Introduction I've said before that the book of James is a very practical book, because it's about how we're to live as God's people and how we're to regard one another and how we're to treat one another. But as well as instructing us about what's the right way to live as God's people, and … Continue reading James 4(13–16) →

Introduction We've been studying this book for several weeks, although it's been about a month since we last looked at it together. And we've seen that it was probably written by the James who was the Lord's half-brother and who became a prominent leader in the early church. And he was writing to Christians who … Continue reading James 4(01–12) →

Introduction Verses 1 to 12 of James 3 were about the tongue and how we use it. And we looked at those verses a few weeks ago. And they fit in with everything else James has been writing, because the book of James is a very practical book. It's about how we should live and … Continue reading James 3(13–18) →

Introduction James has lots of surprising things to say to us. Right at the beginning of his letter, he said something very surprising. He said: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds. Normally we complain about our trials and troubles, but James tells us to regard them with joy. … Continue reading James 3(01–12) →

Introduction A few weeks ago, when we were studying the last part of James 1, I said that one of the things a minister worries about is whether or not all the people in the congregation are receiving the message he's preaching. James wrote: humbly accept [or humbly receive] the word planted in you, which … Continue reading James 2(14–26) →

Introduction We began to look at this passage last week when we concentrated on verse 1 and on what James tells us in this verse about the Lord Jesus and about his readers. Remember? He referred to the Lord Jesus as 'the glorious Lord Jesus Christ'. And we thought about how the name 'Jesus' means … Continue reading James 2(02–13) →

Introduction We've been seeing that the letter of James is a very practical letter. James is concerned with practical things such as how believers are to live their lives and how we're to treat one another and speak to one another. It's all about how God's people should live their lives. And so, in chapter … Continue reading James 2(01) →

Verse 19 One of my favourite TV programmes when I was growing up was Happy Days, starring Henry Winkler as Arthur Fonzarelli; better known as 'The Fonz' or just Fonzy. It was a sitcom set in the 50s and 60s in the USA. Most of the action took place either in the home of the … Continue reading James 1(19–27) →

Introduction I've mentioned before that one of the challenges when studying the book of James is to see how all the topics he mentions in chapter 1 fit together. We assume that there must be some order to what he's writing and it's not just a random list of subjects which he's tossed together without … Continue reading James 1(12–18) →

Introduction About 20 years ago or so, Bill Hybels became well known in evangelical church circles with his idea of the seeker-sensitive church. Hybels wanted us to create churches which were sensitive to newcomers who might come into the church, seeking after God. Often these people were unfamiliar with the church and Hybels believed that … Continue reading James 1(09–11) →