Taco Tuesday 3/20/2018

James Chapter 1

Does anyone in here know and or understand the book of James and what it does for us as believers?

Today I want to take a glimpse into James 1:1-3

James the brother of Jesus is commonly accepted as the author of the book of James.

James was written between AD 44 and AD 62.

I want to start off with that question because I really want you to grab hold of your mind and focus here for a few minutes.

Each of you right here is on the very precipice of your lives.

Real quick I wanna tell you who I am.

The story of James brings us to the beginning of the persecution that spread to Jewish Christians living in the Diaspora.

Our minds are constantly wandering and changing their focus.

First off, my name is Jon Norton

Even if you are a middle schooler and are just getting into the youth.

Who knows the meaning of the word “Diaspora”?

I was born with ADD/ADHD Aspergers.

Diaspora is how we refer to God’s Jews who lived outside of Israel.

As a product of Aspergers your mind loves to wander off into oblivion.

Diaspora is essentially “The Twelve Tribes Who were in Dispersion”

You tend to obsess on one thing for a while and then you can easily lose focus and find somewhere else to aim your attention.

This book deals directly with perseverance in the midst of trials.

Aspergers is little more than an excuse for most.

OK, sweet.

A word that attempts to tell us “why we cant”

The book of James deals directly with perseverance in the midst of trials.

I was forced to overcome that thought process.

The faith of Christians is under constant attack, and James encourages believers to stand firm, to not be double minded.

There is a natural sway for us to let our minds wander and stray from what they need to be on.

He calls believers to patiently persevere in faith.

Where is your focus?

I don't have a lot of time today so I want to try and cover these few verses with a zoomed out view instead of up close.

There is a tool that God has given His children that always forces us to grow in our relationship with Him.

The whole of chapter 1 deals with the subject of perseverance.

You can tell me what your focus is and that you love Jesus.

Who in here deals with perseverance in school?

Dont tell me you love Jesus.

Why do we have to deal with perseverance?

Dont tell me you are a believer.

We have to deal with perseverance because God has called us to.

Live your life as if you are a believer.

What is the first thing James wants us to know right out of the gate?

Listen to me, I am not talking about a rule that is forcing you to act one way versus another.

James wants us to know that he is a servant.

Im talking about something that comes from the inside.

Are you a servant? I will answer that for you.

The Holy Spirit has a job to do.

You are a servant.

Did yall know that?

The better question I should ask is to whom are you a servant to?

Let me ask you this:

James is identifying himself as a servant or slave to God and to Christ.

When were you saved?

This is a beautiful picture as you have to grasp that the writer (assumedly James) indicates not only humility but also a profound testimony to his conversion in the fact that he considered his earthly half-brother (Jesus) as his Redeemer.

This is a legitimate question I am asking all of you.

James is a servant to both God and Jesus his brother.

Were you saved when you walked the aisle?

How hard do you think it was for James to be the brother of God’s Redeeming vessel?

In that moment was there something left to do

Verse one talks about the twelve tribes in the Dispersion or the “Diaspora”

But does that mean that this book is only speaking to believing Jews?

Quick question, do we have any jews in here?

OK,

Absolutely not, James is speaking right to us, as gentiles and as those who were grafted in.

Who likes to have their faith tested?

Its not an easy feat, but you know each of us has our faith tested every single day, and how we respond demonstrates what is on the inside of us.

What does testing produce?

Testing produces steadfastness.

What does steadfast mean?

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) Steadfast

firm in belief, determination, or adherence

We can have joy in being testing if we understand and are able to understand that God has trials in our lives for a purpose.

We can have joy in testing if we understand and are able to grasp that God has trials in our lives for a purpose.

Perseverance produces mature Christian character.

Why do you think that God has called us to be vessels of Perseverance?

There are so many things that are in the world today that grab ahold of us.

There are friends at school that seek to pull us down and there are friends at church, might I add that there are friends who could be sitting right next to each of you right at this moment who seek to pull you down.

They may not even know they are but if they are pushing you to any form of rebellion to Christ, your parents, and ultimately to God’s revealed word then by no means do you need to entertain their ways.

Perseverance is not something that any of us take a liking to.

It calls for us to keep on and keep our focus on Christ.

Running always gives us such good analogies.

What better example of perseverance than that of physical endurance.

Running produces pain in your gut, pain that can be overcome, through perseverance.

Perseverance can be standing for what is righteous when its not easy.

Sometimes its easy to go along with your friends and give in.

Sometimes it involves not rolling your eyes when your parents (who dont know anything, right?) tell you your friends cant come over.

Perseverance is about understanding that God has you right where you are for a reason.

Who knows what sanctification is?

Someone define what it is?

What are the three main parts of Christ’s salvific work in us?

Justification- When were we justified?

Sanctification- When and what are we being sanctified from?

Glorification- When can we as Christ’s followers truly bring the utmost glory to God?

Most of our Sanctification has to do with Perseverance.

Many elderly people you will come in contact with are done with life and are tired of persevering.

We are always struggling with how to persevere.

I want us to grab this truth from

James 1:2 ESV

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

James 1:2

What does it mean for us to count it all joy?

This is a call for us to understand suffering from the boasting of confidence in God’s Sovereignty.

Is God Sovereign in all things?

Absolutely.

Does God conform us to His will?

Faithfully and absolutely.

The Holy Spirit is not lazy and He conforms us to Christ.

My question for each and every one of you here who can hear me.

Is the Holy Spirit literally conforming you day by day to Christ?

If He is not you need to find your sin and you need to fully look at it and grasp the understanding that it offends the Creator of the Universe.

You are not going to be able to trick God into thinking you are a Christian when you get to the gates of heaven.

You can trick your parents, you can trick me, but you cannot trick God.

If you are struggling with your sin or your current situation, please come find me and I will point you to Christ.

I am sinner just as each of you, at my heart Im just a beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. Thats all.

Lets Pray...