Dig Deeper - Sunday 26th October
Sermon Reflection Questions - James - Genuine Faith: Faith Works
James 2:14-26
Dig Deeper notes from Sunday 26th October service:
1. Faith Without Works — The Problem
In 1859, a French acrobat called The Great Blondin became famous for walking a tightrope across Niagara Falls. Crowds watched in amazement as he crossed again and again — once on stilts, once with a bicycle, even cooking an omelette halfway across! One day he announced he’d cross pushing a wheelbarrow. He did it perfectly, and the crowd roared. Then he asked, “Do you believe I can carry someone in this wheelbarrow and cross again?”
“Yes!” they shouted.
“Who wants to get in?”
And suddenly… silence.
It’s one thing to say we believe. It’s another to trust our lives to that belief.
That’s exactly what James is confronting in his letter. He’s writing to believers who claimed faith in Jesus but weren’t living it out. They said all the right things but ignored the poor and needy around them. James calls this out bluntly: “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:17) James isn’t contradicting Paul, who said we’re saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9). They’re dealing with different issues. Paul warns against adding works to faith; James warns against separating works from faith.
Faith that never expresses itself in love or obedience isn’t genuine faith at all. It’s like a car without fuel — it may look fine, but it’s not going anywhere.
2. Faith That Works — The Reality
Real faith always produces real change. When we truly trust Jesus, something shifts inside us.
Grace doesn’t just repaint the outside — it changes the engine.
Paul says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10). We’re not saved byworks, but we are saved for works.
Faith and works aren’t enemies — they’re partners.
Faith is the root; works are the fruit.
Faith is the spark; works are the flame.
If we say we believe but never act on that belief, our faith is motionless. Real faith, the kind that reflects Jesus, moves us to compassion. Jesus didn’t just speak about love — He lived it. He touched the sick, welcomed the outcast, and gave His life for us.
A dead faith says, “I believe,” and stays still.
A living faith says, “Because I believe, I must act.”
James is calling us to that kind of faith — not just admiration of Jesus, but imitation of Him.
3. Faith on Display — The Proof
James points to two examples: Abraham and Rahab — completely different people, but both with faith that acted. Abraham trusted God when asked to offer his son Isaac. Rahab trusted God when she risked her life to protect the Israelite spies. Their actions didn’t earn their salvation — they proved their faith was real.
And that’s the point: genuine faith is always visible.
Remember The Great Blondin? The crowd said, “We believe!” but only one man — his manager — got into the wheelbarrow. That’s what trust looks like. It’s not standing at the edge saying, “I believe, Jesus,” but climbing in and saying, “I trust You with my life.” Faith that works means taking steps that align with our trust in Jesus — helping a neighbour, showing integrity, forgiving others, giving generously, or stepping into something new God is calling us to.
Let’s be people whose faith works — not to earn God’s love, but because we’ve already received it.
That’s genuine faith — faith on display.
Discussion & Application Questions
1. What’s the difference between believing about Jesus and truly trusting in Him?
2. “Faith without works is dead.” What are some practical ways your faith could become more active this week?
3. In the Blondin story, what might “getting into the wheelbarrow” look like in your life right now?
4. How has God’s grace already begun to shape your actions, priorities, or relationships?
5. When has obedience to God felt risky or costly for you? What did you learn through that experience?
Prayer
Lord, thank You that salvation is Your gift — freely given through Jesus. Forgive me when my faith has grown cold or complacent. Fill me again with Your Spirit, that my faith might be alive — active in love, mercy, and obedience. Amen.
