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Putting Your Faith into Action

Setting: Small Group Bible Study Length of Delivery: 30 minutes for each lesson

Name of Student: Joshua E. Wright Student ID: L24824428 Class: NBST 521-B25 Instructors Name: Monte A. Shanks Date Submitted: 03/04/2012

Lesson One: Mark 6:1-3 James: Family by Blood, Not by Spirit Introduction: At one time or another we have all come across an individual, or perhaps several, whom seem to have all the right answers. It doesnt matter what you say, because it is wrong and they will correct you. I recently came across this while visiting a friend. We were discussing the topic of computers when his girlfriend chimed in with a better answer. We naturally moved onto a different topic, and she also had all the right answers for that subject as well. It wasnt so much of a better answer, as it was her way of showing off that she had information on the topic. She even took the opportunity at one point to name-drop a famous person she knew. When we went back to the original topic of computers, she began to brag that she knew a person who writes code for Apple computers so anytime she needed software she could go to them for the hook-up. Its kind of annoying being around someone who either is always right, thinks they are always right, or wants to top your input with a better answer. Have you ever known somebody to have all the right answers? Now imagine that was your family member. If anyone had all the right answers in the world, it was certainly Jesus. Jesus had some half-brothers and half-sisters. Today we are going to focus on James, who was the half-brother of Jesus. Half-brother means that they both shared the same mother, but had different fathers; Joseph adopted Jesus as a son. Joseph was the biological father to James.

Our first question in this study is: Who was James? As we see in Mark 6:3, James was the son of Joseph and Mary. He was a half-brother to Jesus and biological brother to Jose, Judas, Simon as well as his sisters. His name is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Jacob. He was called James the Just for his righteous living and nicknamed camel knees because of the hours he spent on his knees praying (from Hegesippus, quoted by Eusebius). He wrote the book that bears his name; which interestingly enough is considered to be the earliest of all the New Testament epistles. Church history tells us that he died around AD 62. Now James, being a brother to Jesus, knew Jesus pretty well. But did James always believe in Jesus? To get the answer to that question we need to first look at Mark 3:21-31. If you have your bible with you, turn with me to Mark 3:21. Mark 3:21 states: And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, He is out of his mind.1 Mark 3:31 states: And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him.2 The context for this outburst by Jesus family is that he has been healing people and teaching them the things of God. Now I speculate that in verse 21 the reference to family is really just the brothers of Jesus trying to hush their older brother because they think he has gone out of his mind. And then we see that in verse 31 that they were not successful in their endeavor to quiet Jesus and so they went out and get their mom to help.
1 2

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 3:21. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 3:31.

Some questions come to mind though as we look at their actions. First, why did they seek to seize Jesus? It would seem their actions come from a standpoint of one who is jealous or embarrassed. Do you think James was embarrassed by his older brother? I can see it now, Jesus begins to speak and James rolls his eyes in contempt. Perhaps you have run into a person your own life that makes you roll your eyes. My dad is a stickler for getting things right. Especially when it comes to the Bible. I used to get embarrassed or sometimes annoyed with him when he would always go back to scripture for his answer to a question. I would sigh and roll my eyes because I didnt want him to go there with his answer. I dont do that anymore - In fact, I am very appreciative of the words of wisdom my dad has regarding scripture and I appreciate the deep love he has for God and his word. I think we can see pretty clearly that James and his brothers didnt always believe in Jesus. Which brings up another question: Why didnt James believe? We know his family had the opportunity to see the various miracles of Jesus. So we could surmise that James himself witnessed some if not all of the miracles of Jesus. Yet seeing the miracles didnt make him an instant believer that Jesus was the Messiah. Perhaps it was because James was too close to Jesus. He had the inside scoop on Jesus and knew him better than the crowds. This line of thinking could lead to the idea that Jesus acted one way at home and different way in public. That isnt very characteristic of what the scriptures say about Jesus. Some would speculate that James and his brothers tried to intervene and quiet Jesus not because of hatred - but that they did not necessarily like all the attention that Jesus was getting. Lets look at Mark 6:4.

Mark 6:4 states: And Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.3 Perhaps Jesus made such a comment because he could sense envy in the heart of his brothers. Perhaps when we are too familiar with someone we are more inclined to doubt them or praise them for their deeds. And perhaps James and his brothers failed to acknowledge Jesus and his ministry because they themselves had different expectations as to what Jesus was supposed to be doing. In fact, lets take at look at John 7:1-9 John 7:1-9 states: After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.
3 So 2 Now

the Jews Feast of Booths was at hand.

his brothers said to him, Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see

the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world. 5 For not even his brothers believed in him. 6 Jesus said to them, My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.
7 The

world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.
8 You

go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come. saying this, he remained in Galilee.4 It would appear that James and his brothers had different plans for Jesus. They

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expected Jesus to be doing something else. Though James didnt believe in Jesus, that didnt stop him from trying to be Jesus manager. Jesus own brothers tried to control his own ministry.

3 4

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 6:4. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 7:19.

Conclusion: Are we not much different from James? We say Jesus is Lord, but we still want to have a say as to what we should do and where we should go. In reality we say Jesus is Lord, but with a few conditions. Here are some questions to think about: Do your plans differ from the plan of God? Are you hostile to the work God is doing around you? If so, why? When all the excuses are stripped away, what keeps you from fully trusting and believing in Jesus? Application: Sometimes we get envious of other people when they are successful and we are not. We get jealous and that makes us want to stop or hamper their ministry. This attitude does not honor God. God has called each one of us to serve him. No ministry is too small or too great when it is done for the glory of God. Our thoughts should not be focused on us getting the attention, but rather pointing people into the healing hands of Jesus. James failed to see with his spiritual eyes. Because of his blindness, he literally attempted to interfere with the ministry of Jesus the Son of God! We must be careful to open our eyes to the things that Jesus is doing around us and seek earnestly how we might help to contribute to the ministry of Jesus.

Lesson Two: Acts 1:14 & Acts 15:13-21 James: From Unbelieving to Believing. A Leader in the Christian Faith Recap: Last time we looked at the fact that though James was a half-brother to Jesus, that didnt mean that he automatically believed that Jesus was the Messiah. We saw James getting in the way of Jesus ministry and asked ourselves if we do the same thing. If so, then we need to repent and instead open our eyes to the things Jesus is doing around us and see how we might instead help with the ongoing ministry of Jesus. Introduction: I want you to picture, if you will, that you have just witnessed the death of your brother and know for a fact that he is dead and buried. Then three days later you are being told that your brother is no longer in the tomb. In fact, you are told that he is no longer dead but alive and well. How do you think you would respond? Scripture does not illuminate to us the thoughts or actions of the siblings of Jesus when they were told that he was alive. The one thing we do know for sure is that the resurrection of Jesus changed their lives. For James, the resurrection proved to be a life-altering event. This undeniable action was proof enough for James that his half-brother, Jesus, was the Christ, the Anointed One from God. This changed James view of Jesus. He didnt see Jesus as the crazy person in Mark 6:3. He now saw Jesus as someone to be worshipped and followed. Acts 1:14 illuminates for us a small but powerful glimpse into the attitude change of James, and his family, toward Jesus. 7

Acts 1:14 states: All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.5 After he believed in Jesus as the Messiah, James quickly rose in the leadership ranks within the Christian faith. First question: As an influential leader, how does James view his leadership role? To answer this question, we need to look at Acts 15:1-12. Lets read Acts 15:1-12 and observe James character. The first thing I would like us to take note of is that James remains silent during this discourse. It is Peter who does all the talking. We see at the end that Paul and Barnabas shared their testimony, but primarily Peter speaks. The question was whether or not Gentiles needed to be circumcised in order to be saved. Essentially, the impression that was given was that faith alone in Christ Jesus was not enough. It was being circulated among strict Jewish Christians that Gentiles needed to be circumcised in order to have true salvation. Peter, Paul and Barnabas spoke out against this ideology by sharing their experience with the work God had been doing in the midst of the Gentile people.6 Lets read verses 13-21 to see what happens next. Notice how James speaks only after hearing the statements from everyone else? As a leader, it is sometimes beneficial to remain silent and simply listen. Being a leader The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Ac 1:14.
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David Cook, Teaching Acts: Unlocking the Book of Acts for the Bible Teacher, ed. David Jackman and Robin Sydserff, Teach the Bible (Ross-shire, Scotland; London, England: Proclamation Trust Media; Christian Focus Publications, 2007), 214.
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doesnt always mean that your voice has to be heard. We can see that James exercised great humility in being silent and waiting patiently before he opened his month. What I find most interesting in this section is how James brings about his response. Peter, Paul and Barnabas all speak out of experience to give their opinion as to whether or not Gentiles should be circumcised. However, James uses scripture to defend his position. James desired to see both Jew and Gentiles worshipping together and not fighting over what ritualistic practice was being kept. And so he pointed to Scripture as the basis to show the people that God had planned this all along. This is a great reminder for us. Experience can play a part in our decision-making, but we must be watchful to make sure that we are not ruled by experience alone. We have to look to Scripture as our final authority and our final answer.

How was a Jewish man who converted to Christianity to respond to a Gentile who became a Christian? James character shows us the answer to this question. The first response is to love the individual and extend to them a lot of grace and mercy. Looking over verses 19-21 again we can see that James is concerned with avoiding legalism while at the same time desiring to setup clear boundaries to help the new believers to worship God and bring glory to his name. It must be made clear that James was not trying to bind these new Christians with rules. Rather his goal and intent was to encourage his fellow brothers and sisters in the faith. Conclusion:

James is considered to be a leader in the early Christian church. In fact, Paul labels him as a pillar of the church (Gal 2:9) and makes him equal in authority with Peter and John. He is considered to be among the group of apostles and is an individual in which we can learn character building from. He makes it clear that God has promised to include the Gentiles in to his family. And since the people of God will include Gentiles, then no roadblock should be created that would keep Gentiles from turning to God in Christ Jesus.7 Application: The liberating work of the Good News must not become burdensome by additions like ceremonial circumcision. Our salvation is by grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone. The message of the Gospel must be carried out with any addition.8 Each day we need to be motivated by Scripture. We need to apply it our own lives and into the lives of others so that we all may glorify our Father in heaven. To help evaluate our own lives here are some questions to consider: How do you base your decisions? Are your decisions emotionally driven? Intellectually driven? Fear driven? Comfort driven? Do you look to Scripture as the foundation of your thinking? In dealing with new and old believers, do you intentionally seek to encourage them up in the faith? Remember in the end our actions should reflect the finished work of Jesus Christ.

David Cook, Teaching Acts: Unlocking the Book of Acts for the Bible Teacher, ed. David Jackman and Robin Sydserff, Teach the Bible (Ross-shire, Scotland; London, England: Proclamation Trust Media; Christian Focus Publications, 2007), 214. David Cook, Teaching Acts: Unlocking the Book of Acts for the Bible Teacher, ed. David Jackman and Robin Sydserff, Teach the Bible (Ross-shire, Scotland; London, England: Proclamation Trust Media; Christian Focus Publications, 2007), 218.
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Lesson Three: James 1:5-8 James: A Closer Look at Faith in Action Recap: Last time we looked at discovering answers to difficult questions and forming our opinions based on Scripture. While Peter, Paul and Barnabas gave their answers based on their own experience, James gave his judgment backed up by Scripture. This is a great example and good reminder for all of us. Far too often we look to the experience of others or our own experience for answers, rather than relying on and seeking the answers from the Word of God. And now we will study the scriptures for our final lesson in the series, James: A Closer Look At Faith in Action. Introduction: Forest Gump said, Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what youre gonna get. There are few things that are certain in this life. The saying goes that only two things are certain in this life: death and taxes. This is true; you cant escape the situations in life that you will inevitably have to go through. Whether good or bad, we will all have decisions to make and if we are trying to make those decisions based on good solid theological grounding, then we are going to need help. Turn with me in your Bibles to James 1:5. As you are looking that reference up in your Bible, I want you to think about how you deal with trials that come your way. Do you hide from them or face them head on? As we will see in the next few verses, decisions

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require wisdom, wisdom requires prayer, and prayer requires faith.9 Lets read James 1:58. James 1:5-8 states: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
6 But

let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for

the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways.10 Roger Ellsworth in his commentary on James states: We can see James making three points: trials demand wisdom, wisdom demands prayer, and prayer demands faith. Now to properly understand the context of what James is talking about we have to know what was said in verses 1-4. In verses 1-4 James talks about persecution and suffering. Now it must be understood that suffering can come in various forms. Primarily there is suffering that we bring upon ourselves (we call this consequences) and there is suffering that the Lord allows to come upon us. The reasons for the Lord allowing the suffering can vary. Perhaps it is to humble us or teach us to rely on him. No matter the reason, we should be joyful because such trials help us to grow in our faith. And so we can take comfort in know that suffering is not meaningless. It is Gods way of bringing us to spiritual maturity.

Roger Ellsworth, Opening Up James (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2009), 26.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jas 1:58.
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So the three demands that Roger talks about in verses 5-8 help us to refocus our attention. It challenges us to look outside of ourselves for the answer, strength, and wisdom to get through any of lifes situations. Trials Require Wisdom. What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom? Simply put, knowledge is information; wisdom is application. Knowledge comprehends facts; wisdom is handling life. Knowledge is theoretical; wisdom is practical. Knowledge is learning about life; wisdom is rightly living a life. A helpful way to understand it is to think of it in terms of driving a car. You can know everything about a car, but drive it very poorly. On the flip side you can know very little about the internal workings of a car, and drive it very well. No matter what trial we are facing, we could all use more wisdom specifically, godly wisdom for handling trials so that we can glorify God with our attitude and actions. How do we get wisdom? We have to ask for it. Wisdom Requires Prayer. John Calvin says that the Lord is ready to add new blessings to former ones without any end or limitation. God is ready and willing to give us new blessings, but first we need to ask him. It is possible to receive a blessing from God because we went through a difficult situation. Does that mean that we cant pray to have our trial lifted from us? We certainly can, but what benefit would there be in the trial being lifted? Many of us pray for a trial to be lifted, but have you thought about praying for wisdom to get through the trial? God uses each situation we are in as a teaching lesson. Sometimes we learn it in the midst of the trial; sometimes the lesson comes after the trial. The point is that if we never go through it, we

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will never grow spiritually. God gives generously and without finding fault. He knows our weakness. We could all use more wisdom in life. Ask God and he will supply it generously. When we pray, we must make sure that our prayers are done in faith. And that leads us to our next point: Prayer Requires Faith. Most people think faith means that you pick something out that you want God to do, and then psych yourselves up to believe that he will actually do it. That kind of "faith" is no different than positive thinking. Faith is believing that God will do what he promised to do. We need to ask and believe. We need to ask our Heavenly Father and believe that he is a good and faithful Father that will provide for the needs of his children. Sometimes we simply fail to ask God for wisdom. Perhaps this is out of pride. We simply do not ask because we think we can handle the situation on our own. Perhaps we fail to ask because we dont think that God will come through on his promise. We sometimes have the mentality that our problems are too small for God to care about. This is simply not true. God cares for us deeply. In this passage, James gives us a distinct promise. He tells us that God will give us wisdom for the handling of our trials if we ask in faith. Conclusion: The trials we face in life are likely to scare us and cause us to doubt. James gives us an encouraging reminder that our God is a giving God, and one of the gifts he gives is wisdom. Jesus spoke on this very subject in Matthew 7:7-12. Jesus teaches us that God is personable and desires to give us good gifts that glorify his name. Do you see God as your loving Father who gives you good gifts?

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Application: How can you take the knowledge you have accumulated over the years and turn it into wisdom? What steps can you take to improve your prayer life? When you pray, do you really believe that God hears and is willing to personally respond to you? The faith that we are to have in our prayers suggests a desire to respond and act on Gods will for our life. If we fail to respond in obedience, then we will not be able to enjoy the gift that God has ready and waiting to give us. Without that gift, we miss an opportunity to draw closer to him and glorify his name.

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Bibliography: Andrew Knowles, The Bible Guide, 1st Augsburg books ed. (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg, 2001) David Cook, Teaching Acts: Unlocking the Book of Acts for the Bible Teacher, ed. David Jackman and Robin Sydserff, Teach the Bible (Ross-shire, Scotland; London, England: Proclamation Trust Media; Christian Focus Publications, 2007) Douglas J. Moo, The Letter of James, The Pillar New Testament commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2000) Peter H. Davids, The Epistle of James : A Commentary on the Greek Text (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1982) Phillip McFadyen, Open Door on Mark: His Gospel Explored (London: Triangle, 1997) Ralph P. Martin, vol. 48, Word Biblical Commentary : James, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 2002) Robert James Dr. Utley, vol. Volume 11, Jesus' Half-Brothers Speak: James and Jude, Study Guide Commentary Series (Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International, 2000) Roger Ellsworth, Opening Up James (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2009)

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