I. GREETING (James 1:1)

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1 ROUTE 66 - JAMES Faithworks Dr. Jon McNeff, Senior Pastor October 1, 2014 Note: The following are the pastor s notes used in preaching this message. This is not a complete, word-for-word transcription of what was preached. These notes serve as a companion to the complete message, which is available by listening to the audio version. Bible quotes are primarily from NASB and ESV, respectively. Author Four men named James in New Testament James, the son of Alphaeus and James the father of Judas are not mentioned by anyone James, the brother of John (one of the sons of Thunder ) is a possibility but he was martyred by Herod Agrippa I in Acts 12 that leaves only James, the half brother of Jesus as the logical author he rejected Jesus at first (John 7:5) but became the leader of the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15 he was martyred in 62 A.D. according to Josephus Date James was most likely written after the unrest following Herod Agrippa s killing of James, the brother of John (Acts 17:2) no mention of Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 (49 A.D.) most likely it was written around 44 A.D. earliest book in New Testament canon I. GREETING (James 1:1) James 1:1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings. twelve tribe common phrase used to refer to Jews the half brother of Jesus writes to his fellow Jews who are dispersed abroad possibly a result of the unrest in Acts 12:1, 2 Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. this is Herod Agrippa I grandson of Herod the Great ruled from A.D. lived in Rome imprisoned by Tiberius freed when Tiberius died made ruler of northern Palestine wanted to impress Rome so he cracked down to shown who was boss II. THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH (James 1:2 18) A. Joy in trials (James 1:2 4) Trials are part of life too many Christians somehow think that walking with Jesus means they will never face trials not true James 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials... Consider imperative for know by experience trials means trouble anything that interrupts the normal expectations of life viewing these as joy is not the normal experience for anyone but this command pictures a firm commitment to view troubles from God s perspective the joy is not because of the trial it s because it leaves you knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:3 testing = dokimadzo accept as approved every trial is an opportunity to develop endurance = hupomeno to remain under viewing all trials as coming from the hand of our sovereign God means we are joyful to remain under them because we know they are working God s purposes in our lives Joy = chara delight not emotional happiness (makarios only used one time in NASB in Romans 14:22) we need a theology of joy Testing is normal for Christians 1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you... Joy is tied to suffering for the name of Christ Acts 5:41 after the apostles in Jerusalem were flogged they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. Joy is tied to understanding the value of the eternal over the temporal Hebrews 10:34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. The nature of testing is that it purges the church 1 Peter 4:17 it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God non-believers don t hang around a suffering church! testing brings us to trust in God 1 Peter 4:19 Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. Our rejoicing is in the Lord not our circumstances Philippians 3:1; 4:4, 10 1

2 It is tied to eschatological hope 1 Peter 1:5-6 we greatly rejoice (1 Peter 1:6) because we are 1 Peter 1:5 protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 4:13, 14 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Final joy is seen in Matthew 5:21-23 in the faithful servant receiving the ultimate well done from the Lord and told to enter into the joy of your master. B. Wisdom for trials (James 1:5 8) This is not a command to pray without doubting James 1:5-6 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. people often quote James 1:6 without reference to James 1:5 and the larger context we are to pray and ask God for wisdom in the context of trials C. The rich and poor in trials (James 1:9 11) James 1:9-10 But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. trials make all Christians equally dependent on God D. Blessing in trials (James 1:12) James 1:12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. E. Temptation in trials (James 1:13 18) In an effort to distinguish our own sinful temptations from testing that produces endurance, James outlines the process of temptation that leads to sin: Temptation by itself is not sin Jesus was tempted in the wilderness temptation can be a testing that we overcome that builds our faith Temptation does not come from God James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God ; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. Temptation is individualized James 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. anything that we desire to acquire or enjoy strictly for fleshy pleasure Sin is the result of a process, not just an individual act James 1:15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Every good thing comes from God James 1:17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. III. PROVING YOUR FAITH (James 1:19 27) A. Hearers of the word (James 1:19 21) James 1:19-20 the antidote for dealing with temptation and trials This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. B. Doers of the word (James 1:22 25) James 1:22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. those who hear the word but don t do it will not see the eternal context of their testing and will be subject to temptation 2

3 Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. C. Undefiled religion (James 1:26 27) James 1:26-27 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. those who don t walk the talk are practicing external religion the Christian walk is not external obedience it is private devotion that results in acts of kindness orphans and widows is reminiscent of their frequent mention in the Old Testament IV. DON T PLAY FAVORITES (James 2:1 13) A. The rich and the poor (James 2:1 7) James 2:1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. there is no place in the church for favored position no endowed chairs in the front no reserved parking for pastors no plaques mentioning big givers James 2:2-4 the man with the gold ring and the poor man in dirty clothes are to be treated the same The church is not to reflect the values of the world James 2:5-6 did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? B. The law of love (James 2:8 11) James 2:8-9 the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. Failure to treat the rich and the poor equally is deemed a violation of the law James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. C. The law of liberty (James 2:12 13) James 2:12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. also seen in James 1:25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. refers to freedom from the binding duties of Old Testament law so what is our relationship to the law? Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; Romans 7:11 for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. Galatians 3:24-25 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. Psalm 19:7-10 the law is good! The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. V. FAITH AND WORKS (James 2:14 26) A. Faith without works is dead (James 2:14 17) 3

4 Luther didn t like James thought it taught against faith not true they are complimentary James 2:14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? James 2:15-16 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and be filled, and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? The issue is Lordship Scripture does not indicate you accept Jesus as Savior and then later on in life make Him your Lord. B. Faith responds with works (James 2:18 20) The balance between faith and works is seen in James 2:18 You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works. they are two sides of the same coin works do not save, but saving faith is seen through works Ephesians 2:8, 9 is followed by Ephesians 2:10 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. C. Examples of Abraham and Rahab (James 2:21 26) Abraham and Rahab are given as examples of works that proceeded from faith James 2:23 seems to counter the doctrine of sola fide (salvation by faith alone) You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. but it is conditioned by James 2:22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; The analogy of Scripture holds here you don t build a doctrine out of one verse that is contradicted by other Scripture Romans 1-7 and Galatians teach sola fide James doesn t overturn it he complements it James 2:26 faith without works is dead. VI. STUMBLING INTO SECRET SINS (James 3:1 5:6) Most focus on big sins murder, stealing, rape think they are OK but James focuses on secret sins which are more subtle seldom seen Jesus also spoke of these kinds of sin in Matthew 15:17-20 Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man. A. Taming the tongue (James 3:1 12) The tongue is the main issue here James 3:1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. conditioned by James 3:2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. James 3:3-4 horses and ships are guided by very small parts the bit and the rudder same with the tongue James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. James 3:8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:30 failure to do this grieves the Holy Spirit Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Proverbs: 4

5 Proverbs 11:9 With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. Proverbs 11:11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down. Proverbs 12:18 There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. B. Selfish ambition (James 3:13 18) James 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. Earthly and godly wisdom contrasted: Earthly wisdom James 3:15-16 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. Heavenly wisdom James 3:17-18 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. C. Friendship with the world (James 4:1 12) Profound question James 4:1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? in this sense we are just like the world James 4:2-3 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. if our lusts are not curbed through sanctification we will act just like anyone else because we are still in the flesh James 4:4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James uses similar language to Old Testament to characterize the sins of God s people when we depart from God s law we commit spiritual adultery by giving our love to the evil one you can t walk on both sides of the street The key to spiritual warfare James 4:7-8 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Submit implies knowing His Word begin following everything you know Attitudes Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Character traits 2 Peter 1:5-8 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 2:11 if you do these things you will never stumble. D. Arrogant boasting (James 4:13 17) James 4:13-14 Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit. Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. some people love to hear themselves talk beware of one who makes extravagant boasts TV is filled with religious snake-oil salesmen! 5

6 James 4:15-16 Instead, you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that. But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. E. The misery of riches (James 5:1 6) Stinging indictment of the rich James 5:1-3 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! evidently there were some wealthy Jews who had attached themselves to the church and were misusing their riches they claimed to follow God, but their real God was their money! James 5:4-6 they withheld the wages for their workers lived lives of wanton pleasure self-indulgent money was spent only on themselves they satisfied their every whim! Instructions for the rich 1 Timothy 6:17-19 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. VII. EXHORTATIONS TO FAITHFULNESS (James 5:7-20) After warning against secret sins which can pollute the church, James exhorts his followers to be faithful in three ways A. Patience in suffering (James 5:7 12) Warnings like this and those in 1 Peter preceded great Roman persecution that would continue for over 200 years this was critical for the young church James 5:7-8 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. early rains in the fall softened the ground prepared it for planting Spring rains watered the young crops they were exhorted to wait for the coming of the Lord which they must have felt was very near James 5:9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. picture of a judge waiting to enter the courtroom we might change our actions if we realized Jesus return was imminent B. The prayer of faith (James 5:13 18) The instruction to pray for one another in James 5:16 is set in the context of a critical passage for pastoral care beginning in James 5:13. The basic theme of this passage is suffering. James offers a simple, yet profound, four letter word which serves as the umbrella under which his advice on suffering falls. The word is pray. It is used in each verse in this passage and is the thread that ties the verses together. It is left out of almost every discussion of skills training for lay counselors but has been placed at the top of the list here because of its importance. The first instruction given to the one who is suffering is to pray himself. Three times in James 5:13-14 James puts the responsibility for the initial action on the one who is suffering. When he suffers, Let him pray. When he is cheerful, Let him sing praises. When he is sick, Let him call for the elders. But who does this point to? Generally, it is those who suffer in James 5:13, and specifically it is those who are sick in James 5:14. Clarification of the more specific word sick is helpful at this point. The word astheneia means 6

7 weakness, sickness, disease, timidity. 1 It is used in the New Testament of physical sickness in Matthew 10:8, of Paul's weakened fleshly condition in 2 Corinthians 10:10, of a weak conscience in 1 Corinthians 8:7, and of economic weakness in Acts 20:35. This provides a wider spectrum of people who need to pray. The spiritual vitality of the church cannot be enhanced unless these people are seeking prayer in the biblical pattern, and the biblical pattern is not to be turning to professional counselors or even physicians at the first sign of suffering. The elders are to be the second line of defense against spiritual and physical problems, giving spiritual guidance and prayer just like the leaders gathered by Moses at the request of Jethro in Exodus 18. Once the elders have been called upon, the first thing they are to do is to pray. This reminds us of the goal of the apostles in Acts 6 who determined not to be bogged down in the noble, yet secondary, goal of distributing food so that they could devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. But in doing this we must distinguish between physical and spiritual issues. James 5:15 seems to refer to the physical by stating that the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick... Does this mean all who are prayed for in faith will be healed? If we study the rest of Scripture we will find this is not true. Jesus prayed in Matthew 26:39, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt. The prayer of faith of James 5:15 must be seen as praying according to God's will, which does not necessarily mean the person will be healed in physical terms. This does not negate the fact that God has already done all that needs to be done to assure spiritual healing. While physical health is not a given, the possibility of spiritual health is. 2 Peter 1:3 says that He has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness. Prayer that lays claim to our position in Christ and deals with the issues of bitterness, anger, forgiveness, etc., will bring us back into fellowship with our heavenly Father and restore spiritual vitality. That is why we can t fall prey to people who are operating on the assumption that God wants them physically well. Often people cling to this idea which is not only unbiblical (note the lives of Job, Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:12, and even Jesus Himself in Matthew 26:39), but is a reason many lose their confidence in God because they think God didn t answer their prayer. We can t presume that God wants to heal anyone. But we pray for healing in His name in accordance with His will. Another interesting sidelight to the meaning of astheneia is that this broadens our focus beyond just praying for someone who is physically sick. We can also fulfill the intention of this verse by praying for those who are weak in any sense, physically, spiritually, financially, or relationally. This means that people who are receiving counseling would also be prime candidates to request prayer from the elders. To further understand this passage, the phrase anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord must be examined. This phrase is often seen in one of two ways. First, it is seen by some in a sacramental way, indicating a divine mantle of blessing placed on one by God and mediated by man. Alford comments that the anointing with oil coupled with the name of the Lord shows that the anointing was not a mere human medium of cure, but had a sacramental character. 2 Others see the anointing with oil as a symbol of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Unger states, Oil was a fitting symbol of the Spirit, or spiritual principle of life, by virtue of its power to sustain and fortify the vital energy; and the anointing oil, which was prepared according to divine instruction, was 3: Brown, ed. The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1986), 2 Henry Alford, Alford's Greek Testament: An Exegetical and Critical Commentary, vol. IV, Epistles of St. James, St. Peter, St. John, and St. Jude, and the Revelation (repr., 1857, Grand Rapids: Guardian Press, 1976),

8 therefore a symbol of the Spirit of God, as the principle of spiritual life which proceeds from God and fills the natural being of the creature with the powers of divine life. 3 It seems, however, that it is best understood in a different manner in this passage. James ascribes the anointing with oil here as a duty of the elders, which, if properly understood, would be better applied by medical personnel today. That's because the anointing with oil described here was a rubbing of the body of the sick person with oil for medicinal purposes. 4 This was often done by the elders since there weren't many doctors around. The root word for anointing is aleipho and was used in the New Testament as the literal, nonreligious word for the physical application of cosmetic or medicinal oil. The religious sense of anointing was depicted exclusively by the word chrio, from which the word Christ, (the anointed one ), comes from. 5 In turn, Luke 4:18 and Acts 10:38 use the same word to describe the anointing of Christ with the Holy Spirit and with power for His earthly ministry. This indicates that the elder's primary responsibility is to pray for the person, while today the medicinal needs are more easily met by someone else. The primary goal of all who minister to the astheneia is to pray for them. This pattern of praying for our people keeps them always on our minds and hearts as we shepherd the sheep God has given us. By far the most important thing we can do as leaders is to pray specifically for the needs of our people. C. Watching for strays (James 5:19 20) James 5:19-20 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. greatly ignored today the church has a duty to notice those who are straying and contend for their souls: Galatians 6:1-2 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. Matthew 18:15-17 and 1 Corinthians 5 teach the responsibilities of church discipline to reclaim those who sin and fall away 3 Merrill F. Unger, ed., Unger's Bible Dictionary, 3d ed., (Chicago: Moody Press, 1966), Spiros Zodhiates, The Behavior of Belief (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdman's Publishing Co., 1959), Ibid.,