James 1
I jump into the book of James because Jude and James are considered by many historians to be the brothers who wrote these letters. They were not part of the disciples or apostles, but they were two brothers who became Christians and wrote these important letters. Eventually, both became priests and bishops in various parts of Turkey and the Asia Minor region.
Jude’s brother James wrote this book to a group of people—if you read the entire book, you’ll see it’s only five or six chapters long. It’s a practical guide on how to live our lives as Christians. The book of James is often called the Proverbs of the New Testament. Proverbs, as you know, contains many sayings written by King Solomon, filled with wise words of wisdom about how we should live. Similarly, James wrote this letter to believers in that part of the world, teaching them how Christians should discipline their lives so that they can be witnesses of Jesus Christ in this world.
Some theologians, including Martin Luther, were not very enthusiastic about this book because it doesn’t focus much on Jesus Christ’s sacrifice or the doctrine of salvation. Instead, it mainly emphasizes how Christians should live out their faith in daily life. That’s what James is talking about. Some even argued that this book should not be part of the New Testament but placed separately. Yet, it was included because it is vital for us to understand that faith is not just something we believe—it is something we live. Our faith is a living faith.
James clearly states that faith without actions is dead. If we do not demonstrate our faith through our actions, our faith becomes meaningless to the world. Jesus Christ revealed the kingdom of heaven through His love, compassion, and care for people in need. His actions showed who He was, and that’s exactly what James is telling us.
This is why the book of James is so important. I remember that Lisa spent several weeks teaching on this book years ago, and as I prepared for this message, I referred back to some of those notes. This is indeed a very important book. In it, we not only learn about being people of action but also about being rooted in faith. We must show the world that we are disciples of Jesus Christ.
James says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). That’s the hardest part. Listening is easy, isn’t it? You can listen to my preaching every Sunday—it’s not hard to hear. Even preaching it is not the hardest part. But doing it—if we don’t live it out—we deceive ourselves.
He gives a powerful illustration: anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror, and after looking, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. How many times do we remember what we saw in the mirror after we walk away? When we are in front of the mirror, we get a clear perception of ourselves, but once we leave, we often forget. That’s the point James makes—we should always remember who we are, not just when we are at church or reading the Bible, but every day, in every walk of life: at school, at work, in our businesses, and even in retirement.
Even those like Norman and me, though retired, still live lives that touch others. Our actions must show that we are people of faith in Jesus Christ.
This letter was written sometime in the first century or early in the second century. One verse I want to focus on today is James 1:17: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
What is a good and perfect gift?
A good gift is something we like and can use. But a perfect gift is more than a good gift—it’s a good gift given at the right time. A good and perfect gift is one that comes only from God.
We all know that God is good and God is great—we often thank Him for our food when we pray before meals. God is great in ways that cannot be said of anyone else. He is the only one who is sufficient in Himself. We, on the other hand, are not. We depend on others and on creation. We need people, air, rain, and water—things freely given by God’s grace.
Imagine if we had to pay for the air we breathe! Thank God He doesn’t bill us monthly for it. His grace and blessings are so abundant that we often take them for granted. Rain, too, is a gift God gives freely to both the good and the bad. These are all good gifts from God because God is good.
But what makes a gift perfect is timing. Rain is good, but if it comes at the wrong time and destroys crops, it’s no longer a blessing. Air is good, but if it’s filled with carbon monoxide, it becomes harmful. A gift becomes perfect only when God makes it useful to us.
During the pandemic, I saw people struggling to breathe even with oxygen tanks nearby. The air was there, but their bodies couldn’t take it in. That’s why every day we wake up is not because of what we did, but because God gave us another day by His mercy.
God is a good God and a perfect God—He gives good and perfect gifts because He alone is good and perfect.
Think of Elijah. When he fled to the desert, God sent a bird to feed him. God sent manna from heaven to feed the Israelites. Those were good and perfect gifts given at the right time. When the disciples were terrified on the stormy sea, Jesus came walking on the water at just the right moment. God always shows up on time—never too early, never too late.
Many people can offer us good things—our children, our friends, even wealthy people—but if their help doesn’t come at the right time, it may not serve its purpose. God alone gives perfectly timed blessings.
James also reminds us that God “does not change like shifting shadows.” Shadows shift constantly. People and circumstances change all the time. Friends come and go. You may have noticed that those who were close to you in your thirties and forties may not be around today. Life changes with the seasons. But God never changes.
He is like the sun—the source of all light. The sun has no shadow, and it doesn’t change its position; it’s the earth that moves. Likewise, God is constant, the unchanging source of life and light.
James teaches us that God is everlasting—unchangeable in His nature, perfect in His purpose, promises, and gifts.
I once read that the Three Gorges Dam in China, which holds an enormous amount of water, shifted the earth’s axis by two inches because of its weight. It may sound small, but it’s enough to affect weather patterns across the globe. The world is always changing because of human activity, but God never changes.
God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. He is perfect in His nature, His purpose, and His promises. No one else is like Him. He is good, perfect, gracious, and merciful. Even when we falter and fail, He never does. He will never forget us, leave us, or abandon us. He is always there—right on time.
James reminds us that God does not change like shifting shadows. He is the perfect and good God. And the greatest of all His gifts is His Son, Jesus Christ—the most perfect gift of all.
God sent His only Son into the world—perfect and sinless, merciful and gracious to all. Because of His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection, we believe in Him and have eternal life. Let us trust in that God whose love is beyond measure. Through Christ, God has given us forgiveness, redemption, and eternal life.
That’s why Paul writes in Romans 8:32, “He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”
Can we trust that God today? Can we trust Him tomorrow? Yes, because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
So, dear friends, when we walk out of here today, look around—there is proof of God’s generosity and mercy everywhere. The sunlight will greet you. The laughter of loved ones will warm your heart. The peace that steadies your soul will remind you that every good and perfect gift comes from above—from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
May the good Lord bless us with these words as we go from this place to trust in Him and be His witnesses wherever He places us. Amen.
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