Sermon for St Edward’s, 8/9/24. Start of a mini series on James
James 1 & Intro
So today we are starting a look at James. Will be doing so over the next few weeks as the last of our look at books of the New Testament – year of the NT in this diocese. Martin Luther famously referred to James as an ‘epistle of straw.! Actually he did also say there is some good stuff in there for Christian life, and many people say that James is their favourite book, so you can judge for yourselves.
Let’s start with, who was James?
There are several James’s mentioned in the NT and as always there has been some debate about who this one is, but generally speaking scholars seem to agree now, that James who wrote this epistle, was the brother of Jesus.
In actual fact, though we translate this in English as James, it’s closer to Jacob from the Greek so he is sometimes referred to as Jacob. To avoid confusion I will call just him James.
Now we know that after Jesus’ death, James became a leader in the church in Jerusalem and in fact we can read about him in Galatians 1-2. Firstly Paul says he went to Jerusalem and stayed with Peter, seeing also James, the Lord’s brother. And in Ch 2 he went again 14 years later, v9 notes that he saw James, Peter and John, who were ‘acknowledged pillars’ and that they recognised his calling. So we know James was well thought of and a key person alongside Peter and others in the early church.
We can read about one of these visits in Acts 15 where Paul and Barnabas shared all that God was doing through them with Gentiles. And there followed a debate about what Gentile believers needed to do. It was James who brought this to a close and brought peace to proceedings. So he is also known as a peacemaker.
James was sadly murdered in about AD/ CE 65, as with many in the early church, for sharing the gospel.
Now James’ writing here is intended for an audience of Jewish Christians who were spread across various lands – as we read: To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion
Or the diaspora. Jews who were not now living in Jerusalem.
It is a short book/ letter, only 5 chapter but it is essentially a summary of his teaching. It includes 12 short lessons on wholehearted devotion to Christ. This is his legacy. It’s not like Paul’s letters where he was writing into a specific situation – it’s for a much wider group of people and more general in tone. It’s a good intro to faith! Or a Christian pep talk.
His writing is clearly influenced by other writings or teaching – specifically the book of Proverbs/ wisdom teaching and of course Jesus’ teaching. James references the Sermon on the Mount regularly for example – some scholars show 18 direct comparisons but just to give you a few examples –
Rejoicing in times of trial/ Jesus says (Matt 5:10-12)
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
James says: – James 1:2
My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy,
On perfection in Christ – Matt 5:48 says: Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
James 1:4 says: and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.
On being merciful: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Matthew 5:7
James 2:12-13: So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgement will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgement.
On peace: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. – Matt 5:9
And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace. James 3:18
So you can clearly see the parallels there.
And James is known for some lovely language – the way things are written.
Eg:..with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change
He is sometimes he is thought to be in contradiction to Paul – because James says that faith without works is dead and Paul said you need works along side faith. But actually they are essentially both saying living in faith will generate good works…
So that gives us a bit of an intro to James/ Jacob.
Now let’s take a look at chapter 1:
Here in this first chapter James introduces the key themes that are to come:
God is with us in time of trial
God gives wisdom
Wealth is fleeting
Let God teach you in your circumstances
God is generous
Following the teaching of the Torah
So in the opening verses (1-8) we see a reminder to rely on God in all circumstance and be sure that God will work through it. – the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.
This idea of becoming complete or perfect is repeated 7 times throughout!
But we need God’s help as the next few verses remind us – so ask God for wisdom James says. If you are finding it hard to cope – if you are lacking wisdom – ask God! v5 Trust God and have faith!
And then we have this section on doubt which I want to focus on for a moment:
But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
Now let me just say I don’t think doubt is a bad thing. Faith and doubt are not opposites.
I think asking questions of ourselves and our faith helps us to grow deeper in faith. So often in church we are taught that what the leader says goes, hopefully by now you will realise I am not that kind of person! But it happens a lot. People are taught you have to believe what the Priest/Pastor/Minister says, that’s who we are as a church. It’s like the stroy of the house built on the sand and on the rock – a faith built on other people’s thoughts is not going to stand when you face difficulties.
Now of course there are some doctrinal things that are kind of fundamental like ‘Jesus is the son of God’, but if we just accept what one person tells us or one theological view without thinking it through then our faith is likely to be just surface deep, it doesn’t have the roots to hold us when we need to be held firm, when facing trials for example. And if we don’t have doubts or questions when we are facing trials well then great, that is fabulous for you, but most of us will wonder what is God doing in all this? Where is God?
We don’t talk about doubt enough – I actually think the result of doubt is wisdom. Because as we question we firm up what we believe, we are better able to know who God is. But in church often doubt is a 4 letter word. And it can take real guts to say to a fellow Christian, ‘I’ve got questions…’
Rachel Held Evans, who was a theologian and writer said:
There is nothing nominal or lukewarm or indifferent about standing in this hurricane of questions every day and staring each one down until you’ve mustered all the bravery and fortitude and trust it takes to whisper just one of them out loud
Rachel Held Evans
And when Thomas doubted what did Jesus do? He moved closer to him and allowed him to touch his wounds.
so let us make sure we are a people and a place where questions and doubt are ok.
So what is James saying here about doubt then? What does he mean by being ‘double minded’ and ‘unstable’?
Firstly he’s making a distinction between what he said a few verses earlier.
When you face trials know that it grows steadfastness, endure through them and you will grow. Steadfastness and endurance is a key the he mentions several times.
Don’t be tossed around like a wave as he says. Don’t let what you face cause you to flit between different views or thoughts. Don’t hedge your bets spiritually.
He uses 2 words for doubt, neither of which is in itself negative. the first meaning: making up one’s mind between 2 alternatives, and the second, means as if a divided soul, facing both ways. Which Jesus himself talked about – one cannot serve 2 masters, Matthew 6:24.
This was a time when there were many spiritual beliefs, Jewish, pagan, Christian were just a few. And Christianity was a new faith, James wanted them to focus and commit to Christ. And you know perhaps making that commitment means asking questions in order to grow in steadfastness and in wisdom.
The problem James is addressing is moral and spiritual, a commitment of our whole selves to the Lord.
I want you to know, we can still be committed to Christ and ask questions.
how we commit will vary for each of us, we will have different questions. I love this quote:
I see my own life of faith as an ongoing rebuilding and renovation project
Pete Enns via Instagram @aboutdoubt
I love that because the person who says it is recognising faith is a journey. When we decide to believe or get baptised we don’t just get a switch flicked in us that takes away any doubt, it’s the opposite, we believe on and from what we learn and experience in our lives.
If we endure through all this, James tells us, v 12 – those who have stood the test will receive the crown of life from the Lord.
That is what is waiting for us.
So if you are someone who asks questions, who struggle with doubt, it’s ok. In fact it’s more than ok, because God will use it to strengthen you, to become steadfast, mature, complete. To have a faith built like the house on the rock.
Amen
No Comments