James 3:1-5...Sunday,March 27th, 2011...

Question: Why would James say "not many of you should become teachers?"

Answer: James states his main reason in Verse 1 of Chapter 3, teachers will be judged with a greater strictness.

Here are some other reasons to not become a teacher (each one has a tie to verse 1):

1. Teachers are responsible to teach TRUTH and not his/her opinion.
2. A teacher's teaching affects many lives....not just the student in the classroom.
3. A teacher must live out in their own lives the TRUTH being taught. (Walk the walk, not talk the talk)

***With all the responsibility of teaching, it amazes me that some want to be teachers. Are you eager to teach at any cost? At the cost of students disliking you because you teach the TRUTH? ***

Many people are so eager to teach or lead but they never stop to thing of the responsibility and even consequences of being called by God to teach or lead. I can honestly say that most people, I personally know who are great teachers or leaders fought it before agreeing with God about their calling.

Vv 3-5: James using the illustration of the tongue in these next verses because a teacher's main tool is speaking (using their tongue). Yet, the discussion of the tongue if good for everyone.

The one thing that is important to see in the illustrations James used concerning the tongue is each of these illustrations can be either positive or negative. Everyone has a tendency to focus on the illustrations from the negative because of the verse following verse 5. However, it is important to understand the main decision factor is who is controlling the tongue?

If God is controlling the tongue then it is a positive thing. Were we get in trouble is when we think we can control the tongue. If a bit is used properly in the horse it is a good thing. Whereas, if it is used improperly it can hurt the horse. The rudder on the ship is a wonderful positive thing in the proper hands but in the wrong hands....let's just say I don't know too many people volunteering for that trip.

Even fire if used in the proper hands is a good thing but in the wrong hands it can do great damage. Yet, it is important to point out that even if someone has good intentions but are trying to operate without proper training or in their own power, people tend to get hurt along the way.

it is important to understand that our words do have an impact. It is further important to understand that we are always teaching or leading someone. It may be an informal type thing but you are always teaching or leading someone. A younger brother/sister may be watching your every move. What are you teaching them? Little ones at your church are watching you...what are you teaching them? Classmates are watching you...what are you teaching them?

One last thing must be made clear, do not walk away from this lesson thinking that God is a puppet on a string or the "big santa clause" in the sky waiting to serve your every whim. God is a righteous God and He does not have to do something or give us something because we "speak it." If you walk away from this lesson with that theology then you missed the whole point of what James was saying.

Have a blessed week. We will march on to verse 6 and beyond next week.

Talking to God....

I have been talking to God this week because to my human eye, weird things are happening to the College & Career Sunday morning class. What do I mean by weird things? Well, it seems this class is becoming more and more a virtual class.

Most of the students, who are currently attending, when they are in-town just happen to spend a large majority of their time away at school. There are a few (I am grateful for them) that come to class on Sunday morning but that number is dwindling....why I don't particularly know....one of the questions that I am asking God.

This class started in 2009 and we have been faithfully studying God's Word since then. We are even seeing God putting together a College & Career Conference that will reach out to College & Career all over this area.

As the teacher of this class, I am being faithful to what God has called me to do. I will study the lesson each week and it will be taught to the students in the classroom; as well as to the virtual students through this blog.

I pray that each of you will attend the College & Career Conference as well as coming by the classroom on Sunday mornings....when your schedule allows.

Sunday, March 20th….

 

On Sunday, March 20th there were no students. Therefore, no class was held. However, I feel God is leading me (after this week) to continue posting the class even if there is no students.

I believe God is doing this for one main reason: The students who get this blog who are in colleges throughout the United States should not have no class, because I had no students at River Bend that particular week. I have prepared the class and am ready to teach each week and will go ahead and put up the blog.

This means it will become the responsibility of the in-town college students to read the blog if they miss class just as if they were one of the out-of-town college students.

I am in prayer about our class during the week while studying and ask if of you to be in prayer not only for our class, but also for me.

Thank you in advance. I love each of you and pray God showers blessings upon you today.

James 2:14-26...Sunday,March 13th, 2011...

Question: Is merely knowing something as good actually the same as changing one's attitudes and behaviors to fit with what we know?

Answer: Simply NO...

Isn't knowing that one struggles with admitting to wrong-doing just as good as admitting to the wrong-doing when it occurs. And furthermore, taking the necessary steps to preventing it from reoccurring?

This is no different than you and I declaring we are God's beloved child and our only source of life and then living our life as if it were NOT TRUE.

Vv 14-17: Please notice the problem was not the poorly dressed and hungry person being ignored. The problem is thinking mere words were an adequate substitute for feeding and clothing the brother or sister.


Question: Where did this pattern of thought come from? Do we ever act this way? 


Answer: Yes and an example is when we quickly spout off "I'll pray for ya!" We at times think saying such things is an adequate substitute for spending time and listening to the person.


James is saying here that when we spout "We Trust God" but never act (work) on the basis of that faith; we are no different than those telling his brother or sister, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled."


Vv 18-26: Faith without works is dead


Question: What do you think about this statement:
           'You can't have works, which glorify God without faith just as you can't have faith in God without works.'


What about this statement:
           'You can't show faith apart from your works because they are integrally related to each other.' 


***I personally believe works (acts) are an overflow of one's faith***


Do we fully realize how we live in the midst of circumstances and trials and how we receive God's peace in the midst of troubling times reveals not only to ourselves; but also others our trust in God?


Works should be based on our love for God not in an attempt to win brownie points with God.


Verse 19 shows that to merely believe God exists is no big feat. The demons believe and shudder!!! For us to walk in this belief would mount to emptiness, fruitlessness, and would be meaningless.


Abraham and Rahab show that faith was the root of their righteous actions.
A pastor once told me that struggles meant growth. One of our lesson writers reiterated this same concept in the following way:
             "Faith is not static it must be lived out for us to grow."

James want us to see that we are saved by faith alone (Paul says this) but faith was never meant to remain alone. It is meant to be active. On the other hand, remember works (acts) without faith are empty, which leads to legalism.

Sunday, March 20th we will begin Chapter 3.

Praises from one of our virtual students….

 

We have people who get the lesson each week through this blog. Some are active in other churches, some away at school, still others who just couldn’t make it to class for one reason or another. The following is from one of those virtual students:

“Thank you, SO MUCH for sending me the RBBC College and Career emails!  I opened mine, just now and it helps me to remember what I've studied on in the book of James.  Thank you”

If you know someone who would benefit from our lesson blogs just send them to our blog site and they can sign up for the weekly blogs. If that is too complicated then just e-mail me their information. They will have to confirm they want the blogs.

Sunday, February 27th: James 2:1-7…

 

QUESTION: What would you do if a dirty, stinky man walked into your church or class this Sunday? How about if it was the town’s wealthy known well-dressed womanizer? How about the high school’s football all star?

The way we answer these questions says something about us. It is actually in today’s society seen as the proper thing to help those down and out. It is the battle cry of a new generation to reach out to the poor and destitute. However, how do you treat that womanizer or football all-star?

Many people use the passage in James, we are studying today to ask the same questions stated above. Yet, I want us to look at this passage in the context of what we have been studying in James Chapter 1.

Remember the people James is writing to is a group of people who have been in on-going difficulty and persecution. With this thought in mind, let’s reexamine James Chapter 2:1-7.

In verse 1, James call Jesus “the one and only Lord of Glory.” He did this because the readers (including US) need to be brought back to the right place to receive help in times of trouble.  Glance back in Chapter 1 at verse 5 and 17, that we learned it is God who “gives to us generously and gives us every good and perfect gift.”

At times when we are having on-going difficulty we have a tendency to look at those who have what the world considers “success” to get us out of our trouble. This is exactly what is happening in James. James is telling his readers, “Don’t look to the one who has the wealth for your answers.” He furthers says roughly translated, “Hello, aren’t these people the ones dragging you into court and oppressing you. Why are you looking to them for the answers.”

We need to make sure we are looking to God always for the answers, not man or the world’s view of success.

We will continue on with James Chapter 2 on Sunday, March 6th. Have a blessed day!