Sermon Questions 2025-11-16

Sermon Questions – November 16, 2025

Series: The Book of James: Faith in Action
Text: James 1:2-4 (and other passages)
Title: Wisdom for Adversity

Invited: Name something that brought you joy in the past week (or share about a time when you felt especially joyful).

Shaped:

• Pastor Cara presented 6 insights from the book of James about how to let God bring gain from pain in our lives. Review and discuss the ones that seem most beneficial to you.
  • DON’T seek out trials or tests (1.2). Why might someone pursue pain or temptation for its own sake?
  • DON’T blame God as author of evil/tests (1.13, 16-17). What’s the best way to think of God’s relationship with testing?
  • DO recognize the alternative path is worse (1.14-15). Share about a time when you allowed testing to draw you into sinful desire or a “deathly” way of life. Or how have you seen this in another person’s life?
  • DO be inspired by others’ example (5.10-11). Who has inspired you when you’ve gone through a difficult time? Have you served in that way for others?
  • DO pray with confidence in community (5.13-16). What might lead a person to isolate themselves when they go through trials? Share about an example when community has helped.
  • DO call on God for wisdom & help (1.5,4.8,10). We’ve addressed these verses before. How might the topic of trials and adversity shed new light on them?
• How have you seen the truth of this good news in your own life, or someone else’s: “God brings gain from pain, if we let him”?

Loved: Ask God to bring to mind someone who is going through adversity. How might you use today’s wisdom from James to come alongside this person in supportive ways?

Sent to live like Jesus: What is one thing that the Holy Spirit is saying to you today? Share it with your group or at least one other person, and then pray together for the Spirit’s love and power to respond well.