This week we are glad to welcome Allan Scotson. Allan is originally from the U.K.. He is the senior pastor at the Free Church in Savonlinna where he has served for close to 50 years.

Read verse 1

1. Who is James writing to and why is this important?

2. What is the imperative (the instruction) that James gives?

3. Showing partiality comes in the forms of both favoritism and discrimination. What are the differences between these and what factors tempt us to fall into them?

Read verses 2-7

5. James brings a practical example of partiality being shown. What is the context that James is speaking about?

6. If we show favoritism to someone merely on the basis of their wealth, what does this say about our motivation?

7. What does James say has happened when we discriminate against a poor Christian? (v.4) How does this relate to sovereignty of God expressed in “God choosing” in verse 5?

8. Read Leviticus 19:32, 1 Tim 5:1-2, & 1 Tim 5:17 (all found in the texts above). Do these verses from James imply that everyone should be treated in completely the same way all the time? If not, why not?

Read verses 8-9

9. How do these verses point us to the gospel?

10. Read Luke 20:21 (above). In relation to showing partiality, how does this verse point us to Jesus?

1. Think about when you became a Christian. Is there an exact moment that you can pinpoint that you put your faith in Christ? Discuss this with the group.

2. What are other external factors apart from wealth that we have a tendency to show partiality towards? In what situations do you find yourself tempted act in that way?

3. As a group, summarize the gospel into 5 points. How can reminding ourselves of the truth of the gospel help us to be victorious in times when we are tempted to show partiality based on external factors?

Take some time to pray for each other and for the Holy Spirit to help you to life out the truths of the gospel in the way we relate and interact with those around us.

When enduring trials remember God’s character, commands & calling.

In todays sermon it was pointed out that our greatest need as God’s people is to Know God–but what does it mean to know God? In the classic book “Knowing God”, JI Packer takes God as his subject providing a tremendous amount of insight into what it means for the believer to know God. On the purpose of the book, Packer writes: “The conviction behind the book is that ignorance of God—ignorance both of his ways and of the practice of communion with him—lies at the root of much of the church’s weakness today” (page 12). This ignorance of God has contributed to two negative trends in the church:

1. Christians have been unduly influenced by modern ideas about God, which views Him as distant, small, and completely unknowable.

2. The second trend is that Christians have become confused as a result of their dealings with modern skepticism. Lacking a strong Biblical understanding of God, believers have become less certain about both God and His Word. The truth of Scripture is routinely questioned, and even the very concept of truth is itself been put up for debate.

Again, Packer writes “Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul”. (page 19).

This is the context into which Packer writes, and he achieves his goal of drawing the heart and mind towards a better understanding of God.

If your summer reading list is not yet set go ahead and pick up a copy of “Knowing God”, it will be well worth it.

The following statements on corporate worship come from the UCC website (www.ucclife.fi). These statements seek to explain our attempt to conduct worship services in a way that clearly articulate God’s character by organizing our services around God’s Word, for God’s people.

Everything we do in a Sunday gathering – the singing, the preaching, the Scripture reading, the confessions, the praying, the greetings, and all else – is part of worship, a response to who God is and what he has done for us in Christ.

As joining the life of a local church is an essential part of any Christian's discipleship, so gathering together regularly in corporate worship is a primary aspect of our life together (Heb. 10:25). 

At the center of UCC's corporate worship is God's Word. We read, preach, pray, sing, and see the Word through our Scripture readings, sermons, prayers, songs, and the Lord's supper. 

The centerpiece of our Sunday services is an exposition of a passage of Scripture. We believe the main diet of teaching in a local congregation should come from preaching in which the main point(s) of the sermon are grounded in the biblical text itself. While we must always apply the meaning of Scripture in our context and individual lives, preaching expository sermons through a book of the Bible ensures that God's Word is what drives our agenda, not the interests or hobby-horses of any particular person.

In UCC services, we aim to sing songs grounded in the Word with rich theology and musical quality. Most importantly, we seek to sing lyrics that align with the truths of Scripture and are centered on God. Yet we also believe the songs should be beautiful and stir our affections for our Savior.

We sing songs written hundreds of years ago and some written days before a service. For more about musical worship, see our music page. 

We also seek to let God's Word shape the other elements of the service besides the sermon and the music, using elements from both liturgical and free church traditions. We have Scripture readings and free-form prayers, but find great value in regularly reading aloud corporate confessions of sin and historical creeds and confessions of faith that align with the truths of Scripture.

Some would argue with the statement, “If there is no changed life, there is no salvation.” Do you agree? How would you defend your position biblically?

Read verses 16-18

1. What are some ways that Satan can deceive us when we go through trials? How can we be more alert to these ploys?

2. A critic asks, “How can a good God permit all of the terrible evil in this world?” Your answer?

3. What are some of the important practical ramifications of affirming God’s sovereignty in our salvation?

4. All Christians are called to serve God as a way of life. Agree / disagree? Why?

Read verses 19-21

5. How can a believer who has lost his delight in God’s word recover it? What steps should he take?

6. How can we study God’s Word in such a way that we do not forget what we see there?

6. Anger is often such a quick, emotional response. How can an angry person gain control so as not to react quickly?

7. How can Christians identify areas of sin that are blind spots?

Read verses 22-27

8. How can we make sure that our application of Scripture is accurate? What guidelines apply?

9. Often our areas of disobedience are blind spots. How can we see these areas that we often overlook?

10. Where do spiritual gifts fit in with obedience to the word? For example, is a person who lacks the gift of mercy required to visit orphans and widows?

11. How separate from the world are Christians to be? If we remove ourselves from the world, won’t we be out of touch when it comes to relating to the lost? (See John 17:14-19; Eph 5:3-12).

Application

Name one thing that you received from this study and your plant to apply it to your life.

Close in Prayer

To persevere in trials with joy, we must learn wisdom, adopt God’s eternal perspective, and recognize temptations.

C.S. Lewis once said in that most of us don’t really want a Father in heaven, but a Grandfather in Heaven, a “senile benevolence who only wants to see the young people enjoy themselves, and whose plan for the universe is that it might be truly be said at the end of each day, ‘a good time was had by all.’” What we want, says Lewis, is a God who wants nothing more than for us to be happy. But the trouble is–our Father in heaven wants more than that for us. As the old saying goes, God doesn’t just want us to be happy (as we might understand the term), he wants us to be “holy.” He wants us to be “mature and complete,” rebuilt into the image of Christ. And that is one reason He may sometimes allow us to face trials of many kinds.

Tempted (1:13) is the same Greek word that is translated trial (1:2, 12), but clearly it has two different senses. God tests or tries believers’ faith, but He does not tempt anyone into sin. God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac (Gen 22:1-19). God tested Job by allowing Satan to afflict him with all of his trials (Job 1:8-12)

He tests both the righteous and the wicked, to reveal their respective characters (Psalm 11:4-7) see also, (Exod. 16:4) With His people, the purpose of God’s tests is to refine our faith like gold or silver (Psalm 66:10). But because of indwelling sin and the existence of Satan, every test may also become a temptation to sin. Thus, it is important to recognize that temptation never comes from God – so don’t blame Him!

Ever since Adam and Eve fell into sin, fallen human nature has been prone to shift the blame for our own evil deeds. When God confronted Adam, he lamely replied (Gen. 3:12) “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” When God confronted Eve, she replied (Gen 3:13), “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Both statements are technically true, but they dodge personal responsibility for sin. Adam’s answer really blamed God, who gave the woman to Adam. James wants us to see that if we go down that route, we will not overcome temptation, and we impugn the holy character of God.

1. As we consider God working His will out in our lives through trials–how can we be confident God is good?

Read verses 5-7

2. How important is wisdom in Scripture?

3. In asking God to give us wisdom, and knowing that he does this through the application of His Word to our lives, what passages in the Bible do you find particularly helpful?

4. What does James mean by the phrase “double minded”?

• What are some are some examples of being double minded?

• What are some remedies?

5. The context of James exhortation on wisdom is in the context of his teaching on trials. In the sermon it was said that trials are a prerequisite for wisdom because they make us feel foolish. What was meant by this?

• Can you think of an example of a trial leading to wisdom in your own life?

• Do trials always lead to wisdom?

• Why ultimately does god want us to be wise? Can you think of any Scriptures to support your answer?

Read verses 9-12

6. What kind of trial is the lowly brother most likely facing? Why can he “boast in his exaltation”?

7. James reminds the suffering churches to hold on to the promise fo the crown of life so that they would hold on less to the fleeting things of the world. How can we life with a greater consciousness of the brevity of this life?

Read verses 13-15

8. What are some ways in which a Christians might blame God for their sin instead of taking personal responsibility in their lives?

9. The heart issue of all sin is what James calls ‘evil desire’. In ther words the ‘why’ behind all sin is evil desires’. These desires are not necessarily in themselves wrong or illegitimate. They become evil because they are out of control, unbridled and inordinate.

• Why do you think it is that trials surface our desires so quickly? Have you learn to see this as a good thing?

• Can you list some examples from your own life of how a good desire lead to an evil one?

• How is it that we feel tempted to different specific sins?

Close in Prayer

When we encounter trials, and we will, we should count it as joy, submitting to God, knowing that He is using it for our maturity and for His glory.

There is a tension, for Christians, between the suffering world and the God who reveals Himself to us as good. C.S. Lewis acknowledges this tension in his book The Problem of Pain. For Lewis “the problem of pain, in its simplest form” is the paradoxical idea that if we were to believe in a higher power, we would, on the one hand, have to believe that “God” wants all creatures to be happy and, being almighty, can make that wish manifest; on the other hand, we’d have to acknowledge that all creatures are not happy, which renders that god lacking in “either goodness, or power, or both.” Using Scripture to glean his insights and Lewis seeks to find a solution to the world’s pain in his book.

Lewis calls us to turn our attention away from ourselves and on to God who is good. There and only then the problem of pain can be resolved but more than that pain finds its purpose in our lives and becomes a welcome companion.

Suffering and trials take us by surprise which tends to add to the severity of them. However, the late Dr. R.C. Sproul argues that we should not be surprised by suffering; instead, we should expect pain and sorrow in this life. Some are actually called to a “vocation” of suffering, and all of us are called to undergo the ultimate suffering of death.

In his now classic book “Surprised by Suffering” Sproul explains how God promises in His Word that difficult times will come upon us, but He also promises that He allows suffering for our good and His glory, and He will never give us more than we can bear with His help. 

This book is highly recommended for all as a resource to help you in your Christian walk to stand in times of trial with faith in a God who is both loving and good. Enjoy the following quotes from the book:

1. What kinds of trials have you faced this past week. Large or small, go around your group and list them.

1. What is to be the Christian’s attitude during trials? How does James help us to develop this?

• Are we supposed to deny our feelings when we “consider it all joy” in time of trial? How does this work in practice?

• Is it sin to feel sorrow and grief in a trial? If not, how do these feelings fit in with God’s joy?

• What would you say to a young Christian who going through a difficult experience in his/her life who asks you the question ‘but how can I count this joy’?

2. How does the sovereigty of God over all things offer people of hope and comfort in the midst of trial?

3. Some Christian psychologists say that to encourage a suffering saint to “trust God” is useless advice. Agree/disagree? Why?

• How should we respond to someone in our church family who is enduring a severe trial?

4. Think of examples of steadfastness (under trial) from Scripture and from people you know personally. What can you learn from them?

5. Read verses 3-4. What does James reveal as benefits of our trials?

• Have you experienced any of these benefits personally?

• Does knowing what God wants to achieve through your trial encourage you to endure it?

1. Ideally the Christian develops a theology of suffering early on in their walk with Jesus Christ. What are some ways you can help a young Christian in this way?

2. Are you or is someone close to you facing a trial? How can your group pray for you/them

The epistle of James offers the church biblical and practical wisdom for living in a fallen world.

During the Reformation, the Book of James again came under careful scrutiny due to the influence of Martin Luther. Luther’s view of this book was stated in his introduction to his New Testament, first published in 1522:

We should not press these words farther than Luther intended, for he is saying that “in comparison with these other Epistles,” James is a “right strawy epistle.” He himself also said:

Tyndale was obviously influenced by Luther, for when he translated the New Testament, he placed the same four books that Luther viewed with suspicion at the end of his New Testament. In his prologue, however, he was more favorable than Luther regarding the value of these books. Other reformers such as Zwingli, Beza, and Calvin readily and unhesitatingly accepted James on a par with other New Testament books. When Calvin wrote his commentary on the Catholic Epistles, he retained the order Luther had established but also clearly stated:

Even today there are those who would call the value of this book into question because they mistakenly suppose that there is some kind of conflict between James and Paul in their teaching on justification. More careful analysis of the teachings of both Paul and James shows that there is no discrepancy between their teachings. Hopefully, this will become apparent in our study of James.

John Piper (Future Grace, pp. 171-172) relates the amazing story of Marie Durant. In the late 17th century, in southern France, Marie was brought before the authorities and charged with the Huguenot heresy (being a Reformed Protestant). “She was fourteen years old, bright, attractive, marriageable.” She was asked to recant her Huguenot faith. “She was not asked to commit an immoral act, to become a criminal, or even to change the day-to-day quality of her behavior.” She was only asked to say, “I recant.” She refused.

Together with thirty other Huguenot women, she was put into a tower by the sea and left there for 38 years. She and her fellow martyrs scratched on the wall of their prison tower the single word, “Resist!” Tourists still see and gape at that word on that stone. Karl Olsson in his book Passion reflects on Durant’s faith:

Piper points out that a key adjective in that story points to the power of Marie Durant’s endurance. Olsson said, “We cannot understand a faith which is not nourished by the temporal hope that tomorrow things will be better.” Piper adds:

James 5:7 later encourages us, “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.” His radical approach to dealing with trials is: “Count it all joy….for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” We can endure trials today in light of the promise of future grace.

James 1:1

1. The author of the epistle of James identifies himself simply as James. It is nearly irrefutable that this James is none other than the half-brother of Jesus Christ and the leader over the early church in Jerusalem.
- Why do you think James does not mention these titles in his greeting?
- Is it wrong to list our titles? When is it expected in our culture?

2. James identifies himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. The word James uses for servant is closer to "slave". In saying this, what is James communicating about his identity? Would people who know you say of you that you are a servant of Jesus Christ?

3. For James to call Jesus Lord must have been difficult being someone who grew up in the same household as Jesus (imagine having a perfect older brother!). We know however that it was sin that kept James from accepting Jesus as Lord. Do you know someone who knows a lot about Jesus but will not believe in Him? How can we help this person overcome their unbelief?

4. Read 1 Corinthians 15:7. Why do you think Jesus appears to James? What do they spoke about in their meeting?

5. James is writing to the 12 tribes in the dispersion. Who is this referring to? Why were they dispersed? What unique problems were they facing in light of this?

6. The book of James is filled with practical living about how live faithfully in a fallen world. How can we best benefit from our Ucc study of this book?

We had two different sermons in our different congregations on Sunday May 5th. Small groups please read Psalm 63 together with you group and work through the study below together for this week. Thanks and God bless your meetings together!

A local churches fluency in the Gospel will determine its ability to converse with and speak in the culture faithfully.

• Tells us what to believe

• Determines our goal

• Shows us what to do

As we read in Acts 15, there will be times when false teaching seeks to enter the church. A common question from members of UCC is: “what should we do if controversial teaching arises”? The context may be casual conversations with friends, university discussion groups, a small group bible study, or even a church you happen to be visiting, for example. If we are in a position where we can or also expected to respond, we should have a plan to do so Biblically. Here are some guidelines.

1. Listen Well

The apostles and elders in Jerusalem heard the Judaizers, then Peter, Paul and Barnabas, and James, all stated their case (Acts 15:7-12) We need to make sure that we understand what the other person is saying before we pass judgment (James 1:19)

2. Understand the Person

Does he or she really understand the gospel? Is he or she a new believer who lacks teaching? Or,are they a knowledgeable person who is actively promoting false doctrine by preying on younger believers who don’t know as much as he does? We should be gentle with an unbeliever or untaught believer. But someone who is deliberately teaching false doctrine needs a stronger rebuke.

3. Seek Wise Counsel

Paul and Barnabas brought this crucial issue back to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. We should always seek to bring an doctrinal issues to church leadership and if necessary seek the advice of other church leaders.

4. The Scriptures Are Our Final Authority

James supports the testimonies of Peter, Paul, and Barnabas by appealing to the prophet Amos (Acts 15:15-18) In verse 28, they concluded, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and us ….” The mind of the Spirit is not determined by our subjective feelings, but by what the Spirit-inspired prophets and apostles wrote in God’s word. If your interpretation of a major doctrine goes against the consensus of Spirit-filled, godly men, who are seeking the Scriptures on the matter look out!

5. Never Compromise on Essential Issues but Concessions on Minor Issues is Expected at Times

In order not to offend the Jews, Gentile converts were asked to abstain from three things that violated the ceremonial law (things contaminated by idols, what is strangled, and blood). It’s difficult to know why abstaining from fornication is in this list, since it’s an absolute moral issue. The Gentile culture accepted temple prostitution and men having a mistress as common practice. Perhaps many new Gentile converts did not yet understand God’s moral standards on marital fidelity. If Gentile converts continued with these pagan practices, it would hinder reaching Jews with the gospel. So the Gentiles were asked not to offend the Jews on these matters; but the truth of the gospel was not compromised.

Note: When it comes to non-essentials UCC church has positions on many issues. We do recognise that other Bible-believing churches differ from us and we seek to maintain unity with them, but we need to answer to the Lord for the light He has given us on these things.

6. Church Discipline May Be Required

The goal is always to bring the person in error to the knowledge of the truth. But sometimes, to protect the church and uphold sound doctrine, a person who stubbornly holds to false doctrine must be removed from the church ( Matthew 18:15-17; Titus 3:10-11)

Keller’s book is important because he reminds us that our doctrinal foundation matters immensely as a local church on mission. If we get that wrong, everything else will also be. However, we need to understand how to express our doctrine in a way that’s meaningful to a culture with no significant understanding of the essentials of the Christian faith. Keller spends the bulk of this book explaining the essential elements of what makes up the “Center Church” theological vision: gospel, city, and movement.

Center Church by Timothy Keller is highly recommended for all who are part of UCC, especially as we embark on “Mission 2025”. If you would like to borrow a copy, UCC has a few copies at our church office which can be lent out. (contact: [email protected])

1. Approaching the text: This Psalm was written by David in a time of deep discouragement, suffering and direct adversity. He had been driven out of Jerusalem by his son Absalom, as is described in 2 Samuel chapter 16 and the surrounding chapters. This event, what led to it and what followed running from chapter 14 to 19 in 2 Samuel are one of the most significant examples of David dealing with adversity and suffering that we have in the Bible’s record of him. Consider what David must have been experiencing during this time of his life while looking to Psalm 63:1 (see also 2 Sam 15: 24-30).

2. Verses 2-4 cf. 2 Sam 15: When David speaks of “the sanctuary” he is thinking of the Temple and God’s people gathered together for worship in His presence. What do vss. 2-4 teach us about the things David has learned from his experiences in corporate worship? How is this applicable for followers of Christ in whom the Spirit of God dwells and do not worship in the Temple?

3. Verses 5-7. What specifically is David mediating on in these verses? Are they subjective or objective memories (compare 2 Sam 17:33-37)? How does David’s perspective on God affect a change on the perspective of his immediate circumstances?

4. Verse 8. How does this verse serve to bring a vivid description to the way our faith in Christ is actually worked out?

5. Verses 9-10. How do David’s considerations of God’s character and of the future assure him and enable him to find rest in a discouraging and troubled time (see also Romans 8:31-39; Philippians 2:9-11; Jude 1:24-25)? Do you have any similar kind of confidence?

6. Look back to verse 1. How does the sum of all we see in verses 2-11 inform us about the shaping of David’s own perspective on God as we see it in the first verse?

Take a few minutes to reflect individually on how David’s meditations in this prayer might apply to and direct your prayer about some discouragement or suffering or adversity you might be facing or anticipating right now. If you feel led share with the group and pray together.

While the world hates believers as it hated Jesus Christ, we must witness to it the truth about Him.

As we consider in our text the tension of the believer living in this present sinful world while belong and journeying to the heavenly world; get to know the classic allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress.

John Bunyan wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress in 1678. From that time until now it has never been out of print and has been translated into over 200 languages. Generations of believers have been challenged  and encouraged by the story of the lead character Christian’s journey from the World of Destruction (this present world) to the Celestial City (which symbolizes the heavenly world).

Along the way Christian encounters many who help him on his journey, such as Evangelist and Faithful. He also meets with several who would hinder him, such as Mr. Wordly Wiseman or the Giant Despair.  Many portions of his journey are fraught with danger, and every page carries a weighty message for the believer as they consider their own journey of faith.

Because it is an allegory, all of the people and events that are depicted stand for symbolize important spiritual truths that the believer encounters from the time of their salvation until the time they enter into God’s presence.

Christian’s journey in his statement:

The second part, which tells of the journey that Christian’s wife and children experienced, was published in 1684. While they encounter many of the same people and places that Christian did, part two of The Pilgrim’s Progress contains many new lessons and events and is also worth your time.

From a purely literary standpoint, this is considered one of the greatest works of English literature. From a spiritual standpoint, you’d be hard pressed to find a book outside of the Bible that has positively impacted the faith of more Christians than this.

You can read The Pilgrim’s Progress online for free, for example at the Desiring God website: https://document.desiringgod.org/the-pilgrim-s-progress-en.pdf?ts=1446648353

Christian author C.S. Lewis likely needs no introduction. Perhaps though, not many know what eventually led him to acknowledge God’s existence from atheism, and finally to Christianity which was longing or an ache for Joy that he found unattainable in the present world. Lewis became increasingly frustrated with not being able to explain the present world in rational terms only, and he began to feel a longing for another world:

From early on, the angst for this world gnawed at him and led him to Jesus Christ, the joy and the King of the world for which he had been longing. Lewis would express this journey memorably in his most famous single book, Mere Christianity. It is a great book to purchase and give to those who you might be witnessing to in the world.

1. Choose one of the following questions:

• Should you live your life so that everyone will like you? What is the danger in living your life so that others will always like you?

• Have you ever been hated by someone? Who hated you and why did they hate you? Was there anything you could have done to deter their hatred or change their attitude towards you?

1. What does Jesus tell his disciples about the attitude the world is going to have towards them? Why will the world have this attitude towards them?

• Is the world’s opposition something the disciples will be able to avoid? What does this imply for you as you live your life doing what Jesus called you to do?

• In what ways does an attitude of hatred towards Christians show up in the world today? Are there places around the world where Christianity is so hated that it is illegal?

• Have you ever experienced hatred for being a follower of Jesus? If so, what was that experience like and how did you endure the hatred?

• How should you respond to those who hate you and persecute you for your faith in Christ? Read Matthew 5:43-47. Is this easy to do? Why or why not?

2. What does Jesus tell the disciples about the servant/master relationship? Where did Jesus use this same servant/master principle to teach the disciples earlier that night? Read John 13:15-16.

• How does this principle help them understand and prepare for how the world will treat them?

• How does this principle help you understand and prepare you for opposition that will come because of your faith in Jesus?

• In your life, does opposition come mostly from home, friends, work, school, or somewhere else? What does that opposition look like?

3. What does Jesus say about the way the Jews have responded to his message and his miracles that serve to condemn them and fuel their hatred for him and the Father? Read John 15:22-24.

• When someone believes in Jesus, and their friends or family do not, can hatred be created between those individuals over Jesus? Have you experienced this kind of hatred?

• When someone hates Jesus, can they love the Father? Read John 15:23. What does this say about the relationship between Jesus and the Father?

4. Who is going to come and help the disciples do what they have been called to do in the midst of persecution and hatred? Read John 15:26-27.

• How does the Helper help you endure the world’s persecution and hatred because of your faith in Jesus?

• Are you thankful for the Helper’s strength and presence in the face of opposition? Say a prayer of thanksgiving for the help that God has provided for you in the face of opposition.

1. Choose one of the following:

• How can your small group pray for you and the opposition that you will face this week?

• In your small group pray for the persecuted church around the world. Do you know of any believers in countries where Christianity is illegal? Do you know of any countries where it is particularly hard for believers right now? Pray for these.