James Chapter 5 Verses 13-20

Transcription

1 James Chapter 5 Verses NKJV Notes by Pastor Mike Sasso Introduction In this last section of James' letter we will again cover a diversity of topics. James gives us practical advice on how Christians should respond to a mixture of circumstances we might find ourselves in. How should we as Christians respond to conditions such as suffering, cheer, or sickness? What place or power does prayer have in our lives? What happens when a Christian wanders from the truth? All these questions are addressed in our text today. STUDY NOTES: verses v. 13 Is Anyone SUFFERING? Let Him PRAY There are many ways a Christian can suffer in life. Whether it is through disappointments, loss of property, persecution, heartache in relationships, or any of the hardships of life, James instructs us to bring our burdens to God in prayer. This advice is found repeatedly in scripture. Cp. Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7-10. Is Anyone CHEERFUL? Let Him SING One way to make joy complete is to express that joy in song. Isn't it interesting that James doesn't expect the "suffering" to sing, or the "cheerful" to act in a more "sober, solemn manner"? God understands our moods and temperaments and knows what we need in each given circumstance. PSALMS This is no ordinary song. A psalm is a scriptural song of expression unto God. The Bible contains well over 150 of them written by various men and women of God such as Moses (Ex. 15:1-19), Deborah (Judges 5), Hannah (1 Sam. 2:1-10), David (most of the book of Psalms), and others. A modern day equivalent to the Psalms of the Bible would be hymns and praise songs. The point James makes is that whether we are suffering or in cheerfulness, we should express ourselves to God. v. 14 Is Anyone Among You SICK? Christians do get sick. And we can get sick for a variety of reasons. The definition for the Greek word "sick" (astheneo as-then-eh'-o Strongs #770) is "weak," "without strength," or "powerless." Let Him Call for the ELDERS of the Church God knows we need help from outside ourselves when we are sick. Notice James doesn't say "Is anyone sick? Let him pray" alone. There are times in our Christian journey that we need others to pray for us because we find ourselves "without strength" or "powerless" and at times, even weak in faith. The sick brother needs to call out to others for help. The elders of the church are those leaders in the church who are strong in faith and hold responsible offices of spiritual authority. It is a great comfort to have a man of God who you know and trust pray for you. Let THEM Pray Over Him Notice that there is a time to "let them pray " It's OK to feel weak. There are times when we need to lean on others spiritually. God has designed us to be

2 dependent people rather than independent. We must however be dependent upon the Lord first and our brethren second. When you are sick and feeling weak, take advantage of the strong spiritual leadership that God has established in the church. Anointing Him With Oil This can have two basic meanings: 1) Oil in ancient times was used as healing ointment. There were a variety of oils used for healing a variety of sicknesses. 2) Oil also is a sign of the Holy Spirit and represents the touch of God. (See also 1 Sam. 16:13; Lev. 8:12, 21:12; Ps. 23:5, 45:7, 89:20; 2 Ki. 9:6; Is. 61:3; Mark 6:13.) In the name of the Lord This reminds us where all healing ultimately comes from the Lord! Healing does not come from a faith healer. Also notice that the Old Testament "name" for God (Jehovah) is not used here or anywhere in the New Testament. The "name" Christians bow to is Jesus Christ! (Acts 19:5, 21:13; 2 Thess. 1:12; Col. 3:17, Phil. 2:11) Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Acts 4:12). v. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick The only prayer that counts before God is a prayer of faith (Heb. 11:6). Unbelief can actually hinder our prayers (See Matt. 17:20,21, 21:21,22; Mark 11:22-24). God responds to the prayer of faith. The Lord will raise him up Again we are reminded that "the Lord" is the healer, not the elders. Notice also how positive the promise is here "will." And IF he has committed sins, he will be forgiven There are some who would blame the sick Christian for having a lack of faith or sin in his life. This is sometimes the case but not always. That's why James says "IF." When this is the case, forgiveness is available through prayer. TRUTH APPLIED: 1. Why do you think that those who are "suffering" are told to "pray" instead of to "sing" or "call upon the Elders to pray for them"? 2. Who are the "Elders" that you and your group could call upon for prayer? Make a list of prospective people who could fit into this category. Remember that this term applies to more than just those with the title of "Elder." 3. If a Christian is sick, what are the possible reasons for this sickness? Come up with as many possibilities as you can.

3 4. Ask if there are any sick members in your group. If so, this is a great time to lay hands on them and pray for healing. Pray for spiritual as well as physical healing. If you have any oil, anoint the sick person with oil as you pray. STUDY NOTES: verse 16 v. 16 Confess your trespasses one to another The NIV begins this verse with "therefore," carrying the thought of the last few verses to this one. Since sickness can sometimes be a result of sin, it is a good practice to confess our sins to one another and pray for each other. This also gives us a healthy picture of Christian accountability. If we hide our sins from our brethren and keep them secret we will not be spiritually healthy. Openness and vulnerability to our close Christian brothers and sisters leads to a life that is healthy and whole. Notice that we are told to do more than just confess our sins to God privately (See also Proverbs 28:13). "Trespasses" (NKJV), "Faults" (KJV), "Sins" (NIV) - This word is referring to anything in our lives, which cause us to fall short of God's perfect plan for our lives. If we maintain a practice of confessing these things to others, this will keep us humble before God and man. And pray for one another that you may be healed This is God's design for health in the church. God wants us to be in the habit of praying for each other, not just secretly when we are alone, but audibly in the presence of one another. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much:effective, Fervent These two words are actually one word in the original Greek text energeo. It is a picture of a hardworking, powerful prayer. Intercessory prayer is hard work. Righteous This is a description of a person in right standing with God. Avails Much Is powerful and effective (NIV), has great power and wonderful results (NLT). TRUTH APPLIED: 1. Why do you think we are told to confess our trespasses to one another rather than just confess to God privately? 2. What do you think the connection is between confession, forgiveness, and physical healing?

4 3. Is there anyone in your group struggling with sin or temptation? It's time to put this verse into practice by sharing your battle with your group. This of course can only work if you truly trust the members of your group. This is your chance to find healing in vulnerability. Take some time for anyone in your small group who desires to volunteer to share his or her struggle and get prayed for. You don't have to go into too much detail if you don't want to. Simply be willing to share what you are battling with and ask for prayer. It is important that the members of your group do not gossip or show a judgmental attitude towards those you are willing to humble themselves for prayer here. Prayer time STUDY NOTES: verses v. 17 Elijah Was a Man of Like Nature Like Ours Though we know of Elijah as a mighty man of God who was able to work great miracles, James reminds us that he was actually just human and not divine (see 1 Kings 17-21). He prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not If you read this story in 1Kings 17 you will find no reference to Elijah actually praying to hold back the rain. He merely announced it prophetically in the name of the Lord and it happened. It seems James is revealing to us that Elijah's prayer was a part of this story. But remember that his prayer was according to God's will. v. 18 And He Prayed Again and the Heaven Gave Rain If you read about this story in 1 Kings 18, you will discover that this was all according to God's will. Elijah was not acting on his own will or desire. The Earth Produced its Fruit The natural result of rain is the growth of all types of crops needed to live. TRUTH SUMMARY: Scripture teaches us of the importance of praying according to God's will. We should acquaint ourselves with these teachings in order to advance in our own effectiveness in prayer. See Matthew 7:7-11, 21:22; John 14:13, 15:7, 16:24; 1 John 3:22, 5:14,15. James now changes the topic for one last time to focus in upon the problem of apostasy and backsliding. These two short verses reveal a lot about this critical topic. STUDY NOTES: verses 19-20

5 v. 19 Brethren, if Anyone Among You Wanders from the Truth It is a very real danger for a Christian to be deceived and drift or wander from God's truths. Many of today's cults are comprised of true Christians who were not grounded solidly in God's word and have been deceived by the cult members. And Someone Turns Him Back Backsliding or wandering from truth need not be permanent. But usually, when someone is deceived, they are in need of a loving brother or sister to reach out to them and bring them back to the truth. They may not find their way back on their own. v. 20 Let Him Know That It is important for the "wandering one" to know that this is a "life and death" issue as the rest of this verse indicates. He Who Turns a Sinner from the Error of His Way This is obviously talking about a "sinning Christian." The phrasing in V:19a makes that clear. Any Christian can sin either willingly or by "error" in his thinking. We can use the free will that God has given us to turn away or towards God. "He who turns" would be referring to a good brother or sister who would attempt to turn that erring brother back to God. Will Save a Soul from Death The death of a soul is no small thing. The context of this phrase indicates that any sinner who refuses to repent and return to God is in danger of spiritual death. On a positive note, James is telling us that we can actually save a wandering brother or sister from the death of their soul by bringing them back to the truth. See Ezekiel 18:4, 20-32, 33:11. And Cover a Multitude of Sins No matter how much a person has sinned, the blood of Jesus can cleanse him from all sin if he will only confess and return. See 1John 1:9-2:1 TRUTH APPLIED: 1. Do you know someone who has drifted from the truth? Why don't you take some time right now to pray for that person and ask God how you can be a part of his or her restoration? 2. Make a list of people you know who have drifted from the faith. Maybe they are even people who have stopped coming to your small group Bible study. Come up with a plan! Commit to reach out to those who you know are backslidden or drifting. Hold one another accountable to do something about it. Make a difference! (Gal. 6:1-2)

6 CONCLUSION: The last few verses of James force us to think about the subject knows as "the security of the Believer" or "eternal security." The question is, "Can a true born again' Christian ever fall away from God and lose his salvation'"? There are two extreme answers to this question. One side will say that if a professing Christian is living in sin comfortably and continuously, then he never really was saved in the first place. The other side would say that if a professing Christian is living in sin comfortably and continuously, he has lost his salvation. Theologians on either side of this issue have battled this question for centuries. One thing that both sides agree on, however, is that it is never safe to sin. Both would agree that a person who lives comfortably in sin continually is not saved. Leaning on Him, Mike Sasso