A Sermon for St. Philip and St. James the Less Day

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today, in the Church we commemorate Philip and James. We don’t know a lot about Philip except for what is recorded for us in the Gospel of St. John. Philip was called by Jesus to follow him. Philip then found Nathaniel and told him about Jesus. Philip told Nathaniel, “Come and see” when Nathaniel questioned if anything good could come from Nazareth. Philip was in the group of apostles whom Jesus told in Mark 6, “You feed the people,” before Jesus taking the bread, gave thanks, and broke it and gave it to the people, feeding 5,000 men. It was Philip according to John 6 that said the words, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not enough of them to get a little.”

Philip was also the man in John 12, whom some Greeks came to saying, “Sir we wish to see Jesus.” And here in the Gospel for today, Philip is the man who says those words, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”

James on the other hand is a bit obscure because of the fact that we have three James to discuss. James the brother of Zebedee is known in the Church as James the Great. James the son of Alphaeus could be a second James, and ultimately, we have James, the author of Epistle James. In some traditions this James, the author of the epistle, is James the son of Alphaeus. But others insist on him being the half-brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and also brother of Jude. Three James adds to some of our confusion about this Saint remembered today.

It is this James, the half-brother of our Lord, the author of the epistle that we remember with Philip today. Philip was called to faith in Christ early on in the ministry of Christ. James, the brother of Christ later, after the resurrection but before the Ascension of Christ as Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:7. Paul gives us the run down of events this way concerning who saw Jesus after the resurrection: That he [Jesus] was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. James was called to faith in Christ in a similar fashion as Paul.

Think of the rivalry that must have been in the house of Joseph and Mary. Jesus was the perfect son, James? Uh, not so much. We know from the Gospels that the family of Jesus thought him to be off his rocker a few times, and then we also know that Jesus said that his family were those who did the will of the Father. And the will of Him who sent Jesus is this: “That everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the Last Day.” When Jesus talks about his family, faith in him as the Savior of the world from sins, is not really talked about much. And if were in that household I probably would have resented Jesus. If a prophet cannot have honor in his hometown, he certainly has no honor given him in his own home. James was not a fan of Jesus and his preaching in the beginning. And we can probably see ourselves in this light too. The natural man, that is the man still slave to sin and death, does not like the light of God’s Law coming and running everything amuck. For it exposes the evilness of our hearts and the sinfulness of our ways. It exposes our resentment toward one another and the like, much like the resentment and animosity that James had toward his brother, Jesus.

Yet, in all grace and mercy, James was called to repentance and faith in Christ. Not only was James granted faith but also zeal to proclaim the reality of Christ’s resurrection and the forgiveness of sins given to the world through Christ’s atoning death by the risen Lord Christ, Himself! The same forgiveness is proclaimed to you still today. For it is the same Gospel and it endures until Christ’s return calling us all to faith in Christ Jesus.

By grace, James became the bishop of the Jerusalem church as the other apostles like Peter and John began to move away from the city in times of persecution. It is likely that during this time of persecution James wrote his letter, quite early on in the life of the church. Paul speaks about going to visit James a few times in his letters as well. And in Acts 15 it is James who oversees the first Church Council and forms the letter, when the church is confronted with the question, “What shall we do with the Gentiles, who believe in Jesus?”

Jesus tells us, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” Jesus has prepared a place for them. They belong. You belong in the home of Christ and His Father.

With the story of St. Philip, we can extrapolate a little bit more from John 6 and Mark 6, that’s where the feeding of the 5,000 is located in those two Gospels. John tells us that Jesus went across to the other side of the sea of Tiberias and there performed this sign on the mountain. The other side of the Sea of Tiberias was Gentile country. And its in the context of that we should hear the words of Jesus from Mark 6:37, “You give them something to eat.” Yes, Philip. You feed them. But do not feed them just any old bread. But feed them the bread of life, which is my flesh, and do not give them any old drink, but give them my blood. Yes, James, the Gentiles belong to me as well. Those who believe in me have the Father and have a place in my Father’s house.

We should also not miss the opportunity to see how Christ gathers these folks on a mountain, just as He gathers all people to himself at the foot of his cross. Where his body and blood are given up in death that we might have forgiveness of sins, and life everlasting. Yes, Philip show me, high and lifted up on the cross, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

And this is what was preached by both James and Philip by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus. This is still preached to both Jew and Gentile, Christ has come to save you from your sin to prepare for you a place to rest eternally. You have a place with Christ Jesus. And you are already being prepared for it. You have a foretaste of it here on Earth in the Divine Service, where the preaching of Christ is put into you very ears. Here, You hear the risen and living voice of Christ here and now. And here, You receive on your lips the living body and blood of Jesus, this Jesus whom has died for your sins and risen to life and ascended to the right hand of the Father preparing for that place. That He might return and that we might be brought to be with Him forever.

This is the Jesus whom Philip and James preached until their own mouths were stopped by their respective martyrdoms. But the preaching of these saints still goes on. We have James’ own testimony in Scripture crafting his own letter in a similar fashion of Jesus’ own Sermon on the Mount, calling weary Christians to come and be at rest in Jesus Christ. And Philip still calls out to you, “Come and see this Jesus, and follow Him.” For this Jesus will take you home to be with him and his Father forever. Amen.

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
La Grange, MO