Lesson - 3 James the Apostle
Lesson - 3
James the Apostle
Objective: Those who are to reign with Jesus should live faithful lives here on earth and be a witness of him to others. Each one should take up his own cross and follow Jesus. This study helps to understand how James became the first martyr among the apostles, his characteristics, etc. and to understand the places related to him.
Memory Verse: Mathew 20: 20 -22
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.
21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?”
She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”
22 But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
They said to Him, “We are able.”
Introduction: There are many James in the New Testament
1. James, the son of Zebedee and Salome, the brother of John, the apostle.
2. James, the apostle, the son of Alphaeus, we have very little knowledge of James, apart from the fact that he was an apostle.
3. James, brother of Jesus
James, the brother of Jesus didn't believe in him in the time of his ministry but after his resurrection, Jesus appeared to him and thus he became a faithful witness of Jesus. He is not considered as an apostle. But he was a leading figure of the Jerusalem Church (Act 12:17,21:18, Gal. 1:19) He was the president of the Jerusalem council. He advised Paul in certain matters (Act 21). He must be the author of the epistle of James. According to the historian Josephus, James is the father of Judas, James. In this chapter, we will learn about James, the apostle, the elder brother of John.
Parents and birth :
Zebedee and Salome had many sons. John was one of them and James was his brother. He grew up in the guidance of his father and mother. He helped his father with his brother, in fishing.
Repentance( Mark 1: 19,20)
James was one of the first disciples chosen by Jesus. After calling Peter and Andrew, Jesus walked ahead and sow Zebedee with his sons. He commanded the sons to follow him and they obeyed immediately. When Jesus selected the 12 disciples, James also was one among them.
James in Ministry:
Peter, James, and John are seen among Jesus in most of his ministry. Why did Jesus refer to James and John, as the sons of thunder? It is believed that they had a close relationship with Jesus and his mother Mary. It is especially to be mentioned that James was a faithful warrior of Jesus, who fought for him from the day of his calling to his death. After Pentecost, he zealously continued in ministry
The first martyr among the apostles:
James got the privileged to be the first apostle to go to his beloved master in heaven. Herod, who ruled Judah, persecuted the Christians in many ways. He imprisoned James along with Peter. Peter was saved from the prison and he continued preaching in Judah with more zeal. But Jams was not saved from the prison.
Many falls-witnesses arose against James. At last, Herod sentenced him to death. His enemies thought that James would accept defeat in the face of death, but he marched towards death with the smile of a victorious warrior. The false witness was amazed at this and realized that Jesus was the one true God. He confessed Jesus publically. so Herod became angry and commanded to kill him with a sword.
The crime of James was that 'he preached Jesus and confused the people', James died in AD 44. Though this star perished on the earth, through its light, many other star were illuminated.
You will be remembering Salome taking both her sons and asking Christ to let them sit on the right and left of his throne in his kingdom. James also drank the same cup that Jesus drank from and became a martyr and thus eligible for the place in heaven. So each person must bear his own cross, faithfully, if he is to enter the kingdom of Heaven.
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