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- [00:00]
Narrator
Blessed is a person who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord promised to those who love him. Dear Lord, this life is filled with trials, tribulations and temptations. We do not ask that you would remove these things from our lives. Rather, we pray that you would give us the strength and courage to to endure. We do not want to walk through life avoiding hardship. We want to learn, grow and press through hardship, knowing that there's a refining process at work. Through it all. You promise to give a crown of life to those who endure today. We pray earnestly for that promise to be fulfilled today, tomorrow, and into eternity. We love you, Lord, In Jesus name, Amen. Thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to the Jesus Podcast where the Gospel stories are reborn with fresh perspectives. Don't go away. Remain here to immerse yourself in the unfolding drama and wonder of Jesus Story. If this podcast has brought value to your faith, we'd love it if you left a review and shared it with a friend. We want the story of Jesus to be known throughout the world because when Jesus story is told, lives are transformed James ran his hand over the wooden table. The smell of cedar and stone filled the air in his workshop as he methodically sanded over all the blemishes. James was nowhere near the craftsman. As his father or older brother, he didn't have the artist's touch they had. But one thing James did have was an eye for blemishes. Every piece he made was nearly perfect. He ran his hand over the table again, looking for the smallest splinter, bump or divot. Over and over again, he worked on the cedar table. Life as a craftsman was supposed to be simple, but the past three years were anything but simple. His brother had become famous. People clamored for him, constantly visiting James workshop, hoping to hear stories about him. I'm not telling any more stories about Jesus. He would shout. Go away. James resented his brother, although he felt guilty about it. His brother had done nothing wrong to him, but that was the point. His brother had never done anything wrong. He was perfect in everything. And James had to live in that shadow his entire life. And now he's gone. James sighed as he smoothed out more of the cedar table. His jaw clenched. Stewing inside James was a mixture of sorrow, anger and regret. Sorrowful that his brother had been brutally murdered, angry that Jesus had gotten himself into trouble in the first place, and regretful that he wasn't there when he died. James heart hardened like clay, left to bake in the hot sun. He suppressed his emotions and continued to sand down the wood. You were there for everybody else, he whispered to the empty workshop. But when I came to you, you were too busy. He smoothed out another section. James recalled when he and his mother came to see Jesus as he was teaching, but his response was, my mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it. James gripped his tool harder. Was I not worthy of your attention, brother?
- [04:02]
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- [04:32]
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- [06:03]
Host
Imagine that Jesus was your older brother. Perfect in every way, never making mistakes. Imagine living in that shadow. It's no wonder James had a hard time with the identity of Jesus. For anyone that's had an overachieving older sibling, you must know what that feels like. This is the Jesus Podcast the entire month of April has been dedicated to exploring the events following Jesus immersion from the grave. Easter may have been one single event for us, but it took the disciples a long time to grapple with the reality of the resurrection. Today we're going to visit another story inspired by 1 Corinthians 15. Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 15:3,6 that Jesus visited Peter and James individually before he appeared to the rest of the disciples. However, the Gospels don't give us the details of these intimate moments. In the last episode, we imagined what it was like for Peter to see Jesus face to face. After denying him three times, we learn that restoration is a lengthy and often painful process. Today we're going to imagine what Jesus interaction with James must have felt like. James Jesus younger brother did not believe he was the Son of God until after the Resurrection. He was a skeptic of Jesus ministry and undoubtedly wrestled with feelings of jealousy and bitterness. Imagine your brother was Jesus. It couldn't have been easy for James to grow up in his shadow, no matter how loving and attentive Jesus might have been. Yet we know from the Book of Acts that James emerges as a prominent leader in the church, presiding over the apostles, even in the church of Jerusalem as a faithful pillar. How did James go from a skeptical younger brother to a faithful leader of Christ? It most likely began with James witnessing the resurrection of Jesus. Let's dive back into the story now. Keep in mind that this is an imaginative adaptation of biblical events. Join us afterwards as we unpack its themes together.
- [07:58]
Narrator
Deep down, James knew he had no right to be resentful. But he couldn't bear the sorrow and regret weighing on his mind. So instead he chose anger. Anger at Jesus, his mother, and himself. James ran away from his problems through carpentry, allowing the methodical sound of sand shaving down cedar to drown out his thoughts. Yet every time he closed his eyes, he saw his older brother staring back at him. James had always looked up to his brother, but as he grew older, James couldn't accept who Jesus claimed to be. He saw the miracles, witnessed his righteousness, and heard the teaching. All the evidence was before him except for one nagging reality. They were brothers. The closeness of being brothers couldn't be reconciled with the distance of Jesus being God himself. How could they be so close yet so far apart? Simultaneously, James stopped sanding the cedar and leaned against the table. He let out a long, drawn out sigh and gripped the edges of the wood. He refused to cry. He refused to give in to grief and regret. His doubt was tossing him like A wave of the sea tossed by the wind. That's when he heard something behind him. A clinking of his tools hanging on the wall. James turned around to see his hammer and chisel swaying back and forth on the hook. Someone was in the room with him. Who's there? James growled. He gripped the chisel in his hand and looked around. He couldn't see anybody, but there was unmistakably somebody with him. Show yourself. James opened the door and looked out. Nobody was there. He closed the door and turned back inside to see Jesus standing there with his hands on the wood. James dropped the chisel and pressed his back against the door. Jesus. He said with an anxious breath. Is that you James? Older brother ran his hand across the finished cedar. He smiled and nodded in approval. This is fine work James. Father would be so proud. Jesus looked up at his brother with kind and compassionate eyes. It is fine work, James. James shook his head and inched closer to Jesus. He couldn't believe his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He was possessed by awe, excitement and fear. He was the same Jesus he had always known, but something was different about him. It was as if James was truly seeing Jesus for the first time. He was otherworldly, awe inspiring and holy. Finally, James was able to speak. How could this happen? You were dead. Jesus didn't answer the question directly. He knew that the reality of the resurrection would soften his heart to the truth. Instead, Jesus stepped forward to his baby brother and placed two hands on his face. He had an unwavering smile bursting from a deep well of joy and wisdom. You are loved baby brother, Jesus said with a serene joy trickling from his voice. You will endure much in this life. Blessed are those who remain steadfast unto trial, for when they have stood the test, they will receive a crown of life. Jesus let go of James face and began walking away from him. He was leaving and James wasn't sure when he would get to see Jesus again. James exclaimed, holding out his hand to Jesus. It was then that he noticed the scars on his hands where the nails had been driven into him. James sighed with a broken voice. The dam was beginning to break in James heart. He finally saw Jesus for who he was. He was not just his brother. He was the Son of God, the Lord of Heaven and Earth. Tears streamed down his cheeks and a torrent of pent up anger and resentment released from his heart. He fell to his knees, unable to handle the flood of emotions. James held out his hands and asked, what do I do now? I'm not sure where to go from here. Jesus grinned from ear to ear at the question. He laughed and and again ran his hand across the cedar table James was crafting. James, if you ever lack wisdom, just ask God. He would give generously, without reproach. Jesus took the chisel and hammer and buffed out a minor blemish in the wood. Ask for anything in faith without doubting, for whoever doubts is like a wave of the sea tossed by the wind. Jesus wiped away the specks of wood from the table, nodded in approval, then vanished. James was left alone in his workshop, left to struggle with what he had just seen. His body shook in place. He wanted to move, to act, to respond. The reality of his brother's resurrection changed everything. He was beginning to understand. Faith was planted in him like a seed. Soon it would grow into fantastic works. James would rise to lead the church with wisdom, faithfulness and love. He would march forward not as a brother to Jesus, but as a bondservant of Christ.
- [14:14]
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- [14:44]
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- [16:15]
Host
In the early days, James wasn't buying into his brother's bold proclamations. He, along with their older siblings and even their mother, at times thought Jesus had lost his grip on reality. They once even tried to intervene, fearing he had gone off the deep end. Imagine that Jesus preaching a message that even his family couldn't swallow. Jesus did say that a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his relatives. In his own household. His own kin rejected him, criticized him and refused to stand by his side. That is, until something shifted. After Jesus ascension into heaven, James and the rest of the family found themselves united. With the disciples fervently praying in the upper room. James became a pillar of the church. Even so, what sparked this transformation? What convinced James to abandon his doubts and embrace his brother as the Messiah? Two pivotal events changed everything. First, there's this appearance that we had. In this episode, Paul recounts in 1 Corinthians 15:7 that Jesus personally appeared to James after the resurrection. Now imagine the impact of seeing your brother once dead, now a lie before your very eyes. It's a game changer, no doubt. But it begs a deeper question. What does this resurrection signify? For James, it wasn't just about witnessing a miraculous return from the grave. It was about recognizing that Jesus was exactly who he claimed to be the whole time. It's one thing if your brother claims to be God. You can roll your eyes and say, yeah, right. But if your brother claims to be God, dies, and then rises again three days later, it's no longer an eye roll. Yet the resurrection alone isn't typically sufficient proof of divinity. After all, Mary and Martha witnessed Lazarus rising from the dead, but they didn't worship him. So what set Jesus apart in James eyes? What set him apart for James to even call himself a bondservant of Christ? Enter the second piece of the puzzle, and that's righteousness. James was known as James the Just in church history because of his devotion to the Mosaic Law. He understood the concept of divine righteousness intimately, not just because of his love for the law of Moses, but also because he grew up watching Jesus personally. He knew the Scriptures inside out, where God was hailed as holy without any hint of iniquity. Moreover, the prophecy of the Messiah being hailed as mighty God wasn't lost on him. Growing up alongside Jesus, James had a front row seat to his brother's life. He saw the triumphs and the tribulations, the moments of joy and the moments of sorrow. But crucially, he saw something else, or rather the absence of something, and that's sin. James found no sin in Jesus. So what swayed James from skeptic to saint? It was the powerful combination of resurrection and righteousness, the undeniable proof of life beyond death, coupled with the unblemished character of his brother. For James, it was the ultimate confirmation that Jesus wasn't just a man, he wasn't just his brother. He was God incarnate. He was the Messiah, the resurrected ruler. In the end, James didn't just believe. He dedicated his entire life, even unto death, to his newfound faith in Jesus. James conversion stands as a testament to the sinlessness and the resurrection of Jesus, intertwining the threads of belief and brotherhood into a tapestry of something amazing. Jesus appearance To James, post resurrection is a powerful narrative of redemption. Redemption is not merely an abstract concept. It's a lived reality that entered the world through the person of Jesus. His gentle words, you are loved, baby brother, cut through the narrative like a lighthouse through the marine fog. In recognition of his brother as the Son of God, James story moves from one of regret to restoration, a promise that regardless of our past, there is hope and future in Jesus Christ's interaction with James isn't just a reassurance of personal affection. It's a commissioning. We decided to give Jesus lines straight from the book of James itself. Jesus says this, you will endure much in this life, but blessed are those who remain steadfast under trial, for when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life. Jesus is imparting a sense of divine purpose into James. It's the affirmation of James life and meaning beyond the shadows of his brother's legacy, a calling that is uniquely his own. As a leader of the early church, we took this line from James letter to the church. James echoes that truth for every believer. That purpose is found not in the absence of trials, but in persevering through them. Each individual, no matter their regrets, can find redemption in Jesus, sacrifice and resurrection. And in embodying this, they discover purpose that transforms not just their own lives, but the lives of those around them. James experienced that as he became a bond, servant of Christ, a pillar of the church and a servant of the Most High God. This account can serve as a profound reminder of Easter's transformative power, offering a personal touchpoint for meditation and reflection. It speaks to those who, like James, may be grappling with doubt, offering them a pathway to redemption and a renewed sense of purpose grounded in the reality of the Resurrection. Join us next time as Jesus reveals himself to even more of his disciples. These disciples, kind of like Mary in the garden, don't recognize him right away, but Jesus is going to slowly reveal Himself through the Word of God, and then when he breaks bread, he's going to reveal Himself entirely. Be sure to review and share this podcast and make sure to download the Pray.com app for more stories, experiences and devotions.
- [21:49]
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- [22:19]
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- [23:19]
Narrator
This episode is supported by FX's the Lowdown, starring Ethan Hawke. Allow us to introduce you to Lee Raybon, a quirky journalist, rare bookstore owner, unofficial truth seeker who is always on the tail of his latest conspiracy. This time, his most recent expose puts him head to head with a powerful family that rules Tulsa, meaning only one thing he must be on to something big. FX is the Lowdown. Premiere September 23rd on FX stream on Hulu.
- [23:49]
Host
This is an iHeart podcast.