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.