Community Group Discussion Guide

James 1:19-27 – Weekend of September 15 & 16, 2018

I. Starter Question:

Easy question: What really makes you angry?Another easy question: What makes for a good listener?Vulnerable question: In what ways does your walk not match up with your talk?

II. Discussion of Scripture:

Context: The book of James is considered to have been written by James, brother of Jesus. James is writing this letter to a group of Jewish Christian house churches in Palestine who are in conflict. His intent in writing the letter is to encourage the believers to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only”. This theme is encapsulated in this week’s passage.

A. James 1:19-27 (ESV)Hearing and Doing the Word19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

For Discussion:

1. The house churches are in conflict, and James counsels them to “be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (v. 19). What happens if we don’t listen? What does it mean to be slow to speak? And, slow to anger? Being slow to anger implies that anger isn’t necessarily sinful; how so?

2. What is meant when James writes, “for the anger of man does not produce the

righteousness of God” (v. 20)?

3. James asks that they do away with wickedness and sin, and receive the “implanted word” (v. 21). What does that look like in practice? What are the benefits? Compare these thoughts to James 1:14-15 and the progression of sin.

4. James says we are deceiving ourselves if we hear the Word yet do not do what it says (v. 22). The two (hearing and doing) are to be inextricably linked, yet we consistently fail to follow through with action. In what ways do we deceive ourselves into not doing what the Word commands?

5. James’ analogy of someone who hears the Word of God but fails to translate it into action is of someone who looks in a mirror, then turns away and forgets what he just saw (vv. 23-24). Draw out this analogy — what is the mirror? What do we see in the mirror? What in the mirror would necessarily spur us to action?

6. In verse 25, James talks of the “perfect law, the law of liberty”. The “law” all the Jews at that time knew, was the Old Testament law. This “perfect law, the law of liberty”, is different — what is it? (See Romans 8:2.)

7. “Pure” and “undefiled” religion, James writes, has a few characteristics. What are they? (vv. 26-27) How do you see this occur in our church?

8. Read what Jesus says in Matthew 7:16-27.

16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

What are the similarities to today’s passage?

III. Responding in Prayer:

1. Pray for our church that we would be led by the Spirit to fully embrace the mission of our church: Love God, Love People, and Make Disciples. As Christians, we were chosen for purpose — the purpose of glorifying God, and we glorify God by loving him, loving people, and making disciples! We will be blessed in the doing of the mission set before us.

2. James’ letter was written to churches in conflict, and one implication of today’s passage is that hearing and doing the Word of God unites people. Pray for an unshakeable unity in our church that maximizes the display of God’s glory to our surrounding community and to the nations!

3. Pray for our widows and orphans in our church body. Pray that the Lord will minister to them in a tender, precious way. Pray for our upcoming Widows Banquet on October 4th.

Mission / Vision / Valuesof Henderson Hills Baptist Church

Our Mission:Love God. Love People. Make Disciples. Our Vision:Our vision is to become a diverse family of surrendered and transformed people who passionately love God and others. We endeavor to be a body that is overcome by the reality that this life is not about us, but all about the glory of God. We want to be transfixed by the gospel of Jesus Christ and compelled by His heart for our world. We strive to be seed-throwers and fire-starters, hope-announcers and grace-givers, risk-takers and constant-reformers, lifelong-learners and sold-out doers. We desire to be a people who gladly give our lives to free the captive, strengthen the weak, embrace the outcast, and seek out the lost. Because Scripture is our authority, we strive to be a family that serves together, studies the Word together, plays together, worships together, and lives life together. By God's grace our world will be changed because we are here. Our Values:

1. Glorifying God:

We value the passionate pursuit of knowing God and walking with Him.

2. Submitting to the Authority of Scripture:

We value the sufficiency of Scripture in every aspect of our lives.

3. Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

We value sharing the Gospel and making disciples.

4. Serving with a Kingdom Perspective:

We value living our lives focused upon what will matter most for eternity.

5. Cherishing the Local Church:

We value the essential role of the church in the sanctification of the believer and salvation of the nations.

6. Doing Life Together in a Christ-Centered Community:

We value that God uniquely uses personal relationships to sanctify and sharpen believers.