Pastor Chris’ Corona Quarantine Epistles to the Flock of AIC Ngong Road, in Dispersion and Isolation. 40th. Edition.
Dear New Israel,
“Scattered Abroad,” Forty is a loaded number! It speaks of completeness/perfection in trial/testing – 40 years in the desert for Israel, 40 days in the desert for Jesus. And on our 40th day in the Corona Quarantine experience, we begin with “Trials and Testing” in the letter of James! Today we look at chapter one, verse 1. Simplicity. James identifies himself as “a bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ.” This is significant because as we saw earlier, a bondservant is a slave by choice.
James is a brother of Jesus! I would have stated that in my self-introduction. We love to impress, don’t we? Anything that will give us a claim to fame is a game. But this is the way of the world. The way of Jesus is the path of humility. James values his relationship with Jesus as savior and Lord more than the filial relationship. I dare say, we could learn a thing or two, from his attitude. Separation. James identifies his readers as the “twelve tribes which are scattered abroad.” With the possible exception of Galatians, the letter of James is most likely the earliest New Testament document.
Most Christians at this time were Jewish. Christianity was still considered a Jewish sect, so we should not be surprised that James’ address is typically Jewish. This is true, also, of the whole tone of the letter. That the believers are “scattered abroad,” depicts a sense of loneliness and insecurity, which James intends to address in the letter.
So join me tomorrow, as we examine the encouragement James gives to Christians, separated from the other believers.
Your Loving Pastor Chris