TIME TO GROW UP

(James 1:1)
January 27, 2019

Read James 1:1 – The church in Jerusalem began with 120 disciples in AD
30, but in its early months it multiplied exponentially. Thousands came to
faith in Christ, causing the disciples to be slow to follow the Lord’s final
instruction in Acts 1:8, “and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all
Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” They were having trouble
getting out of Jerusalem, let alone getting to the ends of the earth.

But persecution intensified. A night in jail and a slap on the wrist suddenly
became execution in Stephen’s case. So, Acts 8:1: “And there arose on that
day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all
scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”
So now Xns are going, but the apostles hang back. Then it got hotter. Herod
Agrippa (AD 37-44) had James killed and imprisoned Peter. So now the early
40’s AD the apostles at last begin to take the gospel to the far corners.

With the apostles gone, leadership in Jerusalem fell to Jesus’ half-brother,

James. Reports filtered back that dispersed Xns were struggling with their
faith -- experiencing crushing trials. Many were not living lives consistent
with their faith. Others had become ensnared in materialism, and James
decided something must be done – some written instruction – thus, the first
book of the NT written sometime between 44 and 49 AD – the book of James.

James has been called the Proverbs of the NT because of its emphasis on
conduct as opposed to theology. It’s authoritative without being dictatorial.
There are 54 imperatives in 108 verses. So James is about conduct – putting
faith into action. Many issues are addressed, but the overriding theme is
Grow up! Don’t be spiritual children; seek spiritual maturity!

These issues are still with us today -- too many spiritual babies. Warren
Wiersbe wrote: “After over a quarter century of ministry, I am convinced
that spiritual immaturity is the number once problem in our churches.” So
James’ message is just as necessary, and just as relevant as the day it came
from his pen. Do you claim Christ as Savior? Then it’s time to grow up, and
here’s how. Here’s how to put your faith to work – here’s where the rubber
meets the road. Two points today – the Messenger and the Message.

I. The Messenger
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Who is James? He can’t be the Apostle James – brother of John. He was
executed prior to this. James – son of Alphaeus was part of the 12, but he is so
little known that he is unlikely. The consensus is, that leaves James, the half-
brother of Jesus who is almost certainly the author.

There are several references in the gospels to Jesus’ brothers and sisters. Mt
13:55, Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are
not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his
sisters with us?” During his lifetime his brothers didn’t believe in Him --
considered him “out of his mind” (Mark 3:21). But the resurrection of Jesus
changed everything. They were at the first prayer meeting (Acts 1:14). After
his conversion Paul specifically set out to see Peter and “James, the Lord’s
brother” (Gal 1:19). James is identified by Paul along with Peter and John as
“pillars” of the church (Gal 2:9). He played a prominent role in a council in
Acts 15 to determine whether converted Gentiles must comply with OT
Jewish regulations. This James is almost certainly the author of this book. No
one else could have written so authoritatively while simply identifying himself
as “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Actually, this INTRO is amazing. If Jesus were your brother how would you
introduce yourself? For me it would be Dave, a servant of God and brother of
the Lord Jesus. We’d pull rank. We’d play on that connection. Not James. He
describes himself as a servant, literally slave, of God and slave of the Lord
Jesus Christ. That’s a challenge to our prideful natural inclinations, right?

James exalts Jesus here by His name. Jesus is the earthly name by which Jas
had always known Him. But to that he adds “Christ” – Anointed one – Greek
version of the Hebrew Meshiach – Messiah. He now sees Jesus as the long
prophesied deliverer of his nation – the one who combines in one glorious
person the offices of prophet, priest and king – the supreme one who speaks
for God, atones for God and rules for God. Messiah. But more than Messiah
– Lord, Jehovah, one with God. James now knows his youthful companion
with whom he ate, slept, worked and played was God in the flesh. The Jesus
he once wanted to kill as an embarrassment he now reveres as Lord of all. He
proudly labels himself not brother but slave! What humility and reverence.

We need people like that in God’s service. God-exalters, not self-exalters!

Spurgeon said, “I know brethren who, from head to foot, in garb, tone,
manner, necktie, and boots, are so utterly pastoral that no particle of
manhood is visible. One young sprig of divinity goes through the streets in a
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robe; another of the High Church order has recorded it in the newspapers
with much complacency that he traversed Switzerland and Italy, wearing in
all places his biretta [4-sided ecclesiastical cap]; few boys would have been
so proud of a fool’s cap.” Self-promoting preachers ought to be defrocked.
We’re not here to promote self; we’re here to promote Jesus. James got that.

But it’s not just pastors. It’s anyone putting personal interests above the
interests of others. Phil 2:3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in
humility count others more significant than yourselves.” One man didn’t get
a leadership position in his church – decided he better lobby for it. But one
day as he walked, it was almost like the Lord spoke audibly: Jer 45:5: “And
do you seek great thing for yourself? Seek them not.” Jas had a lot more
reason than us to pull rank. Instead, he called himself a slave. God says in
Isa 48:11c: “My glory I will not give to another.” Our calling is to serve in
humility for a Lord who served us by dying for us. Self-promotion is deadly.

II. The Message

So what about the message? This book covers a lot of ground. But given the
theme of spiritual maturity, the five chapters might be summarized as follows.

A. Grown Ups Are Productive Under Trials (1) – Most of us

hate tests. We hated them in school and we hate them in life. Yet James 1
shows us trials are tests from a loving Father, intended to grow and perfect us.
How productive they are depends on us. So he says in Jas 1:2, “Count it all
joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that
the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have
its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” That
tells us 1) Tests are coming, like it or not. Protesting them is a waste of time.
Trials are a part of life. And 2), the way to benefit is to meet them in faith, not
whining, complaints, outrage and bitterness. Someone has wisely said, “With
every trial we either get bitter or better.” Our reaction determines which.

Here’s a parable. A king had a faithful servant whom he loved. One day while
hunting, the servant handed the king his weapon, but it misfired and blew off
the king’s finger. Immediately the servant said, “Well, I don’t know how, but
that’s a good thing.” The king said, “You idiot. How could this be good?
Guards, take him away, throw him in jail and lose the key.”

Five years, the king was captured by cannibals. They determined to eat him,
but as they put him in the pot, they noticed his missing finger, which, by their
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rules, made him unfit to eat so they released him. Arriving home the king said
to his servant, “I’m sorry. You were right. If my finger hadn’t been shot off,
I’d be dead right now. I’m sorry I jailed you for all these years.” The servant
replied, “That’s okay. It was a good thing.” “A good thing? How could jail
be good?” The servant replied, “Well, if I hadn’t been in jail, I’d have been
with you when the cannibals captured you and I’d be dead by now.” For
God-lovers, tests are for our good and others around us. Grown-up faith
makes us productive under testing. Job 23:10: “But he knows the way that I
take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” So can we – by faith.

B. Grown Ups Practice the Truth (2) – The message of Jas 2 is

simple – Genuine faith obeys – which is not to say we are saved by obedience
– but that obedience is the natural fruit of true, saving faith. Luther said,
“Justification is by faith alone, but not by faith that remains alone.” If the
faith is real, lifestyle changes will substantiate that fact.

Jas 2:26: “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart
from works is dead.” Faith without works is DOA, just like a body without a
spirit is dead. Like the ag book salesman. Seeing a farmer sitting on his front
porch, the zealous young man approached and said, “Sir, I have here a book
that will tell you how to farm ten times better than you are doing it now.”
The old farmer stared for a moment and then replied, “Son, I don’t need your
book. I already know how to farm ten times better than I’m doing now.” He
just wasn’t acting on what he knew. Grown-up believers act on the truth
they’ve committed their life to. That’s how you can tell they are real. They
don’t just know truth; they practice truth, better and better every day.

C. Grown Ups Purify Their Tongues (3) – The tongue is tough,

isn’t it? James 3:6: And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness.”
Ever consider all the ways you can sin with your tongue – criticism, anger,
dirty stories, innuendo, profanity, gossip, lies, impatience, slander, cutting
remarks. No wonder it is a fire. It’s a stick of dynamite just waiting to go off.
James 3:10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers,
these things ought not to be so.” So, grown-ups routinely wash their mouth out
with the soap of the word and purify their speech.

A woman confronted about her quick temper defended herself: “Well, it

passes; it is done with quickly.” Billy Sunday replied, “Yes, and so is a
shotgun blast.” In other words, words may be quickly spoken and done with,
but they can never be retrieved, and they leave devastation in their wake.
Grown-ups know that and work diligently on purifying their tongues.
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 D. Grown Ups Pursue Tranquility (4) – Jas 4 covers a lot of
ground, but the predominant theme is peace – with self, with God and with
others. Grown-ups aren’t looking for a fight; they’re looking for peace – not at
the expense of truth or morality, but as opposed to useless, wrangling. The key
is Jas 4:7, “Submit yourselves therefore to God.” Remember the old bus
commercial: “Leave the driving to us”? James is saying, “Leave the driving
to God.” Don’t get caught up in covetousness, conflict, worldly pleasures.
Don’t make plans as tho you alone were in control. Jas 4:15 Instead you ought
to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” It makes a world of
difference when we pursue tranquility based on God’s sovereignty.

Grown-ups have childlike faith. They truly believe in their Father. Broom
Hilda is a cartoon character about 3 feet tall – all hair and face. In one strip she
approaches a wishing well and yells down, “I don’t want anything.” Then she
steps back and says, “I just thought you’d enjoy knowing that there is one
satisfied person around.” Are you a satisfied person? Spiritually mature
people are. They’re not fighting to get ahead or protect rights. They find
tranquility in trusting an infinitely wise and loving Father.

E. Grown Ups Patiently and Prayerfully Triumph (5) – Are

you rich? Great, but not for long. Riches won’t save you; only God can. Do
you have troubles? Wait patiently. Vindication is coming – in God’s time.
Are you suffering? Pray. Are you cheerful? Praise God. Are you ill? Call the
elders, confess your sins and pray. Healing is on its way, in God’s time.
Victory is on its way in God’s time. Triumph is on its way – in God’s time.
Grown-ups are prayerfully patient because they know, it’s just a matter of
time until God acts. But triumph is sure. Isn’t that good to know?

Early Xns suffered horribly and triumphed gloriously. Persecution brought

maturity. Perhaps we need some of that. The Roman emperor Julian in AD
360 outlawed Xnty and vigorously sought to destroy it. Passing by an old Xn
one day Julian asked, “Where is your Christ now?” The old man replied,
“Making a coffin for the Roman emperor.” Indeed He was. Two years later
Julian was killed in battle, the last non-Xn emperor of the Roman empire. His
last words were said to be, “Oh, Galilean, thou hast conquered.” Grown-ups
see the big picture. Adversity can’t bring them down; they know in the end
Christ wins! II Cor 2:14: “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads
us in triumphal procession.” It’s huge to know you win in the end. Mature Xns
live triumphantly now in light of the victory that on its way. Whatever Jesus
gives us in the meantime is a bonus for which we are thankful.
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Conc – So are you living like a grown-up? I love the lyrics to a song Amy
Grant did a few years ago: “I know a man, maybe you know him, too. / You
never can tell, he might even be you. / He knelt at the altar and that was the
end. / He’s saved and that’s all that matters to him. / His spiritual tummy, it
can’t take too much. / One day a week he gets his spiritual lunch. / On
Sunday he puts on his spiritual best / And gives his language a spiritual rest.
/ He’s been baptized, sanctified, redeemed by the blood. / But his daily
devotions are stuck in the mud. / He’s knows the books of the Bible and
John 3:16. / He’s got the biggest King James you’ve ever seen. / I’ve always
wondered if he’ll grow up some day. / He’s momma’s boy and he likes it that
way. / If you happen to see him, tell him I said / He’ll never grow if he never
gets fed. // He’s just a fat little baby. / He wants his bottle and he don’t mean
maybe. / He’s sampled solid food once or twice / But he says doctrine leaves
him cold as ice. / He’s just a fat, fat, fat, fat, fat, fat baby!

We don’t want to be a bunch of fat little babies, do we? James is going to help
us grow. It’ll be an exciting journey. Wherever we are on the road to maturity,
we can all do better. We still have lessons to learn. James is going to help us.

My brother Mike, #6, was about 3 years old, sitting on his stool at our dining
table one Saturday night and not wanting the watered down vegetable soup
with was always our end-of-the-week meal. So one of us told him, “Mikey, eat
your soup. It’ll help you grow up big and strong.” Then we went back to
whatever tom-foolery was occupying us at the time. Fifteen minutes later little
Mikey blurted out, “I’m sitting here on my stool getting bigger and bigger
and bigger.” Well, as it turns out it wasn’t quite as fast as he thought – and
not quite as efficient as he’s the only one of 8 boys under 6’ as an adult. But
you get the idea. James is going to feed us. Depending on how well we obey,
we’re going to keep growing up. Can’t wait. Let’s pray.