Good morning! It is going to be a great day! The sun is peaking over the trees and beginning to shine brightly! Nice cool breeze with a smell of fall in it! Today is "errand day". Lectionary group followed by stops at several places! Long and tiring day!
Today we begin James. I am looking forward to this. He has several well known pieces of scripture that we use often and his style is different than Paul's. I hope you like it!
Like I mentioned in the introduction, there are a few James' mentioned in the Bible- but James the Just (brother to Jesus) is credited with this piece of literature. He was one of the great leaders of the church in Jerusalem. It would be "interesting" (for lack of other words) to be the brother of Jesus! However, he doesn't mention that in his introduction, he says he is a "servant of God and Christ" (v 1). James addresses this letter to the "twelve tribes in the Dispersion" (v 1). Is it only to the Jewish Christians (as the address would suggest) or is it for all Christians? After the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, there were many Jews that never returned to their native home; this is what James references when he says "the Dispersion"; sometimes the word diaspora is also used to represent those that have dispersed from their native lands.
James begins immediately with "have joy in your trials" (v 2). The people he is addressing have lost their native lands, they are probably facing oppression and injustices- especially from the Gentiles. Do we find joy in our trials? James sees these trials as a way to grow in faith and patience. The trials we face may help us seek wisdom from God (v 5). As we rely on God and God's wisdom, we gain a closer relationship with God and develop our faith. If we seek wisdom and have faith, we are strengthened for the next trial that will come. However, we that lack faith get tossed around like a buoy in the ocean waves (v 6). I like that analogy- I feel like that at times. My faith has more growing to do, and it is those times that I get smashed around when I realize I have more growing to do. James says that those that doubt (are double-minded- literally "two souls" one of earth, one of God) receive nothing from God (vv 7-8). I would argue that point to an extent. I think doubt is good, because then we examine more and work harder to find the answer. I think doubt does bring us closer to God eventually. Thoughts on that?
James mentions the trial of poverty first. This is one of James' themes throughout his letter. He is all for lifting up the poor and lowering the status of the rich. It is appropriate for both poor and rich to rejoice, but James says it is harder for the rich because they feel mightier and better. James reminds them that there riches will mean nothing in eternity and that all will be equal at that point (vv 10-11).
It sounds like one of Jesus' beatitudes next. "Blessed is anyone who endures temptations" (v 12). God does not give us the temptations (v 13), but uses those temptations that we face as trials of our faith. As we learned from the Genesis story with the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil- we have choices to make. We can choose temptation (pick that apple!), but we know the results. The "apples" in our life are really luscious and good tasting, but that is only for the immediate time. Those temptations give rise to continued sin, and that sin results in death (vv 15-16). James reminds us that it is worth facing those temptations and "win" as our steadfastness will be rewarded (v 12). Can we resist those temptations? God's goodness and mercy is in stark contrast to the temptations we face (vv 17-18). God's goodness is constant and never changing. God's goodness and salvation is a gift that is freely given- if we accept it!
Here is one of the often quoted phrases that comes from James, "quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger" (v 19). Definitely sounds like a Jesus thought! Much of our anger and wrath comes from being self-centered rather than other-centered and when we don't listen to what others have to say, we often get on the defensive almost immediately. I have to practice this more! Listen before making a judgement! There are a few people I interact with that I assume they are going to say something negative even before they open their mouth!
Another of James' common quotes is, "be doers of the word not just hearers" (v 22). If you hear and do nothing, then you are deceiving yourself. Think about the question Paul asked the Corinthians with this verse in mind. Paul asked, "Are you a Christian?" Being a doer and a hearer adds to that question! In early Jewish culture, when people heard what their teachers said and then lived by what they said, they were called a disciple of that teacher. Jesus is looking for disciples: doers not just hearers. Are you a disciple of Jesus? We have to take the information we learned and do something about it. Without doing, we are just sitting and waiting for something to happen (vv 23-24). It is as if we look at ourselves in a mirror and then forget what we saw. The information received didn't do any good in that person's life! We are blessed as we do (v 25).
James just explained that real "religion" is being a doer not just a hearer. One way of doing God's word is "bridling your tongue" (v 26). A bridle is a head piece for a horse that is used to control their direction of movement. Bridling your tongue means you are able to control what you say. This goes back to what James say in v 19- "quick to hear, slow to speak"! Another one of my many faults- bridling my tongue! I guess I can learn lots from James! James ends this chapter with another "doer of the word" statement and with a statement about the poor- again: care for the widows and the children (v 27). As I said, this is a major theme for James. Real religion is caring for those that can't.
This was a great beginning and there is so much that speaks to me. I see a sermon series coming from James in the not too distant future!
Have a great day! Get outside work done today- rain tomorrow- again!
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
Joys from your trials...that is a hard one. I can't say that I have gotten not from my trials but I believe I have learned and hopefully grown from them. My book says, if you think you are religious and can't control your tongue you are fooling yourself. I really have to watch myself with this. I really am trying to stop and think before I speak.
ReplyDeleteThe joy is in what you learn from your trials! I certainly didn't have any joy going through things- but it is in the maturation that results from them that you find the joy!
DeleteIt is hard to control our tongue- isn't it?! I am quite guilty of this! "Do as I say, not as I do!" We will get there!
Thanks Cindy!
Oops should say not sure I have gotten joy from my trials.
ReplyDeletevs, 2 reminds me of what Paul said - when he said in Romans that we should rejoice in our tribulations because tribulations bring patience and patience experience and experience hope. I wonder if this is based on a Jewish teaching? I can tell you I definitely do not find joy or rejoice in my suffering. However, nothing brings more happiness in my life then when I move pass that period in my life. Doubt? I guess it depends on what you are doubting. If you are doubting the existence of God, then I think that is never good. However, if you are doubting what God can and will actually do in your life and if that all depends on how you behave as a Christian - then that is a good thing because you read more and try to understand more! But that is more about how strong your faith is. I think you can believe in God but your faith can be weak. I believe my grandchildren can drive, having their permits, but do I have faith in their driving abilities! smile. Can I resist temptation? Ohhh there was a time....but I hope I reached a time in my life when I could move beyond that - BUT the temptation to say something unkind in retaliation to a situation. Not sure I have moved passed that one - although I really try - well, sometimes I do, sometimes words are out of my mouth and at the moment feel really good to say them - but...later....I don't like myself. That is not the person I want to be! I think James means - when he says doers not just hearers - that we are to follow the 10 commandments and other teachings of Jesus - meaning to do what we should and NOT do what we should - be doers of living as a Christian - make sense? Not the difference between good works and belief, in this instance. So we do as we should and don't do as we should. I consider myself a disciple of Jesus. I hope Jesus thinks I am. P.S. I think it interesting that James says that he is a servant of God AND OF Lord Jesus Christ - two people? I wonder if James found it hard to think of the triune God.
ReplyDeleteGood thought- I wonder if it has some basis in Jewish heritage? It is definitely something we could all learn from!
DeleteI have always told my kids- question everything- and then investigate and research...we grow from that, we understand better, we gain wisdom, faith grows.
Temptation is always hard to "control"! And I cannot keep my tongue- you know that!
Be doers means hear what the Jewish/ Christian teachings were and then act on them. Just hearing doesn't make us grow much (if at all).
Hmmm...good catch. re: God and Lord- didn't notice that. I do wonder how his relationship with Jesus was and how he felt?
Thanks Donna!
One of the sidebars in the Bible (NIV) we are using explains the difference between trials and temptations as follows: "A temptation is something that entices a person to do wrong. A trial is a situation in which God provides a person an opportunity to do right. God never tries to trip us up, but he [sic] does allow tough circumstances to build character and maturity." This seems to me to be a very clear and concise explanation of the difference between a trial and a temptation. I will attempt to remember it as I go through life. I, as well as others (from the comments above), have a bad habit of talking first and thinking later. I need to work on that and work hard.
ReplyDeleteAm I a disciple of Jesus? Am I a doer or a hearer? I like to think of myself as a disciple, but if I think of myself as a doer or a hearer, then I must confess that I am a hearer. It is much easier to "hear," but much more difficult to "do" since that requires work. I "do" as I participate in the road clean up and the food pantry (or I did before I moved), but are these the things Jesus wants from us. I do not know. When I ask myself what does Jesus want?, I think of things like spreading the Good News. Is this that much more important than food pantry or is food pantry and spreading the Good News one and the same? Again, I do not know. The church we are attending at this time does not have a food pantry per se, but on Tuesday mornings, several members pack lunches for the homeless, many of whom camp on the church grounds. Rhea goes down there every Tuesday morning and, perhaps, I should go with her. I do not do this so I can pat myself on the back I rave about what a good Christian I am, but I do it as doing God's work. This gives me an inner peace.
Doubts? I have doubts all the time. I expressed one in the previous paragraph. I don't think I have to say any more about the topic than I already said.
Great commentary on trial v temptation. I like the idea of God providing an opportunity for us to do right! I don't believe God is there to trip us up- but God is there to teach us and let us learn when we do trip up!
ReplyDeleteI agree- it is easier to hear and say than to do! I also struggle with that. What does Jesus want? Hard question to think about and know the answer to, isn't it?! The peace you feel is the peace that God wants for us. That's how we know we are doing right!
Good thoughts and thanks for sharing Jack.