RbC SMALL GROUP STUDY GUIDE
SPRING 2017
RbC Small Groups
James Week 1 – Read James 1:1-18
1. Google www.biblestudytools/esv/james. Open the Summary box. What do you learn about
James – the person and the book?
2. Make a list of the various kinds of trials you see people facing. Describe a situation in your life
that was a personal trial.
3. Why do you think James exhorts his readers to consider it all joy when we face trials? What
does he say God provides during a trial? How does this help you respond to trials you’re
currently facing?
4. How does it help your faith to know and remember that trials are really “temporary
assignments”? (see 2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
5. See James 1:13-18. What reasons does James use here to demonstrate that God is not the
source of temptation?
6. Describe the process of temptation, and some ways to avoid temptation’s allure.
7. What did you hear in the sermon or your personal study of this passage that you might like to
share with your small group?
RbC Small Groups
James Week 2 – Read James 1:19-27
1. What is one verse in this section that stands out to you, and why?
2. What 3 things does James command in verse 19? Why is it important to be a good listener?
What makes for a good listener?
3. How can being quick to listen and slow to speak help us be slow to become angry?
4. In James 1:21-25 – What is the main command? Describe those who hear the Word but don’t
do it. How do we avoid becoming hearers only?
5. James 1:26-27 – What is it about visiting orphans and widows that would clearly indicate true
religion? What is it about widows and orphans that put them in a place so close to God’s heart?
6. Moving from James’s letter to our culture, what kinds of people might “widows and orphans”
extend to? What can you, our small group and RbC to to “visit” and serve them?
7. We are sent into the world on mission as ambassadors for Christ, and we are to keep ourselves
“unstained by the world.” What does this mean? What are some of the challenges of being
deeply engaged with stained people while keeping ourselves unstained by their values and
worldview?
RbC Small Groups
James Week 3 – Read James 2:1-13
1. How would you define or describe favoritism?
2. James 2:1 is a loaded verse. Take some time to observe it, and write down everything you see
in this verse about favoritism.
3. What does the particular kind of favoritism (rich over poor) reveal about the beliefs and
worldview of James’ readers? What are James’ reasons for not showing favoritism?
4. James makes some pretty strong statements about the rich in 2:5-7. Do they apply to all rich
people, or just some? Explain.
5. In what ways are you alert to some of the dangers of the misuse of wealth?
6. How do verses 12-13 sum up this passage? What is the main message to us?
7. James names only one example of favoritism (rich over poor). What are some other common
ways people show favoritism? 8. Think about RbC’s vision and mission (you should know that by heart). In what ways would
favoritism of any kind destroy our vision and mission?
RbC Small Groups
James Week 4 – Read James 2:14-26
1. What questions and tensions arise out of this passage? What seems to be James’ main point?
2. What does James teach in these verses about the relationship between faith and works? What
practices might James be attempting to counter?
3. In what ways do we want to/try to separate faith from works? 4. Why is Abraham such a good example of James’ point (see Genesis 22)? In what ways have
you been challenged to put your faith to work in a major way?
5. How do you make sense of this passage in light of Ephesians 2:8-10?
6. James makes the point that our actions may be a better indicator of what we believe than what
we say we believe. Evaluate your beliefs in light of the way you are living. What do you
discover?
7. What did you hear in the sermon that helped you make sense of, and apply, this section?
RbC Small Groups
James Week 5 – Read James 3:1-12
1. How have you seen destructive words damage others?
2. Why is it so difficult to “never stumble in what we say?”
3. In what ways are the illustrations of a bit, a rudder, and a fire spark so fitting when talking of the
tongue?
4. In what kinds of circumstances during the week do you tend to fall into a way of talking that
contradicts your praise on Sunday?
5. If no person can tame the tongue (3:8), what hope is there for controlling it? (see Galatians
5:22-23) What are some practical ways you can bring your speech under God’s control?
6. Look up these Scriptures. How are they (pick one or two) helpful to you in taming the tongue? –
Proverbs 10:19; 11:13; 12:13; 13:3; 15:1-2; 18:8,21; 20:19; 21:23 and Ephesians 4:29
RbC Small Groups
James Week 6 – Read James 3:13-18
1. List some of the wisest people you know. What evidences of wisdom do you see in their lives?
2. What 2 behaviors indicate a lack of wisdom? (see 3:14) Describe them.
3. What is the source and what is a description of false wisdom?
4. List some examples of how earthly wisdom is packaged and presented in our culture through
social media, movies, news, advertising, education, etc.
5. Describe the characteristics of God’s wisdom (see verse 17; see also Proverbs 1:7). Which of
these qualities catches your attention? In what areas of life can these qualities make a
difference?
6. How might verses 17-18 guide you in and through all kinds of personal conflict with others?
We will be taking a 4 week break from James for our Easter series called “The Gospel Project”
– then we’ll pick back up and finish James 4-5. Jot down here a few of the larger lessons from James 1-3 that are changing your life.