INTRODUCTION

1. James
1. Not James - Jesus’ half brother who wrote the book of James
2. Not James – the son of Alphaeus
3. Talking about James, the brother of John, son of Zebedee

1. When James and John are mention, James is always listed FIRST
1. Guess that James is OLDER

1. Remember that day when Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee
1. Met Peter and Andrew

                                                              i.      Extending that CALL

1.      “Come follow me…”

1. Jesus walks a little further

                                                              i.      There He meets James and John

                                                            ii.      Extending the same call to them

Mark 1:19-20 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

1. James, John and their dad Zebedee were in the fishing business too
1. Just like Peter and Andrew  
2. James was also part of that INNER circle
1. We read when Jesus arrives at the house of JARIUS

                                                              i.      Daughter had died

                                                            ii.      Only this inner circle of Peter, James and John, were allowed to go into the house along with the girl’s parents

Luke 8:51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.

                                                          iii.      As a member of that INNER circle, James watches as Jesus takes the dead girls hand

Luke 8:54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.

                                                          iv.      The dead girl stand UP

                                                            v.      Don’t know about the 3 disciples, but I would have certainly JUMPED

1. James as also there at the TRANSFIGURATION

                                                              i.      Remember Peter, James and John wanted to build 3 shrines

1.      One for Moses, One for Elijah and oh, yes, one for Jesus

1. James was there the night before Jesus’ crucifixion                                                               i.      Accompanying Jesus into the Garden of Gethsemane

                                                            ii.      Apparently the rest of the disciples remained at the gate

                                                          iii.      We know these guys were not very attentive

                                                          iv.      Sleep over took them

FINAL JOURNEY

Luke 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,

1. The TRANSFIGURATION had just taken place
1. Time for our Lord’s final journey #. Jesus sets out for Jerusalem
2. Traveling through Samaria with His disciples
3. He sends some men forward to find a place for the night
4. They ALL are ready to shut it down for the night
5. Been a long, hot, hard day
6. Certainly they were all tired

1. Bad news
1. The guys sent ahead come back to the group and say they are NOT welcomed in the Samaritan village ahead
2. WHY?  They are Jews on the way to Jerusalem

Luke 9:53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.

1. Remember that was no love between the Jews and the Samaritans
1. NOW Jesus and the group keep on a walking
2. Walking till they find a more INVITING place to bed down
3. Keep in mind that we are now some two years into Jesus’ public ministry
4. James and John being one of the first disciples have been with Him almost two years now
5. Hearing Jesus preach on love, on compassion, on helping each other
6. What do these guys ask?

Luke 9:54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

1. We can see WHY Jesus gave them their surname:

Mark 3:17  And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

1. Jesus did not take too kindly to their suggestion  

Luke 9:55-56 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

1. Jesus rebukes them
2. Says they will move on to ANOTHER village
3. James had forgotten what Jesus taught about LOVE and FORGIVENESS
4. But their LAPSE of memory will not last long
5. James will one day remember Jesus’ PROMISE

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

f.       We see in the disciples so much of ourselves

                                                              i.      We see their GOOD attributes

                                                            ii.      And we see their BAD attributes

1. James let his ANGER get the best of him
1. That is NOT an attribute our Lord wanted James nor us to have  

Col. 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

1. ANGER rears it’s ugly head in the WORDS we use

                                                              i.      Don’t know about you but many a time I wish I could have reeled in words spoken in anger

                                                            ii.      Words so often express our ANGER

                                                          iii.      And we usually say a LOT when we are ANGRY

Prov 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

                                                          iv.       In just a few seconds we can DESTROY a relationship

                                                            v.      It is best when we are ANGRY to keep our MOUTH closed

                                                          vi.      It is ashamed that we often learn this lesson so LATE in life

1. ANGER rears it ugly head when we DON’T consider the CONSEQUENCES                                                               i.      How many times have we LOST it and had to come back and APOLOGIZE for our words

1.      And sometimes those APOLOGIZES must be made PUBLIC ALLY

2.      That will be the MOST humiliating thing you will ever do

                                                            ii.      How many times have we lost it and lost a FRIEND

                                                          iii.      You can also lose it and LOSE your job

1.      Lose your marriage

                                                          iv.      Oh the damage done when we don’t keep our mouth CLOSED

Prov 29:11 A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.

1. Rather than being filled with anger, we should be filled with the SPIRIT  

Eph 5:18b … but be filled with the Spirit;

1. WHEN we are filled with the Spirit, Jesus will produces His fruit in our lives
2. We looked at the NINE parts of the FRUIT of the Spirit

                                                              i.      Remember what the LAST one was?

Gal. 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

1. TEMPERANCE – self control                                                               i.      CONTROLLING our ANGER

ANOTHER INTERESTING SIDE OF JAMES

Mark 10:32-41 And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,
33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:
34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.
35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.
36 And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?
37  They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.
38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?
39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:
40 But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.
41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.

1. Jesus is STILL on His way to Jerusalem
1. WHEN they get there Jesus says that HE will be betrayed into the hands of the chief priest #. Who in turn will give HIM over to the Gentiles

                                                              i.      The ROMANS

1. THEN verse 34 Jesus speaks of the CRUCIFIXION and the RESURRECTION

1. Talk about some HEAVY stuff here
1. But was does James and John want? #. Concerned about THEMSELVES
2. Vs 37 - Wanting to POSITION themselves in GLORY

1. Little manners and customs here
1. In the good ole days,

                                                              i.      Persons sitting on the immediate right and left of the KING were the most POWERFUL people in the Kingdom

                                                            ii.      Next to the King of course

1. James and his brother wanted positions of POWER, of AUTHORITY, of HONOR

1. This time Jesus does NOT rebuke these two sons of thunder
1. Rather, Jesus gives them a very somber answer                                                               i.      “They don’t know what they are asking”
2. Those positions REQUIRE much suffering – verse 38
3. Jesus said they didn’t understand that they were asking for heavy duty suffering
4. They could not have HONOR without paying the PRICE - SUFFERING
5. Jesus uses the word BAPTISM here

                                                              i.      Idea of being OVERWHELMED,

                                                            ii.      Idea of being IMMERSED with suffering

1. They two reply – ‘WE CAN HANDLE IT’
1. Don’t think they thought their answer through #. Jesus says they will get SUFFERING
2. BUT no guarantee of POSITION
3. That was NOT His to grant
4. God has ALREADY filled that POSITION

Mark 10:39-40 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:
40 But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

1. God is OMNISCIENCE

                                                              i.      God ALREADY knows who will receive those places of HONOR

1. NOW the other DISCIPLES join in
1. The OTHER disciples got mad at James and John #. Could it be THEY wanted those POSITIONS too?

1. These 12 are sure a lot like us
1. Got their GOOD attributes

                                                              i.      Got their BAD attributes

THE REST OF THE STORY

1.      Sadly, next to Judas Iscariot, James was the FIRST of the twelve to be martyred

1. Some 14 years AFTER the resurrection, King Herod arrested some Church leaders, including James

Acts 12:1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

1. This is King Herod Agrippa I                                                               i.      Grandson of Herod the Great

                                                            ii.      Brother of Herodias

1.      He was the one who had John the Baptist killed (Mk 6:17-28)

1. King Herod wants to butter up to the Jews                                                               i.      The Jews were very concerned about the rapid growth of CHRISTIANITY

                                                            ii.      So Herod jumps in

Acts 12:2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

1. James must have been doing something good
1. Else King Herod would not have noticed him  
2. When you look at the life of James, he certainly learned his lessons
1. James became a very effective FOLLOWER of Jesus
2. James became a very effective LEADER of the church
3. Incidentally this the ONLY time we read of James apart from his brother John
4. Don’t you know this must have be awfully hard on John to hear of his brothers death at the hands of Herod

1. We have looked at
1. Outspoken Peter
2. 2nd fiddle player Andrew
3. James:

                                                              i.      Guy with an anger problem

                                                            ii.      Guy with heavenly ambitions

                                                          iii.      Guy who became the FIRST of the twelve to be martyred