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Tag: john the baptist

Apollos and Paul – Apostles crossing paths
Apollos arrives in Ephesus

Acts 18:

The Connection of Christ’s Missions

21 But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.

[No mention here of Silas, Luke or Timothy also part of this 2nd mission. Email me or comment if you know where these apostles of the church might be as Paul begins his 3rd missionary journey. – Roger@TalkofJesus.com ]
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Notice where Ephesus fits into our A.D. 51-52 timeline as the noted Jewish teacher Saul of Tarsus [Paul] departs and Apollos, another notable Jewish apostle to the gentiles begins working alongside disciples of The Way of the Messiah Jesus.

Priscilla and Aquila (also Jews) remain in Ephesus as Paul sails back to Jerusalem and Antioch, Syria [his home church].
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Paul’s Third Missionary Journey Begins

23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

As you can see on a map more familiar to Saul of Tarsus than 21st century christians who simply see modern Turkey, the Apostle Paul has once again set out to visit the churches of his Second Missionary Journey.

Ephesus is miles ahead where Paul will journey through the mountains to the Aegean coast where Apollos has already arrived and preached.
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Luke continues his detailed account of Acts of the Apostles by way of introduction to Apollos.
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Who is this Messianic Jew Apollos?

24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.
- He was an eloquent man,
- competent in the Scriptures.
- 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord.
  - (Not by Paul, but by other disciples of the risen Christ.)
- And being fervent in spirit,
- he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus..
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We'll leave it there for the moment. 
Pretty good credentials for a new Preacher of Jesus to the Jews in Asia Minor (Ephesus).
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Apollos the Baptist

Now, perhaps, some controversy might arise from calling apollos a ‘Baptist.’ This is no mere division of denomination of an early church in Asia Minor. No, the Baptist moniker in the year of our Lord 52 would have referred to the preaching of John the Baptist.

MANY would have heard of the Baptist, perhaps even hearing him preach prior to Herod beheading him.
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A.D. 30 - Twenty some years earlier from Luke's Gospel (yet to be published ten years from now along with ACTS of the Apostles sometime between A.D. 60 and A.D. 62.)
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Gospel of Luke 9:

Verses 18-21 Legacy Standard Bible

And it happened that while He [JESUS] was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying,

“Who do the crowds say that I am?”

And they answered and said,

“John the Baptist, and others say Elijah, but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again.” And He said to them,

“But who do you say that I am?”

And Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”

But He warned them and directed them not to tell this to anyone..
- AND suppose that Apollos and other disciples had heard The Baptist preach and yet as must have been the case for many never heard the Christ of God preach in Person?
- What might these disciples of JESUS recall some twenty years later?
Luke 3:

[John] .. came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;
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Now unlike most 21st century christians, these 1st century Jews knew their SCRIPTURE!
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as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
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“THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,

‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,

MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.

‘EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED,

AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW;

THE CROOKED WILL BE STRAIGHT,

AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH.
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AND ALL FLESH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD.’”
Luke 3:6 LSB quoting: Isa 40:5; Isa 49:6; Isa 52:10

a response to Apollos OR The Baptist OR JESUS

“But indeed the ax is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “Then what should we do?”
Luke 3:9-10 LSB

John answered, saying to them all,

“As for me, I baptize you with water, but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the strap of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

“His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn,

but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

So with many other exhortations he proclaimed the gospel to the people.

Gospel of Luke 3:18 LSB of the preaching of John the Baptist

Refining the Preaching of Apollos

Acts 18 continued in Ephesus

26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
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It is expected that mature believers must instruct new followers of JESUS Christ more accurately. 

Even as Aquilla must have given exhortation to Apollos, the Apostle Paul on the way to Ephesus is most like doing the same as he revisits the new churches of previous missionary journeys (some to whom the Apostles has already written an Epistle).
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27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him.

God-willing, ACTS of the apostles Paul, Apollos, Aquila and many others — To be continued

Talk of JESUS .com

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September 1, 2023
About the Author John -2- Sons of Zebedee
Have you ever considered that Jesus may have called James and John the ‘sons of thunder’ because their father Zebedee, a businessman and owner of a Galilean fishing fleet may have best described as thunderous?

And He appointed the twelve:
Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter),
and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James
(to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”)
Mark 3:16-17 NASB

Zebedee’s story

In the introduction to our fictional story about this real father of two of Jesus’ Disciples, Zebedee had thoughtfully asked:

“Where shall I send my sons to learn the faith of our fathers?”

and

“What is the will of the Lord God for my sons James and John?”

Now we progress further into Zebedee’s first century considerations for his two beloved Jewish sons, both young men sent to learn more of the Lord God through known mentors of the faith.

A History of our Faith

Some thoughts of Zebedee

I know that we no longer have the faith of Abraham and Moses. We’re just a reconstructed people, continually broken by our own unfaithfulness to the Lord. My daily life on the Sea of Galilee centers on trade with men from every direction and faith, including Jewish merchants from far away.

Sea of Galilee, with port of Zebedee’s fleet in the north

After Solomon’s sons separated Israel from Judah, many kings and most men refused to listen to God’s Prophets, so we became a divided people. Jerusalem’s two tribes distant to us now look away from our ten tribes of families here.

Our Israel long ago cut-off from Judah, our own fathers and the generation of my father reap the consequences sown by Israel’s long forgotten faith in the LORD.

Assyria takes Samarian captives 722 BC & Babylon takes Judah’s captives 607-537 BC

Between Two Temples

Our faith remains, but never the same since Israel’s defeat some seven centuries ago and later in 586 BC when Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, conquered Jerusalem and destroyed our Temple.

Few of the faith even remembered our Hebrew language and traditions, though at one time some of Jerusalem recovered the Law buried in the rubble of the Temple.

In general, it is of the greatest importance to remember in regard to this Eastern dispersion, that only a minority of the Jews, consisting in all of about 50,000, originally returned from Babylon, first under Zerubbabel and afterwards under Ezra.
THE JEWISH WORLD IN THE DAYS OF CHRIST – THE JEWISH DISPERSION IN THE EAST – ALFRED EDERSHEIM

Ezra, a Scribe of the Law of Moses from Babylon, restored some of our faith to a new Temple in Jerusalem. But after later Prophets like Micah, our faith disintegrated into little more than discussion.

This map shows the vast empire conquered by Alexander the Great in red highlight. The extent of the empire is an approximation of 320 BC.

Alexander III of Macedon helped preserve our Hebrew Law in the great library at Alexandria. But because all the world has gone after their culture, philosophy and gods, our religion is translated into Greek. At least some Jews who know longer know Hebrew can hear some of the Law and understand it in our Synagogues.

The Israel of Zebedee

My dilemma instructing James and John really lies in the diverse schools of Judaism in our captive land ruled by Rome.

When we had no Temple we practiced our faith without the LORD’s prescribed sacrifice. Now we learn the faith of our ancestors through study, obedience and prayer only.

Many of my Jewish brothers speak only Aramaic and cannot even read Hebrew. Even our everyday language was imported from the east or Greek from the Roman language from the west.

Who is King of the Jews?

David and Solomon once sat on the Throne of the LORD in Jerusalem. We were then a United Israel under the King anointed by the LORD. Now the question of King depends on who you ask.

Who is King of the Jews since the LORD dethroned our former kings of Israel and Judah?

After King Josiah of Judah died Jerusalem became subject to Egypt. Then Nebuchadnezzar II defeated them and destroyed the first Temple.

Babylonians took charge in the east, allowing some Jews to return to Jerusalem with their language and culture to rebuild our second temple. The Law was unearthed at the site of our Temple, only to have Jerusalem’s second temple destroyed once more.

Now they have a third grand enough for a Roman Jerusalem, but here in the north we cling to a distanced faith in the LORD.

Zebedee’s Galilee, Samaria & Judea

Our forefathers who had remained in Samaria (as my ancestral lands were called by others) were hated by Babylonian Jews when they returned to Judea with their eastern ways.

Three centuries ago Jerusalem and our land surrounding the Galilee capitulated to Alexander of Macedon. Our fathers were like the rest of the world around us now dominated by this man some still worship as ‘Alexander the Great.’

But after Alexander died, Jews populating the entire world were still caught strategically in the middle of all the changing empires. Egypt ruled us again. Seleucids dominated our land just a couple of hundred years ago, before Rome defeated them.

The Maccabees once led a revolt to retake Jerusalem from the Seleucid idolaters. Then we held a measure of independence for about four generations.

But now that less-than-pure Herod has again rebuilt the Temple under the thumb of his friends in Rome.

Zebedee’s family perspective

My grandfather told us stories of Herod coming into power after the Roman Pompey appointed our High Priest.

He sent more than eight Legions here then made our king his Syrian vassal. What right does Rome have to appoint our king or choose the LORD’s priests?

To this day, Rome remains ruthless against most ordinary Jews, especially national zealots. Their Prefects administer our so-called Syrian provinces and our king collects their taxes.

Schools of Jewish Thought

I have several school choices where I could send my sons James and John to learn our faith. Trouble is that they vary greatly in what Jewish worship of the LORD has become in this day.

Pharisees, Sadducees & Essenes

The Ḥasidim ha-Rishonim helped bring about the revolt against the Hellenists, but years ago their school faded into a sect of the Pharisees.

I could send James or John to a well-known teacher of the Law, Philo, in Alexandria in nearby Egypt. Although there too, as with Rome and the Hellenists, they teach a different faith than that which spread back toward Galilee from the fertile crescent of Abraham.

Some Sadducees descended from Zadok are Elders teaching strict adherence to the Law, but their rich lives reflect liberal interpretations when it comes to political compromise.

In Jerusalem I have heard some good things about Gamaliel the new Elder descendant of Hillel, whose brother a trader from Babylon I have met. The religion of Jerusalem (and Herod) though are too tainted by politics away from which I hope to keep my sons.

Beit Shammai most likely would never admit sons such as mine unworthy of Jerusalem’s religious elite. They seem to be Zealots of a sort without the sicarii concealed under their tasseled cloaks.

And then there are the Essenes, who remain faithful to Scripture but hardly fit in to the day to day lives of merchants like us who must make a living by trade with others.

Historical Differences

Most jews have become proselytized Hellenists! Some four million of the seed of Abraham in the Empire now.

I trade mostly with Jews from the diaspora to the east. They too debate this and argue that, so I’m not sure who to believe from conversations with merchant Jews from all over the Empire and beyond.

‘Houses of Instruction,’ as they are now called. In which school of Jewish thought should I raise my sons James and John?

Zebedee’s Prayerful Choice of Schools

John is very young but like when we work in our fishing fleet, John will be in the capable hands of my eldest son James. I have prayed to the LORD to place them both into His care and teaching.

Alexandria and even Jerusalem seem to far from us in many ways. We still have to make our living on the sea.

The quiet places seem less likely to draw my sons away from the LORD. So after much prayer I lean toward a rabbi preaching repentance among the Essenes. This John is quickly gaining in fame and followers all up and down the Jordan.

John the Baptizer

Mark 1 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey.

I had heard a story some time back from a merchant traveling back from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. My wife had also heard rumors of the words of a prophetess well-known in Jerusalem.

Prior to the Baptist’s Birth

There was a priest named Zacharias who was performing his priestly service before God in the Temple. Many witnesses in Jerusalem, including the man who told this to me, supposed that this priest saw an angel of the LORD in the Holy of Holies.

The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute. When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.
Luke 1:21-23 NASB

My wife later told me of a story that she had heard of this priest’s barren wife.

She was of the line of Aaron and even in her advanced years later had a son. And her husband commanded her to name their son, John.

The second amazing thing about this is that Zacharias had not been able to speak since that day my friend told me about him in Jerusalem. But on the day he named his son John, his voice returned!

Others have confirmed this story about John son of Zacharias, who his followers call “JOHN THE BAPTIST.”

The Lord though my own prayer has directed me to send my sons to this rabbi in the wilderness of the Jordan. For John preaches to all a calling to all faithful Jews:

“I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”
John 1:23 NASB, quoting Isaiah 40

Zebedee’s Conclusion

James and John followed John the Baptist and it was not long until the Lord confirmed our choice to send them to this great teacher, who Herod now as already killed. Both of our boys told us of their God-led calling while John still preached at the Jordan.

I will tell it to you from my own son’s Good News of the Messiah.

John 1:

35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said,

“Behold, the Lamb of God!”

37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

(Of course my son John was one of these and he immediately told his older brother James.)

38 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them,

“What do you seek?”

They said to Him,

“Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?”

39 He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”

So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

Zebedee – Father of Apostles

My dear wife, mother to James and John, joined me in following our Messiah Jesus, whom our sons follow.

I plea to you to hear John’s Gospel or this Good News through any others of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus the Messiah.

Beloved brothers and sisters, chosen by the Lord God, I pray that the LORD will bless you and keep you and be gracious to you as He has done for me and my family.

Amen.
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God willing, we will return to John's Gospel
from where we paused after the Holy Spirit 
in my next post.
Roger
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February 8, 2020
The Tongue is a Fire! – Speaking of Christians
If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.
James 1:26 CSB

Contents of 3-part series

We began this forum for freely speaking whatever is on your mind with the substance and consequences of speaking out in POLITICS. November in the U.S. is always a contentious time and the approaching year of Presidential politics will offer more intense variations on the themes of hypocrisy and hatred.

As the politically correct and often biased words of media might suggest, RELIGION has no say so in these arguments. The movie scene depicted in the photo for this series suggests a time when all of this correctness fails for all of us, including media.

Next and finally, today we will take a look at what the Bible has to say about such things. Examine your heart further along with me as our tongues speak up (sometimes inappropriately) for Jesus Christ.

Don’t be deceived

Paul preaches to the church in Ephesus:

Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. Ephesians 5:6

James suggests early in his letter how easily we deceive ourselves.

James 1:19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God…

He offers a remedy to hypocrisy, of which we will quickly be accused. And James illustrates our self-examination in the mirror.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

Swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath!

It’s just not our nature (Christian or not).

Because we speak out so quickly, we show how easily we are deceived. It is the same deception of our own hearts mentioned in Genesis 3:13

And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, H5377 and I did eat.

Disobedience Brings God’s Judgment

This has always been the warning of the LORD’s true prophets to a people who claim religious favor while displaying hypocritical sin.

The Lord will judge and many have warned us throughout the millennia in scripture given by Almighty God.

In order that you may anticipate my outline from the Lord’s word, we will examine four of these chronologically:
1. Jeremiah ~687-520 B.C.
2. John the Baptist ~A.D. 30
3. Jesus Christ
4. James, brother of Jesus, leader of the church at Jerusalem ~A.D. 50
Jeremiah 9:

3 “They bend their tongue like their bow;
Lies and not truth prevail in the land;
For they proceed from evil to evil,
And they do not know Me,” declares the Lord.

The LORD, through the Prophet Jeremiah, condemns the tongue of the religious leaders of Judah.

5 “Everyone deceives his neighbor
And does not speak the truth,
They have taught their tongue to speak lies;
They weary themselves committing iniquity.
6 “Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit;
Through deceit they refuse to know Me,” declares the Lord.

The Tongue that Answers Hypocrisy

How is this any different than the hypocrisy of some who claim God today?

Though this condemnation is directed toward Jews around 627 Before Christ, the Lord could well convict so-called christians of this 21st century in the year of our Lord.

For what else can I do, because of the daughter of My people?
8 “Their tongue is a deadly arrow;
It speaks deceit;
With his mouth one speaks peace to his neighbor,
But inwardly he sets an ambush for him.
9 “Shall I not punish them for these things?” declares the Lord.
“On a nation such as this
Shall I not avenge Myself?

The Lord does not condemn the nations for the fire of their accusations against God, but those who claim the Name of the Lord whose tongue deceives their neighbor and speaks deceit.

How are we not like those condemned here, where our tongues of fire shout against the evils of the world, “I’m mad and hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!”

John the Baptist

In a captive Israel (and Judah) after centuries of silence from the Lord, many recognized John as a Prophet of God. Jesus confirms it.

“And if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come.
The testimony of Jesus Christ about John the Baptist – Matthew 11:14

REPENT! you religious hypocrites

John never said this in so many words, but repentance of sins and hypocrisy of the tongue by religious leaders held center-stage in his ministry to the crowds in the wilderness.

Matthew 3:

4 Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

Although the son of a priest, John followed the Lord’s leading away from the Temple limelight into the wilderness. And his raiment reminded all of the great Prophet Elijah. John’s fiery calls for repentance he directed not to idolatrous followers of other religions, but to the Jews.

Our most enduring impression of John may be his public accusation of the leaders of religion who came to hear him in the wilderness.

What the crowds witnessed

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them,
“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
Matthew 3:7-8 ESV

I could easily say more about John’s tongue of fire as it also applies to Christians, but I’ll save it for a more detailed look at John the Baptist, greatest of the prophets who the Lord sent before the Messiah Jesus.

Proverbs for the Tongue

There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
Proverbs 12:18-19 KJV

Christ Jesus

As John and the Spirit testified, Jesus is more than a man who speaks truth. He IS the Perfect truth established before time for all time, the Son of God the Father!

Previously in this series I mentioned Jesus’ caution about the tongue of one saying “raca” or “you fool” being liable to hell. Although this ought to be caution enough for those claiming Christ, here I will add an additional insight from Jesus about hell.

Jews, Messianic Jews and Christians may differ on our views of hell; its punishments, certainly who is condemned and the nature of eternal life after death. Nevertheless, considering not the illustrative nature of the parable, but the truth of what the Messiah Jesus must witness by His very word, take just this one scene to heart.

Luke 16:

Jesus’ parable follows three more familiar parables about the lost followers of the LORD, Shepherd of Israel.

Most hearers compare Jesus’ two main characters, a rich earthly master and his poor servant by identifying Jesus’ parable as The Rich Man and Lazarus. For many this may confuse the issues of resurrection (identified with the name of this other Lazarus) and salvation for the wealthy (which Jesus seems to oppose on many occasions).

Neither wealth nor resurrection are at issue in this parable.

Prior to this parable, Jesus categorically states:

“Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.
Luke 16:16 NLT

Jesus on Social Injustice

J.B. Phillips focuses our attention more to the issue of how we act toward others during this mortal life, introducing this parable: Jesus shows the fearful consequence of social injustice.

It’s a tragic tale describing the inequities of this life, followed by a scene of the rich man gazing upon heaven from hell. The rich master and faithful servant have died, their fates having rewarded each justly.

And from among the dead he looked up and saw Abraham a long way away, and Lazarus in his arms.
‘Father Abraham!’ he cried out, ‘please pity me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.’
Luke 16 excerpt J.B. PHILLIPS

This follower of the LORD who had every blessing in life pleads to Abraham to intercede for him while he suffers the agony of hell! It would be like asking a saint of old or mother of our Lord to help you. Just cool my tongue from the agony in these flames.

Jesus has already separated the sheep from the goats. This is no intermittent place of punishment where relief through others may take place.

Dear brother or sister in Christ,

Therefore, watch your tongue and actions in this mortal life. For we must now be perfect in Him before a world hearing us as Christ, named ‘Christians.’

James

Earlier this year I addressed the turmoil of religion and politics which preceded the appearance of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. If you would like to read more follow this link to James and Jerusalem’s Controversy.

The applications of James to Christian contemporary thought may be helpful to each of us personally, particularly what I taught previously on this in James – Preaching to a Worldly Church.

Even though I recently covered the entire book of James, his application to Christians is worth repeating as a brief conclusion to this 3-part series: The Tongue is a Fire!

FOR CHRISTIANS ONLY:

DISCLAIMER: IF you do not believe in God, no need to read further. As Jeremiah aimed his tongue of rebuke to the Jews and as John the Baptist also called God’s chosen to repentance, this is not for those who refuse the Lord’s grace.

And so, you who claim Christ consider this:

Your contemporary issue of how God can use your tongue of fire to save the world may not agree with scripture.
Roger Harned – TalkofJesus.com

Which issue excites your tongue to cry out, “you brood of vipers?” Abortion? Equal rights for women? Helping poor migrants trying to come to America? Healthcare, food and shelter for the poor? Fair elections? Tolerance for other religions?

All of these causes may excite your witness to others, but the leaders of the church will warn you and me to watch our tongue and act like Jesus.

You cannot go wrong by keeping the love of Jesus on your lips and the fruit of love in the harvest of your relationships with others. But look more closely at nearly every New Testament writer and the sayings of Jesus:

Our words of refinement and love are for each other – brothers and sisters in Christ. If our actions match the love of Jesus, only then will the world take note of our words.

James 3:

2 For in many things we offend all. – KJV

Christians excel in this, but the world should not be offended by you. Rather, the world is offended by Christ Jesus and will not accept the grace of His love.

2-6 [PHILLIPS] We all make mistakes in all kinds of ways, but the man who can claim that he never says the wrong thing can consider himself perfect, for if he can control his tongue he can control every other part of his personality!

Think of it. If you control your tongue, you can be perfect; that is, Christ-like. Your actions will finally become perfect, because you mirror our Lord.

5b [NASB] See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.

The Not So Good NEWS of Today

Can you think of some in the public eye whose tongues easily set social media on fire?

Sadly, Christians participate in the hot debates of those worldly things which have little or nothing to do with Christ. I admit it. My speech before others sparks debate. Yet is it for Christ?

Are you a disciple of your political party? Of your particular issue? Do you show religion as condemnation and faith as opposition to the value of others?

8 [NASB] But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing.

Again, the hypocrisy of ‘christians’

As we pointed a finger toward ourselves in an earlier post in this series, this is hypocrisy. James tells us that it must not be. He asks the church to direct our teaching first to ourselves.

[PHILLIPS] … your lives will be an example of the humility that is born of true wisdom… —don’t deny the truth that you must recognise in your inmost heart… For wherever you find jealousy and rivalry you also find disharmony and all other kinds of evil.

TRUE. True in the world and true in the church. Jealousy and rivalry lead to disharmony and many kinds of evil. Don’t get caught up in it all.

Listen to this: James’ instruction to Christians in how to be perfect can be found in two verses of his letter. Consider them before your tongue turns your life off course in the next storm of public opinion.

Wisdom from Above

17-18 [PHILLIPS] The wisdom that comes from God is first utterly pure, then peace-loving, gentle, approachable, full of tolerant thoughts and kindly actions, with no breath of favouritism or hint of hypocrisy. And the wise are peace-makers who go on quietly sowing for a harvest of righteousness—in other people and in themselves.

Would a list help?

From the KJV, But the wisdom that is from above is:
- pure,
- peaceable,
- gentle,
- easy to be intreated,
- full of mercy
- good fruits,
- without partiality,
- without hypocrisy.
We cannot be pure while leavened by the hatred of the world. And the world’s peace looks much different than the peace of Jesus.

Can you imagine any more gentle example than our Lord Jesus Christ?

Easy to be intreated would be advice from more obedient times meaning compliant or easily obeying. Modern translations sweeten it a bit calling this trait, ‘reasonable.’ Are you reasonable or compliant in your conversation with others?

Full of mercy: there’s a trait we wish to encounter. Compassion, true compassion for others; not claims of a nice ‘christian’ to treat others with mercy, but Christ-like compassion for another.

Jesus said:

“But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
the words of Jesus to religious leaders – Matthew 9:13

Are you a Pharisee of this 21st century in the eyes of those you encounter? You with ears to hear, hold your tongue until your heart finds mercy.

We know many parables of Jesus about the fruit of righteousness. Do you show others how you, a sinner, have changed? Like John the Baptist scorned the Pharisees and Scribes coming for baptism:

“Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
Matthew 3:8 NASB

Has Jesus changed you? Did your tongue receive Christ’s bridle of restraint of your words of witness to the world?

Is your witness for a cause OR for Christ Jesus? What do your words say?

Show no partiality or favoritism in your faith. Be unwavering for Jesus rather than swayed to the right or to the left by the crowds.

NO Hypocrisy

Hypocrisy is the mask of appearances, the make-up of our image. It is the false face of the world and their accusation of masked ‘christians.’

The fire of our tongue will betray our motives. And our fruit of hypocrisy is witness against Jesus.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. – Romans 12:9 NASB

It is the genuine love of Jesus Christ, sincere faith in our Lord. The world must see Jesus in your actions, but first the world will hear your words.

Are the words of your mouth witness that Jesus IS your LORD?

OR

Do you just have something more to say back to the world from your fiery tongue?

Remember the love and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear saint and fellow sinner. For you would not want to hear the Lord say,

“I never knew you.”
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May the grace, mercy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ help you to hold your tongue from evil and witness His love through the Holy Spirit.
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November 14, 2019