The 12 Apostles
Week 4 – James
Dr. Rik B. Wadge, Ph.D.
"Ambition, Courage and Zeal"
Joke
MAN OF THE HOUSE
One of the men in the church had gone to his Pastor for counseling, where he revealed his dreams of becoming more ambitious, couragous and zealous in his marriage.
With that the Pastor handed the man a book entitled, "The Man of the House" and recommended that he read it.
One day when the husband had just finished the book he came up with an idea to impliment what he had learned. He got off work, drove home, parked his car in the driveway and then stormed right into the house and walked right up to his wife.
He Pointed a finger in her face, he said, "From now on woman, I want you to know that I am the man of this house, and my word is law! I want you to prepare me a gourmet meal tonight, and when I’m finished eating my meal, I expect a sumptuous dessert afterward. Then, after dinner, you’re going to draw me a bath so I can relax. And, when I’m finished with my bath, guess who’s going to dress me and comb my hair?"
With that the wife promptly replied, "The funeral director"
The man certainly had developed ambition, courage and zeal... but for all the wrong reasons.
Introduction:
Today we’re going to look at an Apostle that seems to have had each of these three characteristics in his life... His name is James.
Matthew 4:18-22
The Calling of the First Disciples
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Mark 3:17
17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder);
Jesus gave both James and John nicknames, “Sons of Thunder” which means
“sons of rage, sons of tumult”, “sons of anger”. “Thunderers”.
Let’s look at the first of James’ characteristics... Ambition.
Matthew 20:20-23
A Mother’s Request
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. 21 “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. 23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
This is what we know for sure about James from the scriptures:
1.He’s a rough fisherman,
2.his parents were fairly wealthy... they owned fishing boats and equipment... and
3.James’ father was friends with the high priest.
Commentary:
Here, James and his brother are brought before Jesus by their mama.
Notice, it’s their mother who speaks.
Put yourself in James’ shoes that could be really embarrissing.
It’s like when you were in grammer school and in front of all your friends your mother fixes your hair.
Or, like when you were in high school your mother gives you a ride to school, she drops you off and says at the top of her voice: "I love you pumpkin!"
So, for the next week all your high school friends start calling you pumpkin.
Have you ever noticed that...
As boys when we’re still pretty young our mothers would say, "you’re old enough to dress yourself"; so we do, but then when we’re in out in public: they’ve got to turn us, straighten us, comb us, tuck us and zip us,... and all in front of our friends...
Man that’s enough to give anybody a complex!
It’s no wonder most of our wives still dress us!
No one today knows exactly why Jesus called these two brothers "Sons of thunder, sons of anger" but I do. It was their momma.
Verse 22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered.
James had ambition! Misdirected a little, but he had ambition!
23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
Silome, their mother had no idea what she was asking... and little did she know her sons real futures:
James was the first of the disciples to be martyred, and John was boiled in oil and then banished to the Isle of Patmos.
But, both remained faithful! Initially, ambitious because of who they were. Finally, ambitious because of who Christ was!
In glory I want to sit right next to Jesus... how about you? I want to hold him close, and behold the Master’s face. Touch the nail scarred hands that took my shame, that bore my pain... that changed my eternity!
Sadly, James asked for the wrong reason... But, how close do you want to be with the Lord?
James was ambitious!
Secondly, James was Couragous.
Luke 9:51-56 (NIV)
Samaritan Opposition
51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56 and they went to another village.
KJV, 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”
55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.
Even though James was a bit misdirected, James was Couragious!
Illustration:
There’s a legend from India it tells about a mouse that was terrified of cats until a magician agreed to transform him into a cat. That resolved his fear…until he met a dog, so the magician changed him into a dog. The mouse-turned-cat-turned-dog was content until he met a lion-so, once again; the magician changed him into what he feared. Finally, when the lion came complaining that he had met a hunter, the magician with one last bit of magic turned him back into a mouse.
The magician explained,
“I have made you into a mouse again, for though you have had the body of a lion, you still possessed only the heart of a mouse.”
Proverbs 28:1 (NIV)
28 The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
Which are you saints? Wicked or Righteous? God says we’re righteous!
Which are you saints... Lions or Mice?
2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
We have nothing to fear in this world. But, I think some of us are even afraid to stand up for God in church.
We shouldn’t be afraid in church to worship God with all of our hearts. Like the story that
Rev. E.V. Hill tells about an African American woman down South who was attending an all white church. The white people were quiet and conservative. The pastor said, “Jesus is the Son of God.” She stood up and shouted, “Yes He is!” An usher came over to her and said, “I’m sorry, but we don’t do that here.” She said, “But I got religion.” But he said, “You didn’t get it here!” She said, “I’ll keep quiet.”
Then the pastor said, He died for our sins.” This lady said, “Yes He did!” And the preacher said, “Early Sunday morning…” She got up and shouted, “But He got up!!!”
Two big ushers came over and grabbed her and started to drag her out. All the while she shouted “Hosanna in the highest!” The ushers asked: “Why are you saying that?” She said, “Well on Palm Sunday Jesus rode in one donkey, but today I’m ridin’ out on two!”
Which are you saints, lions or mice? Today’s the day to praise him.
James was ready to stand up for the Lord.
James said, Let’s make ’em crispy critters Lord!
Finally, James was Zealous!
Acts 12:1-2
Peter’s Miraculous Escape From Prison
12 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
We don’t know a lot about James’ life... but what we do know is that he was:
1.Ambitious
2.Couragious and
3.Zealous for God.
Zealous:
(15th century English word)
“an eager and ardent interest in the pursuit of something.”
Christian Zealousness
Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager (KJV = zealous)to do what is good.
2 Peter 1:10-11
10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager (zealous) to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 3:14
14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort (become zealous) to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
