James: A Brother - From Skeptic to Sincere
Notes
Transcript
Introduction: Happy Mother’s Day! Special blessings to all of the mothers & mother figures in our life. We pray for happy memories of those mothers who have gone before us.
There was a son who lived some distance from his mom who bought her a mug…It said, “Happy Mother’s Day from the World’s Worst Son.” He forgot to mail it…but she knows…mother’s just know!
Mother’s with teenagers know…they know why animals sometimes will eat their young…they know.
Mother’s know how to offer those words of warning mixed with true sincere kindness & compassion, as the mother who said to her son, “If you fall out of that tree and break both of your legs, don’t you come runnin to me!!”
Mother’s know how to be funny too…A moms child was complaining and loudly proclaimed: Mom, Dad keeps making Dad jokes!” Mother said....so? Child asked, well what’s a mom joke....Look in the mirror my child…look in the mirror!
A mother gets on a bus with her baby. The bus driver says, “That is the ugliest baby I have ever seen…wow! The mother taken aback, makes her way to her seat near the rear of the bus. She sits down and in a fit of rage says to the person sitting next to her...”That driver just insulted me right to my face!” The person next to her says, “You go right back up there and tell him off…give him a piece of your mind…go ahead, I’ll hold your monkey for you!” Mother’s know though...Mother’s know though ultimately that their child…is the most beautiful…despite what anyone else might say!
James: A Brother from Skeptic to Sincere
INTRO TO TOPIC:
Who is probably the most well known mother in the Bible? Mary
True or False: According to the Scriptures Jesus, was born of Mary, a virgin who conceived not by man, but by the Holy Spirit?
True or False: Mary, lived the rest of her married life with Joseph and remained a virgin?
True or False: Mary the Mother of Jesus had no other children besides Jesus?
53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. 54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? 57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. 58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
- The Bible tells of at least 6 half siblings to Jesus, they had the same mother, Mary, but a different father.
Why was this?
Sin was passed through Adam, as a consequence of choosing to disobey God in the garden, Eve was deceived.
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Other Evidence of Half Brothers/Sisters of Jesus
Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
Initial Family Life
Initial Family Life
1. Jesus’ brothers thought He was crazy.
1. Jesus’ brothers thought He was crazy.
21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.
21 And his relatives having heard of it went out to lay hold on him, for they said, He is out of his mind.
• Jesus’ family thought He had lost His mind because He kept saying He was God.
• Jesus’ family thought He had lost His mind because He kept saying He was God.
• If your brother started saying this, would you be concerned?
• If your brother started saying this, would you be concerned?
• “Really? I knew he had a high self-esteem, but God? Wow!”
• “Really? I knew he had a high self-esteem, but God? Wow!”
• We would call this an intervention today! They thought He was crazy.
• We would call this an intervention today! They thought He was crazy.
Illustration: I did not grow up with siblings, though I have several…”Give Back Story to Moving to Michigan”
It was a lot more difficult growing up as an only child, most of my life, to get away with anything...
* (Boredom) Cutting of Eyelashes
* (Boredom) Cutting of Refrigerator Handle
* (Curiosity) Tearing apart electronics
* (Ignorance) Blowing up my first computer (Confession)
2. Jesus’ brothers were offended by Him.
2. Jesus’ brothers were offended by Him.
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
• Notice Jesus grew up in a big family – four half-brothers and at least two half-sisters.
• Notice Jesus grew up in a big family – four half-brothers and at least two half-sisters.
• Side-note: One of his brothers was named Judas or Jude: And is more than likely the author of the book Jude in the New Testament.
• Side-note: One of his brothers was named Judas or Jude: And is more than likely the author of the book Jude in the New Testament.
3. Jesus’ brothers did not believe in Him:
3. Jesus’ brothers did not believe in Him:
2 Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand. 3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. 4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. 5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.
• Jesus did eventually go to the big city where He worked miracles and claim He was God.
• Jesus did eventually go to the big city where He worked miracles and claim He was God.
• After this, Jesus was crucified because He claimed to be God. His family was at His funeral. Then He rose from the dead.
• After this, Jesus was crucified because He claimed to be God. His family was at His funeral. Then He rose from the dead.
4. James was a leader in the Early Church:
4. James was a leader in the Early Church:
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
• James and his brothers and mother knew all about Jesus. If they didn’t really believe He was God, they wouldn’t have been a part of the 120 in the early church!
• James and his brothers and mother knew all about Jesus. If they didn’t really believe He was God, they wouldn’t have been a part of the 120 in the early church!
• Jesus’ brother Jude also became a leader in the church:
• Jesus’ brother Jude also became a leader in the church:
1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
• Jesus’ brothers James and Jude both became powerful pastors and leaders in the church.
• Jesus’ brothers James and Jude both became powerful pastors and leaders in the church.
• In Acts 15, they had a major council meeting at the church in Jerusalem:
• In Acts 15, they had a major council meeting at the church in Jerusalem:
1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
• The response:
• The response:
12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. 13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
• James said, “Listen to me!” and Peter, Paul and Barnabas all listened to him.
• James said, “Listen to me!” and Peter, Paul and Barnabas all listened to him.
5. James was martyred for his faith in Jesus:
5. James was martyred for his faith in Jesus:
• Nicknames: James the Just and Camel Knees (from praying a lot!).
• Nicknames: James the Just and Camel Knees (from praying a lot!).
• Death: recorded in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs:
• Death: recorded in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs:
“Of James, the brother of the Lord, we read the following: James, being considered a just and perfect man, governed the church with the apostles… He would enter into the temple alone, fall on his knees, and ask remission for the people, doing this so often that his knees lost their sense of feeling and became hardened, like the knees of a camel. Because of his holy life, James was called “The Just” and “the safeguard of the people.”
When many of their chief men had been converted, the Jews, scribes and Pharisees began to fear that soon all the people would decide to follow Jesus. They met with James, saying, “We beg you to restrain the people, for they believe Jesus as though He were Christ. Persuade those who come to Passover to think correctly about Christ, because they will all listen to you. Stand on the top of the temple so you can be heard by everyone.”
During Passover, the scribes and Pharisees put James on top of the temple, calling out to him, “You just man, whom we all ought to obey, this people is going astray after Jesus, who was crucified.”
And James answered, “Why do you ask me of Jesus the Son of Man? He sits at the right hand of the Most High. And shall come in the clouds of heaven.”
Hearing this, many in the crowd were persuaded and glorified God, crying, “Hosanna to the Son of David.”
Then the scribes realized they had done the wrong thing by allowed James to testimony of Christ. They cried out, “Oh, this just man is seduced, too!” then went up and threw James off the temple.
But James wasn’t killed by the fall. He turned, fell on his knees and called, “O Lord God, Father, I beg You to forgive them, for they know not what they do!”
They decided to stone James, but a priest said to them, “What! What are you doing? The just man is praying for you!” But one of the men there – a fuller – took the instrument he used to beat cloth, and hit James on the head, killing him, and they buried him where he fell. James was a true witness for Christ to the Jews and the Gentiles.” (John Foxe, Foxe’s Book of Martyr’s, Updated and Abridged).
What caused James, the son of Mary, brother of Jesus, to go from thinking Jesus was “out of his mind” to becoming one of the most important figures in the early church at Jerusalem.
There was nothing in their upbringing that convinced James
There was nothing in Jesus’ earthly ministry that convinced James
James, may have thought at the crucifixion…He went too far, He said too much to the wrong people…and now it’s cost Him His life.
Nothing Jesus said or did in life convinced James
Sometimes it’s difficult for us to trust in the words , the message, even the Truth of Jesus. Some will say, “He was a good man…but nothing more” Other’s might say, “He was the Son of God…just like we’re all sons of God…and that diminishes who He really is....Emmanuel, God with us! It is difficult to recognize God in what we have been exposed to day after day after day just as James experienced…We see everyday:
His beautiful Creation
His power to sustain all that we see
The intricacies of this place we call earth
The traces of His mighty hand woven within our very DNA
In being born to the Mother of mothers Mary, James grew up with Jesus. He saw Him, witnessed His life, experienced Him in His youth, saw Him in His early ministry, perhaps heard of or even witnessed some of the miracles of Jesus…but none of it was enough to convince James that jesus, was anything more than his brother. What changed....Jesus Alive after His Crucifixion!
James believed when he saw Jesus alive again!
James believed when he saw Jesus alive again!
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
Paul, after his Conversion....checked things out with Peter and James
Paul, after his Conversion....checked things out with Peter and James
14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. 19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
We as Christians today are in a unique situation in that we have not yet seen the risen Jesus…but if you wanted to discredit and disprove all of Christianity…all you would need to do is prove that Jesus did not rise again…many have tried & failed…even the most zealous skeptics are unable to discredit the effects of the resurrection of Jesus
We as Christians today are in a unique situation in that we have not yet seen the risen Jesus…but if you wanted to discredit and disprove all of Christianity…all you would need to do is prove that Jesus did not rise again…many have tried & failed…even the most zealous skeptics are unable to discredit the effects of the resurrection of Jesus
New Testament scholar Paula Fredriksen, who is not a Christian says:
New Testament scholar Paula Fredriksen, who is not a Christian says:
I know in their own terms what they saw was the raised Jesus. That’s what they say, and then all the historic evidence we have afterwards attest to their conviction that that’s what they saw. I’m not saying that they really did see the raised Jesus. I wasn’t there. I don’t know what they saw. But I do know that as a historian that they must have seen something.
All of creation attests to workings of Jesus, we have a record of His life, Words, ministry, death, resurrection and the impact that it had in our world through the lives of those who Jesus appeared too....the effects of which are still seen today!
All of creation attests to workings of Jesus, we have a record of His life, Words, ministry, death, resurrection and the impact that it had in our world through the lives of those who Jesus appeared too....the effects of which are still seen today!
Don’t Doubt as Thomas Did
Don’t Doubt as Thomas Did
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Today....be blessed, believe Jesus....Believe:
That Jesus is real and alive today
He is concerned with your needs
He loves You & redeemed you from the power of Sin
That He offers Peace in the Midst of life’s storms
That He offers a way of escape when we are tempted to do wrong
That He will strengthen us to conquer what holds us back in life
That when you feel yourself alone, Jesus has provided us a comforter....He is the one who sticks closer than a brother.