“The Book of James 1:1-4
Pastor Mike Barnett
James 1:1-4 says:
1James, a servant of God and of the Lord
Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the
nations: Greetings. 2Consider it pure joy, my
brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because
you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance
must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking
anything. James
1:1-4
·
As the name of this book indicates, James the older half
_________________(brother) of Jesus, is believed to be the author of this book.
·
James was the head of the ____________________________(
·
The book is believed to be the first book of the New
Testament and was written around _______________(A.D. 48).
·
James known as “James the Just” because of his
righteous life, was martyred in ______________(A.D. 62)
·
Many scholars believe that James could be the
_________________(first) New Testament book to be written.
·
It was written __________________(before) the
Gospels.
·
In the introduction to the first edition of his
German New Testament in 1522, Martin Luther made the following remark about the
book of James:
“In fine, Saint John’s gospel and his first epistle,
Saint Paul’s epistles, especially those to the Romans, Galatians, Ephesians,
and Saint Peter’s first epistle, - these are the books which show thee Christ,
and teach thee everything that is needful and blessed for thee to know even
thou never see or hear any other book or doctrine. Therefore is Saint James’
epistle a right strawy epistle in comparison with them, for it has no gospel
character to it.”
·
Martin Luther referred to the book of James as “the
epistle of _____________(straw)”.
·
Martin Luther did not condemn this book of not being
spirit lead or worthy of the cannon….but that he had little use for the book of
James because it contains little teaching about the great doctrines of the
Christian faith that he so passionately defended.
·
Some of his hostility toward James stemmed from his
Roman Catholic opponents misuse of James 2 to defend justification by works.
·
James was not advocating salvation by works, but
promoting good works as a ______________ _______________(visual result) of
authentic salvation.
·
The book of James is not a doctrinal treatise, but a ____________________________
_____________________________(practical manual) for _____________________(practical)
Christian living on a daily basis.
·
Yet that does not lessen its value, since holy living
and sound doctrine cannot be separated.
·
The book of James has been compared with the ________________________(wisdom)
literature of the Old Testament, particularly the book of Proverbs, because it’s
direct, pungent statements on wise living.
·
And James strong condemnation of social injustice has
prompted some to call him the Prophet Amos of the New Testament.
·
The book of James is a _______________________
_______________________(practical commentary) on the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount
recorded in Matthew chapters 5-7.
John 7:5 says:
5For
even his own brothers did not believe in him. John 7:2-5
Mark
21When his family heard about this, they went to take
charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind." Mark
1 Corinthians 15:7 says:
7Then he appeared to James, then to all
the apostles.
1 Corinthians
15:7
·
James presided over the _____________________
______________________ (
·
Paul, on his first post conversion visit to
19I saw none of the other apostles—only
James, the Lord's brother. Gal. 1:19
·
Paul did the same on his last visit.
·
When Peter was rescued from prison, he told his
friends to tell James. Acts
·
James was so well known, Jude could identify himself
as a “brother of James”. Jude 1:1
·
In the first verse, James identifies himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
·
“A SERVANT OF GOD AND OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST”. V. 1
·
In spite of his _______________________(prominence),
what stands out in the first verse of his epistle is James _______________________(humility).
·
James does not describe himself as Mary’s son and the
Jesus’ brother.
·
He does not even refer to his position as head of the
·
Instead, he describes himself as simply a “bond
servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ”.
·
A Bond servant was a slave that has to work off
borrowed debt before being released.
·
Like James every worshipper of God and follower of Jesus
Christ is to be a ____________________(servant) that
seeks to serve and meet the spiritual and physical needs of others.
·
The book of James was written to the twelve tribes of
·
James primary audience was those who had fled because
of the _______________________(persecution) of Christians and were still _______________(suffering)
trials and being put to death because of their faith in Christ.
·
That’s why James wrote….“CONSIDER IT PURE JOY MY
BROTHERS, WHENEVER YOU FACE TRIALS OF MANY KINDS BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE TESTING
OF YOUR FAITH DEVELOPS PERSEVERANCE” in
Vs. 2-3.
·
To give these brothers and sisters in Christ
confidence, hope, and strength to endure those trials, James gave them a ____________(series)
of ______________(tests) by which they could determine the ______(genuineness)
of their ___________________(faith).
·
The Greek word “hegeomi” (consider) is an imperative
because joy is not the natural human response to trouble.
·
Christians are under divine command not simply to be
somewhat joyful in their trials but look upon them with __________(all) ___________(joy).
·
Since a Christian cannot suffer apart from God’s
will, James tells is to be joyful about the lot, God has ____________(allowed)
us to ______________(endure).
·
When faith in Jesus Christ is genuine, James assures
us that even the worst of ____________(troubles) should be cause for _________________________(thanksgiving)
and _________________________(rejoicing) because God will somehow ________(use)
it for ________(good).
Romans
28And we know that in all things God works for the
good of those who love him,[a] who[b] have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
·
Because God commands it, it is within the ________________(ability)
of every Christ follower to be ___________________(joyful) while suffering
hardships and trials.
·
Joy is a __________________(choice).
·
The Christian is called to rejoice when enduring
hardships, because such ___________________(testing) of our __________________(faith)
develops strong “___________________ _____________________” (Christ-like
character).
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 says:
7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these
surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a
messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take
it away from me. 9But 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is
why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in
persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor. 12:6-10
Jesus said in John 15:20:
20Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is
greater than his master.'[a] If they persecuted me, they will persecute
you also. John 15:20
Matthew
11"Blessed are you when people
insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because
of me.
Matthew 5:10-11
·
Whether the trial begins as a financial problem or
physical illness, as a disappointment, criticism, fear, or persecution, it is
our attitude about it and _____________________________(response) to it that ___________________(reflects)
our spiritual condition.
·
Patiently enduring trials while _____________(trusting)
in the Lord develops __________________(endurance).
TRUTH: The Lord will not allow his children to ___________________(face)
anything that they cannot, in His power and provision, survive and
__________________________(overcome) with His help!
1 Cor.
13No temptation has seized you except what is common
to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can
bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can
stand up under it. 1 Cor. 10:13
John 10:28-29 says:
28I give them eternal life, and they shall never
perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them
to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father's
hand. John 10:28-29
ILLUS: To test the genuineness of a diamond, Jewelers
often place it in clear water, which causes a real diamond to sparkle with
special brilliance. An imitation stone, on the other hand, will have almost no
sparkle at all. When the two are placed side by side, even an untrained eye can
easily tell the difference.
·
James major emphasis is that if a person’s faith is
genuine, it will prove itself during times of trouble, whatever the nature or ___________________(source)
of the trouble may be.
·
James shows that when faith is but an empty
profession of mere sentiment, not based on firm and intelligent convictions of
divine truth, the fire of trouble will burn it up.
·
James wrote his epistle to challenge his readers to ________________________(examine)
their faith under intense trials and suffering to see if it was _______________________(genuine)
saving faith.
·
Because of the ever-present danger of counterfeit
faith, God’s Word continually calls for professed salvation to be __________(tested)
for _______________(validity).
Lamentations
40 Let us examine our ways and test them,
and let us return to the LORD. Lam
3:40
2 Corinthians 13:5
“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the
faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless,
of course, you fail the test?”
2
Cor. 13:5
James argues regarding trials:
1) Testing
ought to be received with joy because it produces __________ _____________(spiritual
growth) when handled correctly.
·
The Greek word used here, “peripipto” suggest an
unwelcome and unanticipated experience.
·
The Christian is not called to intentionally seek out
trials as a way of “proving” faith to oneself or to others.
·
The trials that James speaks of here are _____________________(unexpected)
and unwelcome.
2) Wisdom is
needed as the gift from God in order to _________________(perceive) testing in
this manner.
WHY TRIALS AND SUFFERINGS COME TO THE CHRISTIAN:
1) Trials can
be a part of the ____________(normal) ebb and flow of life.
2)
Trials are the result of the ________________(sinful) impulse within us.
Ancient Judaic literature spoke of two forces that
live within a person:
1.
Yeserhara – (the evil impulse)
2. Yeserhatov – (the good impulse)
Romans 7:14-8:2 says:
14We know that the law
is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do
not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I
do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is
good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin
living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my
sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is
good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good I
want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now
if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin
living in me that does it.
21So I find this law at
work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in
my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at
work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and
making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What
a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks
be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a
slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Life
Through the Spirit
1Therefore, there is now
no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,[d] 2because through Christ
Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 7:14-8:2
3) Trials can result from _________________(Satan)
and His Demons.
John
31Now is the time for judgment on this
world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. John 12:31
4) Trials can be allowed by God to ________________(test)
the strength of our ___________________(faith).
John 9:1-4 says:
1As he went along, he saw a man blind from
birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man
or his parents, that he was born blind?".
Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened
that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” John 9:1-4
TRUTH: No matter the source of the
trial, James insists that we should not respond with ______________(anger) or __________________________(disappointment),
but with __________________(joy).
TRUTH: A person who becomes resentful,
bitter, and self-pitying when troubles come plainly exposes _________________________(weak)
faith.
Deut 13:3-4 says:
3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or
dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with
all your heart and with all your soul. 4 It is the LORD your God you must
follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and
hold fast to him. Deut 13:3-4
Proverbs 3:11-12 says:
“My son, do not despise the LORD's
discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the LORD
disciplines those he loves,
as a father [a] the son he delights in”. Proverbs
3:11-12
·
The result of testing faith is ___________(perseverance)
and _________________________(endurance).
·
The Greek word (hypomone) refers to a deep component
of character that manifests itself in various situations.
·
This word for
perseverance means active steadfastness, staying power, constancy and a
determination under adversity.
·
It is colored with hope!
·
The connotation is that we should let our
perseverance ____________(grow) to its __________________(fullest), in order to
become “mature and complete, not lacking anything”.
·
The “complete” person is one whose character is fully
formed according to Christian standards; it is not “perfection” according to
some standard common to popular culture.
·
“Mature (telios) denotes “goal” or “rightful
purpose”.
·
This is a key term for James; no New Testament book
uses it more often.
·
When it is used of character, it implies that God is
a part of whatever process is involved in the formation of character.
·
The Bible consistently portrays maturity as the
_______________________(imitation) of God – the development of the character
traits of God within _____________________________ (ourselves).
Luke 6:27-34 says:
35But love your enemies, do good to them,
and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will
be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the
ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is
merciful. Luke 6:35-36
6) Trials can be given to ______________________(humble)
us and to remind us not to let our trust in the Lord turn into _____________________________(presumption)
and spiritual self-satisfaction.
7) God allows us to suffer trials in order to wean us
from our ___________________(dependence) on worldly things.
Heb 11:24-26 says:
24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused
to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25He chose to be mistreated along
with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short
time. 26He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than
the treasures of
8) God uses trials to point us toward ___________(heaven).
Phil 1:23-24 says:
23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and
be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that
I remain in the body. Phil 1:23-24
9) Trials _____________________(reveal) what we
really __________________(love).
Matt 22:37-40 says:
37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with
all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[a] 38This is the first and greatest
commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on
these two commandments." Matt
22:37-40
Luke
26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his
father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even
his own life—he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26
10) Trials are given to tech us to _____________(value)
God’s _______________________(blessings).
Heb 12:2 says:
2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross,
scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb 12:2
11) The Lord uses trials in our own life to enable us
to better ____________________(help) and minister to others in their time of
suffering.
Heb
18Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he
is able to help those who are being tempted.
15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we
are—yet was without sin. Heb
12. Trails produce __________________(perseverance)
and the means to perseverance is: a ___________________ ___________________(joyful
attitude).
·
The only way out of a trial is _____________(through)
it.