Grace To and Through - James 1:1

James 1:1 James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ of the 12 tribes scattered among the Nations greetings the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be unto God. He may be seated.

If I were to ask all of you or if I would have just put a out a survey of Christians in general. What are your favorite books of the Bible? Forgot to be your number one favorite cuz that's hard to pin down. What are your favorite books of the Bible plural? I guarantee you. The majority of people here. James would be on your list. Not only that James would be high up on your list. Would that be true if that's true if James is amongst your favorites or just see like a little head nod. Okay see a little bit of motion in the crown. So James is one of the most beloved books of the New Testament. And is a few reasons why you might be wondering why why do I like James? Why does this person like James? Why do people in general seem to like this book of the Bible. His wife firstly James is very practical. This is perhaps the biggest and first reason that people admit when talking about how they like this a lot. So for any Christian all of us, it's important to wrestle through deep theology. You can't have the excuse. I'm not a theologian because the reality is every single one of us is a theologian. The only question is are you a good one or are you a bad one was a theologian at the illusion of Simply somebody who studies and thinks about inarticulate to God is every Christian is a theologian. Are you a good one? Or are you bad one? You don't have to go to school to be a theologian. You just need to be faithful in the word. Everybody needs to be thinking about God for the Trinity trying to figure out the Trinity wrapping your head around to the relationship between God's people that Jews in the Old Testament in the church in the New Testament trying to wrap your head around both the love of God and the truth of God the grace of God and the wrath of God. How did both of those things fit together and do some deep theological things that take a lot of wavy time and thought the process but nonetheless every single one of us readily admits quite often. You know what I like the ology I'll grant you that but I need some practical guidance. I need somebody to help me know and help me learn. How can I practically live out Christianity in my day-to-day life? What does it mean for Christianity to impact when I wake up on Monday morning or when I go to school or when I go to work or when I eat a meal around the table when I have a conversation with a friend, what does Christianity mean for all of those different circumstances? Do James practically addresses? I lot of daily issues and also a little Bible trivia for you. The Book of James has the most imperative verb in it in terms of density. What is an imperative verb go do this do that. Don't do this. Don't do that. Think about this. I'll process it like this James has the most imperative verbs by density in the most dense contacts. That's quite something to think about. Why else is James popular amongst people number to I think James addresses many Topics in a very concise manner doesn't spend three chapters on one topic like Paul does in Romans Romans chapter 9 10 and 11 Paul spends three chapters talking about Israel in the church and Israel in God's present a purpose of Grace today to James Spence only a handful of topic and you don't really need to use a Bible dictionary to think about any deep words or Suffix words, it's very plain language, very simple. Not stupid, but very simple in terms of readily addressing everybody and every day scenarios, but also James and thirdly James includes a lot of illustrations a lot of practical illustrations, for example it out waves in the sea being blown by the wind. We had a lot of women in this past weekend so we can relate to that one the sun rising and scorching plants looking at your face in a mirror gold rings fine fancy clothes putting bits into the mouths of horses a Rudder on a ship fire that burns down a forest freshwater and saltwater fig trees arrogant businessmen corroded metal a lot of imagery that our mind easily connect to to bring the theology that can sometimes be up here and bring him that theology into our everyday lives. So this book is very beloved. It is not been without its critics Christians in the early church were slow to acknowledge of a this books place in the cannon or another we Christians in the first few centuries. They were slow to acknowledge. This was actually scripture. It took a little bit of time but then most infamously Martin Luther the spearhead one of the spearheads behind the Protestant Reformation. He himself said about the book of James James mangels the scriptures and thereby opposes Paul and all scripture and you might be wondering how on Earth could say that James opposes scripture. That's because Paul spent a lot of time and Romans and elsewhere. I'm justified by faith alone, but then here and James is going to see when I get to chapter 2 James says you are justified by faith through your works so which is it there seems to be a competing viewpoints they're bugging table that will back to that in a couple of weeks. But nevertheless this is a fascinating book for you and I so as we proceed. One of these questions at all of us ask when we open. The Bible is what right? If you sit down to have your devotional time you open the Bible, perhaps you flip it open to James. What's one of the first question you ask?

Not saying what you should ask what you what's the right answer? What's one the first questions you ask? I think what does this mean? What does this mean for me? Or get more precise. What's my take away? What what what's the the Practical thing that I can learn from this that I can glean from this for myself that I can Implement in my life today? What does this mean for me? Is he that's a fair question to ask a good one to ask but in its proper timing because before you and I wrestle with that question, we needed backup consider something more Foundation who wrote this book to Andre speaking. Who did he write it to what was the occasion? What were the circumstances that prompted this James to write? What's them theme? What's the main point of the letter? Only then will you and I be in a position to ask Village in the question. What does this mean for me today? And I've said this before but it's worth reiterating Church hear me. Clearly the Bible was not written to you but it was written for you was not written to you, but it was written for you. That sounds controversial. Just think about it in the plain sense. Who was Romans written to was a written to the week Arizona know and who was it written to the church in Rome but it was written for your benefit for your instruction for your blessing as I mentioned earlier Romans 15 everything that was written in the past was written to teach us and then Roman and then 2nd Timothy 3. All scripture is god-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness for the Bible was not written to us, but it was written for us and understand what it means for us. We have to understand what it meant to the original audience and then this case in the first century. This morning. It's not going to be extremely glamorous not going to be extremely beautiful. Perhaps we're going to look at one verse and really Pick-A-Part the context in which this letter is written in the next week. We'll pick up a chapter 1 verses to and following so few questions about our time together. Let's just go through them one by one number one who wrote the book who wrote This Book The first word right there James in Greek. It's yakobus or Jacob is the actual translation of Jacob has but James comes from the Latin word, but nonetheless James wrote it. Just keep it easy. The question is which James rodent believe it or not in the New Testament. There are four different James's that are mentioned but the two most popular are James the son of Zebedee and James the brother of Jesus whose James the son of Zebedee think about Jesus's Inner Circle at 12 Apostles 12 disciples, but amongst the 12th, Lexi. Jesus have more than that. Jesus had many disciples and Luke Chapter. I do remember what chapter it is on right now at one point Jesus sent out seventy Disciples of his disciples, but there is a more specific focus group that was known as the 12 days of the 12 the 12 Apostles of the 12 disciples within that 12 even more. The three the three main ones with Peter James and John. a James and John I will brothers that the brothers of Sons of Zebedee. So James and John were Disciples of Jesus. So you would think. All right 10-year James is one of the three that went up to the Mount of transfiguration and got to see Jesus become the spectacle of Glory before his own very eyes. Only one of three people who got to see that physically speaking. James was a disciple of Jesus. So therefore he wrote the book, right? Most Scholars don't think that James did they because why why why is that the case because James and Acts chapter 12, the one of the disciples James was martyred by Herod Agrippa in the early forties and they do most scholars believe that this letter was written at a later time than that. So therefore it just would not be possible for James the son of Zebedee to Britain this that means the most likely scenario. Is that James the brother of Jesus wrote This Book, Jordan where is Jesus's brothers mentioned what he had Brothers. I thought Jesus was no virgin birth. He was the only well Matthew 1354 255. Coming to his hometown he referring to Jesus Jesus began teaching the people in their synagogue and they were amazed. Where did this man get this wisdom in these miraculous Powers. They asked isn't this the Carpenter's son isn't his mother's name Mary and aren't his brothers James Joseph Simon and Judas aren't all his sisters with us. If you weren't aware you're wearing now after Jesus was born because Jesus was born of the Virgin birth, right the miraculous conception when Mary was a virgin, but the plane indicator is here after that after Jesus was born at a later time, Mary and Joseph had more children James Joseph Simon, Judas and even some sisters had brothers and sisters growing up one of them being James. Imagine the human element in this it's easy to gloss over those quick little references, but just think about it practically. James and Jesus probably shared a room growing up and their house it's not like in the western American culture where every kid gets their own room. No, not at all in the Middle East even today that's not very family shared room. Sometimes the entire family share just one big room together. So James and Jesus probably shared the room growing up and out of lave Jesus began his public Ministry when he was about thirty years old, imagine all of the meals that they shared together around the table we're talking about thousands of meals growing up that they set right. I don't know if they had breakfast lunch and dinner probably not but all the meals that had together around the table just talkin hanging out how much shipping the late-night conversations they must have had and you would have imagined James. The brother of Jesus would have been very close to him that he would have had a fierce that James has been a fierce supporter of Jesus and a faithful follower and a good advocate of his brother. The whole way I may not disagree with my brother all the time. But you know, I'm here for him at all times. You would think that close Bond would be there. But no, that's not what we seem scripture. And John chapter 7 Jesus was doing miracles in Galilee. His home region is home area. Jesus is doing profound Miracles James and the other brothers tried to kick him out of town John 7:5 for even his own brothers did not believe in him. On another occasion at Mark 3:21 Jesus's family said of him. He's out of his mind. This guy is out of his mind. He's crazy. And the James and the other brothers they were so trouble they were so Disturbed. So agitated by Jesus that they went at one time to take charge of him or to seize him to take custody of him to restrain him to try to take him away. But doesn't it all sound like somebody who's a fan or who or even friendly with Jesus? So humanly speaking James the brother of Jesus though. He had close proximity to him. He did not profess him as Lord Jesus or James saw Jesus as his brother, but not as his savior. But then something changed. Something changed what happened James the skeptic James the doubter became James the pastor. 1st Corinthians, 15 verses 3 to 7 This is the resurrection one of the big Resurrection chapters in The Bible First Corinthians 15 verse 3 Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. Then he was buried was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. And then what happened? What happened? After Jesus came out of the Grave. He appeared to many people look at this. Then he appeared to see first and then to the 12 after that he appeared in more than 500 other brothers and sisters at the same time. Most of whom are still living though. Some have fallen asleep then right here. Here's the key then he appeared to James been to all the apostles. Before Jesus was a crazy older brother to James. But now Jesus is the Christ the resurrected brother of James James the doubter became James the just as Church historians calling now. It sounds as though James just became a Christian. It sounds so James just started to like Jesus know James is transformation was so radical and so powerful that an AR-15 James has become a central pillar in the church in Jerusalem the capital. As one commentator said the Epistle of James comes from the comes from the center and the head of Christianity and its day and speaks with all the Pastoral of four of its source. Just keep in mind James was in place before pole really took off by a lot of people think of Paul is and he was he was a massive Force used by the Holy Spirit, but you can pull himself he went to James and John and Peter seeking their approval their affirmation for his ministry. So James in a sense kind of commission kind of blast kind of a firm's what Paul is doing to the point is James is a very significant figure in the early church. what to take away for you and I I think it's this one of them could be this God's grace comes to and works through the unlikely and the undeserving. You would have looked at James with a complete skeptic thought his brother was crazy. Probably insane anybody would dare to claim such things as he's claiming. He doesn't know what he's talking about. He is crazy. You wouldn't think anything of them but God's grace came to this broken man. Not only came to him but worked through him to write down humanly speaking. One of the most beloved books that we have in the Bible. God's grace come to comes to and works through the undeserving and the unlikely. question number two of the day Who's the artist that's who wrote the book of James in the noticed I should look at the text change 11 James servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ Notice the profound humility that's been cultivated in this man. This man could have easily assorted James the blood brother of Jesus Christ. Listen to me because I have proposed proximity. This guy know, he humbly refers to himself simply as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ and James is a big proponent of humility exemplified in chapter 4, which will get to it sometime. Tehuti out exchange of servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ right there the next race to the Twelve Tribes scattered among the Nations greetings. When you hear about 12 tribes, what do you think about? Who do you think about? Snot coming out of nowhere. Is that some random phrase Twelve Tribes historically speaking, refer to the 12 tribes of Israel the 12 tribes of Judah of Jacob. So in the Old Testament the Jewish people that used to reside in the promised land and keep in mind the promised land was much bigger than just a literal physical boundaries of what the current nation state of Israel is a much bigger region. If you have a study Bible you might have a picture in the back of what the the promised land was originally outlined to be but unless the Jewish people they lived in the Promised Land. But because of their Temptation they're wavering on two different occasions the Assyrians and the Babylonians, they invaded the promised land. They took the Jewish people and they left brought them out of their country. So the Jewish people were scattered abroad to foreign lands in the Old Testament that happened the Jewish people were scattered abroad amongst all the Godless Pagan Nations. So James right here James says to the Twelve Tribes scattered among the Nations greetings. Also, keep in mind. James isn't probably just talking about people who had been scattered abroad hundreds of years ago. James is most likely referring to something that happened in Acts 8:1. Acts 8:1 what happened there? On that day. The text says on that day, which is the date that Stephen was stoned to death for preaching the gospel. You may recall that on the days Stephen was stoned to death a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

So these displaced Christians that James is right into the 12 tribes to God's people to God's people that the Christians those who follow Jesus who been scattered among the Nations have been scattered abroad. these displays Christians are facing two big concerns other facing a lot of yours to to mention number one. These Christians are living in a foreign land. Kevin they don't have the the joy that come for the ease of just walking down the street using your money to go buy whatever it is at the at the store or to eat and props even speak the same language. Some of these Christians might have been a lot farther out and it is just there's no comfort of home there. So for those of you who've travelled overseas anywhere or if you've lived overseas, I'll be do you know that but there's just uneasiness. You don't always fully fit in you don't feel like you're fully stay fully comfortable. Unless you've been there long long time and even then I still feel uneasy for the phone is humanly speaking these Christians were displaced and they were probably struggling with feelings of a security of certainty of reassurance of Hope of community meeting Community if we're going to be spread apart, So you're the new country physically speaking but more so than culture shock shock the right the second Point more so than your culture shock. These Christians were wrestling with a very basic question that you and I take for granted. That is this. What does it mean to be a Christian? What does it mean to look like a follower of Jesus? What does it mean to follow Jesus? I keep in mind as some Scholars have pointed out many believe this letter is the first letter of the New Testament written. Written in the 40 sometime. So what that practically means if these Christians who were scattered abroad they did not have the joy and the privilege of being able to whip out their iPhone and just look up all the New Testament letters or to pull out of pocket edition of the Bible of the New Testament in particular. Absolutely not there's nothing out there yet and these people how were they decide what how are they how did they become Christians by the preaching of the word any of these people heard Jesus? They met the resurrected Christ. I heard sermons about Christ. Maybe they had some fellowship times around a table talking about these things hashing it out. There's nothing written in front of them for them to fall back on for them to refer to it's all kind of just this back and forth. So this letter is a breath of fresh air giving some practical guidance as to what it means to follow Jesus how to live for and honor Jesus. This letter contains a lot of wisdom about that. Two more questions, then we're done and I'll be brief here. What did he write? We know who the author is. We know who he wrote it to. What is this book about? What what is the content of this book? I think the best way to summarize it is James is a mix or an amalgamation of wisdom and instruction its wisdom and instruction but simply put James this letter. It's a sermon in written form the sermon in written form. James isn't so much concerned about deep theology. There's no big excursus about the Trinity and the inner workings of the father son and spirit co-existing together, but it's only one God but rather James's Focus hear the Practical outworking of theology. What is actually mean to put this theology in the practice and some critics or maybe a cursory reading of the she might say this book doesn't seem very theological. What is the illogical? It's about a god-centered a lot of talk about who God is this book doesn't seem very theological. It's just a bunch of wisdom in a bunch of little commands here and there. Brothers and sisters that is not true. This book is profoundly theological but a lot of the theology is below the surface. stated differently In order to a baby's commands, you have to have the theology undergirding your soul to Faith Leland's amount stated differently. This letter is not just some generic letter with some good wife principles with any and everybody can apply their lives. That's not the intention now to be clearer if there is somebody who is a Buddhist or who's a Muslim or whoever it is an atheist. They read this book and I think you know what chapter 3 talks about taming the tongue controlling the tongue being quick to hold on to it and also chapter one being quick to listen. I like that wisdom. Am I saying that those people should not apply this was done to their lives? No, that's not the point. The point is who is this intended to be read for who was this intended to be received by Christians? And it's only Christians who have the spirit of God living in them who can Faithfully not perfectly but Faithfully live out the instructions here. So then last question. What is the main theme of the book? James dresses a lot of different topics and it could seem scatterbrained when you first read it cuz there's not necessarily clear outline or necessarily even a logical flow of thought is James Sometimes in Rapid fashion shifts from one topic to another so what's the main theme of the unifying theme if we could pinpoint it down to something cuz James talks about a lot of different things. I talked about enduring trials the rich and the poor that relationship between them face and Good Deeds controlling the tongue serving the poor pride and humility praying and faith. Here's my tent at articulating one main theme, but hopefully we'll be able to unpack as the weeks progress. The one true God desires a one true people for himself. The one true God desires a one true people for himself.

So trap it out brothers and sisters. This is a highly treasured book of the Bible. As we Embark to glean wisdom from it. Please remember couple of things God's grace is for the undeserving. Keep in mind who the author humanly speaking of this is right God's grace is for the undeserving. But not only that God's grace Works through the undeserving for the blessing of others. Not only Trent Jesus transform James. Jesus used James to be a powerful force for Christianity in for the truth of God's word in the first century and beyond effects of which are still being felt to this day. and also one of the I think personally one of my favorite verses maybe one of your favorite versus one of the key verses in this book is James 1:22. This is something that you could argue that this could be the the theme verse if you will. But do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves do what it says. Don't just listen what I'm saying don't you know what God is saying through James do what it says and if You and I by the spirit of God do our best to apply this word in our everyday lives. We will walk away that change people. Do you want me to listen to the word and so deceive yourselves do what it says? The lot on packed lot to uncover a lot of different topics and lot of practical teaching. So I'm looking forward to it over the next couple of months. The church WIll you pray with me and then we'll close with the doxology.

father we give you thanks that you not left us in the dark when it comes to construction and when it comes to Insight and wisdom We think you did by your goodness. You've spoken to us a clear word a powerful word at the exact same time a challenging word because those Christians it's we know our attitude in our disposition ought to be yes. I love your word and receive it. I want to live it out. We know Jesus that the exact same time the flesh inside of us wrestles with this not only that it refuses this word. Will you please humblest Jesus to receive this in its entirety and its totality please humble us so that we not just hear the words, but it will be doers of the word. Please help us Jesus as we Embark not only to get a head full of knowledge, but have a heart and life that's filled and exemplified and marked by wisdom. It comes from you. Jesus we need your power. We need your wisdom. We need your love. We need your guidance as we seek to live good Christian Godly lives in this world that is filled with darkness and confusion and lies, please help us to be bright lights in this community that we live in help us to share the love of God with one another and with our neighbors and with those who do not know you personally and help us throughout it all to be to persevere through and be patient with one another and the seat to please you above all because you first shown to us. Thank you for this beautiful little book stamp it deep into our hearts. We ask these things by the power of the holy spirit in Jesus name. Amen.