James 2:14-26 Discussion Guide
Sermon Date: Oct. 1, 2023
ANNOUNCEMENTS
High School Outing - Wednesday Oct. 4, 5:30pm-9pm @ Vala’s (Register online at clb.church/upcoming >> “More” >> “Registrations”) -Be sure to buy tickets online beforehand for a discounted rate! Students will need to bring cash for any snacks as well.
Seek Night - Thursday Oct. 5, 6:30pm-8:30pm @ Anchor Pointe Elementary (childcare provided!)
Waiting Room - Saturday Oct. 14, 9am-noon @ CLB Offices (Register online at clb.church/upcoming >> “More” >> “Registrations”)
Evangelism Tool - The Holy Spirit is using CLB’s Google reviews to bring people in. Please consider leaving a review, as an evangelistic tool
WHY CITY GROUPS?
The point of a City Group is to help us apply God’s Word to our everyday lives through the power of the Holy Spirit, and to multiply faithful intimates of Jesus who make more disciples of Jesus. So we gather regularly to give ourselves to three basic Christian practices: sharing stories, reading the Bible, and praying.
PRAY
Ask if anyone would like to open up in prayer and ask God to bless your time together
STORY
Break the ice with a testimony..
Who has prepared their 5-7 minute story?
Who can give testimony of God’s goodness right now? (i.e. answered prayer, provision, transformation, etc.)
VISION FOR THIS DISCUSSION
In this discussion we will take a look at true faith. And how a true faith that pleases God is not only trust, but obedience. And how these two things come together in a powerful way that are meant to show God’s love, power, and goodness.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PASSAGE
Use the OIA (Observation, Interpretation, Application) method to read, study, and use Scripture to grow in knowing and following God.
Read James 2:14-26 to provide an overview for this study.
OBSERVATION
Take time to read the passage and make observations.
Any repeated words, phrases?
Any comparison/contrast between characters, topics, passages/stories?
Specific characters—named or unnamed?
Any connecting words/phrases to bridge verses, stories, or ideas?
(“therefore..”, “however..”, “In the same way..”)
INTERPRETATION
-What? (What’s being said in the text?)
What would you say is the main idea of this passage in your own words?
Read James 2:17. What is a “dead” faith?
Read James 2:19. What is the type of “faith” even demons have?
What is the balance of good deeds and faith?
What does Abraham’s example in Genesis 22 show us about true faith? Rahab’s example seen in Joshua 2?
-Why? (Why is it being said?)
Why are good deeds without faith not enough in God’s eyes?
Why is faith without good deeds not enough in God’s eyes?
Throughout the book of James, we will see Jame’s words correlate to Jesus’s words from the Sermon on the Mount.
Read Matthew 7:21-27. Looking at Jesus’s words, why is our trust in Jesus always to be followed with our obedience to Jesus?
Read Galatians 5:6. If good works can be “evidence” of true faith, what does Galatians 5:6 show us is the “engine” of true faith—why are we motivated to trust in God and do good deeds toward people?
-So what? (So what does God want me to do about it?)
So what specific good deeds is God convicting and calling you to do right now?
So what specific truths about God is He convicting and calling you to believe right now?
So what daily mindsets or heart postures does God need to change in you so you can love God and love others more like Jesus?
So what daily habits might you need to start, stop, or change in your life so you can love God and love people around you better?
APPLICATION
-Inward Application (for myself)
Head—What are the biggest obstacles and struggles we can have about doing what God says when He says to?
Heart—What do we really want (aka what’s our true motive) in the moments we don’t obey God?
Hands—What’s the next right step you can take as a step of obedience to God?
-Outward Application (for others around me)
Head—What biblical counsel would you give to a Christian who struggles to obey God? to trust God?
Heart—What questions would you ask someone who doesn’t see anything wrong with not obeying God, which is really disobeying God?
Hands—Who in your life is God calling you to care for and have a conversation with to talk more about true faith in Jesus?
PRAYER
Feel free to ask the group for any pressing prayer requests that would be good to pray over together.
Use the TACOS acronym to let the text you studied pray for you:
Thanksgiving - “Father, thank you…”
Adoration - “Father, You are…”
Confession - “Father, I confess…”
Others - “Father, I pray for…”
Self - “Father, please help me…”
*If size or group dynamics seem to hinder prayer, consider dividing into groups of men/women or groups of 3-4 to reduce barriers to praying out loud.