No "Favorites" Allowed (James 2)

Who was your favorite teacher when you were in school/college? What made him or her your favorite?

Were you ever in a class when the teacher had a favorite? How did you feel about the "teacher's pet?" (or, were you the teacher's pet?)

Read James 2:1-13. Use this passage as your guide while answering the following questions:

Based on what you read in 2:1-4, how would you define favoritism?

Besides rich people, what are some other types of people who might receive preferential treatment? Why would people show favoritism toward these people?

What do you think might cause someone to act this way in a church?

Can you think of times in your life when you've shown this type of favoritism?

What things can you do to avoid showing unjust favoritism?

According to 2:5, what are the benefits of being poor? What do you think these things mean?

Compare this passage to Matthew 5:3. How are they similar?

Does this mean we should favor the poor and dishonor the rich? Why or why not?

According to 2:9, how does God feel about favoritism?

What does it mean to "show mercy?" Can you give specific examples of how you might show mercy to someone in the coming week?

What can you do today to show mercy instead of judgment?

Comments

Discussion Questions for Easter

Have several people ask the question, “What’s the most important thing you’ve ever done?” Ask other people, “What do you hope to accomplish in the next several years of your life?” Tell your class that today you’ll be talking about “life mission” or the one most important thing you do that drives everything else. Tell them that Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is the defining moment in history, so it should be the defining moment in our lives. Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. How does the resurrection impact some of the crucial beliefs of Christianity? How would Christianity be different if there was no resurrection? How would you be different without the resurrection? Read 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. What are some specific ways that the resurrection gives us hope? If you had been a friend of Jesus when he was on earth, how would the resurrection have impacted your life? How do you think his followers then were effected by the resurrection? Read 1 Corinthian...

FIGHT CLUB! (iron sharpening iron)

Our youth pastor, Keith Sandison, has implemented "Fight Clubs" with the young men of our church. While these teenagers and young adults aren't actually pummeling each other physically, they are using the opportunity to aggressively challenge one another to be more attentive to their spiritual formation. Right now my son is participating in a fight club focusing on Proverbs. I love it. Keith has created a handout he uses for the fight clubs which lists seven different methods of "generic Bible study". I think the idea started with this post a few years ago, but as he often does; Keith took my thoughts and made them immensely more substantive and beneficial. Check out his system below:

SOAPY Bible Study

In the past, I've written about and talked about the SOAP method of Bible study. This is a simple Bible study method which can be utilized by an individual or a small group. All you need is a passage of Scripture and 15-30 minutes (a journal is helpful). Many churches use this method of Bible study for their groups. Some have modified the SOAP method by adding a Y. Read more about it below: This Bible study is an intentional focused effort of growing in the understanding of the scriptures. This form of study will assist in the transformation of our inner lives as we mature in understanding and in faith. Set aside 15 minutes every day for the study. You might want to take more time after you have gotten started. Don’t overload yourself in the beginning. Keep a “soapy” journal because there will be the need to write everyday. As you develop your routine, share what you are learning with your Discipleship Group, Sunday school class, Circle, other groups in which y...

Creative Community

Search This Blog