James- the Apostle with the dark side (apologies to Star Wars).
What do we know about James?
- Older brother in a well-to-do or even rich family of fishermen
- ALways mentioned ahead of brother John so probably older brother
- Father had hired servants -unusual for fishermen
- Called 'Sons of Zebedee'. Father must have been important for that reference. Peter and Andrew, who were also fishermen are never mentioned in connection with their father
- John 18:16 John knew the high priest and could get Peter into his house
- The family obviously had connections
- Might have seemed like natural leader of the Apostles (tried to take over leadership at one point)
- Only thing he was first in was being the first martyr
- Part of Jesus' inner circle (Peter, James, John). Several times, Jesus took only them with Him.
- Saw Jairus' daughter raised from dead and James saw Jesus' power
- Saw transfiguration and James saw Jesus' Glory
- In Garden of Gethsemane and saw Jesus' agony.
All these things prepared James for his coming martydom
James was a man of passion and fiery zeal. But he also had problems with anger and a temper. He possibly also had a mean streak in him
Described by nickname of Boanerges (sons of thunder). Not a nickname given to Woody Allen but rather to a thunderous, larger-than-life personality.
Legitimate place in ministry for such people, those with thunderous personality. Nothing inherently wrong with such zeal, but it must be trained and tempered.
- Zeal without knowledge is damning
- Zeal without wisdom is dangerous
- Zeal with insensitivity is cruel
- Zeal with uncontrolled passion is deadly
How did Jesus begin training James so that his zeal and passion could be used for good?
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1 comment:
St. Stephen was the 1st martyr.
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