Acts 14... James

At the tail end of Acts 14, we witness a subtle but significant shift in the early Church’s story — the stage begins to tilt toward the writing of James. This shift is occasioned by a report delivered to the fellowship in Antioch (vs27-28).

Antioch was no ordinary town. It was a field both fruitful and fiery — the first place believers were nicknamed Christians (Acts 11:26). It was here that Gentiles were first admitted into the fold of Christ, a move so bold it sparked a council in Jerusalem to discuss what many then saw as a monstrosity. To verify this surprising development, the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas, who would later become a close companion of Paul.

Traveling from Jerusalem to Antioch took about 15–20 days(with stops every night) — roughly the same as going from Nairobi to Lodwar on foot or by caravan. It was no casual trip.

In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas report back to Antioch, sharing the fruits and trials of their missionary work. Word of this report reached Jerusalem, and it seems to have prompted the elders there — under the leadership of James — to write a circular letter addressing the emerging realities of faith among believers scattered across various regions. Later, another letter would follow, dealing with whether one had to become a Jew to truly follow Christ.

The letter of James confronts two enduring challenges believers face whenever they are home or away:

1. How to engage with the world as believers. - While at home(church).

2. How to avoid being entangled by the world. - While away(from home fellowship).

James tackles the second. The scattered Jewish believers had gotten so entangled with the world that the world had crept into their fellowships. They had grown comfortable with compromise and settled for a new normal — a worldly church. They were wealthy but not rich toward God. Their wisdom was earthly rather than divine. Their tongues spoke curses instead of blessings. And they had become too friendly with the world.

Sadly, this is not just their story — it’s ours too.

This is what often happens when believers leave their home churches for work, study, or life abroad. When the familiar fellowship is out of sight, the world becomes more a reality than the Word. We end up knowing more of the world than the Word, reading more from the newspaper than from the good news.

As we read through James, let’s make it personal. Let’s take a moment to evaluate ourselves, to see whether the world has found a seat in our hearts where the Word once sat.