Discussion Questions:

1. Observing the Text

• In verses 1-4, what specific behaviors does James identify as favoritism? What assumptions are being made about the rich man and the poor man?
• What surprises you about James’s argument in verses 5-7 regarding the poor and the rich? How does this challenge common cultural instincts, then and now?
• How does James connect favoritism to the “royal law” in verses 8-9? Why do you think he elevates this command in particular?

2. Theological Reflection

• The sermon emphasized that favoritism contradicts the character of God and his gracious election. How does God’s choice of the “poor in the world” (v. 5) confront our instincts about worth and value?
• James treats favoritism as a serious sin, placing it alongside adultery and murder (vv. 10-11). Why do we tend to minimize sins like partiality or bias?

3. Church and Community Application (How should the gospel reshape us?)

• James exposes favoritism as asking, “What value does this person bring to me?” Where do you see that question subtly shaping your own relationships, inside or outside the church?
• James is addressing the church gathered. What safeguards can a local church put in place to resist worldly patterns of honor and neglect?
• The sermon warned against a “cheap and synthetic Christianity.” What would authentic, gospel-shaped community look like when people of very different backgrounds worship and serve together?
• How does remembering that we ourselves were poor, helpless, and spiritually bankrupt shape the way we view others?