James Half Time Evaluating and Preparation

 

James

Half Time Evaluating and Preparation

James is a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ

And considers this humble position as the greatest honor

But don’t let James’ humility make you think he is not strong

His words are very strong

When he addresses these problems among believers in the church

And groups of believers, he uses very strong words

  James is a humble servant of Jesus Christ

 But like Jesus Christ, he uses sharp words and hard sayings

James, like Jesus’ goal, is not to make you feel comfortable where you are

So brace yourself as James is about to get offensive

As he says, you kill and covet, you quarrel and fight, you adulteress people

If James is not stepping on your toes, you are not listening

With all due respect and humility and compassion, the believers

The church in James’ day, needed the Book of James

And so has every believer and church since then

So get ready as James calls us to

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:8-10

 

Half Time Evaluating and Preparation

 

Before reading James chapter 4,

 it would be a good idea to summarize

the first three chapters.

 

James makes it clear He has taken a personal

position of being a humble servant of Jesus Christ.

 

James is serving as a mega church leader

of over 5000 men in the Mother

Church in the first century.

 

Chapter 1, we see James’ concern for

suffering believers not only in Jerusalem…

 

 But those who have been scattered by persecution.

 

James’ compassion for suffering people

is displayed in an interesting way.

 

He tells them to count it all joy.

 

Why? Because a born again believer is

born into servanthood of Jesus Christ.

 

We are not our own we were bought with a price.

1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23

 

Being born again will come with great trials.

 John 16:33

 

The mega church had big problems…

 

Suffering persecuted people and favoritism.

 James 2:1

James addresses the struggles of rich and poor.

 

The rich use the law for power;

the poor break the law for power.

 

The law is not meant to increase anyone’s power.

 

James says mercy triumphs over judgment.

 James 2:13

 

True Faith has deeds of caring for one another.

 

Don’t live under the power of the Law…

 

 But live under the power of Faith.

 

Do something to meet the needs of others.

 

Show compassion, not favoritism.

 

Every believer is a servant of Jesus Christ.

 

Chapter 3 reveals James’ problem

of everyone wanting to be a teacher.

 

James is not trying to limit the Bible

studies or many house to house churches.

 

James recognizes all of us have two schools…

 

We are in the school of this world and

the school of the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

The tongue has the power to build and destroy.

 

The tongue is the instrument of the teacher

and must be kept under control.

 

Because where the tongue goes others follow.

 

There is the tongue of worldly wisdom

and the tongue of heavenly wisdom.

 

If you don’t know the difference…

 

 The fruit will reveal it.

 

If there is disorder and evil, the tongue

is steered by the wisdom of this world.

 

If there is peace and righteousness,

the tongue is steered,

 but with wisdom of heaven.

 

James is a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and

considers this humble position as the greatest honor.

 

But don’t let James’ humility

make you think he is not strong.

 

His words are very strong.

 

When he addresses these problems among

believers in the church and groups of

believers, he uses very strong words.

 

  James is a humble servant of Jesus Christ…

 

 But, like Jesus Christ, he uses

sharp words and hard sayings. 

 

James, like Jesus’ goal, is not to make

you feel comfortable where you are.

 

So brace yourself as James

is about to get offensive.

 

As he says…

 

 You kill and covet,

you quarrel and fight,

 you adulteress people

 

If James is not stepping on

your toes you are not listening.

 

With all due respect and humility

and compassion, the believers, the

church in James’ day…

 

 Needed the Book of James and so has

every believer and church since then.

 

So get ready as James calls us to…

 

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

 James 4:8-10

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

 James 4:8-10 NIV

8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.