Authentic Faith for Dummies: Recognition of the Condition
Today ended our series on Authentic Faith and it has been awesome! It has been incredible watching Crossroads growing every week and meeting new kids and families. I love doing children's sermons - if anything keeps me on my toes, kids will do it HANDS DOWN!
At a local track and field competition in Seattle, nine young athletes, stood on the start line for the 100 m race. The gun fired and the race began. While everyone’s skills were different, everyone wanted to win.
But right off the line one boy tripped and fell, did a few somersaults and started crying. The other eight heard him crying. They slowed down and looked behind them. They stopped and came back. All of them.
A girl sat down next to him, hugged him and asked, “Feeling better now?”
Then, all nine walked shoulder to shoulder to the finish line. The whole crowd gave them a standing ovation and the applause lasted a very long time.
People who witnessed this still talk about it.
Why?
These athletes involved in Special Olympics recognized their condition and it didn’t have anything to do with having a mental or physical challenge. They recognized in their neighbor themselves. That could have been you. That could have been me.
Had that race been a traditional track meeting, there would have been jeering and laughing at the athlete. On Super Bowl Sunday, we’ll see the hits and passes, the small victories and huge mistakes and on Monday morning no one well own up to recognition of the condition: for good or bad – those athletes got out and played.
To end his book on Authentic Faith for Dummies, James ends not with goodbyes or warm fuzzies but with the practical – what authentic faith ALWAYS focuses on – living out belief. Authentic faith stretches out onto Jesus because we come to a recognition of our condition. Authentic faith is simple faith but not simplistic. And it always comes back to a recognition of our condition – we are not on our own.
Verse 13 recognizes our need for help and at the same time our need to praise God in the good times because we need to be thankful. Verse 14 calls on us to get support from the church to pray. Why? Because in our condition, we need others.
Verse 15 talks about the prayer of faith. What does the prayer of faith do? It brings healing – not just in our body but starting with our very soul. It also moves us to face the condition not just of our body but our soul. And verse 16 takes it that step beyond - we need to confess our failures and shortcomings – the Bible calls those sin. James uses the example of Elijah the prophet in verse 17 to show us that those perfect people in the Bible – are just like us. It is Elijah’s prayer that reminds us that there is power greater than our own – in our condition we need more than what we’ve got.
Verse 19 and 20 bring us to the end and to the truth of our condition – there is truth and without God’s grace and the support of friends and neighbors, we are not going to stay on the path. Without friends and neighbors, many will never even find the starting line let alone the stadium to get in the race! In our condition we need to be connected to God.
A church is that place where friends and neighbors gather to connect, follow and become disciples of Jesus Christ one loving act at a time. Authentic faith is willing to stretch out on God and others. An authentic faith is willing to own up to our need and the needs of others. Authentic faith guides one into a generous life – recognizing the needs of others as what we all may face.
Back in December, Vicki Hogan reached out to a neighbor living here in our Crossroads/Cedarcrest community. She and her husband were in need and through these last few weeks, Crossroads UMC and Crossroads Café have been helping them. On Wednesday, they had to move out so they could get to Florida. Brandon, Rob Lester, Chris Heywood and Geof Hutton and I were able to help. None of us are in their situation – but then they never expected to be there either.
With the recognition of our condition, we come to realize how much one loving act a time, makes a difference. One prayer, one praise, one thank you, one hand reaching out not only keeps us from wandering from the truth, but keeps us moving towards the one who is the truth – Jesus Christ.
And just what is our condition? The Bible’s words make it clear that:23) everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence. 24) But by the free gift of God's grace all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free. (Romans 3:23-24 GNB)
It was Jesus himself who said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to Father except by me.” His words aren’t about excluding anyone – they are the most inclusive ever! In such simple words, Jesus expressed the world, to you and me, the recognition of our condition – we need to be connected to Jesus. And in James’ simple words, he is telling us the most practical way to follow Jesus, to live with Authentic Faith, is to be in connection with church.
Authentic faith isn’t neat and clean – it is a messy thing that leaves us with questions. Questions like, have I recognized my condition in God’s eyes? Just how are we praying? Who are we praying for? Are we giving thanks and ultimately WHO has fallen down and is crying? Who needs help on the path? How is it that I can help?
Check here for the podcast.
James 5:13-20 ESV Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14) Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15) And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16) Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17) Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18) Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. 19) My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20) let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
At a local track and field competition in Seattle, nine young athletes, stood on the start line for the 100 m race. The gun fired and the race began. While everyone’s skills were different, everyone wanted to win. But right off the line one boy tripped and fell, did a few somersaults and started crying. The other eight heard him crying. They slowed down and looked behind them. They stopped and came back. All of them.
A girl sat down next to him, hugged him and asked, “Feeling better now?”
Then, all nine walked shoulder to shoulder to the finish line. The whole crowd gave them a standing ovation and the applause lasted a very long time.
People who witnessed this still talk about it.
Why?
These athletes involved in Special Olympics recognized their condition and it didn’t have anything to do with having a mental or physical challenge. They recognized in their neighbor themselves. That could have been you. That could have been me.
Had that race been a traditional track meeting, there would have been jeering and laughing at the athlete. On Super Bowl Sunday, we’ll see the hits and passes, the small victories and huge mistakes and on Monday morning no one well own up to recognition of the condition: for good or bad – those athletes got out and played.
To end his book on Authentic Faith for Dummies, James ends not with goodbyes or warm fuzzies but with the practical – what authentic faith ALWAYS focuses on – living out belief. Authentic faith stretches out onto Jesus because we come to a recognition of our condition. Authentic faith is simple faith but not simplistic. And it always comes back to a recognition of our condition – we are not on our own.
Verse 13 recognizes our need for help and at the same time our need to praise God in the good times because we need to be thankful. Verse 14 calls on us to get support from the church to pray. Why? Because in our condition, we need others.
Verse 15 talks about the prayer of faith. What does the prayer of faith do? It brings healing – not just in our body but starting with our very soul. It also moves us to face the condition not just of our body but our soul. And verse 16 takes it that step beyond - we need to confess our failures and shortcomings – the Bible calls those sin. James uses the example of Elijah the prophet in verse 17 to show us that those perfect people in the Bible – are just like us. It is Elijah’s prayer that reminds us that there is power greater than our own – in our condition we need more than what we’ve got.
Verse 19 and 20 bring us to the end and to the truth of our condition – there is truth and without God’s grace and the support of friends and neighbors, we are not going to stay on the path. Without friends and neighbors, many will never even find the starting line let alone the stadium to get in the race! In our condition we need to be connected to God.
A church is that place where friends and neighbors gather to connect, follow and become disciples of Jesus Christ one loving act at a time. Authentic faith is willing to stretch out on God and others. An authentic faith is willing to own up to our need and the needs of others. Authentic faith guides one into a generous life – recognizing the needs of others as what we all may face.
Back in December, Vicki Hogan reached out to a neighbor living here in our Crossroads/Cedarcrest community. She and her husband were in need and through these last few weeks, Crossroads UMC and Crossroads Café have been helping them. On Wednesday, they had to move out so they could get to Florida. Brandon, Rob Lester, Chris Heywood and Geof Hutton and I were able to help. None of us are in their situation – but then they never expected to be there either.
With the recognition of our condition, we come to realize how much one loving act a time, makes a difference. One prayer, one praise, one thank you, one hand reaching out not only keeps us from wandering from the truth, but keeps us moving towards the one who is the truth – Jesus Christ.
And just what is our condition? The Bible’s words make it clear that:23) everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence. 24) But by the free gift of God's grace all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free. (Romans 3:23-24 GNB)
It was Jesus himself who said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to Father except by me.” His words aren’t about excluding anyone – they are the most inclusive ever! In such simple words, Jesus expressed the world, to you and me, the recognition of our condition – we need to be connected to Jesus. And in James’ simple words, he is telling us the most practical way to follow Jesus, to live with Authentic Faith, is to be in connection with church.
Authentic faith isn’t neat and clean – it is a messy thing that leaves us with questions. Questions like, have I recognized my condition in God’s eyes? Just how are we praying? Who are we praying for? Are we giving thanks and ultimately WHO has fallen down and is crying? Who needs help on the path? How is it that I can help?
Check here for the podcast.
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