James & Jude Bible Study E-Book

Peter DeHaan

• Herausgeber: Rock Rooster Books
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: 40-Day Bible Study Series
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 117

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

What do you know about the book of James? When have you last read the book of Jude?

In James and Jude Bible Study delve into the often-overlooked wisdom of Jesus's brothers. Once skeptics but turned servants of Jesus, James and Jude offer profound insights into faith, perseverance, and serving the Lord.

In this 40-day Bible study, readers will explore the letters of James and Jude, gaining practical wisdom for everyday life. From the importance of wisdom and perseverance to the power of prayer and serving those in need, this study provides a deep dive into the teachings of these two significant followers of Jesus.

Join Peter DeHaan on a transformative journey as he challenges readers to reconsider how they practice their faith and approach their relationship with Jesus. With engaging insights and thoughtful reflections, this book is perfect for individuals seeking to deepen their faith or for small groups and classes looking to grow together in their spiritual journey.

If you're ready to embrace the wisdom of James and Jude to consider how you, too, can serve Jesus as a faithful follower, this book is for you.

Get ready to be inspired, challenged, and transformed by the timeless words of these two important figures in early Christianity.

Get your copy of James and Jude Bible Study today.

Leseprobe

JAMES & JUDE BIBLE STUDY

DISCOVER 40 PRACTICAL INSIGHTS FROM JESUS’S BROTHERS

40-DAY BIBLE STUDY SERIES

BOOK 11

PETER DEHAAN

James & JudeBibleStudy: Discover 40 PracticalInsights from Jesus’sBrothers

Copyright © 2024 by PeterDeHaan.

40-DayBibleStudySeries, Book 11

All rights reserved: No part of this book may be reproduced, disseminated, or transmitted in any form, by any means, or for any purpose, without the express written consent of the author or his legal representatives. The only exceptions are brief excerpts, and the cover image, for reviews or academic research. For permissions: peterdehaan.com/contact.

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures taken from the HolyBible, NewInternationalVersion®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “NewInternationalVersion” are trademarks registered in the UnitedStatesPatent and TrademarkOffice by Biblica, Inc.™

Library of CongressControlNumber: 2024915461

Published by RockRoosterBooks, GrandRapids, Michigan

ISBN:

979-8-88809-093-0 (e-book)979-8-88809-094-7 (paperback)979-8-88809-095-4 (hardcover)979-8-88809-096-1 (audiobook)

Credits:

Developmental editor: JulieHarbisonCopy editor: RobynMulderCover design: FanderclaiDesignAuthor photo: ChelsieJensenPhotography

ToJim and AngieByrne

Series by PeterDeHaan

40-DayBibleStudySeriestakes a fresh and practical look into Scripture, book by book.

BibleCharacterSketchesSeriescelebrates people in Scripture, from the well-known to the obscure.

HolidayCelebrationDevotionalSeriesrejoices in the holidays with Jesus.

VisitingChurchesSeries takes an in-person look at church practices and traditions to inform and inspire today’s followers of Jesus.

Be the first to hear about Peter’s new books and receive updates at PeterDeHaan.com/updates.

CONTENTS

James and Jude

The Letter Of James

Day 1: Pure Joy

Day 2: Ask God for Wisdom

Day 3: High and Low

Day 4: Persevere Under Trial

Day 5: The Source of Temptation

Bonus Content: God Does Not Change

Day 6: Be Quick to Listen

Day 7: Listen and Obey

Day 8: Pure and Faultless Religion

Day 9: Be Impartial

Day 10: Inherit the Kingdom

Day 11: Keep the Royal Law

Day 12: The Law Reveals Our Guilt

Day 13: Judgment versus Mercy

Day 14: Actionless Faith

Bonus Content: Even the Demons Believe

Day 15: Faith without Deeds Is Useless

Day 16: A Higher Standard

Day 17: Watch Your Words

Day 18: Tame the Tongue

Bonus Content: Double-Minded

Day 19: Live a Good Life

Day 20: Wisdom from Above

Day 21: Fights and Quarrels

Day 22: Spiritual Adultery

Bonus Content: James in the Old Testament

Day 23: Submit to God

Day 24: Watch What We Say

Day 25: If It’s the Lord’s Will

Day 26: Weep and Wail

Day 27: Be Patient

Bonus Content: Do Not Swear

Day 28: Pray

Day 29: Elijah’s Example

Day 30: Bring Them Back

The Letter Of Jude

Day 31: Contend for the Faith

Day 32: Grace and Judgment

Day 33: Slander

Day 34: Woe to Them

Day 35: Blemishes

Day 36: Judge and Convict the Ungodly

Bonus Content: Ungodly

Day 37: Scoffers

Day 38: Pray in the Spirit

Day 39: Help Those in Need

Day 40: Praise Him

Books in the 40-Day Bible Study Series

For Small Groups, Sunday School, and Classes

If You’re New to the Bible

About Peter DeHaan

Books by Peter DeHaan

JAMES AND JUDE

We view James and Jude as the authors of the books that bear their names. But who is James? Who is Jude? Let’s look at what Scripture tells us.

James

There are several men named James in the NewTestament (but none in the Old). The one we might best know is James, the brother of John and a disciple of Jesus. YetKingHerod arrests and executes James early in the book of Acts (Acts 12:1–2). That means this James would not have been alive to write this letter.

Two other men named James are the son of Alphaeus and the father of Judas (Acts 1:13). As secondary characters, it’s unlikely either wrote the letter of James.

One of Jesus’s brothers, however, is James (Matthew 13:55). He’s a fixture in the early church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13) and becomes its leader after Peter flees to avoid imprisonment (Acts 21:18). It’s this James, the brother of Jesus, who most likely writes the book that bears his name.

Yet he opens his letter with the humblest of greetings, saying he’s a servant of JesusChrist (James 1:1). It’s as if his biological connection with the Savior of the world doesn’t matter. What does matter is that he’s God’s servant.

Jude

The name Jude only appears once in the Bible, and it’s in the opening of his letter (Jude 1:1). LikeJames, he identifies himself as a servant of JesusChrist. In addition, he mentions he’s a brother of James.

InMatthew 13:55, we learn that Jesus’s brothers are James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas (Jude). Jude already revealed he’s the brother of James.

We should understand Jude as an alternate form of Judas. AfterJudasIscariot betrays Jesus, who among Jesus’s followers would want to go by the name Judas? I wouldn’t. And who would be uneasy opening a letter from Judas—even though it’s from a different man? It would certainly give me pause. Going by Jude instead of Judas makes sense.

Brothers

This means we have two books of the Bible written by Jesus’s brothers. This is noteworthy for two reasons.

First, they didn’t initially believe in him (John 7:5). They were understandably skeptical that the brother they grew up with could be God’s son. Yet they eventually believe and identify as his servants. This is a dramatic transformation, from skeptics to followers.

Second, though Jesus’s disciples spend three years with him, James and Jude have spent their entire life with him, until his death. This gives them a twenty, twenty-five, or even thirty-year history with Jesus. Therefore—outside of his mother Mary—James and Jude have known Jesus longer than anyone else in the early church. This makes their insights about him and his teachings even more profound.

Given all this, we’ll do well to embrace and contemplate the words in these letters from James and Jude, servants of the LordJesusChrist.

LikeJames and Jude, should we consider ourselves servants of Jesus? How can we best serve our Lord and Savior?

[Discover more about another man who identifies as Jesus’s servant in 1 Corinthians 4:1, Ephesians 3:7, and Philippians 1:1.]

THE LETTER OF JAMES

JAMES 1:1

James, a servant of God and of the LordJesusChrist, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. (James 1:1)

James writes to the twelve tribes scattered throughout the area. Sayingtwelve tribes suggests he’s writing to JewishChristians or Jewish believers. If so, does his letter apply to us as Gentiles (that is, non-Jews)? Yes! These believers are the early followers of Jesus, so by extension, a message to them then is a message to us now.

But not all versions of the Bible say the twelve tribes. Other descriptors are God’s people and God’s faithful. This most certainly applies to us.

Let’s discover all that James packs into his powerful letter of instruction and encouragement.

DAY 1: PURE JOY

JAMES 1:2–4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. (James 1:2)

After moving past the salutation of the letter, James opens with an oft-quoted verse about pure joy. What an exciting beginning! We all want joy. And pure joy—that is, joy at its finest—is even better.

YetJames connects this pure joy with facing trials. Hardships are something we’d all like to avoid. We don’t even want to read about them. YetJames combines these two extremes.

First, we should consider joy as not being synonymous with happy, even though the dictionary uses one word as a possible descriptor of the other. Being happy is more superficial and temporary, whereas joy is deeper and transcendent. This is the joy James refers to.

When we encounter life’s difficulties, we should embrace them with joy—with pure joy. We know that as we persevere through these challenges, we will become better for it. We grow, and we mature. We become stronger and more complete as a person, as a follower of Jesus. It sets us up to finish the race before us (2 Timothy 4:7).

What are these trials?

Trials of “many kinds” cover an array of ordeals. Rather than specify what they are, James leaves it up to us individually to determine. What looms as a hardship for one may not be a hardship for someone else. A burden that may test the faith of one person may be a non-issue for another.

Let’s consider some kinds of trials we may face.

What first comes to mind is temptations. The temptation to sin is a huge trial for many. When we face temptation, we turn toward God and resist it (1 Corinthians 10:13). Each time we resist, we become stronger.

Another area that can produce trials comes from relationships. Some relationships present formidable challenges. This may occur at work, with neighbors, or from our own family. These can produce emotional distress. We must seek the HolySpirit to guide us in navigating these difficulties in a God-honoring way. (If the threat is physical, we must first seek to keep ourselves safe.)

A third consideration is money, along with food, shelter, and the necessities of life. These provide another type of trial that many people face. Whether these come from within—poor decision-making—or from without, James wants us to confront it with pure joy. We know that as we seek God to persevere through it, we will mature in the process.

Each one of these scenarios can produce a crisis of faith. We pray for God to deliver us from our specific trial, but the answers may not come as fast as we’d like or in the way we wish. We may then question God and the confidence we place in him.

Our faith can also undergo a trial—a testing—when doubt forms in our minds. This can come from what other people say or when the enemy assaults us. It’s not wrong to struggle in this area, but it is wrong to let this distress turn us from God. Instead, we should give our questions and our doubts over to him, trusting him to guide us through it as we seek him.

As we face these various trials, we should know that through the test we will develop perseverance and mature into who God wants us to become.

This should give us pure joy.

What trials do we face? How can we better embrace them with pure joy?

[Discover more about joy in Luke 6:22–23, John 15:10–12, Romans 14:17, and Galatians 5:22.]

DAY 2: ASK GOD FOR WISDOM

JAMES 1:5–8

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)

Another popular verse in the letter of James comes next. It’s a personal favorite. James states that if we lack wisdom, we should ask God.

He’s generous, without restrictions. He will give us wisdom. It’s that simple.

There is, however, a caveat. When we ask for wisdom, we must believe that God will provide and not doubt. Doubt causes uncertainty, which James equates to an ocean wave tossing about. If we doubt, we shouldn’t expect to receive anything from God, including wisdom. A person who doubts is double-minded. Their uncertainty offsets their confidence in receiving what they requested.

Suddenly the simple prayer of asking for wisdom and receiving it doesn’t seem so easy.

Obviously, it’s best to pray full of faith and without an ounce of doubt. Yet this doesn’t mean that doubt automatically negates the effectiveness of our prayers.

ConsiderPeter. His faith in Jesus’s command to come to him allows the disciple to walk on water. But when he takes his eyes off Jesus and looks at the physical environment around him, he doubts. He sinks. YetJesus rescues him, despite his doubt (Matthew 14:29–31).

Peter started his trip walking on water full of faith. He believed that through Jesus he could do the impossible. And he did—for a while. Yet, despite his initial success, doubt assaulted him and caused him to question what he was doing. That’s when he faltered. ButJesus was there for him when he did. Jesus’s reaction to Peter’s uncertainty can comfort us when we struggle to fully believe.

Before we criticize Peter too heavily for his understandable doubt, remember that he was the only disciple with enough faith to get out of the boat. Instead of chastising him for a moment of doubt, we should celebrate him for his faith to act.

Another time, a father comes to Jesus. He asks the healer to drive out an evil spirit from his boy. The disciples had already tried and failed, so the dad may wonder whether Jesus can. The man conditions his request for healing with the tentative word if.

Jesus seems a bit insulted. He says anything is possible if we believe.

The man gives a most honest—and insightful—response. He says, “I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief.” ThenJesus heals the boy (Mark 9:17–27).

This story should provide us with much comfort when in the presence of doubt. This