Sept 13 James 1:1-12 & Next weeks Reading Plan

As you read, pray over the text.

What words jump out at you?

What sounds strange?

What is convicting?

Wednesday: Read James 1:1-12

Thursday: Reread James 1:1-12 before you arrive.

Community Group Questions

1. Introduce yourselves
1. Name, work, school
2. What is the story behind the time you went the longest without sleep?
2. In what ways do you feel ‘Scattered’ right now?
3. What is the biggest challenge in this season of life?
4. What trials can you look back on and see ‘This is what God was up to?”
5. What trials do you think you’ll have to wait to ask God himself oneday?
6. What does joy feel like and how is it different than happiness?
7. Why does James would tell us to “consider it pure joy whenever we face trials of many kinds?” (James 1:1)

8. What is this Scripture saying about who God is?
9. How can we respond to this Scripture?  

Background on James

The Bible is a book filled with stories, letters and other types of literature written to or for specific people who lived in a different culture and a different time than we do, So, it can be helpful to have some information on the context and culture of the people living at that time. Here is some background information on the book of James:

The author of James is most likely Jesus’ brother, James, who after seeing the resurrected Jesus, (I Corinthians 15:7) became a leader of the Jerusalem church.  James was probably written around 44-45 AD. During this time, Jewish Christians experienced persecution by the Sadducees and by King Herod Agrippa I (Acts 3-9;12), and many Jewish Christians scattered away from Jerusalem to avoid the persecution.  The term “dispersion” in James 1:1 refers to the scattering of the Jews. James was written as a circulating letter, which means that it was intended not just for one church/location, but to be passed on to other churches. It is written in the genre of Jewish wisdom literature, which often stressed endurance and gave practical advice concerning how to deal with trails.  The Jewish Christians of this time were mostly poor “dirt farmers” who worked the land of the rich people who most likely sided with the King and the Sadducees by exploiting Christians. These new Christians felt oppression, not only from verbal and physical persecution; but, also from their state of poverty and a pretty substantial famine which occurred between 41-54 AD. James wrote this letter to a young church of mostly poor people who didn’t have the luxury of gathering together to be lead by him or to be encouraged and taught by him. James gives practical advice to these new Christians through this letter, which is filled with great metaphors and illustrations to help them grow in their faith.  



Reading plan for the week ahead...

As you read, pray over the text. What words jump out at you? What sounds strange? What is convicting?
If you can, come up with one question you have and one insight from each passage or verse.  

This week: James 1:19-27—Week of 9/14/18

Friday, 9/14 - Read James 1:19-27 straight through.

Focus on James 1:19-20

Question:

Insight:

Saturday, 9/15 - Read James 1:21

Question:

Insight:

Sunday, 9/16 - Read James 1:22-25

Question:

Insight:

Monday, 9/17 - Read James 1:26-27

Question:

Insight:

Tuesday, 9/18 - Read James 1:19-27

Question:

Insight: