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The Bible Breakdown
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The Bible Breakdown
James 02: Walk This Way
Unlock the profound lessons of faith with Pastor Brandon as we navigate the teachings of James Chapter 2. What does it truly mean to "walk in faith"? Explore the metaphor of "walking this way" as we unpack the challenges and prejudices that can arise on our spiritual journey. Our discussion focuses on the vital call to treat everyone equally, transcending social or economic divisions, and how favoritism contradicts the very essence of Jesus's teachings. As we reflect on our actions, we are reminded that genuine faith must be evident through how we live and love.
Journey with us as we explore the theme of spiritual growth in the chapter "Growing in Faith and Salvation." Here, Pastor Brandon emphasizes the importance of constantly evaluating our relationship with God. Whether or not change is visible, daily reflection on our closeness to Him is crucial. This episode encourages listeners to seek divine guidance in overcoming sin and to embody the principles outlined in James 1:22. Strive for wisdom and freedom, acting on God's word to foster continuous growth in your spiritual journey.
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The More You Dig. The More You Find.
Well, hello everybody. Welcome back to the Bible Breakdown podcast with your host, pastor Brandon. Today, james, chapter 2, and today's title is Walk this Way From the great philosopher Aerosmith. We're going to learn how to walk this way. We'll get to all of that in just a second. But, as always, if you like what we're doing here, make sure you like, share and subscribe to the YouTube channel and the podcast. Make sure you're leaving us a five-star review on the podcast. It really does help us get the word out. Also, make sure you're going to the Bible Breakdown Discussion on Facebook.
Speaker 1:They do such a great job, especially with the book of James, because there's so much just rich goodness of God's word and man. The more we dig, the more we find, and I'd love to know from you I want you to let us know on the devotions, let us know on the YouTube channel. I want you to let us know on the devotions, let us know on the YouTube channel. I want to know from you each day what your main takeaway is, because there's so much. So I'm not asking you necessarily how you feel about the scripture. Based on what the scripture says, what is your next step? That's what I want to hear. I want to hear about it in the comments, and so, if you have your Bibles, you want to open up with me to James, chapter 2. Remember, they call this the Proverbs of the New Testament, written by the half-brother of Jesus. The early church leader. James writes to us about growing in wisdom. Growing in wisdom, and in this chapter we're going to see once again, as the great philosopher Aerosmith says, we have to walk this way, now that we are saved. I can't even say that without smiling, as we are now saved, now, in the grace of God. That isn't the end of the journey. It's just the beginning of the journey. But all along this journey of salvation, if we think about it like a road, there's potholes, there's detours, there's bridges that are out that we have to find a way to navigate around. There's all these different things, and a lot of them are the things that we have to encounter. There's prejudices, there's different ideas about how to go about the faith and all this stuff, and none of that is new. This goes all the way back to the early church, and so the gospel of James just dives right into it and really gives us a lot to think about, because the goal is to grow in wisdom, so let's grow together. You ready?
Speaker 1:Chapter 2, verse 1 says this my dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others? Okay, great, already out. Verse two. For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person but say to the poor one, you sit over there or else sit on the floor, well, doesn't that discrimination, show that your judgments are guided by evil motives? Oh, that hurts.
Speaker 1:Verse 5, listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn't God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith? Aren't they the ones who will inherit the kingdom he promised for those who love him? But you dishonor the poor. Isn't it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? Aren't they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, the noble name you bear? Yes, indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the scriptures. Love your neighbor as yourself.
Speaker 1:But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin and you are guilty of breaking the law, for the person who keeps all of the law except one is as guilty as the person who has broken all of God's laws. For the same God who said you must not commit adultery, also said you must not murder. So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you still broke the law verse 12. So, whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who do not show mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, god will be merciful when he judges you. If you have been merciful, god will be merciful when he judges you.
Speaker 1:So he's using the example of you know, imagine you go into a party and you go into that party and there, you know, it was supposed to be a black tie event. Everybody's supposed to be wearing their suits, their dresses, all this stuff, and that's what they're supposed to be doing. But one person they didn't have the money for it. They couldn't afford it. So they wore a black t-shirt, black pair of pants. They did the best they could, but they couldn't afford to have the best. Well, if you treat that person like they are less than because they didn't have the means to do what everybody else does.
Speaker 1:He's saying that's wrong. He said you're not supposed to discriminate people based on something that they can't do anything about as a matter. But how often do we tend to do that in our life, in other areas? How often do we pay attention to one person over another because this person has status, or this person is more popular in our friend circle, or this person can do favors for us, that this person is more financially well off, just all the different things? When do we idolize celebrities over spiritual brothers and sisters? And he's saying when you look at people differently, man, you're missing what God is doing when he says love your neighbor as you would love yourself. And so he's challenging our motivation and how we see one another.
Speaker 1:Verse 14 says this what good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but you don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing and you say goodbye and have a good day, stay warm and eat well, but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Speaker 1:Now some may argue some people have faith, others have good deeds. But I say how can you show me your faith if it doesn't have good deeds, in other words, it doesn't produce good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds. You say you have faith, for you believe that there is a God Good for you. Even the demons believe this and they tremble in terror. How foolish. Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
Speaker 1:Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by the actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. That's the point. We're going to finish with that in just a moment. His actions made his faith complete, and so it happened. Just as the scriptures say, abraham believed God and God counted him as righteous because of his faith, and he was even called the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.
Speaker 1:Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them away by a different road. That's in the book of Joshua. Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. Okay, so once again, as we said in yesterday's chapter, there is this idea of how could this possibly be the same thing as what the gospel is teaching through Paul and through the four gospels? Because it seems as though he's saying the only way we are righteous is if we do enough good works. This is not works-based salvation.
Speaker 1:Notice how he said earlier. He is saying that our faith and our works work together. Like once again, let's just use his example he is saying how in the world can you tell me you have faith if you don't live by it? Once again, it's the idea of I talked about this yesterday that imagine you have guy one and guy two. You have two guys. Guy one starts just beating the mess out of guy two, but the whole time he's saying I love you. I sure do love you, man, I am just so thankful for you, but he's beating the mess out of him After a while. I'm going, dude, I don't know if you really love this guy. Well, what do you mean? Well, your actions are not showing that you love this guy, but I love him, man. I love him. Well, dude, you're going to love him to death if you don't stop. And that's what James is saying. He's saying you tell me that you believe in God. Great, the demons believe in God. They're terrified of him.
Speaker 1:What is that belief doing in your life? And that would be the question I would actually leave with you. We are saved by grace, through faith. We don't earn salvation. This is not salvation. It's now that you are saved. What is it doing in your life as you begin to read God's word? Every day, after you receive salvation, you begin to read God's word. It starts to renew your mind every day. You start to spend time with God through prayer. You start to spend time with your spiritual family, your Christian community. You start doing the things of God. God will start transforming your life, one step at a time. It's a spiritual, it's a miracle, it's a thing that the Holy Spirit comes in and starts transforming you, and the byproduct of your relationship with God is you will begin to grow.
Speaker 1:Using my analogy of the poor guy number two, he's getting beat half to death. Right, but what's going to happen is is if you were guy number one. What's going to happen is is you're going to slowly start going. You know, if I love guy number two, I should probably stop beating him half to death. That's probably not a good idea. And then, after a while, you're going to stop hitting him. And then, after a while, you're going to say you know what? Not only should I stop hitting him, I should probably love him, I should probably help him up, I should help him get medical attention. Actually, you know what, if I love him, I should be his friend. And you just slowly start getting better.
Speaker 1:And so what James is saying is he's saying listen, I love God, but there ain't a thing in your life that is showing that you love God.
Speaker 1:And so he is not denying whether or not you believe in God. He's saying I don't see any evidence of it. Jesus himself said you will know a tree by its fruit. So he's not denying if you're a tree, he's saying I don't see any fruit. And so here's my question for you what is salvation and your love for God doing in your life Now?
Speaker 1:Sometimes the growth relationship you have with God is so slow because God's working, deep work in your life. You're not always going to see your growth rate every day, because all of us are on a different growth rate, so I'm not saying that you should be getting just completely better, just to the point where everybody sees it like at a rapid rate. It might take a lifetime to walk you out of a lifetime of brokenness, but God's here for it and he is going to keep you moving. But my question for you is what is your salvation growing in your life? Are you closer to God today than you were yesterday, and is there fruit of it?
Speaker 1:If there's not, that doesn't mean that you're not a Christian. It does mean it's time to go to God and say God, I want you to fill my life completely. I want you to work out all the sin in my life, not so that I can get saved, but because I'm yours, god, I want to walk in freedom every day and watch what God will do. Let's pray together right now, god. Thank you so much for today. Thank you, god, that you are with us more than we can imagine, and what you want for us is to grow in freedom, to experience that freedom. That's why you challenge us this way, and so I pray that we will grow every single day in that wisdom. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. And then what God's word says in James 1, verse 22,. Don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says, because God's hope for us is to grow in freedom and wisdom. I love you. I'll see you tomorrow for James, chapter 3.
