Confess Your Sins to One Another
James 5:13–16
Richard Dahlstrom, Senior Teaching Pastor, www.spiritsoulbody.org
James answers three questions to bring clarity to matters of relationship between confession and healing. In the process, he shows us how deeply God desires our lives to be woven together.
I. Why confess?
II. Why to one another?
III. Why is this related to healing?
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Discussion Questions
Before questions, attempt to give the group a bit of a summary of the main points of the sermon and then choose a few questions that fit your group’s needs and style. We don’t intend for you to use all of these. Three to five questions may be a good number.
Begin by reading James 5:13–16 aloud, taking turns reading the passages.
Pray over the group before beginning discussion.
Last week, Pastor Scott used the story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet to remind us to serve one another. What ways have you found to serve others this week?
Is there anyone in your life that you need to confess to?
What is holding you back from being able to do that?
Pastor Richard said that truth telling often reveals who we can trust because it can be met with denial, blame, or gaslighting. Have you ever experienced this?
What did it take to regain your ability to trust? (that person or others)
Share a story of a time when you struggled to “own your own stuff.”
What did you learn from that experience?
Pastor Richard said that while every illness should not be thought of as a direct result of sin, we can see disruptions in our lives (such as those caused by physical affliction) as an opportunity for introspection and to ask “What is God teaching me in this moment?” What do you believe God is currently teaching you, whether through the disruption caused by COVID or through some other disruption in your life?
Do you have someone in your life that you regularly confess to? Share with the group what that experience has been like for you.
Does our small group feel like a safe place to come clean?