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Monday, March 10
... afterward he was seen by James, then by all the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:7)
A few years ago the American Red Cross was seeking donations to help a group of su ffering people in Africa. A box came with a note which said, "We have been converted, and as a result we want to help. We won't ever need these again. Can you use them for something?" Inside were Ku Klux Klan sheets, which the Red Cross tore into strips and used to bandage the wounds of Africans.
The risen Christ forgives sin and gives peace. What guilt from your past is bothering you today?
What God's word means
James could refer to James the son of Zebedee (Matthew 4:21) or James the son of Alphaeus (Matthew 10:3). However, it is hard to imagine why the risen Christ would appear to either of them before appearing to all the apostles. James son of Alphaeus is mentioned in the New Testament only when the apostles are listed. James son of Zebedee never speaks in the New Testament and never appears in the Gospels apart from his brother John; he was also the rst apostle to be martyred for Christ (Acts 12:2).
Most likely, James refers to Jesus' half-brother (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). As he is always listed rst among his siblings, he was probably the oldest son of Mary and Joseph.4 He and his brothers did not believe in Jesus' divinity prior to his resurrection (John 7:5). The risen Christ then appeared to his skeptical relative; the second-century Gospel According to the Hebrews says that they shared the Lord's Supper together.
James soon became the most prominent leader in early Christianity (cf. Acts 12:17; 21:18), speaking for the Jerusalem Council when it decided to allow Gentiles into the church (Acts 15:13-21). He met alone with Paul after the latter's conversion (Galatians 1:19) and sent a delegation from Jerusalem to Antioch (Galatians 2:12). Most scholars believe that he also authored the New Testament book of James.
Early tradition calls him "James the Just" and identi es him as mentor to Stephen, the rst martyr. James was so godly that many Jewish leaders later attributed the Roman destruction of Jerusalem to his unjust treatment and martyrdom at their hands.
What Easter means
If James could reject Jesus' divinity despite witnessing his half-brother's sinless character and remarkable miracles, anyone can reject the gospel. However, if such a hardened skeptic could meet the risen Christ and become the greatest leader in early Christian history, anyone can be transformed by the gospel.
Because of Easter, your worst sins are no match for God's omnipotent grace.
How to respond
Guilt is not of God. What about your past burdens you today? Name the failure that is causing you guilt. Admit it to Jesus, speci cally and honestly. Ask him to forgive you, claiming his promise to "forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Know that he has now separated your sin as far from you as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12), burying it in the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19) and remembering it no more (Isaiah 43:25).
The next time this guilt attacks you, say to it: "I have confessed that sin and been forgiven, and grace is greater than guilt." Keep saying it, every time the guilt comes back: "Grace is greater than guilt." You may have to say it 100 times today and 90 times tomorrow, but eventually the guilt will leave and grace will win.
What the risen Jesus did for James, he is ready to do for you today.
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