By Rev. Scott Zeckzer

My grandmother and my mother said many times that the letter of James was their favorite. My grandmother would comment that James was a “very practical” letter. I agree with her.

James wrote “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only.” (1:22 ESV) James was criticized by Martin Luther as an “epistle of straw.” When Luther wrote that, he was fighting against the “we are saved by our works” belief. Luther did quote from James in the Large Catechism. Luther did come to appreciate James.

James assumes we are saved by God’s grace. We are “hearers” of God’s word. James goes on to say that our faith does not end with us just hearing God’s Word. He calls us to be “doers” of the word.

James wrote “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (2:17 ESV) We say we are saved by faith alone, but faith is never alone. As theologians would say, we are justified before God by His grace through faith. Now being justified we are motivated in how we live. We call this sanctification, living the way God would want us to live.

James starts his letter with words, “Count it all joy … when you meet trials.” James is writing to the church who is being persecuted. Some things never change. We who live in our world today suffer persecution. James tells you “Count it all joy.” When persecutions and trials come we can ask the Lord to help us.

James also tells us to “Be Patient” (5:7 ESV) until the Lord’s coming. It can be very frustrating when things do not happen the way we want it to happen. The older I get, the more my body does not do what I want it to do. James reminds me to “Be Patient.”

James ends his letter with, “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another.” (5:16 ESV) Confessing and praying is faith in action. “Count it all joy” brothers and sisters when sins are forgiven.

Prayer:
O God, whose strength is made perfect in weakness, grant us humility and childlike faith that we may please You in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

This month’s study text:

Testing of Your Faith

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5 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 double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

James 1:2-18 (ESV)

Reflection Questions:

What are some blessings that bring you joy?

Read chapter 3. What does James write about our tongue?

Read chapter 5:7-11. What are some of the practical words James tells us?
 

The Rev. Scott Zeckzer is the senior pastor at Emanuel Lutheran Church in New Haven, Ind., and is a pastor on Worship Anew.