James 2:14-16 ¹⁴What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?¹⁵If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food,¹⁶and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?¹⁷So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. ¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.¹⁹You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder.²⁰Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren?²¹Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?²²You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works.²³Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.²⁴You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.²⁵Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road?²⁶For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.

Impact Sunday, 2018
A Faith That Works

Putting faith into action…
1) …changes us
a) …brings our faith to life (vv. 17, 26)
b) …“completes” or matures, perfects our faith (v. 22)
2) …changes the world
a) …makes someone’s life better (vv. 15-16)
b) …let’s others see God’s glory (vv. 18-19)
Key Verse for the Week
So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. – James 2:17
Questions for Conversation and Reflection
How are you putting your faith to work at home, church, or in the community? What difference has that made in your spiritual life?
Some Next Steps
1) As you look at your day each morning this week, ask “God, what impact will you make on someone through my actions today?”
Consider how you want to serve in 2019 here at St. Luke’s or somewhere in the community.