Discipleship Involves Faith and Works

Brothers and sisters in Christ,

I hope and pray that you all have had a great start to your Friday! We can all look forward to a weekend of rest, family time, and worship on Sunday. This week's New Testament lectionary reading is from James 2:1-17, a very well-known passage that among other great exhortations, challenges disciples to have a "perfect" blend of faith and works. Of course, if we say we have faith in Jesus, if we "claim his name" and believe in who he is then the natural result is that we will do those things that will honor his name. In the same way, if we are doing those "good deeds" in helping the needy, being kind to all, going to church, etc., and do not possess genuine faith, then our faith is incomplete. In fact, James goes to on to say that faith in itself is not "enough" because even the demons have faith and believe that God is God. It has to be a sincere faith and devotion to Christ, a faith that compels us to be God's hands and feet to a hurting world.

In either case, the question for us becomes, is my faith "complete"? Both extremes can lead us down an incomplete Christian experience. We may wholeheartedly believe and defend all the right doctrines of the Christian church (and we should!), but if we rarely ever engage in the everyday needs and affairs of those around us, then our experience is incomplete. On the other hand, if we consume ourselves in meeting the everyday needs and affairs of those around us (and this we should also do!), and do not "root and ground" ourselves in God's word, prayer, worship, etc., and teach others God's truth, then our experience again is incomplete.

A disciple of Jesus Christ is one who nurtures his mind and heart, only to share that blessing and joy by serving others with good deeds.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for this new day, this new opportunity to "get it right". Give me a heart after your own heart, and give me a heart to serve others in your love. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

See you in church on Sunday!

By grace alone,
Pastor David