What's In A Title?

What are your credentials?

How do you introduce yourself to someone else? Mom, Dad, etc. Think about your favorite name to be called, in an endearing kind of way.

Our world loves self-promotion.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, but if it become the goal of life we are missing out. We can feel like we must do everything and anything to get our name out and have people notice us. Of course this is not a surprise to me as we live in a very individualistic society and culture.

We want to be in charge.

Power is a wonderful thing and in fact I believe one of our “core” needs.

The book of James has a lot to say.

Faith, works, power, humility, use of time and money, supernatural, mercy, prayer, and the list will go on. Though it was probably the first book of the NT written, thus the “oldest of the new” in my opinion, it has a lot value to us today.

James is a practical book.

There is a lot we can unpack in this little book and it is my hope as we start the new year we will find a lot to unpack. James writes with an eye to action and for others to “do something” about what they have heard, seen, experienced, and proclaim.

James’ title-slave/servant.

This is not a word we throw around today, and to some extent rightfully so. When we hear the word “slave” we think of our history with the 18 & 19 century slave trades which were brutal, inhumane and awful. We also must realize there are just as many, if not more, slaved today in our country and around the world than in history. Slavery may be illegal but it is not eradicated. Some recent estimates include 50 million people and close to 1 in 200 people worldwide.

James was more concerned with Jesus than himself.

Yet for James the title was I think especially important because it reminded him and us who was really in control. Who was he supposed to promote? As a servant it wasn’t himself, that is for certain. He could have used the titles: leader of the Jerusalem church, man of prayer, half brother of Jesus and this would have been true and right. Yet, he chose to be more concerned with Jesus and be known as a servant/slave than anything else.

Jesus is God, Lord and Messiah.

This is another title we find right off in this book, one we may easily miss or dismiss. Jesus is equated with God, they are one and the same. To know God is to know Jesus, to know Jesus is to know God. If you “know God” but have no room for Jesus the writers of Scripture would say “you do not know God”. Though this book may not have a lot of “theology and doctrine” expressed overtly, like Paul and others, it is implied with every “page”.

The 12 tribes-God’s People.

Though it is most likely at the time of the writing most of the church were from a Jewish background. But, from the very beginning the church had “others”, God-fearing Gentiles, who were part of this family. James was, and in this book we will find, not concerned with the “ethnic and historical” way of being a Jew and was more concerned about the people of God living out their faith in Christ. Israel was historically God’s people but now it is those of us who have responded to Jesus who are God’s People. I believe God has a plan for Israel and the church does not “replace” Israel in God’s story but God’s people is not based on a land, a heritage, a language, customs, but on Christ alone.

Let us join Jesus and His people.

I think this is what James would say. Are you in? Will you join? In 2023 would you place yourself in Jesus and His people?