Return to flip book view

Message Faith thatWorksSTUDIES FROM THE BOOK OF JAMESINTRODUCTION AND WEEK 1

Introduction0 1Studying the Bible together in our Life Groups is a key tool in us growingspiritually. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that, “All Scripture is God-breathedand is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, sothat the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” As weread through the book of James together, our prayer is that we will allow God’sWord to challenge and shape our lives to grow us to become more like Him. The book of James is one of the earlier New Testament writings, thought to bewritten by James, the brother of Jesus, between AD 55 and 60. James practicedwhat he preached, persevering in persecution before being beheaded in AD 62.He was a Palestinian Jew, well versed in the Law and the Prophets and hiswritings here heavily reflect the influences of Jewish Wisdom Literature as well asJesus’ own teaching. Not written to address the specific issues facing a particularchurch congregation, it is known as one of the general epistles with a wealth ofexhortation for individuals, churches and the Church worldwide. There are numerous themes touched on through the book: A key theme has ledus to entitle this series ‘Faith that Works.’ This conveys the understanding that thefaith that we carry in our minds and hearts, if genuine, should transform ourresponses, our words, our actions and interactions – indeed every part of our liveswill be impacted by a faith that works. As His Word impacts us in the coming weeks, may our lives be changed and mayHis Kingdom come in us and through us.

Week 1 0 2Overview of James Chapter 1In this chapter there are several themes that are referenced, to name a few:Persevering under trials, Temptation, Obedience, Wisdom, Double mindedness,anger, listening, hearing and doing the WordTrials and adversity are the challenges life throws at us, but it is our attitude andresponse that makes all the difference. Our natural reaction is to grumble orcomplain however we have a divine resource to draw on to sustain us throughthem and a deep joy that comes from the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3). Jamessays “consider it pure joy” therefore we may need to address our currentresponse and see our trials from a different perspective. Do we see that God canuse our situations for good (Romans 8:28) or that it’s in the furnace we can berefined and brought to maturity? The apostle Peter also references suffering in 1 Peter 4:12-14 stating that weshould not be surprised by “fiery ordeals” as Christians but rejoice as weparticipate in sufferings for the sake of Christ. The apostles suffered severepersecution for the Name of Jesus and in many places in the world todayfollowers of Jesus still endure great trial and persecution because they followChrist. If we are currently facing trials let’s not forget that we are surrounded by agreat cloud of witnesses who have gone before us. Listening: Also, how often do we do this one…while someone else is talkingwe’re thinking about what we’re going to say next instead of considering what isbeing said to us. God wants us to slow down and listen (James 1:19). Proverbs12:15 says “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens toadvice” – if we take time to listen we can benefit from what others have to say. Hearing and doing: Further on in this chapter James focuses on the central themein this series (“Faith that Works”) by challenging us to not merely listen to theWord but “Do what it says” (James 1:22). We then read that well known exampleof someone who listens to the word but does not do what it says…”is likesomeone who looks at his face in the mirror and after looking at himself goesaway and immediately forgets what he looks like”. Considering the various themesraised in this passage, it would be good to take time to discuss the importance ofobeying the Word in these areas.

0 3Obedience to God’s Word is key to our discipleship but there are anumber of things that can hold us back, such as temptation and doublemindedness, mentioned here in this chapter. Leaders note – The subject of taming the tongue (James 1:26-27) willbe covered in more depth in week 3. Preparation before meetingCommunicate to your group beforehand that you will be studyingChapter 1 of James. We will send you a link to a sermon based onJames Chapter 1 that you can send out to your group.

A I M S P H E R EThe ProductAimsphere is a music game startup that brings the fun of karaokesinging to homes.The LeadershipYuqin Feng, Haoran Cheng, and Matt Zhangyee founded thecompany after working together at Stipple Unlimited. They serve asCEO, CFO, and COO, respectively.The Overall IndustryThe singing game industry consists of offline karaoke machines andmobile apps. However, Aimsphere allows people of all ages to enjoysinging in the privacy of their homes.The CompetitorsCompetitors include KNJ Label's mobile singing app and The SoundAcademy's chain of karaoke bars. Aimsphere differentiates itself byfocusing on casual gamers who prefer to sing with friends andfamily.The Financial StatusAimsphere needs to raise $10 million to begin its operations. Thecompany has met 70% of its target thus far. Financial resources willbe focused on developing the game's online features.Future PlansBy 2026, the company intends to release Aimsphere. By 2030, itexpects to reach 20 million people worldwide across multipleplatforms.Introduction0 1Tip: Design with the /Magic shortcut - the quickest way to makeyour work stand out! How: While on the page, simply press the "/" key and scroll forwhatever you need on the dropdown menu — text boxes, lines,shapes, tables, stickers, videos, and many more!

A I M S P H E R EThe ProductAimsphere is a music game startup that brings the fun of karaokesinging to homes.The LeadershipYuqin Feng, Haoran Cheng, and Matt Zhangyee founded thecompany after working together at Stipple Unlimited. They serve asCEO, CFO, and COO, respectively.The Overall IndustryThe singing game industry consists of offline karaoke machines andmobile apps. However, Aimsphere allows people of all ages to enjoysinging in the privacy of their homes.The CompetitorsCompetitors include KNJ Label's mobile singing app and The SoundAcademy's chain of karaoke bars. Aimsphere differentiates itself byfocusing on casual gamers who prefer to sing with friends andfamily.The Financial StatusAimsphere needs to raise $10 million to begin its operations. Thecompany has met 70% of its target thus far. Financial resources willbe focused on developing the game's online features.Future PlansBy 2026, the company intends to release Aimsphere. By 2030, itexpects to reach 20 million people worldwide across multipleplatforms.Introduction0 1Tip: Design with the /Magic shortcut - the quickest way to makeyour work stand out! How: While on the page, simply press the "/" key and scroll forwhatever you need on the dropdown menu — text boxes, lines,shapes, tables, stickers, videos, and many more!