Some Thoughts on the Epistle of James--James 1:1

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

James= there are 4 men named James in the Bible

• James (Matthew 4:21)
  • Son of Zebedee
  • One of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ
  • He is sometimes known as James the Great.
• James (Matthew 10:3)
  • Son of Alphaeus
  • One of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ
  • He is sometimes known as James the Less.
• James (Mark 6:3)
  • Half-brother to Jesus
  • Jude was his brother.
• James (Luke 6:16)
  • Father of Judas
  • Sometimes called Thaddeus
  • He is not the betrayer, Judas Iscariot). (Luke 6:16)

Author

• Probably the half-brother of Jesus Christ, whose full brother was Jude, the writter of that epistle.
• Still alive when Galatians was written (Galatians 1:19)
• Leader in the Jerusalem church (Acts 12:17, Acts 15:13-21, Acts 15:22-29, and Acts 21:18-25)
• Saw Jesus after His Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:7)
• Was married (1 Corinthians 9:5)

Servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ

• God is his boss (John 13:13 NIV You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am).
• He is NOT the master of his own fate
  • We ALL are slaves to sin. We are addicted to sin. People are deceived that they are free. John 8:34 NIV Jesus replied, Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
  • After believing and placing trust into Jesus, we are now free and voluntary slaves to God.
    • John 8:36 NIV So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
    • Matthew 6:24 NLT No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
    • Matthew 11:29-30 NRSV Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
• God’s will done is more important than our own.
• God= God the Father
• Lord Jesus Christ= Lord as THE boss, Jesus as human, Christ as THE Messiah
• God and Lord Jesus Christ= a reflection pointing to the Trinity. One God in three persons. God in one essence. As the Athanasian Creed states: Now this is the true Christian faith: We worship one God in three persons and three persons in one God, without mixing the persons or dividing the divine being. For each person—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—is distinct, but the deity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, equal in glory and coeternal in majesty. What the Father is, so is the Son, and so is the Holy Spirit.

Twelve tribes= Jewish Christians who had been scattered from Israel due to persecution.

• Acts 8:1 NLT Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.
• Acts 8:1 NLT Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.
• Acts 11:19 NLT Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen's death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews.
• All Christians can consider ourselves such, since we are not in our homeland yet. Philippians 3:20 NIV But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Questions

• Why does Peter call himself a servant/slave of God?
• Why is it important that we are servants/slaves of God?
• Why would Christians want to consider themselves as servants/slaves?
• Are you a servant/slave of Jesus Christ? Why or why not?

Sermon Outlines James Chapter 1

I resigned from teaching Sunday School for awhile, so in the meantime, I plan to publish a few sermon outlines I have done over the years.

A1 Chapter 1

B1 Introduction

C1 Self-description

D1 Servant of God

D2 Servant of Lord Jesus Christ

C2 Writing to the 12 tribes of Israel (the Christian, believing Jews, but it is applicable to all of us)

B2 Testing/Temptation (these are the trials of the Christian faith; but it may refer to the solicitation to sin, which is a trial)

C1 Attitude in: Joy

D1 Joy = cheerfulness, calmly happy

E1 An opportunity to see firsthand God's help in trouble

E2 Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works patience.

D3 This world/life is one of trouble, for the world is cursed because of sin.

D4 Testing/Temptation comes in many different forms

E1 Spiritual temptation: to deny Christ, to make someone bitter and blame God, etc.

E2 Emotional: to depression, to be lead astray by "voices" (in reality, demonic influence), false guilt, recurring bad memories

E3 Physical: to seek pleasure, appetites, food, sleep, sex, money

E4 The three most popular gods in the world: Honors, Riches, and Pleasures

D4 References:

E1 Matthew 5:11 HCSB You are blessed when they insult and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me.

F1 Comment: This is a temptation to leave the faith and deny Christ.

F2 Three persecutions mentioned:

G1 Insult

G2 Persecute, which may be verbal, financial, economic (as in our occupation), physical, spiritual, emotional, etc. or all the above

G3 Lie in every form it might be possible to lie

F3 These come against us because we are Christians

E2 1 Peter 1:6-7 GNB92 Be glad about this, even though it may now be necessary for you to be sad for a while because of the many kinds of trials you suffer. Their purpose is to prove that your faith is genuine. Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire; and so your faith, which is much more precious than gold, must also be tested, so that it may endure. Then you will receive praise and glory and honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed.

F1 Comment: The results and rewards are when Jesus returns.

F2 This type of testing is not good to experience but does reveal if our commitment is genuine. Remember persecution is not just physical.

C2 James 1:2 Works Patience

D1 Happily awaiting deliverance, thus a test of faith. This is a showing of faith and hope. Faith = "God will deliver me." Hope = "I hope it will be today."

D2 Don't get in a hurry.

D3 God has a purpose waiting for God’s deliverance: James 1:4 WPNT but let that endurance have a complete work, so that you may be perfect and complete, falling short in nothing.

D4 God’s grace is always sufficient to endure: 2 Corinthians 12:9 NRSV but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

C3 James 1:5 Wisdom: lack wisdom; don't know what to do; unsure of everything? Pray for wisdom. God will not belittle us for asking. There are no stupid questions. If we need to ask God for wisdom 100 times a day, it will not make God angry.

C4 James 1:6-8 Prayer

D1 In faith (God can do this)

D2 We cannot manipulate God with a formula, self abasement, etc.

D3 Don’t doubt.

D4 There is no guarantee to answered prayer. 1 John 5:14 NKJV Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

D5 Asking for wisdom is pleasing to God. He is the source of wisdom. Colossians 2:2-3 NKJV that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

C5 James 1:9-11 Be glad if you're poor

D1 Riches can disappear quickly.

D2 Don't put your trust in riches.

D3 This is a temptation, for we should put our trust in God, himself.

C6 James 1:12 A reward for endurance: the crown of life.

D1 There are two different crowns mentioned in New Testament Greek

E1 The first is στεφανος, stephanos which is similar to a trophy. It is given for victory or efficient service. In our case for the Christian life. This is word used in James 1:12.

E2 The second is διάδημα diadema and is a crown signifying the right and authority to rule. Thus, a king or queen would wear a diadem. This is the word used in Revelation 12:3, 13:1, and 19:12.

D2 The Crown of Life is specific for endurance, steadfastness, faithfulness in persecution of any sort. It is also in Revelation 2:10.

C7 James 1:13-15 God does not tempt people.

D1 The principle of sin is in us.

D2 That principle is "Everything is for my comfort and pleasure." This is happiness, not joy. Happiness is not a fruit of the Spirit, joy is.

D3 The cure

E1 Repent and trust in the Lord Jesus who suffered for our sins and paid our penalty

E2 Humility: God help me

E3 2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

C8 James 1:20 Our anger does not do the will of God.

D1 Anger often comes from bitterness from injustice

D2 We seek revenge. Vengeance is up to God.

D3 Need to forgive

E1 Forgiveness does not mean that God lets them off the hook

E2 It means to turn the person, situation, to God to deal with it

F1 That person may repent

F2 You can have peace and rest

C9 James 1:21 Stop sinning. (God help us).

D1 The word "lay apart" means put or lay aside and leave it.

D2 Place yourself under God’s authority, that is, God's way is the right way. I will do this with the help of God.

D3 Engrafted is to place into or plant, which might mean the Gospel, so it brings salvation, but it could also mean a remembering of a Bible verse applicable to the present situation, which if we obey, we will be delivered.

D4 Another version James 1:21 GNB So get rid of every filthy habit and all wicked conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that he plants in your hearts, which is able to save you.

E1 God implants a verse from the Bible in our mind. "Ah, that verse—O yes, I remember."

E2 We obey that Bible verse (with discernment).

E3 We will have deliverance.

C10 James 1:22-25, If only a hearer of the Bible, then it is nothing. It is the doer who is doing the will of God. Words are cheap; actions speak louder than words.

C11 James 1:23-27 One test of a true Christian

D1 Mouth control

D2 Visiting the needy, the fatherless and the widow.

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