beacon The Sermons Pastor CB Barthlow

James 2:14-26

English Standard Version

Faith Without Works Is Dead

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not
have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly
clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in
peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the
body, what good[a] is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have
works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your
faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.19 
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and
shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart
from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works
when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was
active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;23 and
the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was
counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You
see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.25 And in
the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she
received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the
body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

James 2:8-13
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

James 2: 1-7 The Sin of Partiality

2 My brothers,[a] show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and
fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing
also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine
clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor
man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then
made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the
world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised
to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the
rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are
they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were
called?

James 1:26-27

English Standard Version

26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but
deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Religion that
is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and
widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to
offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is
your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be
able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect
will.

Luke 23

55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw
the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and
prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience
to the commandment.

Jesus Has Risen

24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took
the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone
rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the
body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly
two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In
their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the
men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is
not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with
you in Galilee: