4th Quarter 2014 – Good Word

Synopsis: Escaping from James to Find the Gospel? The official study guide reveals, perhaps unintentionally, how powerful Luther’s argument against the book of James as been. Instead of dividing James into 13 sections, the editors...

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Prayer, Healing, and Restoration

Lesson 12 for the week of December 13 to December 20

Synopsis: Restoration of the Sick and the Lost As James draws his book to a close, his final section deals with restoration, first of the sick (5:13-18) through the prayers of the righteous, then of...

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Getting Ready for the Harvest

Lesson 11 for the week of December 6 to December 13

Synopsis: Patience and Swearing After firmly condemning the rich, James then turns to his readers/listeners and admonishes them to be patient. After nearly inciting them to riot by condemning the rich landowners (or so it...

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Weep and Howl!

Lesson 10 for the week of November 29 to December 6

Synopsis: James 5:1-6 is the third frontal attack on the rich in the book, and this one the most brutal. Here the oppressive rich are the wealthy landowners who abuse their workers. In short, they...

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One Lawgiver and Judge

Lesson 9 for the week of November 22 to November 29

Synopsis: Judging and Boasting This week’s passage from James actually brings together two items that don’t really mesh very well. A warning against the dangers of judging (4:11-12) is followed by a section which warns...

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The Humility of Heavenly Wisdom

Lesson 8 for the week of November 15 to November 22

Synopsis: Yearning for the Good Wisdom from Above James gives us a wonderful description of heavenly wisdom in 3:17. But he gives us very little help in knowing how to acquire it. Exploring that practical...

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Taming the Tongue

Lesson 7 for the week of November 8 to November 15

Synopsis: The Tongue In 1:26 James dropped a small bombshell against the unbridled tongue. Now in 3:1-12 he drops a large one, a blistering attack against the tongue. He does not really explain why this...

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Faith that Works

Lesson 6 for the week of November 1 to November 8

Synopsis: Faith and Works, James and Paul The most highly visible passage in James involves the apparent tension between Paul and James on the question of faith and works. The most striking “contradiction” is between...

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Love and the Law

Lesson 5 for the week of October 25 to November 1

Synopsis: Partiality and the Royal Law This week’s passage from James (2:1-13) presents an impassioned plea against favoritism. Showing partiality to the rich dishonors the poor (2:6). As one should come to expect in James,...

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Being and Doing

Lesson 4 for the week of October 18 to October 25

Synopsis: Doing, Not Just Hearing In James 1:22-27, our focus for this week’s discussion, James prepares the way for much of the content yet to come in his book. When he admonishes his listeners to...

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Enduring Temptation

Lesson 3 for the week of October 11 to October 18

Synopsis: Temptation and Anger This week’s passage from James (1:12-21) focuses on two notable tensions within human experience: 1) the origin and role of temptation; 2) the proper role of anger. Both tensions involve the...

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The Perfecting of Our Faith

Lesson 2 for the week of October 4 to October 11

Relevant Verses: James 1:2-11 Synopsis: The Challenge of Perfectionism Taking its cue from the KJV of James 1:4, this week’s lesson points to the “perfecting” of our faith. The KJV reads: “Let patience have her perfect...

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James, the Lord’s Brother

Lesson 1 for the week of September 27 to October 4

Relevant Verses: James 1:1; 2:1 Synopsis: The Author of the Book of James The official study guide adopts the position that the author of the book of James is the Lord’s brother by that name. Also...

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Tag: 4th Quarter 2014