GROW UP LEARNING THE IMPORTANCE OF SEEING THINGS FOR OURSELVES AND CHECKING THINGS OUT UNTIL YOU SEE FOR YOUR SELF WHAT S REALLY HAPPENING. MANY OF US MIGHT HAVE MADE DIFFERENT CHOICES IF WE HAD ONLY TAKEN MORE TIME TO SEE WHAT WAS REALLY WHAT.
BUT IN GOD, SEEING IS ESPECIALLY PROBLEMATIC. FOR THE BIBLE SAYS THAT FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR AND THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN. IN OTHER WORDS,
FAITH IS BELIEVING SOMETHING EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN T SEE IT. IT S TRUSTING SOMETHING TO BE, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT IT EVEN EXISTS. FAITH. THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT WE MUST WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT AND THAT WITHOUT FAITH WE CAN NOT PLEASE THE LORD. FAITH IS THE BEDROCK OF OUR RELIGION. FOR WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE, BUT IT S THROUGH FAITH. THE JUST LIVE BY IT AND BY IT WE ARE MADE WHOLE.
AND SO WITH THIS UNDERSTANDING, OUR TEXT THIS MORNING CAUSES SOME LEVEL OF PAUSE AND RE-EXAMINATION. THE APOSTLE PAUL IN HIS WRITING TAUGHT THAT WE ARE NOT SAVED BY WORKS OR DEEDS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST. HE TAUGHT THAT YOU CAN T EARN YOUR RIGHT INTO SALVATION BY DOING MORE THAN SOMEBODY ELSE OR WORKING HARDER. HE TEACHES THAT WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE. THE UNMERITED FAVOR OF GOD. JAMES SEEMS TO CONTRADICT PAUL WHEN HE SAYS IN OUR TEXT: JAMES 2:14 (NLT) 14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don t show it by
your actions? (MSG) Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? SOUNDS LIKE HE S SAYING THE OPPOSITE OF PAUL. BUT UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION, WE SEE THAT PAUL ALSO SUPPORTS THIS SAME POSITION WHEN HE SAYS, GOD WILL RENDER TO EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS OR WHEN HE SAYS THAT EVERY MAN SHALL RECEIVE HIS OWN REWARD, ACCORDING TO HIS LABOR. HE ALSO SUPPORTS JAMES POSITION ABOUT FAITH AND DEEDS WHEN HE SAYS THAT WE MUST ALL APPEAR BEFORE THE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST SO THE EVERY ONE MAY RECEIVE GOOD OR EVIL ACCORDING TO WHAT HE HAS DONE IN THE BODY. EVEN JESUS SAID, LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN THAT THEY MIGHT SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GLORY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS HEAVEN. HE SAID, NOT EVERY ONE WHO SAYS UNTO ME LORD, LORD SHALL ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT THEY WHO DO THE WILL OF MY FATHER. NO JESUS AND PAUL, SUPPORT JAMES POSITION.
BUT ITS IMPORTANT TO SEE SOMETHING ABOUT THE TIMING OF BOTH PAUL S AND JAMES STATED POSITIONS. PAUL IS SPEAKING TO THE NEW CHRISTIAN AND TELLING HIM THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A PERFECT PERSON TO GET SAVED. NOR DO YOU HAVE TO EARN SALVATION BY DOING STUFF AND PAYING GOD BACK BY DOING GOOD THINGS BEFORE YOU CAN GET SAVED. NO, PAUL MAKES IT PLAIN THAT EVERYONE THAT SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF JESUS, SHALL BE SAVED. THAT WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH, NOT OF OURSELVES. HE SAYS IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH THE LORD JESUS AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD. THOU SHALT BE SAVED. PAUL IS SPEAKING TO THE NEW CHRISTIAN OR TO THOSE WHO NEED TO BE SAVED. WHILE JAMES IS SPEAKING TO THE PROFESSING CHRISTIAN. TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SAVED AND AREN T LIVING SAVED LIVES.
HE SAYS
WHAT GOOD IS FAITH IF IT DOESN T COME WITH ACTION. WHAT GOOD IS SOMEONE SAYING THEY LOVE YOU, IF THEY DON T SHOW IT. WHAT GOOD IS IT IF SOMEBODY TELLS YOU THEY RE WITH YOU, IF THEY RE NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. WHAT GOOD IS IT IF SOMEBODY TELLS YOU THEY RE GOING TO HELP YOU IF THEY NEVER SHOW UP.
JAMES SPEAKS TO THE MATURE CHRISTIAN, TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IN CHRIST FOR A WHILE AND HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THE LORD AND HIS GOODNESS. HE CHALLENGES US AND SAYS, WHAT GOOD IS FAITH WITHOUT WORKS. IT S GOOD FOR NOTHING. IT S DEAD. IT S SIMPLY AN INTELLECTUAL EXERCISE. SOMETHING YOU THINK, BUT NOT SOMETHING YOU DO. JAMES WARNS 1:22 BY SAYING, "BE YE DOERS OF THE WORD AND NOT HEARERS ONLY". DECEIVING YOUR OWN SELVES. VERSES 15-16 GIVE AN ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT JAMES IS TALKING ABOUT. HE TELLS OF SOMEONE WHO HAS A BROTHER OR SISTER WHO IS DESTITUTE, POOR AND HUNGRY WHO COMES TO THEM. SEEING THEM AND KNOWING THEIR NEED, THE PERSONS SAYS GO IN PEACE AND BE WARM AND BE FILLED, IN JESUS NAME; BUT DOESN T GIVE THEM ANYTHING TO EAT OR PROTECTION FROM THE COLD. PAUL SAYS WHAT GOOD IS FAITH LIKE THAT? IT S USELESS. JAMES SAYS IN V18, 18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. IN OTHER WORDS JAMES IS SAYING, YOU SHOW ME YOURS AND I LL SHOW YOU MINE. YOU SHOW ME HOW
MUCH FAITH YOU HAVE IN YOUR HEAD AND IN YOUR BIBLE AND IN YOUR FEELINGS AND I LL SHOW YOU MY FAITH BY SHOWING YOU THE PEOPLE I VE SERVED AND THE SCRIPTURE I VE STUDIED I LL SHOW YOU MY FAITH BY THE SERVICE I VE RENDERED AND THE SUPPORT I VE GIVEN. HE SAYS SHOW YOUR FAITH WITHOUT WORKS AND I LL SHOW YOU MY FAITH BY MY WORKS. SHOW ME YOURS AND I LL SHOW YOU MINE. V19 SAYS SO WHAT IF YOU SAY YOU HAVE FAITH AND BELIEVE IN GOD. THAT S GOOD, BUT EVEN DEVILS AND DEMONS BELIEVE THAT. AND IT MAKES THEM TREMBLE AND SHAKE. BUT SO WHAT? BELIEVING IN JESUS DOESN T MAKE THEM STOP BEING EVIL. THEY KNOW THE FACT, BUT DON T KNOW THE MAN. JAMES SAID, SHOW ME YOURS AND I LL SHOW YOU MINE. FOR JUST AS THE BODY WITHOUT BREATHE IS DEAD. FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.
IF YOU SAY YOU BELIEVE IN GOD, THEN DO SOMETHING FOR THE LORD. IF YOU SAY HE CAN MAKE A WAY OUT OF NO WAY, STOP COMPLAINING. IF YOU BELIEVE THAT HE CAN FIX IT FOR YOU, THEN STOP WORRYING. IF YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT HE IS WITH YOU,
THEN STOP SAYING YOU RE ALL ALONE. IF YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT HE IS ABLE, THEN STOP ACTING LIKE HE ISN'T. YOU SAY YOU BELIEVE IN THE WORD, BUT WHY WON'T YOU READ AND STUDY YOUR BIBLE. IF YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT HE IS WORTHY TO BE PRAISED, THEN WHY WON'T YOU PRAISE HIM. PRAISE HIM BECAUSE... HE SAID, SHOW ME YOUR FAITH WITHOUT WORKS AND I LL SHOW YOU MY FAITH BY MY WORKS. CAUSE FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.
JESUS CAME ALL THE WAY DOWN FROM HEAVEN TO SAVE US FROM A BURNING HELL. WHEN THE TIME CAME FOR HIM TO DIE UPON THE CROSS, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT HE TOILED AND PRAYED AND SUFFERED IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSAMANE AND THE MAN JESUS SAID, IF IT BE POSSIBLE, LET THIS BITTER CUP PASS. BUT THE SPIRITUAL JESUS, WHO REALIZED WHY HE CAME TO THIS EARTH. WHO KNEW WHAT HE BELIEVED HAD TO BE DONE. THAT HE HAD TO PAY THE PRICE OUR REDEMPTION AND DIE SO WE MIGHT LIVE. HE KNEW THAT FAITH WITHOUT WORKS WAS DEAD AND SO HE SAID,
NEVERTHELESS, NOT MY WILL BUT THINE BE DONE. FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, THE POWER AND THE GLORY FOR EVER.
IT S EASY TO TALK A GOOD GAME. BUT TALK IS CHEAP. IF YOU HAVE FAITH IN GOD, THEN BELIEVE IN HIS WORD. AND IF YOU BELIEVE IN HIS WORD THEN DO WHAT HE SAYS. HE SAYS WE MUST LIVE BY FAITH. BUT NOT BY A FAITH THAT IS ONLY IN YOUR HEAD OR IN YOUR PEW. NO FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.
YOU BELIEVE IN GOD. REALLY, THEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO SHOW GOD THAT YOU BELIEVE IN HIM? WHAT DIFFERENCE ARE YOU MAKING IN HIS HOUSE OR IN HIS WORLD? CAUSE NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU SAY YOU BELIEVE, REMEMBER THIS. FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD!