Small Group Guide: Week of 3/22
Enduring Faith: James 5
To view this guide as a PDF, click here.
Pay attention, you wealthy people! Weep and moan over the miseries coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted. Moths have destroyed your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you. It will eat your flesh like fire. Consider the treasure you have hoarded in the last days. 4 Listen! Hear the cries of the wages of your field hands. These are the wages you stole from those who harvested your fields. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of heavenly forces. 5 You have lived a self-satisfying life on this earth, a life of luxury. You have stuffed your hearts in preparation for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who doesn’t oppose you.
7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must be patient as you wait for the coming of the Lord. Consider the farmer who waits patiently for the coming of rain in the fall and spring, looking forward to the precious fruit of the earth. 8 You also must wait patiently, strengthening your resolve, because the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Don’t complain about each other, brothers and sisters, so that you won’t be judged. Look! The judge is standing at the door!
10 Brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of patient resolve and steadfastness. 11 Look at how we honor those who have practiced endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job. And you have seen what the Lord has accomplished, for the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
12 Most important, my brothers and sisters, never make a solemn pledge—neither by heaven nor earth, nor by anything else. Instead, speak with a simple “Yes” or “No,” or else you may fall under judgment.
13 If any of you are suffering, they should pray. If any of you are happy, they should sing. 14 If any of you are sick, they should call for the elders of the church, and the elders should pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Prayer that comes from faith will heal the sick, for the Lord will restore them to health. And if they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 For this reason, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous person is powerful in what it can achieve. 17 Elijah was a person just like us. When he earnestly prayed that it wouldn’t rain, no rain fell for three and a half years. 18 He prayed again, God sent rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
19 My brothers and sisters, if any of you wander from the truth and someone turns back the wanderer, 20 recognize that whoever brings a sinner back from the wrong path will save them from death and will bring about the forgiveness of many sins.
Opening Discussion
Introductions & check-in
Introductions: Share your name (and pronouns if you’d like) and if you’re new or a returning member.
Icebreaker suggestion: What did 8-year-old you want to be when you grew up?
High/Low exercise
Give each member a chance to share their highest points and lowest points of the past week/month.
Additionally or alternatively, you can invite the group to share a word, emotion, or phrase to describe how they’re coming into the group this week.
Community Care
Share any established community care practices, expectations, or discussion guidelines. Consider inviting the group into conversation, asking for feedback or additional suggestions. (Find more on community care practices here.)
Digging Deeper
This Week’s Sermon
What story, image, or moment from this sermon stayed with you? Why?
James opens chapter five with a sharp word to the wealthy who have exploited workers. Most of us aren't in that category, but he won't let anyone off the hook entirely.
Where do you find yourself implicated in systems you didn't create but benefit from?
What might it look like to "refuse to look away" without becoming overwhelmed by guilt?
Pastor Justin described enduring faith showing up through active waiting, generosity, ordinary prayer, communal healing, and going after the wanderer.
Which of these feels most active for you right now?
Which feels most stretched or underdeveloped?
The sermon reframes "wandering" as drifting from the way of Jesus, not just leaving church.
How did this resonate with you?
Do you notice wandering in yourself? Where?
Pastor Justin shared honestly that joy has been a practice, not a default, for him this season, and that joy isn't the reward at the end of endurance but what makes endurance possible.
What has God used recently as fuel for you, even something small?
What would it mean to receive it as a gift?
Reflecting on the James Series
James has moved through trials, favoritism, the tongue, humility, and now justice and endurance. Looking back over the series, which theme hit closest to home for you? Where did you feel most seen, or most unsettled?
How has your understanding of "enduring faith" shifted over these weeks? At the start of Lent, what did you think endurance looked like? What does it look like now?
James ends not with a tidy conclusion but with someone still out there and someone being asked to go. As this series closes, what is one thing you want to carry forward, not just as a belief but as a practice?
Prayer
Praying for one another regularly is an essential part of small groups. You’re welcome to design your gathering however you’d like, but encourage you to include prayer time each week.
Prayer Requests
Give the group a chance to share prayer requests. If it’s helpful, utilize categories like praises/requests.
Spend time praying for one another and the requests made.
Depending on the group size, it can be helpful to break into smaller groups to share requests and pray for one another.
Some groups use prayer partners throughout a semester.
Community Updates
Holy Week
Holy Week is almost here! Here's how we’re observing:
Palm Sunday, March 29 — A family-friendly service where kids and youth worship with us. Childcare available for ages 3 and under.
Good Friday, April 3 at 7pm — A special service at Miner Elementary, worshipping together with The Table Church and Peace Fellowship. Childcare available for ages 7 and under.
Easter Sunday, April 20 — Two services at 9am and 11am. Kids City runs at 9am; childcare for ages 7 and under at 11am.
Miner PTO
In one of our longest standing partnerships, Christ City is continuing to work with Miner Elementary to provide childcare during their monthly Tuesday PTO meetings. This allows Miner parents to attend and be engaged at the school and in their child’s education.
We’re hoping small groups can mobilize to provide childcare from 5:45-7:30p. Christ City will provide craft materials and pizza! Once you choose a week with your group, sign up HERE.
