Living Out a Dynamic Faith in Action

1. "So the key idea is what good is a faith that doesn't reach beyond the words. Beyond the speech. Right that's essentially what he's saying. What's the point of your faith? If it doesn't go beyond merely what you think and what you say. What's the point of it? Another way of saying it could be like this. If love is real it's got to show. If God has done something in your life. If you're connected to Jesus. If you have trust in him. If you're following Jesus as not merely a fan but as a follower. As a disciple of Jesus. It will be seen in the way that you love. Love God and love other people." [36:07] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "Faith is the mechanism to see. And to live as the kingdom of God. In the kingdom of this world. What does that mean? It means that when Christ comes into your life. When you are moved and animated by the Holy Spirit. You will have a vision of this world. And a vision of yourself. And a vision of God. That people of this world cannot see. And do not live under. But you come as a follower. Not just a fan. But a follower of Jesus. And you say. I follow him now. I am a part of his kingdom. I am a part of his household. And so now I will move. And live and make decisions. In this world. That is not of this world." [49:53] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "Imagine in this community. If all of us lived so in line. With God's gospel vision for this world. Do you think that people will see a difference in our community? In our world? When we all truly live like Christ. Because here's the thing. The faith that we have in Jesus. Is calling us to be like Jesus. Paul. James' point is that. When you have a faith that's dead. It means nothing. Because it's not leading you. Or the people around you. Towards Jesus. And this vision. Of what true good life is about." [52:54] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "Faith is trusting God. Believing that he loves us. And knows what's best for our good. It's saying. The world is telling us a narrative. The world is telling us certain things. That say this is good for you. And this is good for you. And this is good for you. But you're saying. No, no, no. I actually trust God. And I'm going to follow what he says. Because I know that whatever he calls me to. Is the best for me. Thus instead of our own. It leads to choose his way. In place of our ignorance. It accepts his wisdom. In place of our weakness. His strength. In place of our sinfulness. His righteousness." [53:25] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "How many stories of these should we listen to before we realize. Man. Maybe what Jesus said was actually true. Maybe the good life. The true life. Is found in scripture. It is found in the way that he tells us. And then she says this. She says. It is faith that puts us in possession of these principles. Faith is like the key in the ignition that gets the engine started. It's the thing that's the gateway. It's the mechanism. It's the way that we get there." [56:34] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


6. "So real faith. Is a faith with reach. It goes beyond mere words. It goes beyond mere speech. It goes to the point where we are saying. Lord I am tired of being just a fan. And looking from afar off. And knowing all of these things about you. Lord I desire to be a follower of you. I want the Bible that I read. To have the leather of shoes on it. To go about. So that I can be the hands and the feet of Jesus. To move me beyond that. And as I live this faith. As I breathe this faith. It not only redeems me. But it will redeem the people around me." [01:21:23] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


7. "How many of you want to be like Jesus? How many of us want to truly be like Jesus? Jesus is the ultimate human being. So to be like Jesus. We cannot merely have faith as an intellectual exercise. But we need to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. We need to become like him. Which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in him. Dwight Moody put it very succinctly when he said. Every bible should be bound in shoe leather. The faith that we proclaim in scripture. In the Sabbath school room. Should be seen in the streets the way that we live. People should know who we are. By the love that we display. That's what James is calling us to." [01:18:52] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


8. "Dead faith touches only the intellect. Deceptive faith involves both the mind and the emotions. But it's not enough. But the dynamic faith involves the will. The whole person plays a part in this true saving faith. The mind understands truth. It's important for us to understand truth. I'm not minimizing the importance of truth. In terms of theological truth. Because that's the basis of understanding. James completely goes through this point. Over and over and over again. When he says. Faith is this thing. Scripture is the thing that saves us. Because it helps us get in contact with Jesus. It's the medium that helps us. Right? So the mind understands the truth. The heart desires the truth. And the will acts upon the truth. If you really believe that it's true. You will do it." [01:20:18] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


9. "So the first mark of a dead faith. Is this idea of words without works. Words without works. And he is straddling a line between two things. Firstly, works-based religion. And word-based religion. Works-based religion is legalism. That's what Paul was fighting against. This idea that I have to do all of these things to be saved. That's cheap grace. That I have to do stuff because God's grace is not enough to save me. On the opposite ends is words-based religion. That's also cheap grace. Because you speak about discipleship. You speak about all of these things that God is calling you to. But you're not living that way. You're saying that Jesus is your savior. You're saying that Jesus is your Lord. But you're not living as if he is." [58:55] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


10. "So faith then according to Hebrews chapter 11. Faith is the mechanism to see. And to live as the kingdom of God. In the kingdom of this world. What does that mean? It means that when Christ comes into your life. When you are moved and animated by the Holy Spirit. You will have a vision of this world. And a vision of yourself. And a vision of God. That people of this world cannot see. And do not live under. But you come as a follower. Not just a fan. But a follower of Jesus. And you say. I follow him now. I am a part of his kingdom. I am a part of his household. And so now I will move. And live and make decisions. In this world. That is not of this world." [49:53] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)