Faith is in Your Choices

This is the manuscript of the sermon at Christ Church Los Angeles, the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day November 23, 2025.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:14-17 NIV)

Think for a moment about your faith. Is it a feeling you hope to catch on a good Sunday? Is it a box you checked when you were younger? Where do you locate it? Is your faith in your feelings, or is it in your choices?

The reality is, faith is a living, breathing, choice we must make every day. It’s the continuous, day-by-day work of aligning our priorities with God’s will. And I want to tell you something foundational. Every moment you are not actively choosing faith, you are passively defaulting to something else—the flesh, the world, or fear. In your spiritual life, there is no autopilot.

Scripture:

 James 2:14-24 NIV [14] What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? [15] Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. [16] If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? [17] In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. [18] But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. [19] You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. [20] You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? [21] Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? [22] You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. [23] And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. [24] You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

Text:

James 2:14-17 (NIV) "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

Introduction: The Illusion of Autopilot

Think for a moment about your faith. Is it a feeling you hope to catch on a good Sunday? Is it a box you checked when you were younger? Where do you locate it?

We are here today because we believe in God, but the true, practical question for every one of us is this: Is your faith in your feelings, or is it in your choices?

We are also here today at the beginning of a truly special week. This coming Thursday, we will celebrate Thanksgiving Day—a time when we deliberately pause our routines to focus on gratitude and blessing. Yet, this celebratory pause should not be the only time we choose to engage with our faith.

The reality is, faith is a living, breathing, choice we must make every single day. It’s the continuous, day-by-day work of aligning our priorities with God’s will. Every moment you are not actively choosing faith, you are passively defaulting to something else—the flesh, the world, or fear. 

The challenge is as old as the Bible itself.

Joshua 24:15 (NIV): But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

This isn't a choice for just one day; it is the foundation, the anchor for our entire future.

Point I: We all want a rock-solid spiritual foundation, don't we? 

But a foundation is built brick by brick, not by a single wish. We often treat our faith like a magic spell—we want the quick fix, the instant answer, the immediate comfort. But true faith is the constant process of choosing to lean into God's guidance.

This is why Soloman, who was a very wise man, offered this counsel:

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV [5] Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; [6] in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Our choices are the central battleground of our faith!

1. It is The Choice to Trust: When you get a scary diagnosis, the choice is not to immediately eliminate the problem, but to choose to trust the sovereign God who holds your life.

2. It is The Choice to Completely trust God: When your mind spins with worry or self-justification, the choice is to stop leaning on your own limited, anxious understanding, and to trust God completely because His understanding and knowledge has no limits.

Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV says [8] “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. [9] “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

3. It is The Choice to Submit: This means in all your ways—in your finances, your career decisions, your relationship decisions —you deliberately and constantly submit your will to God's known will for you.

It means choosing prayer over panic, and study over distraction. 

That’s how you build a foundation that won't crumble.  It is a constant thing not a one time thing. 

Point II: If our choices are where faith is found, then our choices are also where our true priorities are revealed.

The Apostle James put it plainly in 

James 2:17 NIV In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Your daily choices are the votes that decide your life. Where are you investing your time, money, and energy?

• When your alarm goes off, do you choose to spend some quiet time in prayer and reading scripture, or do you choose the immediate satisfaction of social media? That is a choice of faith.

• When you are slighted by a loved one, do you choose to retaliate, or do you choose the long, hard work of forgiveness and reconciliation? That is a choice of faith.

• When your calendar is full, do you choose convenience and isolation, or do you choose service to the community and fellowship? That is a choice of faith.

Every choice is a declaration of allegiance. Your deliberate decision to choose obedience, patience, and love is the visible evidence that your faith is alive, healthy, and properly aligned with God’s will.

Conclusion: The Challenge of Your Next Step

Faith is not a destination you arrive at, but a continuous journey of choosing.

God has set before you two paths: the path of death, curses, and self-reliance, and the path of life, blessing, and trust. 

Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV  This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 

This verse of scripture comes at the end of a long series of speeches given by Moses to the people of Israel as they stand on the plains of Moab, preparing to enter the Promised Land (Canaan).

Moses reiterated the laws, regulations, and stipulations God gave them. He has just finished outlining the blessings that will result from obedience and the curses that will follow disobedience.  (chapters 27-28 of Deuteronomy).

In this final exhortation, Moses presents the people with a clear and undeniable choice and he  emphasizes that God has made the path clear.

By calling "the heavens and the earth as witnesses," Moses gives this choice supreme and lasting significance, implying that the decision is permanent and the consequences are inescapable.

The  command, "Now choose life, so that you and your children may live," is an appeal for them to choose obedience to God's commands, which is synonymous with choosing life, and prosperity.

Let's read it again;

Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV  This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 

This scripture is a defining, foundational statement on human free will and the ultimate importance of aligning your priorities with God's will.

What is the next choice you need to make? Is it to choose patience with a family member or friend? Is it to choose ten minutes of quiet prayer instead of turning on the television? Is it to choose to forgive a hurt you’ve held for too long?

The power is not in the size of the choice, but in the sincerity of the choosing. Commit today, and commit every day, to choose the path of constant faith. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV [5] Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; [6] in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

When you choose God, He will make your path straight.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the powerful truth that our faith is not passive, but active; it is found in the choices we make every day. Forgive us for the times we have defaulted to worry, or leaned on our own understanding instead of yours. We confess that we often seek the quick fix instead of committing to the continuous, foundational process you call us to.

Lord, we commit this moment to choosing You. Give us the courage to choose trust when fear rises. Give us the discipline to choose prayer over panic. Give us the humility to choose submission to your will over our own ambition. 

Strengthen our spiritual foundation, aligning our priorities with your perfect guidance. May our lives today and every day be a living testament to our choice to follow You. We ask this in the powerful name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

First Sunday of Advent: The Faith That Waits and Watches

 

This is the manuscript of the sermon preached at Christ Church Los Angeles on Sunday November 30, 2025, the first Sunday of Advent. This is a continuation of the year long series "2025 A Year Filled with Faith" 

But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. [33] Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. (Mark 13:32-34)

This is the First Sunday of Advent and today, we focus our hearts on Hope. Advent calls us to wake up from spiritual complacency, to watch, and to remember that our hope is not rooted in temporary circumstances, but in the certain promises of God—promises fulfilled in Christ’s first coming and eagerly awaited in His second.

As we enter today into the season of Advent. The world around us may be rushing toward the Christmas holiday, but the Church begins its journey not in hurried activity, but in intentional waiting.

But this waiting is not passive. It is a time of active preparation and vigilant expectation, and the basis of this expectation is Faith. We start this season focused on the theme of Hope, and that hope is sustained by a robust faith.

Scripture Reading

Isaiah 64:1-9 NIV[1] Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! [2] As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! [3] For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. [4] Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. [5] You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved? [6] All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. [7] No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and have given us over to our sins. [8] Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. [9] Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look on us, we pray, for we are all your people.

Introduction to the Season of Advent

This is the first Sunday of Advent which is the beautiful, four-week season that marks the beginning of the Christian year. Its name, Advent, comes from the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming" or "arrival." So Advent is a time of preparation and expectant waiting for the arrival of Jesus Christ.

The season actually focuses on distinct comings of Christ, weaving together history and hope:

Advent first prepares us to celebrate the historical birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem—the core event of Christmas.

Equally important, Advent is a spiritual reminder to prepare for Christ's promised return this gives the season a real sense of urgency and watchful waiting.

Finally, it calls us to prepare our hearts for Christ to come and dwell more fully within us today.

On the First Sunday of Advent: We focus on Hope, looking forward with expectation to Christ's promised return, and we are going to do that today.

One the Second Sunday: We focus on Peace, preparing our hearts through repentance.

On the Third Sunday We focus on Joy, pausing to rejoice that the time of fulfillment is drawing near.

On the Fourth Sunday We focus on Love, celebrating the immediate events and the divine love that propelled the Incarnation.

Introduction: The Season of Active Waiting

This is the  First Sunday of Advent and today, we focus our hearts on Hope. Advent calls us to wake up from spiritual complacency, to watch, and to remember that our hope is not rooted in temporary circumstances, but in the certain promises of God—promises fulfilled in Christ’s first coming and eagerly awaited in His second. 

The world around us may be rushing toward the Christmas holiday, but the Church begins its journey not in hurried activity, but in intentional waiting.

But this waiting is not passive. It is a time of active preparation and vigilant expectation, and the basis of this expectation is Faith. We start this season focused on the theme of Hope, and that hope is sustained by a robust faith.

Our text for today is from Jesus’ own words

Mark 13:32-34 NIV [32]  “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. [33] Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. [34] It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

This scripture shifts the focus from when Christ will return to how we should live until He does. 

It teaches that true readiness is found not in predicting the future but in faithfully maintaining a constant state of spiritual alertness.

This command to watch and be alert is a call to a living, continuous faith. 

In our text Jesus  tells us to be like servants faithfully managing the master's estate while he is away. Why does he tell us this? 

Let's look at the three verses after our text:

Mark 13:35-37 NIV[35]  “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. [36] If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. [37] What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ”

When we live with spiritual alertness and urgency, we prioritize what matters. We live awake to the work of God around us. We live watchful over our own hearts, refusing to drift into complacency.

If every day could be the day Jesus returns, then we must live every day with the same obedience to His calling for us.

Jesus isn’t calling us to panic; He’s calling us to prepare. He’s inviting us to stay faithful and hopeful in a world that can dull our sense of eternity. To keep our hearts anchored in the truth that this world is not our final home—and He is coming again to make all things new.

So we watch and wait, but not complacently. Instead, we live today in light of that glorious day to come.

Complacency is a trap: We often believe we have limitless time, making it easy to postpone evaluating our spiritual progress and alignment until a later, more convenient time, however Jesus warns us clearly in Luke 21:34-36 NIV [34]  “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. [35] For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. [36] Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

The Necessity of Continuous Faith: Our text says to "Be on guard" which means to maintain a constant, strong foundation in faith—not just for the dramatic moments, but in the quiet, day-to-day choices, which we talked about last week. 

2. Faith That Connects History and Destiny

Advent is a season of perspective. We are looking backward to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, and we are looking forward to His glorious Second Coming. Our faith is what connects these two monumental events.

We Look Back and consider The Faithfulness of God: We celebrate Christmas because God kept His promise. 

Our faith rests on the historical, unchanging reality of God's faithfulness at the first Advent.

Let’s take a look at just a few of these promises and their fulfillment 

Prophecy: The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

Micah 5:2 NIV “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

Fulfillment:

Luke 2:4-7 NIV [4] So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. [5] He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. [6] While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, [7] and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

 Prophecy: He would be born of a virgin and called Immanuel (meaning "God with us").

Old Testament: 

Isaiah 7:14 NIV Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 

• Fulfillment: 

Luke 1:34-35 NIV [34] “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” [35] The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 

That is looking back at the faithfulness of God. We can also, because God is faithful, look forward to Christ’s return for His church.  Let’s look at just one of those promises.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 NIV [16] For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. [18] Therefore encourage one another with these words.

If we truly hold fast to the belief that Christ will return, it compels us to examine our priorities. How are we investing our time, our money, and our energies, what are the choices we are making

Colossians 3:1-2 NIV [1] Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your minds on things above, not on earthly thing.

3. Faith That Works Through Active Love

The truest measure of our active faith is found in how we live our lives and treat one another as we wait. Our belief must translate into tangible works of love.

Romans 13:12-14 NIV [12] The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. [13] Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. [14] Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

When you "cloth yourselves with Christ," you are not just covering yourself; you are communicating who He is to others. Your life becomes the instrument through which the message of Christ is delivered.

As we wait in faith, we are commissioned to be Christ's hands and feet, working to bring light and healing into the darkness of the world. 

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 NIV [20] We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. [21] God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Our faith is not just an internal feeling; it is an outward, compelling love that prepares the hearts of others for the coming King.

Conclusion: The Call to Stand Firm

So the call of this First Sunday of Advent is clear: Stay Awake and be ready!

Do not let the anxieties of life or the distractions of the season lull you into spiritual indifference. We are called to be people of hope, sustained by an active faith.

As we begin this holy season, let us intentionally renew our commitment to:

1. Watch with spiritual alertness, trusting the certainty of His promise.

2. Wait with patience, confident that He who promised is faithful.

3. Work with divine love, letting our lives reflect His perfect will.

Prayer 

Heavenly Father, Giver of all Hope, we thank You for the truth of Your Word and for calling us into this sacred season of Advent.

We confess that we often grow weary in the waiting, easily distracted by the rush and the anxieties of this world, allowing spiritual complacency to creep into our hearts. Forgive us for the times we have not been vigilant—for the moments we have failed to watch and manage the gifts and tasks You have assigned to us.

Lord, as we stand between the promise fulfilled in Bethlehem and the promise yet to come in glory, ground our lives in an unwavering faith.

Help us to look backward with gratitude, remembering Your perfect faithfulness in sending Jesus, born of a virgin, fulfilling every ancient prophecy. Because You were faithful then, we can trust You now.

We pray that the truest measure of our expectation would be seen in our love. Clothe us with the Lord Jesus Christ, that we may put aside the deeds of darkness and become Your faithful ambassadors. Empower us to serve as Your hands and feet, working to bring light, compassion, and reconciliation to a waiting world.

May the certainty of Your promises fuel our hope and make our foundation strong. Keep us alert and ready until that Day, so that when the Master returns, He may find us faithfully watching and working.

We offer this prayer in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our King who has come and will come again.

Amen.