FIRST FRUITS OF AUTHENTIC RELIGION

James1:12-27; Mark 7:1-23

1st Sunday of the Season of Creation, September 1, 2024

Rev. Dr. Ritva  H. Williams

Our scripture readings for this Season of Creation feature the letter of James, the brother of Jesus. In the gospels, James is the eldest of Jesus’ siblings, and shows up consistently with them and their mother Mary. After Jesus’ crucifixion, the resurrected Christ appeared personally to James (1 Corinthians 15:7), and appointed him to lead the disciples (Gospel of Thomas 12). James became a pillar of the church in Jerusalem. Early Christians revered him as James the Just and the Bulwark of the People, and all seven branches of Judaism active in Jerusalem held him in high esteem. James successfully led the Christian community in the Holy Land until 62 CE when the high priest ordered his illegal execution. 

In the weeks ahead, we will hear James and Jesus in conversation with one another. For today’s reading from James I turn to Eugene Petersen’s The Message:

Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.  Don’t let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us.

God puts evil in no one’s way. God does not tempt us. God does not sit up in heaven devising ways to test our faith. God does not give us cancer, or cause our loved ones to die in accidents, or any of the other challenging, frustrating, awful things that happen to us. They are not part of some mysterious “plan” that God has for us. That’s good news. 

James’ teaching is one reason the Lord’s Prayer has been re-translated. Since we know that God neither tempts nor tests anyone, we now pray “save us from the time of trial.”

James does say trials and temptations arise from human desire which leads to sin and death. Jesus says the same thing in today’s gospel lesson: “it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, and folly. ” Does that mean that we should blame ourselves for the trials, temptations, frustration, and misery we experience? Maybe. Sometimes. 

But remember that we are not hermits, living in total isolation from all other human beings. The driver of the car that killed your love one was high on drugs. The cancer causing your loved one to waste away, might have something to do with water, soil, or air polluted by industries run by humans greedy for profit. That’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” The relationship between the sins we commit and the trauma we experience because of other people’s sins is complicated. 

James follows up on the good news that God never, ever puts evil in our way by describing God as the Father of Lights whose gifts to us are consistently generous, good, and complete. God gives birth to us and to all of creation through the word of truth, whom we know as the Christ. God is our Mother, our Parent. Our origin is divine. Within creation, our role is to become the first fruits of all that God creates.

First fruits is an ancient practice of offering the first and best produce from the fields, vineyards, and orchards to God in thanksgiving for the gift of the earth’s fertility. The first fruits would then be used to feed worship leaders and anyone in need. The Apostle Paul describes the resurrected Christ as the first fruits — the first and best — of those who have died, in whom all humans will be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:20-21). James tells us that we too might become a kind of first fruits of God’s creation. Here’s how I think this works: each one of us is gifted with strengths, talents and skills that come to maturity through a process and journey that is uniquely our own. There’s no competition between humans here. No one else can manifest the image of God in exactly the same way you can. Only you can be the first and best you in all of creation.

James follows up with practical advice about cultivating our first fruits. “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” As the ancient philosophers observed, “We have two ears and one mouth, so we can listen twice as much as we speak.” When we listen actively and carefully, the other person feels respected and valued. When we listen attentively and carefully, we learn more.  As any teacher can affirm how hard it is to teach someone who talks all the times.  

If we listen twice as much as we speak, then we must be even slower to anger. James reminds us that anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Instead of building up right relationships that are fair and equitable between us and the people around us, anger disrupts and breaks up relationships. All too often, anger functions as a cover-up for hurt and trauma, even as it gets in the way of healing, and reconciliation. 

As one commentator writes, “If we crowd our lives with anger, foul language, insults and lies, we make our souls an inhospitable field for the cultivating word of God.” The Word of God — the resurrected Christ — is not only able and willing, but actively yearns to save your soul, to make you whole and complete. The question is: are you ready, willing, and able to let down your guard and let Christ into your heart? Christ is no gate crasher. Christ will never force themself into a space where they are not welcome. 

James urges us to be doers of the word and not just hearers. Don’t let the word of God go in one ear and out the other. Take the next step by looking into the “perfect law, the law of liberty.” This means studying, examining, reflecting on scripture especially, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the living Word of God. As we persevere in our engagement with God’s word, we will be blessed through our actions. Our thoughts, words and deeds will begin to align themselves with Christ. 

James’ final words in this section as conveyed in The Message translation:

Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

The Greek word used here is threiskia which basically refers to the many different ways humans act out their commitment, faith, and reliance on God/gods, religious practices, or religion. Our English word, religion comes from the Latin religare meaning to connect, bind or tie something together like a boat to a dock so it doesn’t float or get blown away. 

James invites us to examine our religious practices, asking ourselves how they help us stay connected to Christ. James insists that self-deceiving big talk is like cutting the mooring lines on our little ship of faith. Caring for the orphan and widow, the homeless and hungry, the lonely and loveless connects us more closely to Christ because we are doing what Jesus would do: loving one another as Christ loves us. That’s how each of us gradually produces first fruits — the first and best of each of us can be.

Here is a blessing for all who are children of the Father of Lights:

Blessed are you in whom the light lives,

in whom the brightness blazes —

your heart a chapel, an altar where in the deepest night

can be seen the fire that shines forth in you

in unaccountable faith, in stubborn hope,

in love that lights up every broken thing it finds. Amen.