James (The LORD’S Brother)
Junior Level
Today we being our study of James. I am excited to learn more in this book and also about this man. I pray that it will be a blessing to you.
Handout: James (The LORD’S Brother)
Info: Story of James Rock Archaelogical Find
We will get more into the book of James but before we do, let’s look at who James was exactly and that will begin with us looking in the book of 1 Corinthians.
1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Now this scripture is Paul writing about what happened when and after Jesus was crucified and resurrected. Now scripture tells us the people that Jesus appeared to after He arose from the grave and the first one recorded was Mary Magdalene which we find in the book of John chapter 20. We also know that she was grieved so much that she was alone at the tomb when He appeared. He had delivered her from demon possession and she was distraught that her LORD was “gone”. She desperately needed to see Him alive again and Jesus knew that. Later, we know that Jesus went to visit Peter or Cephas as the scripture above tells us, we all know the reason why Peter so desperately needed to see Jesus. He had denied The LORD three times during the time that He was arrested and I’m sure the grief of that was killing him inside. The Bible doesn’t tell us the details of what happened during that visit. Beth Moore in her study of James goes to say that The Bible doesn’t tell us the details because “it was simply none of our business!” I agree, and I’m so glad that their relationship and my relationship with The LORD as well as yours is personal. Sometimes there are things we are meant to share with others about our experience with JESUS and then there are things that are just private, just between the two. It’s a beautiful thing.
We see in these scriptures that Jesus was visiting those who needed to see Him most, because of His great love, and friends, He still has that great love for us and He will show up to us when we need Him most, all we have to do is call out to Him!
Now looking at this list, we see that Jesus visited James. It’s another one of those visits that we know nothing else about; it was very private and personal. Now we know that James was the half brother of Jesus. They shared Mary as their mother but of course Joseph was James’ father and GOD was Jesus’ FATHER. These two had shared a home together growing up, they had played together, laughed together, worked together and all the things that brothers do. Now Mary and Joseph knew who Jesus was, that He was the Son of GOD but Jesus’ brothers, they did not believe at first. Can you imagine growing up in a house with The Son of GOD and not knowing or believing that He was who He said He was!?
Let’s go to John chapter 7.
John 7:1-5 “ 1After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand.
3His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. 4For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.
5For neither did His brethren believe in Him.
Wow! His own brothers, that grew up in the same house, did not believe He was The Perfect Son of GOD…how could this be? Beth Moore explains that during those times, it was much different than today. Everyone was living according to GOD’S law given to them by Moses. So not being able to see the heart of Jesus, they perhaps just thought He was a very strict follower of the law. He would have appeared to be just a very good moral man. He was GOD’S Son and they could not see His perfect heart, where others maybe tried to be perfect, HE WAS!
So we see that His brothers did not believe in Him, they started out just as we did, as unbelievers, unsaved. James was among these. The one born after Jesus was born. The LORD’S little brother.
We know James was probably the second oldest because he is listed first in Matthew 13:55 when the names of Jesus’ brothers were recorded.
Matthew 13:55-56 “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?”
Reviewing back to John 7, we see that during this huge Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus’ brothers are mocking Him, saying, if you are who you say you are, then go make yourself known to all the people, you would have a huge audience, what they did not realize is that Jesus was not trying to make Himself famous, He was trying to save lost souls from hell! He was trying to be their Savior, yet they did not believe.
So all these things had happened and we know that later Jesus was crucified and rose again and then we go forward in time to the day when Jesus was to ascend back to The FATHER.
Acts 1:9-14 “9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
12Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. 13And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
14These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren.”
Who was there? Mary, and His brothers! Now we go from them not believing and time passing, the cross and the resurrection and now they have believed! Praise The LORD! If they did not believe they would not have been there and we know that Jesus had paid a visit after He arose from the grave to James. GOD had a plan for James, this brother of Jesus that He loved so much, but see James could not enter into the family of GOD entitled! He could not play the brother card. He had to enter it by faith just as you and I have to. See it’s not about our status in life, it’s not about our wealth, and it’s not about who we know or who we are family to, it’s about faith and being washed in the blood of the Lamb Jesus CHRIST The RIGHTEOUS! You can’t earn it, you can’t buy it, you can’t steal it, YOU MUST BELIEVE! Praise The LORD!
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of GOD. Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
James had to believe! You and I MUST believe! So we begin our study of James understanding that he was the brother of JESUS, and that he came to know Jesus as more than his brother, but as his own personal Savior. Have you accepted Jesus as your own personal Savior too? Have you believed by faith and asked Jesus to forgive your sins and come into your heart and be the LORD of your life? If you haven’t you can. He is the door and there is no other way to GOD and to Heaven by through Jesus Christ. Call out to Him today…He will save you and make you a new creation in Himself!
John 10:9-11 “ 9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
Righteous, Heavenly FATHER…
Thank You today for Your Word, for The LIVING WORD. Thank You LORD for dying for my sins and for giving Your life that I could have life ever lasting. Today I ask You to forgive me of my sins and to come into my heart and to be the LORD of my life. I believe that You are The Only Begotten Son of GOD and I believe that You died for my sins that that you raised from the dead and that one day You will come back to get those who belong to You. LORD, I ask You to save me today from my sins and help me to follow You all the days of my life. Help me to trust You LORD. Thank You for loving me. In JESUS name…Amen.
Cindygirl
December 31, 2017