The Servant of God

by John Comer

God is so merciful! Jesus Christ is so compelling! The Holy Spirit is so convincing! If I had a million years in which to write and a thousand languages at my disposal, I could not describe the amazing transformation that has taken place in my life. Not mine only, but also those of my mother, and my brothers and sisters.

Some of the townspeople in Nazareth may still think of me as one of the younger brothers of Jesus. It’s been a long time since I’ve thought of myself in those terms. Now, I’d probably just say I’m “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” My brother Jude would do much the same. He might let you know he’s my brother, but he would make it clear that he is a servant of Jesus, whom we both now know to be the Christ.

It was a long time coming. We were so slow to believe. It would be easy to wallow in guilt if it were not for the fact that God is so gracious and that on his cross Jesus took care of sin and guilt.

Still, my mind drifts back to those intentionally cutting remarks we made at every opportunity. That Tabernacles season, for instance, when we taunted him, saying that if he wanted to be a public figure he should get himself down to Jerusalem and display some miracles for the crowds. It grieves us now to remember that we siblings at one time actually thought he had lost his senses. We were so out of step with what God was doing! But God be praised, that’s all in the past.

I was not surprised when they killed him. Word of his crucifixion spread among the family like wildfire, and our blessed mother had even stood by the cross. She missed none of the horror of it, nor the shame. I will not tell you about his appearance to me after he had risen from the dead. This will remain something between Jesus and myself. Perhaps my life since that moment will bear some testimony to the power of the event.

I now live in Jerusalem and devote my life to God and his church in this place. Today I have an appointment with Paul, a man whose apostleship has created no little discussion among believers. He is here visiting Peter, and today I am to meet him.  The two of us could spend long hours rehearsing our unbelieving past. But we won’t. We’ve both seen the risen Christ. We believe. We’re forgiven. Saved. Changed.