This lesson starts the home group’s teachings on the book of James. We spent over three years going through the book of Luke – it remains to be seen how long we’ll be in James.
Oh yes, there is a homework assignment at the end of the lesson.
Introduction
Having spent over three and a half years in the Gospel of Luke, this evening we begin at last the next book we will explore with the help of the Holy Spirit. Over the past few weeks as Cecilia and I prayed about what book we would do after Luke, there were several candidates that came to mind. We considered and eventually discarded Acts, Genesis, and Revelation. Finally, we seemed to settle on the Book of Isaiah. The Book of Isaiah is incredibly rich and contains much prophesy about the Messiah, whose life we have been studying for the past three and a half years in Luke. Indeed Isaiah is one of the Old Testament books that is most quoted in the New Testament.
But then, I must confess, I became fearful. The sheer length of Isaiah overwhelmed me. As I looked back over my notes, I saw that we started Luke after Thanksgiving in 2010. If 24 chapters of Luke took 2 ½ years, how long would 66 chapters of Isaiah take? Between two or three times as long at our current pace. So I told God I wasn’t ready for Isaiah yet and asked Him to help me select a shorter text. I felt that He told me to do the Book of James. Initially I was quite excited, because James is an important and challenging book, despite its brevity. Then a few weeks ago Pastor Robert announced that we would be going through the Book of James once the study in Hebrews was completed. Again I felt a check in my spirit and continued to pray. Quite frankly my concern was this: I did not want to lead any of you astray by saying something different than Pastor Robert. Over the past few weeks I have spoken with some of the elders and pastors at Calvary and am now at peace with the decision to study James. We will trust that the Holy Spirit will help our study to be in one accord with Pastor Robert’s.
As a transition from the Book of Luke to the Book of James, I want to read an extended passage of Scripture from the Gospel of John, where I believe we see Jesus touching upon many of the themes that we will encounter in James. In the end, I decided simply to let Scripture speak. After all, how could I ever hope to say things better that God Himself?
The passage we are about to read is a portion of Jesus’ last recorded extended teaching to His disciples. It is the eve of His passion. Jesus and His disciples have finished their Passover meal in the Upper Room. Judas Iscariot has gone out, and night is falling. Jesus takes the time to encourage His disciples and strengthen them for the events that lie ahead of them, not just over the next few days but over the rest of their walk with the Lord. The first part of this teaching takes place in the Upper Room. But at the end of chapter 14, Jesus tells the disciples to arise and go out of this place. As they make their way to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus will be apprehended by the soldiers of the Sanhedrin, Jesus continues to reassure them with His words and prayers.
Turn with me to John 13.We will begin in John 13:31 and read through John 16:33:
John 13:31-35
31 So, when he [Judas Iscariot] had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, 'Where I am going, you cannot come,' so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial – John 13.36-38
36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?"
Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward."
37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake."
38 Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.
The Way, the Truth, and the Life – John 14.1-6
14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know."
5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
The Father Revealed – John 14.7-11
7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."
8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."
9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
The Answered Prayer – John 14.12-18
12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
Indwelling of the Father and the Son – John 19-24
19 "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?"
23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.
The Gift of His Peace – john 14.25-31
25 "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I.
29 "And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here.
The True Vine – John 15.1-8
15:1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
Love and Joy Perfected – john 15.9-17
9 "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
11 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.
The World's Hatred – john 15.18-25
18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'
The Coming Rejection – john 15.26-27
26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
Jesus Warns and Comforts His Disciples – john 16.1-4
16:1 "These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. 4 But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them.
"And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.
The Work of the Holy Spirit john 16.5-15
5 "But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?' 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
Sorrow Will Turn to Joy – john 16.16-24
16 "A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father."
17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, "What is this that He says to us, 'A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, 'because I go to the Father'?" 18 They said therefore, "What is this that He says, 'A little while'? We do not know what He is saying."
19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, "Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, 'A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'? 20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
23 "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Jesus Christ Has Overcome the World – john 16.25-33
25 "These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. 28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father."
29 His disciples said to Him, "See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! 30 Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God."
31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
Among the many things that Jesus tells His disciples, I want to single out the following five topics:
1. Jesus makes reference in advance to the things that are about to happen to Him.
Jesus tells His disciples that He will be with them just a little while longer [John 13:33]. The hour is coming, indeed is already at hand, when the disciples will be scattered and leave Jesus alone [John 16:32].
Afterwards, for a little while, they will not see Him; but after that, they will see Him again [John 16:16].
Eventually Jesus will go away, to a place where the disciples cannot yet go [John 13:33; John 13:36], to His Father [John 14:12; John 14:20; John 14:28; John 16:5;], to be in His Father’s house [John 14:2], where He will prepare a place for them [John 14:3].
Here I believe Jesus is referring to His upcoming crucifixion and burial, His resurrection after three days, and His Ascension into heaven.
Afterwards, for a little while, they will not see Him; but after that, they will see Him again [John 16:16].
Eventually Jesus will go away, to a place where the disciples cannot yet go [John 13:33; John 13:36], to His Father [John 14:12; John 14:20; John 14:28; John 16:5;], to be in His Father’s house [John 14:2], where He will prepare a place for them [John 14:3].
Here I believe Jesus is referring to His upcoming crucifixion and burial, His resurrection after three days, and His Ascension into heaven.
2. Jesus tells His disciples in advance of the hardships they will encounter.
Not only will His disciples weep, lament and be sorrowful in the short term as a result of His absence[John 16:20], they will also experience trials and tribulations in this world because they are not a part of this world [John 15:18-21; John 16:2-3].
Because Jesus removes our excuse for sin [John 15:22] and the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment [John 16:8], the world hates Jesus the Son and God the Father. Jesus warns His disciples that the world will hate them too, will persecute them, will put them out of synagogues, and will even kill them, thinking that in so doing they have done God a service [John 16:2].
We need only think of the actions of Saul of Taurus before his conversion, how he zealously persecuted the followers of the Way, to understand what Jesus is saying.
Because Jesus removes our excuse for sin [John 15:22] and the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment [John 16:8], the world hates Jesus the Son and God the Father. Jesus warns His disciples that the world will hate them too, will persecute them, will put them out of synagogues, and will even kill them, thinking that in so doing they have done God a service [John 16:2].
We need only think of the actions of Saul of Taurus before his conversion, how he zealously persecuted the followers of the Way, to understand what Jesus is saying.
3. Jesus tells them these things beforehand to help them to persevere when they happen.
Jesus wants the disciples to understand that the things that happen to Him and to them are all part of the plan, occurring, to quote the Apostle Peter, “by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God.” Acts 2:22-25
Notice how Jesus repeats the phrase “These things I have spoken to you …” several times during our passage. He plainly tells the disciples the reasons why He is telling them these things before they occur, while He is still with them.
Look at the reasons Jesus gives: so that His joy may remain in them and their joy may be full [John 15:11]; so that they will not be made to stumble by the things that occur [John 16:1]; and so that in Jesus they may have peace [John 16:31]. In John 14:29 Jesus puts the matter like this: "And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe."
Jesus desires that even in trials and tribulations, the disciples’ belief and faith would remain strong and would not waver.
Notice how Jesus repeats the phrase “These things I have spoken to you …” several times during our passage. He plainly tells the disciples the reasons why He is telling them these things before they occur, while He is still with them.
Look at the reasons Jesus gives: so that His joy may remain in them and their joy may be full [John 15:11]; so that they will not be made to stumble by the things that occur [John 16:1]; and so that in Jesus they may have peace [John 16:31]. In John 14:29 Jesus puts the matter like this: "And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe."
Jesus desires that even in trials and tribulations, the disciples’ belief and faith would remain strong and would not waver.
4. In addition, Jesus gives His disciples gifts that will help sustain their faith even in troubled times.
Perhaps the most important gift He gives them is the Holy Spirit. Although Jesus will depart to be with His Father, He will not leave His disciples as orphans [John 14:18].
He promises to send His disciples another Helper, the Spirit of truth, who glorifies Jesus, by taking what is His and declaring it to the disciples [John 16:14]. Look back at some of the things that Jesus tells His disciples the Holy Spirit will do for them. The Holy Spirit will abide with them forever, dwelling with them and in them [John 14:16]; will teach them all things and bring to their remembrance the things that Jesus has said [John 14:26]; will testify of Jesus [John 15:26]; will guide them into all truth, declare to them the things of Jesus, and tell them things to come [John 16:13].
When we realize that this is only a part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, it is no wonder Jesus told His disciples that it was to their advantage that He went away, so that the Holy Spirit would come to them [John 16:7].
In addition to the Holy Spirit, Jesus gives His disciples the gift of peace. He tells them, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” Our peace is not a passing thing like the peace of the world. It is not based on passing things, such as health, or wealth, or power, or beauty. Our peace is based on God, who is the author and finisher of our faith, who is faithful to complete the good work He has begun in us, who works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and in whom there is no darkness or shadow of changing.
And finally Jesus gives His disciples wonderful promises to sustain them. If they keep His commandments, they can abide in His love and be His friends [John 15:9; John 15:14-15]. Like Abraham, they can be called friends of God! If the disciples will love one another as He has loved them, then His joy will remain in them and their joy will be full [John 15:11]. And best of all, Jesus promises to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house, and to come again and receive them to Himself, so that where He is, there they will be
He promises to send His disciples another Helper, the Spirit of truth, who glorifies Jesus, by taking what is His and declaring it to the disciples [John 16:14]. Look back at some of the things that Jesus tells His disciples the Holy Spirit will do for them. The Holy Spirit will abide with them forever, dwelling with them and in them [John 14:16]; will teach them all things and bring to their remembrance the things that Jesus has said [John 14:26]; will testify of Jesus [John 15:26]; will guide them into all truth, declare to them the things of Jesus, and tell them things to come [John 16:13].
When we realize that this is only a part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, it is no wonder Jesus told His disciples that it was to their advantage that He went away, so that the Holy Spirit would come to them [John 16:7].
In addition to the Holy Spirit, Jesus gives His disciples the gift of peace. He tells them, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” Our peace is not a passing thing like the peace of the world. It is not based on passing things, such as health, or wealth, or power, or beauty. Our peace is based on God, who is the author and finisher of our faith, who is faithful to complete the good work He has begun in us, who works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and in whom there is no darkness or shadow of changing.
And finally Jesus gives His disciples wonderful promises to sustain them. If they keep His commandments, they can abide in His love and be His friends [John 15:9; John 15:14-15]. Like Abraham, they can be called friends of God! If the disciples will love one another as He has loved them, then His joy will remain in them and their joy will be full [John 15:11]. And best of all, Jesus promises to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house, and to come again and receive them to Himself, so that where He is, there they will be
5. These gifts He gives the disciples so that they can abide in Jesus, the true vine, and He in them, so that they might bear much fruit.
Everything that Jesus has told the disciples, given them, and promised them leads to this: that they would abide in Him. Now “abide” is a less-commonly-used verb which means “to wait for,” “to endure without yielding or bear patiently,” or “to remain stable or continue in a place.”
How then do we abide in Jesus? I believe Jesus’ words give us the answer. He tells His disciples that they must abide in Him, and His words in them [John 15:7]. We can abide in Jesus when we are reading His word, listening to His word, meditating on it, hiding it in our heart and memorizing it. Jesus is the Word made flesh, so the better we know His word, the better chance we have to know Him. And as we know Him, who He is, what He has done, what He has promised, and who we are relative to Him, I believe we will learn to place more and more of our trust in Him and desire His will for our lives.
So abiding in Jesus also means trusting in Him, waiting on Him, letting Him work through us, rather than striving to do the work through our flesh. We learn to seek His will and His help in prayer more and more frequently, knowing that without Him, we cannot do the things He wants us to do. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit unless it remains attached to the vine, so we cannot bear fruit in our lives unless we abide in Jesus.
Jesus stresses the importance of the disciples bearing fruit. The bearing of fruit glorifies the Father [John 15:8]. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;” Jesus tell His disciples, “and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. [John 15:2]” He wants us to bear fruit in our season, at the appropriate time. Obedience, we are told again and again, is better than sacrifice. God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
I believe God would rather have us waiting on Him until He is ready to use us than have us running ahead of Him, seeking to do good works for God, that He has neither called us nor prepared us to do. Many if not all of us have experienced the difference between doing something in God’s will and doing something in our own strength. We can see a striking example of this in the life of Moses. When Moses set out to save the Hebrew people by his own power and might, killing an Egyptian and burying his body in the sand, God sent him to tend sheep on the backside of the mountain for forty years, until Moses acquired a humble spirit and could be used by God to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt.
It is important that we understand that all of what we have read and discussed this evening is far more than just a record of Jesus’ words to His disciples then. Jesus’ words are as applicable to us today as they were to His disciples in their day. “For the word of God is living and powerful,” Hebrews 4:12-13 tells us, “and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
The very things which prepared the hearts of the disciples to believe and spread the Gospel with peace and joy, despite trials, tribulations, and death, will prepare our hearts the same way if we will not harden them. The knowledge of who He is and what He has done will help us to abide in Him. And if we abide in Him, and His word abides in us, we will bear much fruit and glorify the Father. Look at how Jesus concludes His message to His disciples before He begins to pray for them: (John 16:31-33)
31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
Jesus’ time was at hand but so was that of His disciples. In a matter of minutes, doubts, fears, and uncertainties would swirl around them. Sadness, trials, and tribulations lay in front of them. Yet they succeeded, not because of their own strength, but because of His. They abided in Jesus and He carried them across the finish line. And the author and finisher of our faith will do the same for us. Jesus has given us every reason to believe, every reason to abide in Him, and every reason to have peace, even in the face of certain tribulation. So, be of good cheer, because Jesus has overcome the world!
Home work
Now with these thoughts resonating in your hearts and minds, I want you to read through James 1 (27 verses) over the course of the next week, and consider how we see the Holy Spirit working through the author to encourage his audience to abide in Jesus.
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