18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

James’ passion for Christ pours out over the words that he uses. He has the passion of a sincere Jewish Christian and may well be called the Amos (after the prophet) of the new covenant. His letter is thick with pastoral encouragement, and pastoral rebuke. Over the next two months, we will discover it!

There is nothing casual, convenient, or comfortable about true discipleship. There is a denial you must embrace. How in the world do we do that? Jesus is telling us that we can no longer be the center of our lives. Remember what Paul said, "You are not your own; you are bought with a price."

God’s promises to Jacob in the desert are types of the promises made to us. Like Jacob, God has promised us his PRESENCE, A permanent PLACE and PROTECTION. We perfect His promise when we trust Him.

Sometimes we believe the whole world revolves around us. Other times, we wonder if God really cares about us. Psalm 8 gives an attitude adjustment for both. Our true self-esteem is found in God, who is great and greatly to be praised!

After the disciples left the Mount of Olives, they returned to Jerusalem to obey Christ (Verse 12-14). There they did the only thing they knew to do. They gathered together and prayed. Out of that meeting the church was born. The early church expected to be used for the good of the kingdom. So should we.

In this passage, Jesus gives special encouragement to His disciples and to us. He explains the connection between loving God and keeping His commandments. He also gives the promise of resurrection to all believers, with the intent that they would be encouraged by this fact.

Jesus does not want to have a distant and professional relationship with us. Jesus wants to be personally engaged in our lives from day to day, day in and day out. In our text today, Jesus develops that thought using the familiar pastoral model to show us three things about the relationship.