The Worst Day

The Worst Day

Background:

1. Who is James? 4 options:

• James, Son of Zebedee, Acts 12:2. He would be the best “alternate” candidate, because he was an Apostle and leader in the Church. But he was killed too early to have written this letter.
• James, Son of Alphius, Mk. 15:30
• James, Father of Judas, John 14:22
• James, Brother of Jesus. (Gal. 1:19. Acts 12:7, Acts 15:13) I think this is the best option, since he and Peter served as primary leaders in the church from Jerusalem.

2. Date. AD 38. (10 years before he’d presided at Jerusalem Council.) It may be the earliest epistle.

3. Who are the “Twelve Tribes in Dispersion.” (James 1:1)

• Jewish people outside Palestine. (Not a Jewish letter!)
• Jewish Christians outside Palestine. (Why single out Jewish Christians?)
• All Christians living outside Jerusalem. I prefer this view.

Why call Christians the 12 Tribes? Christ is the true Israel. All come to God through him. Saved, adopted into family. Does not remove God’s purpose for National in future, prophecy. (Romans 11 requires a future of Israel, other places another issue.) Jesus has gathered true Israel to himself. Brought in sheep other flocks.

The idea of “disbursed” (James 1:1) is not so much disbursed out of Israel, but that the people of God are disbursed all over the world. It’s a metaphor – for being away from heaven. We are in “exile” on this earth until we get home. Similar Biblical imagery would be that we are “strangers” “Sojourners” “aliens.” Heaven is our true home, this world now is a place we are disbursed to, but we await our gathering to the people of God.

Text: James 1:1-12

Encyclopedia Britannica Yearbook: Strange and Unusual Events of 1982, Brian Hise had more than his share of bad luck in July. His apartment in Provo, Utah became flooded from a broken pipe in the upstairs apartment. The manager told him to go out and rent a water vacuum. That’s when he discovered that his car had a flat tire. He changed it and went inside again and called a friend for help. From the electric shock he got from the phone, he inadvertently ripped the instrument from the wall. Before he could leave the apartment a second time a neighbor had to kick the door down because water damage had jammed it tight. While all of this was going on, someone stole Hise’s car. But it was almost out of gas so he found the car a few blocks away, but had to push it to a gas station where he filled up the tank. That evening Hise attended a military ceremony at his university. He injured himself severely when he somehow sat on his bayonet which had been tossed in the front seat of the car. Doctors were able to stitch up the wound but no one was able to resuscitate four of Hise’s canaries who were crushed to death from falling plaster. After Hise slipped on the wet carpet and badly injured his tailbone, he said he began to wonder if “God wanted me dead but kept missing.”

On the worst day of your life:

1. That’s the Time to (James 1:2-4)

• There is no “Greek” way out of the word “Joy” (chara.) James actually says to have joy in trials!
• Trials make us stronger to be able to walk not just into the next problem, but with the Lord.

2. That’s the time to (James 1:5-8)

• James is often listed as “Wisdom” literature.
• What kind of Wisdom do we need? Not worldly wisdom. We need Wisdom from God.
• How do I get wisdom from God? I have to “ask.” (James 1:5)
• James promises that God will give wisdom if we ask. Because we are asking for something he wants to give.

God speaks in 4 ways:

• By the Bible.
• By the Church. Other believers in your life. Not just the pulpit.
• By the Holy Spirit. Deep Impressions.
• By circumstances.

3. That’s the time to (James 1:9-12)

• Danger in trials is that we start to think that money or wealth will give us the needed answers to our problems. We don’t need more money, we need more God.
• James 1:11, the image of a flower is that while it has beauty for a moment, it dies quickly. The same is true of money. We burn through it! It does not give lasting answers any more than a flower can give lasting beauty.
• Younger in our walk with the Lord, when we had less, we were more likely to be focused on the Lord because we had less to worry about.

There are five crowns mentioned in Scripture.

• They are the Everlasting Crown (1 Corinthians 9:25),
• The Crown for the One who Wins Souls (Philippians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:19),
• The Crown of Righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8),
• The Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:4),
• The Crown of Life (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10). The Crown of Life is for those who persevere in faith through temptation, tribulation, and persecution

4. That’s the time to think about (James 1:17)