James Commentaries

After preaching through James, here are my thoughts on the commentaries:

James is a book that has a lot of good commentaries.

The Best: Douglas Moo's Pillar Commentary

Very Good:

-Motyer's Bible Speaks Today Commentary

-Doriani's Reformed Expository Commentary

-Blomberg's Exegetical Commentary

-Hiebert's Commentary

OK, but not the best:

-Martin's Word Biblical Commentary

-Adamson's NICNT

-Davids' NIGTC

OK Homiletical Commentaries:

Kent Hughes

John MacArthur

Anthony Selvaggio

Very thorough devotional commentary: Thomas Manton

The Judge is Coming: Encouragement to Endure

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is one of the most pervasive doctrines of the Bible. There are over 300 references to the return of Christ in the New Testament alone.

And the emphasis of the vast majority of the references to Christ’s coming is the way in which Christians should live in hopeful expectation for the return of Christ. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is supposed to make a difference in our everyday lives. We are to live a certain kind of life because we know that our Savior and Lord is coming again.

This truth is so basic yet so neglected. Our Christian culture is fascinated with the end times today. If you want to sell a bunch of books or pack out a conference today, just advertise that you have “secrets of the Second Coming.” Our culture is fixated on the timing of Christ’s coming and the events surrounding Christ’s coming.

Those are certainly important issues that we should discuss. However, the Bible’s emphasis regarding the coming of the Lord in power and great glory is in the sanctifying effect it should have in our lives right now.

Knowledge of Jesus’ return to Earth is meant to be of help to our everyday lives.

In 2 Peter 3, Peter speaks about the certainty of Christ’s coming and then says, “Since all these things are true, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming day of God…Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.” (2 Peter 3:11, 14).

In Matthew 24 and Mark 13, Jesus speaks of the certainty of His coming again and then issues this command: “Be on your guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.”

The doctrine of Christ’s Second Coming is immensely practical.

And, in James 5, we see that James understood and taught the importance of Jesus’ second Coming. He bases his exhortations here in the fact of Jesus’ coming again.

There are at least 3 commands in James 5:7-12 based on the coming of Christ to judge:
1. The Judge is Coming...therefore, be patient (5:7-8, 10-11).
2. The Judge is Coming...therefore, don't grumble against one another (v. 9).
3. The Judge is Coming...therefore, speak with integrity (v. 12).

• We are not waiting for a particular person to take political office to rescue us from taxes.
• We are not waiting for some military maneuver to free us from the fear of terrorism.
• We are not waiting for our financial portfolio to mature or for the market to bounce back.
• We are not waiting for those who have wronged us to pay us back or for them to get what they deserve from the legal system.
• We are not waiting for the check to be in the mail that will finally solve all our problems.
• We are not waiting for the medical report to give us the news that we are healed.

We are waiting for one thing: we are waiting for the Savior to rescue us from this sin-stained world. We can be patient because we know He is coming and His coming will indeed alleviate all our misery.

The Judge is Coming: Warning to the Wealthy

James 5:1-6 sounds like something out of the mouth of an OT prophet. James preaches against the rich with prophetic zeal. After calling the ungodly rich to weep and mourn in verse 1, James gives at least 3 ways that riches lead to judgment.

1. Money leads to judgment when it is selfishly hoarded (5:2-3).
2. Money leads to judgment when it is gained through injustice (5:4, 6).
3. Money leads to judgment when it is used for self-indulgence (5:5).

I closed Sunday's sermon on this passage with 7 exhortations (you'll have to listen to the sermon to get the context of these words of application):
1. Christ is coming back.
2. Live with the end in view.
3. Don't desire to be rich.
4. Stop worrying that you won't have enough for yourself.
5. Beware of judging others.
6. Lift your eyes from what does not satisfy (riches) to the only One who can satisfy (Jesus).
7. Jesus is the only One who can rescue you from eternal condemnation.

2 Kinds of Wisdom

In James 3:13-18, we are given a framework to evaluate our lives. James says we are either ruled by the wisdom of the world or the wisdom of God. So, which kind of wisdom controls you?

The World's Wisdom:
Origin: earthly, unspiritual, demonic (v. 15).
Characterisitcs: bitter jealousy and selfish ambition (v. 14, 16).
Results: disorder and every evil practice (v. 16).

God's Wisdom:
Origin: from above; from God (v. 17).
Characteristics: humble, pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere (v. 13, 17).
Results: a harvest of righteousness (v. 18).

The Power of the Tongue

Our ability to communicate with words is a wonderful gift of God. God designed human beings with the unique capability of speaking words that communicate what we think and feel and desire.

Think about it: words are one of the things that distinguish human beings from every other creature. Cows can moo, dogs bark, pigs oink, monkeys squeal, and lions roar.

Animals can make noises but only humans can talk with words. This is one of the most clear ways we were created in God’s image. God is a communicator. It is in God’s very nature to communicate Himself. So, He has made us to reflect His image by giving us tongues and vocal cords that have the ability to express ourselves.

Primarily, our tongues were created to praise and exalt God and to invite others to do the same. Words exist so that God’s glory might be seen and God’s purposes might be accomplished.

James 3:1-12 addresses the power of our words by giving us 4 aspects of the tongue that make controlling what we say so important:

1. The Tongue is Small but Powerful (v. 2-5).
2. The Tongue can be Incredibly Destructive (v. 6-8).
3. The Tongue is Humanly Untamable (v. 7-8).
4. The Tongue is Inconsistent (v. 9-12).

So, in response to this passage, ask yourself some penetrating questions:
-Do you use clean language?
-Do you speak the truth?
-Do you justify “little” “white” lies?
-Do you exaggerate the truth to make yourself look good?
-Do you speak well of people?
-Do you participate in gossip or the spreading of rumors?
-Do you complain and grumble about others?
-Does your speech glorify God?

Faith Works

It was a joy to preach from James 2:14-26 Sunday. After dealing with the apparent contradiction between James and Paul, here was my outline:

1. True faith is more than a mere confession (v. 14-17).
2. True faith is more than mere agreement with truth (v. 18-19).
3. True faith produces an obedient life (v. 20-26).

This is a powerful passge that is super clear on the nature of saving faith. Luther: "faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is never alone."

Adoption

Here is some of what I said about adoption in application to James 1:27 Sunday. James says we are to visit orphans and widows. Adoption is certainly the most important way to care for orphans.

CJ Manhaney has a post today about adoption.

Let me say a word about adoption. There are about 135 million orphans worldwide today. In the US alone there are around 150,000 children waiting right now to be adopted. Friends, adoption is not just for couples who cannot have children. Adopting children is one of the most clear ways we can care for the weak and helpless.

What do orphans need? They don’t ultimately need an orphanage or a foster home. They don’t just need a few meals a day. They need a mom and a dad. They need someone who will raise them to be a man or women who treasures Christ.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, the whole world became a spiritual orphanage. We were all fatherless, weak and helpless. And the Father sent His only Son to rescue orphans. The Father sent His Son to deliver you from being fatherless. He adopted you into His own family.

And those who have been rescued by Jesus are those who are now called to rescue others who are weak and helpless.

Parents, consider adopting a child and how that would communicate the gospel to the watching world. And, those of you who are beyond parenting age, encourage your children to adopt and be ready to financially support those who are pursuing adoption.

One of my prayers for Christ Baptist is that in 30 years, our church will be full of kids who have been rescued from fatherlessness. May God be pleased to create a culture of rescuing in our church, for His glory. True Christians care for the weak and helpless.

True Religion

James 1:26-27 is quite the uncomfortable experience. James gives 3 tests of true religion. Without Christ, I'd despair.

1. A Christian controls the tongue.
2. A Christian cares for the weak and helpless.
3. A Christian combats worldliness.

Be Doers of the Word

The experience of the new birth (James 1:18) should lead to an expression of new life (James 1:19-27). James challenges us to respond rightly to God's Word of Truth.

1. We are to have a submissive posture toward the Word (v. 19-20).
2. We are to have a receptive heart toward the Word (v. 21).
3. We are to have an obedient life in the Word (v. 22-25).

Its not enough to merely hear the Word. Its not enough to merely study God's Word. All our exposure to God's Word must be accompanied by obedience to God's Word.

Do Not Be Deceived

I really enjoyed preaching James 1:12-18 Sunday. The message of this passage is that a proper perspective of trials is about knowing the character of God. We will never be able to respond joyfully to suffering if we are not familiar with God's glory and goodness.

Here were the 3 aspects of God to focused on:
1. God rewards those who endure (v. 12).
2. God does not tempt anyone to sin (v. 13-15).
3. God is the giver of all good gifts (v. 16-18).

Under point #3, I meditated on 5 precious truths from verses 17-18:
1. Every good thing we have is given to us by God.
2. God only gives good gifts to His children.
3. God is generous with His good gifts to us.
4. The God who gives all good gifts is powerful and does not change.
5. The best of all God's good gifts to us is the new birth through Christ (v. 18).

Verses 17 and 18 are a loud call to extreme gratefulness. Christians ought to be the most grateful people on the planet.

The Book of James

We began a series on the book of James at Christ Baptist Church this morning. James is like buckets of cold water splashed on our sleepy faces. James is jarring. James is designed to awaken us from spiritual slumber and mediocrity.

I think verses 2-4 are among the most clear regarding the Christian response to and perspective of suffering in the Bible.

The Right Response to Trials: "Count it all joy..."
The Right Perspective of Trials: They are designed by God for our good.

The purpose of trials should fuel our joy in the midst of trials. God is accomplishing maturity and sanctification through the trials He sends.

Knowing the purpose of trials should make us different. Never grumble or complain. Greet trials with joy.

The Subtle Sin of Self-Sufficiency

On Sunday, I had the opportunity to preach from James 4:13-17. This is a powerful text that gets to the heart of one of the most subtle and serious sins in all our hearts. Here is a brief summary:

1. Arrogance Rebuked (4:13, 16)

James quotes those he is writing to in verse 13. Then, he calls their statement arrogant and evil in verse 16.

2. Reality Proclaimed (4:14-15)

Verses 14-15 tell us exactly why the statement in verse 13 is evil: they forgot their own frailty and God's sovereignty. Particularly, James says they forgot 3 important realities:

• They forgot their own ignorance of the future ("you don't even know what will happen tomorrow")
• They forgot their own frailty ("you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes")
• They forgot their total dependence on God ("If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that")

I show how believing these things are meant to free us to live radically for God. I was able to quote from John G. Paton's autobiography as to how these truths helped Paton endure persecution and suffering.

3. Conclusion Stated (4:17)

In verse 17, James says that ignoring God and living self-dependently is sin.

I concluded with 5 practical thoughts:

-Ponder God’s patience. Billions of people ignore God and live their lives as if they are self-sufficient. That God does not wipe us all out right now is solely owing to his magnificent patience.

-This text is a practical expression of Proverbs 3:5-6 (“in all your ways acknowledge Him”).

-We ought to say “God willing” and “if the Lord wills” when it is appropriate. Notice James’ emphasis on saying something.

-Consistently practice the Spiritual Disciplines as a declaration of your dependency on God.

-Consider our Savior, Jesus Christ. Never once did he ignore God. Never once did He commit a sin of omission. And, He was punished for our sin of self-sufficiency. He was bruised for our lack of dependence on God. What a Savior!