James Part One

"Then He appeared to James." (1 Corinthians 15:7)

Studying the book of James was nothing something I might have dived deeper into, though I have read the book of James many times I knew I would need further guidance to help me study the text. As always God gives Beth Moore the words to breath life into the book of James. 

Part one- 

You don't see James mentioned often in the new testament, other than the book of James itself. What we did see of James was that he did not believe Jesus was who he said until after he rose on the third day. My mind thinks to my own brothers and the disagreements that we had and the fights, I wonder if Jesus and James butted heads? James and Jesus' other brother mocked him in John 7:1-9. 

After Jesus died on the cross their we're many that did not know what was next, there was confusion and there was silence. Then on the third day, the stone was rolled away and Jesus was not in the tomb, and when women came looking for Jesus they thought his body had been stollen, can you imagine? Coming to the tomb and being the first to see He was no longer there? Then when the angel told them that he is not here he is risen....praise God! 

After the resurrection of Christ the bible tells us that He appeared to more than 500 people, "He appeared to those who needed to see him most" (Beth Moore) the bible lists a few by name Mary magdalene the one that Jesus healed (so much to be said about her, but not enough time), Saul the persecutor, Peter the denier, and "then he appeared to James." 

James entered as the unbeliever, I wonder what he said to Jesus when he saw him, the risen savior? I wonder if he touched his nail pierced hands, rubbed his cheeks upon his hands, wept at his feet...I wonder what that moment was like between them. It brings tears to my eyes thinking about what that moment will be like for me when I finally see him face to face, I cannot imagine what it must have been like for his own brother. 

God wanted to use James, James had to be able to show us something, he had to show us that he was just like us. "by the grace of God James became what James became." a unique relationship with Jesus . James could not come in with entitlement as Jesus' brother, he had to come with grace. 

James may not have believed Jesus was who he said, he may have said things to hurt his brother but just like the rest of us that are filled with sin, God is greater, Jesus is greater, grace is greater. All that we hate about our past, every problem has left a space for grace. Will you leave it empty or will you let Him fill it up? 

"the power of the resurrection means that nothing but the tomb was meant to be empty."