Works or no works? James 2:14-18

James

Lessons for Life

James little letter is a great one to help us as we try to live our lives as Christians. Many people will ask, “Now that I am a Christian, how do I go about living my life?” James answers many of those questions by giving us guidance on how to live out that faith that we have been given. It is for that reason that this series of studies is entitled “Lessons for Life.”

Come along and join us as we learn some of these lessons. Do you have questions? Do you have comments? Be sure to post them so that we can discuss them. This is by no means the end to all the questions that we have in our lives of faith.

James 2:14 “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15: If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16: and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17: So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

1.      Who is James writing to in this letter? What difference does this make in how we interpret his writing?

2.      Social ministry is considered to be taking care of the needs of those less fortunate while also sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Examples: homeless shelters, food pantries, etc.) How does what James writes help us to understand how to go about social ministry?

3.      James tells us in vs. 17, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” How would you apply this in to your daily life? What does this help you understand about your walk of faith in Christ Jesus?

James 2:18 “But someone wills say, ‘I have faith and I have works. Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

4.      This really gets to what James is saying to the Christian. What is he saying to the Christian here? What is he saying to you?

1A. James is writing to fellow Christians. He says, “My brothers.” These are people who have already been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This is important to understand because of what he is about to write. If you understand that he is writing to Christians, then you can avoid the false teaching of works righteousness. If you feel that he is writing to non-Christians, then you will begin to think that one must do works in order to be saved. James is firmly teaching the proper distinction between justification and sanctification. He wrote, “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.” (James 1:18) We are already made new, brought to life by the Word, living as His sons and daughters. What he is addressing here is our life of sanctification, how we live as children of God.

2A. While we are called to assist in the needs of those less fortunate, we are also called to share the message of the crucified and risen Jesus Christ. All too often, we feel that we are to be content with one or the other. We tell people, “Jesus loves you,” but don’t do anything to help them out in their lives. James tells us, “That is wrong! You haven’t helped them at all.” But at the same time, James would tell us, “If you give them food for the body but no food for the soul, what good have you done?” Jesus would say to us, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36) James would have us do both – take care of the body and the soul.

3A. This is really a personal question. For too many Christians, they feel that it is enough to believe in Jesus Christ. They don’t have to live the faith. What I mean, is that they do not feel that their faith actually affects the way they go through their daily life. Their faith in Christ is compartmentalized into one little section of their lives. It is only used when necessary.

4A. Faith is a matter of the heart. Paul writes, “With the heart one believes and is justified…” (Romans 10:10a) We cannot see into the heart. Only the Lord sees the heart of the person and knows that he/she is a Christian. For us, the way that we show our faith is not by what we say, which is easy, but by what we do. This is seen also in Matthew 25 with the judgment between the sheep and the goats. Works is brought forward not to show that one is justified by works by to show that faith shows itself in works. When I did prison ministry, we would often use the phrase, “Anyone can talk the talk. The Christian walks the walk.” This is to say that a person can say they believe but it is really shown by how the person lives. This is not to say that a Christian is perfect. Paul talks about the two natures of the Christian, saint and sinner, in Romans. We are saints in Christ through the righteousness of Christ. We are sinners through our continued sinful actions. The sinful actions do not invalidate our faith in Christ. That is why we continually return to the waters of our Baptism.

            Here, James is telling us to live the faith we profess. How? By what we do. Our works show the faith that resides in our hearts. The life of sanctification, live of faith, is shown each day by what we do, our works. 

James 2:1-13

James

Lessons for Life

James little letter is a great one to help us as we try to live our lives as Christians. Many people will ask, “Now that I am a Christian, how do I go about living my life?” James answers many of those questions by giving us guidance on how to live out that faith that we have been given. It is for that reason that this series of studies is entitled “Lessons for Life.”

Come along and join us as we learn some of these lessons. Do you have questions? Do you have comments? Be sure to post them so that we can discuss them. This is by no means the end to all the questions that we have in our lives of faith.

James 2:1 “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3. and if you pay attention to the one who wears fine clothing and say, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ while you say to the poor man, ‘You stand over there,’ or ‘Sit down at my feet,’ 4. have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

1.      As you read these words, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? How did you take these words and place them into your context of life

2.      Take these words and place them in our world today. Who are some people that get treated better than others? Have you been on the receiving end of being treated better than others? What about on the receiving end of being treated poorly because of who you are or the situation you find yourself in your life?

3.      What evil thoughts do you have against the poor? The rich? The physically handicapped? The good looking? Those of different “class” than you?

James 2:5 “Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?”

4.      Who are the “poor in the world”? How do you read this verse?

5.      What does it mean to be “rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom”?

James 2:6 “But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7. Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?”

6.      Is this true today like it was in James day? How could this be said for today?

James 2:8 “If you really fulfill the royal low according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well. 9. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.10. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11. For he who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.”

7.      Can you fulfill the law of “love your neighbor as yourself”? How is it possible?

8.      As James talks about the acts against the Commandments, why do you think that he picks these two, the 6^th and then the 5^th?

James 2:12 “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

9.      Now we get to where James is taking us. How are we to act towards others? What is to guide our thoughts and actions?

10.  What is James telling us in verse 13?

1A. The answers will vary as much with each one who is doing this study. I would say that it could be applied in any situation: rich/poor, well known/unknown, liked/unliked, good looking/not good looking, etc. The situation of today could challenge us to think more deeply about the way we treat others. Remember, that James is talking to each of us as Christians as challenging us to live out our faith in very practical ways.

2A. Perhaps our society has turned things around today. The poor is welcomed in while the rich are looked down upon. We will bend over backwards for the school in the poor neighborhood but will grumbled about what goes on in the school in rich neighborhood. We will treat the person with physical problems with better care than the person who appears to have no physical ailments. I am not saying that it is wrong to do some of the things we do, but examine why and how we do them. Today, the “rich” are seen as the evil ones. We attack them at every turn. But then we want them around to pay for the things we do. We see the poor on the street and we help them, but why? Is it because they need help? Or is it to make yourself feel better about all the “wealth” that you have? “See God, I have done good things for this poor person. You must think of me as a good person now.” That is not what James is talking about. But I digress.

3A. We all have feelings. What we do with those feelings is what James is talking about. If I treat someone better just because of their situation in life, I am making distinctions. I need to learn to treat all people the same, no matter who they are or what their situation in life.

4A. The “poor in the world” is taking us into the spiritual part of our lives. Each one of us in “poor in the world.” We are lost in our sinfulness. We have nothing to offer to God or to anyone else. All we can give is sinfulness, rottenness, filth and shame. We cannot make another person spiritually wealthy. We have not given ourselves spiritual wealth.

5A. Rich in faith is to be in that relationship with Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. It is to admit that I am a poor, sinful being. I am a beggar who comes to God with nothing in my hands. In fact, I do not even come to God. I look at Him and say, “He is one of THOSE. He has it all and I have nothing. I want nothing to do with Him.” Like a person living on the street, I look at those who pass by with disdain because they have and I do not. I grumble about them. I would spit upon them if I didn’t think that I could get something from them. As they look down on me, I look down on them. They are the bad people. Me and my fellow people of the streets are the good ones. In our wretchedness, we band together against the rest of the people who “have” what we don’t have. And we don’t want what they have. We only want to use them to get something. That is how we approach God. Go to Him? In our sinfulness we will never approach Him in humbleness and truth. We will try to use God to get what we want. And when we don’t, we will spit upon Him. We will use His name wretchedly. Poor in spirit, we are sinners who want nothing to do with God.

            To be “rich in faith” is to be brought into that relationship through the power of the Holy Spirit, working in Word and Sacrament. We are taken from the streets of sin, washed clean in the waters of Baptism, given the clothes of righteousness of Jesus Christ, given the life in our Savior, made a child of God, and an heir of heaven. We are heirs of the kingdom not by our right but by the love of God shown in Jesus Christ. We have nothing to brag about. When we boast, we boast only in the cross of Christ, not in our own worthiness. As we see this, it helps us to realize that we are not to show favoritism to anyone – rich or poor, good looking or not good looking, physically whole or physically challenged.

6A. In today’s world, the lines are not so clearly drawn. In a world of social media, the “poor” are often doing their best to show that the “rich” are the bad people. This leads to certain groups of people being demonized just because of who they are. This happens when the police are demonized because of the actions of one or two bad ones. Rage and anger are taken out on others just because of the perceived injustices of the world because of what is seen as the “right” of one over the right of the other. Where James is taking us is where we need to be in our world today. We attack others for no reason other than we don’t like them, we think they have what we deserve, or we just don’t like them because of where they live, their skin color, their social status.

7A. We think we can fulfill that law. But so often we do not love others as we wish to be loved. We draw lines in the sand and if someone is on the other side of the line, we feel justified in not loving that person. Yet we must realize that we were on the other side of the line in our relationship with God. The answer to the question is actually: No, I cannot fulfill this law of loving others as I love myself. Only in Christ is this possible. Only as He lives in me. Only as the Holy Spirit guides me.

8A. Many feel that they keep the 6^th commandment. After all, I have not slept with another person other than my spouse. I do not go out and have affairs. I am faithful in my life. That means I am a good person. (I will not go into the way that Jesus shows us that we fail even in this commandment.) Then James takes us to the 5^th commandment. I think that he must have the words of Jesus in mind, “You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother is liable to judgment.” (Matthew 5:22) While I might not pull the trigger to kill another person, if I am angry with another, I am just as guilty against the Law. James is wanting us to see that it is not our actions that saves. We are wretched without Christ. As one who was wretched but now a child of God, I should not show favoritism towards others. They too are ones who need to the love of Christ, shown in how I treat them.

9A. We are to show ourselves as ones who are loved by God, washed clean in the blood of Christ and robed in His righteousness in Baptism. When we look on others, we are not to be their judges but their brothers/sisters in Christ. We are not under the Law but the Gospel. We are to treat others in the same way.

10A. Mercy triumphs over judgment. This is Gospel over Law. While the Law condemns and damns, the Gospel cleanses and saves. That is how we are treated by God in Christ as brothers and sisters in Christ. That is how we are to treat others. Favoritism? It is gone in Christ. If we are showing favoritism, then we are not living in the Gospel but the Law. And as such, we stand condemned for our lives are not perfect but sinful. Having been taken from the streets of wretched sinfulness, washed clean and clothed in Christ, living in the love of God, that is how we are to treat others.

"Be Ready," A Study on Preparation

This past week was one that was especially difficult for many people because of the pain and loss brought on by the sudden death of loved ones. I am taking this week to address the issue of "being ready" for the Lord's call. Death never announces when it will come. It can come suddenly, at any moment. It can come after a long, drawn out illness. Even with an illness, we never know when death shall take hold. Many a family has sat at the bedside of a loved one for days, weeks and even months, knowing the end shall come but not knowing when it will happen. We think it will be today and it isn't. We think this breath will be the last but it is followed by another. Yet at the same time, there is the person who is in the middle of every day actions who dies suddenly in an accident, from a heart attack or from some unknown event that takes their life. So what do we do?

We turn our attention to what we do as we live each day.

Mark 13:32 But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

1. Jesus is here talking about the return of the Son of Man on the Last Day. We do not know when that will take place. At the same time, we can apply this to the day of death. We do not know when that day will take place. What concerns do this raise for you? Why does not knowing cause you such concern?




Mark 13:33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore stay awake - for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning - 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.


2. When you read this section, what do you think about? Do you think about the Last Day? Or do you think about the moment when each one of us will die?





3. What does it mean to "be on guard" or "keep awake"?





4. We are talking about living in the faith each day. What do you find the hardest thing about living in that faith?




1 Corinthians 16:13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

5. Here Paul is giving guidance to us as to how we should go about our lives. What does Paul say that we should stand firm in? Why does he not just say "stand firm"?




Philippians 1:27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.

Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

6. Notice what Paul is saying to do: stand firm in the gospel, in the Lord, in the One that saves. He says to live the life of the Christian but that is not what saves us. Only faith saves. Now, here is where it gets to be a challenge. If you die while at work, will you be saved? If you die in a car accident, will you be saved? If you die at home, sleeping, will you be saved? If you die while you are doing something wrong, will you be saved? If you die from having drunk to much or misused a drug, will you be saved? If you die while eating, will you be saved?





7. Having said all this, the question remains, "How are you ready for that moment?" How do you answer that question?




Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, this means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall chose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two.

8. I bring this to you as we close as a way of showing the challenge of the Christian life. We live in the tension between the "here and now" and the "there and then." We live here and now in faith. We live each day, doing the daily things: work, play, mundane things, wonderful and unusual things. As we do those, we live in faith. Yet, we know that at any moment, death can come. The call from the Lord may happen. We are ready as we live in Christ each day.


9. Are you ready? If you were to die today, are you ready?





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1A. This is a very personal issue. One person is greatly concerned over the fact that they don't know when the end will come. Another finds it great comfort in not knowing. There is no right or wrong with this issue. Often we are most concerned about this because we are not in control. We like to be in control of what happens to our lives. When things are out of our control, when we cannot plan for what is going to happen, that causes us to become upset. Control - we want it and yet, when it comes to the moment of death, we have no real control.

2A. Jesus is not just talking about the day when He will come again on the clouds, with the trumpet call, with the voice of the archangel. He is also talking to us about being ready for the day when the call comes to each one personally, the day when we face death. We don't like to talk about death. It scares us. It overwhelms us. It is the most "unknown" of all things. We cannot control it or predict it. Here, Jesus is talking to us about both the Last Day and our last day (when we die).

3A. "To be on guard" and "keep awake" or meaning the same thing. What Jesus is saying to us is that in all that we do, we are to remain in faith. To "remain in faith" means that your faith in Jesus Christ is a part of who you are each day. It does NOT mean that you need to be in church all the time nor does it mean that you need to be reading the Bible all the time. It means that the faith implanted in your through the waters of Baptism, nourished through Word and Sacrament, is in your heart and guides your life.

4A. Often times, the hardest thing about living in the faith is that we try to prove that we are Christian. We make the "being ready" about how good we act or what sinful things we avoid. At that moment, what we are doing is placing the burden on our actions. The problem with that is that our actions are never good enough. We can never be sure that we have done enough good or avoided enough sin to be ready. At that moment, we are making our salvation based upon our works or to put it another way, based upon the Law. The issue with that is that the Law never saves. It only condemns. We are not ready by doing good or avoiding evil. We are ready ONLY as we are in the grace and mercy of God, living in the Gospel based entirely upon our Savior Jesus Christ, His life, death and resurrection. "Being ready" is not a work that we do, but that which the Holy Spirit does with in us.

5A. We stand firm in the faith. This means that we stand in Christ, not in ourselves. It is only faith in Jesus Christ that saves, not the actions which we do as Christians. Yes, those actions are important to do. (as James points out in James 2:18  But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from works, and I will show you my faith by my works. We will get to this later as we continue our study of James.) We stand in Christ. We rely upon Christ. We trust in Christ. We believe in Christ. It is all about Christ, the salvation He brings to us. We stand firm in Christ, in faith not in ourselves.

6A. The answer to this is not found in that which you are doing - be it good or bad. The answer is found in the question, "Do you believe in Jesus as your Savior?" Only faith in Christ saves, not the actions we are doing at the moment of death. "Being ready" means that we are living in faith in all that we do, period. Faith in Christ saves. 

7A. I am ready through faith in Jesus Christ. I do not make faith a work. It is a gift given to me by the Holy Spirit. Each day I believe in Jesus. Through faith in Christ I am ready for the moment of my death. 

9A. In this question, I am not asking if you want to die right now. I am asking if you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Through faith in Christ, empowered by the Spirit, you are ready.

Lessons for Life from James 1:19-27 Doer or Hearer?

James

Lessons for Life

James little letter is a great one to help us as we try to live our lives as Christians. Many people will ask, “Now that I am a Christian, how do I go about living my life?” James answers many of those questions by giving us guidance on how to live out that faith that we have been given. It is for that reason that this series of studies is entitled “Lessons for Life.”

Come along and join us as we learn some of these lessons. Do you have questions? Do you have comments? Be sure to post them so that we can discuss them. This is by no means the end to all the questions that we have in our lives of faith.

James 1:19 “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

1.      James is address you as a Christian (beloved brother). He gives 3 things that a Christian is called upon to do here. What are those three things?

a.        

b.       

c.        

2.      In those three things, which do you find easier to do? Which is most difficult? Why do you think that is?

3.      In Romans 7, Paul talks about how we live our lives as Christians. Romans 7:15  For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Why do you think Paul says this? Do you think that it applies to you and the way you live your life?

4.      “Put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness…” What filthiness do you have in your life that you need to put away? What wickedness do you think he is talking about? How might be a part of your life?

5.      What is the “implanted word” that James writes about in vs. 21? How does it become implanted in you?

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

6.      James gets personal here. Have you ever found that your life is just like this: you hear the Word of God, know how He wants you to live, but you go about not doing it? Where do you have the greatest struggle in being a “doer” and not just a “hearer” of the Word?

7.      Being blessed in our lives comes not because we deserve it, but because of the new life that Christ gives to us through the Word. What blessings do you find yourself receiving because you live in the Word, being a “doer” of the Word?

James 1:26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

8.      James like to make the connection between faith and action. Here he connects the “unbridled tongue” and faith-filled religion. How do you see this connection? How do you put the two together?

9.      James uses orphans and widows here because they are ones that are in great need. He is encouraging the reader to consider his/her heart and faith in conjunction with the actions of life. Do they match? Do yours?

1A. We are to be 1) quick to hear, 2) slow to speak, and 3) slow to anger.

2A. The answer to this is something you must struggle with in your life.  Each of them is difficult. Listening to others is a challenge. We go through workshops and classes that teach us how to be an “active listener.” Imagine that! We have to be taught to listen. Too often, we open our mouths and begin talking even before we know what the situation is or what is going on. Anger? In today’s world, anger runs rampant. Look at the news. When did you ever hear about a fight breaking out in an airport because flights are cancelled? How often do you hear about “road rage”? Quick to become angry. Why? SIN. Our fallen nature makes it easier to do that which is wrong rather than that which is right.

3A. Remember, he is not writing to unbelievers but to believers. He is not writing about himself before he became a Christian, but after he became a Christian.

4A. When James writes about “filthiness and wickedness,” he is talking about immoral actions and lifestyles. The Christian in today’s world is challenged to be morally pure in an immoral world. Living together outside of marriage, accepted by society, stands in opposition to the will of God for the life of a man and a woman. Gender identity issues which is not only accepted in society today but is also encouraged and supported, stand opposed to the sexual identity which God has bestowed upon each person. The Christian is challenged by this each day as he/she tries to live as Christ wants them to live. Not only is he/she challenged by society, he/she is challenged by his/her own sinful nature. Paul writes, “For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” Romans 7:18b

5A. The implanted word is that which comes to us form outside of ourselves, most notably the Word of God. It isn’t that we plant that into ourselves but it is implanted in us by the Holy Spirit. Here we can look at the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-9, 14-20) Jesus says, “The sower sows the word…” As the seed does not sow itself, so the Word do not sow itself but the Holy Spirit sows it as we read, mark, learn and take the Word to heart within our lives. That Word is implanted in us and then grows in our lives as it is nourished regularly.

6A. I think about the mirror analogy that James uses. I get dressed in the morning. I know what I put on but then I don’t think about it. Later in the day, I see my reflection in the mirror and I am like “Wow. I forgot I had that on.” Is that how I live my Christian life? Do I hear the Word of God, have it “implanted” in my heart and life, and then go through the day not “doing” that Word? How many times do I let society, friends, or myself lead to me live another way than that which the Word says? Am I a “doer” or a “hearer.” James is challenging the Christian to be a doer in their lives. Today, I get the feeling that we would prefer to remain “hearers” more than “doers” because it is just easier to live our lives.

7A. Here again, the answer is something that you must look for in your life. It is different for each of us as we live out our lives in Christ.

8A. The unbridled tongue is like a horse given its head and allowed to run without any guidance at all. It would be difficult at best and impossible at worst to ride that horse. So a religion that does not show itself in action, James would say is not a living religion. He will revisit this issue again in the next chapter.

9A. Faith and life are to mesh. Here is an opportunity to take a good look at how you are living your life of faith. James will keep doing that to you. These “lessons for life” are often very challenging. 

Lessons for Life from James 1:9-12

James

Lessons for Life

James little letter is a great one to help us as we try to live our lives as Christians. Many people will ask, “Now that I am a Christian, how do I go about living my life?” James answers many of those questions by giving us guidance on how to live out that faith that we have been given. It is for that reason that this series of studies is entitled “Lessons for Life.”

Come along and join us as we learn some of these lessons. Do you have questions? Do you have comments? Be sure to post them so that we can discuss them. This is by no means the end to all the questions that we have in our lives of faith.

James 1:9 “Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10. and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

1. The lowly are in a high position and the high are in a lowly position. Sound really crazy until you put that with the words of Jesus in Luke 6:20-22.  When you read this, what do you think James is trying to say?

2. How does that challenge you in the way that you live your life?  What do you boast about in your life? Do you let the things or actions of your life guide you, exalt you?

3. What is the challenge that “poor” people have in their lives? What is the challenge that “rich” people have in their lives?

James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

4.      Here I would ask you to turn to Psalm 1. There we read: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” What does it mean to be “blessed”?

5.      What does it mean to stand the “test”? What is James pointing out to the Christian?

6.      Will the life of the Christian be an “easy” life? What “trials” do you face as you go through each day? Are those unique to you? What are some that are the same for all believers? What are some that would be unique for different people?

1A. James seems to be talking about the same thing that Jesus spoke of in Luke. There Jesus points out that it isn’t the things of this world that makes us before the Father in heaven. It is the faith that we have in Jesus Christ that places us in a position of honor before the Father. This is not the same as the “honor” that we see here on earth. That honor is as the grass of the field, it is here today and gone tomorrow. The heat of this life (the sun beating down) causes such honor to wither and fade. The only true honor is that which is found in humbling oneself before the Lord Jesus Christ.

2A. Here it is personal. At times I can boast about being a pastor, and yet when I do that, I find that the focus is no longer on my Lord Jesus Christ. All that I do, all that I say, is to point others to my Lord and not to me. Like John the Baptist, I say, “I must decrease so that He can increase.” I need to stand out of the way of the message of the Gospel.

3A. There are times when the “poor” wear it as a badge of honor. They point to it and say to the Christian, “You HAVE to help me because I am poor. God says so.” In doing so, the focus is upon the self and not upon the message, the life in Christ or the Savior Himself. At other times, the rich get caught up in their riches and lose sight of their Savior because they have all that they need in this life. Both poor and rich are challenged by their position in life. Which is better? Neither. The best position is the one that lives in Christ Jesus and not in self (rich or poor).

4A. To be “blessed” can mean a variety of things within different contexts. As James is writing, he is making the connection with being “content, serene and confident that God is in control of the world.”  This is a blessing that comes to the believer through faith in Jesus Christ. The next words of the verse show that it is a challenge to live in that way in a fallen, sinful world.

5A. “Test” means that your faith is refined as gold in fire. Faith is challenged at each turn. It is challenged by the devil tempting you in a variety of ways. It is also tested when the world around you brings those temptations and challenges to your faith. But probably one of the most challenging tests comes from your sinful nature which tries to find ways around the life of Christ. The Christian struggles with temptation in his life. He might point out that pornography is wrong for people, that it degrades both men and women and destroys the gift of sexuality that God has given to men and women. Then he opens his copy of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. The woman might say how wrong it is for women to get involved in an adulterous affair and then open the romance novel in order to immerse herself in that which she is missing in her marriage. The sinful self tests each of us at just about any turn.

James is bringing forward that which John the evangelist will write about in the Revelation. There, in that last book of the Bible, the Christian sees what it means to stand the “test” for he/she will find that there are many ways to be challenged and how important it is to stand firm. John will write: “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Revelation 2:10

6A. Here this is quite up to you to figure out an answer. What I face might not be what you face. As a man, you and I will face some similar challenges. As a man, I will not face the same challenges that you will face as a woman. As a father, I will face some of the same challenges that others fathers face but not what mothers face. You can apply this into all the difference vocations that we have in our lives.

No Bible Study this week

Good  afternoon to all. I do not know how many of you are waiting the publication of the next study on James. Because of the Holy Week and Easter schedules, I have been unable to get a study completed at this time. I will be working to complete this as soon as I can.
Thank you for your understanding.
Pastor Schuessler

James 1:1-8

Two weeks ago, we looked at a section of Scripture from James 3. As I thought about it, I realized how powerful that little book could be for the life of the Christian. So what we are going to do over the next few studies is go a little deeper into James. Today, we open the book. Get out your Bible app open on your iPad, your iPhone or your hard copy of the Bible,

James

The little book was written very early in the history of the Christian Church. It is commonly thought that this book was written in the early AD 40s. The only other book written early than this one is probably Galatians. Think about this time frame. Jesus ascended into heaven around AD 30. This means that we are talking less than 20 years after the ascension and then 10 days later, Pentecost. Here are some reasons why it is thought that this letter was written so early.

1)      In this book, most of the references to the church make it sound as though the Christians were still Jewish. This means that it could written before the time of the great conversion of the Gentiles in to the Christian Church. The Gentiles haven’t made inroads into the Church, which brought about various controversies in the Church (i.e. circumcision and the eating of meat with blood in it, which was resolved with the Council in Jerusalem in AD 49 – Acts 15.)

2)      There was a simple church order which has not been complicated by time and the needs of running a larger Church.

3)      The term “synagogue” was still used to talk about the place where Christians gathered to worship. (James 2:2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly [synagogue], and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in…) This changes as more and more Gentiles join the Church and the term changes.

After that brief introduction, we will enter into our study of this little letter which is called “James.”

James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.

Who is the author of this book? _____________________________.

While that sounds like a rather simple question, we come to realize that it entirely possible for us to come up with several different “James” who “might have” written this letter.

1)      James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John. Acts 12:1-2 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword.

What happened to this James? __________________________ This took place around AD 41 which is much too early for him to be the author this epistle.

2)      James, the brother of Jesus. The most common thought is that this is who wrote this letter. At first, he did not believe that Jesus was the Savior. (John 7:5 For not even his brothers believed in him.) He also thought that Jesus was out of His mind (Mark 3:21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”) But all that changed. We are told that Jesus appeared to James personally. (1 Corinthians 15:7 Then he appeared to James and then to all the apostles.) He became one of the main “pillars” of the early church. (Galatians 2:9 And when James and Cephas and John , who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.), leading the church in the direction that it needed to go. At the Jerusalem Council, it was James who spoke up and guided the Church in the area of how to deal with the issues of the Gentiles. (Acts 15:13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me.”)

So what we are going to do is go with the thought that James, the brother of Jesus, wrote this little letter/book. Now we turn to the next part of what is written.

James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3. For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

            5. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

1.      It is amazing that James could say, “consider it pure joy…when you face trials of various kinds.” What do you think he means by this? (Think of the phrase “no pain, no gain.”)

2.      What does the testing of faith produce? (Paul picks up on this idea when he writes Romans 5:3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4. and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5. and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.) Do you like to undergo the testing of your faith? ____yes ____no. Why or why not?

3.      What is the goal of steadfastness?? What do we become when it is finished with us?

4.      Paul talks about what happens in the middle of such testing that takes place in our lives.

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10. For the sake of Christ, the, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. When we are undergoing this type of testing, what happens to us in our lives? Who do we begin to trust?

5.      We talk about trusting the Lord in our lives. When do you find it difficult to trust in the Lord? What areas of life did you see yourself in control? What areas of life do you see that He is in control?

6.      What does James call the man who doesn’t believe that God will give to him according to what God has promised?

1A. Here is a place where you can think about your own walk of faith and the challenges that you have faced.

2A. It produces “steadfastness.” You can also see this as “patience.” Luke 8:15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. This steadfastness spoken of is that which stands firm in the faith that we are given those moments of testing. The testing is different from tempting. This testing is that which challenges the faith of the Christian, not that which is tempting to lead into sin.

3A. Being “perfect and complete” does not being sinless. It means being “mature” in faith, which is the goal of the walk of faith. When we find that we are “lacking nothing” it does not mean that you will have all the material blessings that you want but that you are not lacking that which is part of the life of faith. We see this as we continue through verses 5-8.

4A. Paul walks us through the building of our faith through testing. Through this testing, we are brought into a closer relationship with our Lord. Such testing is meant to draw us closer to our Lord.

5A. Here are answers according to your life.

6A. God has unlimited love, unlimited promises and unlimited wisdom when it comes to our lives. The “double-minded” person is one who knows these unlimited areas of God and yet doubts that God can actually hold true to His word. When we pray, it is to be a time of celebration, knowing full well that God can and do what He has promised.

James 3:1-12 Taming the Tongue

WATCHING WHAT WE SAY

In our last Bible study we talked about the new life in Christ. Along with that we talked about the old self and the new self, the Old Adam that we struggle with and the new Adam that lives in Christ Jesus each day. Living in Christ each day, there are things that go on that challenge us as Christians. This week, we are going to spend a little time in the epistle of James. I would encourage you to have your app open or your Bible handy. Today we are going to James 3:1-12. James talks about how we talk as Christians. Let’s jump in and see what he has to say to us.

James 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with great strictness. 2. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4. Look at the ships also; though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

            How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6. And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8. But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things should not be so, 11. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12. Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

I printed out the text for you in case you are at your desk or someplace where you don’t have the Bible handy. This was we can refer back to it regularly. I also will try to be shorter this time!

1.      The opening verse talks about teaching the people. Yes, it should be said that our teachers should be careful that they do not teach anything false. It is deadly for the souls of the people. Why is it deadly for the souls of those who head false teaching? Why would James include this in this section on taming the tongue?

2.      We saw last time that it is true that we, as Christians, stumble in many ways. Temptations do come from all directions. We are both saint and sinner at the same time. Here, James is trying to help us focus on one area – how we talk. What does he say about the one who is able to control his tongue? Who is the only One that is able to do that?

3.      What are some of the examples that James uses of small things controlling big things? How does he relate that to how a person talks?

4.      What are some areas in which you find it hard to control your tongue? (These do not need to be posted online as they are personal.)

5.      How does James describe the tongue in verse 6? Do you agree with his assessment? How would you describe the work of the tongue?

6.      James talks about the tongue being “a restless evil.” What do you think about that? What would you say in response (either for or against what he says)?

7.      The tongue is full of “deadly poison.” What does James mean here?

8.      What is James talking about in vs. 10? How do you feel about what he writes?

9.      When it comes to how you talk, what is the area that you have the most challenge? Is it at work, play, with friends? Do you find yourself gossiping about others? Why do you think that you do that?

1A. If the religious teacher is giving false doctrine, false teachings, he would be pointing the person to the wrong place. For example: to say that a person is saved by what he does, would point the person back to himself. It would take his eyes off the cross of Christ, taking the Gospel and making it not a gift but something the person earns. Paul talks about this in Galatians 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. The reason? It has an eternal consequence for the hearer. Anything but the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ leads a person to their damnation.

James includes this here because the teacher needs to watch what he says. Don’t let the tongue get carried away when teaching.

2A. He is a perfect man. There was only one perfect man, Jesus Christ, and He did control His tongue. He spoke the will of the Father, not His own will. He did not lie or tell false teachings to anyone. In Luke 4:32 we read, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. Jesus taught like no one else.

3A. He uses the example of the bit in the horse’s mouth, the rudder guiding the ship and a spark that sets a forest on fire. It is amazing how such a small thing can have such an effect on something so large. James points out how the tongue can do the same thing. In fact, it does do that same thing. We might say, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” But that isn’t the truth. Words, that which comes from the “tongue,” is more hurtful and has a longer lasting effect on a person.

4A. Here, I have no answers. That is for you to figure out yourself.

5A. “Setting on fire, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” These are mighty hard words. Think about times when you were hurt by what was said or when you hurt someone else by what you said. Or think about the problems in an office that are started because of someone’s tongue (gossip).

6A. Once again, I would encourage you to answer this for yourself. You can post what you think in the responses if you feel comfortable.

7A. Like poison, the tongue is able to cause a lot of harm. It only takes a little poison to cause problems in a person’s life, perhaps even to take a person’s life. It only takes a few words to cause a person harm. It only takes a little bit of innuendo to destroy a person’s reputation. 

8A. James is writing to the Christian, the person who believes in Jesus as his/her Savior. He is talking about how a person can at one moment praise the Lord and the next moment talk poorly about someone, gossiping or hurting his/her reputation. This is where non-Christians tend to have problems with Christians. They see the Christian praying or praising God, but then they also hear them cussing, gossiping or saying off-color, nasty things. Blessings and curses from the same mouth. Can salt water flow from a fresh water spring? Can grapes produce figs? Why then do we think that it is all right for us to do both blessings and curses from the same mouth? That is the point James is getting at here.

9A. This is really up to you. You can post your answer or keep it private.