Resources

• James Study Guide (PDF)
• James overview (video)
• James 1 Reading Guide
• James 1 Teaching Notes (PDF)
• James 1 Video

About James

• The book of James is about specifically understanding what saving faith looks like. How does faith in Christ reveal itself in a believer’s life? What choices does real trust in God lead us to make? Those are the questions James answers.
• It’s important to note that James is writing to people who already believe in Christ as their Savior. This ensures we are reading the Book of James in the proper context.
• Most scholars believe the writer was Jesus’ half-brother, a son born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus’ birth.
• James may not have come to believe Jesus was the Messiah until after the resurrection. Eventually, though, he became one of the leaders of the Christian church in Jerusalem.
• This is possibly the earliest-written of all the New Testament books, around AD 40–50. James addresses his letter to Jewish Christians scattered around the known world.

James Chapter 1

• The first chapter in the book of James sets the course for the rest of his letter to Christians worldwide.
• God wants us to trust Him more, and more deeply, as we learn more of Him.
• This is so important to God that He calls on us to find joy, even in hard times, because hardship helps us trust God more. Those who really trust God will ask Him for wisdom, will be excited about their status in eternity, will recognize Him as the source of all good in their lives, and will work to act on what they find in His Word.

Video: James for Men Bible Study Guide

• Based on Vince Miller’s James for Men Bible Study Guide
• The Book of James is a letter intended for Jewish believers living in poverty and persecution.
• James was half-brother of Jesus along with Joseph, James, Jude, and Simon along with two sisters.
• Most of James’ ministry focused on Christ-fearing Jews.
• 2 challenges during James’ ministry:
  • Famine
  • Jewish converts faced persecution
• Chapters of James:
  1. Two Tests of Conviction
  2. Live Consistently
  3. Foolish to Wise
  4. Prosperous and Patient
• Chapter 1: Two Tests of Conviction
  • You may hear voices as you live your life and feel guilty about it:
    • “You need to change…”
    • “You can’t continue to live this way..”
  • The Conviction Gap: gap between feeling a conviction and acting on it.
    • We live in perpetual guilt, shame, and regret.
    • It doesn’t have to be this way.
  • 2 tests to close this gap:
    • Test of Trials
      • James 1:2-4:
        • 2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
        • 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
        • 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
      • When we face trials it’s our moment of greatest opportunity. Our trials should drive us closer to Jesus, not further away from Him.
      • We must be steadfast during a trial – preach to ourselves during a trial
      • Job 1:20-21:
        • 20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship.
        • 21 He said, ‘I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!’   Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
    • Test of Integrity
      • We live in self-deception when we know what we need to do but don’t do it.
      • James 1:25:
        • 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
      • How to build integrity:
        1. Assume God’s Word is perfect. Consult the Bible daily with every issue we encounter.
        2. Reduce the delay between hearing God’s Word and acting on it. Hesitation gives us a chance to sin. Remove this chance by acting immediately.
    • Remain steadfast and integrate your hearing an doing.
    • Live with greater conviction by doing both of these.

Reflection:

• What’s a trial you’ve had to endure lately?
• How are you handling this?
• What could you do to improve how you are handing
  this?
• What is God teaching you through it?