Do Something | James 2:14-26 | Arik Hayes

All right, beloved, please be seated in the presence of the Lord. Welcome to 2819 Church, beloved. We are a church that is, we'll continue to say it, we're a house of prayer, presence and proclamation, all three. And this actually, I go through this, but this next part means a little bit more to me today. I want to welcome our online community to Digital Disciples. We're going to clap it up, we're going to clap it up, right? So I know our pastor is going to address it when he comes back to the pulpit, but I want to kind of just give you from my heart, right? I was privileged to be able to see Digital Disciples come in from all over the world and trickle in from New Zealand, from Asia, from places in America, from Florida, Washington State, Ohio, Texas, everywhere, right? From the Virgin Islands, we've seen that, right? But I had the honor and privilege to see 7,000 Digital Disciples convene in one place over two experiences, see 2,000 plus respond to a call to either salvation or to contend for the gospel on their continent, and it changed me. It changed me. Different continent, same Christ. Same country, same God. Different city, same Savior. So as I look across this camera, welcome to our online community, Digital Disciples, those in the UK and beyond, we love you. And also I want to welcome the unbeliever today. Clap it up, clap it up. Again, we'll continue to say this is a place where you can absolutely belong before you actually believe, right? I don't want to jump into the message real quick, but there's a difference between hanging around the things of faith and then having faith come in and change your life and then address you to go to heaven.

There's a difference. We can sit on the same row, but have different eternal desks to nations, different fathers, different kingdoms. Different things to do. And it's our hope, it is our prayer, it is our intention to do what we can to set the atmosphere so that the Holy Spirit, because nothing happens in the kingdom without the Holy Ghost. You can't manipulate somebody into the kingdom. It has to be something pure from the Holy Ghost. That we will be in the same family one day, that you will come aboard the ark of safety so that when Jesus comes back, you'll go with him, with us, all right? And as customary, I want to honor the pastor of this house, Philip Anthony Mitchell. No pressure, this is an opportunity, opportunity to give honor where I believe, we believe honor is due. As a church, we are continuing to walk through the book of Matthew. Actually, we're about to wrap this thing up here, all right? We titled this series that we're currently going through Calls to Commission. I have the honor and privilege of preaching a standalone sermon to you that I've titled Do Something. Do Something. By your head, let me pray for us. Holy Father, how we need you. How we need you in this hour. I Would needy God in your presence Lord God, hope it's not coming to your presence with pride and arrogance as if we are Independent from your grace And your plan of salvation God I pray that you would bless this gathering That We would behold your glory in the scriptures

As we've already done in worship and prayer Help the vessel this morning, which is myself God to be able to deliver your word with clarity and with truth and with power from the Holy Ghost So Jesus name I pray amen Amen and amen Frank you my hanging out with me family. Good to see you. Good to see you again So family, it's a movie about uh It's over like 20 years old right and and and and And the part that I'm gonna talk about has actually stuck with me Since I saw it. I want to say like the first time there was this movie called John Q. Anybody seen it? right, right, so It's actually a sad movie those that have not seen it, right? If you have not seen it one of my friends I mentioned a movie like a couple months back there was like it was a spoiler alert. I was like the movie's 20 years old If we can't talk about moves that are 20 years old like what are we Love you, by the way, if you're looking all right, but I'm gonna spoil it for you at least part of it, right? It's about it's about a family african-american family A Mother father and it was a son and he was actually playing a baseball game And he was just running like nothing was happening all of a sudden. He just like passed out And uh, then then like the plot just really takes off from there. So he goes to the hospital and it's like it's discovered that he has like a very serious heart issue and They're saying that he needs like a heart transplant Right the whole point of the movie they're going through that's just a trial of The family of the father of the mother of the son It's it's it's it's heart-wrenching because now we're we're talking about insurance and we're talking about money and and honestly We don't feel like we should have to be dealing with either those we talking about saving a life So like pushing them, you know insurance is pushing them around and these monies

Middle America is doing stuff man, and it keeps going and there comes a point in this movie Where he's trying he's doing stuff and he and he's doing it and then and then then his wife was at the hospital he was out there handling something and His wife's at the hospital and she called him She's like John she was like she started talking like a monotone voice and they were like, yo, they're going to release him Talking about the son. They're gonna release him. He's like, baby. I just gave him money She's like, no, you don't you don't understand they're going to release him that they're sending him to Paris and die She's like no, it's not gonna be okay and she comes on I don't I don't know why but it resonated my soul even to this day. She said do something And I think that was one of her best Best things on screen because I felt like she was really the mother. I forgot that this was a movie. I Don't think I had children no, I didn't have children then I but it resonated do something You see I started suffering just you you see what's going on you see the tombs in his nose I need you to do something I was arrested But she had conveyed the conviction And the heart of someone who cared about the son And she was saying because something is happening with the son If you care about the son you need to go in do something And Likewise beloved we're saying real biblical faith if you have conviction that the son lived a sinful a sinless life for your sinful self And he came down from heaven Lived that life was scourged. We saw a couple weeks back was beaten Was crucified crown of thorns on his head nails in his hands and his feet died was placed in a tomb was risen on the third day and because of that your sin debt is paid you now have access to our Heavenly Father we now through faith in him have been adopted we are now a part of the kingdom from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of his dear son Christ and now that is our reality and we're saying if you believe that if you have conviction in that if that is real to

you beloved we have to do something if you really believe it I'm gonna jump into James he's gonna talk about this I'm just gonna walk through the scriptures beloved we're gonna jump into James 2 we're gonna jump into verse 14 and we're gonna see what the Lord has to say all right verse 14 look at 14 14 through 16 together James says what good is it my brothers if someone says they says if someone says he has faith but does not have words can that faith save him amplified says in that same verse what is the benefit my fellow believers if someone claims to have faith but has no good works as evidence can that kind of faith save him it says no a mere claim of faith is not sufficient and it ends that verse by saying genuine faith produces good works so we're gonna hang out right there beloved genuine faith produces good works verse 15 it says now if a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food and one of you says to him go in peace be warm and filled without giving them the things needed for the body what good is that verse 17 so also faith by itself if it does not have works is dead right so we actually everybody knows right we were over to went over to London in the UK last week had an amazing time met again digital disciples and we essentially just picked up 2819 and took it to the UK that's what we did right so everybody knows you heard me preach I'm like a real homebody that's not like something I just be up here saying I can be a homebody in a whole nother country no I'm not playing I was I listen I'm prepping I could have just stayed in the room like the whole time and you to call me a weirdo and you would have been correct okay but my good elder was just like hey man let's we all we all the way over here let's let's at least go do something all right so it's so funny I was just like well how long we gonna be out there I was like I'm serious about this homebody stuff ain't gonna know how long you might as well just go out for a little bit you mind you mind coming to drop me off he was like sure so I said now I ain't got to be out there seven hours all right all right all right so we came down we were blessed to have a car be able to show us around for a day and I came out and um and I'm a bigger guy right and I'm used to like Georgia

like we really don't for the most part till it got crazy two weeks ago like we hang out in the 40s right and the 40s is enough for me to change plans like now I'm not coming outside I don't think I don't think it's something I really want to do right so um I was just like all right well I thought it you know looked it was like 39 so I just had something like this and I stepped outside to see if the car was there and that wind from London was eating these jeans up so I came back inside I think I was like you um that's all you're gonna wear I was like yeah then I went out there one more time and again it was Eating these jeans up and I was like man, we're gonna be walking around I'm gonna go upstairs and put a thermal on I haven't put a thermal on since 92 So if I'd have been sitting there somebody would have walked past me like hey man, hey god bless you warm yourself be cool You're gonna be alright and thought they really helped me. I would have looked at them like they were crazy Cuz I'm famous for saying hey, I don't need a coat. I'm only gonna be outside for five seconds anyway From the car to the building. I'm fine. But no if I was out there in the elements And that wind is different in the UK could have surrounded by water And I'm out there shivering You just telling me be warmed. What help is that going to do some of y'all laughing, right? Yeah, you can imagine a look I would have given you It says in the same way beloved So also faith by itself if it does not have works it's dead Verse 18 beloved it says but someone will say you have faith and I have works Show me your faith apart from your works and I will show you faith by my works. I'm gonna slow down here Amplified version says someone may say you claim to have faith and I have good works Show me your alleged faith without the works if you can and I will show you my faith by my works That is by what I do and I want to I want to stop here, right? I'm gonna I'm gonna continue to nail this home because we believe faith saved through faith by grace Right So we can appear like I'm saying something different here, but I am NOT right It's almost like James is coming to further clarify what Paul talks about in the Pauline epistles, right? Saved through faith alone, but it's like so somebody on our staff is actually pregnant, right?

And we like they told us they shared it with us. We were like, yeah She's pregnant With that being said We're saying it's just a matter of time Before she delivers the baby Okay, we're not gonna come when she has the baby like oh my gosh what happened we already were made aware that she was pregnant and The baby is growing and growing and growing there are growing pains with that sometimes Right, you gotta change the way you walk sometimes the pregnant waddle I've seen it a time or two, right And there are contractions as you're birthing things in the spirit And then she delivers the baby what I'm telling you beloved is genuine Biblical real true faith is connected with the umbilical cord to obedience and Good works They are not separate And I'm jumping the 19 and listen and this is one that will shake up versus like where says, you know, um You know Lord Lord, we did all this in your name He says depart from me. I knew you not this is another shake-up verse to me Okay. All right So verse 19 says And he's writing to Jewish believers at this time he says you believe that God is one You do well sounds amazing, doesn't it? Right? He says even the demons believe and shudder Let me give it to you in the amplified verse he say you believe that God is one you do well to believe that Also says the demons also believe that and shudder and bristle in all feel terror They have seen his wrath Take that down Just don't we also think that's a good thing you're running to somebody man who you believe in you believe Jesus God, yeah God is the one true and living God. Yeah, man when the church, you know, my family, let's say give you started talking to me Yeah, man, we grew up in the church. I didn't ask you about none of that. I

Can actually care less but I listen Right, I'm looking for do you have faith when he comes back. Are you going I? Just want to make this very plain well verse 19 is saying just by having a mere confession or a mental ascent or a Belief that God is the true and living God that puts you in the same designation as the demons And that what it says You see why because we love you We just can't let you believe that you can just say you're a Christian and just do whatever you want and think that you in the kingdom You see how that's love beloved Verse 20 ESV He continues he says do you want to be shown you foolish person that believes that? That faith apart from works is useless Amplified but are you willing to recognize you foolish? Spiritually shallow person that faith without good works is useless They Go to some Old Testament examples of faith with works. We're gonna jump into verse 21. We're talking about Abraham the father of our faith 21 says was not Abraham our father Justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar Verse 22 you see that faith was active say active Along with his works and faith was completed by his works stop Right. So so so I know it says justified by his works, right? The further explanation was that justified by his faith inspired works one because true genuine faith in the womb and the Because true genuine faith in the womb and the actual delivering of the baby are connected So in what I'm really saying beloved I'm gonna say it a couple different ways you cannot have true biblical faith And not have works of obedience and fruit of righteousness it cannot happen I Give you 22 and amplified the further nailed at home

You say you see that his face faith was working together with his works faith works together and as a result of the works his faith was completed reaching its maturity when he Expressed his faith through Obedience. I gotta tell you something beloved. I said the word obedience and it didn't sit right with me If we're honest, that's not even a word we use anymore My wife in the kitchen of the day she says you just be a disobedient to one of the children I'm the daddy and the L and I was like, oh It sounded a little judgmental Don't you feel the same it's about this walk right over you was like hey you'll be a disobedient who you're talking to Even as believers we don't connect faith with obedience to God You want to label us Bible thumpers where you said you actually have to obey the scriptures If You have faith it will result in obedience. Let me stop right here because some of y'all you're a little nervous He's I don't know if I'm saying what you want to do is you want to run out and now you just want to start Doing stuff stop That's not it We've been preaching all through Matthew, right and it's been showing us just because you have religious activity It does not mean that you are connected to the Savior It does not mean that Right, right. So if you see yourself and you actually have a True confession of faith you believe it's true, right? I want you to do one thing. Is there at least a seed of obedience? It's heart-shed time because I don't know where you stand it. We got the wheat and the tare in the same room. Only the Holy Ghost knows. Do you at least have a seed of obedience? Something working in your soul to say, I gotta live right. I gotta love. I gotta forgive. I gotta be generous. I gotta serve. I just can't be wallowing in the waves of darkness. Is there something moving on the inside? Something. Don't you be comparing yourself to nobody else either. I'm talking about your life. Is there something that is tied with the umbilical cord, is tied to true biblical faith on all that Christ did on the cross to finish work? If so, beloved, if it's tied directly to that, and you are fighting your sin nature,

which is also present, but you're connected to that, you've been pregnant with the Holy Ghost, then you are saved. That is called real, true, biblical faith. Verse 23, and it says, and the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. And he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Again, look at that. Look at that word right there, right? The faith and the works are together. And because we see his works, it is evidence that faith in God was on the inside of him. For those that know the story, he was promised to For those that know the story, he was promised a son, Isaac, and God told him to go and sacrifice Isaac, his only son. And back then it was a very serious thing. Your son was your lineage, was really your everything. It was a big deal. He had been waiting for Isaac. And here is God telling him to go and sacrifice the very promised son that God promised him and he delivered. And he told him to take him up on that mountain and sacrifice him. And because he had faith that he believed in God, he started up the mountain. You see how biblical faith right there, it can't be hidden. And there are those that believe that Isaac was a type of Christ, like a fore shadow of Christ, because he was the son and he actually had to say the word that they were going to use for the offering on his back up the hill. If I'm not mistaken, it was the heart wrenching part I was reading. He said, Isaac spoke up because it's three days. Something along the lines of, I see the wood, but dad, where's the sacrifice? He's old enough to carry wood and know what's going on. And what is stopping some of us in our maturity in God is we will not walk up the mountain with our Isaac. I know I can preach this and make this a real big moment. I don't want none of that. I want you to listen to what I'm saying. Do you have an Isaac that is dear to you that God is telling you to sacrifice and you're telling him no, and you're being disobedient? Is it the marriage in this season? Is it the business that you want? Do we even consider his plan for our life when we try to go get the masters? Or is it the ministry that you want for your own name?

What is it? What is, I don't know, you know, and the Holy ghost knows. He demonstrated his faith by his willingness to sacrifice. So those that don't know the story right if you ever heard the term ram in the bush That's where it comes from right so they get up on the mountain God says hey don't do it He was actually about to do it. He had the knife in there He called out to him don't do it, and he looked up and saw a ram so they actually did the sacrifice there But that's a biblical faith y'all he didn't say yeah, I believe you He Got up and went up the mountain he heard the word of the Lord And if you hear the gospel, it's going to lead to you doing something If you really believe it First 25 Another Old Testament example It says and in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute Justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way All right, so so so Rahab, and I love this because the Bible don't clean things up before they present stuff to you What was her profession the prostitute And don't clean up which we know what prostitutes do don't we She was in the promised land And two spies were sent in to spy on the promised land and she hid them and when she hid them she lied So now we have a pagan lying prostitute I Know we only want to talk about her sin. That's cool. That's cool. That's cool, right? But a pagan lying prostitute is being used as an example of having faith Now if you're super religious you you you you you you just you may have missed that that's how you do it Is that what you do? Is that how you do? Right, right, but for somebody like me I'm happy because and especially if you a new believer that should make you happy too because Listen, you can have faith and still not be all the way cleaned up Of course we don't promote lying promote prostitution, but she had faith She hid them she was like I know you guys served the true and living God

And the pagan lying prostitutes say she said hey swear by me I'm gonna have faith and I'm gonna have faith and I'm gonna have faith And I'm gonna have faith and I'm gonna have faith and I'm gonna have faith I mean, I'm gonna house you here But when y'all come and take this land cuz I got we over here scared They said they heard of your God and said their heart melted I know y'all about to take over so when y'all come save me in my household But I'll give it to you again So what they did was they say listen I swear it to you now if anybody is not in your house and stay in your house We come our blood is not their blood is not on our hands But if they stay in your actual house, they will be saved Now that reminds me of in the Old Testament When the plague went out they were gonna kill and all you had to do was smear the blood on the doorpost We were not expecting everybody in and make sure they're righteous they're righteous they're clean they're holy No, the blood made them holy and everybody that did that smeared by the blood was saved I'm so glad I'm smeared by the blood of Jesus So good As they rehab her her her domicile was actually like but built into the wall of the city, right? So on the outside, let's say she actually held She like hung like a scarlet rope on the outside and that's how they identify and it's the same imagery, right? It's the blood that saves yes. She was a line pagan prostitute, but she believes in the true and living God And she demonstrated her faith was she all the way cleaned up absolutely not And I'm looking at people if you just have a real faith you can be used Use boys glory Use for his kingdom. Use. Verse 26. And it ends this section of the scripture. As these two Old Testament examples that they gave.

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead. So also faith, a confession of faith. Just saying you believe. Apart from works of obedience. Works of submission to Christ. Righteous good deeds. Is dead. And just to nail that word one more time. Verse 26 and amplified. For just as the human body without the spirit is dead. So faith without works of obedience. Is also dead. I know we talk about works man. But it just can't be about being seen. Christ continually rebukes the Sadducees and Pharisees. And the Gospels about doing stuff to be seen. That's not it. Just can't run out and start doing stuff. Is it connected to the faith in the son? Not manipulation. Not to be seen. Is it biblical faith? That the blood of the Savior has been smeared by the Holy Ghost. Across your soul. Amen. I just want to talk to a couple of y'all. Some of y'all are saved. But some need to stop quenching the spirit and do something. So I don't know where this lands. The Holy Ghost and you know.

Some of y'all are saved. But the spirit, you have been pregnant. Right? You have been pregnant. But the Holy Ghost will tell you to do something. And you'll just dampen it. No, no. You're saved. Forgive. I'm good on that. Send a text to that person. Show up. You ain't seen them in three Sundays. Too busy. You don't say this out loud. You say this in your heart. A lot of times our disobedience is not out loud. But we're being disobedient. I read the doom scroll. Can I tell you something, beloved? Sometimes you're dealing with something because you just refuse to be bored enough to listen to the Holy Ghost. Every time you get a free second, you got a screen in front of your face. Down here, over there, up here, you looking, just trying to be entertained. But you are pregnant and the Holy Ghost is speaking to you and you are not inclined in your ear

and we are being disobedient. I said we. We in this thing together. Some of y'all are thinking, I'll obey, but you're dealing with timing. I like to say it's a ditch on both sides of the road. When it comes to timing, some of you guys are using timing as an excuse because you're uncomfortable. Like Lynel said about a month ago, we're just using planning as an excuse. How many different tabs or bookmarks are you going to make before you just make a move? How many influence are you going to follow on the thing before you just make a move and actually do something? Well, I don't know everything. You won't. You'll never learn everything in a book or be in research. Never. And then some of you won't consult the Lord at all. You're just going to go out and do stuff. I'm just out here doing it. Yeah, I'm doing it. Hey, man. Did you consult the Lord on timing? They could be doing it

and they could be being obedient. You can be doing the same things and they're good, but because it's not your time you're being disobedient You see why intimacy with the Holy Ghost is so important Cuz on the surface I can't tell y'all doing the same thing and you're doing a righteous thing But the Holy Ghost say yeah, it's your time you wait I'm still seasoning things for you I'm still lining things up for you. It's not ready yet. I have not forgotten you Just hold this hold in the air, right? Need you to hold and paddle right now Can't tell you something I was in a coming out of the worst season of my life and my pastor hit me up He said something he said sometimes he will make you lie down in green pastures. I Had been saved for most of my life I had never looked at it like that It says make you lie down in green pastures don't even sound right if I see a green pasture, why would I fight you? What would I fight you on laying down we're distracted beloved Sometimes we won't see the green pasture that the Lord is prepared just for you Look, look, look, this is just for you. We're busy Sometimes we're just being disobedient Sometimes we're chasing stuff that is used to distract us from the will of God Ain't that a sad thing? I know no. No, I made this just for you. Come back Come but this is this is made just for you. Come back. Where are you going? My sister here said tap me on the shoulder. That's what the Holy Ghost does, but I'm gonna tell you family. It's not it's not always like this Most of the time he ain't forceful like that usually something like this I I Usually something like this And because it's light and we're disobedient and distracted we say God didn't speak Can I know that home for you how much more sensitive to the Holy Ghost are you in the middle of a fast When you've dampened your flesh you weaken all of a sudden you're hearing just y'all been on a flight It's just popped open We think we started speaking a lot of times he's been speaking the whole Last but not least I'm about to close. I'm gonna speak to the weary Satan here

You have biblical faith You've given birth to many babies you have good works But you're weary Life been kicking your tail You getting kicked in the chest and you gasping for air Beloved I came to encourage you this morning and say don't give up Hold on beloved Hold on Hold on beloved Nobody sees me God sees you maybe this is him using me this morning hold on beloved Maybe you'll cross the screen in the chat hold on beloved. I don't know what role you are just listen. This is the Holy Ghost Hold on beloved Don't you give up don't you abort the mission don't you give up You Last verse give me first Corinthians 15 9 and 10 This is Paul speaking he says for I am the least of the Apostles It's Paul speaking the Apostle Paul written writing two-thirds of the New Testament a lot of it from jail cells unworthy to be called an Apostle This is where Paul quotes his past, I'm unworthy because I persecuted the church of God. Amplified says because at one time I fiercely oppressed and violently persecuted the church of God. And can we all land in verse 10 beloved? He says, but by the grace of God, I am what I am. Maybe you don't think I deserve to be on this platform, but by the grace of God, I am what I am. Rag tag, bee paper people on different continents for the glory of God, by the grace of God,

I am what I am. I didn't qualify according to you. Might be true man, and maybe you don't qualify for other people, but by the grace of God, we are who we are. First 10 and amplified out in here, he says, but by the remarkable grace of God, I am what I am. And his grace toward me was not without effect. Now look at what is tied to the grace of God in Paul's life. Speaking of the rest of the apostles, he said, in fact, I worked harder than all of the apostles. This is what he says. He says, though it was not I, but the grace of God, his unmerited favor and blessing, which was with me, faith connected to his words, grace to be impregnated with the gospel Grace in favor to do the works. I don't know what that's going to look like for you, man. What works as the Lord planned for you that you're not doing. If you are doing it, let's put some more into it. Let me look like going to growth trap after the third experience. I don't know. Let me look like going out to our, our, our month of serving to serve in 25. I don't know. Open the daycare. I don't know. Reconcile the marriage. Honor your parents. I don't know. God in the Holy ghost does. It's not about doing stuff. It's about doing it because he died on the cross for us. And that faith, real faith produces good works by your head. Let me pray for us.

Holy father, I just thank you for just your grace and your goodness, God, real biblical teaching God where James gets us together here. Let's just know what real biblical faith is. Help us listen to the nudge of the Holy ghost. Some of us may even need to examine whether we are actually in the faith. And that's a good thing. Now, before eternal judgment hits, God, we asked you to do what only you can do. Search the hearts of men and continue to draw into yourself. It's in Jesus name. I pray. Amen. And amen. Love you, beloved. God bless.