Lost within the Church
Series: Authentic Faith
August 28, 2022
Frank Foreman
As we conclude our series on the book of Jame this Sunday, we look to the last few verses of the fifth chapter. In this passage, James offers words of hope concerning those who have wandered from the truth and eventually return for restoration. ---------- While James encourages his readers with this story of restoration and salvation, it is a sobering reminder of what the alternative is for those who have become complacent about their faith, their relationship with God, and their pursuit of His truth.
Episode Notes
(Journal) James 5:19-20
Big Idea: It’s tragic that many can be deceived about salvation….
We are called to pursue the lost…. Even those within the church.
1st John 3:8-9, Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
1. Recognize the threat.
Proverbs 14:12, There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
Romans 2:5, But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
2. Recover the wandering.
Luke 19:10, For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
2nd Corinthians 5:17-19, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
3. Restore the brother.
Acts 3:19-20, Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord….
1st Thessalonians 1:9-10, For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
Ephesians 1:7, In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace….
Matthew 4:19, And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Next Step: I will first follow Jesus….
Then I will pray to be made an effective fisher of men.
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