A Call to Spiritual Maturity

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James 1:1 NASB95

James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.

Main Points

Who was James?

“James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”

Suggested Candidates

James the son of Zebedee

he was one of the most prominent to bear the name;

a fisherman called by Christ -

he and his brother John were called “sons of thunder” -

first of the disciples to be killed, A.D. 44 -

James the son of Alphaeus

another of the disciples,

brother with Matthew

James the father of Judas the disciple

James, the Brother of Jesus

Jesus had brothers and sisters

Matthew 13:55–56 NASB95

“Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? “And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”

James and the other brothers did not believe in Jesus during his earthly ministry.

John 7:1–5 NASB95

After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. “For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For not even His brothers were believing in Him.

James was especially visited by Christ after His resurrection

1 Corinthians 15.7

1 Corinthians 15:7 NASB95

then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;

Later, they were among the believers in the upper room

Acts 1:14 NASB95

These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

James became a leader in the church in Jerusalem

Paul described him as a pillar in the church

Galatians 2:9 NASB95

and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

Galatians 1

James moderated the conference in Jerusalem

Paul delivered to James his greeting and special love offering from the Gentiles.

To Whom did James Write?

“To the 12 tribes who were dispersed abroad.”

The Dispersion (Grk. diaspora)

a term given to Jews who remained or chose to live outside of the Land of Israel.

John 7:35 NASB95

The Jews then said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He is not intending to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He?

John 7.35

Many Jewish communities were established among the nations like, Egypt, Babylon (Persia), Syria, and other Roman provinces.

Jewish Christians

James was addressing Christian Jews that were scattered abroad due to persecution

Acts 8:1–4 NASB95

Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison. Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.

However, most of the believers held on to many Jewish practices and beliefs

Acts 8.1

Acts 11:19–20 NASB95

So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.

Why did James Write?

To address common problems among the believers

trials - they were ‘scattered’ by persecution in Jerusalem

relationship between and poor and the rich Christians

Christian living - lack of practicing the truth

the tongue - lack of control

fighting and coveting

materialism

To show the real cause of these problems and issues: spiritual immaturity

Quote: W. Wiersbe

BCS - Be Mature (James) 3. WHY DID JAMES WRITE?

Spiritual maturity is one of the greatest needs in churches today. Too many churches are playpens for babies instead of workshops for adults. The members are not mature enough to eat the solid spiritual food that they need, so they have to be fed on milk (Heb. 5:11–14).

BCS - Be Mature (James) 3. WHY DID JAMES WRITE?

After well over a quarter century of ministry, I am convinced that spiritual immaturity is the number one problem in our churches. God is looking for mature men and women to carry on His work, and sometimes all He can find are little children who cannot even get along with each other.

James used the word “perfect” many times

Perfect - grk. teleios, to be complete, without blemish or defect

James 1:4 NASB95

And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:17 NASB95

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

James 1:25 NASB95

But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

James 2:22 NASB95

You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;

James 3:2 NASB95

For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

Spiritual Maturity is

completeness of character

Christlikeness

Ephesians 4:13 NASB95

until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 4.

Galatians 4:19 NASB95

My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—

Let us go on t

An Outline of the Book

Theme: Spiritual Maturity

The Marks of the Mature Christian

He is patient in testing ()

He practices the truth ()

He has power over his tongue ()

He is a peacemaker, not a troublemaker ()

He is patient in troubles ()

Conclusion

Let us go on to perfection

Hebrews 6:1 NASB95

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,