2015.6.28 礼拝

James 2:14-17 “Implementing the Words of God”
14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
The best places to practice them are at “Sunday services” and “small groups”. Jesus has summarized the Words to be put into action as follows:
Matthew 22:37-40 – 37 Jesus said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
The first step to “love God” is to express your love to God, i.e. to praise God. It is natural for you to call out the name of the person you love, and likewise it is natural to call out to God. This is “worship”. Worship is not a ceremony.
When we are moved by the love of God, we call out the Lord’s name with praise and thanksgiving. This is the true nature of worship. And one of the best places to show this is at Sunday service.
The first step to “love one another” is to share the time together with the one you love and the most important is to talk, listen to and pray for each other. The best place for this would be the small group. This small group is not just the gathering of friends, but of those who love Christ.
Therefore, there should always be Christ and his words in the center . This is also a place where each of us can confirm that we are being obedient to his words and also to encourage each other.
Furthermore, it is important to “share the words of God” in the small group in order to apply the message from Sunday service and daily devotions to our daily life. There are many people who listen to the message, understand it and be deeply impressed.
However, there may be people who forget what the message was on the next day. Such people would be just “hearers only” as written in James 1:22, and as this week’s message says, “faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”
What is the actual application of this week’s message? First of all, cherish Life Group which is the best place to practice the Words. Let’s make Life Group a place to call each other to, share with one another and mature together.