Discussion Questions
Read James 4:1-3 and then restate it in your own words
What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. —James 4:1-3
If you’re with others, have everyone restate it and add to the previous if they got something different.
Questions to help get to the roots:
-What do families and friends commonly fight about? How often? Think about any recent conflicts you’ve experienced, and share with your group if you feel comfortable.
-What does James say is the root cause of fights and quarrels between people?
-What are the two behaviours James criticises in Verses 2-3? Why are they so significant?
Read James 4:4-5 and then restate it in your own words
You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. —James 4:4-5
If you’re with others, have everyone restate it and add to the previous if they got something different.
Questions to help get to the roots:
-Why do you think James calls those who do what he describes in verses 1-3 as adulterers?
-In what ways do you think we struggle between being a friend of God and a friend of the world?
-What does verse 5 tell us about how the scriptures should affect our lives?
Read James 4:6-10 and then restate it in your own words
And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. —James 4:6-10
If you’re with others, have everyone restate it and add to the previous if they got something different.
Questions to help get to the roots:
-What do you think it means by “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”?
-How can we humble ourselves before God and resist the devil?
-How can we come close to God? (What do you think it means to wash our hands and purify our hearts and how does that connect to our loyalty being divided between God and this world)?
At end of message:
If you’re in a group, share how you will apply this message in your life.
On a note in your phone or in a daily-use notebook, write down 3 specific things that you can do this week to apply this to your life.