December 13/14 JAMES

December 13/14

James is my favorite book of the Bible!

It wasn’t Luther’s favorite; he called it a “right strawy epistle.” By this he meant that it lacked the clear message of justification by grace through faith that we find in Paul’s letters. This may be so, but I tell you this: I have found MUCH grace and faith and growth in this letter. It’s not theological in the sense of Paul’s letters; it’s hortatory! (“Hortatory” means “full of exhortation and encouragement”) It’s good coaching!

Though I was never—for good reason—on a competitive sports team, and though I never experienced an effective coach in that setting, I was privileged to have choir and drama directors, who filled that need for coaching in my life. James is like a wise coach or an effective director. He knows how to challenge, how to rebuke, how to encourage and how to make the Christian just want to grow and do better.

After the world’s shortest greeting (not really), he digs in. “Count it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” (James 1:2) And he doesn’t let up. He keeps pouring on the exhortation and encouragement until the last verse; “My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20). You see it? After a letter full of high-caliber coaching on topics ranging from temper to tongue, and from wisdom to works, he challenges us to coach others out of their sin and into the truth!

And by Christ’s love and grace, we can do it! Go James!!!

Your fellow traveler through the New Testament,

Pastor Gary