CONFESS YOUR SINS TO ONE ANOTHER JAMES 5:13-18 DAN BROOKS, PASTOR SUNDAY MORNING & EVENING, JUNE 10, 2012 INTRODUCTION: READ JAMES 5:13-18 I. THE OCCASIONS FOR PRAYER (5:13-15). A. The occasion of suffering 1. Suffering: (Κακοπαθεῖ) to suffer distress; physical pain, hardship a. James has just walked us through the suffering of the prophets and Job. b. Last Sunday night we looked at numerous examples of Jeremiah s suffering during his 40 years of ministry. 1) He suffered rejection as he preached. 2) He suffered threats against his life, imprisonment for his ministry, beating at the hand of the priest. 3) King Jehoiakim cut apart the scroll of Scripture he and Baruk had recorded. 4) He suffered the loneliness of life as a single man. 5) So painful and confusing was the rejection of Israel that he questioned the Lord s guidance into ministry. 6) He even despaired of life itself saying that it would have been better that he had never been born. c. So after reminding us of the suffering of prophets like Jeremiah and servants like Job, James writes, is anyone suffering like that? 2. Let him pray: (προσευχέσθω) a. Rather than grumbling against one another, and along with the call to patience in the face of suffering we are called to pray. b. What are we praying for? 1) Relief? 2) Strength? 3) Go back to chapter 1 for a moment. 4) Jas 1:2 3 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 5) Jas 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6) Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. B. The occasion of praise 1. Cheerful: (εὐθυμεῖ)to be in good spirits a. That good spirit within us is a reflection of the goodness that flows from our God to us! 2. Sing praise: (ψαλλέτω) to sing a psalm or song of praise a. Our response to God s goodness is singing. 1) Were you able to sing earlier? 2) Your ability to sing praise has more to do with the condition of your heart than the environment around you. b. We sing as a congregation. c. We sing in Sunday school classes. (Occasionally, I walk the halls during the Sunday School hour and find great joy in hearing the different voices and genres. Each class has a unique sound and preferences. Some use the piano; some, guitars; some sing without accompaniment. It s a blessing to hear!)
P a g e 2 d. We sing privately in response to God s goodness. C. The occasion for special prayer 1. Sick: (ἀσθενεῖ) to lack strength, to be weak; a. Some suggest that the term refers to spiritual weakness, not an actual physical ailment. The weak brother of Romans 14:2 falls into this category and the term certainly conveys a spiritual weakness. b. However, in the Gospels, the term is used exclusively of those who are physically infirmed or ill. c. The subsequent action called for by James gives further evidence of a physical illness. 2. Call for: (προσκαλεσάσθω) to call to oneself 3. the elders: (πρεσβυτέρους) 4. let them pray: (προσευξάσθωσαν) a. Anoint with oil 1) Mk 6:13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. b. In the name of the Lord: invoking the authority of our Lord II. THE POWER OF THE PRAYERS A. The first part of the promise given to us. 1. The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick 2. Prayer: (εὐχὴ) The basic meaning of the word euchḗ is wish or vow. When it is addressed to God, it becomes proseuchḗ, from prós (4314), toward, and euchḗ, wish. When we pray to God, we wish that He would intervene to permit something in our lives that we feel is proper and right. 1 3. Save: (σώσει) to save, deliver, make whole 4. Question: Is this a categorical promise for believers? a. Some say, No, it is confined to the 1 st Century Church as are the charismatic gifts of healing and miracles. 1) The problem with this is that James does not command the sick person to find the individual who is gifted with healing to pray over him, but simply writes call for the elders. 2) Elders are the ordinary leadership of the church in every age. 3) So I do not believe this passage is easily dismissed with what we would call a Cessationist Position. b. Some say, Yes! This is an absolute promise that should be believed and practiced without doubting. 1) It should be believed and practiced without doubting, but it is not a magic promise for healing. 2) In cases where there is no healing, the pressure falls back on the individual or the elders, raising the question, Did we not have enough faith? c. It seems best to look at the broader context of healing. 1) Healing in the Scripture is a result of God s compassion for the weak. i. NT term σπλαγχνίζομαι: To feel deeply, viscerally (as opposed to merely intellectually) ii. Mt 20:34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes [2 blind men], and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him. iii. Mk 1:41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him [the leper] and said to him, I will; be clean. 1 Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary : New Testament, electronic ed. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).
P a g e 3 iv. Lk 7:11-15... 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, Do not weep. v. Php 2:27 28 27 Indeed [Timothy] was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 2) Healing is listed among the spiritual gifts. i. 1 Co 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ii. The purpose of spiritual is stated in1 Co 12:7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. iii. 1 Co 12:30 Do all possess gifts of healing?... And the answer is clearly, No. 3) Healings are not universal. i. Christ did not heal all the sick of His day. 1. See Mark 1:36-38 2. John 11 Lazarus ii. Paul healed Publius by the laying on of hands in Acts 28:8, but left Trophimus sick in Miletus according to 2 Tim 4:20. iii. Paul himself prayed for healing of his thorn in the flesh = my weakness (ἀσθενείᾳ) but was denied healing (2 Cor 12:7-9). 4) The faith exercised in prayer is faith in the God who sovereignly accomplishes his will. 2 B. The second part of the promise given to us. 1. He will be raised up: (ἐγερεῖ) 2. Question: What does that kind of faith look like? a. The woman with the issue of blood b. Matt 9:19-22; Mark 5:25-34 c. Jesus says in v. 34, Your faith has made you well, but v. 30 says power had gone out of him. C. Conclusion: The Church is not given magic power to heal all diseases and sicknesses that come into our assembly, but we do serve in the power and spirit of our Lord. 1. His compassion and pity is unchanged. Has His desire to relieve the physical suffering changed? No, so we can pray with confidence that He is still moved viscerally by the effect of the physical infirmity of His people. 2. His power is unchanged. Although we may not live in a time or region where we see miraculous healings, Christ s authority over disease has diminished. 3. So we pray with joy and faith for God to do great things! D. Question: How does HBC practice this passage? 1. The sick individual must be the one who calls for the elders. a. We would not impose this on someone whose faith was not moved in this way. b. It is a personal, individual decision. 2. We put out the word to our elders and ask them to prepare their hearts for a special time of prayer. 3. We meet with the individual, anoint them with olive oil, lay our hands on them and ask God to heal them. a. We pray more specifically than, Lord, let your will be done. b. This passage is warrant for a specific request to heal. c. Some of my passion is born out of our family s experience when my mother was dying of cancer. 2 Douglas J. Moo, The Letter of James, Pillar New Testament Commentary. Eerdmans, 244.
P a g e 4 d. She did not attend HBC. We asked for leadership from her church to pray over her. Some prayed specifically, but I also remember a couple of men who prayed very generically, almost as if they were not sure that asking God to heal my mom was legitimate. e. I determined then that I would never hide behind the will of God. Especially not when a passage like this exists. f. So let us be bold as we ask the Lord for healing. III. THE PRIORITY OF CONFESSION A. Sin sometimes brings physical illness (15) 1. There is a possibility that sickness is disciplinary. a. If he has committed sins: (πεποιηκώς) b. James is clearly leaving open the door of possibility. c. This suggests the possibility that, because of persistence in sin, God sent sickness as a disciplinary agent. 3 d. Such a conclusion is consistent with 1 Co 11:29 30 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. e. But let us remember Christ s answer to the disciples question in John 9, 2 Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind? 3 Jesus answered, It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 2. There is a promise of forgiveness. a. He will be forgiven: (ἀφεθήσεται) common word for the pardon of our sins and the release of the guilt. b. This seems to clearly imply that the one who is sinning is confessing his sin to God. c. Else, how could the forgiveness be granted? B. Sin should always be confessed (16). 1. Therefore a. Note the conclusion that Paul is drawing out of this last thought. b. The possibility of disciplinary sickness and the promise of forgiveness becomes reason for confession. 2. Confess your sins: (ἐξομολογεῖσθε) to confess one s own sin; to admit a. Sins: (ἁμαρτίας) missing the true mark b. The confession of sin entails humble honesty about the fact of having committed sin, not a public retelling of the details of the act. 4 c. See Psalm 51 1) Notice the occasion: To the choirmaster. i. In a real sense David is confessing his sin in the assembly of the saints. ii. David doesn t recount the sordid details of his sin with Bathsheba, but he is specific in regard to the seriousness of it. 2) He owns the sin i. My transgressions ii. My iniquity iii. My sin iv. I know my transgressions... (3) 3 Donald W. Burdick, "James," The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Volume 12: Hebrews Through Revelation, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 204. 4 Kurt A. Richardson, vol. 36, James, electronic ed., Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001), 236.
P a g e 5 3) He humbles himself before God. i. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight... (4) 4) He pleads for God s mercy (1, 7-12). i. Blot out, wash me, cleanse me (1) ii. Purge, wash (7) iii. Blot out (9) iv. Create, renew (10) v. Restore, uphold (12) 5) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken spirit and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise (17). d. Question: Is this the way you confess your sin to God and others? e. Point: Here s how confession of sin sometimes goes: 1) You know, I ve had a struggle controlling my anger, but God is giving me victory over that. 2) There s nothing wrong with that, but that s not what James is talking about, is it? 3) Confessions like that are tantamount to saying, I missed the mark (past tense), but I m hitting it now (present tense). I guess there was a time when I might have needed your help and prayers, but not now. f. Point: the kind of confession James is writing about is this: 1) I ve got a problem with sinful anger. I tore into my wife last night when I got home. I ve confessed it to God. I know He s forgiven me, but will you pray with me that I will be healed of this terrible sin? 2) I am missing God s mark of patience and self-control, will you pray for me that I will hit the mark? 3. To one another: (ἀλλήλοις) a. Why the confession to one another? 1) Is my fellow believer a priest-confessor? 2) Can I not go directly to Christ as my High Priest? 3) Yes! And you must, but this a reminder to us that in being united to Christ we are also united to one another. 4) In the same way that my illness does not affect only me, but draws out the compassion and pity of others, so too my sin affects the people I am united to. b. What an awesome privilege to pray with another believer concerning my own struggle with sin! c. This only works as you are in personal relationships with other believers. 1) Are you close enough to anyone in this body of believers to do this? 2) When was the last time you confessed your sin to another believer? 3) Who is there in your life at this moment who knows your present struggles with sin? 4) And if you try to tell us that you don t have a present struggle with sin you are either lying or you are actually dead. d. God intends for you to have close relationships with other believers so that you can actually confess your sin to one another. e. Where would you find those relationships? 1) The Church i. Shepherd Groups ii. Bible Study groups iii. Sunday School classes
P a g e 6 iv. Discover and build them as you participate in events like the picnic last week or the Greenville Drive Cookout or the Fall Retreat at the Wilds. 2) The Home i. Spouses, this ought to be taking place in your marriage. Not only the sin between the two of you, but the sin that each of you struggles with. ii. Parents, you need to ask your children, What are you struggling with that I can pray about? or How can I pray for you? iii. Children, you need to go to mom and dad telling them what you struggle with so that they can pray. 4. What keeps us from confessing our sins? a. Pride 1) I can t let others see my weakness. 2) I m embarrassed that I continually struggle with the same sin. b. Fear 1) What will others think? 2) What will it cost to confess my sin? 3) My spouse/friend/child will think less of me because I admit this failure. c. Question: Do you see how the Lord is actually building a safe environment for us to humbly and boldly confess our sins? 1) Our pride says, I can t let others see my weakness. Jesus says, If you are part of my family, you actually can. 2) Our fear says, Others will judge me if I confess my sin. Jesus says, In my household we actually help each other through the struggle with sin. 5. What is the effect of such confession? a. Ac 19:18 20 18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. b. This would be like a bunch of us coming to church and confessing and divulging our sinful practices with pornography. c. Or gathering together and confessing and divulging our materialism. d. Is it possible that the word of the Lord is not increasing and prevailing in your home because you are not confessing your sins to one another? e. Is it possible that the word of the Lord is not increasing and prevailing in our church because many are not confessing their sins to one another? C. Service should always be our goal. 1. Pray for one another: (εὔχεσθε) lit, to speak out, to express a wish, but in time, to pray or vow 2. What a glorious plan! a. I sin against God. b. I confess my sin to God. c. He forgives me and possibly heals me. d. I confess my sin to you. e. You join me in making war on my sin by praying for me. 1) This is a soft and safe landing for those whose pride or fears would keep them from confessing their sin. 2) Grace provides a soft, safe landing when dealing with our sin!
P a g e 7 3) We don t condemn one another as the confession is made, we enter into the struggle together by faith. 4) We both come into this knowing that Jesus Christ is our only hope for remedy and rescue! f. We both benefit from the reminder that sin is real, that God forgives D. That you may be healed: (ἰαθῆτε) 1. Whether or not this healing is limited to the physical sickness mentioned in this chapter, one thing is certain, the promise of healing is tied to the confession of sin one to another AND prayer for one another. 2. Whether my body needs to be healed of disease or my soul needs to be healed of besetting sin, I want healing! E. Conclusion: This is another essential means for growing a culture of grace. 1. Does that make our mid-week prayer meeting more significant? 2. Does that make participation in a Shepherd Group AND the prayers for one another in that context more significant? 3. Does that make building personal relationship is the context of the body of Christ more significant?