Bible 204:  James Part 5

James 5:13-20

 

OPENING STORY

Last Thursday night Richard and I went to hear William Raspberry, Washington columnist

      He told the large audience that he has learned two things during his life

1.      most thoughtful people secretly agree with their opponents beliefs

2.      if we were to focus on the problem (whatever it is) instead of the enemy (whomever

                        that is) then we could work our way into the solution

      In and through this he was alluding to building a community where there was mutual respect

      After his 30-minute “lecture” there was a question and answer period

            One of the better questions was about community > “What are component parts?”

            It was asked with only three minutes left in questioning time > only got partial answer

            But I thought his answer was interesting

                        and certainly fits inside this “tree” and James’ letter

                        he said most of us live in at least three communities that overlap

                        sometimes community A doesn’t know community C > their only connection is us

                        you realize how true this is when you go to a party

                                    it helps to have three distinct areas where each “community” can gather

James’ letter is all about building community > specifically the community of the Church

      Over and over again his words tell them [and us] how to build up the community of faith

 

END WHERE WE BEGAN

This is the “last class” of our study of the Letter of James

I think the best way to close is the way we began > with this cross-cut of a tree

      Remember what this tree represents > John Westerhoff’s metaphor for faith development

      Articulated in his book Will Our Children Have Faith?

            First faith we have is experienced > love of parents and significant others

            Second faith we have is affiliative > friendship with those who are most like us

            Third faith we have is searching > looking outside our circle of friends for truth

            Fourth faith is owned > knowing what we believe because we have questioned old truth

 

JAMES’ ULTIMATE PURPOSE IN WRITING

James’ purpose in writing is to grow great trees

      Every “ring” of Westerhoff’s “tree” can be found in James’ letter

 

 ‘FINAL’ FOR THIS ‘COURSE’

At end of our last Bible study over the summer > I gave you a “final exam”

      It had some true-false questions, some fill-in-the blanks, and an essay question

Final for this “class” is going to be all essay > and it will be in two parts

Here are the questions on Part I of your final exam (one question for each ring of your own tree)

1.      Who is most important person is the core of your faith > who helps you “experience”?

2.      With whom do you “affiliate” > who helps your second ring of faith grow?

3.      What questions have challenged your faith?

4.      What do you believe now?

           

In one sense, each of us will have different answers to every question

      Name of “Significant other” is probably answer to first question > that will differ with each person

      Your family and friends is answer to second > there will be some overlap there

      “Biggest challenge”  > answers will be all across the board

      “Current belief” will also vary widely depending on makeup of these inner rings

 

So, in one sense, each of us will have different answers to each question

In another sense, though, all of us could have the same answer to EVERY question

1.      Which human being is our most consistent source of unconditional love?  Jesus

“We love, because he first loved us”

2.      Who is our best friend?  Jesus

“He will never leave us or forsake us”

3.      What questions have challenged our faith?  Questions about Jesus!

Did he really do all those miracles?

Was God his biological father?

If Jesus is the “Son of God” then why haven’t things changed for the better?

4.      What do we believe now?  JESUS

“Jesus lived for us, Jesus died for us, Jesus reigns in power for us!”

 

WHAT HIS LETTER CAN DO FOR US

James’ letter can help us grow in ways we never thought we could

                And that “growing” is Part II of our final exam

This is Part II on your final > you can probably guess > (since James wants faith in ACTION)

       “What action can you take to reinforce each ring of your tree?

      “How can you make your tree of faith even stronger than it is?