James

James 1:1–4 ESV

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:1–4 ESV

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Who is James?

James is the half-brother of our Lord....on his mother’s side..

Jesus is teaching in a synagogue in His hometown..

Matthew 13 55 “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?”

Mark 6 3 “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.”

John 7 5 “For not even his brothers believed in him.”

Later after Christ is crucified he appears to James. James apparently then believes and eventually becomes somewhat of an apostle as Paul refers to him in Galatians.

1 Cor 15 7 “Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.”

A pastor of the church in Jerusalem

Acts 15 13 “After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me.”

Acts 15 19 “Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God,”

Acts 15 22 “Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers,”

Also known as James the Just

Imagine growing up with God as your older brother. We already know Jesus’ brothers didn’t believe He was the Christ. They probably thought He was weird. I grew up with brothers and I used to think they were weird…I still do.. Maybe they were jealous of the attention He got.

But by the grace of Jesus who IS the Christ he is saved. And now in this letter he is identifying himself, not at THE BROTHER OF JESUS CHRIST, or THE EXECUTIVE PASTOR OF JERUSALEM. No, but as “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”

According to historical account, James was killed by being thrown from a high point of the Temple and because the fall did not kill him he was stoned to death.

According also to historical account, James earned a kind of nick name, “Camel Knees”.

Probably not said to his face. Camel knees are kind of gross.

He was so often on his knees in prayer that they became calloused and looked like those of a camel.

Do you pray on your knees? If you are capable then I suggest you try it. It is a position of submission and servitude and I feel it rightly makes me feel very small when I approach the throne of grace.

He was truly a servant to his Lord and to his congregation.

This letter is likely the first penned scripture in the New Testament.

The original audience of this letter is identified as “the 12 tribes in the dispersion”

These were Jewish Christians who because of persecution, scattered abroad.

1 Peter 1 1 To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,”

James’ letter offers practical instruction for righteous living; similar to the book of Proverbs.

James calls believers to; as Paul says in Romans 8 , walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

After a brief introduction he gets right to it with what is probably the hardest single instruction in the whole letter.

“count it all joy my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds”

Paul penned a verse very similar to this one in Philippians 4. We all recited this verse together earlier.. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice.”

Not just sometimes. Not just in the good, peaceful, healthy times in our life but ALWAYS.

Do you know someone who is always joyful?

Someone who always seems to be in a good mood?

What do we say about them? He’s “happy go lucky”. He just rolls with the punches. Nothing ever ruffles her feathers.

I used to know a guy like that.....—tell Josh Ray story “ENJOY”

People like that are sometimes pretty hard to figure out. Why are they so happy, joyful, hopeful?

As Christians we are to “alway be prepared to make a defense (or give an answer) for the hope that is in us”

The answer to that is this..like the lyrics of one of the songs we sing here ..

"Cornerstone"

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly trust in Jesus' name [Chorus:] Christ alone, Cornerstone Weak made strong, in the Savior's love Through the storm He is Lord, Lord of All When darkness seems to hide His face I rest on His unchanging grace In every high and stormy gale My anchor holds within the veil My anchor holds within the veil [Chorus] He is Lord, Lord of all [Chorus 2x] Then He shall come with trumpets sound Oh, may I then in Him be found Dressed in His righteousness alone faultless, stand before the throne

Every one of us is a sinner. Guilty of rebellion against a Holy God. We all deserve eternal punishment for our transgressions. The only way anyone can stand faultless before the throne, the throne of judgement is dressed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

If you live your entire life apart from Christ, then when you die, you stand guilty of offense against an eternal God. And your punishment will be eternal as well.

Jesus Himself said “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” If you have not by faith submitted yourself to and placed all your hope in Jesus, why not today? Why not let today be the day?

If you stayed in your seat when we took communion because you knew that the bread and the cup weren’t for you, or if you did participate but only to not be singled out and you know you probably shouldn’t have....why not trust him today? There is nothing you could have done that Christ’s sacrifice can’t atone for. No matter what you’ve done or how many times you have outright rejected Him. If that is you find me or one of the other Elders or Deacons after service. Or almost anyone here for that matter.

“I have looked back to times of trial with a kind of longing, not to have them return, but to feel the strength of God as I have felt it then, to feel the power of faith, as I have felt it then, to hang on God’s powerful arm as I hung upon it then, and to see God at work as I saw him then.”

-Charles H Spurgeon-

“God is, by his providence, shaking the earth under our feet; there is no sure foundation of rest and peace, but only in Jesus Christ.”

-William Kiffen-