Welcome to our on-line group study of James, based on Beth Moore's Mercy Triumphs that is currently being used by our Wednesday night small groups. Feel free to share as we focus on serving God.
Have you ever thought about the man who was inspired by God to write the New Testament book of James? He was the oldest of four half-brothers of Jesus. He thought that Jesus was out of his mind during His ministry on earth, but he became a believer after the resurrection of Jesus. Not only did he believe, but he considered himself a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and focused his ministry in Jerusalem with Jews. He was later called a pillar of the early church by Paul.
James changed from a man who was ashamed and maybe angry of his brother Jesus, to a man who lived his life in service to Him. We tend to look at people NOW, thinking that they are completed rather than in process. All that we may hate about our past and present has made a space for grace. We have the choice of leaving it hollow or letting Jesus fill it up. Life may be challenging, but it doesn't have to be empty. Jesus fills it with power and meaning.
We are unique yet we are part of the body of believers. The body of Christ is not limited to one denomination or nation. Each of us has a function that helps the whole and brings glory to God. We talk among ourselves that God is all powerful and able to be everywhere at once; but we often act as if He can only work through one person, formula or ministry at a time. Do you live in fear of not measuring up? Of comparing yourself to others and falling short? Of openly acting as if your way is the only way?
James wrote his book in the early days of Christianity while ministering to Jews. The big debate was whether Gentiles--anyone not a Jew--could belong to God, and if so, did they need to convert to the Jewish faith first and be circumcised. The conflict was dividing the church and finally came to a head with the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). James was a strong support in the conclusion that we are saved by grace through faith. Gentiles did not need to be circumcised as that would be looking to a man-made effort, or legalism, for salvation. The Council's decision preserved the integrity of the early church and strengthened the foundation of the church today. It is our challenge to continue living in faith through grace alone, rather than promoting our own rules for becoming a child of God. We can appreciate those who are different from us in their approach to ministry and worship and see them as coworkers rather than competition. We have been called to unity, and it is a witness to the world to see Christians come together as one.
Chairein! Pronounced "kyrain", James begins with the Greek salutation "Joy to you!" Joy is our birthright in Jesus Christ and it is ours as we obey His commands.
James is likely to be the first book written in the New Testament. Galatians might have beat it for this distinction, but it would be a close tie. The book was written to Jewish Christians who kept their Jewish customs. Remember, the Church is in its early beginnings and most converts at this time were Jews. James reflected the teachings of Jesus more than any other NT author, especially those from The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). The book can be summarized in two words: LIVE IT! James emphasized that faith shows itself in good works. That emphasis led to Martin Luther rejecting the book as he preached faith alone. James wasn't saying that works led to salvation, but that an expression of our love for God should show itself in doing good things for others.
James 1:2-4 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
"Experience" is from the Greek word peripesete which literally means "fall into." It is the same word used in Luke 10:30 regarding the parable of the good Samaritan, referring to how the injured man met the robbers. "Falling into" doesn't mean jumping into. It wasn't the injured man's plan to encounter thieves that day. Viewing James 1:2 from the perspective of the bloody and bruised traveler in Luke 10 graphically portrays what trials can do to a person. The Greek word for "trials" is peirasmois which is linked to the term "peirates"...which closely resembles "pirates". Our trials can only rob us of our joy if we surrender to them. James 1:3-4 promises that the "testing of our faith" leads to perseverance. Perseverance means "nerving oneself" or "heroic endurance". It is in our persevering through trials that we are perfected, lacking nothing spiritually. Our time on Earth is meant to prepare us for eternity with God. We are called to be fruitful and to bring glory to God. God promises us everything that we need to fulfill His purpose.
As we face our trials, do we consider obeying God as one of our choices, of experiencing joy as we seek God's purpose in what we face?
James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God...believing He will give it.
Wisdom is the application of knowledge. God will give us wisdom without finding fault with us for needing it or for asking for it. The verb "ask" is present tense, meaning it's ongoing for NOW. When we ask God for wisdom, we need to believe that He will give it to us. When we seek God's help, we need to stay focused on Him and wait for His reply. We can be confident that God hears us and will answer.
These verses remind us that Man is temporary on this earth, that nothing lasts in this world and that the poor man has fewer possessions to lose than the rich man. The Bible refers to the poor and their treatment and can be summed up with: those who have are to share with those who don't. This teaching wouldn't come as news to the Jewish Christians. James possibly was encouraging them to look beyond their circumstances to heavenly rewards. They were raised in their Jewish faith to equate earthly riches with God's blessings and favor. Early Christians were finding themselves stripped of property and possessions because of their beliefs. Their old faith dictated that they were being punished by God, but James was instructing them to look beyond their circumstances to all they had and would have in Jesus Christ. The poor would be rewarded in heaven while the rich on earth needed to realize the futility of accumulating earthly riches that would not follow them into eternity.
We are all tempted, but what tempts each of us is a personal thing. Temptation comes from our desires, and the temptation to sin is rooted in our sinful nature. It starts as a thought and if not dealt with quickly, it turns into a habit with destructive outcomes, separating us from fellowship with God. Temptation is a deformed desire.
In James 1:3-4 we saw that the testing our faith brings forth steadfastness, leading to completion with no defects. On the flipside, James 1:14-15 shows that giving in to sin leads to spiritual death. Both suffering and temptation test our faith. Ultimately the test comes down to "Do I believe God?" Those who choose to believe God receive the crown of life. They have stood the test and love God.
God has gifted us with every good thing that we need. Have we thanked Him? Do we recognize God's gift or do we take credit for it ourselves?
Just as we have Godly desires, we have deformed desires. Temptation is the attempt to fulfill a Godly desire in an ungodly way. We have the choice of believing in God and waiting on Him, or doing things our way and damn the consequences. When we choose poorly we have the strong urge to blame someone else and God is often the One we want to blame. BUT, God does not tempt us. It is our sinful nature at fault. Sin separates us from God and must be confessed to restore us to a right relationship with God. Thank God that He is ready to forgive!
Anguish is mental distress or torment. It comes from pain and anxiety, suffering and dread, hurt and harassment. Anguish and joy can be experienced simultaneously, and they can trade places. Both joy and anguish are tied to relationships more than to circumstances. In Isaiah 61:1-3, we read that Jesus came to give beauty where we had ashes, to turn our anguish into joy. The same kind of change was implied when God turned the Nile into blood, the rod of Moses into a serpent and the Red Sea into dry land. God can take our pain and turn it into our passion. Mental anguish is to the mind like a woman's labor is to the body; but as labor brings forth a life, anguish brings forth joy. God can bring us out on the other side. Will we trust Him?
This lesson was foremost in my mind when a few days later my teen told me that he no longer believes in God, the devil, Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Talk about anguish! I am holding onto the promise that joy will come, that he will experience the truth. I believe in God and I thought that I trusted Him, but leaving my son home while I went to church Sunday, having turmoil in believing that he wasn't going to do something stupid because of his expressed anger; all this made me realize that I don't trust God and I don't trust my son. All I can say is that I'm working on it. I raced home to find that everything was fine at home. God kept trying to reassure me during the service, but I seemed to think that He didn't know what was going on. Our anguish is real, but a lot of it could be because we don't trust God to be the all knowing, all powerful, loving God Who we sing about.
Session 3, Day 1 Quick to Listen (slow to speak, slow to anger), James 1:19-21
How would you rate anger in your life? How do you express it? How often is your anger justified? The harm of anger is when it doesn't reflect a Godly attitude. Notice that James is not saying that anger is wrong, but that a quick temper works against righteousness. In Ephesians 4:30-31, Paul writes that anger grieves the Holy Spirit. When we experience righteous indignation, we presume to to speak for God; but God rarely speaks through rash words. James tells us to humbly get rid of our anger. God gave us His Word, and He desires for us to be quick to listen to Him and to humbly apply His Word to OUR life rather than to critically apply it to others. It's an on-going process.
Session 3, Day 2 The Perfect Law (of Freedom), James 1:22-25
There is a difference between believing a truth and living a truth. The doing causes the changing, not the hearing; but we are good at deceiving ourselves. The self-deception eases in when we mistake appreciation for application or being touched with being changed. When looking at our image in a mirror, do we see who God created us to be, His child in His own image? If we do catch that reflection, do we carry it with us throughout the day or quickly forget as we go about our business? These passages in James call us to obey the law, not just listen to it. God has plans for us and with our obedience comes blessing. Whatever God calls us to do--and it's not the same job for everybody--He promises to bless us as we work.
What is the "perfect law that gives freedom" mentioned in James 1:25? James' book most closely follows Jesus' teaching in The Sermon on the Mount: James 1:12, 1:25, and Matthew 5:3-10 share beatitudes; James 1:22 and Matthew 7:26 call us to obey the Word. Jesus taught that motive was as important as behavior in His sermon. His work on the cross, bringing us atonement for the guilt and failure that was ours for not only breaking the law in our actions but in our hearts, allows us to live as free people, delighting to do God's will, with God's law written within our hearts.
Personally, I'm academic and like storing up and spouting off truths and opinions, so this lesson functions as a 2x4 between the eyes to put the book down and start working. Over the years I've collected a lot of craft supplies as well as a lot of knowledge and I developed the ability to feel the satisfaction of making something when all I did was look at the patterns and think about what I could do. That mentality seems to carry over into my Christianity with thinking about all kinds of things that I could do, but not getting up to even do a few of them; yet in the thinking, I had the deception that I had done something. Being easily overwhelmed, I am taking baby steps--'love that advice from the movie What About Bob! God isn't expecting me to change overnight, but He is helping me to move forward.
Session 3, Day 3 Pure Religion: Care for Widows & Orphans, James 1:26-27
What's your reaction to being called religious? (Personally, I think of Major George Burns from M*A*S*H), but he's not a good example of the real meaning of the word which is "manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity." So it's not that people are devoted to God, but how they show it that affects our reaction. In verse 26 we are called to control our tongue lest our religion is useless, empty or worthless. James uses the analogy of "Rider, control your horse!" when he writes to bridle our tongues. With our bent towards self-deception, it's easy to get caught up in our show of devotion while losing the heart of it. James 1:27 describes true religion as ministering to orphans and widows. These people had the least rights and hope, and the most vulnerability in James' culture. The Old Testament was filled with verses commanding the care of those less fortunate. Translated to today, that's social consciousness. God will stir up your passion to help. He doesn't expect any one group of us to solve the world's problems, but He is ready to show us what to do in our own neighborhood, community or beyond.
Session 3, Day 4 The Folly of Favoritism, James 2:1-7
Favoritism is a nicer way of saying PREJUDICE. The Bible is full of verses to remind us that God doesn't show favoritism: Leviticus 19:15, Deuteronomy 10:17, Acts 10:34-35, Galatians 2:6, and Romans 2:11 for some. James was writing to early Christians about a prejudice that was economic rather than racial. Those that were rich were being treated better than those who were poor. Our favoritisms reflect our personal values, and these in turn dictate our behavior. We prefer those who have what we admire and neglect those that don't. We are reminded that God loves all who love Him, and that the poor have been called to be rich in faith. Sometimes those who have less, trust God more; while those who have more, trust God less. We weren't called to judge but to love.
Session 3, Day 5 The Royal Law (love others as you love yourself), James 2:8-13
We can find numerous references to loving our neighbor as ourselves: Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:32-40, Romans 13:8-10 and Galatians 5:13-14. Here, James uses this royal law as a summation of true obedience. Jesus called His disciples to right relationships, going beyond the righteous rules taught in the law. Many religious people use preoccupation with God as an excuse to ignore people. (Billy Grahm would say that some are too heavenly minded to be any earthly good.) God is calling us to put away our selfishness and love people. As we increase our awareness of God's grace and mercy in our lives, we are able to share the same with others. This is the mercy that breeds mercy, the love that loves others as itself; this is living by the Royal Law.
Session 4, DVD Summary: A deeper look at James 1:25 and James 2:1-9
First we are reminded of the conditional promise found in James 1:25, that if we focus on the perfect law of liberty and do not become a forgetful listener, but actively live out the perfect law, we will be blessed in what we do. God's power can and will change us. Then in james 2:1-9, our focus shifts from Grace and obedience to our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. Jewish-to-the-bone-James is acknowledging his half-brother to be equal to God. He is sharing that even though he lived under the same roof as Jesus, he missed seeing or understanding the Shekina Glory. The Shekina Glory is the very glory of God as it was embodied in the person of Jesus Christ. James admonishes that faith and favoritism don't mix. Christians are not to behave as kings, deciding who gets to share in their fellowship and who must sit under the footstool in unworthiness.
These verses of "faith without works is dead" fueled a controversy with Paul's teachings of "justification by faith" (or faith alone). Both are found in the Bible so we know that both are from God...we just might not understand them fully. James is making three points:
1. Faith is meant to do some good. (James 2:14-16)
2. Faith shows works (Ephesians 2:8-10, We have faith in the grace of God, but having come to that saving point, God created us to do good works and has even planned them for us.)
3. Faith does more than acknowledge that there is a God. Loyal Jewish men recited the Shema (Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord...") twice a day. James possibly shocked the Jewish Christians in verse 19 with stating that even demons believe that God is one, making his point that a belief without action is useless.
In verse 20, James asks, "Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?", or in a play on words from the original language, "faith without works does not work." James used Abraham, the Father of Israel, as an example of a man who had faith and was ready to obey when God called him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. James also cited Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute who believed in God's promise to deliver her nation to the Israelites so that she risked her life to save the Israelite spies. Not only did her faith in action get her a spot on the Hebrews 11 Roll Call of Faith along with Abraham, but she was the mother of Boaz who married Ruth and a direct ancestor of Jesus Christ, just as Abraham was.
Two people with vastly different histories, but each came to a belief in God and acted on that belief when tested. Both offer hope that anyone can come to God through Jesus Christ.
Session 4, Day 3: Calling All Teachers, James 3:1-5
Here James warns those who would teach that their teaching will be held strictly accountable to God. Teachers face the temptations of teaching more than they know, misleading their followers, catering to what their followers want to hear and other downfalls. Teachers require self-discipline for study, humility, and reliance on the Holy Spirir. God has called some of us to be teachers and He promises to teach those called in what to say; but He may mean to teach them through experience rather than words. (This seems to follow with hearing and obeying, faith with works. A teacher can teach words but when speaking from experience, the words have depth and shout the truth.)
Up till now, James had been writing to the crowd, using mostly "you." Suddenly, as he writes about the tongue again, he uses "we." Perhaps he was passionate about this subject because he personally struggled with it or had been injured by it? The tongue is pictured as both fire and water and the source of words can come from hell or heaven. James' point is that the source empowering the person should be reflected in the words spoken. Matthew 12:34 has the same idea with words from Jesus: "The mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart." Sometimes we don't realize that we hold onto bitterness until we lash out with foul language, but we can be assured that Jesus can deliver us from the bitterness and heal us.
Session 4, Day 5: Wisdom Below, Wisdom Above, James 3:13-18
These verses contrast wisdom from below with wisdom from above. Remember, James wrote these verses to believers, reminding them that both kinds of feelings come from the heart. James challenges us to deal with negatives rather than hide them. In verse 13, "wise" and "understanding" are two of the three requirements for men in leadership (Deuteronomy 1:13) and would have been recognized as such by his Jewish Christian audience. Wisdom is knowing what to do while understanding is knowing why. We gain wisdom and understanding through experience (another call for action!). Verse 13 states that true wisdom has a gentleness about it. (This comes after the warning about the tongue.) Harsh people can be smart or right, but their very harshness prevents them from being wise with the wisdom from above (James 3:17).
When it comes to my faith, what good is it (James 2:14, 16)? Or, put differently, what is the good life? 1. One that saves us from ourselves (James 2:14). Selfishness and insecurity go hand-in-hand, resulting in jealousy. Self-centeredness makes us sick (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
2. "Willing to yield" can be viewed as "death to self." When we can step back from trying to do it all, we allow someone else to step forward. Wisdom is needed to yield, letting go of fear. (Please note that we are NOT talking about yielding in abusive situations. Get out of those and be safe!)
3. Full of mercy: to be full of mercy, we have to feel mercy. There's a danger of mercy becoming depression when we assume God's responsibility for the world instead of who God has brought around us. We are not to religiously encourage people to "have a nice day" as a cover for failing to act. Acting -- obeying -- can be providing for a physical need or dignifying a person with recognition.
4. One that is full of good fruit (v.17). Every time we bear fruit, we have the seed for more fruit. It is a never-ending process.
Session 5, Day 1: Consider the Source, James 4:1-3
Each of us is engaged in an internal battle of sorts as we live our lives. We struggle with opposing views, feelings and conflicts; and often these produce conflict with a few people in our lives. Sometimes we struggle to have the impossible and we need to let go. Often times we need to ask God for His help and provision. Do you find that your fights are with particular people? Do they have what you don't have, or need it as much as you? Has anything good come from your struggle?
Please be aware that ALL of us desire something we don't have, and NOBODY has everything they've ever desired. God has given each of us the desire to be with Him in heaven, but our earthly desires are self-seeking and conflict with our godly ones. A good test for if a desire is godly or not is our willingness to ask God for it. If we can't ask God for it, you can bet that God is not in it; and if God isn't in it, it can't be good. But when some desires aren't that clear, we can trust God to know our hearts.
Session 5, Day 2: The World's Best Friend, James 4:4-6
Here James talks about friendship with God as opposed to friendship with the world. "World," in this context, is not the global sphere but the system of evil controlled by Satan. To have friendship with the world is to be on good terms with God's enemy. God spoke face to face with Abraham and Moses like a friend, and Jesus, in John 15:13-16, calls any His friends who do as He commands. Our obedience to Jesus' commands is our practice of what we believe, and this brings friendship with Jesus. Friendship with Jesus means closeness, the face to face kind rather than the online and on-phone kind popular today. As we draw closer to Christ in relationship, He tells us more about the kingdom of heaven and God. Here's the irony: friendship with God makes us humble while friendship with the world makes us proud. God graces our friendship with Him but opposes our friendship with worldly pursuits. Who would want to oppose God?!
Session 5, Day 3: One Life Under God, James 4:7-10
This section is teaching what to be deliberate in resisting, and what to draw near to. Life is a dynamic battle of pushes and pulls. We can't just stand on the fence to wait and see what happens. James writes five commands in verses 4:7-8: 1. Submit to God, 2. Resist the devil, 3. Draw near to God, 4. Clean you hands, and 5. Purify your hearts. Satan does NOT have to oppose us to keep us from God. Our own desires, pride or resistance to God's direction in our lives have the same effect. We cannot grow closer to God when we oppose Him. "Submit to God" means to "put in order under," or, "if it's under God, it's in order." When we resist the devil, he runs from God Who is standing with us, not from us. We have a choice in every circumstance to draw near to God or not. We are called to submit to God, to trust in His love for us and in His promise that all things happen for our good when we are called by Him. We can choose to submit to God rather than demand our own way, for it is in submitting that we have the blessing and peace.
Sometimes we get caught up in the awe of being created in the image of God and before we realize it, our humility has shifted to superiority and we think that we are God. Remember that James is writing to believers. Self-righteousness stinks to God. In Matthew 7:1-2, Jesus said that we will be judged by the same criteria by which we judge others. It is safer to exercise mercy towards one another and that's where the title of this study comes from: Mercy Triumphs (over judgment). Paul also writes to believers in Romans 2:1-2 that we have no excuse to judge others, and when we do, we are condemning ourselves for we do the same things. Only God bases His judgment on truth. He knows why we do what we do and when we're sincere and when we're not. Now we ARE able to judge THINGS through the Spirit, but things are NOT people (I Corinthians 2:15).
Session 5, Day 5: What Is Your Life?, James 4:13-17
These verses stress the importance of making plans in view of what God would have us to do. Proverbs 27:1, Psalm 39:4-8 and Luke 12:15 warn us that life is not made up of one's possessions and that we must guard against greed; also that our lives are brief here on earth. God has a plan for each of us. As we trust Him to guide and care for us, we have peace and direction, and we learn in very tangible ways that God loves us.
A. When Is It Appropriate to Turn Our Joy into Grief?
1. We trade our joy in the Lord for love of the world
2. We do not take God seriously
3. We are proud of our sin
4. We ridicule believers for fun
B. Top 5 Reasons Not To Be Cynical
1. Jesus is still changing lives
2. There's a lot of good still being done in the world
3. Studying Scripture is habit-forming
4. Some long-standing barriers are breaking down, with Christians of all denominations and nationalities working together
5. God will kick your butt: He loves you and He will do what it takes to get your attention
Cynicism is its own form of brokenness and is a sign of unbelief. The disappointment of people is a big factor in cynicism, but we can believe in Jesus and in everything that He says He is and will do, because He is Truth.
These passages challenge us to be good stewards of the money and things entrusted to us by God. Storing up treasures for ourselves is demonstrating love for the world instead of for God. When we collect more than we can use, it is a sign that perhaps we have turned our eyes away from the needs of others while focussing on ourselves.
Session 6, Day 2: To Prove the Lord's Boasts, James 5:7-11
Here, Job was used as an example of patience. He was tested to prove the Lord's boast in him. God does not test us beyond what He knows we can endure. Through testing, we grow in faith and personal experience of the grace and sufficiency of God for us. It is one thing to quote Scripture and quite another to be able to say that I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I HAVE LIVED IT.
Only God can swear by Himself, for no one is greater than He. We are not to swear because we cannot control the future. If we make a vow, we need to fulfill it as soon as possible. Cultivating integrity is important, so that our yes is yes and our no is no.
Session 6, Day 4: Something We Can Do, James 5:13-16
When suffering trouble, we can pray. When cheerful, we can sing psalms. When ill, we can ask the elders to anoint us with oil and pray. We can be still and know that God is God. We can trust in a God that we cannot see. We can choose to be patient and wait for God's timing. We can confess our sins, submit, rest in Christ, accept our circumstances with joy; pray. We have life in Jesus; without Him, we have nothing.
Session 6, day 5: To Pray and to Be Prayed For, James 5:17-20
When we are sick with guilt, confession brings healing. Our sickness can bring glory to God. We may be sick but given healing when we pray for it, or God may choose to heal us through bringing us home to Him. No matter our sickness, we can trust that God has a purpose for us and that He will see us through. We can trust Him.
Welcome to our on-line group study of James, based on Beth Moore's Mercy Triumphs that is currently being used by our Wednesday night small groups. Feel free to share as we focus on serving God.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever thought about the man who was inspired by God to write the New Testament book of James? He was the oldest of four half-brothers of Jesus. He thought that Jesus was out of his mind during His ministry on earth, but he became a believer after the resurrection of Jesus. Not only did he believe, but he considered himself a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and focused his ministry in Jerusalem with Jews. He was later called a pillar of the early church by Paul.
ReplyDeleteBible references for the above comment are: Matthew 13:55-56; Mark 3:21; I Corinthians 15:7; and James 1:1.
DeleteJames changed from a man who was ashamed and maybe angry of his brother Jesus, to a man who lived his life in service to Him. We tend to look at people NOW, thinking that they are completed rather than in process. All that we may hate about our past and present has made a space for grace. We have the choice of leaving it hollow or letting Jesus fill it up. Life may be challenging, but it doesn't have to be empty. Jesus fills it with power and meaning.
ReplyDeleteWe are unique yet we are part of the body of believers. The body of Christ is not limited to one denomination or nation. Each of us has a function that helps the whole and brings glory to God. We talk among ourselves that God is all powerful and able to be everywhere at once; but we often act as if He can only work through one person, formula or ministry at a time. Do you live in fear of not measuring up? Of comparing yourself to others and falling short? Of openly acting as if your way is the only way?
ReplyDeleteJames wrote his book in the early days of Christianity while ministering to Jews. The big debate was whether Gentiles--anyone not a Jew--could belong to God, and if so, did they need to convert to the Jewish faith first and be circumcised. The conflict was dividing the church and finally came to a head with the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). James was a strong support in the conclusion that we are saved by grace through faith. Gentiles did not need to be circumcised as that would be looking to a man-made effort, or legalism, for salvation. The Council's decision preserved the integrity of the early church and strengthened the foundation of the church today. It is our challenge to continue living in faith through grace alone, rather than promoting our own rules for becoming a child of God. We can appreciate those who are different from us in their approach to ministry and worship and see them as coworkers rather than competition. We have been called to unity, and it is a witness to the world to see Christians come together as one.
Chairein! Pronounced "kyrain", James begins with the Greek salutation "Joy to you!" Joy is our birthright in Jesus Christ and it is ours as we obey His commands.
ReplyDeleteJames is likely to be the first book written in the New Testament. Galatians might have beat it for this distinction, but it would be a close tie. The book was written to Jewish Christians who kept their Jewish customs. Remember, the Church is in its early beginnings and most converts at this time were Jews. James reflected the teachings of Jesus more than any other NT author, especially those from The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). The book can be summarized in two words: LIVE IT! James emphasized that faith shows itself in good works. That emphasis led to Martin Luther rejecting the book as he preached faith alone. James wasn't saying that works led to salvation, but that an expression of our love for God should show itself in doing good things for others.
James 1:2-4 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
ReplyDelete"Experience" is from the Greek word peripesete which literally means "fall into." It is the same word used in Luke 10:30 regarding the parable of the good Samaritan, referring to how the injured man met the robbers. "Falling into" doesn't mean jumping into. It wasn't the injured man's plan to encounter thieves that day. Viewing James 1:2 from the perspective of the bloody and bruised traveler in Luke 10 graphically portrays what trials can do to a person. The Greek word for "trials" is peirasmois which is linked to the term "peirates"...which closely resembles "pirates". Our trials can only rob us of our joy if we surrender to them. James 1:3-4 promises that the "testing of our faith" leads to perseverance. Perseverance means "nerving oneself" or "heroic endurance". It is in our persevering through trials that we are perfected, lacking nothing spiritually. Our time on Earth is meant to prepare us for eternity with God. We are called to be fruitful and to bring glory to God. God promises us everything that we need to fulfill His purpose.
As we face our trials, do we consider obeying God as one of our choices, of experiencing joy as we seek God's purpose in what we face?
James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God...believing He will give it.
ReplyDeleteWisdom is the application of knowledge. God will give us wisdom without finding fault with us for needing it or for asking for it. The verb "ask" is present tense, meaning it's ongoing for NOW. When we ask God for wisdom, we need to believe that He will give it to us. When we seek God's help, we need to stay focused on Him and wait for His reply. We can be confident that God hears us and will answer.
James 1:9-11 Rich and Poor
ReplyDeleteThese verses remind us that Man is temporary on this earth, that nothing lasts in this world and that the poor man has fewer possessions to lose than the rich man. The Bible refers to the poor and their treatment and can be summed up with: those who have are to share with those who don't. This teaching wouldn't come as news to the Jewish Christians. James possibly was encouraging them to look beyond their circumstances to heavenly rewards. They were raised in their Jewish faith to equate earthly riches with God's blessings and favor. Early Christians were finding themselves stripped of property and possessions because of their beliefs. Their old faith dictated that they were being punished by God, but James was instructing them to look beyond their circumstances to all they had and would have in Jesus Christ. The poor would be rewarded in heaven while the rich on earth needed to realize the futility of accumulating earthly riches that would not follow them into eternity.
James 1:12-15 God does not tempt us.
ReplyDeleteWe are all tempted, but what tempts each of us is a personal thing. Temptation comes from our desires, and the temptation to sin is rooted in our sinful nature. It starts as a thought and if not dealt with quickly, it turns into a habit with destructive outcomes, separating us from fellowship with God. Temptation is a deformed desire.
In James 1:3-4 we saw that the testing our faith brings forth steadfastness, leading to completion with no defects. On the flipside, James 1:14-15 shows that giving in to sin leads to spiritual death. Both suffering and temptation test our faith. Ultimately the test comes down to "Do I believe God?" Those who choose to believe God receive the crown of life. They have stood the test and love God.
James 1:16-18 Father of Lights
ReplyDeleteGod has gifted us with every good thing that we need. Have we thanked Him? Do we recognize God's gift or do we take credit for it ourselves?
Just as we have Godly desires, we have deformed desires. Temptation is the attempt to fulfill a Godly desire in an ungodly way. We have the choice of believing in God and waiting on Him, or doing things our way and damn the consequences. When we choose poorly we have the strong urge to blame someone else and God is often the One we want to blame. BUT, God does not tempt us. It is our sinful nature at fault. Sin separates us from God and must be confessed to restore us to a right relationship with God. Thank God that He is ready to forgive!
Session 3: James 1:19-2:13
ReplyDeleteDVD Review: John 16:20-24, Anguish to Joy
Anguish is mental distress or torment. It comes from pain and anxiety, suffering and dread, hurt and harassment. Anguish and joy can be experienced simultaneously, and they can trade places. Both joy and anguish are tied to relationships more than to circumstances. In Isaiah 61:1-3, we read that Jesus came to give beauty where we had ashes, to turn our anguish into joy. The same kind of change was implied when God turned the Nile into blood, the rod of Moses into a serpent and the Red Sea into dry land. God can take our pain and turn it into our passion. Mental anguish is to the mind like a woman's labor is to the body; but as labor brings forth a life, anguish brings forth joy. God can bring us out on the other side. Will we trust Him?
This lesson was foremost in my mind when a few days later my teen told me that he no longer believes in God, the devil, Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Talk about anguish! I am holding onto the promise that joy will come, that he will experience the truth. I believe in God and I thought that I trusted Him, but leaving my son home while I went to church Sunday, having turmoil in believing that he wasn't going to do something stupid because of his expressed anger; all this made me realize that I don't trust God and I don't trust my son. All I can say is that I'm working on it. I raced home to find that everything was fine at home. God kept trying to reassure me during the service, but I seemed to think that He didn't know what was going on. Our anguish is real, but a lot of it could be because we don't trust God to be the all knowing, all powerful, loving God Who we sing about.
DeleteSession 3, Day 1 Quick to Listen (slow to speak, slow to anger), James 1:19-21
ReplyDeleteHow would you rate anger in your life? How do you express it? How often is your anger justified? The harm of anger is when it doesn't reflect a Godly attitude. Notice that James is not saying that anger is wrong, but that a quick temper works against righteousness. In Ephesians 4:30-31, Paul writes that anger grieves the Holy Spirit. When we experience righteous indignation, we presume to to speak for God; but God rarely speaks through rash words. James tells us to humbly get rid of our anger. God gave us His Word, and He desires for us to be quick to listen to Him and to humbly apply His Word to OUR life rather than to critically apply it to others. It's an on-going process.
Session 3, Day 2 The Perfect Law (of Freedom), James 1:22-25
ReplyDeleteThere is a difference between believing a truth and living a truth. The doing causes the changing, not the hearing; but we are good at deceiving ourselves. The self-deception eases in when we mistake appreciation for application or being touched with being changed. When looking at our image in a mirror, do we see who God created us to be, His child in His own image? If we do catch that reflection, do we carry it with us throughout the day or quickly forget as we go about our business? These passages in James call us to obey the law, not just listen to it. God has plans for us and with our obedience comes blessing. Whatever God calls us to do--and it's not the same job for everybody--He promises to bless us as we work.
What is the "perfect law that gives freedom" mentioned in James 1:25? James' book most closely follows Jesus' teaching in The Sermon on the Mount: James 1:12, 1:25, and Matthew 5:3-10 share beatitudes; James 1:22 and Matthew 7:26 call us to obey the Word. Jesus taught that motive was as important as behavior in His sermon. His work on the cross, bringing us atonement for the guilt and failure that was ours for not only breaking the law in our actions but in our hearts, allows us to live as free people, delighting to do God's will, with God's law written within our hearts.
Personally, I'm academic and like storing up and spouting off truths and opinions, so this lesson functions as a 2x4 between the eyes to put the book down and start working. Over the years I've collected a lot of craft supplies as well as a lot of knowledge and I developed the ability to feel the satisfaction of making something when all I did was look at the patterns and think about what I could do. That mentality seems to carry over into my Christianity with thinking about all kinds of things that I could do, but not getting up to even do a few of them; yet in the thinking, I had the deception that I had done something. Being easily overwhelmed, I am taking baby steps--'love that advice from the movie What About Bob! God isn't expecting me to change overnight, but He is helping me to move forward.
DeleteSession 3, Day 3 Pure Religion: Care for Widows & Orphans, James 1:26-27
ReplyDeleteWhat's your reaction to being called religious? (Personally, I think of Major George Burns from M*A*S*H), but he's not a good example of the real meaning of the word which is "manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity." So it's not that people are devoted to God, but how they show it that affects our reaction. In verse 26 we are called to control our tongue lest our religion is useless, empty or worthless. James uses the analogy of "Rider, control your horse!" when he writes to bridle our tongues. With our bent towards self-deception, it's easy to get caught up in our show of devotion while losing the heart of it. James 1:27 describes true religion as ministering to orphans and widows. These people had the least rights and hope, and the most vulnerability in James' culture. The Old Testament was filled with verses commanding the care of those less fortunate. Translated to today, that's social consciousness. God will stir up your passion to help. He doesn't expect any one group of us to solve the world's problems, but He is ready to show us what to do in our own neighborhood, community or beyond.
Session 3, Day 4 The Folly of Favoritism, James 2:1-7
ReplyDeleteFavoritism is a nicer way of saying PREJUDICE. The Bible is full of verses to remind us that God doesn't show favoritism: Leviticus 19:15, Deuteronomy 10:17, Acts 10:34-35, Galatians 2:6, and Romans 2:11 for some. James was writing to early Christians about a prejudice that was economic rather than racial. Those that were rich were being treated better than those who were poor. Our favoritisms reflect our personal values, and these in turn dictate our behavior. We prefer those who have what we admire and neglect those that don't. We are reminded that God loves all who love Him, and that the poor have been called to be rich in faith. Sometimes those who have less, trust God more; while those who have more, trust God less. We weren't called to judge but to love.
Session 3, Day 5 The Royal Law (love others as you love yourself), James 2:8-13
ReplyDeleteWe can find numerous references to loving our neighbor as ourselves: Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:32-40, Romans 13:8-10 and Galatians 5:13-14. Here, James uses this royal law as a summation of true obedience. Jesus called His disciples to right relationships, going beyond the righteous rules taught in the law. Many religious people use preoccupation with God as an excuse to ignore people. (Billy Grahm would say that some are too heavenly minded to be any earthly good.) God is calling us to put away our selfishness and love people. As we increase our awareness of God's grace and mercy in our lives, we are able to share the same with others. This is the mercy that breeds mercy, the love that loves others as itself; this is living by the Royal Law.
Session 4, DVD Summary: A deeper look at James 1:25 and James 2:1-9
ReplyDeleteFirst we are reminded of the conditional promise found in James 1:25, that if we focus on the perfect law of liberty and do not become a forgetful listener, but actively live out the perfect law, we will be blessed in what we do. God's power can and will change us. Then in james 2:1-9, our focus shifts from Grace and obedience to our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. Jewish-to-the-bone-James is acknowledging his half-brother to be equal to God. He is sharing that even though he lived under the same roof as Jesus, he missed seeing or understanding the Shekina Glory. The Shekina Glory is the very glory of God as it was embodied in the person of Jesus Christ. James admonishes that faith and favoritism don't mix. Christians are not to behave as kings, deciding who gets to share in their fellowship and who must sit under the footstool in unworthiness.
Session 4, Day 1: Dead by Itself, James 2:14-19
ReplyDeleteThese verses of "faith without works is dead" fueled a controversy with Paul's teachings of "justification by faith" (or faith alone). Both are found in the Bible so we know that both are from God...we just might not understand them fully. James is making three points:
1. Faith is meant to do some good. (James 2:14-16)
2. Faith shows works (Ephesians 2:8-10, We have faith in the grace of God, but having come to that saving point, God created us to do good works and has even planned them for us.)
3. Faith does more than acknowledge that there is a God. Loyal Jewish men recited the Shema (Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord...") twice a day. James possibly shocked the Jewish Christians in verse 19 with stating that even demons believe that God is one, making his point that a belief without action is useless.
Session 4, Day 2: Faith Perfected, James 2:20-26
ReplyDeleteIn verse 20, James asks, "Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?", or in a play on words from the original language, "faith without works does not work." James used Abraham, the Father of Israel, as an example of a man who had faith and was ready to obey when God called him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. James also cited Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute who believed in God's promise to deliver her nation to the Israelites so that she risked her life to save the Israelite spies. Not only did her faith in action get her a spot on the Hebrews 11 Roll Call of Faith along with Abraham, but she was the mother of Boaz who married Ruth and a direct ancestor of Jesus Christ, just as Abraham was.
Two people with vastly different histories, but each came to a belief in God and acted on that belief when tested. Both offer hope that anyone can come to God through Jesus Christ.
Session 4, Day 3: Calling All Teachers, James 3:1-5
ReplyDeleteHere James warns those who would teach that their teaching will be held strictly accountable to God. Teachers face the temptations of teaching more than they know, misleading their followers, catering to what their followers want to hear and other downfalls. Teachers require self-discipline for study, humility, and reliance on the Holy Spirir. God has called some of us to be teachers and He promises to teach those called in what to say; but He may mean to teach them through experience rather than words. (This seems to follow with hearing and obeying, faith with works. A teacher can teach words but when speaking from experience, the words have depth and shout the truth.)
Session 4, Day 4: Fire and Water, James 3:6-12
ReplyDeleteUp till now, James had been writing to the crowd, using mostly "you." Suddenly, as he writes about the tongue again, he uses "we." Perhaps he was passionate about this subject because he personally struggled with it or had been injured by it? The tongue is pictured as both fire and water and the source of words can come from hell or heaven. James' point is that the source empowering the person should be reflected in the words spoken. Matthew 12:34 has the same idea with words from Jesus: "The mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart." Sometimes we don't realize that we hold onto bitterness until we lash out with foul language, but we can be assured that Jesus can deliver us from the bitterness and heal us.
Session 4, Day 5: Wisdom Below, Wisdom Above, James 3:13-18
ReplyDeleteThese verses contrast wisdom from below with wisdom from above. Remember, James wrote these verses to believers, reminding them that both kinds of feelings come from the heart. James challenges us to deal with negatives rather than hide them. In verse 13, "wise" and "understanding" are two of the three requirements for men in leadership (Deuteronomy 1:13) and would have been recognized as such by his Jewish Christian audience. Wisdom is knowing what to do while understanding is knowing why. We gain wisdom and understanding through experience (another call for action!). Verse 13 states that true wisdom has a gentleness about it. (This comes after the warning about the tongue.) Harsh people can be smart or right, but their very harshness prevents them from being wise with the wisdom from above (James 3:17).
Session 5 DVD Summary: James 3:13-18
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to my faith, what good is it (James 2:14, 16)? Or, put differently, what is the good life?
1. One that saves us from ourselves (James 2:14). Selfishness and insecurity go hand-in-hand, resulting in jealousy. Self-centeredness makes us sick (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
2. "Willing to yield" can be viewed as "death to self." When we can step back from trying to do it all, we allow someone else to step forward. Wisdom is needed to yield, letting go of fear. (Please note that we are NOT talking about yielding in abusive situations. Get out of those and be safe!)
3. Full of mercy: to be full of mercy, we have to feel mercy. There's a danger of mercy becoming depression when we assume God's responsibility for the world instead of who God has brought around us. We are not to religiously encourage people to "have a nice day" as a cover for failing to act. Acting -- obeying -- can be providing for a physical need or dignifying a person with recognition.
4. One that is full of good fruit (v.17). Every time we bear fruit, we have the seed for more fruit. It is a never-ending process.
Session 5, Day 1: Consider the Source, James 4:1-3
ReplyDeleteEach of us is engaged in an internal battle of sorts as we live our lives. We struggle with opposing views, feelings and conflicts; and often these produce conflict with a few people in our lives. Sometimes we struggle to have the impossible and we need to let go. Often times we need to ask God for His help and provision. Do you find that your fights are with particular people? Do they have what you don't have, or need it as much as you? Has anything good come from your struggle?
Please be aware that ALL of us desire something we don't have, and NOBODY has everything they've ever desired. God has given each of us the desire to be with Him in heaven, but our earthly desires are self-seeking and conflict with our godly ones. A good test for if a desire is godly or not is our willingness to ask God for it. If we can't ask God for it, you can bet that God is not in it; and if God isn't in it, it can't be good. But when some desires aren't that clear, we can trust God to know our hearts.
Session 5, Day 2: The World's Best Friend, James 4:4-6
ReplyDeleteHere James talks about friendship with God as opposed to friendship with the world. "World," in this context, is not the global sphere but the system of evil controlled by Satan. To have friendship with the world is to be on good terms with God's enemy. God spoke face to face with Abraham and Moses like a friend, and Jesus, in John 15:13-16, calls any His friends who do as He commands. Our obedience to Jesus' commands is our practice of what we believe, and this brings friendship with Jesus. Friendship with Jesus means closeness, the face to face kind rather than the online and on-phone kind popular today. As we draw closer to Christ in relationship, He tells us more about the kingdom of heaven and God. Here's the irony: friendship with God makes us humble while friendship with the world makes us proud. God graces our friendship with Him but opposes our friendship with worldly pursuits. Who would want to oppose God?!
Session 5, Day 3: One Life Under God, James 4:7-10
ReplyDeleteThis section is teaching what to be deliberate in resisting, and what to draw near to. Life is a dynamic battle of pushes and pulls. We can't just stand on the fence to wait and see what happens. James writes five commands in verses 4:7-8: 1. Submit to God, 2. Resist the devil, 3. Draw near to God, 4. Clean you hands, and 5. Purify your hearts. Satan does NOT have to oppose us to keep us from God. Our own desires, pride or resistance to God's direction in our lives have the same effect. We cannot grow closer to God when we oppose Him. "Submit to God" means to "put in order under," or, "if it's under God, it's in order." When we resist the devil, he runs from God Who is standing with us, not from us. We have a choice in every circumstance to draw near to God or not. We are called to submit to God, to trust in His love for us and in His promise that all things happen for our good when we are called by Him. We can choose to submit to God rather than demand our own way, for it is in submitting that we have the blessing and peace.
Session 5, Day 4: Only One Judge, James 4:11-12
ReplyDeleteSometimes we get caught up in the awe of being created in the image of God and before we realize it, our humility has shifted to superiority and we think that we are God. Remember that James is writing to believers. Self-righteousness stinks to God. In Matthew 7:1-2, Jesus said that we will be judged by the same criteria by which we judge others. It is safer to exercise mercy towards one another and that's where the title of this study comes from: Mercy Triumphs (over judgment). Paul also writes to believers in Romans 2:1-2 that we have no excuse to judge others, and when we do, we are condemning ourselves for we do the same things. Only God bases His judgment on truth. He knows why we do what we do and when we're sincere and when we're not. Now we ARE able to judge THINGS through the Spirit, but things are NOT people (I Corinthians 2:15).
Session 5, Day 5: What Is Your Life?, James 4:13-17
ReplyDeleteThese verses stress the importance of making plans in view of what God would have us to do. Proverbs 27:1, Psalm 39:4-8 and Luke 12:15 warn us that life is not made up of one's possessions and that we must guard against greed; also that our lives are brief here on earth. God has a plan for each of us. As we trust Him to guide and care for us, we have peace and direction, and we learn in very tangible ways that God loves us.
Session 6 DVD, James 4:9-11
ReplyDeleteA. When Is It Appropriate to Turn Our Joy into Grief?
1. We trade our joy in the Lord for love of the world
2. We do not take God seriously
3. We are proud of our sin
4. We ridicule believers for fun
B. Top 5 Reasons Not To Be Cynical
1. Jesus is still changing lives
2. There's a lot of good still being done in the world
3. Studying Scripture is habit-forming
4. Some long-standing barriers are breaking down, with Christians of all denominations and nationalities working together
5. God will kick your butt: He loves you and He will do what it takes to get your attention
Cynicism is its own form of brokenness and is a sign of unbelief. The disappointment of people is a big factor in cynicism, but we can believe in Jesus and in everything that He says He is and will do, because He is Truth.
Session 6, Day 1: Getting and Giving, James 5:1-6
ReplyDeleteThese passages challenge us to be good stewards of the money and things entrusted to us by God. Storing up treasures for ourselves is demonstrating love for the world instead of for God. When we collect more than we can use, it is a sign that perhaps we have turned our eyes away from the needs of others while focussing on ourselves.
Session 6, Day 2: To Prove the Lord's Boasts, James 5:7-11
ReplyDeleteHere, Job was used as an example of patience. He was tested to prove the Lord's boast in him. God does not test us beyond what He knows we can endure. Through testing, we grow in faith and personal experience of the grace and sufficiency of God for us. It is one thing to quote Scripture and quite another to be able to say that I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I HAVE LIVED IT.
Session 6, Day 3: A Yes Kind of Yes, James 5:12
ReplyDeleteOnly God can swear by Himself, for no one is greater than He. We are not to swear because we cannot control the future. If we make a vow, we need to fulfill it as soon as possible. Cultivating integrity is important, so that our yes is yes and our no is no.
Session 6, Day 4: Something We Can Do, James 5:13-16
ReplyDeleteWhen suffering trouble, we can pray. When cheerful, we can sing psalms. When ill, we can ask the elders to anoint us with oil and pray. We can be still and know that God is God. We can trust in a God that we cannot see. We can choose to be patient and wait for God's timing. We can confess our sins, submit, rest in Christ, accept our circumstances with joy; pray. We have life in Jesus; without Him, we have nothing.
Session 6, day 5: To Pray and to Be Prayed For, James 5:17-20
ReplyDeleteWhen we are sick with guilt, confession brings healing. Our sickness can bring glory to God. We may be sick but given healing when we pray for it, or God may choose to heal us through bringing us home to Him. No matter our sickness, we can trust that God has a purpose for us and that He will see us through. We can trust Him.