Reformation Sunday Date: October 28, 2012
Theme: Faith – Works = Faith + Works
James 2:14-26
(Pastor John Hein)
The Order of Worship: Bulletin
Hymns:
WS 774: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
TLH 377, st 1, 3, 6, 9-10: Salvation unto Us Has Come
TLH 416: Oh, that the Lord Would Guide My Ways
TLH 154: Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed
Scripture Readings:
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Mark 10:17-27
Sermon Theme:
Faith – Works = Faith + Works
1. James speaks to the Christian’s complacency
2. Paul speaks to the sinner’s desperation
James 2:14-26
NIV (14) What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? (15) Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. (16) If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? (17) In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (18) But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. (19) You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder. (20) You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? (21) Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? (22) You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. (23) And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. (24) You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. (25) In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? (26) As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.