Tag: Alden Thompson

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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Second Coming

• Lesson 13 for the week of September 20 to September 27

Relevant Verse: Matthew 24-25 Leading Question: What did Jesus teach about his second coming? Studying the biblical evidence for the second coming can yield startling results. Where, for example, can one go in Jesus’ Bible –...

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Death and Resurrection

• Lesson 12 for the week of September 13 to September 20

Relevant Verses: John 11 Leading Question: What does Jesus teach us about death and resurrection? Given what is happening in our culture today, Jesus’ attitudes toward death and resurrection have become urgent matters. Secularists who have...

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The Sabbath

• Lesson 11 for the week of September 6 to September 13

Relevant Verses: Mark 2:23-28; Matthew 12:1-14; Luke 4:16, John 5:1-18 Leading Question: What does Jesus teach us about the Sabbath? In this lesson we will focus on what Jesus tells us about the Sabbath in the...

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The Law of God

• Lesson 10 for the week of August 30 to September 6

Relevant Verses: Matthew 5-7; 19:8; 22:37-40 Leading Question: What does Jesus tell us about “the law”? “Law” is an enormous topic to cover in just one lesson. Indeed last quarter all 13 lessons focused on law....

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