James - Lesson 5 Workbook
Must Be The Money
Verses to Remember
"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you." James 5:1 NIV
James 5:1-11
1. In this letter that we’ve been studying for five weeks now, who is James talking to?
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2. Who does he single out in this passage?
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3. What is his tone toward them?
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It’s easy to read this passage and, along with James, point the finger at the rich. But what if he’s talking to us? What if we are the rich?
4. Do you consider yourself rich? Why or why not?
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Here are some quick facts about teenagers in America:
• In 2006, teenagers spent an estimated $159 billion
• The average teen spent an estimated $104 per week
• The purchasing power of Americans is almost 2x’s that of any other country
You may not think you are rich, but you are. Consider this:
• Half the world, 3 billion people, live on $2 a day or less
• An estimated 30,000 children die every day because they are poor
• The richest 20% of people in the world (that includes us) consume 86% of the world’s goods
You may not think you are rich, but you are. Let me say this plainly, James is talking to YOU.
The good news is, the Bible doesn’t leave us hanging. It tells us what we should do with our riches.
Matthew 6:24 - Put Money In Perspective
1. What do you think the fascination is with money?
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2. Why does it matter so much to us?
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3.What does this verse say about our allegiance to wealth?
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Luke 3:11-14 - Don’t Abuse Money
1. What abuse of money is John the Baptist talking about?
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2. In what ways could someone like you abuse the money the same way?
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Luke 9:1-3 - Don’t Depend on Money
1. Why do you think Jesus sent out his followers with no money?
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2. Why is it easy to grow accustomed to depending on money?
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Acts 4:32-37 - Share
1. Do you find it hard to share? How often do you do it?
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2. How can sharing possessions and money be a good thing for a group of people?
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True Riches
The second half of this Scripture talks directly to poor people. Look over James 5:7-11 again. Sum it up in your own words.
It’s kind of funny to hear it in between a tongue-lashing like he gives the rich and an encouragement to poor people to persevere, but James says in v. 7 that “the Lord is coming.”
Discussion Questions:
1. Why would that have been important for both of these groups of people to hear?
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2. How serious do you take that remark? How often do you think, “Wow, the Lord is coming.”
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If we really believed that He was, I believe we would live differently. I believe the rich would be more likely to share and the poor would become more likely to persevere under trials. I believe we’d have totally different priorities, because money would stop mattering so much.
Homework:
• Memorize James 5:1
• This week, take time to meditate on the Lord's return. Would you joyfully greet Him or would you be ashamed?