The Apostle James
The Apostle James
In the name of Jesus who died and rose again for our forgiveness, God's peace be with you. In the name of Him who ascended to the heavens and sits at the right hand of the Father and rules all creation for the benefit of His Church, God's grace be with you. In the name of Him who poured out His Holy Spirit into the hearts of His disciples to empower them to be great witnesses, God's joy fill your hearts. April is a month of new growth. When we look at the world around us we can see very vividly the new growth. Life which is coming out of the midst of lifelessness. We simply plant the seed and maybe some fertilizer, but the growth comes from God. The same is true of the Church. We simply plant the seed (the Word of God). We can fertilize it with love and compassion and continued witness but if growth comes it is from God. This is what it means to be a witness of Jesus Christ. Empowered by the Holy Spirit we plant and water trusting in God to bring forth life from the midst of death. As we do this, we are doing nothing but what the Church (disciples) have been doing from the birth of the Church.
The first disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and they became great witnesses but it was God who brought forth the growth, ie. faith in the hearts of unbelievers. When the Holy Spirit was poured into the hearts of the twelve Apostles it totally changed their lives. The love they had for Jesus was not a love which could be contained within them. They had to tell someone! Jeremiah could not contain the Good News within him; “I will not make mention of Him nor speak anymore in His name. But His Word was in my heart like a burning fire, shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.” So also, the Apostles could not be silent or silenced about Jesus.
The disciple Stephen was the first martyr (Acts 7) but this did not silence the disciples but rather emboldened them to proclaim Jesus. From the Ascension of Jesus to the account of the Apostle James being martyred was about 14 years. During that time we hear little about James but we can see in the events which took place that he did indeed live up to his name, “Son of Thunder.” For James, with great boldness, became the second Christian Martyr and the first of the Apostles to receive the “crown of righteousness.”
The Gospel accounts reveal to us who James is but little of what he did and said. James was the older brother of the Apostle John and the son of Zebedee and Salome. It is believed by many that Salome was the sister of the Virgin Mary and thus James and John were Jesus' cousins. James was a fisherman by trade. He and his brother John were in the boat with their father when Jesus called to them, “Follow Me” (Matt. 4:18-22) and the text says they immediately left their boat and followed Jesus. When Jesus named the twelve who would be Apostles, James was listed among the first four. As the Apostles spent time with Jesus an inner circle of disciples was chosen. These were men who were allowed to witness special events of Jesus. This inner circle of three were Peter, James, and John.
This inner circle was with Jesus when He followed Jairus to the place where his daughter lay dead. Behind the closed door these three watched as Jesus said, “Little girl, I say to you arise” and she came to life again (Mark 5). James was with the other two when they followed Jesus up on a high mountain. The other nine were left behind and Jesus revealed to them His divine glory. On the mountain of Transfiguration James saw Jesus as God. To these disciples Jesus said, “Tell no one what you have seen until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” James was also there with Peter and John when they entered the garden. Jesus left the other eight Apostles and took these three a little farther to pray. They were able to witness His great agony concerning the events about to take place. Yet even these three fell asleep. Jesus said, “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” The flesh would be emboldened when the Holy Spirit was given.
James was privileged to witness these events for he was to be a great witness of Jesus in the early years of the Church. Remember, things did not happen over night. The account of Acts covers from the Ascension of Jesus to Paul's journey to Rome. This is approximately 25-30 years. James was a witness in the Church at Jerusalem for about 14 years before Herod III had him beheaded. Herod the first sought to kill Jesus as an infant. Herod II had John the Baptist beheaded and made a mockery of Jesus at His trial. Herod III attempted to kill the Church by persecuting it.
When the persecution began Herod did not take those who were not known but he took the prominent leaders. James was taken first! Evidently, James had risen to a position of great prominence as a leader in the Church. Some have even speculated James to have had more prominence than Peter since James was taken and Peter left. It was only after Herod saw the death of James pleased the Jews that he cast Peter in prison.
As we look at the life of James a few points should be made. James was not born a disciple of Jesus Christ or an Apostle. He was born a sinner like all men. Born into the world a sinner, James heard the voice of the Gospel from the lips of Jesus Himself. With faith born in the heart, James followed Jesus with his entire life.
James spent three years learning of Jesus and being empowered by the Holy Spirit he became a bold witness. We also have spent years learning of Jesus through His Word. We actually have more than James had in that we have all the Epistles of Paul and others which James never saw. We also have the same Holy Spirit in us who empowers us to witness of Jesus.
Finally, James was one who lived and gave his life for Jesus. James was the first of the Apostles to be martyred. The thought of dying because we love Jesus is not something which immediately brings joy. James however faced his death with great courage and peace. Faith in Jesus gave him the confidence to face anything in this life, knowing Jesus was always with him and eternal life was his. May we have the same boldness as we face the trials of life, knowing the joy of the life to come.
God bless!
Pastor Russ
In the name of Jesus who died and rose again for our forgiveness, God's peace be with you. In the name of Him who ascended to the heavens and sits at the right hand of the Father and rules all creation for the benefit of His Church, God's grace be with you. In the name of Him who poured out His Holy Spirit into the hearts of His disciples to empower them to be great witnesses, God's joy fill your hearts. April is a month of new growth. When we look at the world around us we can see very vividly the new growth. Life which is coming out of the midst of lifelessness. We simply plant the seed and maybe some fertilizer, but the growth comes from God. The same is true of the Church. We simply plant the seed (the Word of God). We can fertilize it with love and compassion and continued witness but if growth comes it is from God. This is what it means to be a witness of Jesus Christ. Empowered by the Holy Spirit we plant and water trusting in God to bring forth life from the midst of death. As we do this, we are doing nothing but what the Church (disciples) have been doing from the birth of the Church.
The first disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and they became great witnesses but it was God who brought forth the growth, ie. faith in the hearts of unbelievers. When the Holy Spirit was poured into the hearts of the twelve Apostles it totally changed their lives. The love they had for Jesus was not a love which could be contained within them. They had to tell someone! Jeremiah could not contain the Good News within him; “I will not make mention of Him nor speak anymore in His name. But His Word was in my heart like a burning fire, shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.” So also, the Apostles could not be silent or silenced about Jesus.
The disciple Stephen was the first martyr (Acts 7) but this did not silence the disciples but rather emboldened them to proclaim Jesus. From the Ascension of Jesus to the account of the Apostle James being martyred was about 14 years. During that time we hear little about James but we can see in the events which took place that he did indeed live up to his name, “Son of Thunder.” For James, with great boldness, became the second Christian Martyr and the first of the Apostles to receive the “crown of righteousness.”
The Gospel accounts reveal to us who James is but little of what he did and said. James was the older brother of the Apostle John and the son of Zebedee and Salome. It is believed by many that Salome was the sister of the Virgin Mary and thus James and John were Jesus' cousins. James was a fisherman by trade. He and his brother John were in the boat with their father when Jesus called to them, “Follow Me” (Matt. 4:18-22) and the text says they immediately left their boat and followed Jesus. When Jesus named the twelve who would be Apostles, James was listed among the first four. As the Apostles spent time with Jesus an inner circle of disciples was chosen. These were men who were allowed to witness special events of Jesus. This inner circle of three were Peter, James, and John.
This inner circle was with Jesus when He followed Jairus to the place where his daughter lay dead. Behind the closed door these three watched as Jesus said, “Little girl, I say to you arise” and she came to life again (Mark 5). James was with the other two when they followed Jesus up on a high mountain. The other nine were left behind and Jesus revealed to them His divine glory. On the mountain of Transfiguration James saw Jesus as God. To these disciples Jesus said, “Tell no one what you have seen until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” James was also there with Peter and John when they entered the garden. Jesus left the other eight Apostles and took these three a little farther to pray. They were able to witness His great agony concerning the events about to take place. Yet even these three fell asleep. Jesus said, “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” The flesh would be emboldened when the Holy Spirit was given.
James was privileged to witness these events for he was to be a great witness of Jesus in the early years of the Church. Remember, things did not happen over night. The account of Acts covers from the Ascension of Jesus to Paul's journey to Rome. This is approximately 25-30 years. James was a witness in the Church at Jerusalem for about 14 years before Herod III had him beheaded. Herod the first sought to kill Jesus as an infant. Herod II had John the Baptist beheaded and made a mockery of Jesus at His trial. Herod III attempted to kill the Church by persecuting it.
When the persecution began Herod did not take those who were not known but he took the prominent leaders. James was taken first! Evidently, James had risen to a position of great prominence as a leader in the Church. Some have even speculated James to have had more prominence than Peter since James was taken and Peter left. It was only after Herod saw the death of James pleased the Jews that he cast Peter in prison.
As we look at the life of James a few points should be made. James was not born a disciple of Jesus Christ or an Apostle. He was born a sinner like all men. Born into the world a sinner, James heard the voice of the Gospel from the lips of Jesus Himself. With faith born in the heart, James followed Jesus with his entire life.
James spent three years learning of Jesus and being empowered by the Holy Spirit he became a bold witness. We also have spent years learning of Jesus through His Word. We actually have more than James had in that we have all the Epistles of Paul and others which James never saw. We also have the same Holy Spirit in us who empowers us to witness of Jesus.
Finally, James was one who lived and gave his life for Jesus. James was the first of the Apostles to be martyred. The thought of dying because we love Jesus is not something which immediately brings joy. James however faced his death with great courage and peace. Faith in Jesus gave him the confidence to face anything in this life, knowing Jesus was always with him and eternal life was his. May we have the same boldness as we face the trials of life, knowing the joy of the life to come.
God bless!
Pastor Russ
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