Once there was a band of poor Brazilian goat headers who decided to make a long journey to California in search of gold. They took with them bags of rocks they used in a gambling game. Unfortunately, most of them died on the dangerous journey. One young man made it to San Francisco with nothing but his bag of rocks. When it was discovered the rocks were diamonds a group was immediately organized to go back to Brazil to find diamonds.
Many people spend their whole lives searching for something of value when it is closer than they could ever imagine. James was such a man who needed to discover what he already knew.
His Circumstances
James was born into a family of faith. His mother was Mary and his father was Joseph. Can you imagine the stories that young James grew up hearing around the supper table? Stories of angel visitations, Kings from the East, midnight flights to Egypt to escape King Herod, were all part of James’ regular conversations with his parents.
Greater than that was the fact that James’ half-brother was Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Savior. He was there when Jesus performed His first miracle in changing the water into wine. He was there when Jesus taught that great Sermon on the Mount. No one could have been offered better circumstances to come to salvation than this man James!
His Confusion
In spite of all of these great circumstances, James’ spiritual life was in a constant state of confusion. He and his brothers and sisters just did not see who Jesus really was. James and his siblings could not have reacted well to these words of Jesus:
Matthew 12:46-50 - While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.” But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
Added to these confusing words were the fact that people around Christ were divided over Who He was. In John 6:60-69 many left Jesus and refused to follow Him any more. They said His words were just too hard to follow. Others like Peter confessed their faith in Christ as Lord and King. Sadly, John 7:1-9 tells us that James and his family took the side of the unbelievers while Jesus walked this earth.
Many people are like James today. Like James, they have in essence been around Jesus all of their lives yet refused to believe in Him. They have been in church, heard the Bible preached, and even sung hymns of praise to God while all the time failing to put their faith in Him as Lord and Savior. They need to discover what they already have within their grasp!
His Conversion
Very little is known about the salvation of James. However, we do know that sometime after the resurrection of Christ, James gave his life to Christ. Only Mary is mentioned being at the cross of Jesus but by the time the disciples gathered for prayer in Acts 1, James and his brothers and sisters were there as believers. What made the difference? 1 Corinthians 15:7 says that the difference was that James saw and believed on the resurrected Christ.
James had no more happen to him than what is needed by many in Baptist and other churches today. People need to come to know the living Christ in their own hearts and lives. They need to move beyond being around Jesus to embracing Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Isn’t it interesting that the Bible doesn’t really tell us the road James took to come to the cross? Paul’s conversion is chronicled in detail in Acts 8 but nothing is told us about James’. Perhaps this stresses that it doesn’t matter where you have come from in your life but rather where you are going. Some of you came a hard and long road to the cross through many dark and hopefully forgotten sins. Others of you came to Christ early in life and the road was much easier to the cross. The good news is that the road you have taken is not important. What matters is that, like James, you come to the cross; recognize that Jesus died for your sins and rose again; and give your life to Him as Savior and Lord.
His Commitment
Once James came to Christ, he was forever changed. It wasn’t long before James had become the leader of the Jerusalem church.
Acts 15:6-13 - Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.” Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me:
James was so changed that he found something and Someone worth living and dying for. James’ book is all about living out the Christian life in the most daily of circumstances. Not only was James willing to live for Christ but he also was one of the first willing to die for Him. The Christian historian, Eusebius, tells us that James was martyred for his faith by being pushed off the pinnacle of the temple on the Passover. The pinnacle was the point in the wall around the temple that jutted out over the Kidron Valley. There is a drop of about a hundred feet from the height of that wall straight down into the Valley. It is the same exact place that Satan had tempted Jesus and overlooked where Judas had betrayed Jesus.
People today still need to discover what they already have close to them. Too many sit in church buildings, sing hymns, and witness Christ at work in the lives of others without embracing the truth in their own heart. Too many are looking to jobs, family, entertainment, and a thousand other dead-ends pursuits to fulfill their lives when all the time what they are looking for is so close.
All of us have circumstances in our lives. Maybe you even have some confusion about spiritual matters. If you will come to Christ as Lord and Savior, He will change who you are into what you can be. Some of us as Christians need to remember what we discovered that day we put our faith in Christ. We need to discover afresh what we already know – that living for Christ is the one thing that matters.
