INTRODUCTION
1. Open your bibles to James 1:1&ff.
2. As we finish up our study in the book of Judges we are going to start a series of sermons on the books of James, 1st & 2nd Peter, 1st , 2nd, & 3rd John and Jude.
3. The Lord willing through the summer and until next bible bowl book is selected we will study and preach from these seven N. T. books.
4. Along with the sermons you will have your workbooks to study from at home. Occasionally, on Wednesday nights (when Tom isn’t teaching on Wednesday nights) and then on some Sunday mornings we will use our workbooks together.
5. In this lesson we will begin seeking to learn and then live what James, Peter, John and Jude teach us from their writings.
DISCUSSION
I. FIRST, JAMES 1:1 TEACHES US THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A HUMBLE SERVANT.
1. Are you thankful that the bible refers to you as a “servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”?
2. James, the writer of the book of James was thankful he could refer to himself as a servant. Let’s read James 1:1, “James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.”
3. This James could be one of four Jameses that we read about in the N. T.
(1) In Luke 6:16 we read of one James that was a brother of the apostle’s, but nothing more is known of this James. “Judas the son [brother KJV] of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.”
(2) In Matt. 10:2,3,4; [Luke 6:12-15,16] “James the son of Alphaeus” is named as one of the apostles, but not very much is known about him.
(3) In Matt. 10:2, “James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother” is also named as one of the apostles. This James would not be the author of the book of James because he was behead by Herod too early to be the writer of the book, Acts 12:1,2.
(4) The fourth James that we read about in the N. T. is a half brother to Jesus (Matt. 13:55,56). We learn that Jesus and James were of a family of nine - Joseph and Mary and seven children.
a. In John 7:5 we read that Jesus’ fleshly brothers did not believe that he was the Son of God during the time that Jesus was alive on the earth: “For neither did his brethren believe in him.”
b. As Jesus was on the cross he chose to trust the care of his mother to John, the apostle, and not one of his fleshly brothers. This was probably due to his fleshly brothers not believing that he was divine, as well as human.
c. After Jesus was resurrected, among others, Jesus appeared to James (1 Cor. 15:7). In Acts 1:13,14 statement is made that Jesus’ brothers gather in Jerusalem with the 120 disciples. This shows evidence that his brothers began to believe he was divine after his resurrection. This should encourage you to never loose hope on others that you are trying to convert. After you die, is when your faithful Christian life might motivate them to become a faithful Christian.
d. In Acts 12:17; 15:13ff; 21:18 and Gal. 1:19 & 2:9 statements are made that let us know that James became a very influential leader in the church in Jerusalem.
5. All of these things have been pointed out to emphasize that James was very humble. James could have introduced himself, not as a servant, but rather as a brother to Jesus Christ.
6. Later, in James 4:6 James exhorts all Christians to be humble. “6 But He [God] gives more grace. Therefore He says: “ God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
7. Being a servant means what James emphasized. We are to serve both God and Christ. In their word they teach us to also server one another.
8. Being a humble a servant, a Christians will be obedient to God. They will be unselfish and help their fellow man. They will not seek recognition for themselves but instead serve and stay hid behind the cross.
II. SECOND, JAMES 1:2-4 TEACHES CHRISTIANS THAT THEY CAN BE HAPPY EVEN WHEN OUTWARD CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD NOT ENCOURAGE THE AVERAGE PERSON TO BE HAPPY.
1. Notice that James isn’t talking about temptations and trials that we deliberately walk into, but rather that we “fall into”. These are troubles that we find ourselves in, in spite of our best efforts to stay away from.
2. James encourages Christians to be happy, to look on the bright side and to not get all down and out and discouraged when difficult times come. The world around us bemoans any kind of hardship and difficulty. Christians should radiate with joy!
3. Let’s read v. 2, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials [divers temptations [kjv]”. Christians are not to have joy due to the receiving of trials and temptations to sin, but rather to have joy because they understand that as a faithful Christian they will be victorious and come out a stronger Christian after they have went through the hard times.
They will have joy because they know that their faithfulness during the hard times will possibly win more to Christ than their faithfulness during the easy times.
4. Next James is going to tell us that one important reason that we should remain happy as we go through the daily trials is because it will produce patience.
(1) If Christians received the best and the easiest every hour of every day they would not learn the valuable character trait of being patient.
(2) Patience is a spiritual quality that enables the individual to remain steadfast and unwavering, despite the outward pressures that may be applied, as they struggle through daily living. It doesn’t mean to sit in our house and do nothing, but rather to hustle while we wait for things to get better.
(3) Let’s read verse 3, “knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
5. In verse 4 we learn another reason why Christians should remain happy during the midst of their testing and trials. Patient endurance and steadfastness develops one’s character into a perfection and completeness that helps the Christian to be as near like what God wants them to be as they possibly can.
(1) Hanging in there! When things are tough, the tough keep going! The real challenges come when the roof falls in – when we lose our health, when we’re broke, when our friends desert us, when we’re failing in just about everything, when it appears there is no hope for future – we still patiently live like God teaches us and keep that happy attitude.
(2) The English word “perfect” comes from the Greek word which refers to the Christian becoming spiritually mature. Christians who keep the attitude of joy and exercise patience during the hardest of times are growing up and becoming adult Christians. We all start out as babes in Christ (1 Pet. 2:1,2), but James is telling us about part of what it takes to become mature adult Christians.
(3) Let’s read James 1:2-4, “2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
III. THIRD, JAMES 1:5-8 TEACHES CHRISTIANS TO USE THE AVENUE OF PRAYER AND ASK GOD FOR WISDOM DURING THEIR STRUGGLE WITH OUR DAILY PROBLEMS.
1. All of us are quick to admit that we need more wisdom when times are hard. God is willing and eager to give us that wisdom. Wisdom is defined as the right application of knowledge. James doesn’t mention that knowledge is to be obtained in the receiving of wisdom. James merely mentions praying to God when we need wisdom.
(1) Let’s read James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
(2) It is important to understand that even though James only mentions “asking God for wisdom” for wisdom to be received, that, that doesn’t mean that we should ignore other bible writers when they teach the importance of learning what God wants us to pray for.
(3) Turn to 1 John 3:22. This passage teaches that our prayers will be answered when they are prayed in harmony with the teaching of God. “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”
(4) Part of what makes prayers prayed in an acceptable manner to God is studying and keeping God’s word fresh in our minds, so that we can know what God wants us to be praying for.
(5) Prayers that will bring wisdom will be prayers that come from Christians that read and study and obey the bible and request that God helps to apply His teaching correctly in the midst of their daily trials.
2. James stresses another very important matter that must be characteristic of the one who is praying to God. We must pray in faith and not have doubts about God answering our prayers.
(1) Let’s read James 1:6-8, “6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
(2) One who asks but doubts the power of prayer, but doubts whether God will hear his prayer, but doubts whether God can answer it, and doubts that God is even willing to answer it, is not going to have his or her prayer answered in a positive way from God.
(3) The one who prays with doubt is likened to a wave of the sea: many waves have no dependable or constant direction; the wave dashes first one way then another. The one who prays but doesn’t have faith enough to be patient for God’s time frame in answering his prayer shows a likeness to a tossing wave in the sea.
(4) A doubter is not only as in dependable as a wave of the sea, he is also double-minded person. A double-minded man is a man with two minds. Outwardly he is praying, but inwardly he or she is doubting whether the prayer will do any good.
(5) In v. 8, the word “unstable” is a Greek word used to describe the staggering of a drunk man. In the context of James 1:5-8 James is giving us the picture of a drunk man trying to keep his balance as he is trying to walk on the deck of a ship that is pitching and tossing on the rough waves of the sea.
(6) Can you visualize some of your efforts of prayer to God being no more able to reach God than the drunk getting from one side of the ship to the other, while out on the rough waves of the sea?
IV. FOURTH, JAMES 1:9-11 TEACHES THAT THE POOR PERSON AND THE RICH PERSON CAN FIND REASONS TO REJOICE!
1. James first tells the poor man that he needs to “glory” or “rejoice” [kjv] in that he, in the eyes of God, is exalted.
(1) The world as a whole thinks of those who are poor financially as being on the bottom rung of the ladder. The world thinks that what really counts is to have multitudes of material things and money to buy more and more material things.
(2) James teaches that God sees it differently and that a Christian should also understand that a poor person should understand that there is more to being rich than being rich financially and having all the gadgets.
(3) James wants financially poor Christians to understand that their Father (God) owns everything and their Brother (Christ) “makes every spiritual blessing” available for those who are “in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). Also, Phil. 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
(4) Let’s read v. 9, “Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation.”
2. Next, in vs. 10&11 James teaches what the rich person must understand and make an application of if they are going to be happy.
(1) James says that the rich man must learn to be “humble” or to “be brought low” [kjv].
(2) How is this going to come about? In the rich man’s opinion he must admit that nothing that he has possession of really belongs to him. It all belongs to God and God only allows man to be a steward or a manager of what is in his passion.
Turn and read
(3) A second way that the rich man will learn humility and the being brought low is by him understanding the fact that nothing material will last any longer than our life or the world last.
Once we die or Christ comes back nothing material will benefit us again. James uses the grass and the flowers and their quick disappearance when the scorching heat quickly takes away all their beauty and glory to illustrate that even the most majestic of things will not last forever.
(4) Let’s read James 1:10-11, “but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.”
(5) Christianity has been called “the great equalizer.” The poor person, once he becomes a Christian, is exalted to have a Father that owns everything and a brother that teaches him that, the spiritual, not the material is what is important.
(6) The rich person, once he becomes a Christian, learns that he no longer is going to serve his previous father, the devil, but rather he is going to enjoy being a manager of what was never his to start with. As a good manger of material things, while on earth, he has the opportunity to receive his mansion and all that he will ever need throughout eternity in heaven.
CONCLUSION
1. Joy and happiness have been emphasized throughout these eleven verses.
2. Becoming a Christian and living the Christian life is the only life that give the kind of joy and happiness that James is describing.
3. Is there a need for more joy and contentment in your life?
4. In Phil. 4:4 we read, “Rejoice in the Lord always, Again I will say, rejoice!
5. In Acts 16:30-34 we read of the Philippian Jailer and his household becoming members of the church in the city of Philippi. We read that they rejoiced after they obeyed the gospel.
6. The exhortation that Paul wrote in Phil. 4:4 for those of the church at Philippi to “rejoice” was about ten years after the church had its beginning. Ten years had went by and rejoicing was still taking place among those who were Christians.
7. Tonight you can obey the gospel and leave from this building and forever rejoice.
8. If you need to respond please come as we stand and sing.
Acknowledgments for a lot of thoughts in the development of all the sermons on the book of James are to go to:
(1) Bob Winton CD Commentary on Matthew 27:50-54. 464 Ridgewood Drive Manchester, Tennessee 37355. If interested in CD covering many O. T. & N.T. books call (866) 753-8456.
(2) Miscellaneous commentaries by numerous others.
