Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Introduction:

This morning we are starting a series on the book of James

Its seemingly moralistic tone, its apparent inattention to theological concerns, its defense of "justification by works" all have made it difficult for interpreters to discern its compatibility with other New Testament books.

Luther's dismissal of James as an "epistle of straw" was only a characteristically blunt expression of an attitude shared by many students.

James has been a problematic book for many pastors and scholars over the years.

Its seemingly moralistic tone, its apparent inattention to theological concerns, its defense of "justification by works" all have made it difficult for interpreters to discern its compatibility with other New Testament books.

Luther's dismissal of James as an "epistle of straw" was only a characteristically blunt expression of an attitude shared by many students.

Its seemingly moralistic tone

its apparent inattention to theological concerns,

James also has created much controversy throughout the history of the church by his affirmation that we are justified by works and not by faith alone.

The great reformer Martin Luther dismissed James as an "epistle of straw"

I have seen pastors, teachers and bible study leaders get very fidgety and uncomfortable when getting to James chapter two where he explains that faith without works is dead.

I remember in bible school students wrestling with the book of James.

And I remember legalistic pastors from my childhood who would constantly preach and teach Sunday school from James and use it as a club to beat people over the head.

So we are going to spend some time in this controversial book

and my prayer is that you’ll see James not as a moralistic book, but a book that calls you to faithful living in a troubled world.

and I pray that this series in James will draw your heart soul and mind to a deeper and more practical love for God.

James

Who is this James?

Who wrote the book of James?

Author

One of the great debates about the book of James is which James wrote it?

By calling himself a “servant” James aligns himself with Israel’s noble heritage of the servants of God, most notably Moses, David, and the prophets.

James was a very common name during the time of NT, there are a number of different “James” in the Bible.

In fact, Jesus had two disciples named James and a brother named James.

Most Bible scholars narrow it down to really only two options

Either James the brother of Jesus

Or James the apostle who was one of Jesus’ three closest friends.

James the Brother of Jesus

This James became the most influential leader among the jewish Christians.

greatly respected

when he spoke, people listened

He was intimidating even to Peter.

Which is interesting because James the brother of Jesus didn’t even believe jesus was the messiah during his ministry.

However, at some point he believed and God took this cynical brother and made him one of the greatest leaders in the church.

Paul calls James the brother of Jesus a pillar in the church.

James was the main speakers in the Jerusalem council in .

Because of his great resume, most commentators think this James wrote the letter of James.

The other option is James the apostle

James the Apostle

James the Apostle

This James, was the brother of John and one of Jesus closest friends.

He lived his life with Jesus after Jesus called him to be a disciples

He was on the mount of Transfiguration with Jesus

He was with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane

He was there on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit came down and he spoke in tongues.

He was leader of the early church through the first 11 chapters of Acts.

However, we see in James was killed by Herod around A.D. 44

Now, the author of James could be either one, however I believe it was James the apostle, the brother of John and not James the brother of Jesus.

Because, the brother of Jesus was brought into a position of influence after Herod died which was also in AD 44.

If that is the case, the book of James had to have been written after AD44

However, I think James was written very early in the life of the church, perhaps within a year or so of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

The reason for this is because who he is writing too

Look with me at James 1.1

The 12 tribes is not referring to the original 12 tribes or the 12 sons of Jacob in the OT

Nor is it referring to only Jewish Christians

But rather, James is writing to the new covenant people of God, Jews and gentiles.

And these Jew and Gentile Christians are in a very difficult situation, which is why James is writing them.

He writes, “To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion”

What is a dispersion?

Well, the word literally means, διασπορά: a state or condition of being scattered.

Because of persecution these new Christians had to flea their homes in order to survive.

state or condition of being scattered

So historically, something happened that caused followers of Christ to leave their homes and scatter.

What was it that happened?

We find what happened in the book of Acts.

Acts chapters 1-9 all happened within a year of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

assention

Pentecost

forming of Christian community

Healings, sermons, pushback etc.

we are introduced to Stephen

Stephen sermon and execution

Saul was present

is where we find the scattering mentioned here in

You see it was this scattering that James is referring to in his letter -

So James, one of the apostles who stayed in Jerusalem during this persecution is now writing a letter to these Christians who have fled to remind them to stay true to the faith.

James does not want these young believers to leave the faith.

He wants them to stay faithful to Christ in the midsts of hardship, he doesn’t want them to strey away

He wants to make sure they do not wander from the truth.

But that they keep their heart soul and minds focused on the Savior.

No doubt when James wrote this letter had Jesus’ words from on his mind when he thought about these new believers suffering from tribulation and persecution.

19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.

This is what was sown along the path.

20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

He would have remembered sitting in the boat with Jesus listening to him talk to hundreds of people on the beach, and how Jesus always talked in riddles and parables… And this one particular parable stuck with James...

Now these parables often confused the disciples just as much as they confused the crowds who followed him around.

So later that day they talked to Jesus about his use of parables, so Jesus explained the parable of the sower to them.

And in verses 20-21 we see Jesus explaining the seed that fell on rocky ground...

James knows these new believers who have received the seed of the truth of the gospel with joy, and it has taken root, and they have been enduring for awhile, but now that this tribulation and persecution has come upon them, he wants to make sure they don’t fall away.

So James writes to these young believers wanting them to stay true to the faith and not wander from the truth.

James is the letter of a concerned pastor

It’s a gritty in your face type of letter.

James is willing to talk bluntly and honestly in order to keep his people faithful and not falling away.

The purpose of the letter is to keep the Christians from wandering from the truth.

To keep them from going down a path that leads to death.

And this is the message we need to hear from this book as well.

Because like the Christians in James’ day, we are also prone to wander from the truth.

And as a church we must love one another enough to save each other from wandering from the truth.