Thursday: James and Jesus
James had the opportunity to observe Jesus when Jesus was a child, a youth, and an adult. Then, at some point James not only believed in Jesus as the Messiah but became a leader of the Christians in Jerusalem. And yet, James calls himself not a brother but a bondservant
(James 1:1, NKJV) of Jesus. Clearly, James learned humility and true wisdom. Not surprisingly, these are also important themes of this letter (see James 1:9-11, James 1:21; James 3:13-18; James 4:6-10).
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Compare the following passages and summarize what they have in common:
James 1:22 with Matt. 7:24-27
James 3:12 with Matt. 7:16
James 4:12 with Matt. 7:1
The affinity the letter of James has with the teachings of Jesus and particularly the Sermon on the Mount has been widely recognized. Jesus’ pervasive influence underlies the whole of James’s teaching
-Peter H. Davids, The Epistle of James (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1982), p. 50.
From a close comparison of James with the Gospels, it appears that this letter is not dependent on any of them. Rather, James writes from an intimate and personal acquaintance with the teachings of Jesus, who always inspired His listeners to faith and challenged them to exercise it.
As we study the book of James this quarter, we will find a very similar approach. James is not content with a weak, fruitless, or vacillating faith. As we will see next week, faith dominates the early part of the book, and James shows how this crucial quality undergirds a vital relationship with Christ.
Dwell on the quality and reality of your own faith. How real is it? How deep does it go? How does it enable you to live the Christian life? What things could you do, and what choices could you make, that could help improve the quality and depth of your faith?
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This lesson gives us hope for close family or friend so long as we continue to be a good witness.
James knew Jesus all His life, heard him preach but didn't quite believe fully. But there must have been a lightbulb moment - when he fully believed and accepted Jesus as Lord and Master.
I wonder what it was? The cross? Probably not. The resurrection? Maybe. His special meeting with Jesus? I think that was the final confirmation. Jesus must have known James heart and potential and came to meet him personally.
Just like Paul's meeting with Jesus changed his life, I think that special changed James' life.
Then these two became leaders in the church.
Each one of us need to have a personal meeting with Jesus everyday and it will change our lives.
Well said. The special meeting that Jesus had with James had totally impacted his Christian life
Having a close relationship with Jesus is all that matters. It is life eternal.
James teaching us that u need to with Jesus at all time and at all your growing stages. because at some point Jesus will meet u personal. with his power to anoint u as a son of God and he will give u all that came with holy spirit. to Jesus we have a true friend that take care of us at all time. look even if we don't fully believe on him but he still believe in us.Jesus is not a man he is the holy of the holy's
I think there is a light bulb moment in every man's life as Shirley said, But accepting that moment is what is important,a willing heart I think is what is needed
My own faith is weak and full of holes. Instead I rely and fall on the faith of Jesus because only he had perfect faith. That's the only way.
Can we have weak faith? I have come to believe we either have faith or we don't. Either we trust God fully or we don't trust Him fully. No one trusts someone a little. That isn't trust. That's doubt.
Peter says; "add to YOUR faith...", and we are saved by grace through [our] faith. Yes, the faith is a gift, a measure given to every person. This means God provides ample evidence for US to exercise faith. John writes; "This is the victory that overcomes the world; even OUR faith." When the evidence is concrete, faith exists. No one else's faith can save another, not even Jesus' faith. The remnant have the faith OF Jesus; a faith just like His. Perfect faith. This is seen when Jesus fully surrendered to His Father's will and not His own. That is the Faith of Jesus.
We can and must have it.
At one point Jesus observes that his disciples are men "of little faith". Doubt is a euphemism for little or weak faith.
I would suggest little means growing. A mustard seed is little but the resulting plant is large. That seed is not weak, but small, little. If planted, watered and blessed with sunlight, it will become great.
Our faith always begins small, but if genuine, will grow.
My point remains that OUR faith alone can take hold of God's grace, not the faith of another. Not even Jesus' faith can substitute for ours. Never does He offer His faith for our lack, only His righteousness and blood are offered to those who will accept it by faith.
What things could you do, and what choices could you make, that could help improve the quality and depth of your faith?
These question are profound, in that it makes us really think about salvation. Not giving our all to Christ means were are on the fence and Christ is not for on-the-fence people. He wants us to commit ourselves wholly, he wants us to get off the fence and choose Him only.
I think James was on the fence for a long time, he must have witnessed miracles which he deemed not worthy, meaning some people were not worthy of the blessings they received. All throughout the Bible this is a pattern, those who walked and talked with Jesus always seems to think some people were not entitled to the love and forgiveness of God.
I believe just like us James must have encountered situations, in which he wished ill on his fellow men, therefore, his heart was not fully converted. When he realized that Jesus died for all, he fully grasped the meaning of loving everyone as Jesus loves us. That must have been the point of his full conversion, this is purely my opinion.
I don’t know if a conversion experience or the fact that James reflects a lot of the Gospels in his book surprises me that much, after all, other writers in the Bible did much the same thing. What does surprise me is the number of times James uses the word “faith.” One would expect that Paul would use it more than anyone else and he does, but James? Only Romans, Galatians, Hebrews, and 1 Timothy use the word more. And John the apostle of love uses it only once in his epistles to my surprise.
To me it is not the frequency that is important but what is being discussed in connection with the word. While Paul was an apologist defending faith as the only means of obtaining salvation James is more concerned with how faith impacts our lives. What is the fruit of our faith? By looking at faith that way I think it is hard to beat the book of James.
James insisted on the fruit of our faith as its well explained, its what comes out of it that shows the size or the amount of your faith means the deeds will speak of your faith. its through the believer's life,faith can be revealed.
l would to thank God for this lesson l have learnt that at some moments lets ask Jesus personally let us be fruitfull not deceives ourself by listening the word and keep it
Although James is very direct in his teachings, he tells us not only to have faith, but he also tells us how to exercise it... I truly believe that unless we have that personal encounter with the one who crossed the valley of death, Jesus Christ, we will not have faith. Once we met with him we will trust in him, and that trust will turn into faith, not just a faith, but a fruitful faith, based in the love we have for him, for we will only honor him, please him and obey him, if we love him....