James Week 10

Sermon Transcript:

Oh, well, it's been hard to follow that up. But I'd love to for just a moment with the book of James. And so we're gonna finish up our series we've been in this for finally in 10 weeks. And it's just been a great series for me personally. And if you know anything about teachers or communicators, a lot of times they, they study things and they get more out of it than they ever hope to, to give to others. And this has certainly been true of in my time and studying the book of James. So we've been praying, we've been talking about prayer we've been worshiping. And that's really what we're going to see as we end in the book of James today is this whole idea of prayer. So let's get started. James, chapter five, beginning in verses 13 says this right here,

are any of you suffering, hardships, you should pray? Are any of you happy, you should sing praises, or any of you sick, you should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with the oil in the name of the Lord, such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well.

And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other, so that you may be healed. Just this whole idea of praying at all times you may have heard in First Thessalonians Pray without ceasing. You know, one of the things that we're learning in the book of James is it's all about faith. And faith is connected to prayer and prayer is connected to faith. It's just that basic, isn't it? If you're a man or woman of prayer, what are you saying when you and I pray? What are we what are we actually saying and doing both with our bodies, a lot of times whether we're laying prostrate on the floor or on our knees, we're saying, we're not in charge, that there's a higher power, there is a God in charge of my life. That's what you're doing. When you and I pray, and we're communing. We're talking with God. And we're acknowledging that He is God and we are not. And that takes what faith, right. So if you're a man or a woman of faith, necessarily, you'll be a man or woman of prayer. And if you're a man or woman of prayer, then you evidently have faith. One of the things that we need to see in this passage is just real basic things that, hey, we go through hardships, we go through hard times. And when we are in hardship, what should we do? It's very clear, we should pray, then we also know that sometimes we're happy. And I don't mean just some sort of giddy happiness or, or joy that comes, you know, when you have ice cream, or go to a party, or some sort of gathering or something like that, or whatever makes you happy, maybe a maybe a really nice vacation. But it's that idea of contentment. So always in the valley, right? We have moments and seasons in our lives, hopefully you experience those of great happiness or contentment, then it gets this idea of if you are sick, and all of us are affected by this in some way, whether we feel the sickness in our own personal bodies, or whether we see it and experience it in those we love and care about this whole idea of physical healing. It's not talked about a whole lot in the Scriptures about how it's connected to prayer, you'll see Jesus He heals a lot of folks, you'll see Old Testament prophets, he'll a lot of folks, but in connection to prayer and how it should work. This is one of the few passages that really talks about this in the scriptures, and says, What do you and honor supposed to do if we find ourselves sick? And we want to acknowledge and we want to come before the Lord with this, it says, Call upon the elders. Now elder is just a word in the scriptures that sometimes says, Pastor or overseer, or Bishop, it's sort of all the same word, its idea of the leaders of the church. And then when they pray over you says anoint you with oil. Now, oil was sometimes used for medicinal purposes. But oil is also used as an anointing that's kind of the idea is tied up in that word, isn't it? Just that whole idea of a symbolic or set apart? And it says that you will be made well, but it also ties prayer, not only prayer, to our physical bodies, healing, but also to our spiritual lives, because it says, Listen, if you if you've sinned, you need to be forgiven. I don't know if you remember that famous story where the paralytic man is let down to Jesus through the roof and his four buddies lower him down. What does Jesus proclaim over him? Do you remember this says Your sins are forgiven? They Oh, don't you know this man needs to walk. And what Jesus is always concerned about is not merely the physical healing, but our spiritual condition. And it says that if you're not committed sins will be forgiven. Because why? Because we're leaning on God because we're committed to the God of the scriptures. I also love and that's why I included verse 16, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. Sometimes we want to go before the church and we want to have leaders who pray over us and we do that from time to time. Actually, we did that earlier on after the first service. But you can also just pray for one another, that we have bedside manner that we would go and we would look

lean on one another and that we would sit with one another and that we would pray for one another. But rest assured that physical healing is related to spiritual healing and health. We all know this, we all know that what is going on in our physical bodies actually does affect our mental state. We don't have to read some big news article or talk to a whole lot of doctors or counselors or psychologists to figure this out. And so we know that oftentimes we'll go to see a medical doctor and we have a real ailment, we have a real sickness, but sometimes they can't figure it out, right? You and I sometimes carry burdens where our own shoulders begin to hurt or our own back begins to hurt, because we're carrying something we ought not carry, that we can give over to the Lord. Or we can ask the Lord to take away oftentimes, that's what'll end up happening, right? You get to the end of the road of tests, from your medical doctor, and they'll say, Listen, we can't figure it out. But if you just need relief from your pain, take some of these. But we know that that is doing what and simply masking the symptoms. Because what we see in the scriptures is that sin and health it is related. It's not a one to one correlation. So don't don't get the idea that if you and I are sick, well, is it because, you know, I sinned? Or or my parents said that question was actually asked in the scriptures. But it's so that God could teach us something for His glory. But I don't want to gloss over that idea that sickness is connected to our spiritual condition. First Corinthians 1127 through 31. In talking about communion, which we just took earlier today, the reason why we often talk about examining ourselves is because of a passage like this, what does it say? First Corinthians 1127, through 31. So if any of you eats this bread, or drinks, this cup of the Lord unworthy is guilty of sinning against the body in the blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. If you eat the bread and drink the cup, without honoring the body of Christ, you're eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak, and sick, and some have even died. And that's why I will often say, make sure you're good with the Lord, take this opportunity not to be scared from communion, but to take this opportunity to reconnect yourself with the God of the universe to fellowship with God Himself. And then also that we looked at left and right and say, hey, if I sinned against someone that I know that I'm close to, and even reconcile with them, as well.

And so what we're seeing here very clearly, in this passage, I want to see this as our first point. Pray when you're hurting, pray when you're happy, and pray with others. That's kind of real clear from this passage isn't. Pray, when you're hurting, pray when you're happy, and pray with others, whether it's the leaders of the church who feel like you need to call upon because of some sickness or ailment. And again, we don't want to play that game of like, well, if I have enough faith, you'll always be healed. We know that's not true, because we don't live forever from every ailment we ever have. But we know that that whole idea that we if we pray in faith, according to God's will, sometimes he heals. And so we're gonna see this in further passages. Beginning in verse 16. The second half it says this, The earnest prayer of a righteous person, has great power and produces wonderful results. Now that right there, big passage, you might want to memorize that that's one of those, I don't know what you do with little verses or phrases of verses in terms of old school, we would, you know, write on a sticky note and put them on our mirror, we put it on a three or five cards stick in our pocket, I think now we can probably put it on our phone and have it pop up as a reminder. But this is huge. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and righteous person means what those who are a follower of Christ, and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, right? That's the point here. He's just a man. And yet when he prayed earnestly, same word,

that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years. Then when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain, and the earth began to yield its crops, that whole idea of blessing a new birth because of his prayers. Well, what is going on here? First Kings 17. And 18 really records a lot of who Elijah is and what he did. If you're not familiar with him. He's very significant in both the Old and New Testament, because Elijah was one of those prophets that when the spirit of Elijah would come, we knew the Lord was stirring. That's often what they look back to even around the time of Jesus who often reference really the the times of Elijah, and there was also the time of Moses, where there was other miraculous things going on. That's why when you see Jesus in his father's go up to the Mount of Transfiguration, who is there with Jesus? And is what the spirit of Moses and the spirit of Elijah and so

What goes on here? Who is he? Well, he's Old Testament prophet, who was ultimately caught up with God in the chariots of fire. But before that happens, he's a prophet of God, and he's around on this earth, and He is there and he runs into a widow at zero fat. And if you remember the story, she's about to die and eat comes in does this miraculous thing to where she's able to be fed, but not only that, that she he, Elijah brings that her son back to life, huge, huge. James could have referenced that that's not what he referenced city, he referenced this whole idea of praying, and that a drought is over. Well, the famine continues in the land. And another famous story and Elijah that was famous when I and I loved when I was a boy and maybe your children love to is that whole idea of Mount Carmel. You remember that story? In First Kings 18. James could have mentioned this story. What's this one? You remember this one, that there was a great altar that was built before the prophets of Baal before those who were idol worshipers and and Elijah called from fire from heaven to come and consume the offering even though water had been poured on it, and God Himself performed a miracle that day. That's not what James referenced James references. When Elijah is outside of town, and he begins to train, he begins to pray. If you look at first Kings 18, the first several verses there, it really talks about that there had already been a famine, there had been a drought in the land for three years up to that point. And according to this, it's three and a half years. And here is what happens. First Kings 18, beginning of verse 41, that Elijah said to Ahab go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming. So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bow low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees. Then he said to the servant, go and look towards the sea. And the servant went and looked, then returned to lodge and said, I don't see anything. Seven times, Elijah told him to go and look. Finally, the seventh time, the servant told him, I saw a little cloud about the size of a man's hand rising from the sea. Then Elijah shouted, hurry to Ahab, and tell him climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don't hurry, the rain will stop you. And soon the sky was filled with black clouds, heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and they have left quickly for desert real. Then the Lord gave special strength to Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt, and he ran ahead of Ahab share it all the way to the entrance of Jezebel. Now, again, why does James bring up the story? Why are we referencing it today to show what happens when an ordinary human nor a man begins to pray, when someone says, I want to be used by God and his glory. That's the point of the story. That's why James wants to reference something like that he passes over these other what may seem out of touch miracles in our mind, and he goes to this story leads to the second point this morning, the secret to power and effectiveness is prayer. The secret to power and effectiveness is prayer. This is really just a phrasing of that first point, isn't it? The prayer of a righteous man or a woman avails much. And this idea of the secret to power and effectiveness is prayer is what we need, because we say we all want power. I mean, if I was to go around this room and say, Hey, who wants a life that is marked by the Spirit of the Living God with power? I think most of us who have any sort of pulse and believers whatsoever say, Yeah, that's me, I want that. And effectiveness, who doesn't want to be effective in this life. And what we're learning is, the secret to the power and effectiveness that we so much crave is prayer. Because we come here and we come with our stuff, don't we? Oh, I've got a spousal issues, or I like her or he likes me or and I don't like them or, you know, work issues or whatever. And what we're learning is okay, if you want to be powerful, you want to be effective in that area of your life. Let's be men and women of prayer. Last and final point I wants to see this morning is this whole idea of Dear Brothers and Sisters, so if they don't pull that up, I'm gonna be able to say it to us. And this is again, last two verses here in the chapter says this. My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the center back from wandering will save that person from death, and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. Last and final point I wants to see this morning is we need each other. We need each other. It's just so clear as day when we look at the scriptures and we look at the church, we look at a book like this, and we see how we're called to walk and live and interact in faith that we need each other. What I love about this passage is it shows the great sort of joy and rejoicing we have when someone is restored and I'm gonna hear

Ever been there before where you've tried to help a brother or sister out, where you've had to sit with them for a long time, when they're not doing what they're supposed to be doing, you know what I'm talking about here. You think about job when he was having his troubles in the book of Job. And he had three friends and the smartest thing they ever did was sit with him and not open their mouth. But what happened when they began to open their mouth, you can read the book, the poetry, the prose and see them in the lobby accusations, they begin to sort of say, well, maybe you're suffering because of, you know, some indwelling sin or maybe somebody else did something or you made God mad or whatever. Nobody gets helped by someone lobbying accusation or judgment or faults on them, the way we are helped is when someone pursues us, who loves us enough to say, I'm not going anywhere. I love you in the midst of your rebellion and disobedience. It's the whole idea of the prodigal daughter, the prodigal son going away, and those who love cling to them, cling to them, just like the ladies of old that would say, you know, I'm going to cling to you and where you go, I will go, clinging and not letting go, that's what's gonna really help someone do what

be brought back. And not only when they are brought back will they be saved, but there will be many, many forgiveness of sins. People are the means God uses as instruments and grace and others lives. We said that, again, people are the means God uses as instruments of grace in other's lives. A lot of times when he says, I want to hear from God, I want God to do something, and we're thinking very, sort of individualistically, I gotta guess you're gonna have to, you know, drop down something from heaven, or you know, I don't know, write something in the sky, or make it really powerful in my time with you, in the morning, and the evening was scriptures, or this devotional book. And those things can happen, by all means, but we're so individualistic in our culture, in our times, and its emphasize in many different ways. And what the Bible emphasizes is we need each other, I need you, you need me, look to the person who left and right you need them.

Once some closing thoughts on James, you know, it's all about faith and works and how it works together. First thing I want us to see and to think about as we in this series is that faith that works is only true because of the gospel. You know, faith that works is only true because of the gospel. You know, we find ourselves crippled a lot of times we find ourselves saying, I can't do it. I don't, I don't have the strength. And I just always want to say Amen, you don't, I don't. Because if you're just looking for natural means to be able to solve or to get through whatever issue you and I feel like we have the churches in the place for you and me. This is a supernatural thing that has to occur in your life and in my life, in order for there to be any hope whatsoever. And the supernatural act has already occurred with Jesus Christ rising from the dead and the supernatural act can continue to occur in your life and mind to be born again. But then they can continue to occur as we walk out and live lives of faith in light of the gospel. We learned in the book of James that there is no contradiction between what you and I were taught in Romans that that is by faith, we are saved by through faith and through grace alone, but that faith necessarily leads to works. But it flows it flows from a heart of the gospel to heart for the gospel. Second point, I want us to see, as we close the book of James is that faith that works is played out in the context of the Body of Christ, how it's played out in the context of the Body of Christ, that there is no lone ranger Christianity, I brought that up again, if you can come up with a better term, I'll be willing to use that. But we often think I got this, or I'm supposed to just have this. And what we see over and over again, in a book like James is it's obvious that they're living lives with one another. And that's why we're doing things like name tags and you know, pictures until we can pray for one another, know one another, and, you know, serve together with one another, and love one another, be there for one another, pray with one another. Because that's what church is, if you've been sold a bill of goods, that it was just all about me, and maybe my experience with, you know, the worship music or the pastor or, you know, some sort of prayer gathering or whatever, yeah, those things are true, but those things are meant to lead us to each other and to lean and to be a part of one another's lives. Third and final thing is that faith that works is aimed towards the glory and the fame of Christ. This might be the hardest for some of us to swallow because we got our list right? We got our things whether we've really told them the God who really wrote them out for God, we got them in our head and hearts. Okay, God, I want you know, I want to marry him or I don't want to be married to them anymore or I've got a

Are this sort of thing that I want to do I want this job, I want this kind of house I want, you know, to be in this kind of area, I want to be in this kind of position by this sort of age and for us to just submit to God and say, God, you're in charge. I'm not your will be done, not mine takes a lot of faith. And what happens is, is that, that our faith, needs to be moving needs to be aimed towards the glory, the name and the fame of Christ. But that's so hard. But in other ways, it's easy. What's hard about it, because we want maybe a relationship with him or her or we don't want that relationship anymore. And so what we do is we take a good God given desire, which is we need one another God made us to be in community or in relationship with people, and we put the stipulations. So it's a good prayer to pray, God, I want to be in relationship with others, I want to figure out what it is to relate to other individuals, other humans in a healthy way. That's a great prayer, because then God can do whatever he wants with that. But when you and I put constrictions, and we're like, no, no, what it means is, I gotta have him or I gotta have her or this has got to work out or I don't want them in my life anymore. We're not primarily aimed at the glory, and the fame and the name of God, we're primarily aimed at what what ourselves what we want, our goal is for this occupation for this job. And we can do that with everything.

That's why the most simple prayer that we begin to pray when we first start out in Christian faith is that we begin to pray around meals, right? Because we're what are we doing, we're thanking God for his daily bread that he gives us and for the roof of our head, anything else beyond that is gravy. And of course, we need to have goals for occupations and education, and, you know, relational stability, and you know, all that kind of civilian. So I'm not against any of that. But what we have to do is, we have to give it to God first. And we got to realize that everything we have, we're to leverage for God's glory, to ask God to help us with that. I love George's prayer, because he was able to say, anyone around the room, wherever you're struggling with fear, worry and anxiety. And it's not just if you're struggling with it, but who also gets drug into this. It's friends and family and those who love the one who is struggling with that. And he's praying for you. Because he's saying, I don't know what it is gotten these reveal to you. But it is a step of faith. And it's baby steps. And very rarely does it happen where it, you know, it snaps on and off like a false like you go from, you know, completely acting one way to completely acting a different way. Sometimes it happens that way. But oftentimes what occurs for all of us is incremental, moving towards God, and His grace, which only He can give. Let's pray towards that in church. I'm excited for the summer. I'm excited what God wants to do in the life of our church, their kid live and through just tons of other things. Thank you. Thank you for being here. And let's pray together. Father, I thank you for your word. I thank you for a book like James that has taught each of us how to walk my faith.

I pray right now for those in this room who maybe it's not fear, worry, anxiety they struggle with maybe it's just

straight up pride, maybe it's

they need a word from you.

Some people need a touch of healing in their life, whether it's a physical healing or relational healing.

Father, we come to you this morning, all over the map.

Our shoulders are not wide enough to carry whatever burden it is we have but your shoulders are more, more more than enough. Your hand is not too short to save. So I pray you save many this morning but I also pray that you would relieve many this morning who are just offering up prayers to you last these things in Christ, amen.