Last updated on December 17th, 2018 at 12:00 pm

1. Read James 5
2. 5:1-6 – Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.6You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.
1. What subtitle would you give this passage?
2. In V1 James uses the word “wail” to describe what awaits people who pursue riches. The Greek word is ololuzein. Do a quick word study. What other NT passages use this word?
3. Look at V1-3. How does this passage describe people who pursue riches? Do you ever see yourself in this description?
4. What kinds of sins are particularly attractive to the wealthy?
5. Look at Proverbs 11:28. Why is trusting in riches so tempting? So dangerous?
6. Are there ways in which the church has allowed prosperity to wrongly affect its teaching and witness? What are some examples?
7. Look at Luke 10:7 and 1 Timothy 5:18. How do these verses amplify the lesson of V4?
8. Consider V4-6. Many commentators believe that this passage is really a cry for social justice. What does the concept of social justice mean to you? How has this insight affected your behavior?
3. V5:7-9 – Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
1. In V7 James uses the words “patient” and “patiently” to describe how we should wait for the Lord’ coming and then describes farmers who wait patiently. What can we learn from how farmers wait?
2. Not only are we to be patient, but we are to stand firm in our faith (V8). What does “stand firm” mean? Where else have we seen this phrase/idea?
3. Look at V9. Why do you think James felt the need to include this bit of guidance in this passage?
4. What circumstances particularly try your patience?
5. James, like many in the Early Church, felt that Christ’s return was imminent. He uses the phrase “Jesus is standing at the door.” See, too, Mark 13:29 and Matthew 24:33. What should we learn/believe/do in light of these passages?
6. Why is it important that we not know when Christ will return?
7. What do 1 Peter 4:7, 2 Peter 3:4, and 1 Thessalonians 3:13 say about what we are to/become even as we wait patiently?
4. V5:10-12 – Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise, you will be condemned.
1. This passage seems to take us back to the opening verses of James 1:2-3. Why do you think James felt it was important to return the idea of perseverance?
2. Look at V10. What responsibilities do we have to the body when we suffer? Or a member of the body is suffering? How can we help other believers who are suffering?
3. Why does James asks us to remember the prophets and how they persevered?
4. How does Matthew 24:13 help make this point?
5. James then quotes the example of Job. Was Job patient in his perseverance? Look at Job 13:15 and 16:19. What do these passages teach us about how Job persevered?
6. Why does James make this admonition against oaths?
5. V5:13-15 – Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.
1. Under what kinds of circumstances are you most often drawn to prayer?
2. In this passage James offers us three qualities (characteristics) of a healthy Early Church. First, singing. Second, calling of elders for healing. And third, prayer. Why would these qualities be so attractive/important in Jesus’ day? Why would they be attractive today?
3. Note V14. Who is responsible for alerting the elders to the need for prayer? Why do you think James felt it was important to remind people of this?
4. What changes would you like to make in your prayer life?
6. V5:16-18 – Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 17Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.1 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
1. V16 comes right out of the blue. Why it is important for believers to confess their sin to one another? How would this kind of confession promote fellowship?
2. Why does James use Elijah to illustrate the statement in V16b? What prayer habits did Elijah exhibit?
7. V5:19-20 – My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
1. What “truth” is James alluding to in V19?
2. The New Testament stresses the importance of truth. In 1 Thessalonians 2:10 we learn that truth is something which a man must love; it is something which a man must obey (Galatians 5:7); it is something which a man must display in life (2 Corinthians 4:2); it is something which must be spoken in love (Ephesians 4:15); it is something which must be witnessed to (John 18:37); it is something which must be manifested in a life of love (1 John 3:19); it is something which liberates (John 8:32); and it is something which is the gift of the Holy Spirit, sent by Jesus Christ (John 16:13-14). Why do you think that the New Testament writers spend so much time reminding us of the importance (centrality?) of truth?
3. Look at 1 Timothy 4:16 and V20 in this chapter. What larger point is James making?
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From Bob S:

1. Read James 4

2. V1-3: What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

1. This passage addresses one of the major challenges of the Christian life: Whom will we serve? James goes on to cite some of the outcomes of making a wrong choice. How are our individual lives and society at large impacted when we make a wrong choice?
2. What “tools” do we have at our disposal to help us make the right choices?

3. V4-10: You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

1. In V4, James calls Christians who war with each other “adulterers and adulteresses.” Why does he use this phrase?
2. What does this phrase suggest about the kind of relationship God wants with his people?
3. Look at V4b and Matthew 6:24. What larger theme is James addressing?
4. What point is James making in V5? How does Godly jealousy differ from human jealousy?
5. Consider V6b-7. What are the characteristics of God-based humility?
6. The need for humility is fairly constant theme in both the OT and NT. What are the larger issues at play when we talk about proper humility? Why is humility so important?
7. When have you seen a person with a humble attitude bring peace to a volatile situation?
8. Look at 7b. What are our motivations for resisting the devil? What gives us the ability to resist him?
9. Look at V8-10. What does James mean when he says, “Come near to God”?
10. The Jews were big on ceremonial cleansing. What kind of cleansing is James referring to in V8b?
11. What radical change in attitude is addressed in V9?
12. How do we humble ourselves before the Lord (V10)? Why is this often a necessary first step to spiritual growth?

4. V11-12 – Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

1. James and Paul (see 2 Corinthians 12:20) are both seasoned pastors. Why do you think they were so concerned about slander?
2. Slander is usually an outward manifestation of inward sin. What kind of inward sin might cause one person to slander another?
3. James makes the case that the one who slanders is really appointing himself or herself judge over the law. Why is this so problematic?

5. V13-17 – Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.17If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

1. What lesson is James teaching us in this passage? What other NT passages support this same idea?
2. Look at 1 Corinthians 4:19 and 1 Corinthians 16:7. What emphasis is Paul making?
3. How do we strike a balance between waiting for God and acting?
4. What reminder (threat?) is James making in the last verse?

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Last updated on November 24th, 2018 at 07:52 am

James, a Bible Study – Chapter 3

1. Read James 3

2. If you had to write a subtitle for this chapter what would it be?

3. V1-2: Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

Continue reading James Chapter 3 →

Last updated on November 19th, 2018 at 05:50 am

James, a Bible Study – Chapter 2

1. Read James 2

2. V1: My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 

Continue reading James Chapter 2 →

Last updated on December 8th, 2018 at 10:11 am

THE BOOK OF JAMES

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.”
Continue reading James Outlined →