St. James Lectionary Bible Study for November 09, 2025

​Bible Study Companion Guide“Giving for What Endures”
Week of November 9, 2025 – St. James Presbyterian Church, Harlem, NYC
Rev. Dr. Derrick McQueen, Pastor

Opening Reflection: This week’s scriptures draw our eyes from what fades to what lasts. The prophet Haggai calls a weary people to rebuild not for splendor but for promise. The psalmist reminds us that God’s faithfulness stretches across generations. Paul urges believers not to be unsettled by rumors or fear, and Jesus, in conversation with the Sadducees, points to a life beyond decay or possession. In each passage, God redirects our energy toward what endures—faith, love, and the presence that fills even the ruins with glory.

Centering QuestionWhere might God be inviting you to invest your time, gifts, or hope—not in what impresses today, but in what gives life tomorrow?
Haggai 1:15b – 2:9 — “Rebuilding in Glory”After years of disappointment, the people return to a half-built temple. God speaks through Haggai: “Take courage… for I am with you.” The promise is not of gold or grandeur but of divine presence that will fill the new house with greater glory than before.
Key Verse: “The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts.” (v. 9)
Our faith is not nostalgia but renewal. What might we rebuild—not as a copy of the past, but as a dwelling for God’s living presence in our own time?

Psalms 145:1–5, 17–21 and 98:1–9 — “Songs That Last”The psalmist proclaims praise that endures: one generation telling another of God’s mighty acts. Creation itself joins the chorus—rivers clapping, hills singing, hearts made glad.
Key Verse: “One generation shall laud your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” (145:4)
Praise is our most enduring architecture. When buildings crumble, the song remains. How can we ensure that our witness—our worship and justice—resounds through the generations?

2 Thessalonians 2:1–5, 13–17 — “Stand Firm in the Truth”Paul comforts a shaken community, warning them not to be swayed by fear or false reports about the end. He grounds them in gratitude: they are beloved and chosen for holiness through the Spirit.
Key Verse: “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught.” (v. 15)
When the world trembles with misinformation and despair, faith becomes a steadying act. Where do you need to hold fast—not out of rigidity, but to preserve the truth that gives life?

Luke 20:27–38 — “God of the Living”Jesus faces those who deny resurrection and reminds them that God is the God “not of the dead, but of the living.” The promise of life eternal reshapes how we value this one: relationships, generosity, and love are not lost but transformed.
Key Verse: “Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.” (v. 38)
Faith in resurrection is faith in continuity—life that cannot be hoarded, only shared. How might our giving, loving, and serving today reflect that everlasting life already stirring among us?

Community ReflectionTogether these readings turn our gaze from anxiety to endurance. The people of Haggai’s day rebuilt hope from rubble; the psalmist turned gratitude into song; Paul steadied a community on the edge; and Jesus lifted faith beyond mortality. To give for what endures is to trust that God is already at work transforming ruins into sanctuary and endings into beginnings.

Practice• Rebuild with Hope: Do one small act this week that repairs or restores—something physical, relational, or spiritual.
• Sing the Story: Share a hymn, psalm, or prayer that sustained a loved one; pass it to the next generation.
• Hold Fast: Write down one truth or value that anchors your faith. Keep it visible as a compass in times of uncertainty.
• Give Toward Life: Make or plan a gift—time, resources, forgiveness—that invests in someone else’s future joy.

​Closing Prayer: Living God, you are the glory that endures when all else fades. Teach us to build with faith, sing with gratitude, and give with courage. Fill the ruins of our hearts with your presence until every stone and song proclaims: you are God of the living, and your mercy stands forever. Amen.