January 15, 2012
Morning Service

Intro. To James

1.     It is commonly accepted that this James that wrote this letter is the Brother of the Lord.

2.     He is first mentioned in the gospel of Mark 6:3.  Mar 6:3 KJVR  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.

3.     There are 4 with the name of James in the N.T.  James the father of Judas (not Iscariot) is mentioned twice, mentioned as the father of one of the disciples, but is otherwise completely unknown.  James , the son Alphaeus, elsewhere called James the less, one of the twelve Apostles.  Nothing more said about him. 

James, the son Zebedee and brother of John, a very close friend to Jesus, but was martyred in A.D. 44.

And then James the Lord’s brother.

4.     Paul mentions James in his Galatian letter:  Gal 1:19 KJVR  But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.  Paul was telling how that he had received his gospel message from God, and not from any man.

5.     He mentions him again in Gal 2:9 KJVR  And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

Paul and Barnabas receiving the blessings of the leadership of the church in Jerusalem.

6.     One of the most important decrees that he made as Bishop of the church at Jerusalem is found in chapter 15 of the book of Acts.  Removing the burden of the Jewish laws from the gentiles, and writing a letter to that extent.

7.     It is said that James was called, James the Just.  He was very strong on works manifesting ones faith.  He was quite the law keeper himself.  It is said that James was also called ( camel knees ) because of all the time he spent in prayer his knees were very calloused like a camels.

8.     This letter is supposedly written around 46-49 AD.  Making it the earliest of the N.T. letters.

9.     James was martyred shortly before the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70.

 

Let us remember that this letter is from God.  He is, like a coach, instructing, guiding, and encouraging us to a closer walk with Him.   Chapter one:

 

Jam 1:1-27 KJVR  James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. 

• Immediately we see who this letter is originally written too.  JEWS.  So here it will be important for us to ask God’s help in rightly dividing the Word.  Remembering that the Gentiles have been freed from the keeping of the Jewish laws.

(2)  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;  (3)  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  (4)  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 

• Temptations will most definitely come.  In Jesus prayer teaching us how to pray He said; “and deliver us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
• The trying of our faith.  This tells me that our faith is overcome these temptation.
• This trying of our faith gives us patience.  

(5)  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  (6)  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  (7)  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.  (8)  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 

• How encouraging is this?   We all need wisdom, so let us ask God to give it to us.  James says he will give it liberally, and not think it is a foolish request.
• But James says “ask in faith, not waivering.”  When you ask anything of God, know that He is able to answer it.  Don’t go to God in prayer, then act like He can’t do anything about it.
• Ask in faith. The Hebrew gives us a definition of faith.  Heb 11:1 KJVR  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
• We know God can do anything, so, when we pray in faith, we hope for the things which we can’t see, and believe we shall receive them.  Jesus said;  Mar 11:24 KJVR  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

 

• Then James explains someone who doesn’t really believe that God is able to answer his prayers.  He calls him a double minded man, and says this man will not receive anything from God, because he is unstable in all his ways.

 

(9)  Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:  (10)  But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.  (11)  For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.  (12)  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 

• James gives us the contrast between a poor man, and a rich man.
• However, just because the poor man is poor is why he is exalted.  It is because he is a poor man doing his best to serve God.
• And just because the rich man is rich is not why he is made low; it is because he is not using his wealth to glorify God. 
• He reminds us life is but  a fleeting moment.  Live for God.
• Be victorious over temptations, and you will receive a crown of life.  Promised by God to them that love Him.

(13)  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 

• Now we can put that to rest right away.  God does not tempt anyone.  Period.

(14)  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  (15)  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 

• I want you to notice James blames no one but ourselves.  Not satan, not God, not angels, but ourselves.
• He says when you lust after something, or someone, and desire to have it, then when it is conceived, the act brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.   Paul said, “the wages of sin is death.”

(16)  Do not err, my beloved brethren.  (17)  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 

• Good gifts come from God.

(18)  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 

• Paul said, “you were called by my gospel.”  THE WORD OF TRUTH.
• Firstfruits, remember that like produces like.  Paul also said, “if we have been planted in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection.”  Which means a glorified body, and life to show forth to the world.  A likeness of Christ.

(19)  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:  (20)  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 

• We will do well to always remember two scriptures, 1.  Love never fails.  2.  A soft answer turns away wrath.     The wrath of man works not the righteousness of God.  Neither does a sharp, or hateful ans.

(21)  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 

• These are things that are sometimes hard to give up, or put out of our lives.  We see no harm in them, but James says “lay them apart from your life.”
• And receive the Word, we will see it is one thing to hear, another to receive.

(22)  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  (23)  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:  (24)  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.  (25)  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 

• A blessing is pronounced on the one who is a doer of the Word, and not a hearer only.

(26)  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.  (27)  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

• James is big on Christians controlling their speech.  He will touch on this later.
• There are things that we will learn as we continue our walk with God.  We don’t know all of God’s expectations when we start our walk.  He knows this and has great patience with us.

Almighty God have mercy, and patience with your people, and help us to seek to do Your will.