James Introduction

Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves fishermen. And lo, there were many fish in the waters all around. In fact, the whole area was surrounded by streams and lakes filled with fish. And the fish were hungry.

Week after week, month after month, and year after year, these who called themselves fishermen met in meetings and talked about their call to fish, the abundance of fish, and how they might go about fishing. Year after year they carefully defined what fishing means, defended fishing as an occupation, and declared that fishing is always to be a primary task of fishermen.

Continually, they searched for new and better methods of fishing and for new and better definitions of fishing. They created witty slogans and displayed them on big beautiful banners.

These fishermen built large, beautiful buildings called “Fishing Headquarters.” The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and every fisherman should fish. One thing they didn’t do, however: They did not fish.

In addition to meeting regularly, they organized a board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. The board hired staffs and appointed committees and held many meetings to define fishing, to defend fishing, and to decide what new streams should be thought about. But the staff and committee members did not fish.

Large, elaborate, and expensive training centers were built whose original and primary purpose was to teach fishermen how to fish. Over the years courses were offered on the needs of fish, the nature of fish, where to find fish, the psychological reactions of fish, and how to approach and feed fish. Those who taught had doctorates in fishology, but the teachers did not fish. They only taught fishing. Year after year, after tedious training, many were graduated and were given fishing licenses. They were sent to do full-time fishing, some to distant waters, which were filled with fish. Many who felt the call to be fishermen responded. They were commissioned and sent to fish. But like the fishermen back home, they never fished.

They engaged in all kinds of other occupations….Some felt their job was to relate to the fish in a good way so the fish would know the difference between good and bad fishermen. Others felt that simply letting the fish know they were nice, land-loving neighbors and how loving and kind they were was enough.

Now it’s true that many of the fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived near the water and bore the smell of dead fish every day. They received the ridicule of some who made fun of their fishermen’s clubs and the fact that they claimed to be fishermen yet never fished.

Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who don’t fish were really not fishermen, no matter how much they claimed to be. Yet it did sound correct. Is a person a fisherman if, year after year, he never fishes? Is one really following if he isn’t fishing?

Now, this parable from John Drescher is speaking about Christians who say they are making disciples and “fishing for men” but practically never share their faith in their every day lives

The same question can be asked about being a Christian today. If someone claims to follow Jesus, but their life looks like the world are they really a Christian? If someone claims that Jesus is King of their lives, yet they live like they are their own god is their faith genuine?

The book of James essentially answers these questions by laying out the blueprint of what Biblical and genuine faith looks like in the life of a believer.

The book of James puts, “flesh on faith,” and helps us to see if our claim to faith in Christ is truly being lived out in our everyday lives.

As we begin our study through this small, but weighty letter, we need to understand the background and context of the letter to give us a better picture of what God is trying to say to us through the letter of James.

Tonight, we will look at the background through walking through the first verse of chapter 1. So, take your Bible and turn with me to James 1:1 and lets read this passage together.

James 1:1 “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.”

Authorship and Date

One of the first things we need to know when we begin to study one of the books of the Bible is finding out who the author is.

The reason for this is because the author determines the meaning of the text. So details like where the author is from, his or her background, and the situation they were in can help us better understand why they wrote what they wrote and better determine the meaning.

Verse 1 tells us that “James” is author of this letter.

So who was James?

James was mentioned in Galatians 1:19 and referenced as the brother of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 12:17 tells us that James was the leader of the church in Jerusalem.

Church history tells us that James was a righteous and pious man as he was known as “James the Just.”

In fact, it was said that James prayed so long in in the temple that his knees became like the knees of a camel.

Now, seeing James’ resume, we would expect him to mention some of these titles, yet look how he refers to himself in verse 1… “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The word “servant,” literally means “slave.” That is the title he wants to be identified as…not “leader of the church in Jerusalem,” not “Jesus’s brother, but “a slave of God.”

A slave in James’ day was someone who was legally owned and their entire livelihood was determined by their master. A slave fully submitted himself and his life to his master to do his will and whatever pleased him.

So, by James saying that He is a slave of God, he is saying that God is his master, his king, and he lives to serve and please Him.

Notice that James also says he is a slave to Jesus Christ…his own brother! Now, how did James go from seeing Jesus as just his brother, to now calling him his Lord and submitting his life to Him? Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:7 that when Jesus resurrected from the dead, James was one of the people to whom he appeared.

The glory and the resurrection of Jesus had turned James, who was once skeptical about his brother being the Messiah, into a devoted follower and slave of Christ!

The title that James gives Jesus, “Lord,” communicates one’s master and is the name used for “Yahweh,” the covenant name of God, in the Old Testament.

This is an important truth we need to see that James believed Jesus was Lord because the letter James wrote is the earliest New Testament book that was written. It can be dated sometime between 40-45 AD, which means it was written as early as 10-15 years after the resurrection of Jesus.

Some skeptics claim that the doctrine of Jesus being God was not claimed or believed until hundreds of years after the resurrection during the church councils…However, this is clearly not true based on the early testimony we have from James in claiming Jesus’ Lordship.

So what about you? Would you be able to identify yourself as James did? As a slave of God, seeking only to live for Him and to please Him, seeking only to love Him over everything else, that He alone is your master and your king?

Audience

So we know that James, the brother of Jesus and leader of the church in Jerusalem, wrote the letter and that it was written about 10-15 years after Jesus’ resurrection. But who did James write the letter to?

Knowing the recipients of the letter is another important fact that will help with understanding the meaning. Sometimes the author of a book will use specific analogies or examples that only make sense to the recipients of the letter, so knowing who these people are will help us understand why James wrote about specific teachings and instruction.

In verse 1, James says he writes to the “twelve tribes in the Dispersion.”

“Twelve tribes,” refers to the twelve tribes of Israel who were Israel or Jacob’s Sons.

“The Dispersion” refers to the spreading out of the Jewish people across the known world due to persecution. It can also refer back to the exile that the Jewish people went through in the Old Testament, when they lived in a foreign land of Babylon.

Because a specific church is not mentioned, James is known as a “General Letter,” not written to a specific people but more broadly to all Christians living in that time.

Because he mentions “twelve tribes,” we can infer that James had Jewish Christians in mind when he was writing. However, all of the themes that James addresses in this letter are universal and applicable to all Christians, both then and now.

Also, since the New Testament makes clear that all Christians are “Abraham’s children,” and have been grafted into the “Israel of God” through faith in Christ, we can see ourselves as part of these twelve tribes.

Likewise, just as these Christians have been dispersed abroad and were living as aliens in an unknown land that was not their home, as Christians, we also are living as aliens and exiles in a land that is not our home.

As strangers and sojourners in our world today, the letter of James will give us wisdom on how we should live our lives as exiles on this earth and demonstrate our faith in Christ to a lost and dying world.

Main Themes & Purpose

So, now that we know who wrote the letter, when it was written, and who it is written to, we need to ask, so what? Why should studying this letter matter to us? How should this letter affect our lives? Why did God put the letter of James in the Bible for us?

The whole purpose of the letter of James is that the faith of the gospel should work itself out in a life of obedience.

The letter of James puts “flesh on faith,” and shows what believing in the gospel looks like in the life of a Christian who claims that Jesus is King of their lives.

Going back to how James’ describes himself as a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, since Jesus is King, James asks the question, “since you are my Lord, how would you want me to live?” Through the rest of the letter, James describes what it looks like to live under the Lordship of Jesus.

If we believe in Jesus, the letter of James shows us what our lives should look like.

The two major themes of patience and prayer serve as the introduction in James 1:1-11 and bookend in James 5.

Since the letter is about living out faith in Christ, James describes three areas of Christian growth that should be exhibited in the life of a follower of Jesus.

These areas of Christian growth can also be viewed as tests. James is basically saying, “so you say you are a follower of Jesus…then prove it…do you pass these tests?”

We find the three tests and areas of Christian growth in the thesis of the letter in James 1:26-27, which are:

Controlling one’s tongue (explained in chapter 3)

Caring for the poor and needy (explained in chapter 2)

Personal purity of life (explained in chapters 3-5)

Flesh On Faith

As we walk through this letter, I want you to ask yourself, if your life truly lines up with what you say you believe. James will tell us what true faith in Jesus should look like and what “true and undefiled religion” really is.

But, we cannot see the letter of James as just a list of rules that we must follow that is void of the gospel because James tells us that if we examine our lives and see that our faith in Christ is false or flawed, that we do not pass theses tests, God gives greater grace to us if we humble ourselves before Him (James 4:6-10).

So, please remember and know that if you see that your faith in Christ is not producing the life that James describes, there is grace for you in Christ if you humble yourself before Him…if you draw near to him, he will draw near to you and restore you, he will give you wisdom to overcome trials, and to help you remain steadfast, so that you will receive the crown of life.

James’ letter is addressed to believers, to those who have put their faith in Christ, who have made Jesus their king.

Therefore, before we begin studying this letter, I ask you to truly examine your heart and ask yourself, “have I truly made Jesus king of my life?” “Have I submitted my life to him?” “Have I decided to stop living for myself, and instead, live for His glory?”

Romans 6:15-23 says that we are slaves no matter what we choose. We are either slaves to our sin, which results in death, or we are slaves to righteousness through trusting in Christ, which results in eternal life.

True freedom is ultimately found in surrender and submission to Christ, because freedom is being able to do what you were created to do, which is to worship the Lord and enjoy him forever. Yet, as long as sin is your master, you will be in bondage, and death will be the ultimate result.

I pray that each of you would choose to make Jesus your king tonight and find life and freedom in him, so that you can live out the truths that James describes as we walk through this letter.

Let’s pray…