A Skeptical Sibling

               His name was James, and he was the half-brother of Jesus.  He grew up observing the life of the sinless Son of God.  He ate at the same table, lived in the same house, went to the same family gatherings, and was born by the same mother.  Yet in spite of living in such close quarters with Jesus, he did not believe in Him.  The bible tells us in John 7:5: “For even His brothers did not believe in Him”.  He did not believe that the brother he grew up with all his life was indeed God on earth, the promised Messiah, the Savior of the world.

            Yet something happened to this skeptical sibling.  As we fast forward 15-20 years we are witness to an amazing transformation.  That skeptical sibling has arisen as one of the major voices at the first church council in Acts 15.  James has been accepted as the leading voice of the church in Jerusalem.  He even had the unique honor of being one of the church’s first martyrs as he was stoned to death for the cause of Christ about AD 62.

            What was it that caused the change?  What event led to the conversion of the skeptical sibling?  The only adequate explanation for the radical transformation in the life of James is the resurrection of Jesus.  After the resurrection we find that the brothers of Jesus have now joined the disciples and Mary and other believers waiting in the upper room.  The apostle Paul gives a list of those who saw the resurrected Christ in 1 Cor. 15.  He lists of course the disciples and over five hundred who viewed Christ at one time.  Then Paul tells us that Jesus was seen by James.  He had a personal encounter with the resurrected Christ, and it changed his life forever.

            Perhaps you also grew up hearing and living with the truth of Jesus.  Maybe you were brought to church all your life and had a familiarity with the gospel story, but it never really sank in.  Maybe like James you have become a skeptical sibling.  But everything changed when James discovered for himself that Jesus was alive.  Christ is still alive my friend and is waiting to transform more skeptical siblings.