BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 9

Clear Communications

James 5:12-20

July 26, 2015

 

One of my favorite stories about George Washington comes from the period of the Revolutionary War. One day a Tory, a British sympathizer, was walking in the woods around Valley Forge. He happened to come upon General Washington kneeling in the snow praying. I have a copy of that painting hanging in my study. The Tory returned home and declared to his family that the war was lost for the British because the leader of the American army was a praying man.

 

Sadly, all too often that description does not fit me. My prayer life sometimes consists of blessing and a short prayer at mealtime. There have been times in my life when God answered the fervent prayers that I uttered in a ways that sometimes caught me by surprise. I really cannot say whether it was the passion or the consistency that brought the answer. All I can say is that I was thankful that God intervened in the situation. My head tells me that it is true. It is when my heart and mind are lined up with God that I can see where He has been working.

 

I hear all the time of churches that have seen fantastic opportunities open to them because they prayed. In Ephesians Paul asked them to “pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.” When a church tries to do everything in its own power the results will never be what they desire. If we want God to truly move in the church we are to seek His purpose and not our own agenda. He knows what the church needs to impact those around us better than we could ever do on our own. James speaks of what prayer looks like and what the answer looks like we pray in the way about which he spoke.

 

James 5:12

Much was said about the making of vows in the Old Testament. In a way this could refer back to chapter 4:13 where the men made a vow or plans to do a thing over which they really had no control. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that the only answer necessary from men of integrity when agreeing to something was either yes or no. There was nothing more needed to guarantee the carrying out the word of a man.

 

1. In your mind what does “swearing,” add to the words you speak?
2. According to Jesus in Matthew 5:33-37 what are the only words needed to confirm an agreement with someone?
3. How can we make sure that our yeses and noes are accepted by others? (By building a reputation of honesty and integrity.)
4. What is the danger of making vows? (You may find yourself breaking them making you a liar.)

 

James 5:13

It appears that the way a person responds to the circumstances in which he finds himself says a great deal about him. He knows that if he is suffering it is important to carry the situation to the Lord for an answer. On the other hand if he finds something about which to be cheerful, he is to sing praises to the Lord.

 

1. How do you respond to suffering?
2. How do you react when things are going well?
3. What should be our actions in both situations?
4. Why do most people blame God when things are not going well?
5. Why do people take the credit when things are going well?

 

James 5:14-16

The actions of the church when someone is ill are as follows:

• The elders are to be called.
• The elders are first to pray for him or her believing that the person will be healed.
• They are to anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
• Faithful praying will bring restoration even if the illness had been brought on by sin.
• Prayers of the elders will bring about the forgiveness of sins.

 

Although sickness may not be caused by sin there is the possibility that the guilt or things man has done may bring about an illness or disease. Some examples today might be overeating, alcohol abuse and smoking today. In James’ day there may have been other causes.

 

1. What is the general response by most of us when we hear someone is sick?
2. How do we fall short of what James calls the church to do?
3. What does it take for a person to experience healing?
4. How can sin bring about illnesses?
5. Why do we sometimes need others to help us work through a sin that we have committed.
6. Why do we sometimes not find to find the strength to pray about a situation?
7. Why are the elders to be involved in these types of situations? (They are to be men of faith and integrity)

 

James 5:16-18

To make sure that one’s sins were not the cause of a person’s illness, James admonished the church to confess their sins so that fellow believers could pray for that person’s healing. The prayer of a man with an upright heart could bring about great results. The story of Elijah’s prayer to stop the rain for three years and six months and start it again found in 1 Kings 17-18 is an example of the kind of results prayer could bring about in the body of believers. If one reads further in 1 Kings the writer indicates that when Elijah ran away from Jezebel he received a different answer. Elijah begged God to let him die but was told to get off the mountain and go back to the very place where his enemies were living. It would have been a whole lot easier to say God did not grant Elijah’s request and that is true. What really took place was the fact that his prayer was not in line with God’s purpose for him.

 

Care must be taken in understanding how God answers prayer. Man’s heart and mind must be in tune with the purpose of God for a person’s life. There may be times when the answer may be different that the one that is expected. Even though man may pray for healing to take place, he needs to understand that God may heal in a different way. It could mean that the healing will take place by taking that person home to be with Him.

 

1. In what way is an example of both praying with the right mindset and that is opposition to God?
2. Why is it important to confess your sins to another believer? (Sometimes we are so blinded by what we have done we cannot pray for it.)
3. Who are those with whom you would trust such a confession?
4. Why must a person have a pure and righteous heart before praying?
5. How will God react to the prayers of a person with a heart that is right?
6. What are you doing in your own life to make sure God is willing to hear and answer your prayers?

 

James 5:19-20

There is no one perfect and everyone will at times drift away from the truth. Blessed is the man who is able to once again point that person in the right direction. He who turns a man from his sin saves him from death as a result of sin. He will also keep the individual from slipping further and further away from God.

 

1. Why do each of us need an accountability partner?
2. Why is it that sometimes others see in us what we cannot see in ourselves?
3. Who are those who are able to get others back on track in their Christian walk? (More mature believers who have experienced many of the things that they are able to observe and correct in others.)
4. What happens to a person who is left to continue in the path they are taking? (They may drift further and further away from God.)
5. What will God think of the person who leads the person away from that path that leads to death?
6. What is our responsibility to the lost or straying sheep?

 

• Be a person of integrity so that when you speak people will accept what you say without a lot of explanations or vows to back up your words.
• Use the ACTS acrostic in your prayer time. The parts are A= Adoration, C= Confession, T=Thanksgiving and S= Supplication
• Use your daily Bible reading as the point of your prayer time.
• Develop a prayer list and keep praying until God gives you peace about the situation.
• Grow in your faith that you can turn others from going in the wrong direction.

 

We must never forget that prayer is the most important weapon against the devil. Silent prayer is your special communication with God and can only be heard by Him. Praying aloud is for the audience of God of the devil can hear your spoken thoughts. It is in this realm that the power of our heavenly can cause the devil to flee from us. So few of us pray out loud but there are many examples in the Bible where the prayers were shared with all of those around with great results. Many of those prayers are found in the Psalms and can be the foundation of all that we say. Solomon asked God to bless the nation of Israel. The answer came in the power statement in 2 Chronicles 7:14 “(If) My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” If there is ever a time when we need effective and fervent prayer for the church, families and our nation it is now.

Lesson 8

Waiting Behavior

James 5:7-20

July 19, 2015

 

When I was a kid there was a prediction on the radio that the world was going to end on December 24^th. My thoughts were that would be terrible thing for all of this to end right at Christmas. At that time I knew nothing about the return of Christ to take all of His followers to be with them. For almost two thousand years different individuals and groups have predicted the very same thing. One website has stated that in history there has been at least two hundred forty two such claims. In fact two different religious groups were started based on the teachings of their founders. One of those is the Seven Day Adventist. William Miller believed that Christ was going to return in 1843 and when that event failed to take place then he stated that it would take place in 1844. Over the years as the dates have come and gone so have the excuses of why the Day of the Lord did not occur when they said it would. Of course all of the predictions have proven false. Sadly, many have believed and have altered their lifestyles to be ready. Since the early seventies I have put little stock in the so-called prophetic writings that do not adhere to what God’s word has to say about the subject.

 

There was one incident that truly convinced me of how fallible man is in interpreting the Bible when it comes to prophecy. I used to listen to a program on the way to work put out by the Seventh Day Adventist. One particular morning the broadcaster was telling all the things that a particular pope was going to accomplish during his tenure in that position. There was one problem with what he was saying. The pope had already been dead for about six weeks at the time of the broadcast.

 

I have titled this lesson “Waiting Behavior” because I believe that God wants us to do two things while we wait for the return of Christ. One we are to go about our work for the kingdom with a sense of urgency since we do not know when the day of the coming will be. Secondly, we should be conscientious in discipling as many people as He brings into our path.

 

We need to be very careful that we do not get caught up in the ways of the world that distract us from the real job ahead of us. It is so easy to drift away from the one thing Christ called us to do with all kinds of activities that take our attention away from making disciples. The task given to us will take all of our energy to accomplish. He commanded the church to make disciples. That is a process that includes helping people to grow by teaching them the word of God. If we think that just getting people in the door completes the work assigned to us we have missed the whole point of what the Bible says to us. The work will never end until Christ returns. Until then we do not have permission to slack off one moment because each person is precious to God. James ends up by giving us guidance in what our waiting needs to look like.

 

James 5:7-8

A number of the writers of the New Testament, including James, believed in the imminent return of Jesus. With that mindset James encouraged those to whom he was writing to be patient. He gave an example of what that waiting would look like. They were to be like the farmer who had to wait for the timing of the early rains that started the growing process. The late rains helped the crops to mature and ready for the harvest. They could not speed up the return by sitting around. They were to strengthen themselves that they would be ready no matter when it occurred.

 

1. What do you think of all the people who try to predict when Jesus will return?
2. What do you believe we are to be doing until that time?
3. Why do you think James used the farmer as an example of the way to wait for Jesus? (Man is be prepared in the same way that a farmer plants and tends his garden then waits for the time of the rains needed to grow his crop.)
4. What would be the wrong approach to expecting Christ to return?
5. Why should we treat every day as precious and every person as important to God?

 

James 5:9

As they waited they were to treat their fellow brothers and sisters with courtesy. They were not to complain about them. To complain about the activities of others was to set oneself as their judge. Judging others would bring judgment on themselves. If indeed the Day of the Lord was right around the corner then the true Judge was “standing right at the door” of history.

 

1. What warning did James give the people?
2. In what ways do we complain about those we are to love as fellow believers?
3. What is the danger of complaining about others? (It could lead to pride and a superior attitude toward them.)
4. Why is Jesus the only one who has the right to Judge?
5. What should we do rather than criticize others? (Help them to grow as disciples.)

 

James 5:10-11

It was understandable that the people were looking for the soon return of Jesus. They were beginning to experience persecution against the early church. To encourage them he wanted them to know they were in the line of individuals like the prophets and Job. They spoke for the Lord and also endured much suffering. They were not only blessed by those who heard about their lives but also received the same from the Lord. He went on to say that the Lord was full of compassion and mercy toward Job who had suffered severely.

 

1. Why were the people anxious for the return of Jesus?
2. How did James encourage the people to wait patiently? (By looking at the Old Testament for examples of those who had suffered and blessed by God and honored by man.)
3. How do these examples help us in facing the events taking place in our society today?
4. What will be the future of those wait patiently for the Lord?
5. How can we help others face difficult times?
6. What does it take to wait? (Faith that God has the future in His hands.)

 

 

• Patiently wait on the Lord for His return and the answers to prayer.
• Learn to live in one accord with fellow believers.
• Do not depend on vows but let your words reflect who you genuinely are.
• Rejoice with those who are rejoicing and pray for those who are suffering.
• Find an accountability partner with whom you can share whatever is going on in your life whether it is a sin or something about which you can rejoice.
• Continue to witness to the lost.

 

James after admonishing the behavior of the people to whom he was writing gave some instructions that; are as current as the day he wrote them. Each one of us looks forward to the time when Christ will return and all of the wrongs of this world will be made right. While we are waiting we are to be actively carrying on the work of the Lord. Discipleship will bring all of us closer together. We are to be caring for all those who make up the body. They may be suffering, sick or caught up in sin. Each of should understand that it is our responsibility to pray for them. When someone has reason to be cheerful we should rejoice with them. No matter is taking place in the church there should be at least one person who will mentor us. In the same way we should be available for others.

 

 

 

 

Lesson 7

What is Guaranteed?

James 4:13-5:6

July 12, 2015

 

I know that the two old sayings are not biblical but they sure fit what James has to say in today’s lesson. They are “A bird in hand is worth two in the bush,” and “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” I cannot number the times when my plans never came to fruition. Many times my thoughts were not in line with what God wanted for me. Quite often I have taken classes and have been to conferences thinking that a door might open for me to become this or that. Other than receiving a lot of training I have never become a consultant etc. What I have learned is God knows me better than I know myself. Although, any of those possibilities would have been fantastic, each required something evidently God knew I did not possess. That is okay. because I have been given an opportunity to use all that I have learned to do what I enjoy doing. If someone had asked me ten to fifteen years ago to write any type of study material I would have thought they were joking. Today because God did not allow the other distractions to keep me from doing what was the most important He opened the door to write Bible Lessons. It is unbelievable because I never expected for it to happen. I can see now that I was not SHAPED to get involved in other areas of ministry. One can write without having to deal with the complex situations in church consulting or even being an interim minister somewhere. Writing is taking God’s word and sharing it with others to help them grow as disciples and gain a passion for what God is trying to do in each of their lives. I probably never will do any of those things but hopefully I can use the gifts He has given me for His glory.

 

The life of the church is full of dangers of thinking too big or possibly too small. All we have to do is look at the large churches in Europe that at one point were the centers of much of what took place in the life of a city or small town. These huge cathedrals are now almost empty shrines to a day that no longer exists. Even though they were once packed with people many of them are almost empty on Sunday morning. I am sure the church leaders of the day never thought the day would come when they were serving a fraction of the people who were once part of their congregation. We are not exempt in this country. All of us know of churches who had grandiose plans to grow to the point of reaching thousands of new members only to find themselves bankrupt and even closed because the neighborhood changed or a new pastor came who did not fit or division came into the body because of a decision that was not popular. Plans are good but they must be matched with realistic expectations. Before beginning a new venture it is always good to survey the landscape and find out what the culture looks like, before building a thousand seat auditorium or adding a family life center or additional classrooms. All must be done according to God’s timetable and plans. It must never be based on man’s perspective or agenda. Man is fallible and often his dreams are bigger than any possible reality. James wanted his listeners to succeed but only within the will of God.

 

James 4:13

James begins this section with a word of caution. His opening words were written to give some very good advice. He wanted them to give considerable thought before embarking on the venture that had no guarantee of success. It was their plans to go to a particular city and set up shop. They were going to stay only long enough to make the money they were sure was going to come their way.

 

1. What is your procedure for making major decisions?
2. What has been your experience when you have left God out of the equation?
3. Why do we tend to make decisions without praying about them?
4. What has been an occasion when you knew God was opening a door for you?
5. What are some Scriptures that provide clear direction about making decisions?

 

James 4:14

Before they embarked there was a reality they each needed to understand. There are no guarantees in this life. He wrote that:

• They could not know what tomorrow might bring.
• They were at best temporary like the vapor that rises and then is gone.

 

1. What thing should we all remember about decisions that we make? (There are no guarantees.)
2. What facts did James state that we must take in considerations before making plans?
3. What is the condition of man on this earth? (He is temporarily here.)
4. How do these thoughts make you think about a relationship with God?
5. Where are we to place our trust?

 

James 4:15

The better approach to what they wanted to accomplish was to seek God’s will for their lives. That was to be the first approach they were to take before taking off to carry out their own agenda.

 

1. According to James what is the best approach to making a decision?
2. How do we know that we are doing something according to God’s purpose for our lives? (There should a true peace in our spirit.)
3. How would you describe God’s will?
4. What might be some red flags that we are taking the wrong path? (Are the reasons that we are doing something based on a selfish agenda, big pay raise, higher position, more benefits, and ability to buy more stuff.)

 

James 4:16

According to what James said those men appeared to think they knew better than God how to manage their own lives. They were arrogant men who boasted of all they could accomplish. Such boasting that excludes God was evil according to James.

1. When have been some instances in your life when by your actions you seem to be saying that you know more than God?
2. What is the word that you would use to describe this attitude? (Arrogance which is a byproduct of pride.)
3. What does pride and arrogance mean to you?
4. When do we start replacing God in our lives? (When we begin to substitute the things of this world for commitment to God.)
5. How do we keep from becoming arrogant?

 

James 4:17

The men to whom James wrote were supposed to know what was right. They called themselves Christians and should have known that they were “to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” Matthew 6:33. If they did that then all they needed would be added to their lives. Because they should have known that fact what they were about to do was sin.

 

1. Why were the people to whom James was writing suppose to know what was right?
2. What are we saying to God when we do not want to do what is right? (We desire to rebel against You.)
3. What does it mean to seek God’s kingdom first?
4. Why did James write to “fail to do right” meant that a man was sinning?
5. When have been some times when you knew that what you were doing was not right?
6. What were the consequences?

 

James 5:1-3

Once again James wanted to bring to their attention the results of continuing life with an arrogant attitude. He used the example of those who were possessed by their wealth. Rather than congratulating themselves on their good fortune, he wanted them to focus on the possibility of losing everything they held so dear and the way they had used their wealth for selfish reasons. That realization should have caused them to cry out in great anguish. The three categories that they would eventually lose were what the people saw as examples of prosperity. They included:

• Agricultural products (See Luke 12:13-22)
• Clothing
• Precious metals like silver and gold.

 

James told them that even those like silver and gold would eventually perish. None of the things that man considers as permanent will last forever. See 1 Peter 1:7. God’s eternal life is the only thing that will last.

 

1. What do you consider as valuable?
2. What does James say about those things?
3. What should our thoughts be about earthly wealth?
4. What is the only thing that will last? (God’s treasure that has been stored up in heaven. See Matthew 6:19-20)
5. Why was James so harsh on the wealthy? (Because of the misuse of possessions.)

 

James 5:4

An example of the conduct of the wealthy was found in the way they treated the day laborers who harvested their fields. The rich withheld the wages upon which the poor depended for daily sustenance even though they had the money in their possession. The outcry of the poor reached all the way to God who would eventually judge the landowners who had mistreated them. The description used for God was the God of Hosts. He was the Lord and sovereign of all.

 

1. How can we display the actions of the landowners in our own lives?
2. What view does God take of such people?
3. Why were the workers so dependent on the wages? (They lived from day to day and if they did not get paid for that day they did not eat.)
4. How do we know that God cares for the poor? (He is Lord of all the universe.)

 

James 5:5-6

James ends this section by describing the kind of men who mistreated others. Their lifestyle was in stark contrast to those they mistreated. James wrote that they were identified by their:

• Luxurious living
• Lives lived in fulfilling their own selfish lusts.
• Preparing themselves for the judgment to come
• Condemnation of those who were righteous men who could offer no resistance.

 

1. In what ways do many in our society resemble these individuals?
2. What does it mean to live in luxury?
3. How is our society displaying a lifestyle of lewdness and lasciviousness?
4. How have we become intolerant of others?
5. What will be the result of this kind of behavior? (See James 5:1-3)

 

• Learn to pray before making a major decision and then wait on God.
• Make sure you do not make decisions for selfish reasons but according to what God wants to do you your life.
• Learn to hold material possessions loosely so if some reason they are taken away from you will not be devastated.
• Study God’s word to see what is truly important in life. (Some Scriptures were given in the lesson.)
• Learn to live your life according to God’s purpose for you based on the way He has equipped or shaped you.

In our day we are to plan for a different world from the one many of us once knew. Reading an article by Thom Rainer this morning it was pointed out that the day of big worship centers are probably a thing of the past. Our focus now is to be on ways to develop disciples in smaller more personal venues. Although there will probably continue to be mega churches for the forseeable future we must take in consideration the changing culture and the view the secular world has of large congregations. One of the considerations that must be taken into account is the shrinking church membership. This will result in smaller budgets and giving. Plans must be put into place to deal with this changing dynamic. One strategy that has be used by some groups successfully is the idea of expanding small groups to reach more people. Realism is the order of the day so let us be careful that we do not hold on to past dreams or get ourselves into a position that cannot be maintained by our behavior. We need to earnestly pray for God’s guidance so that we can effectively minister to those in need.

 

Lesson 6

Heavenly Wisdom versus Earthly Wisdom

James 3:13-4:12

 

There have been far more times when I have acted according the world’s thought process than I would like to think. Many of my decisions have been made because I wanted to see something happen. Although it finally turned out well, leaving a job at a major manufacturing plant just because I thought the grass was greener in another place almost turned out to be a disaster. It did however open up the opportunity to go to work at the then Foreign Mission Board where I stayed for the next 26 years. That opening led to opportunities to finally travel overseas. I have to give credit to God who gave me a chance to learn a great deal about the world that He had created. Even though I was able to stay until retirement there were times when I made mistakes and probably caused headaches for other people because of stubbornness on my part. Quite often I thought that I knew the direction that the organization should be taking that was in conflict with others. Whether I was right or wrong does not matter at this point. It was the way I sometimes approached the situation. My way of doing things was often like a bull in a china shop. There will never be an opportunity to go back and redo or rethink those efforts. My personality even today rubs people the wrong way. I have strong opinions about my beliefs that turn people off. My attitude has been in the past one of aggressive-patience. It is the philosophy that if you promote something long enough one’s ideas will sell. A better approach is to speak in the way that Jesus did. There will be far greater success when a person shares his ideas in that manner.

 

Sadly there are many churches today that have the same mindset as the one just discussed. They are more interested in promoting their own agenda than impacting the world. The ruling by the Supreme Court this week that mandates that homosexuals can marry will be welcomed by some churches, because to be popular is more important than to follow the truth. Tolerance is the keyword in dealing with the issues at hand. It is amazing that the only group of people of whom society is not   tolerant is those in churches that believe that only God’s word is supreme. To compromise with the world can only lead to the demise of the godly standards set for it by God. To compromise was to ultimately bring God’s judgment as we drift further and further from the truth. James deals with issues facing the church of his day those same ones are still in place today.

 

James 3:13

One writer asserts that James was going back to dealing with teachers in the church. Again James used a rhetorical question to get his point across. Teachers and leaders were to be wise and have understanding of what God wanted for his people. They were to be men who behaved well. The way they acted was shown by being gentle in the way they dealt practically with the people.

 

1. Why is it important for teachers and leaders to be wise in positions in the church?
2. What does having wisdom mean?
3. How does a teacher and leader show that he truly cares for people? (By gently using his wisdom to point people to God’s way of living.)
4. In what ways do you show that are acting wisely in accordance to what God has called you to do?

 

James 3:14

In contrast to the wisdom about which James just spoke, there are those who are looking out for themselves. They are full of:

• Bitter jealously
• Selfish ambition

These men were admonished to keep those feelings under control. They were to not act arrogantly. By doing so they would be in total opposition to everything written in God’s word.

 

1. What does it mean to be bitterly jealous? (Those with this characteristic are totally against the success and well being of every other person. They are self-centered and strive to promote their own agenda.)
2. What are some examples of those who have selfish ambition?
3. How is godly ambition different?
4. Why is arrogance aligned with lying against the truth? (Those who are arrogant place themselves above God and in opposition to all of His teachings.)
5. What is the opposite of arrogance?
6. What examples do we see of this arrogant attitude?
7. How do we as Christians deal with those who act arrogantly?

 

James 3:15-16

Although the church often thinks only about godly wisdom there is a way that is totally of this world. James called it worldly wisdom. The attributes of those with that mindset that is not from God are:

• It is the mindset in opposition to God.
• It is fleshly and materialistic. (Everything that can be understood with the five senses.)

They are the sources of jealously and selfish ambitions that result in disorder and every evil thing.

 

1. What term would you use for the kind of wisdom that is prevalent in the minds of most men and women of the world? (Shrewd might be one. See Matt. 10:16 and Luke 16:1-9)
2. What do you think of when James wrote of the one who has earthly wisdom?
3. What does attributes does the natural man have? (Relativism and the lack of any absolutes. He only believes in what is part of the physical world.)
4. How is this kind of wisdom about which James spoke demonic?
5. What are the consequences of earthly, natural and demonic wisdom? (Strife, injury to others, dissension and all kinds of evil things.)

 

James 3:17

In stark contrast to those characteristics of worldly wisdom, wisdom sent from God into the lives of His followers is:

• Pure: Not affected by the vices of worldly wisdom
• Peaceable: Right relationships between people.
• Gentle: Considerate of others
• Reasonable: Willing to hear what others have to say before making a wise decision
• Full of mercy: For those who find themselves in trouble
• Full of good fruits: Practical help for those in trouble or need
• Unwavering: Does not change one’s beliefs (See Ephesians 4:14 and James 1:6-8)
• Without hypocrisy: Is honest without pretending to be something one is not.

 

1. What is the difference between worldly and heavenly wisdom? (Heavenly wisdom has godlike qualities.)
2. What are the qualities that are found in heavenly wisdom?
3. Which of them do you find active in your own life?
4. Which of them do you find hardest to do?

 

James 3:18

In order for there to be a culture of righteousness it must begin with the desire to be at peace with one’s brother.

 

1. How can we make sure that there is an atmosphere of righteousness in the church?
2. What is your responsibility in the body of Christ?
3. What does true righteousness look like?

 

James 4:1-3

All one has to do is to look at the godless, narcissistic, pleasure seeking society of today to see what James is talking about. He goes about obtaining what he wants in a self-seeking and self-gratifying way. He will not let anything or anyone get in his way of achieving his purpose. These are the very reasons that countries fight against other nations, people destroy each other and others take what does not belong to them. God wants people to have a fruitful life. He is willing to provide to meet one’s needs. The reason that man does get what he needs without resorting to sinful methods is that he is not willing to turn to God and ask for them. Even if he does pray it is from a position of selfishness and not according to the will of God.

 

1. Why does man do so many evil things against his fellowman?
2. What are some of the things you see going wrong in society today?
3. What does it mean to pray without the right motives?
4. What happens when a man acts outside of the will of God?
5. How can we know that God will respond to our prayers and answer them? (It must be according to His will and purpose for our lives.)

 

James 4:4-7

It should be obvious to everyone that he cannot serve two masters. If he is in love with this world system he cannot be in love with God. It is open rebellion to be friends with the world. God wants to have a relationship with man and will not tolerate any competition. The Bible often uses the term jealousy to show how much God wants man to follow Him. Since man has chosen to be arrogant God opposes him. He however gives grace to those who have humbled themselves.

 

1. Why can a person not serve two masters?
2. In this case who are the two masters?
3. What is the one thing that we can be sure about God? (He is jealous for his people and will not tolerate someone trying to take them away from Him.)
4. What is God’s response to the arrogant?
5. In what ways does a person show arrogance?
6. What does it mean to be humble before God?

 

James 4:8-10

James gives a remedy for a life away from God. To have the relationship He desires for mankind, man is to:

• Submit to God
• Resist the devil in the power of God and he will flee from you.
• Draw near to God and God will do the same.
• Cleanse your hands from sin
• Purify your hearts. This is meant for those who are wavering in the faith.
• Be miserable and mourn because of your sinfulness and rebellion against God.
• Humble yourself in His presence and He will raise you up.

 

1. Why would you think of this list as a remedy for those in rebellion? (It returns a person to the right relationship with God.)
2. Why are we not supposed to resist the devil in our own power?
3. What does he have in his arsenal? (The ability to twist God’s word to suit his own purpose.)
4. What are the keys to a new relationship with God? (Cleansing from sin and broken heart because of one’s sin.)
5. Why must a man humble himself before God can help him?

 

James 4:11-12

One last area that needed to be addressed went back to James’ previous discussion about the tongue. To be in true fellowship with God one must be in fellowship with his brother. James wrote that a man must control his tongue and not speak harshly or critically against his fellowman. To do so was to set himself up as a judge violating the law. If one sets himself above the law he is not carrying out the law. God is the only Lawgiver and Judge and man is not to put himself in the place of God. God is the only one who is able to save and destroy, not man. Man is to leave the judgment of man to God.

 

1. What does it mean when you speak harshly or critically of another person? (You are judging him personally.)
2. What is wrong in judging someone else? (You are setting yourself up as superior to them.)
3. Who is the only one who is has the right to determine what a man is truly like?
4. What are some of the ways man seems to set himself above the law?
5. What does God want us to do in relationship with others?

 

• Look at the areas of your life that may put you at odds with God’s plan for your life and pray for strength to eliminate them.
• Seek with your whole heart the wisdom that comes from God.
• Do those things that will build truth relationships with others.
• Learn to rely totally on God in order to resist the devil.
• Discover that the power to resist the evil in this world is to grow in your knowledge of God’s word. It is your sword to ward off the attacks of the devil.

 

The church today finds itself at greater odds with society than ever before. We have come to the point that we must truly decide the One we are going to serve. It is easy to compromise with the world, but that is not an option for us. God has called the church to be His bride in that perfect relationship that can only be found when two parties love each other. In 1 Kings Elijah called the people to choose. Joshua called the people to choose whether they were going to love and obey God or worship the gods of this world. In each case the people committed themselves to God. We are being called to make that same choice today. It is not going to be easy but in reality it is the only decision that makes sense for eternity. To do so we must put aside all of the things James talked about in the passage we studied today.

 

The plans we make in the future must take into account the mold that the world is trying to force upon us. There may come a time when we will be called on to be able to give an answer for the hope that lies within us. The world wants us to be like it. God is calling us to a better alternative. We however must be willing to suffer for that faith if needed. Let our fellowship be so strong. Let us all be united in caring for each other in a way that the world will take notice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lesson 5

God is the Tongue Inspector

James 3:1-12

June 28, 2015

 

“Give me liberty or give me death,” Four score and seven years ago,” “I have just begun to fight,” “Remember the Alamo,” “Remember the Maine,” “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.” These are all statements that at some point evoked strong emotions that often led men into conflict with a common enemy. There are also far more instances when the words of men have caused whole countries to succumb to brutality, like Communist Russia and China and Nazi Germany. Words from the likes of Lenin, Mao, Stalin and Hitler have brought death and destruction to large segments of people. Under Stalin there were upwards of seventy million Russians killed while Hitler did everything in his power to annihilate the entire population of Jews. From the time he came into power until his death in 1945 he had caused the extermination of six million Jews.

 

None of us would say that we have that kind of power. I know that from past experience that I have not been able to influence many people to do anything. That, however does not excuse me, because I have done my share of saying some pretty hurtful things to others. This is one area I am trying to address. It is not Christ-like to hurt others by what I say. I have certainly used phrases like “I was just joking,” or “I am telling this to you because I love you.” We even someone use so called prayer as a means to gossip about others.

 

Much of what we see coming from the church today would fit in with using words to promote its own agenda. Some of the most popular and recognizable names in the world of the media church are sharing a message that is distorted. Their teachings related to the prosperity gospel simply cannot be backed up when a person looks at the whole counsel of God. If that kind of good news was valid certainly the writers, especially in the New Testament, would have qualified to be healthy and wealthy.

 

Even in churches that call themselves conservative do not always speak words that are comforting and encouraging. There can be an undercurrent of griping and murmuring by those who go under the name of Christian. Church leaders have been forced to resign because enough people in a congregation become determined that he must leave. Many people have left churches in all different denominations because of the way they have been treated. This is of course not a new thing but goes all the way back to the beginning of time. The question is what are we going to do about it in our own lives and in the life of the church. James wrote about this issue and the damage it causes. Let’s see how he addressed it.

 

James 3:1

It is important to mention that James, like the writings of Paul and others, were letters. I mention this because the idea of faith and works ties in with the idea of his view on who should be a teacher. Although not specifically mentioned one would expect that one who taught should be an example of a person who is mature in his faith and exemplifies in the life of the church. Based on what he had written he did not see the maturity in the recipients of his letter that would qualify them to teach.   The gospel had such eternal consequences that great care needed to take place in the selection of those who taught it. To be a false teacher who by his words mislead the people would eventually be judged on those words and the affect it had on the lives of those who heard them.

 

1. In your mind what qualifies a person to teach?
2. How do you identify those qualities?
3. Who among those whom you have heard in your own experience have been good teachers? Why?
4. How do you believe a person acquires the needed maturity to teach?
5. What did James see taking place in the lives that caused him to issue the warning he did? (They did not understand the basics of the connection between faith and works so how could they effectively teach others.)
6. What is the safeguard for each person against following a false teacher?
7. What are the consequences for those who do not handle the word of God accurately?

 

James 3:2

In the area of sin James would have agreed with Paul’s words, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Even though a man is a sinner the one way in the mind of James he could show the world that he had matured in his faith was the control he had over the things he said. The bridling of the tongue then affected the behavior that could also be held in check. The words and actions of man are from the heart. In Proverbs is found these words, “He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool, when he keeps silent is considered wise, when he closes his lips he seems prudent.” (Proverbs 17:27-28)

 

1. What, in the words of James is the condition of all men?
2. How does this compare to what he said in James 2:10?
3. What was James’ description of a perfect (mature) man?
4. Why does man have such difficulty according to James’ view?
5. How are we able to control our speech? (The basis should be our relationship with Christ and then mankind in general)
6. How do Bible reading and prayer help us to overcome a loose tongue?
7. How are speech and behavior related? (Both flow from the heart.)

 

James 3:3-4

James gives two examples of those things that can be affected by a small piece of equipment in comparison to the object it is able to control. He wrote:

• A powerful horse can be controlled and directed by a bit in his mouth.
• A ship can be turned by a tiny rudder, even in the worst conditions.

1. What are some modern day examples of large and mighty things that are controlled by a small piece of equipment?
2. Why did James use the two examples he did? (One was alive and powerful and could easily disobey man. The second was an inanimate object that could be driven about by the circumstances of the world without the control that man had over the situation.)
3. What does it feel like to know that you have the ability to affect the situations in which you find yourself?
4. What are some examples that you can share that your actions made a big difference?

 

James 3:5a

Man is different. The tongue cannot generally be controlled by an outside force. A person can be told to shut up but may only do so because he decides to or has no choice in obeying the one issuing the command. Rather than submitting to a greater authority man’s tendency, according to James, is to boast of his accomplishments.

 

1. How different is man than the examples in verses 3-4?
2. Under what conditions will he refrain from talking?
3. What does it show about man that he uses his tongue to boast? (He puts himself at the center of all that is going on)
4. Is there anything about which a man can boast without seeming arrogant? (Boast in Christ alone.)
5. How does God want us to use our speech? (See Ephesians 4:29)

 

James 3:5b-6

It does not take much to start a major forest fire. A fire can be started by one little spark. For a fire forest fire to occur there are three things needed. They are:

• A spark according to James is the tongue
• Oxygen is the climate or conditions that keep the fire growing.
• Combustible material is the listening ear of those who are willing to listen to the boasts of man.

 

As mentioned above the tongue speaks the evil that is in man’s heart. It is the organ that can defile all of man’s behavior. It is important to realize that all evil has one source the devil.

 

1. What is to be learned from the analogy used by James? (It does not take but one word to produce great evil in this world.)
2. Why does a forest fire get quickly out of hand? (It is fire in the trees but also the decaying material on the forest floor that fuels the fire.)
3. Why do we need to take great care with the words we speak?
4. According to Jesus what is the source of evil actions? (The heart)
5. What did James see as the source of evil speech? (Hell the domain of the devil.)

 

James 3:7-10

There was a dichotomy taking place in the world. All animals can be tamed by man but man cannot even control his own tongue. The conditions of man that produce the words are result of restless evil and deadly poison pervasive throughout mankind. Out of his mouth come both blessings and cursings. Man attempts to bless God but at the same time has no problem destroying and tearing down his brother. John wrote that one could not say he loves God and then hate his brother. (1 John 2:9-10)

 

James emphatically admonished the dispersed Christian to change the way they were thinking. He told them clearly that their lifestyle that allowed the tongue to be so hurtful should not continue.

 

1. What dichotomy did James present to the believers scattered in many places?
2. If man can tame animals why cannot he not control his own tongue? (He is a sinner who has not matured in his relationship with Christ.)
3. Why does man think he can both issue blessings and then turn and curse someone?
4. What did John say that refutes the idea that man can love and hate at the same time?
5. What did James admonish the people to do?

 

James 3:11-12

In order to drive his point home James used four examples to show the impossibility of mixing evil actions and words with what is good. To make his hearers think about what he had said he asked rhetorical questions. He wanted them to think whether:

• A fountain could produce good water and also that which was unfit to drink?
• A fig tree could produce olives?
• A vine produce figs?
• Salt water produce fresh water?

 

The obvious answers to all of them would be a resounding no. James did not want to give them any excuse for ungodly living.

 

1. Why did James use questions to get his point across about the tongue? (Questions make a person come up with answers for themselves.)
2. Why did James use the examples he did? (Living in an agrarian society each of them would have meaning to the listeners)
3. What kinds of contrasting ideas would we use to make a point that would have meaning today?
4. What was James trying to say to the people that would resonate with us today?
5. How can we make sure that we are not guilty of the behavior shared in these verses?

 

• Read and meditate on Ephesians 4:29 and Colossians 4:6 that they each may affect your speech.
• Understand that your words can either hurt or heal.
• Listen only to those who have proven to be truthful in the way they present the good news from the Bible.
• Read and medicate on Proverbs 3:5-8.

 

In the opening I spoke of those who have been both positive and negative influences on society based on their words. There is One who has had a greater affect on mankind than any of them. In the face of evil that is so pervasive throughout our society He has words of hope for every man. The Scripture gives us words for life, how to live it and how we are to treat others. I truly believe if we read and meditate on the message of the Bible we will indeed find that our lives take on a different tone. We need to be the kind of church that welcomes everyone but more importantly treat them as Christ would.

 

Finally, there can never be unity in any group of people if the words spoken are not uniting. We need to take great care to make sure that thoughtless words never tear us apart. There is enough division in the world. Our words are to put out fires. James certainly gave good advice, as he wanted to make sure that both good and evil not come from a person but only that which is fruitful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lesson 4

Discipleship That Works

James 2:14-26

June 21, 2015

 

Where are they now? That is the question I have asked myself many times over the years. I have wondered what has happened to all of the people who have come forward during a concert, revival or at the end of a regular service saying that they have committed their lives to Christ. We can probably list on one hand the number of those who are still involved in church today. Why is it that so many of those who have said they want to be Christians have not followed through on that decision? One of the reasons, possibly, is we who call ourselves disciples and followers of Christ are not obedient to the most important commandments He gave to us. We do not make an effort to help them grow. We applaud the decision and then allow them to wander off into a wilderness that is hostile to babies in the faith and they get swallowed up by what the world has to offer in place of a true relationship with Christ.

 

In my mind works is about accountability. I am to be obedient to carrying through on my faith in obedience to Christ. It is my responsibility not just to say I believe and have faith but also, to show the world that it is genuine. I am to be involved in the ministries that have a real impact on those around me. There are many needs among those each of us know. They must be addressed. It is easy to talk a good talk. It is just as important to make sure the needy in our church are not neglected.

 

Our vision statement says that we are to make disciples who make disciples. It is important that each of us understands what makes a person a disciple. All too often we stop at the point of a person becoming a member of the church. To be a disciple goes well beyond just having one’s name on a church roll somewhere. It means that a process has begun that will last for a lifetime that brings about a complete transformation to a person’s life. One of the shortcomings of the church over the last two generations is the failure to make true Disciples of Christ. The end result that the church has become ingrown and anemic.

 

To grow as a dynamic church each person who calls him or herself a Christian has two responsibilities. The first is to be true to Christ in our own lives obeying Him in every facet of our being. The second is to take care of the spiritual and physical needs of others. Since we have not accomplished these two things very well it is about time that we become serious about becoming a church who reflects Christ to the world. When we unleash His power into our own lives and then help others to become true disciples we can truly impact the world. We would hope that the letter James wrote would not apply to us. There is a direct correlation between discipleship and works. Although James does not use the word disciple we can still see if his letter is not descriptive of what one should look like. James used negatives to get his point across because that was the place the people seemed to be in their relationship to others.

 

 

James 2:14

One of the commentators cleared up the relationship between Paul’s emphasis on faith and James’ on works. Paul was dealing with those who were new in the faith and needed to understand that their old ways of living according to the Law would never bring them into the correct relationship with Christ. James on the other hand was writing to those who had been Christians for a while and needed a refresher course on how they were to live. James wanted to know why they were only carrying out part of what it meant to be a follower of Christ. It is important to note that neither one saying he has faith or one who had works alone as his guiding principle was necessarily saved. True faith would lead to a life of obedience to Christ who served all mankind.

 

1. Why did Paul place so much emphasis on faith in his writings? (He was dealing with those who had put too much emphasis on traditions and works to save them.
2. What can we learn from James’ opening statement? (Salvation only comes from God and not according to what man can do.)
3. Who was James’ audience? (Scattered Christians.)
4. What does true faith do in a person’s life? (Gives him the desire to serve others in a real way.)

 

James 2:15-17

To get his point across James gave a real life situation and then asked how the church would handle it. He wanted to know if it was enough just to wish someone peace and wellbeing who needed food and clothing without really providing for those needs. Did that kind of action benefit anyone? With great emphasis he stated that kind of faith is dead. It did not follow the teachings of Jesus in any way.

 

1. How are we expected to handle a situation when someone has a genuine need?
2. Where should that kind of treatment of others begin? (Within the body of Christ.)
3. What kind of attitude does such neglect for others show? (We are not being obedient to the teachings of Christ.)
4. What are some real life needs you see in the church family that need to be addressed?
5. How can we go about doing what is Christ like?

 

James 2:18

There was a real issue concerning the whole idea of works and faith. There were those who put works above faith. Some said the only way to legitimize one’s faith was to keep all of the Jewish Laws including circumcision. Others said that all was needed was grace. Grace was the key that only could be given by God and received by a person to gain salvation. Genuine faith is then revealed in the works that are done for others. In a way it could be said that there is a danger of lazy faith that supposedly accepts the grace of God but does not give back to Him in thanksgiving for what He has done. There is one other thought that should be shared. Works must not just be activities but service that truly impacts and encourages others.

 

1. What was one of the issues the early church faced? (See Acts 15)
2. What is an example of faith without meaningful works? (See Acts 5:1-11)
3. Why was this a picture of lack of true faith, as James would describe it? (The husband and wife were looking out for their own self-interest.)
4. Why did both sides in verse 19 miss the point? (Salvation is the result of God’s grace not works, but works are to follow the receiving of the gift.)
5. What care do we need to take in regards to the whole idea of works? (They are to be for the benefit of the recipient and not just activities.)
6. What do you consider activities that may not meet the above criteria?

 

James 2:19-20

The point James made here can fit today’s society. Statistics show that a vast majority of people in this country say they believe in God, but immorality, selfishness and crime are rampant in every corner of the nation. Such faith is meaningless because their lives do not reflect the belief they claim. Even the devil and his minions believe. They understand the judgment that is coming to them because they are not willing to surrender their lives to God and therefore are terrified. Sadly those who hold to a nebulous belief in God believe they are all right and have nothing to worry about. The faith of both those who believe without works and that of the devil benefits no one.

 

1. How is the faith that James speaks about here reflective of our nation today?
2. How does the faith held by many differ from that of the devil? (He knows of the terrible judgment is coming to him while so many live in a delusionary world and believe there is no final judgment.)
3. How is your faith different from either of these beings?
4. In what ways has your faith helped others grow as disciples?
5. If not, how will you go about changing the way you have been working for Christ?

 

James 2:21-23

Again Paul and James started at two points in Abraham’s life. While Paul spoke of the time of Abraham’s justification by faith prior to the birth of Ishmael fifteen years prior to the birth of Isaac. The event spoken about by James came when Isaac was a young man. Abraham had been growing in faith from the initial promise of God. It culminated in the offering up of his son of promise. James viewed the event as Abraham being justified by his works that came after years of learning to trust God and obeying His commands. He did refer back to the same Scripture Paul used out of Genesis 15:6. The man’s works were a result of his faith commitment.

 

1. How did Paul and James differ in their use of Gen. 15:6? (One spoke of the beginning of Abraham’s faith journey. James wrote of the discipleship progress that brought him to having enough faith to offer up Isaac.)
2. In what ways did the not differ? (Both believed that he was justified by faith.)
3. What does this example mean to us? (Faith is a beginning point in our lives but to have meaning it must grow.)
4. Why was Abraham willing to offer up his son? (He believed that God would raise him from the dead because he was the child of promise.)

 

James 2:24

James summarized his believes by stating once again that faith and works are tied together in such a way that they could not be separated. It took works based on faith that showed the true nature of man.

 

James 2:25

He then wrote of the incident involving Rahab, the harlot living in Jericho, as one who was justified by the works she had done. She was willing to risk her own life and that of her family by hiding the spies sent from the Israelites and sending them safely back to their people. Having heard the stories of how God had worked in the lives of the Israelites that she could put her trust in Him.

 

1. What brought Rahab to the point of helping the spies? (She had heard what God had done for the Israelites from the time they came out of Egypt until that very moment)
2. How did she display her faith in the God of Israel?
3. What did it mean for her, if she was wrong? (Surely she would face death either at the hands of the Israelites or her own people.)
4. What do you think you would have done under the same kind of circumstances?
5. What was the result of her faith? (She married Salmon an ancestor of Jesus.)
6. What are you willing to give up to have that kind of faith?

 

James 2:26

His final argument is an equation. A body without a spirit is dead equals faith without works. In both cases there is no life either physical or spiritual.

 

1. What do you think of James’ reasoning?
2. How would you say the same thing in your own words?
3. What example can you think of from the life of Jesus that might show the same results? (Cursing of the fig tree in Matthew 21:18-22)
4. What are the works that truly show the world that you are bearing fruit in your life?

 

 

 

 

• Don’t take the gift of salvation as a license to do nothing else in your life for the church.
• Discover what spiritual gifts, passions, abilities and experience God has given you and use them for His glory.
• Understand that true discipleship is learning what it is to be a true follower of Christ and guiding and encouraging others to take the same path.
• Do all within your power to help those in difficult situations.
• Remember that faith and good works go hand in hand in our relationship with Christ.
• Determine for yourself what are activities as opposed to true ministries.

 

It cannot be emphasized enough that Christ expects each of us to become disciples. The importance to Him was spelled out for all who followed Him in the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-19. Disciples were to make disciples who were to act like Jesus. Disciples were to be baptized in His name and taught all that God had provided for them in His word. James was right in saying that those who understood the message were to take care of God’s family without partiality or neglect. The church is to treat all equally. They are also to provide for those who are not able to provide for themselves. James list included the poor, widows, orphans, the hungry and the naked. Our list may include anyone lacking the very necessities of life. If we have any doubt that what James wrote was out of line with the teachings of Jesus all we have to do is go to Matthew 25 for our answer. Two ministries that Bethany Place is doing that is line with James are the Backpack Buddies and the Good News Clubs. Both of these involve those within the body reaching outside the church walls to impact a hurting world. May our focus be on others always and not ourselves.

 

Lesson 3

No Place for Favoritism

James 2:1-13

June 13, 2015

Have you ever felt like Les Wolfeson in “Funky Winkerbean” or Charlie Brown in “Peanuts?” Neither of them ever gets any respect because they have the right stuff according to the world to be popular. Charlie Brown expresses what so many feel today when he utters his famous “Good grief.” One of the things that has disturbed me as far back as I can remember is favoritism. It has always seemed unfair, although accepted, for one group of people to be viewed as better than others. I guess one reason it has affected me is that quite often I have felt as if I was the odd man out. One example that sticks in my mind took place after my family had moved to North Carolina for about three years. Moving back to Richmond as I began attending high school , I found that those who had been my friends during elementary school had moved on and had formed their own groups who were part of their lives. During my high school years I was never ever able to reestablish those relationships. Many of them by that time were in the Cadet Corps, on sport teams or involved in school activities. I was just a stranger coming into a new environment just wanting to fit in. On my part I had to make new friends who were also considered outsiders even though many had grown up with the in crowd.

 

Even at church there were the popular kids who had no time for someone like me who they did not know. I can remember going to youth parties and spending the whole evening by myself. From what I have said it might appear that I am critical of those people. That is not the case. As an adult some of those same people have to come to respect me. I have learned a very important lesson from all of this. Even though, I may have been rejected by all others, I know with full assurance that Jesus loves me. I will never be left out of his group.

 

In a way the church is quite often guilty of the kind of behavior described above. I have seen youth groups so full of cliques that new people have not been able to break into them. All too often the ones left out eventually drifted away and sadly no one even knew they were gone. Those who were accepted were friends from school, were talented or had an overwhelming personality. The quiet ones, the unattractive or those who were the studious types may as well have been from another planet.

 

Adults quite often act no better. Many times the leadership is chosen from those who are successful in business who are outgoing or belong to the right group. There is little or no determination given whether they have the spiritual qualities to be a leader. They tend to gather around themselves and give support to those who are just like them. Jesus of course gave us the example of choosing those He wanted to be with Him, to learn from Him and be entrusted to carry out His work when He went home to be with His Father. Probably many churches would never select the type of men He did to be part of a leadership team in their midst. They were the most diverse group of outsiders that anyone could ever choose. Not one of them would have qualified to be a religious leader of his day. There is a danger that the ones we reject may be the very one that God has sent our way to provide a totally different perspective on our service to Him.

 

James 2:1

The faith man has in Jesus Christ makes each person equal with another in the eyes of God. There is no partiality with Him and He expects His church to have the same mindset to treat each person as equal. To promote another person as on a different level than others is to border on idolatry. It is the exalting one man above another. In other words showing a favoritism that is not Christ-like. One man is not to have undue influence over others.

 

1. What is our relationship with Christ to show us about how we look at others?
2. Why is it wrong for a man or group of men to have too much influence or power in the body of believers?
3. Why did I use the word idolatry in my comments?
4. How do we prevent favoritism from taking place in our midst?

 

James 2:2-4

James provides two examples of how the attitude of favoritism might work its way into the church. He first spoke of a man who came into the service with all of his wealth on display. He was dressed in the finest of clothing and was laden with gold rings on his fingers.

 

In contrast to the display of wealth another man entered who was obviously very poor. His clothing was shabby.

 

The treatment of the two men could not have been any different. The rich man was given the special treatment and a place to sit. Most likely he was seated where he would be the most visible to all who were there. On the other hand, the poor man was told to fend for himself and find a place to sit wherever there might be room even if it meant sitting on the floor. To make such a distinction between people that influences our behavior is wrong.

 

1. Why did James provide such a sharp contrast in describing the two men? (Extremes are often the means to setting up the point of the story. If the men were somewhat closer in status the people would have hardly noticed.)
2. How might we describe the different types of people who come into the church today?
3. How do we treat them differently?
4. What had James done up to this point? (Pointed out the obvious differences between different classes of people and how they are treated.)
5. How does this kind of favoritism play out in our churches today.)

 

James 2:5-7

The point James was trying to make was the way they were looking at people and the way God saw them was very different. Although poverty in itself does not give a person a greater status in eyes of God generally it was the poor who filled the churches of the day. They had so much more to gain by their willingness to accept the teachings of Jesus. They saw that God saw them as valuable and they could become fellow heirs in His kingdom. God offered them what they had never had before, worth as a human being. On the other hand, James noted that the people were dishonoring the poorer members of the church and giving honor to the very ones who had and were oppressing them.

 

The last point to be made before moving on to the way the people should act was the attitude of the rich. There would be every reason for them to demean those who had received a freedom because of their position in Christ. No longer would the Christian have to fear what their masters could do to them. Of course it would have caused the masters to do everything to keep the people under control even if it meant blaspheming God.

 

1. How does God view all men?
2. In what ways did becoming a Christian do more the down trodden and poor than the rich and powerful?
3. Why is it easier for the poor to accept Christ?
4. If God sees man as equal before Him what should be our attitude and behavior toward those God brings into our presence?
5. Why do the elite and rich behave the way they do? (It is their means to keep everyone under control)
6. Why do we ultimately not have to worry about their behavior?

 

James 2:8-11

According to James and others the main thrust of the Law of Liberty of man’s relationship to others was, “To love your neighbor as yourself.” When a man set one man above another person he was violating this summary of the Law and committing sin. To commit sin is put oneself in the camp of the transgressors and therefore in line for judgment.

 

Evidently there were those who did not believe that such a minor lifestyle would cause spiritual death. James wanted to make sure they understood what made a person a sinner and thus condemned. In his mind there was no degree of sin. He wrote that to break one point of the law made a person a law-breaker even if he or she kept every other commandment.

 

1. In James’ mind what was the royal law? (Love neighbor as oneself)
2. Why was playing favoritism violating this law? (Because you did not love everyone equally and would favor one person over the other. It would cause a person to serve a different master so to speak.)
3. How do we violate the Law of God? (By committing any act or having any thought that rebels God’s standards given in His word.)
4. Who according to that criteria is a sinner?
5. How does these verses leave a man in a hopeless condition? (No one can keep every facet of the Law)
6. How do we deal with this issue? (Teaching by grace man can find forgiveness and salvation even though we cannot keep the law perfectly.)

 

James 2:12-13

To act contrary to the Royal Law was to bring judgment. James saw that to act that way was to behave as one without mercy. To treatment people unequally was to have disregard for their needs, spiritual and physical. Those who violated God’s laws regarding relationships would be judged accordingly. There was hope however. To love one’s neighbor would bring God’s mercy upon and individual instead of judgment. Man’s attitude and behavior does matter in how God views him.

 

1. What can a person expect if he has no love for his neighbor? (Judgment)
2. What does the word mercy mean? (Treating a person with kindness even if he does not deserve to receive such treatment. Man only deserves death and judgment but God gives us grace instead.)
3. What did James see as a lack of mercy on a person’s part? (Not treating a person with fairness and equality as a child of God.)
4. What can a person expect who shows no mercy?
5. How can one avoid judgment? (By living according to the royal law that can only come when a person loves God with his heart, soul and mind.)
6. Why does God treat us with mercy rather than judgment?

 

• Even though those who attend Bethany Place may not be like you in many ways, work at loving them as Christ loves them.
• Work at eliminating favoritism from the church
• When the opportunity comes to choose new leaders make sure that you want them in those positions because of their qualifications and not popularity.
• Understand that it is only because of what God is doing in your life and the lives of others that you are part of His eternal family and not that you have not done anything on your own.
• Pray that God will remove any prejudices from your heart that will keep you from having true fellowship with others.
• Know and understand that none of us are perfect. By breaking even the minutest part of the law that you are a sinner in need of grace and mercy like every other person.

 

James gives some valid information in these verses. As difficult as it may be, there is to be no favoritism and snobbish behavior in the church. To do so destroys the very fellowship we hope to create. His message is a warning that if we exclude anyone from the opportunity to worship and be discipled by us we could be in danger of receiving the same treatment that we have afforded others. Christ came to save every man. It is our responsibility to not be a roadblock in that relationship. The old saying that the ground at the foot of the cross is level has not changed since Jesus walked this earth. Let each of us do our best to have the mind of Christ in us and welcome every one God sends our way. He has to do a work in all of our hearts. It needs to begin with me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lesson 2

After Faith Comes Works

James 1:19-27

June 7, 2015

It is so easy to get our relationship with God twisted. What I mean by that statement has to do with putting a greater emphasis on works than grace. Like many people I have often started my testimony with the thought that I was not ever really a bad person as a kid. To say that means that looking at the way I perceived myself had nothing to do with my spiritual condition but was totally about behavior. When compared with what God wants in our lives, I certainly was not as good as I thought. There is no need to go into detail but my life, like all of our lives, is full of examples of missing the mark. Even after I was saved it took years before I began to understand that my life must reflect what is written in God’s word. The reason that it took so long was that for years I was on cruise control and did not study or even consistently read God’s word. Of course ignorance is no excuse in the eyes of God.

 

After being out of church for a while, I went totally in the opposite direction. I was involved in enough activities to be away from home almost every night of the week. In my mind all of those activities showed the world what a good church person I was. In reality all I was doing was wearing myself out and my faith took a back seat. It was as the saying goes an inch deep and a mile wide. It was only after the study of God’s word became the driving force in my life did I understand the difference between grace and works.

 

Churches can certainly get caught up in the same mentality. Some call what they believe as a social ideology. They are so concerned with taking care of society that they forget that the work they do must be as a result of a deep-seated faith. Paul wrote in Colossians that the way to be presented by Jesus blameless before God is to “Continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that your have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven.” (Colossians 1:23) Our works are to be built on that foundation and nothing else. Thom Rainer wrote a book called “Simple Church.” In it he laid out the idea of how a church can resist the temptation of trying to do too much. A body that is too busy can easily find itself burned out. I will speak more of the Simple Church at the end of the lesson.

 

James 1:19-20

Before James continued on he made a very important point. The people to whom he was writing should have known the things about which he was about to share with them. They were to understand they were to be those who listened more than they spoke. There are exercises that have been held in conferences for a long time to help the participants to learn the art of truly listening. In it a person makes a statement his partner would then be asked to repeat what he had heard. One soon discovered that man’s tendency is to be preparing his answer or stating his ideas before the other person has had a chance to finish. Perhaps the majority of people have played the game of gossip. A word or sentence is started in a circle. By the time it makes it around the circle there is no resemblance to what was initially said.   James said by listening a man will hear new ideas and grow in his understanding of what he is being taught. One of the attributes of an introvert that is to be admired is the way he processes data. Before speaking the introvert will think about what he is going to say before responding.

 

There were to be two characteristics that each person was to have. It was to be slow in speaking and slow to lose one’s temper. There was no way that one who lost his temper and lashed out at others would be able to please God.

 

1. What were the brethren to know? (God’s word and how they were to live. See verse 18.)
2. Why is it important to learn the quality of listening?
3. Why did God give man two ears and one mouth?
4. What lessons can we learn from those are introverts?
5. What is the consequence of those who have a quick temper?
6. How do we learn to control our temper?

 

James 1:21

The believer was to shed any filthiness in his life. It was like one taking off dirty clothes and putting on those that have been washed and are very clean. The term used is derived from the Greek word rupos, which means to have wax in one’s ears. The idea is to remove anything in life that would get in the way of hearing and keeping God’s word. James then gives a warning to not get tangled up in a life of wickedness. Jesus spoke of this in the parable of the soils when he described the seed that was choked out by the thorns. (Matthew 13:7)

 

After giving the warning James supplied the remedy for overcoming those obstacles in a life. Showing self-control they were to receive the innate or inborn concept of good and evil implanted by God in the human spirit. It is equivalent to the idea of conscience with which each person is born. The word that God has put into a person’s hearts is the source of a man’s salvation.

 

1. Why did James use the term of shedding all filthiness? (One cannot just put something onto his life without getting rid of what keeps him from being clean.)
2. What does the word rupos mean in your life?
3. What are some of the things you have shed or believe you need to destroy in your life to have the relationship you need to have with Jesus Christ?
4. What are some of the things that can entangle you in a way that you step away from fellowship with God?
5. What has Satan done to make them attractive to us?
6. What do you think James meant by the word implanted? (God has placed a void in our lives that only He can fill with His goodness and understanding of what is right and wrong.)
7. What will be the result of heeding the implanted word?

James 1:22

The purpose of God for every man is to not just make him a life long learner. There are those who continually receive the word and never do any thing with it. The most observable proof of what God has done in life is the service one renders in the name of the Lord. Care must be taken here that what is perceived as service is not for one’s own glory, but is based on the deep-seated faith in Christ Jesus. Man is to serve, but only in the name of his Lord. Not only can those who are content to soak up God’s word live a delusion, but also those who serve to boost their own self worth. Doing must be for the right reasons.

 

1. What is the misconception under which so many in the church live? (It only the activities in which one participates inside the walls of the church that that have any meaning.)
2. What are some of the activities that are misdirected?
3. What is to be the source of all we do?
4. What difference will that make in the ways we serve?
5. How do we make sure that we are not serving for ourselves and not Christ?

 

James 1:23-24

Secondly James gave an example of the person who only listens and does nothing. In his day mirrors were made out of polished metal and gave a distorted view at best. A person could look into that type of mirror and not notice the imperfections in his appearance and walk away, either forgetting what he looked like or do anything to correct them. Man may listen to the truth of God’s word for a long time and sees the problems in his life but chooses to remain just as he is. All of his hearing has basically gone to waste.

 

1. What do you see when you look in the mirror?
2. What do you do about the image you see there?
3. What kind of mirror is James talking about?
4. How do we show that we are a hearer only?
5. What does God really call us to be? (Faithful hearer who then puts the words into practice.)

 

James 1:25

This is one of the verses that have caused critics of James to question what he meant. It appeared that he was leaning toward the Old Testament picture of adhering to the Levitical law. As a follower of Christ one knows that the only freedom a man has in the teachings of Jesus. There are three possibilities in describing the law of God as fulfilled in Christ. It was:

• It is God’s law
• Perfect and cannot be made better
• Given that those who obey it serve the purposes of God.

 

The one who continues to study and meditate on that perfect law lives by what he has discovered. He is not a forgetful hearer but one who serves according to that word. That man will find peace and happiness in the things that he does.

1. Why did the critics have trouble with this verse? (It appears that James was leaning towards a faith based on works and following the Law of Moses.)
2. What did he mean by the perfect law of liberty? (Obeying the laws of God as fulfilled by Jesus will bring freedom to a person.)
3. How can we describe the law of God? (They are God’s, perfect and in obeying them one is serving God.)
4. What happens to the person who is truly a hearer of the word?
5. How do you work at being a true hearer of the word?

 

James 1:26

The worse form of not controlling what is said is to bring disrespect to God. One who thinks that he is religious but whose conversation does not bring glory to God is only deceiving himself in thinking that he has a relationship with Christ.

 

1. What does it mean to blaspheme God?
2. How do we control what we say?
3. How do we honor God with our conversation?
4. What is one way we deceive ourselves even if a member of a church?
5. What are some examples you have experience when a person has shown who they really are by the way they talk?

 

James 1:27

According to James one who practices truth faith is the person who provides for the helpless. In his day the most vulnerable in society were the orphans and widows. Neither of those two groups could depend on the government or other entities to provide for them. One of the great testimonies of the church was the way it took care of both the widows and orphans.

 

James shared one last attribute of a true worshipper. It was to keep oneself separated and unaffected by the ways of the world. It would have included having nothing to do with false gods and keeping oneself morally pure.

 

1. What are some examples of those for whom the church should provide support both physical and spiritual? (Widows, orphans, single mothers, those who have lost a job etc.)
2. Why has the church not done very well in these areas? (Too much dependence on the government programs.)
3. How do we keep ourselves unstained by the world?
4. Why is this so important in today’s world?
5. How has the world crept into the church? (By our failure to follow James’s instructions.)

 

• Develop the habit of truly listening with comprehension what is being taught in the church.
• Learn to speak in a way that is edifying to the body and not just talking.
• Put what you have learned into practice by being not just hearers but doers of the word.
• Search the Bible for ways that people have effectively served God.
• Truly look into the mirror to see who you are and then do whatever is in your power to change those areas that need to be addressed.
• Treat those in need in the same way you would want to be treated.

 

I mentioned in the beginning about the book “Simple Church.” The reason I am returning to it at the close of this lesson is that it has ideas that will help a church be effective in the way it serves its community. It starts by telling us to develop a clear vision. Once that it is done the church should decide the ministries that fit that vision and to focus on them. Too many churches today try to do everything that anyone suggests. The end result, quite often, is the members get burned out and nothing ever really gets done. Our vision for Bethany Place is very clear. It is about making disciples who make disciples. If done correctly, this one idea will affect each of us and the community around us. Disciples then live out the life of which James wrote about. Not do we take care of the way we live but reach out to those in need of what we have to offer.

 

Lesson 1

Testing or Temptation

James 1:1-18

 

I do not know about you but I have been tempted far more times than I have been tested. Testing is those external things thrown at us, many over which we have no control. For instance I cannot determine what a person thinks of me when we first meet. Things like diseases, although they are within the body, come upon us because we live in a broken and fallen world. I have been in situations where there has been a personality conflict with someone at work. It may be my doing but quite often, rather than being able to have an open dialogue, the other party just decides that I am not one with whom he or she can work and one of us has to make drastic changes or move on to another position. There has been a few times when my faith has been stretched to the limit because of being put into a situation brought on by the actions of someone I love. The inevitable question that I want to ask is “Why” instead of how God can receive the glory by the way I handle myself. If we are hurt very badly we act out those feelings that do not make us a good witness for Christ.

 

All of the resources I read in preparing the lesson to follow used Job as a primary example of one who suffered in a way that he did not understand. He had no way of knowing that God was allowing Satan to cause him all kinds of problems. God allowed trials in his life that led Job to have a greater understanding of what He wanted to do in his life.

 

Acting on temptation is another matter. Although the stimulus for them may be external it is our own desires that if cultivated turn into rebellion against God. The word we all too often ignore calls our thoughts and actions what they truly are sin. I may have mentioned before that I once made a list of the sins I could find in the Bible. I was overwhelmed by the number of instances that are in the pages of the sixty-six books. We hear the advice that we should always be prayed up because temptation and the resulting sin are ever with us.

 

The church today is facing many challenges. We have seen one of the major issues in our study of the letters of John, Timothy, Titus and Jude. There is so much false teachings prevalent in congregations that those on the inside quite often do not know what to believe. Those holding to the truth have trouble surviving while others that compromise the teachings of the Bible seem to be thriving and growing. It is our calling to stay firm no matter what the world throws at us. We will see how James calls on the church to deal with the trials that face us today.

 

James 1:1

Although not mentioned in the initial greeting, the vast majority of theologians believe the James of this book was the half-brother of Jesus. He described himself only as a bond-servant, in Greek doulos, of both the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Like so many of the others he considered himself a slave, without rights, and totally committed to God.

 

The recipients of his letter were probably, what today are called Messianic Jews. They were those who had become believers of Christ as early as Pentecost and taken that new found faith back to the places from which they had travelled to be in Jerusalem to celebrate the feast following fifty days after Passover. Even though they were believers of Christ they maintained their commitment to the traditions and rituals of the Jewish religion. Many believed that James used the term twelve tribes as a picture of the new Israel who, unlike those living under the old covenant, had accepted Jesus as the Messiah. The Jews on the other hand had given up, for a period of time, their rights to be called the chosen people. His salutation was brief indicating that it was a circular letter to be read by many churches unlike the more personal greetings found in the letter of Paul.

 

1. What did we learn from the opening sentences of James’s letter?
2. Who was the James who is the author?
3. Why did he not explain his relationship with Jesus? (It was not his purpose to claim something that probably would not mean much to the readers of the letter.)
4. What gave him the right to send this letter? (He was considered an apostle and the primary leader of the church in Jerusalem.)

 

James 1:2-4

Knowing the challenges that the churches were facing he wanted them to have a sense of peace and feel blessed when they were dealing with the trials that were affecting their everyday lives. It would be easier if what was happening was the same thing over and over again. James wrote that they could expect the testing to be diverse and various. In other words they did not know what each new day would bring.

 

He wanted them to know as they were victorious in each situation, they would have the ability to handle and endure the next one. The steadfastness and living in a constant way in the faith would do three things in the person’s life. God was in the process of developing a man’s character. To do so God would:

• Bring him to the point of maturity or completion. They were to move beyond just knowing the ABC’s of the faith and are ready to teach and lead others.
• Make him complete. It was the process of removing the blemishes from a man’s life and taking away his weaknesses to make him fit to serve God and his fellowman.
• Make sure he was lacking in nothing. There would come a time when he was not deficient in any area of his life and would come closer and closer to being like his Savior and Lord.

 

1. In what ways do you feel that you have been tested or faced trials in your life?
2. How do you find peace and a blessing in the midst of testing?
3. What is God trying to do by allowing testing in your life?
4. In what ways have you blamed God for the trials that have come to you?
5. Who is really to blame?
6. What is Satan trying to do by bringing trials and testing upon you?
7. How can you defeat the devil?

 

James 1:5-8

According to James there is no reason that a man should lack wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to take what one has learned and put it to practical use. To get that practical knowledge all a man has to do is ask God and it will be given to him. God will not give a person just a little bit of wisdom, but will give generously and graciously all that a person needs. It is a powerful thing to understand that God will not criticize or rebuke for asking. There are those who will never be wise because they do not believe God will provide wisdom for them. The man who does not believe is like the water driven in all types of directions by the wind never coming to the shore the same way twice. A man who doubts and is inconsistent in his belief cannot expect to receive anything from God.

 

1. What is wisdom?
2. To whom is it available?
3. How does God act toward the man who seeks wisdom?
4. Who is the man who will not receive wisdom?
5. What is his nature?
6. What will be the results of his life?

 

James 1:9-11

As in all churches there is a diversity of people. James specifically spoke to two classes of people found in the early church. There would be the poor and throughout the Roman Empire those individuals were also possibly slaves. At the other end of the spectrum there would be those who were wealthy and in many cases slave owners of those in attendance at the church. James indicated they the poor should rejoice in the fact that Jesus had made them people of value and worth. In some cases they may have risen to positions of leadership in the church. On the other hand the rich was to rejoice because he had learned that it was not his wealth that brought him into a relationship with Christ. He had to repent and be forgiven in the same way as the poor. One lesson that the rich and poor alike learned was that the things of this world are not permanent and could be lost in the same way that the sun can burn up vegetation.

 

1. What was to be the attitude of the poor in the church? (Rejoice that God had given them worth when the world treated them as nothing.)
2. What was to be the attitude of the rich?
3. What has Christ done for everyman? (Made us equal at the foot of the cross.)
4. What are the lessons we can learn from these verses about physical possessions?
5. What is permanent that we should want in our lives?

 

James 1:12

Once again James returned to the thought of how a man was to handle adversity. He wanted a man to find joy and peace as he bore up under the trial courageously that might be taking place. It was not the idea of letting the testing weigh a person down but to be overjoyed that God will see one through the trial. The overcomer will receive the crown of life that signifies a life of abundant living for Christ. God has promised this crown to all who love Him.

 

1. How can you find happiness in testing?
2. What kind of attitude does God want us to have?
3. What is the outcome of enduring with joy?
4. What does endurance truly mean? (Living through a trial with courage.)
5. Who are the only ones who can receive the crown of life?

 

James 1:13-15

James quickly moved from the topic of trials and testing to what should be understood about temptation. He concludes that it was within man where the problem existed. Jesus spoke of the issue in Matthew 15:19-20. It was from the heart, the seat of man’s will, that every evil thought came resulting in the commission of sinful acts. John also spoke of the fact that sin comes from man as he wrote, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but from the world.” (1 John 2:16)

 

James spoke of the process of temptation to sin and death. It is

• All are tempted but temptation is not a sin in itself. One can quickly turn away from those situations.
• Man is carried away by the temptation. He or she continues to dwell on or fantasize about it. Temptation becomes sin at this point.
• Being enticed to commit the act of sinning
• Once the sin is committed spiritual death is the result.

 

For an example of this process read the account of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel.

 

1. What is the biggest difference between testing and temptation? (Testing does not begin in the heart but generally from outside the person.)
2. How does Jesus in Matthew 15:19-20 deal with this issue?
3. What is the process of temptation leading to death?
4. How can you avoid getting yourselves into situations that lead to sin?
5. Why is the result of sin spiritual death? (Sin is rebellion against God and must be punished.)
6. What is the remedy for sin?
7. What would happen if God could be tempted? (He would no longer be perfect and could no longer be the righteous judge for what we do.)

 

James 1:17-18

In contrast to what happens in the heart of man everything he receives from God is good. Man can rely on that statement because God never changes. He is not like the creation he made that varies every day. The Bible says, God, as seen in His Son, is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 15:8). Out of His will He had declared truth to mankind. His word stated that He would make man new through this rebirth in Jesus Christ. Those who were of James’s generation were the first born of many to follow.

 

1. What are some of the good things that you believe you have received from God?
2. How do you know they are good? (James emphasizes the truthfulness of God’s promises.)
3. What guarantee do we have that God never changes? (His word for one thing.)
4. How different is He than His creation? (The universe is changing everyday according the studies made byu reputable scientists.)
5. What is the greatest gift that God has given to man?
6. What indication is there that it is true in your own life?

 

• Knowing that you belong to God learn to face trials and testing with peace and courage.
• Grow in the knowledge that it is God’s desire for you to mature and become complete in your faith.
• If you do not believe you are a wise person ask God who is more than happy to give you wisdom.
• Be careful that you do not let the temptations you face lead you into sin.
• Understand that the love of God is manifested to us through the gift of grace found in His Son.

 

Every time we are exposed to any kind of media today, we realize the great challenges that face the church today. It is so easy to compromise our beliefs and fall into lock step with the world. God calls us to be different. Rather than giving up we are to see the trials and testing that are coming to us belong we belong to Him as causing joy in our lives. We know that those who endure will find an eternal home with Him. The Bible tells us that God’s word is true and He will fulfill every promise made to us. His Word tells us that He truly has a future for those who have received the new birth.