James: The Passionate Apostle Part 2
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Tonight we will continue on with James. We have established he was passionate. The type of passion depicted is different in how I would normally define it. He was intense and firece but not at all tolerant to sin and wanted to make sure it was punished thoroughly and in an intolerantly, cruel, blood thristy manner.
There is nothing wrong with zeal and fevor, or even low tolerance for sin. Remember Jesus Himself made a whip and cleansed the temple. When He did this the disciples remembered that it was written:
Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”
Passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
James of all people knew what it meant to be eaten up with passionate zeal for the Lord. A lot of what James saw probably helped stroke his zeal - such as when Jesus rebuked the Jewish leaders, when He cursed the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida, and when He confronted and destroyed demonic powers.
Zeal is a virtue when it is truly zeal for righteousness’ sake.
Sometimes zeal is less than righteous.
Zeal apart from knowledge can be damning.
I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.
Zeal without wisdom is dangerous. Zeal mixed with insensitivity is often cruel. Whenever zeal disintegrates into uncontrolled passion, it can be deadly. James sometimes had that tendency to let such misguided zeal get the better of him.
This evening I want to highlight some of these instances in James’ life where his miguided zeal got the better of him. Lots of times it is easier for us to see the issues in the lives of others than how this level of judgement affects our own lives.
Fire from Heaven
Thrones in the Kingdom
A Cup of Suffering
Fire from Heaven
Fire from Heaven
This instance illustrates why James and John were named the Sons of Thunder in Luke.
As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival.
But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem.
When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?”
But Jesus turned and rebuked them.
So they went on to another village.
Jesus was preparing to pass through Samaria, heading to Jerusalem for the final passover. This would be the climax of His life - death, burial and resurrection.
Luke 9:51
As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival.
But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem.
It is important to note that Jesus chose to travel through Samaria, even though it was the shortest way to get to Jerusalem from Galilee, most Jews who travelled between these plaes took a route that required them to around Samaria into the barren dessert of Perea which required crossing the Jordan twice jut to avoid Samaria.
The Samaritians were a mixed race of people who were offspring of the Israelites from the Northern Kingdom. When Israel was conquered by the Assyrians the land was resettled with pagans and foreigners who were loyal to the Assyrian King. Poor Israelites who stayed in the land were intermarried with those pagans.
From the beginning these interlooping pagans did not prosper in the land because they did not fear the Lord. So the King of Assyria sent back one of the priests whom he had taken captive, in order to teach the people.
2 Kings
So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria returned to Bethel and taught the new residents how to worship the Lord.
This resulted in elements of truth blended with paganism.
2 Kings 17
And though they worshiped the Lord, they continued to follow their own gods according to the religious customs of the nations from which they came.
They still claimed to worship Jehovah as God but they founded their own priests, built their own temple, and made up their own sacrifice system. The Samartian example is exactly what happens when the authority of scripture is subjected to human tradition.
And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.
Jews regarded the Samaritians as a mongruel or offensive to the human race and their religion in the same manner. That is why in the time of Christ they went through such pains to avoid travelling through Samaria. The entire region was deemed as unclean.
But Jesus wanted to get to Jerusalem and it did not bother Him to face the Samaritians. He chose the most direct route which meant through Samaria. Along the way they would need places to eat and stay overnight. Since the party who travelled with Jesus was rather large they sent messengers ahead to make arrangements.
Jesus was headed to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover and the Samaritians did not think these ceremonies and feasts needed to be observed in Jerusalem but on Mount Gerizim and therefore refused to accomodate Jesus and the party who travelled with Him. The Samritians not only hated the Jews but they hated the worship that took place in Jerusalem. They had no interest in Christ’s agenda at all because Jesus represented everything they despised.
There was room for them in Samaria but they were being deliberately inhospitable. They were going to make it as hard as possible for Jesus to pass through their city. They hated the Jews and their worship as much as the Jews hated them and their worshp. The Samaritians figured this was fairplay to treat them like this.
Jesus had never shown anything but good will to the Samaritians. He healed the Samaritian’s leprosy and commeneded that man for his gratefulness.
He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.
Jesus accepted water from the Samaritian woman and gave her the water of life.
John 4:7-29
Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.”
He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
“But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?
And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”
Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.
But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
“Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”
“Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.
“I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband—
for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”
“Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet.
So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?”
Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.
You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews.
But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.
For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”
Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?”
The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone,
“Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?”
He then stayed in that woman’s village evangelizing her neighbours for two days.
John 4:39-
Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!”
When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days,
long enough for many more to hear his message and believe.
Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.”
At the end of the two days, Jesus went on to Galilee.
Jesus also made the Samaritian the hero in the parable of the Good Samaritian.
Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.
“By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by.
A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him.
Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.
The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’
“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.
The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”
Later on He commands His disciples to preach the Gospel to the Samaritians.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus always been full of kindness and goodwill to the Samaritians. But now they met Him with deliberate contempt.
James and John, the sons of thunder, were immediately filled with passionate outrage. They had something in mind to remedy this situation. They said this
And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”
But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.
When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?”
The reference to Elijah was used for significance, because the incident they were referring to happened in the same region. They knew about the OT accout and they knew the historical relevance to Samaria.
We see the deep resentment from the Jews to the Samaritians. Talk about hate speech.
Samaria had been associated with idol worship and apostacy long before the Assyrian conquest. This region was known for Baal worship in the days of Elijah.
Then he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
Also the place where Ahab built his famous ivory palace.
Thus says the Lord: “As a shepherd takes from the mouth of a lion Two legs or a piece of an ear, So shall the children of Israel be taken out Who dwell in Samaria— In the corner of a bed and on the edge of a couch!
Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,” Says the Lord God, the God of hosts,
“That in the day I punish Israel for their transgressions, I will also visit destruction on the altars of Bethel; And the horns of the altar shall be cut off And fall to the ground.
I will destroy the winter house along with the summer house; The houses of ivory shall perish, And the great houses shall have an end,” Says the Lord.
First Ahab built a temple and an altar for Baal in Samaria.
Amos
There is a long history here that we won’t get into this evening but Elijah was sent by the Lord to stand up for the things of the Lord and to battle against the prophets of Baal and the King. Elijah was unphased by the opposition and stayed true to what th Lord called him to do and the enemies were defeated.
All that happened in that region through which Jesus proposed to travel through to Jerusalem. The story of Elijah’s firey triumph was well known to the disciples. It was a classic OT episodes they would have been merely reminded of by merely travelling through the area.
So when James and John suggested fire from Heaven as a fitting response to the Samaritian’s rejection and inhospitality they thought they were standing on a solid precedent. Afterall Elijah was not condmened for his actions. At the time this was the best response but this time that reaction was not warranted.
The motives of James and John was wrong and the tone of arrogance is evident.
Lord do you want US to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?
Of course they did not have that power to do this, Christ was the only one who did. If that were the correct response He would be the only one able to do so.
Jame and John were brazen to suggest this act and suggesting the act be THEM to do so. James and John were asking to enable them to fo what they knew He would not do.
Jesus’ mission was also very different from Elijah’s.
Christ came to save not destroy!
Therefore the response to the bothers of thunder was firm and to the point.
But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.
For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.
Luke 9:
Jesus was on a mission to save the lost how could they have missed that? He came to rescue not to judge. Jesus had every right to demand their worship and respect.
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.
There is a time coming when Christ WILL judge the world.
and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,
in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
But this was not the time and thanks be to God we still have time to get our lives in order those who know Him are to declare the truth of His word and those who do not know Him still have time a grace period to embrace the greatest truth of all.
Eccles. 3:1-9
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.
What do people really get for all their hard work?
James and John momentarily forgot that now is the day of Salvation.
Luke
For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Their zeal to defend Christ’s honor is commendable as well. We know their heart was in the right place here. It is far better to stand for things that are right than to sit passivle by and endure insults against Christ. They were concerned about defending Christ and how He was being slighted here which is admirable but their reaction was tainted with arrogance and their response was out of line.
Please note Jesus is not condemning Elijah here it was a different day, different time, different type of situation.
Also I am so glad that God does not see such destruction fitting everytime one sins aren’t you? God could deal with us this way but thankfully that is not how He does things.
The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.
The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, “Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?
Jesus’ example taught James loving kindness and mercy are virtues to be cultivated as much as righteous indignation and fiery zeal.
It is easy to be quick in judgement. This is a powerful reminder here for us all.
Noticed what happened here. They went to another village. They found accomodations elsewhere. It was a little inconvienent but far more appropriate than what the brothers proposed.
A few years later, the early church began to grow and the gospel message spread beyond Judea.
Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.
Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.
Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.
So there was great joy in that city.
Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.
Acts 8:5-
Later on people from that area were saved. They received the gopel. God’s timing is perfect. Even James rejoiced in the salvation of those who at one time greatly dishonored Christ so flagrantly.
Thrones in the kingdom
Thrones in the kingdom
Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor.
“What is your request?” he asked. She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”
But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”
Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”
When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant.
“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.
“At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing.
So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day.
So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.
“At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’
“They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’ “The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’
“That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first.
When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage.
When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage.
When they received their pay, they protested to the owner,
‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’
“He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage?
Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you.
Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’
“So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him.
“Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die.
Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”
Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor.
“What is your request?” he asked. She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”
But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”
Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”
When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant.
But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.
But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,
and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind.
Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
“Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord,” they said, “we want to see!”
Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.
As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead.
“Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me.
If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.”
This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,
“Tell the people of Jerusalem, ‘Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.’ ”
The two disciples did as Jesus commanded.
They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it.
Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise God in highest heaven!”
The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked.
And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.
He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”
The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them.
The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.” But the leaders were indignant.
They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” “Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’”
Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight.
In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry,
and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up.
The disciples were amazed when they saw this and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”
Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.
You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”
When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”
“I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied.
“Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?” They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John.
But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.”
So they finally replied, “We don’t know.” And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.
“But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’
The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway.
Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.
“Which of the two obeyed his father?” They replied, “The first.” Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.
For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.
“Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.
At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop.
But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.
So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.
“Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’
“But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’
So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.
“When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?”
The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”
Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’
I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit.
Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”
When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers.
They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.
Jesus also told them other parables. He said,
“The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son.
When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!
“So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’
But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business.
Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.
“The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town.
And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor.
Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’
So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding.
‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply.
Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
“For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.
They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites.
Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me?
Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin,
he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
His reply amazed them, and they went away.
That same day Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question:
“Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.’
Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children, so his brother married the widow.
But the second brother also died, and the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them.
Last of all, the woman also died.
So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.”
Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.
For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven.
“But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead—haven’t you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said,
‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So he is the God of the living, not the dead.”
When the crowds heard him, they were astounded at his teaching.
But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again.
One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question:
“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question:
“What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They replied, “He is the son of David.”
Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said,
‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’
Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?”
No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
“The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.
So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach.
They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.
“Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.
And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues.
They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’
“Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.
And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father.
And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah.
The greatest among you must be a servant.
But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!
“Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’
Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred?
And you say that to swear ‘by the altar’ is not binding, but to swear ‘by the gifts on the altar’ is binding.
How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it.
And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it.
And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!
You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.
Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed.
Then you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.’
“But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.
Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started.
Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?
“Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city.
As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar.
I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.
And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate.
For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings.
But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”
Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?”
Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you,
for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.
And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately.
Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world.
But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.
“Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.
And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other.
And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.
Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.
But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.
“The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” (Reader, pay attention!)
“Then those in Judea must flee to the hills.
A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack.
A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat.
How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days.
And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath.
For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again.
In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.
“Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it.
For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.
See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.
“So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it!
For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes.
Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.
“Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.
“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door.
I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place.
Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.
“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.
“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day.
In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat.
People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.
“Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left.
Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.
“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.
Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into.
You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.
“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.
If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.
I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.
But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’
and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk?
The master will return unannounced and unexpected,
and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matt. 20:2
Jame was not only feverent, passionate, zealous, and insensitive he was also ambitious and overconfident.
He and his brother John engages in an attempt to gain status over the other apostles.
They had their mother try to increase their status. This request was put forward because of this:
So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
It was the promise of the thrones that caught the attention of James and John. So they decided to have their mother request they would be given the thrones of most prominence.
These men were alredy in the inner circle of three. They had been disciples as long as anyone. They may have thought of loads of reasons why they deserved this honor. So why not simply ask for it?
They mother was a willing participant. She encouraged her sons ambitions, which may explain where the attitudes of her sons came from.
Jesus’ response was to the point but subtle
verse 22
But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.”
Jesus had explained to them numbers of times that he would be crucified I don’t think James and John really understood what He meant. They did not clearly understand what kind of baptism He meant. They had no real concept of what was stirring in the cup He was asking them to drink.
So with foolish ambition and self confidence they assured Him that they were able. They were longing for honor and status. They were still eager to hear Him promise them those high thrones.
But Jesus did not make that promise. But He assured them they would indeed drink His cup and be baptized with the same baptism He was about to undergo. At that time James and John had no idea what they really agreed to.
So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”
Their ambition did create conflicts among the apostles because the other ten apsotles heard about this situation and were no pleased. Then the question of prominence became a big debate amonst them and this debate was carried right to the table of the Last Supper.
James wanted a crown of glory. Jesus gave Him a cup of suffering. Jesus gave Him servanthood. So what does that say about what Jesus places as a level of prominence? I believe He is teaching us that it is of highest regard to serve and honor God. My not look glamourus but it is honorable in His sight.
James wanted to rule, Jesus gave Him a sword not to fight but to be an instrument of his own execution. Fourteen years after this time James would be the first of the twelve to be killed for his faith.
Cup of Suffering
Cup of Suffering
Last week we talked about the cup of salvation. This week cup of suffering.
The end of James’s story was recorded in Acts.
Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.
Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
This is a place in scripture where James appears alone, even apart from his brother. Few details of the martyrdom are given. Herod was the one who had him killed and he was killed by the sword which means beheaded. This was not Herod Antipas the one who killed John the Baptist and put Jesus on trial, this was the nephew and successor, Herod Agrippa 1.
We don’t know why this Herod wanted to be so hostile towards the church. His uncle was part of the conspiracy to kill Christ, so preaching the gospel would have been an embarrasment to the dynasty of the family. Herod also wanted to use the tensions between the church and Jewish leaders to his advantage. When he saw how killing James pleased them he targeted Peter as well.
Peter escaped and Herod died under God’s judgement shortly afterward.
James was the first of the apostles to be killed. James is the only apostle who’s death is recorded in scripture. His passion, now under the control of the Holy Spirit had been instrumental in spreading the truth, and this aroused the wrath of Herod. James was right where Christ wanted Him to be and trained Him to be. He was on the front lines as the gospel advanced and grew.
The sons of thunder were mentored by Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit and shaped by those means into men who’s zeal and ambition made them useful instruments in the hands of God for the kingdom.
Still courageous, zealous, and committed to the truth, he had learned to use those qualities for the Lord’s service rather than his own self glorification. His strength was so great when Herod decided it was time to stop the church James was the first to die.
So he drank the cup Christ gave him to drink. His life was short but his influence continues to this day.
James’s testimony was effective right to the moment of his execution. James is an example of passion, zeal, front runner who is dynamic, strong and ambitious. His passions were tempered by sensitivity and grace. Somewhere along the line he learned to bridle his tongue, control his anger, redirect his zeal, eliminate his thirst for revenge and completely loose his selfish ambition. And the Lord used him to do a wonderful work in the early church.
This evening are you willing to allow God to forage you into the person He needs you to be?
We all need a level of refining and shaping yield to that purpose and give Him that control.
Jesus use me