Living Proof: Faith Expressed Through Loving Action

Here's why the resurrection matters. The resurrection matters because the resurrection proves that Jesus is who he said he is. He can do what he said he can do. Who did he say he was? John fourteen six. I am the way, the truth, and the life. That's who he said he was. What did he say he could do? I'm the way, the truth, and the life, and I am the only way back to the father. Acts chapter four verse 12 says there's no other name given among men whereby a man or woman can be saved. It is only by the name of Jesus of Nazareth. There's only one savior. There's only one who was crucified, buried, and rose again. It's Jesus. And he loves you. [00:31:30] (41 seconds)  #ResurrectionProof

So last week, we we reminded ourselves of something that our grandmas and moms taught us as we were growing up. Actions speak louder than Words. But we we need the right words, but we also need actions is what he's saying. He goes on to say, does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, if you come upon upon an old friend dressed in rags and half starved and you say, good morning, friend. That's how you would say it. Right? Good morning, friend. I entertain myself. Be clothed in Christ. Sounds spiritual. Be filled with the holy spirit. And you walk off without providing such as much, yeah, as much as a coat or a cup of soup. What good is that? [00:07:26] (54 seconds)  #FaithInAction

God doesn't want us to stay. We all start off as babies in Christ, but he wants us to grow up in Christ. And we chain and we get to a point where we trade in our baby bib for an apron. And this is what this looks like. John 13 verse four. And he got up from the meal. Everybody's sitting around the table. This is the Passover meal. He gets up, he took a towel, he took his apron off, and he wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured some water in a basin and began washing the disciples' feet with the towel that the apron he had wrapped around him. The son of God, the creator washing his creation's feet. [00:26:14] (60 seconds)  #ServantLikeJesus

I don't know about you. I've often wondered why none of the other 12 jumped up and said, woah. Woah. Woah. Hold on a second. You're god. Give me that apron. I I don't know. Could it be they thought that this was a test that was beneath them? I don't know. I don't know what was going on in their head. I just asked, no. Nobody did it but Jesus. And yet Jesus said this, I'm giving you an example to follow because verse 35 again, the reason why you gotta walk this example out is the only way people will know that you are my disciple. It's the only way your gospel can be read and be heard is through serving others. [00:27:15] (53 seconds)  #LeadByServing

But the deal is, it's not simply believing, it's the way we live it out. People can't see our heart. Well, you know my heart. No. You're defined by your actions. I see your actions, which show me your heart. And by this, shall men know that you are my disciples if you love one another. And Jesus' love wasn't casual, was it? It wasn't convenient. It was cross shaped. He died to self so that we could live forever through him. [00:22:20] (50 seconds)  #LoveInAction

It's in the back of the bible where it says, you wanna know why we know what real love is? We know real love is from what we know what real love is because of whose example? Christ. Because Jesus actually laid down his life. Amen. And here's what it says. And so we ought to be doing the same thing, giving our lives for others. So we need to be doing. He didn't merely say, I love you. He laid down his life. [00:15:31] (27 seconds)  #SacrificialLove

His love was sacrificial. It was a love that loved. Listen. It was a love before love. What does that mean? We love him because he first loved us. That's the kind of love. Jesus' love, visible, observable, and undeniable. And that's what God calls us to do. Because by this shawl and all men know that you are my disciples if you have this kind of love. He didn't say, man, they're gonna know you're my disciple by your theology, And we should know the word of God. Amen? Know the word. [00:23:09] (49 seconds)  #VisibleLove

They wanna know that when I mess up, when I trip up, that there's enough grace where I can be lifted up. And I love our church for that. In James chapter two, the holy spirit through the writer is talking about the importance of walking out your faith. And again, this is why I love our church. The reason why so many people keep coming, the reason why we had to go down to the student ministry and steal all the chairs, The reason why people are standing in a foyer right now is because we keep drawing attention to ourself to bring glory to God. And I love that. You see? Because we're living proof of the power of God. [00:06:21] (37 seconds)  #GraceInAction