September 6, 2020
In James 2, James states, re-states, and repeats a common theme: faith without action is dead. The powerful passage we studied today also has a side that is often misunderstood. By looking at the relationship between faith and works in both James’ and Paul’s letters, we see clearly that while we come to faith by God’s grace alone, we grow in our faith as followers of Jesus when it translates to action. For the maturing Christian, our faith is evidenced by works of love, service, giving and forgiving. James illustrated his point by asking his readers to remember Abraham and Rahab, two Old Testament characters whose faith was made complete by their actions.
The Lord is My Shepherd
What does it mean for the Lord to be our Shepherd? According to David in Psalm 23, it means that we shall never be in want of anything. We will be made to slow down, quiet down, and sit down. Our souls will be restored and whole, like they were designed to be from the beginning. We shall not fear evil or death – no matter what we’re facing. Many of us know the Psalm… Let’s make sure we know the Shepherd.