James (W1D1) Brother of the Lord
Week1. Monday: James, Brother of the Lord
PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word.
READ: James 1:1
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
UNDERSTAND: Let’s start with an overview of James’ Letter
Who is James?
Also known as James the Just, one of Jesus’ brothers.
James did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah at first. He became a believer after Jesus rose from the dead.
James was the leader of the church in Jerusalem until his death in A.D. 62.
Early church history tells us that James was stoned to death by the Pharisees for teaching that Jesus is the Messiah.
What is the theme?
The primary theme is living out our faith, being a doer and not just a hearer of the word (James 1:22). Applying God’s Word is James’ main point.
This letter reads like a group a wisdom sayings or teachings. This is why James is known as “The Proverbs of the New Testament.”
Key Topics:
Trials and Temptations (1:1-18) Submitting to God (4:1-12)
Listening and Doing (1:19-27) Boasting About Tomorrow (4:13-17)
Favoritism Forbidden (2:1-13) Warnings to Rich Oppressors (5:1-6)
Faith and Deeds (2:14-26) Patience in Suffering (5:7-12)
Taming the Tongue (3:1-12) The Prayer of Faith (5:13-20)
Two Kinds of Wisdom (3:13-18)
APPLY: What is this passage calling me to do?
Take some time today to read over the main sections of the book of James.
Think about which topics you most need to learn and apply.
PRAY: Ask God to prepare you as begin this study of the book of James.
