CRCF””7-18-10
I”™ve never NOT been in church. From the time I could be carried, I was in the church nursery. I”™ve seen a little of everything in the church””a lot of good, and a lot of bad. I”™ve played all the church games, and I”™ve gone to church for the right reasons. I”™ve been a hypocrite and I”™ve been sincerely trying to follow Jesus. And through the years, one of the major struggles I see for all us as Christ-followers is making sure that we don”™t just talk about loving Jesus and try to look like we love Jesus, but, as proven in our actions, we truly do love Jesus.
“In Oliver Crowell”™s day, the British government ran out of silver for coins. Cromwell sent his men to the cathedral to see if they could find any there. They reported, ”˜The only silver we can find is in the statues of the saints standing in the corners.”™ To which the great soldier and statesman of England replied, ”˜Good. We”™ll melt down the saints and put them in circulation.”™” (Swindoll, 480)
The church in America today needs a massive meltdown of silver spoon saints that can be circulated to take the healing love of Christ to our sin-enslaved world””which is out there, NOT in here!
Saints that don”™t circulate are just dead weight!
The Real Deal
James 1:26-27
Acting like Jesus is the proof that we love Jesus.
James 1:22-27 (The Message)
22-24Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.
25But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God””the free life!””even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.
26-27Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.
Acting like Jesus is the proof that we love Jesus.
“The Real Deal” means . . .
1) Serving the Needy (27a)
2) Staying Close and Clean (27b)
Serving the Needy (27a)
Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight
Psalm 146:9
The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; but the way of the wicked He turns upside down.
Matthew 25:36, 40
I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me . . . Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.
Mark 10:42-45
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
James 2:15-17
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 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? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
17 (Message)
Isn”™t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?
Acting like Jesus is the proof that we love Jesus
There are over 1 billion chronically hungry people in the world! Last year, over 30 million Americans did not have sufficient food for their family at some time during a given month.
That”™s why we support the Gilmer Food Pantry. That”™s why we”™re starting “There”™s Hope for the Hungry” tomorrow morning!
True religion serves those who need help the most!
Acting like Jesus is the proof that we love Jesus
Staying Close and Clean (27b)
and guard against corruption from the godless world
27b (NLT)
and refuse to let the world corrupt us
Romans 12:9
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
James 4:4
Adulterers and adultresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Acting like Jesus is the proof that we love Jesus
The Tell-Tale Sign=THE TONGUE
(Another is YOUR CHECKBOOK)
James 1:26
Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air.
Matthew 12:34-35
Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
James 1:19
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
Acting like Jesus is the proof that we love Jesus
Screwtape to Wormwood: “If you can obscure these facts, there”™s a good chance that he will embrace what hell considers to be the perfect synonym for true religion””churchianity. In this marvelous imitation of the Enemy”™s church everything looks and sounds right and good, but the Enemy”™s Spirit is conspicuously absent. You must arrange to make him a devout Methodist or Anglican or Baptist or Presbyterian or what have you. Make him that. He must come to accept the church as a type of religious social club where people congregate. Nothing more. In a word, Wormwood, help him to become more religious, but for hell”™s sake, not more Christian!” (Martin, Swindoll, 481).
True religion has dirty hands and a clean heart! True religion gets your hands dirty by serving the needy while keeping your heart clean as you worship Jesus alone!