Acts 1:14New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

James is the ‘Half Blood Disciple’, who came to believe in Jesus after the crucifixion and the Lord’s resurrection. Not much is said about James in the Gospel, other than he misunderstood Jesus and was not a believer.

Jesus is the older sibling of Joseph and Mary. You have to realize to them Jesus was simply another brother. He grew up with them. They played together, ate meals, slept, and probably had their times of mischief. We forget at times that Jesus was also fully human along with being fully God.

It says in 1 Corinthians 15:6 that Jesus was seen by more than 500 of his followers. In verse 7 it says, ‘Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles’. Jesus met with his brother. You have to cut James a break here. Even he needed proof that his half blood brother was the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

After he receives the Holy Spirit, we find this man full of humility and being one of the eye witnesses to Christ’s resurrection. He would even write one of the books in the Bible that gives us a healthy dose of straight talk about practical Christian living.

I love his opening comment in James 1:1,

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:

Greetings.

Nowhere do you see himself giving accolades of being a brother of Jesus. He is a slave to both God and Jesus. He owes his life to God and Jesus both.

This writing of the Book of James is just another source of proof that Jesus is the Son of God. He was crucified and raised from the dead 3 days later. Let us live a life like James. He lived a life that was lived in humble servanthood to our Savior Jesus the Christ.

Strength and Courage

Michael