5 Minutes - Welcome / Prayer

5 Minutes - OPEN

If you haven’t already done so as a group, please take the time necessary in your group tonight and read the Letter of James in its entirety.

This quarter in our LIFE Groups we are going to be studying this Letter of James which could easily be called the most practical book in the New Testament, a book that empathetically calls us as Christians to a radically different lifestyle than those in the world.

The message of James is basically about one thing - getting real with your faith. James believed that Christ-followers should not only wear the outfit, but they must run the race! They must walk the talk!

Be prepared. James is harsh and dogmatic. You will feel the sting of his words. Expect this study to be difficult – not because it is hard to understand but because it is all too easy to understand.
 

15 Minutes - DIG

We meet several men in the New Testament who have the name James. It seems though that only two of them were prominent enough to write this letter: (1) James the brother of John, one of the twelve apostles; and (2) James the brother of Jesus. The former James, as Luke tells us, was executed by Herod Agrippa I in A.D. 44 (Acts 12:2) and this letter was probably not written this early. So we are left with James the brother of the Lord as the most likely author (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). This James did not at first believe in Jesus’ messianic claims (John 7:5), but was apparently converted as a result of Jesus’ resurrection appearances (1 Corinthians 15:7). He became a leader of the early church in Jerusalem. He led the first church council in Jerusalem (Acts 15) which decided that Gentiles did not have to adopt the Jewish traditions and customs before they could be saved. This is an important factor in assessing James’ view of faith and works (2:14-26).

James describes the people he is writing to very generally: “the twelve tribes scattered among the nations” (1:1). The “twelve tribes” were social and political groups in Israel claiming descent from one of the twelve sons of Jacob. It seems obvious that James is writing to Jewish Christians who had been scattered across many nations (the diaspora), but also know the language had become symbolic of the people of God (Galatians 6:16; 1 Peter.2:9-10) and could very well refer to Christians in general.

Acts 11:19 suggests the circumstances of the readers that James addresses in his letter: “Those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews.” With this scenario then, the Jewish Christians James addresses are living as exiles in areas near Palestine because of their faith in Jesus. Their status as exiles explains why they are experiencing some of the trials James mentions: they are poor (5:1-11), they are hauled into court by wealthy people (2:4-6), and they are oppressed by large landowners (5:5-6).

James clearly belongs to the genre of being a letter. It has been categorized as a “general letter,” written to the whole church rather than to one specific congregation.

Some scholars classify this letter as a part of “wisdom literature” for a couple of reasons: (1) he refers to wisdom twice in the letter (1:5; 3:13-18), and (2) the brief, direct, and practical admonitions of the letter remind us of the style of Proverbs.

After the brief introductions, James jumps right into the reality that Christians will face trials and temptations. Are you struck by this beginning to this important letter?

Note the word “consider” which is a word that means evaluate. It’s an accounting term. It is pretty odd to consider it pure joy when you face the trials of life. So what is the “joy” he is talking about here?

This “joy” will only come after we have gathered all the information and clearly understand that such serves to test and prove our faith knowing that God is working through each trial of life to build real character and integrity in our lives.

And then comes perseverance – “because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (1:3-4).

James wanted his readers to know that we’ve got to cooperate with God’s maturing process. We have got to cooperate with the trials.

Does this give you a new perspective on why we as Christians should welcome trials?

And then James says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord: he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does” (1:5-8).

James tells us that when we lack wisdom . . . when we don’t understand what is going on - - ask God. We have got to engage in conversation with God. This is an important ingredient in the faith formula. James tells us to not be afraid to ask God; He has the answers.

What are the ways in which God will provide you with these answers?


15 Minutes - REFLECT

So what characteristics have we already discovered in this letter that are important in becoming a mature follower of Jesus Christ?

Begin tonight to make a list of James’ teaching as to what constitutes a “mature Christian.”

In what area of your life do you need wisdom from God right now?

5 Minutes - CLOSING PRAYER

From this discussion, what are those things you feel compelled to pray about tonight?

Pray about these matters one by one and bring them before your Heavenly Father.