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| JAMES LESSON #9 James is about �how to live� � in truth. Many times people tell me they are Christians. How can I tell if they really are? How can I tell if they really �know� God? How can I tell if they really �believe?� What is faith? What does it mean to �really believe,� and what does it require of me? James 1:1 James is a Jew and what you�re reading in the book of James is a �letter� (called an �epistle�) written to �the twelve tribes.� The next couple of lessons will be giving you some historical background information so be sure to mark things when you can. (if you run out of room insert a small piece of paper in your Bible and keep adding information!) Verse 1: James (a Jew), a bond-servant (someone so devoted that he willfully chooses to be a slave for life to his master) of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes (Jews) who are dispersed abroad (we�ll cover later why they are dispersed), greetings. First question: How do you know James is a Jew? How do you know he�s writing to the Jews? Are the Jews he�s writing to just like all the other Jews? Is the only indication that these people are Jews found in James 1:1? No James 2:2 -for if a man comes into your �assembly� � that word in the Greek is translated �synagogue�: Jews went to the temple to worship and to the synagogue to hear the Word of God. Mark that. There is some debate with this word. It could also mean a gathering of people. James 2:1 James calls the people he�s writing to �My brethren,� indicating that somehow he�s related to them � either biologically or through common faith. As you read further in the verse you see his reference to �faith,� so you know he�s referring to believers. James 2:21 He refers to �Abraham as their father-� not something you�d say to Gentiles (Gentiles are all peoples who were not Jews) James 2:19 �You believe that God is one.� This is a Jewish saying that they call the �Shamah� � and it is still used today. James 5:4 He ends this verse referring to God as the Lord of Sabaoth. This is an Old Testament name for God that means, �The Lord of Hosts.� James 5:8 You see in this verse that all of them are looking forward to the return of the Lord. James 5:14 He�s directing his letter at this point to the �elders of the church� � they would have to be believers. So- we have James, a Jew, writing to Jews. Next question: Who�s James? Next question: Who are �the twelve tribes?� You�ll find 3 men named James in the scriptures. 1) James, the Son of Alphaeus and Mary (he was an apostle) Mark 3:18 2) James, the Son of Zebedee and brother of the Apostle John (Mark 3:18) -this guy can�t be the James who�s writing this book because he was martyred in Acts 12:2 3) James, the brother of Jesus � There�s teaching that says that Mary always remained a virgin. Time for a side trip for a minute to look at the �family� of Jesus � their dysfunction � the �inside picture� Matthew 1:24-25 Circle the word �UNTIL� � that�s a time phrase that indicates that circumstances changed later- John 2:12 Here we have the whole clan, plus a few extras, travelling together. Mom, brothers �and notice that �disciples� are designated distinct from �brothers.� Matthew 12:46-50 Read this carefully. Jesus is carefully defining the difference between physical families and spiritual families. What �qualifies� someone to be included into the �spiritual� family? In verse 50, circle the word �DOES.� It does not say �KNOWS.� It says, �DOES.� THAT is what qualifies someone to be included into the spiritual family. We�re going to take a long look at this later. What determines what a person �DOES?� Good question: Mark 6:2-4 This puts the whole puzzle together. Jesus had the same mother as the rest of the boys, but a different father which makes him a half-brother to James. It�s important to notice that this whole family traveled, listened to, and watched Jesus the whole time He was alive � and didn�t believe him. They didn�t understand or come to know Him until AFTER He died. It was probably pretty tough on all of them to �realize after the fact,� and move forward. It was after James, the brother of Jesus, was saved that he referred to himself as a �bond-servant� of Jesus Christ. Most if not all of us are connected to family members who don�t know God � who claim to know God � who �try� to be religious � who �struggle� to �be good enough� � who often times think you�re a �conservative� � a �do gooder� � and on and on. Have you ever wondered if Jesus understands how lonely that is? How isolating? How hurtful? Look at Mark 3:20-21 In verse 21 it refers to �his own kinsmen, or his own people� � that�s his family. Basically his own family is declaring publicly that they think he�s a nutcase. John 7:1-8 Jesus is headed to the Feast of Booths. This was a feast that happened every year. Every Jewish male was required to go. Verses 2-4 His brothers are basically saying, �If you�re such a big man, and you really think you�ve got what it takes, go ahead and be public with the whole thing. Have you ever had an unbelieving family member try to tell you how to order the events of your life � in a way that �logically fits� with what the world expects � and it doesn�t fit at ALL with what God is asking of you? Look at verse 4-9 and circle the references to �my time� and �your time.� Jesus is making a very clear distinction between a spiritual time table and an earthly time table. This family had been day in and day out with Jesus for almost 32 years at this point. Obviously something had to change somewhere along the way in the life of James because up to this point, James truly thought Jesus was a nutcase. When did James start to believe? Somewhere between 27-29AD Jesus was crucified. Acts 1:12-14 -in verse 13, this �James� is not Jesus� brother. It�s James, the apostle. Jesus has been crucified and resurrected. He�s ascended into heaven. Notice in verse 14 that there�s a big change of attitude, action and heart. They were of �one mind,� continually devoting themselves to prayer. They believed, but not until AFTER the crucifixion. I Corinthians 15:4-8 Paul is teaching about the resurrection in this chapter. This is where you see James begin to believe. Verse 5- �Cephas� is also known as �Peter.� Mark that. Who is number twelve in the twelve? It�s not Judas. He�s dead remember? It�s Matthias. Mark that Verse 7 � He specifically appeared to whom? JAMES Mark that. Verse 8 � the �me also� � is Paul. Galatians 1:18-19 Paul is sharing his testimony and James is present. Galatians 2:11-12 Peter takes off for Jerusalem, leaving James alone in Jerusalem : the headquarters of James. Acts 15:12-14 James is not only saved at this point, but he�s running into trouble with his fellow believing Jews. What�s the problem? Traditionally the Gentiles, people other than Jews, were to be unassociated with, because they were considered �unclean.� All of a sudden, no longer are they unclean if they believe in Jesus, but they are to be welcomed into the family. READ On verses 16-22 James takes charge - instructing them on how to not only welcome them into the family, but on how to nurture them and teach them. James is stepping into leadership. Question: Has his behavior changed as he believed? We�re going to go there more later � just think a little on that one. Have his priorities shifted? The book of Acts happens from 30-61 AD. Jesus dies, is resurrected and Jews start to believe everywhere. You see that in chapters 1-8 in Acts. BUT, in Acts 8 everything shifts. Persecution begins. Look at Acts 8:1-3 Notice that they were �scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.� Notice that Jesus told them �ahead of time� that they would be sent out to these areas, in Acts 1:8. (He didn�t say �how�) In Romans 8:28 it says that ALL things- mark that word, work together for what? GOOD �even persecution: God used the persecution that was happening to send the gospel to the outermost parts of the earth. So the �Gentiles� are hearing. You see a Jewish church born: trials and persecutions unfolding: and the Gentiles moving into the family spiritually. James opens his letter - James (a believing Jew)- a bond servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, (major change in heart, priority and action in this man) �to the twelve tribes: the Jews who are dispersed, scatter abroad how? Through persecution: These Jews are in the fire BIG TIME: So everything you�re about to encounter in this book is written to strengthen, direct and guide you as you move in and out of the trials you encounter. Do you see the setting? According to Josephus, a Jewish historian, James was put to death in 62AD by the high priests. Before I let you go for the day I want to explain the �twelve tribes� for those of you who need a refresher. Who are the �Twelve tribes� and where did they come from? I will try to do this in such a way that you can follow it: my problem is that at the moment, the email service I�m sending these out on distorts what I send you in terms of the �position� everything rests in on the page: I�m about to change that: give me a couple days. From where do the twelve tribes come? And- who are they? They are �twelve sons-and their descendants:� Abraham and Sarah Had Issac who married Rebekah (Jews) and Abraham and Hagar had Ishmael-who was born 14 years before Issac (Arabs) Ishamel married and Egyptian woman and had 12 sons and 1 daughter. Issac and Rebekah had twins: Jacob and Esau (who was the oldest twin) Jacob married Rachel and Leah, daughters of Sarah�s brother. Esau married Ishmael�s daughter because he knew it displeased Issac. (Yes, we are looking at great family dysfunction here!) With deception, Jacob steals Esau�s birthright. In doing so, he gets a double portion of his father�s inheritance, the position of rulership over the entire family spiritually and physically, and the title to the blessing of promise, which included Canaan. Jacob had twelve sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, and Benjamin. THESE 12 boys grew into �tribes� of peoples, which are now, the twelve tribes of Israel. The term �Jew� came out of the tribe of Judah. Jew�s were first identified as those who came from the tribe of Judah. Over time, because Abraham is the father of the faith, Jews and Hebrews became one and the same. Enough background: A thought to think about: If you claim to be a believer, what about you validates to me that you are what you say you are? What harnesses your emotions? What directs your actions? Does �believing� have any effect at all on �doing?� Who�s in charge of the �doing?� Who�s in charge of the �being?� How do you fit in this and what�s your responsibility? We�re going to go there. Start formulating some of your own answers before we do! More tomorrow. Study hard. Love to all of you- I�m praying for you daily: That God will make you hungry enough to eat daily: it will change your life. It has changed mine. Ro �copyright 2001, Jim and Robin Hibschman |
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