James 1:19-27, 2:14-26

**Next Wednesday night at 10pm a new reality television show is premiering: Todd TV. The cameras are going to follow this guy around 24/7 and then show us highlights each week.
**What if our last 24 hours were videotaped? What kind of person would viewers of that tape think we were? Would they be able to see that we are Christians? That we have faith?
** That is what James is talking about in the passages we are going to look at tonight. Can there be faith where there is no evidence of it? Can you have a saving faith without having works?

JAMES STARTS FROM THE BEGINNING
-Last week we ended on verse 18, which stated that God chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits
-Birth implies growth
-Firstfruits implies that there is more coming
-verses 19-21 tell us to receive with meekness the implanted word

19-21
If we are re-born/born-again…we won’t be the same. We’ll be + do differently
-we’ll be quick to listen
-we’ll be slow to speak
-we’ll be slow to become angry
-we’ll get rid of moral filth
-we’ll get rid of evil
-we’ll let the word planted in us, the seed, do what it is supposed to
MATTHEW 13:3-9

22-25
It means nothing to hear, but not do
-Mirror illustration

26-27
A truly religious person will do these things….
-keeps a tight reign on his tongue (or his religion is useless)
-visits orphans and widows in trouble (both in general and specifically)
-stays unspotted from the world (holy, blameless)

14-17
Faith without works…
-What does it profit
-Can such a faith even be a saving faith?
-Illustration of one needing food and shelter, but only being prayed for
-Such a faith is dead, unprofitable, and won’t save you or me

18-20
Faith must be demonstrated to be seen as genuine before men