Out of The Box: Part 1 - 'God Gives Every Day' 

This Sunday, Rob Lea brings us the talk in the latest of our EBC services. We encourage you to reflect on the bible text and join us in the prayer that follows below.
 
The talk will be available via live stream at 9.30am on Sunday 6th November, on our YouTube channel.
 
Once you have listened, here are some questions to consider:

Readings:

James chapter 2 verses 14-20 (The Living Bible)

Dear brothers, what’s the use of saying that you have faith and are Christians if you aren’t proving it by helping others? Will that kind of faith save anyone? If you have a friend who is in need of food and clothing, and you say to him, “Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat hearty,” and then don’t give him clothes or food, what good does that do?

So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. You must also do good to prove that you have it. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good works is no faith at all—it is dead and useless.

But someone may well argue, “You say the way to God is by faith alone, plus nothing; well, I say that good works are important too, for without good works you can’t prove whether you have faith or not; but anyone can see that I have faith by the way I act.”

Are there still some among you who hold that “only believing” is enough? Believing in one God? Well, remember that the demons believe this too—so strongly that they tremble in terror! Fool! When will you ever learn that “believing” is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith.


Prayer and Reflection:

Dear Lord Jesus, on this special ‘Gift Day’ in the life of your church EBC, we remember the overwhelmingly generous sacrificial gift that you gave us when you died on the cross and paid for our sins. Saying thank you for your loving gift of salvation and eternal life seems inadequate, but we do say thank you; we are truly grateful.
 
Just as the cross is evidence of your love for us, so we thank you for the evidence of our love for you which is our faith and the good works that we are involved in individually and as a congregation.
 
We dare to ask for more; a deeper faith, a greater desire to share the good news, and to practically help more people. We know that that in part, fulfilling these aims will be in how we respond to your gift to us.
 
So, we pray that we will not let the message of your sacrificial gift go in one ear and out the other, but that Holy Spirit, you will stir us to act today.
 
We pray this in the precious name of Jesus.  AMEN.


Questions to Consider:
 

1. If you are a follower of Jesus, could you explain to someone who isn’t, how your life changed when you decided to become a Christian? How did your behaviour change?
2. The New Testament book of James is a ‘how to’ book of Christian living. Either now, or within the next week, read it. It takes less than 20 minutes. What lessons did you learn? How will you apply them? Perhaps discuss it with a friend.
3. James writes that faith without deeds/good works is useless. Do you agree with him? If yes, why? If no, why?
4. What proof or evidence would you put forward for your personal faith?
5. Specifically, what more can you do as a response to God’s gift of salvation and eternal life?
6. What more can we do collectively at EBC to share the ‘Good News of Jesus Christ’ and help those in need? Who needs to be involved?