James: Son of Thunder

Introduction:

Tonight, I want to share with you one of the three character studies that we are going to do on the inner circle of Jesus. Jesus called many disciples, had 12 apostles, and of the 12 had three that made up his inner circle: Peter, James, and John. These messages will be used in my trip to Haiti as I preach in the orphanages. The point of this study is to show how God uses these three men, all with fiery personalities, and transforms them as they serve closest to Jesus. Jesus is not playing favorites with these men, but their time spent close to Jesus radically alters who they are and it will do the same for you and me.

For our text tonight, I do not have one passage that we will be in, so I will be putting the Scriptures on the screen for much of what we are going to look at tonight. The reason is because we are going to look at the birds eye view of what Scripture teaches about James. Surprisingly, for James to be in the inner circle of Jesus, there is little mentioned about him in the Bible, except for an excerpt here or there.

1. Negative Characteristics

A. He was hot-headed (; )

Mark 3:17 ESV

James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder);

Luke 9:52–54 ESV

And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”

B. He was prideful ()

Matthew 20:20–21 ESV

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.”

2. His privileged position

A. He was one of the first disciples to be called by Jesus ()

Matthew 4:20–21 ESV

Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.

Matthew 4:21–22 ESV

And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

B. He was one of three allowed in to see Jairus’ daughter raised from the dead ()

Mark 5:37 ESV

And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.

Mark 5:35–37 ESV

While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.

C. He saw the full glory of Jesus at the Transfiguration ()

Matthew 17:1–3 ESV

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.

3. His Service to the Lord

A. He was in the inner circle of Jesus

B. He was asked to draw close to Jesus in Gethsemane ()

Matthew 26:36–37 ESV

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

C. He was the first of the disciple’s to be martyred ()

Acts 12:2 ESV

He killed James the brother of John with the sword,

Application:

1. You don’t have to be perfect to be used by God

2. It is a privilege and honor to serve Jesus

3. The closer we walk with Jesus, the more we get to experience

4. Obeying the call to follow can cost you everything, but is worth everything you give up

Conclusion:

Tonight, as we close out our study on the Apostle James, perhaps you have a little fire in your bones. Maybe your temper gets the best of you and you want to call down fire from heaven. You may think a little more of yourself than you should from time to time. You may be a diamond in the rough.

Whatever your shortcomings are, let time spent next to Jesus change who you are into who you can be for the kingdom of God. No matter who you are, only surrendering to the call of Jesus to follow Him will change you. We must deal with the old Adam and be made like Jesus, the new Adam. We have to put to death the flesh and live in the Spirit.