James
()
About this ebook
James is jam-packed with wisdom for Christians who want to truly apply their faith to everyday life. James takes its readers through the whole letter, with a particular focus on this question: How might we apply the wisdom of Scripture to the way we behave in the modern marketplace? Twenty-four short studies, grouped into eight weeks or chapters, are perfectly suited to a workplace lunch-hour study group, a church group of workers interested in how to live out their faith from Monday to Friday, or as a personal pre-work devotion.
Read more from William Messenger
Proverbs Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPhilippians Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGenesis 1-11 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLuke Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Provision and Wealth Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to James
Related ebooks
Theology of Work Project: James Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTheology of Work Bible Commentary, Volume 4: Matthew through Acts Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5RECEIVE: THE WAY OF JESUS FOR MEN Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCalvin's Institutes: Abridged Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible: Ecclesiastes & Song of Solomon Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStraining at the Oars: Case Studies in Pastoral Leadership Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Discipleship Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Kingdom Called Desire: Confronted by the Love of a Risen King Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5One Anothers: Biblical Commands on How Christians Are to Treat Fellow Christians Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Experience: Breaking through the Barriers That Block Spiritual Growth Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBoundary-Breaking Mission: The Gospel in a Diverse and Fragmented World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAre You Ready to Be Baptized?: Are You Ready (for Christian Teens) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDangers Men Face, 25th Anniversary Edition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Sermons of John Wesley: A Collection for the Christian Journey Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Mystery of James Revealed in Droplets of Grace Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNavigating the Narrow Way Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFinding Your Way in Seminary: What to Expect, How to Thrive Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsExalting Jesus in 2 Corinthians Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJames through the Eyes of Paul Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Apostle Paul Guides the Early Church Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings“Follow Me”: The Way of Jesus according to the Gospel of Mark Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSend Me, I’ll Go Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBlessed New Humanity in Christ: A Theology of Hope for African Christianity from the Book of Ephesians Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsProverbs: Pathways to Wisdom Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChosen: a Study in the Doctrine of Election Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsProverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs for Everyone Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNehemiah: Through The Bible Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTheology and Ethics in Paul Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I'm Called to Preach Now What!: A User Guide to Effective Preaching Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTurning Points in American Church History: How Pivotal Events Shaped a Nation and a Faith Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Christianity For You
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mere Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex: Creating a Marriage That's Both Holy and Hot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Enoch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Your Brain's Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table: It's Time to Win the Battle of Your Mind... Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Reflections on the Psalms Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Screwtape Letters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Wild at Heart Expanded Edition: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Winning the War in Your Mind Workbook: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Workbook: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Law of Connection: Lesson 10 from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I'll Start Again Monday: Break the Cycle of Unhealthy Eating Habits with Lasting Spiritual Satisfaction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Lead When You're Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for James
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
James - William Messenger
Theology of Work, The Bible and Your Work Study Series: James (eBook edition)
© 2014 by Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC
P.O. Box 3473
Peabody, Massachusetts 01961-3473
ebook ISBN 978-1-61970-653-8
Adapted from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary, copyright © 2014 by the Theology of Work Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ The NIV
and New International Version
are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.
William Messenger, Executive Editor, Theology of Work Project
Sean McDonough, Biblical Editor, Theology of Work Project
Patricia Anders, Editorial Director, Hendrickson Publishers
Contributors:
Alison Gerber, James
Bible Study
Kelly Liebengood and Al Erisman, The General Epistles and Work
in the Theology of Work Bible Commentary
The Theology of Work Project is an independent, international organization dedicated to researching, writing, and distributing materials with a biblical perspective on work. The Project’s primary mission is to produce resources covering every book of the Bible plus major topics in today’s workplaces. Wherever possible, the Project collaborates with other faith-and-work organizations, churches, universities, and seminaries to help equip people for meaningful, productive work of every kind.
Due to technical issues, this eBook may not contain all of the images or diagrams in the original print edition of the work. In addition, adapting the print edition to the eBook format may require some other layout and feature changes to be made.
First eBook edition — October 2014
Contents
Copyright
The Theology of Work
Chapter 1: Trust
Lesson #1: A Place to Start (1:1–8)
Lesson #2: It’s Not about You (1:9–12)
Lesson #3: The Goodness of God (1:13–18)
Chapter 2: What, Then, Shall We Do?
Lesson #1: Trust Leads to Obedience (1:22–25)
Lesson #2: What, Then, Shall We Do? (1:26–27)
Lesson #3: Finding Widows at Work (reread 1:26–27)
Chapter 3: Favoring the Wealthy, Ignoring the Rich
Lesson #1: What Does It Mean to Play Favorites? (2:1–4)
Lesson #2: Two Arguments against Favoritism (2:5–8)
Lesson #3: Favoritism Isn’t Love (2:8–13)
Chapter 4: Faith and Work(s)
Lesson #1: What Are Works? (2:14–17)
Lesson #2: Can Our Work Save Us? (2:14–26)
Lesson #3: Separating Faith and Work? (2:18–26)
Chapter 5: Speaking and Listening
Lesson #1: Learning to Listen Well (1:19–21)
Lesson #2: The Impossible Quest for Holy Speech (3:1–8)
Lesson #3: Rejecting Two-Faced Behavior (3:9–12)
Chapter 6: Me vs. You
Lesson #1: Wisdom
vs. Peace (3:13–18)
Lesson #2: Ambition vs. Submission (4:1–10)
Lesson #3: Slander vs. Love (4:11–12)
Chapter 7: Two Warnings for the Wealthy
Lesson #1: We Don’t Control the Future (4:13–17)
Lesson #2: We Must Not Hoard Wealth (5:1–4)
Lesson #3: Watching Out for Self-Indulgence (5:5–6)
Chapter 8: A Few Final Words of Advice
Lesson #1: Have Patience (5:7–11)
Lesson #2: Speak Truth (5:12)
Lesson #3: Get Specific (5:13–18)
Conclusion: Watch for the Wanderer (5:19–20)
Wisdom for Using This Study in the Workplace
Leader’s Guide
The Theology of Work
Work is not only a human calling but also a divine one. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
God worked to create us and created us to work. The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it
(Gen. 2:15). God also created work to be good, even if it’s hard to see in a fallen world. To this day, God calls us to work to support ourselves and to serve others (Eph. 4:28).
Work can accomplish many of God’s purposes for our lives—the basic necessities of food and shelter, as well as a sense of fulfillment and joy. Our work can create ways to help people thrive. Our work can discover the depths of God’s creation. Our work can bring us into wonderful relationships with co-workers and those who benefit from our work (customers, clients, patients, and so forth).
Yet many people face drudgery, boredom, or exploitation at work. We have bad bosses, hostile relationships, and unfriendly work environments. Our work seems useless, unappreciated, faulty, frustrating. We don’t get paid enough. We get stuck in dead-end jobs or laid off or fired. We fail. Our skills become obsolete. It’s a struggle just to make ends meet. But how can this be if God created work to be good—and what can we do about it? God’s answers to these questions must be somewhere in the Bible, but where?
The Theology of Work Project’s mission has been to study what the Bible says about work and to develop resources to apply the Christian faith to our work. It turns out that every book of the Bible gives practical,