Community Group Discussion Guide

James Series, Week 1 – Weekend of September 8 & 9

I. Starter Question:

What trials have you had to endure in life? How did you respond?

II. Discussion of Scripture:

1. James 1:1-12 (ESV) - 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, [a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. 12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

For Discussion:1. What key words do you notice in this passage? These are words that are either

theologically significant or that set the theme or big idea for the passage. 2. List themes or big ideas you find in each of these sections of this passage:

1:1-4

1:5-8

1:9-11

1:12

3. James is filled with vivid figurative language, especially metaphors that compare spiritual realities to earthly events and objects. What figurative language do you notice in this passage?

4. What are the two ways that James instructs his readers to respond to trials? (hint: look for the key verbs in 1:2-4)

What does James indicate will be the result of these responses?

What does James mean by “perfect and complete” in verse 4? (perfect = teleios in Greek; see 1 Corinthians 14:20, Ephesians 4:13 translated “mature”)

5. What is the connection between “wisdom” in verse 5 and enduring trials? Why do we need wisdom? How do we get it?

6. In verses 6-8 what does it mean to ask God for wisdom “in faith?” What characterizes someone who is NOT asking in faith? Why?

7. How do verses 9-11 relate to the inevitability of trials as seen in verses 2-8?

2. James 1:13-18 (ESV) - 13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

For Discussion:1. List everything James says about God in verses 13-18.

2. What human experience does James metaphorically use to describe the progress from temptation to death?

3. How does 1:13-18 relate to 1:1-12?

4. Note that the word “trial” in verses 2 and 12 is the same basic Greek word translated “tempted” in verses 13 and 14 (noun peirasmos in verses 2, 12; verb peirazo in verses 13, 14). So even though “trial” and “tempted” seem very different in English, they are the actual translation of the same Greek word.

What does this teach us about the relationship of trials and temptations in our lives?

5. How are trials/temptations similar and how are they different?

6. Why does James stress the fact that God is not the author of temptation?

7. Simply encountering the inevitable trials and temptations of life is not in itself a reason for joy. Rather, James calls us to rejoice in the potential result of our testing: endurance and maturity. We find joy not in the suffering itself, but rather in the results that can be accomplished as we properly respond to the trial or temptation. To see this perspective elsewhere in Scripture, see: Genesis 50:20, John 13:1, Hebrews 12:1-12.

8. Describe in your own words the chain of events James describes in verses 14-16.

Identify each component of the progression. Who is responsible for this progression?

9. In light of what you’ve learned about trials and temptation in James chapter 1, what do verses 16-18 reveal about God’s character and will?

What does this section reveal about believers?

III. Responding in Prayer:

1. Pray for one another to be able to rejoice in the inevitable trials and temptations of life that we face, because we know that God is producing in us endurance and maturity.

2. “Be kind, for someone is fighting a harder battle.” Pray for each other. Get into each other’s lives. Life is too short and too hard to only stay at the superficial level. Press into caring for one another through prayer, love, kindness, tenderness to each other.