Author Archives: Michael W.

Some Preliminary Notes

“an abbreviated time together”

Download discussion questions:  James 1:9-12
Jump to beginning of James Discussion Group Blog

I encourage you to look at the passage in James before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

Because of travel and illness, our group started off this week with about half our members.  Then during our discussion, a couple of people were called away and had to leave.  But even our abbreviated time together produced valuable insights and intriguing questions.  These brief draft notes can provide a starting point for next week’s study.  The notes are mostly observations and some related interpretation questions. (As I began assembling the notes, I realized this might give you a better idea of the early part of most of our discussions, the exploratory process that may not always make it into blog posts.) Continue reading

Doubts About Doubt

“another command that has often been misinterpreted in the history of the church”

Download discussion questions:  James 1:5-8
Jump to beginning of James Discussion Group Blog

I encourage you to look at the passage in James before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

James opened his letter linking joy and trials.  Our discussion last week verified his assumption that wisdom should be his next topic.  As group members commented, “I kind of understand, but it’s still difficult” and “It sounds dumb and makes no sense.”  Someone observed that the mention of joy should give us peace, but the immediate connection with trials shocks us back to reality.  Perhaps James anticipated such reactions. Continue reading

Joy in Trials?

we need to train ourselves to respond with joy to our circumstances

Download discussion questions:  James 1:1-4 Further Discussion
Jump to beginning of James Discussion Group Blog

I encourage you to look at the passage in James before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

An Important “Introduction”

Our discussion this week was a continuation from our previous time together.  Some of the “Unresolved Questions” needed more examination. We wanted to gain a better understanding of the beginning of the letter of James.  As one member of our group observed, the opening verses are often treated as “just an introduction.”  It is too easy to give superficial agreement to “Consider it all joy…” and then move quickly to the rest of this letter.  Nothing James wrote is about “superficial agreement.” Continue reading

Lacking in Nothing

Joy is not a passing sensation of pleasure, but a pervasive sense of well-being.”

Download discussion questions:  James 1:1-8
Jump to beginning of James Discussion Group Blog

I encourage you to look at the passage in James before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

The handout included the first eight verses of the letter of James, but our group discussion focused on just the first four.  Verse 5 implies that there might be an immediate need for wisdom. We concentrated on those four verses to see just where we “lack wisdom” before moving on. Continue reading

Equipped by God Through Christ

“…the pastor’s practical purpose.”

Download discussion questions:  Hebrews 13:20-25
Jump to beginning of Hebrews Discussion Group Blog

I encourage you to look at the passage in Hebrews before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

Beginning with a Benediction

The passage conveniently breaks down into two brief paragraphs, v. 20-21 and v. 22-25.  The first part appeared to us as a prayer or benediction to the sermon, even concluding with “amen” at the end of verse 21.  We saw the second paragraph as more of a personal closing. Continue reading

Strengthened by Grace

“Christianity is no longer an option; it’s a problem.”

Download discussion questions:  Hebrews  13:7-19
Jump to beginning of Hebrews Discussion Group Blog

I encourage you to look at the passage in Hebrews before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

The handout for this passage took on a different form.  You might notice that there are no verse numbers or paragraph breaks.  The intent is to look at the text itself to understand how the writer may have organized his thoughts. Continue reading

Theology and Persecution

In His will is our peace.”

Download discussion questions:  Hebrews 13:1-6
Jump to beginning of Hebrews Discussion Group Blog

I encourage you to look at the passage in Hebrews before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

A Change in Tone

Imagine you are in the original audience, hearing this written sermon read aloud for the first time.  Would the sudden transition have been a bit jarring?

Our God is a consuming fire
Let love of the brethren continue.
Hebrews 12:29 – 13:1

Remember that the chapter divisions were not added until centuries later.  So the flow of the sermon should somehow make sense.  How does the beginning of chapter 13 follow what has been said before? Continue reading

Things Which Cannot Be Shaken

closest proximity and infinite distance

Download discussion questions:  Hebrews 12:25-29
Jump to beginning of Hebrews Discussion Group Blog

I encourage you to look at the passage in Hebrews before you read this Blog entry.  What do you see in the text yourself?  What questions come to your mind?  How would you interpret what the writer says?  After even a few minutes examining and thinking about the text you will be much better prepared to evaluate the comments in the Blog.

As with last week’s discussion, we began by asking questions about the passage.  The focus once again was on getting a list of questions without trying to answer any immediately.  Sometimes a later question can be considered that will shed helpful light on an earlier question.  That can be true in a group discussion or in your individual study.  Asking questions is the heart of effective inductive Bible study. Continue reading