The Festival of St. James of Jerusalem, Brother of Jesus and Martyr
23 October, Anno Domini 2016
St. Matthew 13:54-58
Pr. Kurt Ulmer
In the Name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” Or, perhaps today we would say, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Now, exactly the relation of St. James, Bishop of Jerusalem, to Jesus, we can’t be sure of. The Greek indicates a close family relationship but not necessarily a blood relationship. And clearly, they can’t be full-blood brothers because Joseph isn’t properly Jesus’ father. At most they are half-brothers, perhaps step-brothers or even close cousins. It’s really not important. The point is really that being a relative of Jesus wasn’t a free ticket into heaven, it didn’t in any way guarantee faith. In fact, it proved to be quite a stumbling block as Jesus Himself testified. Even among Jesus’ household, surrounded, no doubt, by the story of the incarnation and virgin birth, there remained unbelief. Those who should have known Jesus best, were actually the most likely to take offense at Him. “How dare He claim divinity for Himself! We know His father and mother and the rest of His family! On what basis does He say such outlandish things?”
How sad that those closest to Jesus remained in unbelief. They, like the Jews, like all unbelievers, refused to acknowledge the truth of what they heard. In spite of all that they saw and heard, they refused to believe in Jesus. They lived with, ate with, sang with, grew up with, and played with God in the flesh but they would not believe. And this certainly had to come back and haunt James throughout His life, much as it would for Peter. “I flat out denied my Savior! I was unafraid to show my contempt for Him. I knew Him and rejected Him and the mercy and grace from God that He proclaimed to me and bled and died to secure for me. None could claim the title “chief of sinners” like I could.”
And you probably caught yourself wondering how James missed it. Jesus was there with him most, if not all, of his life. He heard Jesus and He saw the miracles. Was James afraid? Was He jealous? But is James’ contempt for Jesus really that surprising or unfamiliar? We certainly expect the world to dishonor our Lord (at least we should knowing who its prince is). But, have we, as the children of God, baptized members of His household, grown cold and indifferent to our Lord? Have we treasured His presence among us to save us? Has nearness to our Lord and His saving presence trumped all other earthly relationships and concerns? Or have we determined to keep Him at a safe distance? Have we decided that we’ve had our fill and can do without hearing our Savior’s voice for a while? Are we content with a passing knowledge of His Word, letting it only scratch the surface of our hearts? Has our freedom to receive the gifts which Christ offers led us to despise them? How many of this household have grown cold to their need for the life and forgiveness of Christ? How often have our own hearts grown weary with the things of God, neglecting prayer, gathering together around the Holy Communion, and bearing the burdens of our household and neighbor? Let us together repent and return for the Lord is gracious and compassionate and eagerly desires our salvation.
In truth, James’ trouble wasn’t that he was TOO familiar with Jesus. It wasn’t as though James knew a secret sinful life of Jesus and saw through the charade. He really didn’t know Jesus at all. True familiarity with Jesus doesn’t breed contempt. It breeds devotion. It breeds a desire for more Jesus and more of the gifts which Jesus gives, not less. The more we hear and are fed by Jesus, the more we want. To be familiar with Jesus is to know that there is no life apart from Him and to desire His Word and gifts more than all the treasures of this world, to know, in fact, that the treasures of this world are no treasures at all. It is to know just how weak and frail even the strongest of us are. Those who are truly familiar with Jesus long to be with Jesus at any cost and won’t be kept from Him.
Thus, this day, we give thanks to God for His faithfulness to James, for meeting James’ unbelief with the persistent love of Jesus. We give thanks to God that with the same promises of Holy Baptism as were made to us, James was raised from the depths of unbelief to new and eternal life in Christ. We give thanks to God that James faithfully proclaimed the true wisdom and desire of God that we Gentiles also be included in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus and not by works of the Law which no man can keep. May God through His Holy Spirit, grant to us in our day, in the midst of our own times of struggle and persecution, the same steadfast faith in God’s mercy and promises so that we may one day join James and all the other saints who have gone before us in the faith, and receive the crown of everlasting life.
In the Name of +Jesus. Amen.
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