This Week's Study Guide

Week 8 Discussion Guide 

Main Passage: James 4:1-12 ESV 

Opening 

• Begin with a brief welcome and prayer to set the tone for the group time. 

Introduce the theme: Going all in for Jesus means letting Him search our hearts, reshape our desires, and teach us to love others with humility and grace. This week’s message focused on James 4:1–12, where James shows us that conflict around us often reveals something disordered within us. The sermon challenged us to stop blaming everyone else first, receive God’s grace, surrender fully to Him, and stop sitting in the judgment seat that belongs to Jesus.  

Discussion Questions 

CONNECT 

• If you could go back in time and give yourself a piece of advice, what would it be?  

DISCOVER 

Read Together: James 4:1-12 together. 

INITIAL OBSERVATIONS:  

• Is there anything that stands out to you most in this passage? Why?  

DIG DEEPER: 

• James opens by asking us what causes quarrels and fights among us? He then says it’s our own evil desires to blame. How is this different from how the world – or we – would typically answer that question?  

• James says, “You do not have, because you do not ask,” and then says some people ask with wrong motives. What is the difference between asking God to help us get what we want and asking God to shape us to want what He wants? 

APPLY  

• Receiving Grace (James 4:6):  

• Why is humility necessary if we are going to receive grace? 

• How does the Gospel give us permission to say things like “I’m sorry,” “I was wrong,” or “Will you forgive me?”  

• Submit to God (James 4:7-10):  

• Which command in these verses do you most need to pay attention to right now: submit to God, resist the devil, draw near to God, cleanse your hands, purify your hearts, mourn over sin, or humble yourself? Why?  

• Submission is opening our hands and saying, “Jesus, You are Lord. Not me.” What is one area of your life where it is hard to say honestly? 
  
  

• Stop Judging Others (James 4:11-12) 

• Why is it so hard to love other people while we are judging them?  

• When you’re in conflict, what could help you examine your own heart before focusing on the other person?  

REFLECT  

These questions can be discussed as a group or used for personal reflection and prayer 

• Where have you been looking for belonging, approval, control, comfort, or security apart from Jesus?  

• Is there a relationship where Jesus may be calling you to humble yourself, apologize, forgive, or stop sitting in judgment? 

GROUP PRAYER 

Pray Together as a Group  

Pray: 

• Search our Hearts:  Ask the Lord to search our hearts and reveal any desire that are damaging our relationships  

• Receive Grace:  Ask the Holy Spirit to help us receive the grace of Jesus instead of hiding, pretending or blaming.  

• Identity: Ask God to help us build our lives on friendship with Jesus instead of anything else.  

CLOSING 

• Encourage everyone to continue reading James in their free time. Next week we’ll move into the second half of James 4 (vv. 13-17).