WEEK 1 THE FIVE MARKS OF MATURITY...03 James highlights five marks of maturity in his letter.

FIRST BAPTIST RAYTOWN TEACHING PLAN SEPTEMBER 8 - SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

FIRST BAPTIST RAYTOWN CONTENTS WEEK 1 THE FIVE MARKS OF MATURITY...03 James highlights five marks of maturity in his letter. WEEK 2 THE TEST OF YOUR LIFE...16 Opposition to God s mission will come. We must be prepared and ready. WEEK 3 WHERE DID I GO WRONG?...27 Only God has the power to help us overcome temptations and live in His light and goodness. WEEK 4 HOW TO BE BLESSED BY THE BIBLE...36 Being shaped by the righteousness of Christ means we are different on the outside as well as on the inside.

FIRST BAPTIST RAYTOWN JAMES SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 TEACHING PLAN PREPARATION > Spend the week reading through and studying the background of the Book of James. Consult the commentary provided and any additional study tools (such as a concordance or Bible dictionary) to enhance your preparation. > Determine which discussion points and questions will work best with your group. > Pray for Pastor Brandon, the upcoming group meeting, your teaching, your group members, and their receptivity to the lesson. HIGHLIGHTS BIBLICAL EMPHASIS: As a general epistle, James was addressed to a broad audience (Jewish Christians) rather than a specific audience (e.g., Christians in Rome only). There is an obvious concern to address internal and external difficulties being faced by Jewish Christian congregations. Externally they were facing trials (James 1:2), particularly oppression of various sorts exerted by wealthy landowners. It does not appear that the oppression was religious in nature. Internally it appears that dissension was caused by a lack of self-control (James 1:13-17), uncontrolled speech, and false teachings that led to a misunderstanding of true religion (James 1:19-27; 2:1-4; 3:1-8), favoritism toward the wealthy (James 2:1-13), and selfish ambition that led to murder and criticism (James 4:1-12). "The Book of James is a manual on maturity. It gives us the essentials that we need to know for life." PASTOR BRANDON PARK TEACHING AIM: As believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to grow in our maturity. James highlights five marks of maturity. A mature person (1) is positive under pressure, (2) is sensitive to people, (3) has mastered his mouth, (4) is a peacemaker, not a troublemaker, and (5) is patient and prayerful. 3 The Five Marks of Maturity First Baptist Raytown

TEACHING PLAN SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 INTRODUCTION As your group time begins, use this section to help get the conversation going. 1 What do you think the world would say are marks of maturity? 2 How does worldly maturity differ from spiritual maturity? 3 What do you think are the marks of a spiritually mature person? Psychology Today released a list of marks of maturity. The article included the following marks: keeping long term commitments, humility, unshaken by flattery or criticism, expresses gratitude, knows how to prioritize, and seeks wisdom before acting. While these are good characteristics to have, spiritual maturity looks different. As we read through the Book of James in this series, we will see that a person has the marks of maturity when he or she (1) is positive under pressure, (2) is sensitive to people, (3) has mastered his mouth, (4) is a peacemaker, not a troublemaker, and (5) is patient and prayerful. UNDERSTANDING Unpack the biblical text to discover what Scripture says or means about a particular topic. 1. A mature person is positive under pressure. > Have a volunteer read James 1:2-4. When problems in your life come up do they blow you away? Do you get nervous or anxious? Do you grumble and complain? 4 The Five Marks of Maturity First Baptist Raytown

TEACHING PLAN SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 How do you handle problems? Would you say you are positive or negative when problems arise? How did James describe the way a blessed person handles trials? The way that we respond to troubles and trials reveals the depth of our relationship with God. When a person matures in Christ, they are able to persevere through trials because they know that God is good. Grumbling and complaining, anger and negativity are shortsighted because when we do these things we fail to trust in God. A spiritually mature person handles trials with perseverance. 2. A mature person is sensitive to people. > Have a volunteer read James 2:1-6. How did James describe the way a believer should treat other people? Does the way you treat people fall in line with what James taught? What does it look like today to not show favoritism to rich people or poor people? How can you be sensitive and care for poor people? Favoritism shows an interest in personal gain, not in service. James wanted his audience to serve and love one another, not judge them 5 The Five Marks of Maturity First Baptist Raytown

TEACHING PLAN SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 based on the external. Mature believers seek to serve before they judge and value the soul of a person more than external things such as wealth and status. 3. A mature person has mastered his mouth. > Have a volunteer read James 3:1-11. How would you define gossip? What images did James use to describe the tongue? How is the tongue like a rudder on a ship? How is it like a spark? How is the tongue like a spring? How have you experienced the tongue in these ways? What does it look like practically for your tongue to be a rudder or a spring? When was a time in your life when your tongue got you in trouble? Why do our words get us into so much trouble? James said that the tongue is so difficult to control that if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a mature man. The Greek word translated mature can mean perfection or being without error or flaw. The word also can mean complete in the sense of maturity. That s how James used the word here. Believers can never be perfect as Jesus is perfect, including perfection in speech. However, they have a spiritual heart that expresses itself in honorable speaking and teaching. In other words, believers who are grown up spiritually control their tongues with God s help. James went on to say that the Christian who controls his or her tongue is also able to control his whole body. The word body here likely refers to a person s whole being. The point is that if we control our tongues then controlling all else follows. 6 The Five Marks of Maturity First Baptist Raytown

TEACHING PLAN SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 4. A mature person is a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. > Have a volunteer read James 4:1-10. Do you like to argue? Why do people like to argue? What areas of life do you experience the most conflict? What in us causes conflict? Why is trouble-making the opposite of spiritual maturity? How does James describe a peacemaker in verses 6-10? James pointed out another way, a successful way, to have one s desires fulfilled. That is the way of prayer. He said, You do not have because you do not ask. Many worldly-minded people don t think of looking to the Lord for help of any kind. They are too self-sufficient for that. They think they can take care of themselves by their own diligence, power, and wisdom. And when they do ask God for His help, James went on to say, the worldly-minded don t receive from God. The reason? They ask wrongly, meaning they ask for their own desires for pleasure, for the thrill of the moment, trying to gratify their lusts. The people James was scolding thought they could get their own way by their own power. But if they failed and asked God for His help, they failed again. God is not interested in answering the prayers of those who take His gifts and squander them on their own pleasure rather than for His glory and thanksgiving. What does it look like for you to be a peacemaker in your daily life? 7 The Five Marks of Maturity First Baptist Raytown

TEACHING PLAN SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 5. A mature person is patient and prayerful. > Have a volunteer read James 5:7-11 and 13-15. Why did James think that patience was important? What does patience communicate? Why did James point to the prophets and to Job as an example of patience? How can we learn from their example? Why might James have concluded his letter focusing on prayer? What does prayer have the power to do? How long can you wait for an answer to prayer without giving up? James emphasized patience and prayer because a spiritually mature person looks to God to accomplish things. Impatience and an absence of prayer are symptoms of self-reliance; instead, we should rely on God through patience and prayer. APPLICATION Help your group identify how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to their lives. As a community of believers, the people of First Baptist Raytown can encourage each other to live out the teaching God has given us. Take a closer look at how we can grow in spiritual maturity. 1 Which marks of spiritual maturity do you need to work on the most? 8 The Five Marks of Maturity First Baptist Raytown

TEACHING PLAN SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 2 How have you seen these marks of spiritual maturity in others at First Baptist Raytown? 3 How would you explain the process of growing in spiritual maturity to a new believer? P R A Y Close in prayer by asking God to bring about maturity in the lives of the people of First Baptist Raytown. Pray that through this study of James everyone would grow more into the likeness of Christ. Pray for Pastor Brandon as this new series begins that he would communicate the truth of James to the people. 9 The Five Marks of Maturity First Baptist Raytown

TEACHING PLAN SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 FOLLOW UP Midway through this week, send a follow-up email to your group with some or all of the following information: > Questions to consider as they continue to reflect on what they learned this week: How have you worked on one of the marks of spiritual maturity this week? Who is someone you can encourage in their journey of spiritual maturity? > A note of encouragement, following up on any specific prayer requests mentioned during your group gathering. > The challenge to memorize James 5:8. > The text for next week s study, so group members can read it in anticipation of next weekend: James 1:2-11. 10 The Five Marks of Maturity First Baptist Raytown

COMMENTARY SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 THE BOOK OF JAMES Message and Purpose. As a general epistle, James was addressed to a broad audience (Jewish Christians) rather than a specific audience (e.g., Christians at Ephesus only). There is an obvious concern to address internal and external difficulties being faced by Jewish Christian congregations. Externally they were facing trials (James 1:2), particularly oppression of various sorts exerted by wealthy landowners. It does not appear that the oppression was religious in nature. Internally it appears that dissension was caused by a lack of self-control (James 1:13-17), uncontrolled speech, and false teachings that led to a misunderstanding of true religion (James 1:19-27; 2:1-4; 3:1-8), favoritism toward the wealthy (James 2:1-13), and selfish ambition that led to murder and criticism (James 4:1-12). Notes: James addressed these issues primarily through the application of principles defined by the OT wisdom tradition. The solutions he named reflected the wisdom from above that comes from the Father of lights (James 1:17) who gives wisdom generously to those who ask for it. Wisdom is required for proper speech in worship and in determining who ought to teach (James 1:19-27; 3:1-8). Wisdom is also needed to avoid internal conflicts that create dissension within congregations (James 3:13-18; 4:1-12). The theme of faith in action is also important (James 1:19-27; 2:14-26); James demonstrated that faith that does not express itself in good works is useless. Another theme of the epistle is ethics, especially social justice (James 2:1-13; 4:1-12; 5:1-12). 1:2. The phrase whenever you experience various trials assumes that trials are a normal part of the Christian life. In fact, trials are a given for a faithful disciple (2 Timothy 3:12). The Jewish wisdom tradition held that the experience of trials was proof of a person s faithfulness. Joy suggests an eschatological (end times) hope of deliverance from trials. The joy with which a believer endures trials in the present is a sign of their hope for future relief. 1:3. Knowing (or because you know ) modifies consider in verse 2. Knowledge that the testing of your faith produces 11 The Five Marks of Maturity First Baptist Raytown

COMMENTARY SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 endurance is the basis for joy. Endurance is the ability to persevere through increasing levels of testing or suffering. 1:4. Endurance indicates that further work must be done for the purpose of making the believer mature and complete, lacking nothing. Immaturity and incompletion are not acceptable longterm states for the Christian disciple. Notes: 2:1. The phrase show favoritism is addressed four times in the NT (see Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25), each time indicating that God does not show favoritism. When we sin by showing favoritism we imply that God did not make all men and women equal. Thus anyone who shows favoritism is guilty of having evil thoughts (James 2:4). 2:2-3. James portrayed favoritism by illustrating contrasting attitudes toward a wealthy man and a poor man who enter the meeting (Greek sunagogeyn ). The attendance of a wealthy man promises financial advantage since his tithes and offerings may be large, thus the people in the assembly look with favor on him. Look with favor is related in meaning to showing favoritism in verse 1. 2:4. James condemned favoritism with a rhetorical question (haven t you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?), to which his audience could only answer, Yes. The word discriminated suggests that pandering had created divisions within the fellowship of the synagogue. Probably neither the wealthy man nor the poor man was a member of the synagogue. 2:5. God s choice of the poor here is not favoritism because the choice was not based on bias. Discrimination occurs when one ignores the fact that the law of freedom (1:25) applies to all people, obligating us to treat everyone equally. 3:1. Many people desire to be teachers because this is an important role in the church. Yet the proliferation of untrained teachers can allow false teachings to arise within congregations, leading some astray. Teachers receive a stricter judgment and should not be appointed carelessly. 12 The Five Marks of Maturity First Baptist Raytown

COMMENTARY SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 3:2. The most difficult thing for a teacher to control is the tongue. Body (Greek soma ) carries a dual meaning here. It refers to the physical body and the role the tongue plays in it, but it also refers to the body of believers in the synagogue and the influence that teachers have in it. Notes: 3:3-6. Like horse bits and ship rudders, the size of the tongue is disproportionate to the influence it holds. False teaching (expressed by the tongue ) is a world of unrighteousness. It pollutes the whole body (an individual or a congregation) and determines the destiny of all who follow it. 3:9-11. James pointed out the contradictory nature of the tongue. Out of the same mouth comes blessing of God and cursing of fellow humans who are made in God s likeness, a violation of the royal law (2:8). 4:1. While pride and selfishness are natural to fallen humanity and often serve as a basis for advancement in worldly rank, James names them as the source of wars and fights within the congregation. Wars and fights indicates physical conflict among members and/or factions within the congregation. The source of conflict was the cravings... at war within you. Cravings refers to the pleasures of life, the pursuit of which leads to conflicts. 4:2-3. Two statements distinguished by paired opposites (desire... do not have and murder and covet... cannot obtain) and two direct assertions (fight and war and do not have because you do not ask) describe the problem to which the circumstances had led. People were actually killing one another to appease their misplaced desires! Their desires were unappeased because they were asking with wrong motives. The source of conflict was selfish desire and envy run amok (3:13-18). 4:4-5. Adulteresses refers to the congregation s unfaithfulness to God. Self-centeredness is cast as diametric opposition (hostility) to God. The phrase the Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously plays off the cravings... at war within you in verse 1, demonstrating the difference in attitude between a Spirit-filled life and one enslaved by selfish cravings. 13 The Five Marks of Maturity First Baptist Raytown

COMMENTARY SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 4:6. The phrase but He gives greater grace introduces the main point God s grace is able to overcome unfaithfulness. The exhortation to repent is backed by a stark reality expressed in Pr 3:34 and quoted here by James: God resists the proud. Resist is a military term used to describe an army arrayed for battle. To remain in sinful pride is to invite God s battle array against you. In contrast to this, God gives grace to the humble (1:17). Notes: 4:7-9. James issued ten commands needed to resolve the conflict within the congregation. The theme is repentance and forgiveness. The use of imperatives followed by and suggests that the result of each command is conditioned by the response to it, which yields the idea, if you do X, then Y results. Submit to God carries the idea of self-humbling; resist the Devil suggests an active resistance against temptation. Sinners and double-minded people are parallel ideas that characterize both the teachers and the congregation. Double-minded recalls the doubter of 1:8. 4:10. The words humble yourselves... and He will exalt you summarize the path to having forgiveness from God as well as reconciliation among members of the congregation. 5:7-8. In light of the certainty of God s coming judgment on their oppressors, James encouraged his audience to be patient and to await the Lord s coming. The phrase strengthen your hearts is an expansion on be patient, signifying firm resolve in light of the coming of the Lord and in spite of trying circumstances. 5:9. To complain about one another constitutes being judgmental, already prohibited in 4:11-12. The immediacy of the Lord s return brings judgment to the person who judges, just as it does for the oppressors. 5:13-14. James used a series of questions followed by commands as an effective way of exhorting the congregation to prayer and worship. Suffering in verse 13 is not a reference to physical illness; it is instead a spiritual burden caused by misfortune or poor choices. Elders, who functioned in various capacities in the early church, should anoint any sick person with olive oil and pray over him. Olive oil was considered a cure-all ointment in 14 The Five Marks of Maturity First Baptist Raytown

COMMENTARY SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 the ancient world, but for James the real healing power is in prayer. 5:15. The prayer of faith echoes 1:5-8. Save refers to physical healing (as in Mark 5:23,28,34; 10:52; John 11:12). The Lord will restore him to health does not indicate that death is at hand (v. 14), but that once healed by the power of God the sick person could get up and walk (Matthew 9:5-7; Mark 1:31; 2:9-12; 9:27; Acts 3:7). He will be forgiven indicates that perhaps the illness was connected with sin, and the prayers of the elders could bring spiritual healing as well. 15 The Five Marks of Maturity First Baptist Raytown