James Book Study

“Faith Works: A Study of the Book of James”

“How To Handle Our Trials”

James 1:1-8

Introduction: Chuck Swindoll writes, “Much of life’s music is played in the minor key. Hurts, headaches, pain, problems, disappointments, sickness, suffering, disease, and death pile upon us and won’t go away. This creates within us questions regarding God’s justice and life’s purpose. Philosophers have tried to interpret this heavy scene but have failed to bring any measure of relief to man’s misery. Education, travel, occupation and even overt acts of kindness provide little help when we are overwhelmed by troubles. On one occasion King David said, ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous…’(Ps. 34:19). Job, who suffered deeply, stated, ‘Man is short-lived and full of turmoil’ (Job 14:1). The apostle Paul spoke of being perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. So many of us can testify to lives of affliction and trials.”

Warren Wiersbe writes, “Perhaps you have seen the bumper sticker that reads: ‘When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade!’ It is easier to smile at that statement than to practice it, but the basic philosophy is sound. In fact, it is biblical. Throughout the Bible are people who turned defeat into victory and trial into triumph. Instead of being victims, they became victors. James tells us that we can have this same experience today. Not matter what the trials may be on the outside (James 1:1-12) or the temptations on the inside (James 1:13-27), through faith in Christ we can experience victory. The result of this victory is spiritual maturity.”

Ronald Blue writes, “All too often trials prompt groanings and complaints. This kind of response does not contribute to Christian maturity. It only makes matters worse. Trials are not to be seen as tribulations but testings. A test is given to see if a student can pass, not pass out. James gave sound advice on how to score high on every test. One who brings the right attitude to the trial, who understands the advantage of the trial, and who knows where to obtain assistance in the trial will certainly end up on God’s honor roll.” How can we handle our trials in the right way?

(1) We can handle our trials by choosing to have a joyful attitude (v. 2). We may not have control over our trials, but we do have control over our response and attitude. The key word in this verse is “count.” It is an accounting term that means to “evaluate, esteem, regard, or hold it up in your mind.” Notice that trials are inevitable because the verse says “when you fall into (it means encounter) various trials.” Also, notice that “trials” is plural, and “various” means that we will have different types of trials. The question is, “Will we react in a way that makes us better or bitter?” God is always unchanging and worthy of worship. Plus, He has a good purpose for our trials which is our good and His glory.

(2) We can handle our trials by knowing that God has a purpose for the trial (v. 3). The key word here is “know.” It refers to an understanding mind. God wants us to understand that his purpose for our trials is growth, endurance, patience, and maturity. This does not come without difficulty. God wants us to learn to stand strong when the storms of life come. Warren Wiersbe says, “If there is nothing to endure, you cannot learn endurance.”

(3) We can handle our trials by letting God do His work through the trial (v. 4). The key word here is “let.” It refers to a surrendered will. Instead of running from the trial, God wants us to surrender to Him so that we can learn and grow through it. Wiersbe says, “The mature person does not argue with God’s will.” In fact, this verse tells us that we can grow to become everything God wants us to be-if we let God do His work through trials. God’s ultimate goal for our lives is maturity, but He has to put us through trials and teach us to endure in order for us to mature.

(4) We can handle our trials by asking God in faith for the wisdom to handle them in the right way (v. 5-8). The key word here is “ask.” God tells us to ask in faith for Him to give us the wisdom to handle our trials. Wisdom refers to God showing us how to live, and specifically how to handle our trials. Ultimately, God wants us to trust Him (Hebrews 11:6). This stabilizes us instead of us being tossed here and there by every wave.

Discussion Questions

Discuss a trial that you have or are experiencing and what you have learned from it.
Discuss a time in your life where you questioned what God was doing during a trial but you can now see His perfect plan when looking back on it.
What are some things that can be done to have a good attitude in the midst of difficulties?
How do trials often reflect a self-centered attitude that focuses on our comfort and convenience?
Trials can either make us better or bitter. What determines which direction we will go in response to a trial?
What are some things that God wants you to surrender to Him right now that He is pointing out through trials or other means?
What trial do you need wisdom in facing right now? Discuss it.
What is the difference in wisdom and knowledge? How does wisdom help us in facing our trials?
In life in general and especially in facing trials, how important is it that we know God’s Word? How well do you know God’s Word?
Pray for each other for the trials you are experiencing.

“Overcoming Temptation”

James 1:12-18

Introduction: Warren Wiersbe has written, “The mature person is patient in trials. Sometimes the trials are testings on the outside, and sometimes they are temptations on the inside. Trials may be tests sent by God, or they may be temptations sent by Satan and encouraged by our own fallen nature. It is this second aspect of trials-temptations on the inside-that James dealt with in this section. We may ask, ‘Why did James connect the two? What is the relationship between testings without and temptations within?’ Simply this: if we are not careful, the testings on the outside may become temptations on the inside. When our circumstances are difficult, we may find ourselves complaining against God, questioning His love, and resisting His will. At this point, Satan provides us with an opportunity to escape the difficulty. This opportunity is a temptation.”

I believe that God is working for our good and His glory in every situation we face while Satan is working for His gain and our destruction. God sends trials to build us up while Satan sends temptations to tear us down. How can we overcome temptation? Let’s look at some biblical keys from this passage of Scripture.

1. Realize that temptation is endurable (v. 12a). A believer has the power of the Holy Spirit to be able to overcome temptation. We don’t really have any excuses. 1 John 4:4 says, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

2. Believe that God will reward those who overcome temptation (v. 12b). There is a connection here between enduring temptation and loving God. The Lord promises the crown of life to those who do so.

3. Understand that God is not the author of temptation (v. 13). God will test us in order to grow us and make us more like Christ, but He will never tempt us in order to hurt us in any way. God does not cause us to sin.

4. Know the pattern that leads to sin (v. 14-16). Of course, we know that Satan is the tempter (Matthew 4:3). James tells us to resist him (4:7) [see 1 Peter 4:8-9]. However, this passage also makes it clear that temptation comes from the desires that are within us. In other words, we are not going to be tempted by something we do not desire. Therefore, one of the keys to overcoming temptation is changing what we desire. The pattern that is given here is desire-deception-sin-death.

5. Consider the consequences of our sin (v. 15). Sin leads to death. Period. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). We reap what we sow. Satan wants to tell us that we can get away with it, but that is a lie.

6. Focus on the goodness of God (v. 17). I didn’t understand the connection here for a long time, but I think it is reminding us that God only gives us good things while Satan wants to destroy us.

7. Accept that we have the power to overcome temptation because we are God’s children (v. 18). I believe that is the significance of verse 18 in the context. We are indwelled by the Holy Spirit and are partakers of the divine nature because we have been born again. Therefore, we have power over sin (see Romans 6).

Conclusion: Believers do not have to sin. However, we can still choose to sin. What will our choice be? Will we learn and apply these truths so we can overcome temptation?

Discussion Questions:

1. What kind of temptation are you struggling with? Do you ever feel like there is no hope for overcoming temptation?

2. Temptation is like bait in the trap. Compare what happens when the animal takes the bait to what happens when we follow our temptations.

3. What are ways our relationship to God is affected by sin? What ways are our relationships with others affected by sin?

4. Do you ever feel like divine consequences don’t apply to you?

5. What is your point of weakness?

6. Where do your desires need to change? How can you make those changes?

7. Do you ever doubt the goodness and love of God?

8. How often do we take good things in life for granted? How can we develop a better habit of gratefulness?

“How To Get God’s Word Into Our Lives”

James 1:19-27

Introduction: By the phrase getting God’s Word into our lives, I mean living it out in our day to day actions. It is easy to talk about how wonderful and important Scripture is. It is easy to talk about how much we believe the Bible is the inerrant and inspired Word of God. All of those statements are true and are important to state. However, the real test is how much we listen to and act on the truth of Scripture. Rick Warren says, “We only believe as much of the Bible as we do.”

The primary message of the book of James is that faith is taking God at His Word and acting on it. True faith produces obedient action (see Hebrews 3:16-19). Verse 22 of our passage says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” God wants us to really get His Word into our lives. Let’s look at how we can do that.

1. We can get God’s Word into our lives by listening carefully. Here are some keys to listening:

A. Means of Intake: Reading, Study, Memorization, Meditation, Listening to it taught or preached

B. Really listen to God as we read His Word.

C. Don’t overdo our exposure to media influences.

D. Take the time to be quiet and really listen.

E. Prepare spiritually before coming to a worship service.

F. Seek God through His Word.

G. Really think through Scripture and view life through the lens of Scripture instead of blindly following what others tell us to think.

2. We can get God’s Word into our lives by being slow to speak.

3. We can get God’s Word into our lives by not responding to its teachings with anger.

4. We can get God’s Word into our lives by repenting of sin. The condition of our hearts is crucial to our receptivity of the Word (see the Parable of the Soils in Matthew 13).

5. We can get God’s Word into our lives by humbly accepting it. I believe the implication is that we receive it by faith. We receive it with meekness by accepting its authority as the voice of God and submitting ourselves to its truth. We can’t live out Scripture without knowing what it says.

6. We can get God’s Word into our lives by obediently putting it into practice. This is the ultimate test. We bring God’s judgment upon ourselves when learn God’s Word but don’t act on it.

A. The Illustration (v. 23-25): Looking in a mirror

B. The Application (v. 26-27):

a. Control our tongues

b. Help those in need

c. Be pure

Discussion Questions:

1. How are you putting the Word of God into your life? How consistent are you being in that intake? What distracts you from partaking of God’s Word?

2. Are you listening to God through His Word and allowing His Word to be the authority for your life?

3. Is there unconfessed sin in your life that is hindering your reception of the Word of God?

4. Are there areas of Scripture that you are not believing?

5. Is there a portion of Scripture that you are wrestling with right now that you could use some input from others?

6. Are there areas of Scripture that you profess to believe but are not obeying? Are we guilty of picking and choosing what we believe and practice in Scripture?

7. Do you need someone to hold you accountable in one of these areas?

8. What distracts you from truly hearing God’s Word in public worship? What can you do to overcome those distractions?

“The Sad Case of the Snooty Usher”

James 2:1-13

Introduction: We saw last week that we are not to be hearers of the word only, but doers also. One way we can know whether or not we are living out the word of God is how we treat other people. It is easy to talk about love, but the real test is how we actually relate to them, especially people who are different than us or people who are not easy to love. This passage is very clear that we are not to pick and choose who we love, but we are to love everyone like God does. Are you showing partiality in the way you treat people?

1. The Command Not To Show Partiality (v. 1)

2. An Illustration of Disobeying This Command (v. 2-4)

3. God’s Assessment of People Who Show Partiality-“judges with evil thoughts” (v. 4)

4. Contrast Between the Rich and the Poor (v. 5-7)

5. Scriptural basis for this principle-It is the fulfillment of the command to love your neighbor as yourself (v. 8-11)

6. God judges those who judge others, but He is merciful to those who show mercy (v. 12-13)

7. Reasons Not To Show Partiality:

A. The Nature of Christ (v. 1)

B. The Grace of God (v. 5)

C. The Word of God (v. 8)

D. The Judgment of God (v. 12-13)

Discussion Questions

1. In our society, we often view “law” and “freedom” as opposites. How then can scripture be the “perfect law of freedom”? Isn’t that an oxymoron?

2. In what circumstances do we sometimes tell ourselves, “It’s OK; I’m an exception to the rules”?

3. How do we “size others up” and treat one differently from another?

4. Describe a time when you witnessed a rich or influential person being treated differently from others. Have you ever seen this happen in a church? How did it make you feel?

5. What is God’s attitude toward the poor according to Scripture?

6. What are some practical ways we can “love our neighbor as ourselves?”

7. Does God divide things into “big sins” and “little sins” like we do?

8. Challenge: Find an outcast and show them the love of Christ this week.

Faith and Works

James 2:14-26

Introduction: As we continue our study of James, the purpose of today’s study is to examine and understand biblically the difference between false faith and true faith and the relationship between faith and works. I believe that James 2:14-26 is one of the most misunderstood passages of Scripture in the Bible. Some people believe that it teaches that salvation is by works or by faith plus works. Many see James and Paul as contradicting one another.

However, God’s intent in these verses is to show us that true faith produces works and that we are saved by this kind of real faith and not some type of false faith. Properly understood, there is no contradiction between them. They are each saying that we are saved by faith alone but that true saving faith produces works. It is true that their emphases are different as Paul emphasizes faith as the means of being justified by God and James emphasizes works as the proof of our faith before men, but this is no contradiction. Faith and works are in concert-not competition with one another. It is imperative that we understand that this type of faith is truly saving faith? Does our faith produce works? Jesus told us that we would be known by our fruits (Mt. 7:20).

In addition, it is important that we understand this as Christians. Do we talk about having faith or do we put our faith into practice? Are we taking action based on the Word of God? We can’t truly claim to have faith unless it is producing action. Let’s look at false faith, real faith, and the relationship between faith and works.

(I) False Faith

Faith is not mere words (v. 14-18).
Faith is not mental assent (v. 19-20).

(II) Real Faith

Faith is taking God at His Word and acting on it (v. 20-24). This is demonstrated by the example of Abraham. Abraham truly believed God so he obeyed God.
Faith brings righteousness and makes us God’s friend instead of God’s enemy (v. 23). It is important to understand the two different ways that the example of Abraham is being used in regard to justification. There is forensic justification that happens in a moment when God declares us righteous by our faith, and then there is justification in the sense of our works proving that we have faith. Works always follow when there is real faith.

(III) The Relationship Between Faith and Works

Faith and works are in concert-not competition with one another (v. 15-18, 22, 26).
Faith and works can’t be separated or a dead faith is the result (v. 26).
Works are produced by faith, and faith is demonstrated by works (v. 18).
Works that please God are the ones that come from faith (v. 20-24).

5. We are not saved by works or by faith plus works but by a faith that produces works because that is real faith (v. 23-24).

Discussion Questions:

1. What practical differences does faith make in your life?

2. Name some practical demonstrations of your faith that people could have seen in the last week.

3. Is a person really saved if there are no works to demonstrate their faith?

4. How did Abraham’s actions make his faith complete?

5. What are the implications of being called God’s friend?

6. What is the difference between faith this is mere words and mental assent and true faith?

7. How much of a difference can you see between the lives of those who profess to be Christians and the lives of those who do not?

8. How can you be sure of your salvation?

Taming The Tongue

James 3:1-12

Introduction: Chuck Swindoll has written, “To the physician, it is merely a two ounce slab of mucous membrane enclosing a complex array of muscles and nerves that enable our bodies to chew, taste, and swallow…[However] without the tongue no mother could sing her baby to sleep tonight. No ambassador could adequately represent our nation. No teacher could stretch the mind of students….No pastor could comfort troubled souls. No complicated, controversial issue could ever be discussed and solved. Our entire world would be reduced to grunts and shrugs.” Yes, despite being so small, the tongue is an essential part of our lives. Often, it is a wonderful part of our lives. However, it can often also be the biggest troublemaker in our lives. We can sabotage our relationship with God through our mouth. Many marriages, families, friendships, working relationships, and churches have been destroyed by words. The tongue has even started fights and wars. Yet, God wants it to be a blessing and not a problem. How can that happen? Well, that it what James is attempting to teach us. He gives seven pictures of the tongue: the bit, the rudder, fire, animals, poison, a fountain, and a tree. These seven pictures, along with his other words, teach us the following fundamental truths about the tongue:

The tongue is a test of our spiritual maturity (v. 1-2) [James 1:26, Matthew 12:33-37].
The tongue is a powerful force (v. 3-5).
The tongue is a potentially destructive force (v. 6).
The tongue is humanly untamable (v. 7-8).
The tongue is inconsistent (v. 9-12).

God wants us to have righteous mouths. What does a righteous mouth sound like? Well, the Bible uses the analogy of clothing and teaches us that a Christian is to “put off” the things of the old, sinful man and “put on” the things of the new man, which are the things of God. In other words, a Christian should have a new spiritual wardrobe. This certainly applies to our mouths. The following are some sins of the tongue that we are to “put off” and then the positive kinds of speech we are to “put on” in their place.

“Put Off”

Taking the Lord’s Name in vain-Exodus 20:5 says, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.”
Complaining and Criticism-Philippians 2:14 says,” Do all things without complaining and disputing.” [see also Matthew 7:1-5 that speaks about not judging]
Boasting-James 3:16b says, “All such boasting is evil.”
Lying (falsehood, dishonesty)-Ephesians 4:25 says, “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another.”
Corrupt Words (worthless, bad, unfit for use)-Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
Foolish talking (sinful talking; speaking with lack of forethought and wisdom; impious and godless talking)-Ephesians 5:4 speaks of “neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.”
Coarse Jesting (polished and witty speaking as the instrument of sin)-Eph. 5:4
False Doctrine (empty, hollow words without the substance of truth; the verbal expression of beliefs that do not line up with the Bible)-Ephesians 5:6 says, “Let no one deceive you with empty words.”
Filthy Language (obscene speech)-Colossians 3:8
False Witness (slander, false accusations)-Proverbs 6:19 says, “A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.”
Words that sow discord (bringing division, gossip)-Proverbs 6:19 [also see 1 Timothy 5:13]
Name Calling-Matthew 5:22
Talking too much without listening-James 1:19 says, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”

“Put On”

Truth (honesty, reality, non-falsehood, not misleading)-Ephesians 4:25
Words that Edify (words that build up, help, and encourage)-Ephesians 4:29
Love- 1 Corinthians 16:14 says, “Let all that you do be done with love.”
Grace (words of favor that are wholesome and preserving)-Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”
Thanksgiving-1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
The gospel (sharing Christ with others)-Romans 1:15-17
Our Confession of Christ (testimony)-Matthew 10:32-33

What are some things we can do to put this teaching into practice in our lives?

Surrender our lives to Christ-Warren Wiersbe has written, “When Jesus Christ is the Lord of the heart, then He is Lord of the lips, too.”
Recognize the importance of this area
Guard our hearts because this is the source of our words (Matthew 15:10-20)
Confess sin in this area and make things right with others as needed (1 John 1:9)
Renew our minds through God’s Word (Romans 12:2)
Think godly thoughts (Phil. 4:8) and avoid filling our minds with ungodly images
Walk in the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25)

Discussion Questions:

1. Why does God hold teachers to a higher standard of accountability?

2. What does a believer’s speech reveal about her spiritual maturity?

3. How are we “cursing” others with our speech?

4. How are we “blessing” others with our speech?

5. Is our speech a blessing to God?

6. Have you ever been hurt by someone’s careless words? Talk about it.

7. What is the connection between our hearts, minds, and words?

8. Is there a relationship in your life that is suffering right now because of your words? What do you need to do to mend that relationship? Are you willing to do it?

“Real and Fake Wisdom”

James 3:13-18

Introduction: Wisdom is incredibly important. Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” Proverbs 8:10-11 says, “Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; for wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.” Proverbs 23:23 says, “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding.” However, not everything that masquerades as wisdom is truly wisdom. James makes it clear that there is real wisdom and fake wisdom. Let’s learn to distinguish between the two and learn how to function with God’s wisdom in our lives.

1. An Overview of Wisdom

Wisdom is characterized by:

A. Skilled living- Wisdom is making right choices according to God’s will, it is the application of God’s truth to life, it is living according to God’s plan.

B. Godly actions-True wisdom is not intellectual, speculative, abstract, philosophical, and theoretical. It is not head knowledge gained in a classroom. It is not expressed by the number of degrees that a person has obtained. Wisdom is expressed by our actions. It is God’s truth applied and lived out in real life. The wise person is obedient to God because he or she fears the Lord.

C. Meekness-Meekness is humility. It is not weakness but strength under control. Proverbs 9:10 tells us that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” We are being humble when we fear the Lord. Kent Hughes writes, “This is because the true root of wisdom is, as we have seen, a profound understanding of the greatness of God and our own finiteness and sin, which in turn facilitates the God-glorifying character trait of meekness. Wisdom and meekness are interrelated. No one can be considered wise who is not at the same time meek. Meekness is the moral characteristic of wisdom.” An arrogant person who thinks he is better than and knows more than everybody else is not a wise person.

2. The Origins of Wisdom

Wisdom has two distinct and opposite points of origin.

A. Real wisdom comes from heaven. Verse 17 calls it “the wisdom that is from above.” All true wisdom comes from God, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).

B. Fake wisdom is earthly, sensual, and demonic in its origin. It is from this world, of our fleshly nature, and ultimately demonic in its origin. Which kind of wisdom are we living our lives according to?

3. The Outworking of Wisdom

Fake wisdom is characterized by:

A. Bitter envy: This is jealousy. It wants to stay ahead of others.

B. Self-seeking: Any time we are focused on ourselves and seeking our own way we can be sure that we are not acting with wisdom and problems are sure to result from this. This is talking about church politics. It is the source of church divisions and splits.

C. Boasting: Deceived people boast of insight they think that they have when they are really deceived.

D. Self-deception: When we function this way, we may think that we have it all figured out, but Satan is really the one acting on us.

Real wisdom is characterized by:

A. Purity: A wise person is pure in the sense of being morally pure and being single-minded in devotion to God. Sin warps the way we think and leads to self-justification. We will not live with wisdom if we are not walking in holiness.

B. Peace: It denotes a peaceful spirit. A wise person knows when to stand on principle and when to compromise. A wise person is a peacemaker. She can diffuse a situation instead of making it worse.

C. Gentle: This means considerate. It is talking about being tolerant of mistreatment and not insisting on one’s rights.

D. Willingness to yield: This refers to a submissive attitude and listening to reason. It refers to a willingness to change one’s mind if there is a reason to. It is the opposite of stubbornness.

E. Mercy: This is compassion in action.

F. Impartial: A wise person does not play favorites.

4. The Outcome of Wisdom

Fake wisdom results in confusion and evil. Where those characteristics exist, we can be sure that someone is being self-willed and not walking in wisdom. Real wisdom results in righteousness and peace.

What do you want your life to be characterized by? If you want real wisdom, here is how it can be obtained:

The fear of God-Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
A relationship with Christ- 1 Corinthians 1:30 says, “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God-and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” Therefore, to really have the wisdom of God in our lives, we must know Christ personally.
Humility-Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.”
Walking with the wise and avoiding ungodly influences-Proverbs 13:20 says, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.”
The Word of God-Psalm 1:2 speaks of the one whose “delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.”
Asking in faith-James 1:5ff. says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God; who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith….”

7. Obedience-At the end of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:24-28), Jesus made it clear that a wise person is someone who obeys His teachings.

Discussion Questions:

1. How do we tell the difference between our own thoughts and wisdom that comes from God?

2. What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom? How do we demonstrate wisdom?

3. What are some examples of attitude, speech, and conduct that make you consider a person wise? What would make you question a person’s wisdom?

4. Do you think others consider you to be wise? Why or why not?

5. Why does self-centeredness cause so many problems?

6. Why is it so much easier to live by the world’s wisdom rather than God’s wisdom?

7. What happens in churches where worldly wisdom is followed? How can churches safeguard themselves against worldly wisdom?

“Winning Our Spiritual War”

James 4:1-12

Introduction: James indicates that each of us is in a spiritual war. However, he also shows us how we can have victory. Let’s look at this.

1. The Opponents in our Spiritual War

We can be at war with:

Others (v. 1)
Ourselves (v. 1-3)
God (v. 4)

2. The Source of this Spiritual War

A. The World (v. 4)

B. The Flesh (v. 1, 5)

C. The Devil (v. 7)

3. The Victory in this Spiritual War

The only way we can be victorious is through the grace of God. We surrender our way to victory.

4. Appropriating God’s Victory

We can only appropriate God’s victory when we are humble because “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Pride places us in God’s position, ignores and excuses sin, and assaults and ignores love. We express humility by:

Submitting to God
Resisting the devil
Drawing near to God
Cleansing our hands
Purifying our hearts
Having genuine sorrow and brokenness over sin

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you ever feel like you are at war with: yourself, others, and/or God?

2. Do you believe that Satan is real? Is spiritual warfare a reality? If so, how have you experienced it?

3. How do we surrender our way to victory?

4. How can we do the things that are listed in 4, A-F above?

5. What are major sources of conflict in churches? Have you ever been involved in a “church war?” How about a war in your family or your workplace?

6. What are some examples of spiritual adultery?

7. What is grace? How do we receive the grace of God?

“The Facts of Life (And Death)”

James 4:13-17

Introduction: Here are some of my convictions about death and funerals:

It is a time to consider our own lives and eternities. Rick Warren has written, “The only time most people think about eternity is at funerals, and then it’s often shallow, sentimental thinking, based on ignorance. You may feel it’s morbid to think about death, but actually it’s unhealthy to live in denial of death and not consider what is inevitable. Only a fool would go through life unprepared for what we all know will eventually happen. You need to think more about eternity, not less.”
Our lives preach our funerals.
You are not ready to live until you are ready to die.

In this verse, James gives us 4 facts about life and death, three warnings based on these facts, and all of this adds up to one ultimate reality (4 Facts + 3 Warnings= 1 Ultimate Reality). That may be bad math, but it is good theology.

(I) 4 Facts About Life And Death

1. The future is uncertain.

2. Life is brief.

3. Death is sure.

4. God is in control.

(II) 3 Warnings Based on These Facts

1. The Danger of Presumption (v. 13)

We do not know what the future holds. Are we assuming that we have a certain amount of time to live? Are we assuming that we will be able to do certain things? Are we making plans without trying to determine the will of God? Do we think that we are the masters of our own domains? Will we miss certain things that God has for us because we assume that we have a lot of time in the future to take care of them?

2. The Danger of Pride (v. 13-16)

The clear-cut implication of these verses is that it is a dangerous expression of pride when we make plans and proclaim what we are going to do apart from the will of God.

3. The Danger of Disobedience (v. 17)

It is sinful when we do what we want instead of seeking and doing the will of God. It is sinful when we know what is right and choose not to good. This passage pictures people who ignore God’s will and people who disobey His will. The end result is the same, and both are wrong.

(III) 1 Ultimate Reality

The only way to have and really live life is to genuinely trust Jesus Christ and surrender to Him and His will.

Conclusion: Matthew 7:21 says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” 1 John 2:17 says, “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 says, “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” Always remember that success in life is simply finding out what God wants you to do and doing it. Instead of ignoring or disobeying His will, God is calling us to do His will.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your basic convictions about life and death? Are you living according to them?

2. Are there areas in your life where you know to do good and you are not doing it? Are sins of omission just as wrong as sins of commission?

3. Do we live like God is in control or we are in control? How can we tell the difference?

4. Are we seeking God in our goals and plans? How should we go about making plans?

5. How will it affect our lives if we live with an eternal viewpoint instead of a temporary viewpoint?

6. How can making plans for the future be “boasting” and “arrogant?”

“Lifestyles of the Rich and Infamous”

James 5:1-6

Introduction: There is a famous line from the movie, Wall Street, where the main character said, “Greed is good.” I think that he was saying that it is good to get ahead and get everything you can, and it is ok to do whatever it takes to get what you want. A lot of people have that attitude. People think that our bottom line is the bottom line or that our self-worth is measured by our net worth. However, God condemns that kind of thinking in this passage. He makes it clear that greed is a sin. It is important to remember, however, that greed is not the amount of money that we have, but it is an attitude about money that produces wrong actions. You can be poor and be greedy.

This passage serves as a warning to the greedy. Continual greed is evidence that we do not have true faith. In this passage, the Lord indicts people for their greed. He is probably speaking to lost church members whose lostness is demonstrated by their greed. He calls them to grieve and repent in light of the coming judgment (Luke 16:19-25). He also informs them that their wealth will not last. It is a cliché, but it is true that we do not take anything with us. James 1:9-11 says, “Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.” Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

He indicts them for: hoarding, fraud, self-indulgence, and murder.

1. Wealth is uselessly hoarded. Wealth is a blessing from God that is to be shared with others. We are stewards of what God gives us. He calls us to be conduits of His resources. We really cannot outgive God. What do we really accomplish by hoarding wealth? We can’t take it with us. Let’s use it for good. Let’s use it for the building of God’s Kingdom. Consider these examples:

Multiple news services reported this story last year. “Billionaire investor Warren Buffett plans to distribute more than $30 billion of his stock to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Buffett, 75, plans to commit 10 million class B shares of his company, Berkshire Hathaway, to the Gates Foundation. They will be distributed at a rate of 5 percent of the balance annually. Based on the current value of the stock, Buffett’s commitment is more than $30 billion, which doubles the size of the funds available to the Gates Foundation. That Gates Foundation will ultimately receive 85 percent of Buffet’s personal wealth, rather than the investor’s three children or the foundations that they run. ‘My kids were elated when I told them. They knew my views on inherited wealth and shared them. I believe in equality of opportunity…They should not inherit my position in society, based on the womb that they were born from’.”

Rick Warren, the well-known pastor of Saddleback Church and author of The Purpose Driven Life, became very wealthy as a result of the enormous sales of the book I just mentioned. Rick and his wife, Kaye, made four decisions in regard to how they would respond to their new wealth. They were:

We would not change our lifestyle.
We would stop receiving a salary from Saddleback.
We would give back to the church an amount equal to everything that the church had ever paid us.
We would establish foundations to address some of the major problems that the world is facing (they now give 90% of their income and live on 10%).

2. Wealth is fraudulently gained. Morality is just limited to “spiritual” matters. It is not just limited to church on Sunday. God is interested in every aspect of our lives, including how we do business, paying our taxes, and how we handle our finances. He wants us to handle everything in an aboveboard, honest, legal, and ethical manner. How many CEO’s and ministers have fallen because of fraud? It will eventually catch up to us.

3. Wealth is self-indulgently spent. Are we wasting money on lavish lifestyles or are we investing our money in God’s kingdom? Are we living within our means or are we borrowing money to indulge our wants? Are we living for the glory of God or to exalt ourselves? We are rich and don’t even realize it. There are many things that we think we have to have that are not necessities. We will answer to God some day for how we use what He blesses us with.

Some people think money is the answer to all of life’s problems. The reality is that money often creates problems. A great example of this is lottery winners. According to the National Endowment for Financial Education, “seventy percent of those who become suddenly wealthy squander it within a few short years.” One of the examples of this is William “Bud” Post III, who died last year of respiratory failure at age 66. “The former Pennsylvania lottery winner called it the ‘lottery of death’ despite his $16.2 million winnings. He used the money to start businesses with siblings-they all failed. His own brother was convicted of trying to kill him. His sixth wife moved out, and an on-again, off-again girlfriend successfully sued for a third of Post’s winnings. At one point Post was convicted of assault for firing a shotgun over a bill collector’s head.”

4. Wealth is acquired through murder. This could be taken literally or it could be talking about them abusing their positions and resources through the courts. People have killed for money on many occasions. Families are often destroyed because of people fighting over wills and other financial matters. Greed really can be a killer.

Conclusion: Here is a final summation of what we should do with money. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 says, “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the dangers of wealth?

2. How does the materialistic focus of our society make it hard to keep our priorities straight regarding money?

3. Do you treat your employer in the proper manner and give him/her an honest day’s work? If you are an employer or supervisor, do you treat your employees in an ethical manner?

4. What are some ways that people are guilty of stealing?

5. What are some ways we trust money instead of God?

6. How much is enough? When does our spending become self-indulgent?

7. Do you think it is easy or hard to give?

“Persevering Until The Lord’s Return”

James 5:7-12

Introduction: The return of the Lord Jesus is immanent, which means that the Rapture could happen at any moment. Verse 8 says that “the coming of the Lord is at hand.” Verse 9 says, “Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!” God tells us these things in His Word in order to motivate us to be ready for us return. This truth is not designed simply for prophetic speculation. In light of that reality, James gave some commands and examples that are designed to teach us how to persevere until the Lord returns.

(I) We can persevere by obeying the commands to:

1. Be patient (v. 7-8). This is referring to patience with people. All of us need a good dose of that, don’t we?

2. Establish our hearts (v. 8). John MacArthur writes, “A call for resolute, firm courage and commitment. James exhorts those about to collapse under the weight of persecution to shore up their hearts with the hope of the second coming.”

3. Do not grumble against one another (v. 9). Philippians 2:14-15 says, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” John 13:34-35 says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

4. Do not swear (v. 12) [Matthew 5:33-36]. We should have honesty and integrity in all that we do. If we are always honest, we can be believable without resorting to the swearing of oaths. I do not think this necessarily forbids the taking of an oath in court or an oath of office. The implication is that swearing should be unnecessary because of our impeccable integrity.

(II) We can persevere by following the example of:

Farmers. Farmers have to persevere through the natural circumstances of life. We have to do the same. Life in a sinful world has natural, built-in challenges. It is part of the curse that is a result of the fall. Farmers are great examples of patience. MacArthur says, “The ‘early’ rain falls in Israel during October and November and softens the ground for planting. The ‘latter’ rain falls in March and April, immediately before the spring harvest. Just as the farmer waits patiently from the early rain to the latter for his crop to ripen, so must Christians patiently wait for the Lord’s return.”
The prophets. They persevered through persecution. We are to do the same until Jesus comes back.
Job. He persevered through trials. We are called to do the same. Remember the beginning of the book? Job’s example is helpful because it shows us that God was compassionate and merciful even to him, and the Lord had a good end in mind the whole time. It will really help us make it through trials if we trust that God intends a good end always because He loves us (Romans 8:28).

Conclusion: Jesus Christ is coming back. The Rapture can take place at any moment. Are you ready for it? God calls us to live in light of eternity and the immanent return of Christ. We will avoid wasting our lives by living this way. While also giving us a challenge, it gives us a hope for the future. We will face many challenges until then, but the Lord wants us to persevere and live properly instead of just hanging on until the sweet by and by. Most of the examples and challenges in this text are related to people problems. That is inevitable. However, we can choose to respond in the right way. We can persevere until He returns by obeying these commands and following these examples.

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you believe about the doctrine of the return of Christ?

2. How should believing that Jesus is coming back affect our lives on a practical level? What does God want us to be doing until Christ returns?

3. As, Christians we say we believe that God is in control. What are some of the things we think, say, and do that show we often don’t really believe that?

4. Why is complaining about others contrary to the gospel? How much do we complain?

5. Can you remember a difficult time in your life that you were later able to look upon with “20/20 hindsight” and realize how God was working in and through your life?

6. Is there someone in the Bible, in history, or in your life who has been an inspiration and encouragement to you in trying times? What is it about that person that has influenced you?

7. Why did James say that anything beyond a “yes” or “no” will bring judgment?

“Let Us Pray”

James 5:13-18

Introduction: Steven Curtis Chapman recorded a song in the 90’s called, “Let Us Pray,” and the chorus and bridge say:

Let us pray, let us pray, everywhere in every way

Every moment of the day, it is the right time

For the Father above, he is listening with love

And He wants to answer us, so let us pray

Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence

As our prayers draw us near

To the One who knows our needs

Before we even call His name.

These lyrics really capture the main emphasis of James 5:13-18 because the word “pray” is used seven times in these verses. Let’s examine what the passage says.

1. Let us pray when we are suffering (v. 13). Also, notice that we are to “sing psalms” when we are cheerful (happy). Singing psalms means to sing Scripture. We should notice that we are to speak to God (either by praying or singing) whether things are good or things are bad, whether we are up or whether we are down. This is the antidote to our tendency to call out to God when life is rough and forget Him during the good times. Kent Hughes writes, “This was a command that James personally lived out as evidenced by his own body, for the ancient historian Eusebius testified that ‘his knees grew hard like a camel’s because of his constant worship of God, kneeling and asking forgiveness for the people’.”

2. Let us call for the elders of the church to pray over us when we are sick (v. 14-16). Before we look at these verses specifically, let’s first look at a general overview of what the Bible teaches about healing. It is adapted from William MacDonald’s Believer’s Bible Commentary, New Testament Volume.

Christians agree in a general way, not in specific cases, that sickness is the result of sin in the world. In other words, if there were no sin, there would be no sickness.
Sometimes sickness is the direct result of sin in someone’s life (see 1 Corinthians 11:30).
Not all sickness is the direct result of sin. Examples of this include: Job, the man born blind in John 9, Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-30).
Sometimes sickness is the result of satanic activity (Job 2:7, Luke 13:10-17, 2 Corinthians 12:7).
God can and does heal. In fact, all healing comes from God. However, He does use different means. He sometimes heals directly and sometimes uses human intermediaries.
God does heal miraculously. I have seen it happen on several different occasions. One example would be a prayer meeting we had at Open Door Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC, where two people were healed at the same time when we prayed over them and anointed them with oil. One was healed from an Achilles tendon injury that he was going to be having operated on and the other was actually Robin who was healed from a problem with her retina that doctors told her would never get better.
However, God has not promised to give physical healing in every case (2 Timothy 4:20, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, notice example in the gospels where Jesus healed only some people that were present).
A lack of healing does not necessarily indicate a lack of faith.

With those truths in mind, let’s look at the verses in James. These are not easy verses to interpret them and evangelical Bible scholars view them differently. However, this is my interpretation. I think we should pray for each other whenever someone is sick. However, I think a specific case is being talked about here. Because of the emphasis on confession and forgiveness, I believe this refers to a case where someone is sick because of the discipline of God in response to his or her sin. This believer is to call for the elders, confess his or her sin, and the elders are to anoint the person with oil and pray the prayer of faith. Faith is taking God at His Word and acting on it, and there is a specific promise of healing to act on in this case so healing is guaranteed in this particular situation. I think the elders should be called on for prayer in other situations, but this is a situation where we can know it is the will of God for someone to be healed. This interpretation is certainly up for debate, but that is my opinion.

3. Let us pray for one another and confess our sins to one another (v. 16). These are two of multiple “one another” commands in the New Testament. We usually want people to pray for us, but are we willing to confess our sins to others? That is a hard and a humbling step to take. However, we need both the encouragement and accountability that comes from confession to others. This type of confession demonstrates our sincerity and humility. It can help us bring secret sins out into the open and honestly deal with them as opposed to staying in the isolation, guilt, and shame that sin brings.

4. Let us pray fervently because there is great power in prayer (v. 16-18). The end of verse 16 literally says the “energetic prayers of a righteous man are very strong.” It has been said that prayer can accomplish whatever God can accomplish. He uses the example of Elijah, a man whose prayers in the will of God produced a drought and then made it rain again. The encouraging part of that example is the little phrase, “a man with a nature like ours.” That means he was a sinner like us, but he had an incredibly powerful prayer life. It means that we can have the same kind of powerful prayer life. However, note the two conditions (there are others biblically) for having an effective prayer life:

Fervent prayers (as opposed to ritualistic and half-hearted).
Prayers that are prayed by a righteous person (this is the positional righteousness of salvation and the practical righteousness that comes from confessing our sins [see v. 16 and Psalm 66:18]).

Conclusion: Are you praying consistently? Are you praying in faith? Are you praying according to the teaching of Scripture? Are you praying fervently? Are you praying?

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you believe the Bible teaches about healing?

2. Other than pray, what do we often do when we encounter difficulties?

3. What does “singing praises” reveal about our relationship with God?

4. Why do we not ask for healing prayer as James instructed?

5. How do spiritual sins literally make us sick?

6. Why are we reluctant to confess our sins to others?

7. How can confessing our sins to another person (not just God) help us overcome that sin?

8. Why do we think that miraculous prayer is only for the “super saints” of the Bible?

9. Who qualifies as a righteous man or woman?

10. What might God do through us if we were obedient to pray persistently for His will to be done?

“The Value of Restoring a Soul”

James 5:19-20

Introduction: Proverbs 11:30 says, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.” Can we do anything greater or more important than helping a prodigal child come home to a loving Father? What a joy! I remember praying for my brother’s salvation and seeing him receive Christ at summer camp. That really meant something when he passed away at a young age. I’ll never forget having my first opportunity to lead someone to Christ as a camp counselor as a teenager. The Bible teaches that heaven rejoices over the salvation of one sinner. Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost, and we should be on the same mission.

It is obviously fitting that the book of James ends with a focus on ministering to other people since the theme of the book is faith without works is dead. A tangible expression of our faith is showing love to other people. There is no better way to love somebody than to share the truth of God’s merciful and gracious forgiveness with her.

Bible commentators debate the meaning of this verse. The debate centers around whether or not this is talking about turning a lost person to Christ for salvation or helping a backsliding Christian be restored in his walk with Christ. I am not going to attempt to enter into that debate because I believe it applies to both.

(I) Helping a non-Christian find Christ: When we share the gospel and the Holy Spirit uses us to help someone receive salvation, that person’s sins have been covered, and he has been spared from eternal death in hell. How important and awesome is that? Is there a more important way to live out our faith than sharing Christ with others? Mark 16:15 says, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

James Merritt writes, “A truth that needs to be emphasized to every true born-again believer in Christ is this: All Christians have been charged with the responsibility and the task of personal evangelism. For the believer, evangelism is not an option; it is an obligation. It is not a choice to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed. It is not a gift; it is a responsibility. In fact, one of the marks that a person is truly a disciple of Christ is an interest in, and a practice of, personal evangelism. When the Lord Jesus called the first disciples, the first promise He made was, ‘Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men’ (Mark 1:16). Immediately, we learn something every Christian must realize (in many cases rather painfully): if you are not fishing, you are not following! The real essence of discipleship is in the making of other disciples. R.A. Torrey, a great Bible teacher of yesteryear, poignantly stated: ‘I would like to ask what right a man has to call himself a follower of Jesus Christ if he is not a soul-winner? There is absolutely no such thing as following Christ unless you make the purpose of Christ’s life the purpose of your life.’ The fact of the matter is that every saved person this side of heaven should be concerned about every unsaved person this side of hell. Our Lord assumed, as well as commanded, that His disciples would be about the task of personal evangelism.”

(II) Restoring a backslidden believer: All of us struggle spiritually sometimes and need the help of other believers. Part of our responsibility to each other is “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). We are responsible to attempt to restore a struggling brother or sister. Galatians 6:1 says, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken I any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” We can help prevent a person from ruining her life and the lives of others by being bold and obedient enough to attempt this process of restoration. It is not easy because it involves challenging people regarding their sin. This should be done in love, but it is necessary.

Conclusion: Will we live out our faith by helping others be rescued from sin?

Discussion Questions:

1. Why are we reluctant to share our faith we others? Why are we reluctant to confront sinning believers?

2. Who would God have us to share our faith with right now?

3. Is there a fellow believer that God is leading us to speak to about how he or she is living?