"OVERVIEW OF JAMES"
Notes
Transcript
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE BOOK OF JAMES?
BACKGROUND INFO -
Author – James the half brother of Jesus
The human author of this epistle is not easily identified. The New Testament mentions at least four men named James: (1) the son of Zebedee and brother of John (Mark 1:19), (2) the son of Alphaeus (Mark 3:18), (3) the father of Judas (not Iscariot; Luke 6:16), and (4) the half brother of the Lord (Gal. 1:19). Which one wrote the epistle? Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 2:815
Date – 45-49 AD
Audience – Jewish Christians scattered to the East, in Babylon and Mesopotamia.
Theme – “Faith works”
Interesting facts –
There are 108 verses in the book (1,739 words) and there are 54 imperative commands within the book. It could be said like this there is an imperative command every two verses.
James makes reference to Abraham, Rahab, Job, Elijah, the Law and the Ten Commandments.
He makes allusions to 21 OT books – Genesis – Deuteronomy, Joshua, 1 Kings, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and 7 of the 12 Minor Prophets.
The book of James is primarily practical
Talk Thru the Bible – “Faith without works cannot be called faith. It is dead, and a dead faith is worse than no faith at all. Faith must work; it must produce; it must be visible. Verbal faith is not enough; mental faith is insufficient. Faith must move into action. Throughout his epistle to Jewish believers, James integrates true faith and everyday practical experience by stressing that true faith “works.” It endures trials; it obeys s God’s Word; it produces doers; it harbors no prejudice; it controls the tongue; it acts wisely; it provides the power to resist the devil; it waits patiently for the coming of the Lord.”
Now, I would like you to join me as we look at the book of James and we come to see how the theme “Faith works” is taught throughout.
The Call of Faith -
The Call of Faith -
We must understand what we mean when we use the term faith. Faith is trusting in what Christ has accomplished on the cross. Remember that this is written to those who believe in what Christ has done.
Doers of the word – 1:22
22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
Faith = works – 2:14-17
14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
Luther called this book the “book of straw”
The call of faith is that your faith demonstrates Christ-likeness. In other words your faith is put into action.
The Practice of Faith -
The Practice of Faith -
Command to have Joy in trials – 1:2-4, 12
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Command to understand temptation – 1:13-15
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
Command not to show favoritism – 2:1, 8-9
1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.
8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
Command to control the tongue – 3:5, 8-10
5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!
8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.
Command to abstain from worldliness – 4:4,11-12
4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
11 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?
Command to follow God – 4:7-10
7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
Command to understand the frailty of life – 4:13-16
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.
The commitment to Faith -
The commitment to Faith -
Patiently wait for the coming of the Lord – 5:7-8
7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. 8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.
Confess your sins – 5:14
14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
Be a person of Prayer – 5:16
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
SO WHAT??
How do you know that your faith is real?
Talk thru the Bible Introduction and Title
Faith without works cannot be called faith. Faith without works is dead, and a dead faith is worse than no faith at all. Faith must work; it must produce; it must be visible. Verbal faith is not enough; mental faith is insufficient. Faith must be there, but it must be more. It must inspire action.
Real Faith -
Endures Trials
Understands temptations
Obeys the Word
Produces doers
Harbors no prejudice
Controls the Tongue
Acts Wisely
Produces separation from the world and submission to God
Waits patiently for the coming of the Lord
Talk thru the Bible Introduction and Title
Faith is more than mere words; it is more than knowledge; it is demonstrated by obedience; and it overtly responds to the promises of God.