October 15, 2023 - #5 How to add Goodness to Faith

Mel.

You leave your mic off and then so everyone turns everything up because maybe it's not coming through and then all of a sudden you turn it on and that's what I was saying. It's so good to hear conversations and it's great to see everybody and connect with everybody. I got I want to start with a question today and you don't have to answer this out loud, but have you ever known someone who say? They believe in God but they don't act as if it makes a difference in their life.

You know, if we look at the last seven hundred years of human history, it's really interesting. Like when the Black Plague happened in Europe, 90% of the clergy died because they were serving the people who had black plague, and after that, the standard for people to be clergy drop from You know, you need all this education, you all this time, you need all of this, this experience, you need all this event. You basically have to reach scene, Hood before you go, you know, it it went down to. Hey, you got most your teeth. Great. You're the new pastor. and when that happened, we see that the church taught that Faith was enough.

Good works. We're good enough. If it's supported the church cuz we got to build big Cathedrals, right? But it didn't really matter as long as you thought, right? It was okay, if you did right? Or not, You want to know how we got Crusades? That's exactly how we got Crusades.

Now, I don't think we need to understand church history in world history.

This was, I haven't seen a recent stat but before covid. I think it's still true afterwards. People who served in restaurants hated to work on Sunday. because, Christians would come after the church service and be belligerence and you be lousy tippers.

Is that still the case today? Like we've got We've got to let this come out here. We got to let what we know, through what we how we live. It's there's no excuse.

What was that song? They will know. We are Christians by our love.

We have to back away from people, knowing we're Christians because of our political stance.

It's not even true. But as soon as people find your Christian, they assume you believe all of these political things. And it's, I got to see the work I do. Outside the church is awesome because I get it. It's so funny. When people realize, you're a Christian and is a, but I like you face is only as good as what you have faith in. And faith is only as real as what you had to it. Okay, we're going to 2nd Peter 1 5, 2, 8 in the NIV version here. Sean, write this Pastor, John read this last week too. But for this very reason make every effort to add your faith goodness into goodness knowledge into knowledge self-control and his health of Ctrl perseverance, perseverance godliness, and adopting this brotherly kindness and their brotherly kindness love. That's what we're going to be talking about over the next several weeks. We just want to take every one of those things that we can add to Faith and understand how it interacts with faith and understand how if they add up together. It's not that you you can't add goodness until you have faith. It's like no, you can add those things at the same time. You can't add knowledge before you have to have your totally good. No, no, no. They all grow at the same time that self-control perseverance godliness, Mutual affection, love it. If they all grow at the same time, it's not this depth at this depth in the step in this, step it, bend it over. I didn't read the last verse for, if you possess these qualities in an increasing measure, that's what he says. And they will keep you from being ineffective in unproductive in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. How many of you want to be kept from being ineffective and unproductive? That's, you can put up your hand for that. If you don't were talking afterwards to put up your hand. If you don't want to be ineffective and unproductive, come on. I'm going to talk with everyone who doesn't reach her hand. Okay, I'm talking with you but that's just the way it is.

Because you believe in God, great. That is so wonderful. You have the knowledge of God. So, do the demons. Who says it in James 2:19? Did you have faith? You say, you have faith for you. Believe there's one God good for you, even demons believe this. And they tremble and Terror.

Faith. The problem is we we we need Faith. Needs to leave the good actions, it needs to leave the goodness, some translation say moral Excellence. But really what that means is being good to other people and them picking your goodness as being good. Setting yourself up as some super saint. We need to add to our faith. Goodness. And this is an ancient problem. It goes back to the very beginning of church, and we're going to look at the context of what I read in James 19. But before we do that, can we pray

Heavenly father, I thank you so much for the measure of Faith. You given to each of us. And Lord, I Thank you so much for the face that I see in action in this group of people gathered here. I think you for the way that they take care of each other and bless each other and encourage each other. I thank you for the hugs and the handshakes in the conversations and the connections.

Lord give us yours to hear what you're saying to your church today, give us heart still be what you want us to do. In your name we pray. Amen.

So I'm going to read James chapter 2 to kick is off today and I'm just give you from that. James is completely brutal okay? It's harsh. We're not going to leave it at this really disturbing part, but I got to read it anyway cuz it is so good. James to starting at first one says my dear brothers and sisters. How can you claim you have faith in our glorious? Lord, Jesus Christ, if you favor, some people over others, for example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry. And another one comes in who was poor and dressed in dirty clothes and you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person. But you say to the 41, you can send over there or I'll sit on the floor. Well, doesn't this discrimination show that your judgments are Guided by evil motives? Listen, my dear brothers and sisters having God, chosen the poor in the world to be rich. In faith, aren't the ones who will inherit, aren't they? The ones who will inherit the Kingdom. He promised to those who love him. but you dishonor, the four Isn't it? The rich who oppose? You, and drag you in the courts. Aren't they? The ones who you slander? Who slander. Jesus Christ. Whose Noble name, you bear? Yes, indeed it is good when you obey the Royal law found in scripture to love your neighbor as yourself, but if you favor someone over others are, you're committing a sin and you're guilty of breaking the law. For the person who keeps all the laws, except one is still guilty of, as a person who is 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 don't commit adultery, you still broken the law. So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There is no mercy for those who have not shown Mercy to others but if you've been merciful god will be merciful when he touches you. What good is it? Your brothers and sisters if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions. Can that Faith save? Anyone suppose you see a brother or sister who has neat that has no food or clothing and you say goodbye and have a good day. Stay warm and well eat well but 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. Now some may argue some people have faith in others, have good deeds but I see, how can you show me your face if you don't have good deeds, I will show you my faith by by Good Deeds. You say that if we will, you have faith, you believe that. There's one God good for you, even the demons believe this. And they tremble and Terror. How foolish can you see that your face is useless without Good Deeds. Don't you remember that? Our ancestor Abraham was showing to be right before God by his actions when he offered to send Isaac to the altar. You see his faith and his actions work together. His actions made his faith, complete. And so it happened just as the scripture say Abraham believed God and God counted him as righteous because of his face he was called the friend of God. So you see we are shown to be right with God when we do by going to be right with God, by what we do, not by faith alone. Rahab The Prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hit those Messengers and sent them away safely by a different Road just as the body is dead without breath. So faith is dead. Without good works out.

Hear what you saying, right?

Does it really matter today?

What if it matters? Because for a lot of people, you're the only Jesus l a c.

Face without goodness is like a fruit tree with a fruit. Literally figuratively. I should say, the fruit of the spirit love joy, peace patience. Kindness goodness Faith. Gentleness and self-control.

Faith in goodness are fruits that grow in us that Holy Spirit Row in us. It's not that we can be good on our own. It's not that we can have faith on our own. It's when Holy Spirit, illooms it to us and Luminate sit in her mind, so that it becomes real so that we can act on it. You got it? He paid it all for us. You don't have to earn any of this and he did it all and empowers you to do every good work. Prompted by faith. I feel sorry for you cuz I have a very short sermon here today and went to have short sermons, I ramble all over the place. All about his bonus, it didn't make it into the script.

Only by his power at work within us that we can add anything to Faith. We have a role to play. Yes. And that rule is not that they got a heavy yoke but to keep in step with Holy Spirit.

You live by the spirit, keep in step with the spirit.

imagine the difference, it would be if every believer that named Jesus as the Lord. Who added goodness to their faith.

We all live their faith by showing goodness and kindness and compassion to those not only in the church, but those it everywhere.

Lives will be transformed. The difference would be in measurable Hearts, would be touched and communities, would be changed.

We have the opportunity to be agents of God's goodness in this world.

But how do we had goodness the Fate? That's a great question. I'm so glad you asked came up with a tool that I got to put my glasses on, to read it. But to Liz, how to add goodness to Faith and I'm taking it from what Jesus taught in the sermon of the mount. Basically, from chapter 5 of Matthew. And we're going to highlight the word bloom. You did. I'd goodness the faith. You got a bloom bloom where you're planted. Be reminders to be good. That be good because God is good. The ell is let them see your good works and glorify your father in Heaven. The first of all, is to opt to be more like Jesus. The second is to operate in honesty, in the a.m. remind us to maintain your peace. What's a cloud?

I'll be good because God is good. Matthew 5:44 245, you have heard the law? Say he love your enemies and it loved love your neighbor and hate your enemies. But I say love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you in that way, you'll be acting is true children of your father in Heaven. Free gives this sunlight to both evil and the good. He sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. You see the problem with doing good is that we can do good to make ourselves look good. And Jesus doesn't give us that option. He doesn't give us the option to. Look good in front of other people. Based on the goodness. We do.

We need to understand it is it if we need to be able to discern, if we're doing good, just because it makes us look good or we're doing good because it makes God look good. Jesus doesn't leave us and Biggie wishes in that, you know? He he tells us to do the counterintuitive. He says, love your enemies. He says, pray for those who persecute you? That's not something you can do, naturally. It's not even that something you can decide to do. You need that Revelation from God to say, hey change the situation, by changing your attitude, change your situation by blessing, those who curse, you change your situation. By looking out for the best in others, laying down your own ambition, and then Dan seeing the good in them.

where to be like our good father in Heaven, who is good because he sends, Son of the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust.

Question we can ask ourselves is it my good to look good or because God is good?

The Ellen Bloom reminds us to let them see your good works. And glorify your father in Heaven. Matthew 5:16 says in the same way that your good deeds Shine for out for all to see. So everyone will praise your father in Heaven. I don't know if you read through The Sermon on the Mount recently, but I suggest you do that in the same sermon, basically in the same breath. As Jesus, tells us when we give, don't let the left hand know what the right hand is doing.

and then, in the next breath, he says, Let your light shine before men. Okay, what's going on there? We need to understand this or Jesus is going to have us confused.

When you give, you can only give what you have.

You can't give what you don't have. When you give from what you have, you do that in secret. You don't make you don't, it doesn't shine before everybody. You when you can do what you do with what you have used that, you just do it. You don't have to get recognition, you don't have to get appreciation. You don't have to do it. It it did look good in front of other, you just do what you can do it in you. God bless you with that to do it. So you do that, you don't do it with trumpets. Like the like the Hypocrites. Do you just do it?

When?

He calls us the salt of the earth in the light of the world.

My first thought was, isn't he the light of the world? That's what it says in John 82812 that he's the light of the world and and he calls us the salt and the light.

Our rule really is to be like the Moon that reflects the Sun to the side of the world that's away from the Sun.

That's what we do.

We let people Marvel at what we can only do my power of Holy Spirit. I got the stuff we could do on our own that stuff we do in secret but the stuff that we can't do without Holy Spirit, doing it through us and made us booze. We let shine before people. Those those edit, it can be as simple as I am an introvert but I'm going to make an effort with my neighbor. Just say hi. You can't do that in your own strength. That's Holy Spirit doing it. It's giving that cup of cold water when you're running out the door. It's okay. That's what that's all you can do. You give it and you just could be just something simple because I got water. I will do that. It could be something that. Okay, no, I'm letting his kingdom rain. Now, my agenda is on the back burner. I'm going to take time with this person who wants a cup of cold water, okay, to do that.

That's not by Nature who you are. That's Holy Spirit, working through you and empowering you to do that.

You don't have to say, it will go around the back, and I'll somebody will magically leave it there. No, don't do that. Give them the cup of water. Knock on that door.

I love I absolutely love this quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He said, she said your life as a Christian should make non-believers question their disbelief in God.

Did you catch that your life is a Christian to make non-believers question their disbelief in God?

That's a question you can ask yourself. Does my life make non-believers question their disbelief in God?

If it does you are shining his light to the side of the world that's away from the Sun. You're making him magnified, it's not you.

People aren't impressed. B, Good Deeds. How do I say this?

You can bless us Ox off. Somebody really easily and they can really appreciate it, and that's all good. But I'm saying, you could do that as a Shriner or you could do that as a Christian.

What's the difference?

The difference is when you involve God into that.

When you recognize, he is King and he can have access. So. So if God tells you to join some club that you doing good work in the community, awesome follow. What he's telling you to do.

Let Your Light. Let them see your good works and glorify your father in Heaven.

The first own reminds us to aux to be more like Jesus, Matthew, 5, 21 to 26, says, you've heard the ancestors that our ancestors were told. You must stop murder but if you commit murder, you are subject to judgment. But I say, even if you're angry with somebody, you're subject to judgment because someone in an idiot, if you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought into court. And if you curse, someone you're in danger of the fires of hell.

So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the temple and you suddenly remember that somebody has something against you, you leave your sacrifice at the altar going to be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God when you're on the way to court in your adversary settles your difference and settle your differences quickly. Otherwise your accuser me hand. You over to the judge will hand you over to an officer, you'll be thrown into prison. And if that happened, you surely won't gain freedom. Until you have paid the last penny

The truth in this life, you truth in this life is that all of us are going to have opportunity to choose to be offended.

We live in a fallen world. That is yet to be redeemed. Surrounded by people who have yet to be redeemed.

And we know that hurt people hurt people. and so,

we can expect. Have opportunity to be offended.

But one thing I'm learning is that.

As God transforms you more and more into the image of his son that he loves Jesus.

It's those closest to you at. See that difference. First into the greatest degree. Because they know the person you used to be.

And when they see that transformation, they'll also be the ones to stop that transformation cuz they wanted into the same. But when they see that transformation, take place, Play. No, it's not you it's God. Giving you that patients giving you that hope giving you that Joy.

I'll be back. But for now question we can ask herself is a my growing better. Or am I growing better?

Choose to forgive choose to forgive with your whole heart. Decide to forgive. get the feeling of forgiveness, brings a piece and Act in such a way that you, you can bless that person in a way that's safe for you.

That's what it means. Forgive with your whole heart.

Yeah, let's go to the second, do we? We be good because God is good. We let them see your good works. And glorify your father in Heaven that we opted to be were more like Jesus. And then the second do is to operate in honesty, honesty, Jesus at the center, Matthew 5 33 to 37. You've also heard it said that our ancestors were told that you must not break your vows, you must carry out the vowel and make to make you make to the Lord. But I say to you, don't make any vowels, don't say by the heaven because it's God's throne. And don't say by the Earth because it's his footstool and don't say by Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a great city of the city of the great king. Don't even say bye. My head because you can't turn your one hair white or black. Just say a simple. Yes, I will or no, I won't anything beyond this is from the evil one.

Do you want your good works to be seen by people? Let your light shine before men. You need. To be honest. You need to be known as someone who's honest and by that I mean you're an honest person and not that you're calling them to make them think you're honest. Okay. You you need to be, you need to be known as honest.

are you doing is a kind and honest person it you know, it's no use being honest, if you can't be kind of on it, Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:15 instead we will speak the truth in love growing in every way more and more like Christ. Who's the head of his body? The church we need to speak the truth in love. And that's being honest, that showing off into City.

Does wish I'm bright like the moon to the side of the world that's away from the Sun, reflect the glory of the Sun to the side of the world that's away from the Sun.

We need to be honest, we need to be kind. We, we

Need to be authentic to who God made us.

And we always need to speak the truth in love.

I had somebody after it was before church service one time, come up to me and Tell me what you told somebody you know, is I was just all that shocked look on my face and she said, well. Be honest, I don't write to him says you're supposed to speak the truth in love. Maybe you should go apologize anyway that went over well.

question we can ask is do other people say I'm honest,

Final letter in bloom is the m and we want to maintain our peace Matt Matthew 5:38 to 42. You heard the law? That says the punishment. Must match, the injury and eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say, do not resist an evil person. Somebody slaps you on the right cheek off for the other cheek. Also if your suit in court, take your shirt and your shirt is taken from you and give you a quote as well. If I sold her demands that you carry his gear for one mile. For to give to those who ask and don't turn away from those who want to borrow.

Your peace is too expensive to ever give up.

And peace comes from trusting God Romans. 5:13 says, when we trust and may the God of Peace, will you with all peace and joy as you trust in him? So you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and the God of all hope fill you with peace and joy as you trust in him. So you overflow with hope by the power of Holy Spirit. As we trust God, we get peace and we get joy and we get hope.

We can't add goodness to face without the peace that comes from Trust. Trust is so connected to Faith. It's almost the same thing. Our Measure of Faith is our measure of. Trust the more we trust in God and His goodness, the more faith we have for the goodness that we can add to her face, right? Okay, so what am I trying to say? Hear you

You can you can only shine. Reflect what? What you have feed for, right? You can't. If you got faith that God is good, you can do good and give him the glory for doing good. If you're just learning that God is good. You you can do a little bit of good but as you grow in that knowledge that God is good and he's in a good mood, you'll do more good, you have to do more good.

We're not to do good so we can look good, we're good because we trust him to be good and work all things together for good.

So so we can be good for that person that come in and interrupt our days because we we trust God has a better plan than what I had planned meet up.

If we don't trust that God is leading us on a different path that day. We won't have make the space to be good to somebody in that moment.

And if we trust that God is good like oh there are moments when God wants you to give sacrificially. And that's time or that money.

and I remember two occasions when I was Totally tools, 22. Impress, it on me to empty my entire bank account and give to this person This was before I married in before I had kids, okay? You can do stuff like that for your married and before you have kids and and I'll tell you what happened. The first time the first time that that happened, I dream my bank account and my back window got smashed out that night. And I wasn't getting paid for another till the next Friday, right? It it's interesting. What God does, what he does.

We're in this.

I could stress anything in this whole discussion about faith. It is, it is learning to trust God. Is as we trust, God, our faith in him grows.

as we use the little that he's given, and step out in faith, we exercise that muscle and we can grow in face. As we grow in faith, we can grow in goodness, we add the faith. Goodness, And we can do more. Good for people because we have more faith, that God is going to work it out somehow.

Think about it in your own life.

When have has God ever impressed upon you to do good for somebody?

And I guarantee the first thing, it was hard. But it was doable.

And you might not. I would guess most times God would have just a wonderful blessing for you because as you bless others? As you refresh others, you're refreshed as you bless others, you get blasted. So often when we are doing good for somebody, we get the bigger blessing than they get and that's okay. That's the way God designed it.

And often when he put the key prompts us to do some good that we would never do on our own, but he's prompting us. So we're going to step out in faith and do that. There, there is a good reward right past that. repast that hesitation,

You know what? Your blessing is, just beyond your obedience. And when you obey, God, there is. There is that? I'm, I'm saying, that's the way God usually work. Sometimes, he, he draws it out for people like me, and it's like, God, what he asked me to do that for me. But anyway, he he's good that way. He rewards. You, faith is the substance of things. I don't know. What is it? Say he's a lover comes to God, must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him. But not just that he is God. But that he rewards us doing good. She can him is, is doing

Sing his kingdom, as well done on Earth as it is in heaven. So whatever, he's that, that's doing good all over. That's doing what he wants us to do wherever we go and whatever we do. And when we see that, we see his, we see his

When we do that, good things happen, let's leave it at that.

The bonus we get from trusting. God is that we have peace and hope and joy. And what are people drawn to in this world?

A drawing of peace and hope and joy. That isn't natural. That they can see, has to be beyond what you as a person could ever put up in yourself. It. It's the peace of God, that draws them to you and dick. It's his joy that draws them to him into you. It's his peace. Can we see that one fit, Ross?

Without a doubt.

Deal.

I've had. Yeah, I told you the story, right? I've had I've had a An atheist run up to me and grabbed my shoulder and tell me I need to spray for herpes. I got you the awesome. She she learned that. I believe the god I believe in gives peace and so she needs it out today, can you pray again?

Oh,

I don't jeans is so harsh. But he tells it like it is, right?

and we need to be aware that when we, we, we have this idea that

our faith is enough. Whatever that looks like. You know, I come to church great. We love that, you're here. We come to church to encourage each other and build each other up.

God has more for you in this life regardless of where you're at regardless of where your situation or your your whatever you like. It says I can't do what he's telling me to do.

Learn to trust in God.

Not just say that you trust in him but the truth trust in the Lord. With all of your heart make the decision feel his pieces, hoping his joy and

Have an action attached.

What would it look like to show you show you that your trust in God today? What would Holy Spirit be prompting you to do?

It might be to have a conversation with somebody here before you leave it in. To encourage them up. You've never done this before. It makes you uncomfortable, it's okay. If that's what God is prompting you to do, it could be someone on the way out the door, it could be nicer to the server that serving you today. If you go out for lunch,

You are the salt of the earth. And you are the light of the world.

and the way you become that is to becoming more and more Like Jesus.

Let's pray. The people ask me about my peace. Hope enjoy, that's a lot question. If people don't ask you, that's what you start working on. Okay, I got to trust God more. Okay.

Lorde.

I want to thank you.

Thank you for this time of year. I think you for your many blessings. I think you for I think you got a. Thank you for the breath that we take a. Thank you for the moments that we share.

Thank you for the plans that you have for us. So you're just revealing step by step by step.

Lord. I pray that everyone would believe in Courage today. Knowing. That they can add goodness to Faith and the are adding goodness to Faith.

You know the situations that are here, you know, the impossibilities people face.

Lord help us to know.

But you are working all things together for good.

I do pray for Faith to arise. I pray for more good acts to be seen by men and women.

I pray that we would learn to love with genuine affection.

I pray for the people, we're going to be connecting with this week. The ones that you specifically want us.

To do whatever you're telling us to do within four.

They could be families, they could be friends, they could be strangers.

Whatever we do, Lord help us to do it as unto you and for your glory and for your purpose.

Thank you for that in your precious name. Amen.

Amen. So I don't know how to close a service. Do you want to do a drum? What time is it 11:30? My goodness. You guys have lots of time to sit and talk. There's no reason to rush away and if it is that means you would be walking out before the sermon was done. Normally. And come on, guys, don't do that. Secondly, if there is, I forget the question I asked if people didn't raise her hand so I will talk to you about that. But do you want to be a figure out what the question is, what happened discussion? Anyway, there's a lots of snacks at the back. There is coffee, there is fruit, a fruit juice, don't leave with out saying, hi to people all the rest this week and go in the grace of God Services dismissed.