[Originally preached 9 May, 2004]
James 1.1
Today we begin our series on James. I’ve chosen this book because it is very practical and, unlike Revelation which we just finished, rather straightforward. There are no mystifying images to unpack. But that isn’t to say that this epistle won’t have its own challenges. James can be quite pointed at times. He writes the kind of things that we don’t hear from many pulpits these days. He must have been quite an individual. It will be good to meet him. Depending on what he is wearing, he may not be all that difficult to spot. He prayed so much that his knees became rather disfigured. His nickname was ‘Camel Knees’.
Our text is the opening of the letter. The custom of the day was that the opening of a letter would contain from whom and to whom the letter was sent. In the biblical letters that we have more was usually added to this opening. In fact, the ‘from whom’ part of the letter that the Apostle Paul sent to the Christians at Rome goes on for six verses! But James was much briefer than this. And yet, what we have is more than just his name. In this opening James describes himself as ‘a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ’. It’s this description that we are going to focus on this morning.
There are several Greek words that can be translated ‘servant’. One is used of someone who worked in a house. Another emphasizes the priestly work being done. Then another stresses ministering to the needs of others. The word in our text is used of slaves. This is how James describes himself. He is a slave of God and of Christ. In a way, this is the basic description of every Christian. We are all slaves to Christ. In fact, Jesus was quite clear about this. Listen to something that He said. “And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’ ” [Mark 8:34] It’s as if Jesus were saying, ‘Do you like what you are seeing and hearing? Do you want to be one of Mine? Good! But understand what’s involved: self-denial. The bottom line is this. If you are going to be one of My disciples then it isn’t a matter of what you want. It all boils down to what I want. If you are going to be one of Mine, then be ready to take on the life of a slave with Me as the Master.’ That was Jesus’ evangelistic preaching. Being a Christian means being a slave of Christ.
We see the same theme in Paul. ‘You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.’ [1 Corinthians 6:19-20] That is a profound thought: ‘not your own’. ‘You don’t own yourself, Christian. You’ve been bought just as slaves are bought in the market. But the price for you wasn’t mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ.’
The basic understanding of Christian discipleship is this: slavery to Christ. Sadly, that is not a very common description within the Church these days. Many are uneasy with thinking of themselves in terms of slavery. That may be because of some misunderstandings. Let me mention two things here that might help. For one thing, Jesus isn’t some tyrant. We are slaves of a good Master. And one of the things that makes Him a good Master is that He understands what it means to be a slave. As Paul tells us, He ‘emptied Himself and took on the form of a slave’. And that wasn’t just some theoretical notion for Him. We see Him dealing with submitting as a slave in the Garden of Gethsemane. ‘Not My will but Thine be done.’ That is the attitude of a slave submitting to his master. Jesus understands how it feels to be a slave, and so He isn’t going to be overbearing when it comes to His own slaves. He understands, so His commands will not be harsh. Listen to something else that He said.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. [Matthew 11:28-30]
This is His tender call to the weary. He offers rest. But do you see the requirement of those who would come? They must submit to His yoke. That’s just a different way of saying that any who come need to become His slaves. Slavery to Christ is not oppressive. He is not a harsh master. Being one of His slaves is the way to rest and peace.
There’s another thought for those who are uneasy with the idea of slavery. Everyone is a slave. It is unavoidable. You are either a slave of Jesus or you are a slave of sin and Satan. Jesus said, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.’ [John 8:34] Paul talks about the lost as those who have been captured by Satan to do his will. [2 Timothy 2.26] So, no one is really independent. We are all slaves of someone. The question isn’t, ‘Will I surrender my independence and become someone’s slave?’ Rather, the question is, ‘Whose slave will I be?’
It is important to work through this idea about slavery because our culture is rather antagonistic to any notion of slavery or submission. The rampant assumption of our age is, ‘I am my own boss. I am here for me. I will establish goals and I will achieve them and in this way I will enjoy my life.’ That is the independent spirit that is so popular. Now, there are two problems with this. First, this independent spirit is actually a rebellious spirit. It rebels against Christ who is Lord over all. This rebellious spirit isn’t limited to those outside the Church. It coexists quite easily with a religious mask. And sometimes it is so well hidden that even the religious person with this rebellious spirit doesn’t see it. But it can be identified. Is there ever a time when your heart reacts against something in a sermon or in a passage of Scripture that you’re reading? You sense the demand that is being made of you and there is something in your spirit that says, ‘I don’t like that!’ So, you try to side step the point or redefine it so that it doesn’t touch that particular part of your life that you want for yourself. One way or another you try to ignore that nudge of the Spirit. And if that part of Scripture is really being pressed home, maybe during an elders’ visit or something like that, there is something inside of you that quietly but firmly states, ‘No, I won’t.’ That’s how someone can identify a rebellious spirit. But can a slave say no to his master? Obviously, something must change. Either the charade of being a Christian must go or, better, there needs to be growth in submission to Jesus as Lord and Master of that person’s life.
There is a second problem associated with an independent spirit that refuses to submit as a slave. It runs the risk of bitterness. The person with that independent spirit will set up goals for himself. But what if some cherished goal isn’t achieved? What happens if part of this person’s picture of a good life is missing? He was determined to have this part. Maybe it was having the model family or a particular kind of retirement or the sense of safety that money in the bank offers or even a certain quality of health. What if Jesus as Master says ‘No’ to that goal? Then we have conflict. ‘But I want this! I demand to have it! I have a right to it. Others have it. Why not me?!?’ But all the anger notwithstanding, that piece of the picture perfect life is still missing. What happens then? Resentment. This person’s will has been crossed. His desire has been thwarted and this precious goal remains unachieved. This is the recipe for deep bitterness. And there are many ‘good Christians’ who are bitter. They keep it down and almost completely out of sight, but it shows from time to time. But what is a slave supposed to say? ‘Not my will but Thine be done. Behold, the handmaiden of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to Thy word.’ In all of this give special attention to your children. They are surrounded by a culture that refuses to submit as a slave to anyone. And don’t think that they aren’t affected by it. The key to teaching your children to submit to Jesus is submitting to Him yourselves. James understood this notion of submitting to Jesus. It resulted in his being martyred for the faith. The point isn’t for you to get ready to be martyred. The point is for you to be more and more willing to hear Jesus say, ‘No’ to some cherished goal or desire. The point is for you to grow in submitting your will to His will, knowing that He is a good master and that His will for your life is better than what you can understand.
There is more to James’ opening. There is another aspect to his description of himself as a ‘servant of God’. Here, we look back to the Old Testament where we find this phrase used. There were some specific people who were labeled ‘servant of God’. They included Moses, David and prophets. Those who received this label were leaders among God’s people. James is drawing from this Old Testament use of the phrase. In doing this, he is making a claim to authority over the people of God. That’s a fairly bold thing to do. But it is a necessary thing to do. Why should the Christians who received this letter listen to what he has to say? It’s not as if they could say, ‘Oh, here is an inspired letter from James.’ It wasn’t recognized as part of Scripture when it was first sent. James is going to be taking his readers to task in this letter. There are going to be some rather blunt criticisms and some bold commands. Why should those early Christians heed what he has to say? Why should they take his words to heart and obey them? It’s because he is a servant of God. As such, he has authority from God to teach the people. And so, the people who read this letter had better heed what he writes. It’s a part of their submitting to Christ as faithful slaves. And that group of people who need to heed what he writes includes us.
This second perspective on James’ opening words is tied to the first. In the first part I stressed the call to being a slave of Christ, the call to submit to His will in all of your life. This second part, seeing the authority of James, explains one key way to discern what that will is. It is through His Church. It is through those in the Church who have received authority from Christ. It’s through the pastors and elders of the Church. I realize that this is a fairly bold thing to say. It will certainly bump up against the independent spirit of the age. But it is Scriptural. Listen to another place where this same perspective on the authority of Church leaders shows up. ‘Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.’ [Hebrews 13:17]
Is this a blank check for pastors and elders? No. Their authority is defined and limited by the Scriptures. Can any pastor or elder assert this authority alone? No. Pastors and elders are to function as a group. Are the decisions of pastors and elders of a particular congregation final? No. This is part of the beauty of being Presbyterian. There is always opportunity for appeal to a larger group of pastors and elders. Are you to submit to pastors and elders because it is assumed that they are always right? No. Pastors and elders make mistakes. They are always learning. But, having said all of that, has Jesus granted pastors and elders real authority in the Church? Yes. And the purpose of that authority is to help you understand the will of Christ for your life so that you can obey it as a faithful slave and in this way flourish. And so, being able to fulfill your calling to be a slave of Jesus is only possible as you submit to the authority that Christ has given to the pastors and elders of His Church. Is that a statement that is fraught with danger and filled with possibilities for error and abuse? Absolutely. So, you might hear what I’m saying and come away saying, ‘I see the point he’s making. I see where he gets if from the Scriptures. But I still have some questions that I would like to have answered.’ That’s fine. That’s the spirit of the Bereans who listened to Paul and then consulted their Bibles to check it out. Discussing questions with open Bibles and open minds is always a good thing. But, on the other hand, if anyone reacts against this teaching, not because of biblical convictions but just because it grates, then the question needs to be asked, ‘Is that evidence of an independent and rebellious spirit?’ Be careful.
We are all learning what it means to be ‘slaves of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ’. And so, we all need to pray. Pray for yourselves, that the Spirit would give you understanding of these things, that He would expose any possible areas of your heart where you aren’t willing to submit to the Lordship of Christ and that He would give you the grace of repentance and faith. Pray that you would grow as a slave of Jesus and would serve Him well. And then pray for the elders and myself. We have a lot to learn about properly using this authority from Christ. Pray that we would use it wisely so that we might honor Christ and be a blessing to each of you.
James 1.1
Today we begin our series on James. I’ve chosen this book because it is very practical and, unlike Revelation which we just finished, rather straightforward. There are no mystifying images to unpack. But that isn’t to say that this epistle won’t have its own challenges. James can be quite pointed at times. He writes the kind of things that we don’t hear from many pulpits these days. He must have been quite an individual. It will be good to meet him. Depending on what he is wearing, he may not be all that difficult to spot. He prayed so much that his knees became rather disfigured. His nickname was ‘Camel Knees’.
Our text is the opening of the letter. The custom of the day was that the opening of a letter would contain from whom and to whom the letter was sent. In the biblical letters that we have more was usually added to this opening. In fact, the ‘from whom’ part of the letter that the Apostle Paul sent to the Christians at Rome goes on for six verses! But James was much briefer than this. And yet, what we have is more than just his name. In this opening James describes himself as ‘a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ’. It’s this description that we are going to focus on this morning.
There are several Greek words that can be translated ‘servant’. One is used of someone who worked in a house. Another emphasizes the priestly work being done. Then another stresses ministering to the needs of others. The word in our text is used of slaves. This is how James describes himself. He is a slave of God and of Christ. In a way, this is the basic description of every Christian. We are all slaves to Christ. In fact, Jesus was quite clear about this. Listen to something that He said. “And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’ ” [Mark 8:34] It’s as if Jesus were saying, ‘Do you like what you are seeing and hearing? Do you want to be one of Mine? Good! But understand what’s involved: self-denial. The bottom line is this. If you are going to be one of My disciples then it isn’t a matter of what you want. It all boils down to what I want. If you are going to be one of Mine, then be ready to take on the life of a slave with Me as the Master.’ That was Jesus’ evangelistic preaching. Being a Christian means being a slave of Christ.
We see the same theme in Paul. ‘You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.’ [1 Corinthians 6:19-20] That is a profound thought: ‘not your own’. ‘You don’t own yourself, Christian. You’ve been bought just as slaves are bought in the market. But the price for you wasn’t mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ.’
The basic understanding of Christian discipleship is this: slavery to Christ. Sadly, that is not a very common description within the Church these days. Many are uneasy with thinking of themselves in terms of slavery. That may be because of some misunderstandings. Let me mention two things here that might help. For one thing, Jesus isn’t some tyrant. We are slaves of a good Master. And one of the things that makes Him a good Master is that He understands what it means to be a slave. As Paul tells us, He ‘emptied Himself and took on the form of a slave’. And that wasn’t just some theoretical notion for Him. We see Him dealing with submitting as a slave in the Garden of Gethsemane. ‘Not My will but Thine be done.’ That is the attitude of a slave submitting to his master. Jesus understands how it feels to be a slave, and so He isn’t going to be overbearing when it comes to His own slaves. He understands, so His commands will not be harsh. Listen to something else that He said.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. [Matthew 11:28-30]
This is His tender call to the weary. He offers rest. But do you see the requirement of those who would come? They must submit to His yoke. That’s just a different way of saying that any who come need to become His slaves. Slavery to Christ is not oppressive. He is not a harsh master. Being one of His slaves is the way to rest and peace.
There’s another thought for those who are uneasy with the idea of slavery. Everyone is a slave. It is unavoidable. You are either a slave of Jesus or you are a slave of sin and Satan. Jesus said, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.’ [John 8:34] Paul talks about the lost as those who have been captured by Satan to do his will. [2 Timothy 2.26] So, no one is really independent. We are all slaves of someone. The question isn’t, ‘Will I surrender my independence and become someone’s slave?’ Rather, the question is, ‘Whose slave will I be?’
It is important to work through this idea about slavery because our culture is rather antagonistic to any notion of slavery or submission. The rampant assumption of our age is, ‘I am my own boss. I am here for me. I will establish goals and I will achieve them and in this way I will enjoy my life.’ That is the independent spirit that is so popular. Now, there are two problems with this. First, this independent spirit is actually a rebellious spirit. It rebels against Christ who is Lord over all. This rebellious spirit isn’t limited to those outside the Church. It coexists quite easily with a religious mask. And sometimes it is so well hidden that even the religious person with this rebellious spirit doesn’t see it. But it can be identified. Is there ever a time when your heart reacts against something in a sermon or in a passage of Scripture that you’re reading? You sense the demand that is being made of you and there is something in your spirit that says, ‘I don’t like that!’ So, you try to side step the point or redefine it so that it doesn’t touch that particular part of your life that you want for yourself. One way or another you try to ignore that nudge of the Spirit. And if that part of Scripture is really being pressed home, maybe during an elders’ visit or something like that, there is something inside of you that quietly but firmly states, ‘No, I won’t.’ That’s how someone can identify a rebellious spirit. But can a slave say no to his master? Obviously, something must change. Either the charade of being a Christian must go or, better, there needs to be growth in submission to Jesus as Lord and Master of that person’s life.
There is a second problem associated with an independent spirit that refuses to submit as a slave. It runs the risk of bitterness. The person with that independent spirit will set up goals for himself. But what if some cherished goal isn’t achieved? What happens if part of this person’s picture of a good life is missing? He was determined to have this part. Maybe it was having the model family or a particular kind of retirement or the sense of safety that money in the bank offers or even a certain quality of health. What if Jesus as Master says ‘No’ to that goal? Then we have conflict. ‘But I want this! I demand to have it! I have a right to it. Others have it. Why not me?!?’ But all the anger notwithstanding, that piece of the picture perfect life is still missing. What happens then? Resentment. This person’s will has been crossed. His desire has been thwarted and this precious goal remains unachieved. This is the recipe for deep bitterness. And there are many ‘good Christians’ who are bitter. They keep it down and almost completely out of sight, but it shows from time to time. But what is a slave supposed to say? ‘Not my will but Thine be done. Behold, the handmaiden of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to Thy word.’ In all of this give special attention to your children. They are surrounded by a culture that refuses to submit as a slave to anyone. And don’t think that they aren’t affected by it. The key to teaching your children to submit to Jesus is submitting to Him yourselves. James understood this notion of submitting to Jesus. It resulted in his being martyred for the faith. The point isn’t for you to get ready to be martyred. The point is for you to be more and more willing to hear Jesus say, ‘No’ to some cherished goal or desire. The point is for you to grow in submitting your will to His will, knowing that He is a good master and that His will for your life is better than what you can understand.
There is more to James’ opening. There is another aspect to his description of himself as a ‘servant of God’. Here, we look back to the Old Testament where we find this phrase used. There were some specific people who were labeled ‘servant of God’. They included Moses, David and prophets. Those who received this label were leaders among God’s people. James is drawing from this Old Testament use of the phrase. In doing this, he is making a claim to authority over the people of God. That’s a fairly bold thing to do. But it is a necessary thing to do. Why should the Christians who received this letter listen to what he has to say? It’s not as if they could say, ‘Oh, here is an inspired letter from James.’ It wasn’t recognized as part of Scripture when it was first sent. James is going to be taking his readers to task in this letter. There are going to be some rather blunt criticisms and some bold commands. Why should those early Christians heed what he has to say? Why should they take his words to heart and obey them? It’s because he is a servant of God. As such, he has authority from God to teach the people. And so, the people who read this letter had better heed what he writes. It’s a part of their submitting to Christ as faithful slaves. And that group of people who need to heed what he writes includes us.
This second perspective on James’ opening words is tied to the first. In the first part I stressed the call to being a slave of Christ, the call to submit to His will in all of your life. This second part, seeing the authority of James, explains one key way to discern what that will is. It is through His Church. It is through those in the Church who have received authority from Christ. It’s through the pastors and elders of the Church. I realize that this is a fairly bold thing to say. It will certainly bump up against the independent spirit of the age. But it is Scriptural. Listen to another place where this same perspective on the authority of Church leaders shows up. ‘Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.’ [Hebrews 13:17]
Is this a blank check for pastors and elders? No. Their authority is defined and limited by the Scriptures. Can any pastor or elder assert this authority alone? No. Pastors and elders are to function as a group. Are the decisions of pastors and elders of a particular congregation final? No. This is part of the beauty of being Presbyterian. There is always opportunity for appeal to a larger group of pastors and elders. Are you to submit to pastors and elders because it is assumed that they are always right? No. Pastors and elders make mistakes. They are always learning. But, having said all of that, has Jesus granted pastors and elders real authority in the Church? Yes. And the purpose of that authority is to help you understand the will of Christ for your life so that you can obey it as a faithful slave and in this way flourish. And so, being able to fulfill your calling to be a slave of Jesus is only possible as you submit to the authority that Christ has given to the pastors and elders of His Church. Is that a statement that is fraught with danger and filled with possibilities for error and abuse? Absolutely. So, you might hear what I’m saying and come away saying, ‘I see the point he’s making. I see where he gets if from the Scriptures. But I still have some questions that I would like to have answered.’ That’s fine. That’s the spirit of the Bereans who listened to Paul and then consulted their Bibles to check it out. Discussing questions with open Bibles and open minds is always a good thing. But, on the other hand, if anyone reacts against this teaching, not because of biblical convictions but just because it grates, then the question needs to be asked, ‘Is that evidence of an independent and rebellious spirit?’ Be careful.
We are all learning what it means to be ‘slaves of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ’. And so, we all need to pray. Pray for yourselves, that the Spirit would give you understanding of these things, that He would expose any possible areas of your heart where you aren’t willing to submit to the Lordship of Christ and that He would give you the grace of repentance and faith. Pray that you would grow as a slave of Jesus and would serve Him well. And then pray for the elders and myself. We have a lot to learn about properly using this authority from Christ. Pray that we would use it wisely so that we might honor Christ and be a blessing to each of you.
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