Post by Char on Oct 24, 2008 16:56:48 GMT -6
SERVANTS OF GOD AND CHRIST.
JAMES 1:1
Men are the servants of God either generally or particularly.
Generally, they are all the servants of Jesus Christ whosoever profess Him and promise their service unto Him in the general calling of a Christian.
Specially, they are called he servants of God and of Christ who in some Chief calling do homage unto God.
So princes in commonwealth, preachers and ministers in the church of Christ, are servants of God and of Christ in special service.
If we were princes, prelates, angels, yet this is the height of all glory, to rejoice in the service of Christ.
Who are we, and what are our father’s houses, who can imagine greater glory than to be servants unto Christ.
I. NOW, THIS NAME OF SERVANT MUST TEACH US HUMILITY, THAT WE SUBMIT OURSELVES TO CHRIST, WHOSE SERVANTS WE ARE, AND FOR HIS SAKE AND BY HIS EXAMPLE TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER.
Wherefore He exhort (see Matt. 20:25-27)
Whereunto His example in washing His disciples feet--- serve (See John 13:4-7, 10, 17)
Submit yourselves one to another, deck yourselves inwardly in lowliness of mind, for God resist the proud and giveth grace to the humble.
Hereof or profession and calling put us in remembrance, who are servants by calling, to serve God in spirit and truth, and to serve one another in the fear of God.
II. BY OUR SERVICE WE ARE FURTHERMORE TAUGHT WHAT WE OWE UNTO CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD, EVEN ALL SERVICE, WHICH IS THE END OF OUR REDEMPTION AND CLEANSING BY CHRIST FROM OUR SINS. (See Luke 1:74-75)
Let us, then, in the fear of God, confess Him with our mouths, praise Him with our tongues, believe Him with our hearts, glorify Him in our works, and in all things serve Him as it becomes us:
He hath made us, and not we ourselves.
He hath redeemed us, not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but His own blood.
He saves us from death and delivers us from peril and trouble.
He advanced us to glory.
III. SERVANTS OUGHT TO IMITATE SUCH VIRTUES AS THEY FIND TO SHINE IN THEIR MASTERS.
We are the servants of Christ.
We are bound, therefore, to imitate His meekness, patience, humility, love, long-sufferance, liberality, kindness, forgiveness of offences, and the like virtues, which shown in the whole life of Jesus Christ.
IV. SERVANTS MUST ATTEND UPON THEIR MASTER’S WILL, WAIT THEIR LEISURE, RELY UPON THEIR CARE FOR THEM, SEEK ALL NECESSARIES AT THEIR HANDS.
So we, the servants of Christ, must do his will in all things, wait His leisure patiently for our deliverance, depend upon His provident care, and in all our necessities have recourse to Him by prayer.
V. THAT ST JAMES ENTITLES HIMSELF THE SERVANT OF CHRIST.
HE DOES NOT ONLY INTIMATE THAT HE WAS THE SERVANT, THE MINISTER AND AMBASSADOR OF Jesus Christ, the prince of all the princes of the earth, but also giveth us to understand how carefully He had executed that office unto him committed.
And if we diligently peruse the writings of the apostles we shall find them no less, in consideration of their faithfulness, in performing their duties, than in regard of their high callings, to have termed themselves the servants of Christ.
James had in view Jews, not simply as such, but as Christians, that is, believers of his own nation.
They were his special charge; and that it was to them he wrote, is evident from the nature and design of the epistle.
They were the true Israel.
They were the seed of Abraham, not after the flesh only, but also after the spirit.
They were the proper representatives of the holy nation; and as such may have been indicated by the language here used.
While they were directly addressed, the Gentile converts were not excluded, for they formed with them one church and community.
Nor did the apostle fail to make most pointed references to the state of things among their antichristian brothren–a state of things by which they were more or less injuriusly affected.
Their outward condition, as thus scattered abroad, was a kind of reflection of the spiritual condition of God’s people in all lands and ages.
They are strangers and sojourners on the earth; they are wonders, wayfarers, at a distance from home, and engaged in seeking a country.
They are citizens of heaven, their father’s house and native land are there; their inheritance and their hearts not below, but above.
Their present state is one of dispersion.
PEACE HEIGHTENED INTO JOY
JAMES 1:1b GREETING.
When Hebrew met Hebrew, the one soluted the other with peace to you for they had learned that the real blessedness of life was to be at peace, with all the world, themselves and God.
But when Greek met Greek, the one soluted the other with joy to you, the Greeks being lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of peace.
James both compels his readers to think of its meaning, by continuing, COUNT ALL JOY WHEN YE FALL INTO MANIFOLD TRIALS, and at one proceeds to put a higher, and Christian, meaning into the heather solutation.
It was rather the PEACE for which the Hebrews signed; but that peace intensified into a divine gladness, elevated into a pure and sacred delight.
It was the joy which springs from being restored to our true relations to God and man, from having all the conflicting passions, powers, and aims of the soul draw into a happy accord.
It was that fine spiritual essence which radiates new vigour and delight through all the faculties and affections of nature when we stay ourselves no longer on the changeful phenomona of time, but on the sacred and August realities of eternity.
A peace all shot through and through with the rich exhilarating hus of gladness. James is a book for the Christian and there is a need to study it. I plan to do this for the next few messages. Blessings (James)
JAMES 1:1
Men are the servants of God either generally or particularly.
Generally, they are all the servants of Jesus Christ whosoever profess Him and promise their service unto Him in the general calling of a Christian.
Specially, they are called he servants of God and of Christ who in some Chief calling do homage unto God.
So princes in commonwealth, preachers and ministers in the church of Christ, are servants of God and of Christ in special service.
If we were princes, prelates, angels, yet this is the height of all glory, to rejoice in the service of Christ.
Who are we, and what are our father’s houses, who can imagine greater glory than to be servants unto Christ.
I. NOW, THIS NAME OF SERVANT MUST TEACH US HUMILITY, THAT WE SUBMIT OURSELVES TO CHRIST, WHOSE SERVANTS WE ARE, AND FOR HIS SAKE AND BY HIS EXAMPLE TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER.
Wherefore He exhort (see Matt. 20:25-27)
Whereunto His example in washing His disciples feet--- serve (See John 13:4-7, 10, 17)
Submit yourselves one to another, deck yourselves inwardly in lowliness of mind, for God resist the proud and giveth grace to the humble.
Hereof or profession and calling put us in remembrance, who are servants by calling, to serve God in spirit and truth, and to serve one another in the fear of God.
II. BY OUR SERVICE WE ARE FURTHERMORE TAUGHT WHAT WE OWE UNTO CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD, EVEN ALL SERVICE, WHICH IS THE END OF OUR REDEMPTION AND CLEANSING BY CHRIST FROM OUR SINS. (See Luke 1:74-75)
Let us, then, in the fear of God, confess Him with our mouths, praise Him with our tongues, believe Him with our hearts, glorify Him in our works, and in all things serve Him as it becomes us:
He hath made us, and not we ourselves.
He hath redeemed us, not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but His own blood.
He saves us from death and delivers us from peril and trouble.
He advanced us to glory.
III. SERVANTS OUGHT TO IMITATE SUCH VIRTUES AS THEY FIND TO SHINE IN THEIR MASTERS.
We are the servants of Christ.
We are bound, therefore, to imitate His meekness, patience, humility, love, long-sufferance, liberality, kindness, forgiveness of offences, and the like virtues, which shown in the whole life of Jesus Christ.
IV. SERVANTS MUST ATTEND UPON THEIR MASTER’S WILL, WAIT THEIR LEISURE, RELY UPON THEIR CARE FOR THEM, SEEK ALL NECESSARIES AT THEIR HANDS.
So we, the servants of Christ, must do his will in all things, wait His leisure patiently for our deliverance, depend upon His provident care, and in all our necessities have recourse to Him by prayer.
V. THAT ST JAMES ENTITLES HIMSELF THE SERVANT OF CHRIST.
HE DOES NOT ONLY INTIMATE THAT HE WAS THE SERVANT, THE MINISTER AND AMBASSADOR OF Jesus Christ, the prince of all the princes of the earth, but also giveth us to understand how carefully He had executed that office unto him committed.
And if we diligently peruse the writings of the apostles we shall find them no less, in consideration of their faithfulness, in performing their duties, than in regard of their high callings, to have termed themselves the servants of Christ.
James had in view Jews, not simply as such, but as Christians, that is, believers of his own nation.
They were his special charge; and that it was to them he wrote, is evident from the nature and design of the epistle.
They were the true Israel.
They were the seed of Abraham, not after the flesh only, but also after the spirit.
They were the proper representatives of the holy nation; and as such may have been indicated by the language here used.
While they were directly addressed, the Gentile converts were not excluded, for they formed with them one church and community.
Nor did the apostle fail to make most pointed references to the state of things among their antichristian brothren–a state of things by which they were more or less injuriusly affected.
Their outward condition, as thus scattered abroad, was a kind of reflection of the spiritual condition of God’s people in all lands and ages.
They are strangers and sojourners on the earth; they are wonders, wayfarers, at a distance from home, and engaged in seeking a country.
They are citizens of heaven, their father’s house and native land are there; their inheritance and their hearts not below, but above.
Their present state is one of dispersion.
PEACE HEIGHTENED INTO JOY
JAMES 1:1b GREETING.
When Hebrew met Hebrew, the one soluted the other with peace to you for they had learned that the real blessedness of life was to be at peace, with all the world, themselves and God.
But when Greek met Greek, the one soluted the other with joy to you, the Greeks being lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of peace.
James both compels his readers to think of its meaning, by continuing, COUNT ALL JOY WHEN YE FALL INTO MANIFOLD TRIALS, and at one proceeds to put a higher, and Christian, meaning into the heather solutation.
It was rather the PEACE for which the Hebrews signed; but that peace intensified into a divine gladness, elevated into a pure and sacred delight.
It was the joy which springs from being restored to our true relations to God and man, from having all the conflicting passions, powers, and aims of the soul draw into a happy accord.
It was that fine spiritual essence which radiates new vigour and delight through all the faculties and affections of nature when we stay ourselves no longer on the changeful phenomona of time, but on the sacred and August realities of eternity.
A peace all shot through and through with the rich exhilarating hus of gladness. James is a book for the Christian and there is a need to study it. I plan to do this for the next few messages. Blessings (James)
