"A LIVING FAITH" Pastor Barbara Kenley September 10, 2000

James 2:1-10, 14-17

Tough words from the Book of James, "Faith without works, is dead." So tough for me in fact, I spent a good bit of time this week looking up everything I could think of in the Greek -- the original language of this text -- trying to make that last sentence mean something different! Especially when I thought about each of you saying, "Thanks be to God," after youd heard it. I really wanted you to be able to say that and mean it! I wouldnt blame you one bit, if after Pastor David proclaimed the words, "the Word of the Lord," you just mumbled something under your breath!

We continue this Sunday in the Book of James. Pastor David preached on the 1st chapter last Sunday, when he talked about being doers of the

Word. And he will preach on the 3rd chapter next Sunday, and the perils of speech.

Like Pastor David, I, too, enjoyed the Book of James. That is, I enjoyed it until I went to seminary. Because I went to Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, which is a Methodist school. And let me tell you, the Methodists think they WROTE the Book of James! That James was the original Methodist! And as a Presbyterian in a Methodist seminary, I was constantly trying to balance their theology with ours; because James lies at the very heart of the theological difference between Presbyterians and Methodists. And that is, the argument between our two ways of looking at salvation. You may have heard of them:

Predestination and Free Will.

In the early 16th century in Geneva Switzerland, a French theologian named John Calvin developed the concept of God being SO omnipotent that salvation was entirely Gods choice. Calvins followers came along and took that a step further and said that if some people didnt get saved it must be because God didnt choose them. "We dont have to do anything -- its all up to God."

At the close of the 16th century, a Dutch theologian named Jacob Arminius refuted Calvinist theology and said "No, God is loving; its up to human beings to choose to be saved. Its not all up to God. Its really all up to us!

What does that set us up for? That Presbyterians are weighted on faith, so theyre going to care about what they believe, especially their doctrine.

The Methodists, because John Wesley liked the writings of Arminius, are weighted towards response, so they are going to care about not what people believe, as much as what they actually do. Can you see why someone who writes "faith without works is dead" might be popular with our Methodist friends?

So where does that leave a Presbyterian, when she reads the Book of James? John Calvin wrestled with it. Martin Luther openly criticized. it. And when the Early Church was determining which books were to be included in the cannon - those books which make up the Bible -- James almost didnt make the cut. Yet here it is surviving criticism and controversy, right word in the word of God.

It must be that works, good works, has some kind of affect on faith, or reflects something faith. In fact, works on the outside reflect a living faith on the inside. If one has a living faith does that look like? The life of Jesus is a place to start.

Todays Gospel lesson (which is not printed bulletin) is from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 7. It tells of two encounters between Jesus and people who needed him; one a woman, the other a man. Both considered socially inferior to the Rabbi Jesus. The woman, because she was also a Gentile the man, because he was born deaf, were thought to be outside the favor of God. Yet Jesus stops for each of them.

Pastor David will read verses 24 through continue reading at verse 31.

"From there he set out away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, She came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the childrens food and throw it to the dogs."

But she answered him, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the childrens crumbs."

Then he said to her, "For saying that, you may go, the demon has left your daughter." So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, the demon gone.

When he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."

And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done everything well;

he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

How is this an example to us of a living faith? As I look at the Gospel account, I see that a living faith has 3 things:

First, a living faith has EYES: to see the need and see the person with the need. Mark tells us that, even though Jesus did not want to be noticed in Tyre, when the Syro-Phoenician woman came and bowed before him, he saw her, and saw so deeply into her need, that he healed her daughter before she even left his presence. Though she was a Gentile, yet Jesus saw beyond her lack of social standing, right to her humanity. The same for the deaf man. If you ever have a conversation with a deaf person, they will tell you, deaf people are easy to ignore. They even call themselves the "invisible minority!" Without looking at them, we can dismiss their signs, and their sounds as "craziness" and pass them by. Yet Jesus not only saw the deaf man, he took him away from the crowd, giving him some privacy and dignity, and healed him quietly, before continuing his journey to Jerusalem.

This church has some "eyes" in the community as well. At 306 North 19th_h Street, the Interfaith Mission Center stands as a place where needs are acknowledged and provided for. In the mid-1980s, Second Presbyterian Church looked at the needs of their neighbors and purchased the property that has since housed the Mission Center. Theirs was and is a living faith, and we are blessed that, since the merger, the Interfaith Mission Center represents the "eyes" of our merged congregation.

The second thing that a living faith has is ... Feet. Feet go to the need, or come alongside it. Feet may be on their way somewhere else, but they pause on their journey, or even begin a new one, in response to need.

This week, I read the story of Joe Striby, an 81 year-old retired sheet metal worker from Indianapolis, who needed to make a tribute to his wife Pat, who had died a year ago. Joe needed to fulfill a vision of faith he and Pat had shared for nearly 50 years. Joe explained that he and Pat had always wanted to give half their money to missions, schools and charities when they died. When he went to his attorney to put such a stipulation in his will, the attorney asked Joe just how many groups he had in mind. Joe said "35." The stunned attorney said Joe might want to consider giving some of the money away now. The suggestion made sense to Joe. After calling his nine children and asking for their prayers, Joe got in his Dodge Neon and began a drive that was to take him to 19 states in 36 days. He covered almost 10,000 miles, and delivered the checks in person. Joe and his wife Pat saw the need. The "feet" of Joes living faith delivered the care.

An African boy listened closely as the teacher explained why it is that Christians give presents to each other on Christmas. "The gift is our expression of our joy over the birth of Jesus, and our friendship with one another, " she said. When Christmas day came, the boy brought the teacher a seashell of lustrous beauty. "Wherever did you find such a beautiful shell?" the teacher asked, as she gently fingered the gift. The boy told her there was only one spot where such extraordinary shells could be found. When he named the place, a certain bay miles away, the teacher was speechless. "Why, why ... its gorgeous, wonderful, but you shouldnt have gone all that let a gift for me." His eyes brightening, answered, "Long walk part of gift." -faith has feet.

Finally, a living faith also has hands. Jesus touched the deaf man, and we may not heal those we touch, our can communicate caring, just as Jesus

Last February in the dining room of Good Shepard Manor in Greenfield, Indiana, the Lord spoke to Mabel Combs. Mabel said the Lord laid it on her heart to do something for the nursing home .Since she had sewn since her girlhood in Kentucky she announced her intention to make quilts for nursing home residents and those of limited means. A friend with no sewing experience joined in. Others donated fabric and batting. To date, Mable and her friend have produced 262 quilts, and the count goes on. Mabel vows to continue as long as "the Lord supplies our needs." Mable saw the need around her, and her faith responded,

Since coming to First Presbyterian, I have seen hands tend vegetable gardens, and give the proceeds to missionaries. I have seen the hands of a woman who does not have to do her own housework, pour cold drinks for a destitute family on a hot day. I have seen hands who have worked all day come and serve meals to children here at the church, then guide them through activities that these children might come to know Jesus, the author of our living faith.

II Corinthians 8: 10 tells us that it is "appropriate that we not only do something, but DESIRE to do it." The example of Jesus will guide us. The spirit of Jesus alive within us will prompt us. And our gratitude for all Jesus has done for us will motivate us. We arent responsible for saving the world -- Jesus already did that. The works we do only reflect that which he has already done.

Once upon a time there was a writer who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. It was his habit to walk along the beach before he began his work. One morning he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think that someone would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up.

As he got closer he saw that it was a young woman, and the young woman wasnt dancing, but instead she was reaching down, picking up something, and throwing it into the ocean. The writer called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?" The young woman paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean."

"I shouldnt ask," he said, "but WHY are you throwing starfish in the ocean?"

"Because the tide is out, and the sun is up. And if I dont throw them back in, theyll die!"

"But, young woman, dont you realize that there are miles and miles of beach, and starfish all along it. You cant possibly make a difference!"

The young woman listened politely, then bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, "I made a difference for that one."

The Gospel lesson today tells us of the difference Jesus made in two lives, even while on his way to his ultimate purpose, of making an eternal difference for all of our lives. His acts showed people that the kingdom of God had truly broken into the world. Our works, a reflection of a living faith, inspired by a loving God, does the same today.

Let us pray:

O Lord, give us eyes to see the needs around us, and feet and hands to meet them, that our works might reflect a living faith in a loving God. To You belong all praise and glory for who You are and what You have done. AMEN

Pastor Barbara Kenley September 10, 2000