1 00:00:00,150 --> 00:00:03,350 Speaker 1: Blessed is a person who endures temptation, for when he 2 00:00:03,390 --> 00:00:06,470 Speaker 1: has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, 3 00:00:06,990 --> 00:00:10,450 Speaker 1: which the Lord promised to those who love him. James 4 00:00:10,450 --> 00:00:16,230 Speaker 1: 1.12 Dear Lord, this life is filled with trials, tribulations, 5 00:00:16,590 --> 00:00:19,770 Speaker 1: and temptations. We do not ask that you would remove 6 00:00:19,810 --> 00:00:24,029 Speaker 1: these things from our lives. Rather, we pray that you 7 00:00:24,050 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: would give us the strength and courage to endure. We 8 00:00:28,300 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: do not want to walk through life avoiding hardship. We 9 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:36,659 Speaker 1: want to learn, grow, and press through hardship, knowing that 10 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:40,599 Speaker 1: there's a refining process at work through it all. You 11 00:00:40,659 --> 00:00:44,770 Speaker 1: promise to give a crown of life to those who endure. Today, 12 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:49,690 Speaker 1: we pray earnestly for that promise to be fulfilled. Today, tomorrow, 13 00:00:50,150 --> 00:00:56,630 Speaker 1: and into eternity. We love you, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen. 14 00:00:58,780 --> 00:01:01,580 Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to 15 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:05,819 Speaker 1: the Jesus Podcast, where the gospel stories are reborn with 16 00:01:05,940 --> 00:01:10,899 Speaker 1: fresh perspectives. Don't go away. Remain here to immerse yourself 17 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:15,839 Speaker 1: in the unfolding drama and wonder of Jesus' story. If 18 00:01:15,890 --> 00:01:19,490 Speaker 1: this podcast has brought value to your faith, we'd love 19 00:01:19,530 --> 00:01:21,530 Speaker 1: it if you left a review and shared it with 20 00:01:21,590 --> 00:01:24,530 Speaker 1: a friend. We want the story of Jesus to be 21 00:01:24,569 --> 00:01:28,430 Speaker 1: known throughout the world, because when Jesus' story is told, 22 00:01:29,030 --> 00:01:35,350 Speaker 1: lives are transformed. James ran his hand over the wooden table. 23 00:01:36,510 --> 00:01:38,890 Speaker 1: The smell of cedar and stone filled the air in 24 00:01:38,950 --> 00:01:43,020 Speaker 1: his workshop as he methodically sanded over all the blemishes. 25 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,340 Speaker 1: James was nowhere near the craftsman as his father or 26 00:01:47,380 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: older brother. He didn't have the artist's touch they had. 27 00:01:52,180 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: But one thing James did have was an eye for blemishes. 28 00:01:57,380 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: Every piece he made was nearly perfect. He ran his 29 00:02:02,150 --> 00:02:06,690 Speaker 1: hand over the table again, looking for the smallest splinter, bump, 30 00:02:07,110 --> 00:02:11,450 Speaker 1: or divot. Over and over again, he worked on the 31 00:02:11,490 --> 00:02:15,540 Speaker 1: cedar table. Life as a craftsman was supposed to be simple, 32 00:02:16,780 --> 00:02:21,100 Speaker 1: but the past three years were anything but simple. His 33 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: brother had become famous. People clamored for him constantly. visiting James' workshop, 34 00:02:27,820 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: hoping to hear stories about him. 35 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,820 Speaker 2: I'm not telling any more stories about Jesus! 36 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:38,620 Speaker 1: He would shout, Go away! James resented his brother, although 37 00:02:38,660 --> 00:02:42,330 Speaker 1: he felt guilty about it. His brother had done nothing 38 00:02:42,389 --> 00:02:46,590 Speaker 1: wrong to him. But that was the point. His brother 39 00:02:46,630 --> 00:02:51,250 Speaker 1: had never done anything wrong. He was perfect in everything. 40 00:02:52,190 --> 00:02:56,049 Speaker 1: And James had to live in that shadow his entire life. 41 00:02:56,510 --> 00:02:59,850 Speaker 1: And now he's gone. James sighed as he smoothed out 42 00:02:59,910 --> 00:03:05,010 Speaker 1: more of the cedar table. His jaw clenched. Stewing inside, 43 00:03:05,620 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: James was a mixture of sorrow, anger, and regret. Sorrowful 44 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 1: that his brother had been brutally murdered. Angry that Jesus 45 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,579 Speaker 1: had gotten himself into trouble in the first place. And 46 00:03:19,620 --> 00:03:24,380 Speaker 1: regretful that he wasn't there when he died. James' heart 47 00:03:24,419 --> 00:03:27,150 Speaker 1: hardened like clay. left to bake in the hot sun. 48 00:03:28,150 --> 00:03:32,250 Speaker 1: He suppressed his emotions and continued to sand down the wood. 49 00:03:32,990 --> 00:03:35,870 Speaker 1: You were there for everybody else, he whispered to the 50 00:03:35,930 --> 00:03:38,410 Speaker 1: empty workshop. But when I came to you, you were 51 00:03:38,780 --> 00:03:43,740 Speaker 1: too busy. He smoothed out another section. James recalled when 52 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,540 Speaker 1: he and his mother came to see Jesus as he 53 00:03:46,580 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: was teaching. But his response was, My mother and my 54 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: brothers are those who hear the word of God and 55 00:03:53,700 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: do it. James gripped his tool harder. 56 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:22,089 Speaker 3: Was I not worthy of your attention, brother? The entire 57 00:04:22,110 --> 00:04:25,050 Speaker 3: month of April has been dedicated to exploring the events 58 00:04:25,150 --> 00:04:28,659 Speaker 3: following Jesus' immersion from the grave. Easter may have been 59 00:04:28,779 --> 00:04:31,580 Speaker 3: one single event for us, but it took the disciples 60 00:04:31,740 --> 00:04:35,700 Speaker 3: a long time to grapple with the reality of the resurrection. Today, 61 00:04:35,779 --> 00:04:39,700 Speaker 3: we're going to visit another story inspired by 1 Corinthians 15. 62 00:04:39,700 --> 00:04:43,620 Speaker 3: Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 15, 3-6, that Jesus visited 63 00:04:43,700 --> 00:04:47,430 Speaker 3: Peter and James individually before he appeared to the rest 64 00:04:47,470 --> 00:04:50,700 Speaker 3: of the disciples. However, the Gospels don't give us the 65 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 3: details of these intimate moments. In the last episode, we 66 00:04:54,020 --> 00:04:56,350 Speaker 3: imagined what it was like for Peter to see Jesus 67 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,690 Speaker 3: face to face after denying him three times. We learned 68 00:04:59,710 --> 00:05:03,510 Speaker 3: that restoration is a lengthy and often painful process. Today, 69 00:05:03,589 --> 00:05:06,409 Speaker 3: we're going to imagine what Jesus' interaction with James must 70 00:05:06,450 --> 00:05:10,279 Speaker 3: have felt like. James, Jesus' younger brother, did not believe 71 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:12,940 Speaker 3: he was the Son of God until after the resurrection. 72 00:05:13,420 --> 00:05:16,600 Speaker 3: He was a skeptic of Jesus' ministry and undoubtedly wrestled 73 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:20,110 Speaker 3: with feelings of jealousy and bitterness. Imagine your brother was Jesus. 74 00:05:20,690 --> 00:05:22,770 Speaker 3: It couldn't have been easy for James to grow up 75 00:05:22,810 --> 00:05:25,670 Speaker 3: in his shadow, no matter how loving and attentive Jesus 76 00:05:25,730 --> 00:05:28,070 Speaker 3: might have been. Yet we know from the book of 77 00:05:28,170 --> 00:05:31,190 Speaker 3: Acts that James emerges as a prominent leader in the church, 78 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,340 Speaker 3: presiding over the apostles even in the church of Jerusalem 79 00:05:34,380 --> 00:05:37,460 Speaker 3: as a faithful pillar. How did James go from a 80 00:05:37,779 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 3: skeptical younger brother to a faithful leader of Christ? It 81 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:45,250 Speaker 3: most likely began with James witnessing the resurrection of Jesus. 82 00:05:45,690 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 3: Let's dive back into the story now. Keep in mind 83 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,940 Speaker 3: that this is an imaginative adaptation of biblical events. Join 84 00:05:51,980 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 3: us afterwards as we unpack. 85 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: Its themes together. Deep down, James knew he had no 86 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: right to be resentful. But he couldn't bear the sorrow 87 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: and regret weighing on his mind. So instead, he chose anger. 88 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:14,920 Speaker 1: Anger at Jesus, his mother, and himself. James ran away 89 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 1: from his problems through carpentry. allowing the methodical sound of 90 00:06:19,380 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 1: sand shaving down cedar to drown out his thoughts. Yet 91 00:06:24,060 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: every time he closed his eyes, he saw his older 92 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,919 Speaker 1: brother staring back at him. James had always looked up 93 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:34,140 Speaker 1: to his brother, but as he grew older, James couldn't 94 00:06:34,180 --> 00:06:38,350 Speaker 1: accept who Jesus claimed to be. He saw the miracles, 95 00:06:38,940 --> 00:06:43,390 Speaker 1: witnessed his righteousness, and heard the teaching. All the evidence 96 00:06:43,430 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: was before him, except for one nagging reality. they were brothers. 97 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:55,340 Speaker 1: The closeness of being brothers couldn't be reconciled with the 98 00:06:55,420 --> 00:07:00,180 Speaker 1: distance of Jesus being God himself. How could they be 99 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:06,600 Speaker 1: so close, yet so far apart simultaneously? James stopped sanding 100 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:10,350 Speaker 1: the cedar and leaned against the table. He let out 101 00:07:10,380 --> 00:07:14,050 Speaker 1: a long, drawn-out sigh and gripped the edges of the wood. 102 00:07:15,430 --> 00:07:18,910 Speaker 1: He refused to cry. He refused to give in to 103 00:07:18,970 --> 00:07:23,590 Speaker 1: grief and regret His doubt was tossing him like a 104 00:07:23,750 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 1: wave of the sea tossed by the wind That's when 105 00:07:27,380 --> 00:07:31,020 Speaker 1: he heard something behind him A clinking of his tools 106 00:07:31,100 --> 00:07:34,540 Speaker 1: hanging on the wall James turned around to see his 107 00:07:34,580 --> 00:07:37,140 Speaker 1: hammer and chisel swaying back and forth on the hook 108 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,619 Speaker 1: Someone was in the room with him Who's there? James 109 00:07:41,660 --> 00:07:44,900 Speaker 1: growled He gripped the chisel in his hand and looked 110 00:07:44,940 --> 00:07:50,510 Speaker 1: around He couldn't see anybody but there was unmistakably somebody 111 00:07:50,590 --> 00:07:50,890 Speaker 1: with him. 112 00:07:51,330 --> 00:07:51,990 Speaker 3: Show yourself! 113 00:07:52,530 --> 00:07:55,870 Speaker 1: James opened the door and looked out. Nobody was there. 114 00:07:57,410 --> 00:08:01,070 Speaker 1: He closed the door and turned back inside to see 115 00:08:01,190 --> 00:08:06,060 Speaker 1: Jesus standing there with his hands on the wood. James 116 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 1: dropped the chisel and pressed his back against the door. Jesus, 117 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: he said with an anxious breath. 118 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:12,100 Speaker 3: Is that you? 119 00:08:12,580 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: James' older brother ran his hand across the finished cedar. 120 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 1: He smiled. and nodded in approval. 121 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:23,489 Speaker 2: This is fine work, James. Father would be so proud. 122 00:08:24,410 --> 00:08:28,690 Speaker 1: Jesus looked up at his brother with kind and compassionate eyes. 123 00:08:29,110 --> 00:08:30,510 Speaker 2: It is fine work, James. 124 00:08:31,010 --> 00:08:35,010 Speaker 1: James shook his head and inched closer to Jesus. He 125 00:08:35,090 --> 00:08:39,090 Speaker 1: couldn't believe his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, 126 00:08:39,130 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 1: but nothing came out. He was possessed by awe, excitement, 127 00:08:45,540 --> 00:08:49,870 Speaker 1: and fear. He was the same Jesus he had always known, 128 00:08:49,970 --> 00:08:54,340 Speaker 1: but something was different about him. It was as if 129 00:08:54,460 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: James was truly seeing Jesus for the first time. He 130 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:07,850 Speaker 1: was otherworldly, awe-inspiring, and holy. Finally, James was able to speak. 131 00:09:08,230 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 3: How could this happen? 132 00:09:09,770 --> 00:09:10,510 Speaker 2: You were dead. 133 00:09:10,929 --> 00:09:14,910 Speaker 1: Jesus didn't answer the question directly. He knew that the 134 00:09:14,950 --> 00:09:20,350 Speaker 1: reality of the resurrection... would soften his heart to the truth. Instead, 135 00:09:21,410 --> 00:09:24,819 Speaker 1: Jesus stepped forward to his baby brother and placed two 136 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:29,460 Speaker 1: hands on his face. He had an unwavering smile bursting 137 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: from a deep well of joy and wisdom. You are loved, 138 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:37,309 Speaker 1: baby brother, Jesus said with a serene joy, trickling from 139 00:09:37,350 --> 00:09:37,750 Speaker 1: his voice. 140 00:09:38,130 --> 00:09:41,170 Speaker 2: You will endure much in this life, but blessed are 141 00:09:41,190 --> 00:09:45,270 Speaker 2: those who remain steadfast under trial. For when they have 142 00:09:45,330 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 2: stood the test... They will receive a crown of life. 143 00:09:49,420 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 1: Jesus let go of James' face and began walking away 144 00:09:52,730 --> 00:09:57,330 Speaker 1: from him. He was leaving, and James wasn't sure when 145 00:09:57,450 --> 00:10:01,900 Speaker 1: he would get to see Jesus again. James exclaimed, holding 146 00:10:01,940 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: out his hand to Jesus. It was then that he 147 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:07,980 Speaker 1: noticed the scars on his hands where the nails had 148 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: been driven into him. James sighed with a broken voice. 149 00:10:13,179 --> 00:10:17,390 Speaker 1: The dam was beginning to break in James' heart. He 150 00:10:17,490 --> 00:10:21,870 Speaker 1: finally saw Jesus for who he was. He was not 151 00:10:21,950 --> 00:10:26,770 Speaker 1: just his brother. He was the Son of God, the 152 00:10:26,830 --> 00:10:31,770 Speaker 1: Lord of heaven and earth. Tears streamed down his cheeks, 153 00:10:32,370 --> 00:10:36,730 Speaker 1: and a torrent of pent-up anger and resentment released from 154 00:10:36,790 --> 00:10:40,980 Speaker 1: his heart. He fell to his knees, unable to handle 155 00:10:41,020 --> 00:10:45,560 Speaker 1: the flood of emotions. James held out his hands and asked, 156 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:46,900 Speaker 1: What do I do now? 157 00:10:47,860 --> 00:10:49,440 Speaker 2: I'm not sure where to go from here. 158 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 1: Jesus grinned from ear to ear at the question. He 159 00:10:53,220 --> 00:10:57,069 Speaker 1: laughed and again ran his hand across the cedar table 160 00:10:57,120 --> 00:10:58,089 Speaker 1: James was crafting. 161 00:10:58,550 --> 00:11:02,630 Speaker 2: James, if you ever lack wisdom, just ask God. He 162 00:11:02,650 --> 00:11:04,550 Speaker 2: will give generously without reproach. 163 00:11:05,210 --> 00:11:08,290 Speaker 1: Jesus took the chisel and hammer and buffed out a 164 00:11:08,370 --> 00:11:09,429 Speaker 1: minor blemish in the wood. 165 00:11:09,900 --> 00:11:14,020 Speaker 2: Ask for anything in faith without doubting, for whoever doubts 166 00:11:14,580 --> 00:11:17,410 Speaker 2: is like a wave of the sea. Tossed by the. 167 00:11:17,370 --> 00:11:21,350 Speaker 1: Wind, Jesus wiped away the specks of wood from the table, 168 00:11:22,110 --> 00:11:28,210 Speaker 1: nodded in approval, then vanished. James was left alone in 169 00:11:28,250 --> 00:11:31,710 Speaker 1: his workshop, left to struggle with what he had just seen. 170 00:11:32,890 --> 00:11:37,449 Speaker 1: His body shook in place. He wanted to move, to act, 171 00:11:38,010 --> 00:11:44,030 Speaker 1: to respond. The reality of his brother's resurrection changed everything. 172 00:11:45,070 --> 00:11:50,059 Speaker 1: he was beginning to understand. Faith was planted in him 173 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: like a seed. Soon, it would grow into fantastic works. 174 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:02,100 Speaker 1: James would rise to lead the church with wisdom, faithfulness, 175 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:06,890 Speaker 1: and love. He would march forward, not as a brother 176 00:12:07,050 --> 00:12:11,189 Speaker 1: to Jesus, but as a bondservant of Christ. 177 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 3: In the early days, James wasn't buying into his brother's 178 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:20,710 Speaker 3: bold proclamations. He, along with their older siblings and even 179 00:12:20,750 --> 00:12:23,850 Speaker 3: their mother at times, thought Jesus had lost his grip 180 00:12:23,890 --> 00:12:27,430 Speaker 3: on reality. They once even tried to intervene, fearing he 181 00:12:27,470 --> 00:12:31,090 Speaker 3: had gone off the deep end. Imagine that, Jesus preaching 182 00:12:31,150 --> 00:12:34,870 Speaker 3: a message that even his family couldn't swallow. Jesus did 183 00:12:34,970 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 3: say that a prophet is not without honor except in 184 00:12:37,150 --> 00:12:40,020 Speaker 3: his hometown and among his relatives in his own household. 185 00:12:40,630 --> 00:12:43,830 Speaker 3: His own kin rejected him, criticized him, and refused to 186 00:12:43,870 --> 00:12:49,170 Speaker 3: stand by his side. That is until something shifted. After Jesus' 187 00:12:49,230 --> 00:12:51,750 Speaker 3: ascension into heaven, James and the rest of the family 188 00:12:51,790 --> 00:12:54,700 Speaker 3: found themselves united with the disciples, fervently praying in the 189 00:12:54,740 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 3: upper room. James became a pillar of the church even. 190 00:12:58,540 --> 00:13:02,660 Speaker 3: So what sparked this transformation? What convinced James to abandon 191 00:13:02,700 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 3: his doubts and embrace his brother as the Messiah? Two 192 00:13:06,140 --> 00:13:10,620 Speaker 3: pivotal events changed everything. First, there's this appearance that we 193 00:13:10,660 --> 00:13:14,500 Speaker 3: had in this episode. Paul recounts in 1 Corinthians 15-7 194 00:13:14,540 --> 00:13:18,309 Speaker 3: that Jesus personally appeared to James after the resurrection. Now, 195 00:13:18,470 --> 00:13:21,350 Speaker 3: imagine the impact of seeing your brother, once dead, now 196 00:13:21,410 --> 00:13:24,910 Speaker 3: alive before your very eyes. It's a game changer, no doubt, 197 00:13:25,230 --> 00:13:28,460 Speaker 3: but it begs a deeper question. What does this resurrection signify? 198 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:31,980 Speaker 3: For James, it wasn't just about witnessing a miraculous return 199 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 3: from the grave. It was about recognizing that Jesus was 200 00:13:35,580 --> 00:13:38,270 Speaker 3: exactly who he claimed to be the whole time. It's 201 00:13:38,390 --> 00:13:40,390 Speaker 3: one thing if your brother claims to be God. You 202 00:13:40,429 --> 00:13:42,770 Speaker 3: can roll your eyes and say, yeah, right. But if 203 00:13:42,860 --> 00:13:46,020 Speaker 3: your brother claims to be God, dies, and then rises 204 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 3: again three days later, it's no longer an eye roll. 205 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:53,480 Speaker 3: Yet the resurrection alone isn't typically sufficient proof of divinity. 206 00:13:53,740 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 3: After all, Mary and Martha witnessed Lazarus rising from the dead, 207 00:13:56,679 --> 00:14:00,120 Speaker 3: but they didn't worship him. So what set Jesus apart 208 00:14:00,210 --> 00:14:03,370 Speaker 3: in James' eyes? What set him apart for James to 209 00:14:03,429 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 3: even call himself a bondservant of Christ? Enter the second 210 00:14:07,380 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 3: piece of the puzzle, and that's righteousness. James was known 211 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 3: as James the Just in church history because of his 212 00:14:13,860 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 3: devotion to the Mosaic law. He understood the concept of 213 00:14:17,460 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 3: divine righteousness intimately, not just because of his love for 214 00:14:20,660 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 3: the law of Moses, but also because he grew up 215 00:14:23,380 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 3: watching Jesus personally. He knew the scriptures inside out where 216 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 3: God was hailed as holy, without any hint of iniquity. Moreover, 217 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:33,700 Speaker 3: the prophecy of the Messiah being hailed as a mighty 218 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 3: God wasn't lost on him. Growing up alongside Jesus, James 219 00:14:37,580 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 3: had a front row seat to his brother's life. He 220 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 3: saw the triumphs and the tribulations, the moments of joy 221 00:14:43,060 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 3: and the moments of sorrow. But crucially, he saw something else, 222 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:50,340 Speaker 3: or rather, the absence of something. And that's sin. James 223 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:55,610 Speaker 3: found no sin in Jesus. So, what swayed James from 224 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:59,410 Speaker 3: skeptic to saint? It was the powerful combination of resurrection 225 00:14:59,510 --> 00:15:03,650 Speaker 3: and righteousness. The undeniable proof of life beyond death coupled 226 00:15:03,690 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 3: with the unblemished character of his brother. For James, it 227 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,780 Speaker 3: was the ultimate confirmation that Jesus wasn't just a man. 228 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:12,590 Speaker 3: He wasn't just his brother. He was God incarnate. He 229 00:15:12,610 --> 00:15:16,750 Speaker 3: was the Messiah, the resurrected ruler. In the end, James 230 00:15:16,810 --> 00:15:20,850 Speaker 3: didn't just believe. He dedicated his entire life, even unto death, 231 00:15:20,930 --> 00:15:24,950 Speaker 3: to his newfound faith in Jesus. James' conversion stands as 232 00:15:25,010 --> 00:15:27,860 Speaker 3: a testament to the sinlessness and the resurrection of Jesus, 233 00:15:27,940 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 3: intertwining the threads of belief and brotherhood into a tapestry 234 00:15:31,900 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 3: of something amazing. Jesus' appearance to James post-resurrection is a 235 00:15:36,220 --> 00:15:40,220 Speaker 3: powerful narrative of redemption. Redemption is not merely an abstract concept, 236 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 3: it's a lived reality that entered the world through the 237 00:15:42,900 --> 00:15:46,390 Speaker 3: person of Jesus. His gentle words, you are loved, baby brother, 238 00:15:46,490 --> 00:15:49,730 Speaker 3: cut through the narrative like a lighthouse through the marine fog. 239 00:15:50,350 --> 00:15:53,150 Speaker 3: In recognition of his brother as the son of God, James' 240 00:15:53,230 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 3: story moves from one of regret to restoration, a promise 241 00:15:56,980 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 3: that regardless of our past, there is hope and future 242 00:16:00,500 --> 00:16:05,390 Speaker 3: in Jesus. Christ's interaction with James isn't just a reassurance 243 00:16:05,410 --> 00:16:09,250 Speaker 3: of personal affection, it's a commissioning. We decided to give Jesus' 244 00:16:09,370 --> 00:16:13,220 Speaker 3: lines straight from the book of James itself. Jesus says this, 245 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:15,140 Speaker 3: Jesus is imparting a sense of divine purpose into James. 246 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:17,860 Speaker 3: It's the affirmation of James' life and meaning beyond the 247 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:30,580 Speaker 3: shadows of his brother's legacy. a calling that is uniquely 248 00:16:30,620 --> 00:16:33,230 Speaker 3: his own as a leader of the early church. We 249 00:16:33,250 --> 00:16:36,090 Speaker 3: took this line from James' letter to the church. James 250 00:16:36,450 --> 00:16:39,770 Speaker 3: echoes that truth for every believer that purpose is found 251 00:16:39,830 --> 00:16:42,630 Speaker 3: not in the absence of trials, but in persevering through them. 252 00:16:43,350 --> 00:16:46,890 Speaker 3: Each individual, no matter their regrets, can find redemption in Jesus' 253 00:16:46,950 --> 00:16:50,980 Speaker 3: sacrifice and resurrection. And in embodying this, they discover purpose 254 00:16:51,020 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 3: that transforms not just their own lives, but the lives 255 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:56,670 Speaker 3: of those around them. James experienced that as he became 256 00:16:56,710 --> 00:16:59,470 Speaker 3: a bondservant of Christ, a pillar of the church, and 257 00:16:59,510 --> 00:17:02,910 Speaker 3: a servant of the Most High God. This account can 258 00:17:02,970 --> 00:17:06,629 Speaker 3: serve as a profound reminder of Easter's transformative power, offering 259 00:17:06,690 --> 00:17:10,100 Speaker 3: a personal touchpoint for meditation and reflection. It speaks to 260 00:17:10,140 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 3: those who, like James, may be grappling with doubt, offering 261 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:15,679 Speaker 3: them a pathway to redemption and a renewed sense of 262 00:17:15,740 --> 00:17:19,820 Speaker 3: purpose grounded in the reality of the resurrection. Join us 263 00:17:19,859 --> 00:17:23,100 Speaker 3: next time as Jesus reveals himself to even more of 264 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:26,730 Speaker 3: his disciples. These disciples, kind of like Mary in the garden, 265 00:17:27,060 --> 00:17:29,899 Speaker 3: don't recognize him right away. But Jesus is going to 266 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:32,980 Speaker 3: slowly reveal himself through the word of God. And then, 267 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,830 Speaker 3: when he breaks bread, he's going to reveal himself entirely. 268 00:17:37,550 --> 00:17:39,889 Speaker 3: Be sure to review and share this podcast. And make 269 00:17:39,930 --> 00:17:43,690 Speaker 3: sure to download the Pray.com app for more stories, experiences, 270 00:17:43,830 --> 00:17:44,450 Speaker 3: and devotions.