Led People to Their Brother

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (James 3:13-16 NIV)

James and Jude were brothers of Jesus and leaders in God’s Church.  They understood that leadership in God’s Church is not about power, position, or politics.  It’s about walking with God and helping others do the same.  Envy and selfish ambition expose us and our desire to be in control.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:17-18 NIV)

Read over that list describing wisdom again…slowly.  Is this your picture of a leader?  Does this match your picture of a Christian?  Does this match your picture of Jesus?  You see, leaders are supposed to help people go somewhere.  Leaders in the first-century Church were helping us to become like Jesus, the Christ.  We were encouraged to be Christ-like, as described in that list above.  Christ was the embodiment of wisdom.

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy-- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 1:24-25 NIV)

Taught His Teachings

James has been one of the most controversial books of the New Testament.  Martin Luther wanted to remove it from the New Testament canon, calling it the “epistle of straw.”  (Think about what happens with straw, especially around barn animals.)  That’s because James’ teachings are so practical and hit right at home, even still today.

Read the following passages as “nuggets.”  Read one and then let it seep in for a minute.  Ask God how you are doing in this area.  Ask God if there is anything He wants you to change.  Then move on to the next.  Let the wisdom of God, as shared through James, enter into your mind and heart today.

Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation--since they will pass away like a wild flower. (James 1:9-10 NIV)

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12 NIV)

When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; (James 1:13 NIV)

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17 NIV)

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:19-20 NIV)

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22 NIV)

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. (James 1:26 NIV)

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27 NIV)

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. (James 2:1 NIV)

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:15-17 NIV)

James’ teachings were not just his own.  The words were inspired by God.  Many of these teachings, though, we can trace back to James’ brother, Jesus.  James not only knew his brother’s teachings.  He taught them as well.

How about you?  Do you know James’ teachings?  Do you know Jesus’ teachings?  Do you teach them as well?

A Brother who Knew His Teachings

It would make sense that a brother of Jesus would know a lot of details about Jesus’ life.  He would also know Jesus’ teachings quite well, too.  These boys clearly did.  Not only did they know them.  They held to them and held firm against those who did not know them or who taught against them.

For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. (Jude 1:4 NIV)

Jude’s writings, in fact, focused on the battle against false teachings and the teachers who bring them.  Jude’s contending for the faith in writing gives us some insight as to how he fought for truth throughout the rest of his life.  James held firmly to the teachings of Jesus, too.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:5-8 NIV)

James’ letter is challenging for all of us.  His restatement of Jesus’ teachings often causes us to squirm.  “Did he really mean that?”  That’s the question most often asked when people read James’ letter.  That’s because it is practical and straight to the point, just like his brother, Jesus.  James knew his teachings, too.

How about you?  Do you know the teachings of Jesus?  Do you hold firmly to them?  Are you able to refute those who go against them?  Do you?

Brothers Who Believed

Yesterday, we looked at the fact that Jude and James were both referred to as brothers of Jesus.  Whether older or younger brothers, these guys certainly would have known all about Jesus’ life – even the childhood details that others never knew.  Yet, they did not call themselves brothers of Jesus in their letters.  They called themselves servants of Jesus.  They called Jesus their Lord.  They believed that Jesus is the Christ.

Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God's holy people. (Jude 1:3 NIV)

What kind of proof would they have needed to go from changing diapers to changing their minds.  They would have watched him learn and grow as a child.  Now they call him Lord Jesus Christ.  What moved them from a place where they saw his humanity to the place where they worshiped His divinity?  What drove them to contend for their faith in him?

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4 NIV)

How about you?  Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ?  Do you call him your Lord?  Do you serve him?  Do you persevere and contend for the faith? What helped you believe?

A Brother

As we look at God’s Word through the eyes of its human writers, we’ve examined an uneducated fisherman, an untrusted tax collector, the one who Jesus loved, and a Pharisee who needed to change his theology to include Jesus.  This week, we get to look at God’s Word through the eyes of two brothers.

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. (Jude 1:1-2 NIV)

Jude, the first man, tells us that he is the brother of James.  James refers to himself in the following way.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. (James 1:1 NIV)

The introductions to their letters are quite striking, when you consider their family tree.  They were not only brothers to one another.  They were also the brothers of Jesus.

I saw none of the other apostles--only James, the Lord's brother. (Galatians 1:19 NIV)

Different theories exist as to how they are related to Jesus.  One possibility is that James and Jude are the younger brothers of Jesus.  This would be possible if Joseph and Mary are their parents just like Jesus.  They would be younger brothers because Jesus was born of a virgin and Joseph “did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus”
(Matthew 1:25 NIV).

Another possibility is that Joseph had James and Jude from a previous marriage.  After his wife passed away, Joseph was married to Mary, as the law allowed.  With this scenario, James and Jude would be the older brothers of Jesus because they were born before Joseph and Mary were even married.

In either case, these boys are brothers to Jesus, which gives us a whole new perspective to their letters.  Look again at they way they introduce themselves above.  They don’t say they are brothers of Jesus.  They call themselves his servants.  They consider Jesus their Lord.  This is why their words have even deeper meaning to us.  Jesus is our brother and Jesus is our Lord, too.

Now Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you." He replied, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice." (Luke 8:19-21 NIV)

How about you?  Have you ever thought about Jesus as your brother?  Do hear God’s word and put it into practice?  Do you consider Jesus your Lord, too?  How will that affect your understanding of the letters written by Jesus’ brothers James and Jude?