Monday, Oct. 29

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James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:  Greetings.   - James 1:1

Last week we began a new sermon series on the book of James called, “The Gospel in Real Life”.   James is known as one of the general letters, because it was not written to any specific church or group of Christians, but to the all of the churches and believers in the Roman world in general.  If Romans is the most theologically deep of all the New Testament letters, James is surely the most theologically practical.  James is clear, practical, pastoral instruction on how we are to live out our faith.

Who was James? There are several men in the New Testament by that name. We know that this James was not the apostle James, brother of John, because he was martyred in A.D. 44, too early for this letter.  Nor was this James the one called The Son of Alphaeus, who was a tax-collector and also one of the 12 disciples (Luke 6:15).  The vast majority of scholars agree that the author of James was the half-brother of Jesus (Matt. 13:55).  Apparently he did not believe in Jesus as Lord until after the resurrection, when the risen Savior appeared to him (see John 7:5).  He eventually became the leader of the church in Jerusalem in the years following the Day of Pentecost (Acts 15).  He became known as “James the Just” (or, “Righteous”) because of his well known holiness.

Now, before we get into what James says, we have to stop and ask what it must have been like to have Jesus as a brother?  Can you imagine if your sibling started proclaiming himself to be God?  (I am sure some of you felt like your brother or sister thought he/she was God at times)  It couldn’t have been easy for James, and it is not hard to imagine why he would have had a hard time accepting Jesus’ claims to be the Messiah (at least at first).  The gospels give us some hints as to how those closest to Jesus initially responded to His ministry

Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed.  “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?   - Matthew 13:54-55

 Jesus’ brothers said to him,  “You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do.  No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him.  - John 7:3-5

Yet despite all of this, James eventually becomes a pillar of the early church in Jerusalem (Gal. 2:9) and a key instrument in the spread of the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 15, 21).

Now, in light of all of this, let’s look back at how James begins his letter, at how he introduces himself.  He does not name drop at all.  He could have pulled rank by opening the letter, “James, the son of the Mary the Mother of God, brother of none other than Jesus Christ. I grew up with Him!  I knew Him long before He became famous!  In fact, I taught Him most of what He knows!”  

But James (1:1) and his brother, Jude (Jude 1), both opened their letters by calling themselves bond-servants. The word means, “slaves,” and refers to those who are the property of their masters.  How incredibly humble!  They lived to do their masters’ will. James adds, “a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”  James refers to himself as a slave of Jesus Christ!  His own brother!  He recognizes that the boy he grew up with is the Holy One of God!  By mentioning God and Jesus Christ on equal terms, and adding “Lord,” the Old Testament word for God, to Jesus, James affirms the deity of Jesus Christ.

All of this leads us to ask the question - How do we identify ourselves?  What defines you?  Is it your career?  Is it your family background?  Is it your educational degrees?  is it your financial portfolio?  Or...is it the fact that you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ!?

Jeff Frazier