Text: James 5:13-20
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
Prayer
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
Source Unknown.
Our Epistle reading in James begins:
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
At times, we can all feel this need. Who among us hasn’t suffered, or been cheerful … or sick?
For some though, suffering is an ongoing problem. It may be long term physical illness or depression that consumes one’s life. I’ve seen both and neither is fun to deal with.
James calls those who suffer to prayer.
Prayer brings the one suffering to the one who suffered too. Prayer brings the one who hears our prayer and those who pray together - and through this union prayer brings comfort, peace and healing. The suffering servant Jesus himself, hears and answers our prayers. At times we crave comforting answers … at other times we struggle to hear any at all. Sin brings death and suffering to us all. It is a result or our life broken in sin.
At times there is also joy in your life and when those times of joy are yours James says to … sing!
It comforts and focuses our joy in the true giver of joy … Jesus Christ our Lord. Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual songs – or as the word φαλλετω (Psalleto - singing psalms or even playing on a string instrument) not only fill our hearts and lives with the joyful music, but with the words of God’s truth so we can be connected to the joyful giver of peace and forgiveness.
Playing this music as well can bring great joy.
Luther on music:
Martin Luther said, "The devil takes flight at the sound of music, just as he does at the words of theology, and for this reason the prophets always combined theology and music, the teaching of truth and the chanting of Psalms and hymns."
"After theology, I give the highest place and greatest honor to music."
Martin Luther.
Proclamation
Music brings great joy and so does singing for and with those who cannot get to worship.
Visiting the sick and bringing the proclamation of the gospel to those in need go hand in hand.
James says:
14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
Ill.
Pastor Merrell and I have been blessed to visit and pray for those who are ill. Before Dorenne Ridge passed we had an opportunity to visit her - though she hadn’t seen either of us for quite a while and was moved away from our area for her care. When I told her who we were she smiled her acknowledgement. The visit brought the anointing balm as a reminder of God’s Holy Spirit that indwells all believers and the Lord’s Supper to one in need. Sins are confessed and forgiveness proclaimed and received. I am always comforted when a dear brother or sister in Christ prays for me … as we together pray for one another.
Too often we forget that prayer has power. It is not that we control God but that we cast all our care upon him, knowing that he hears and answers our prayers.
Or, as a friend of mine once said;
“God always answers my prayers. He’s just never has been early with the answer … but answers in his time and way.”
God answers because he loves you and in Christ we love others because he first loved us.
How do we display his love?
Love
Love is silence--when your words would hurt.
Love is patience--when your neighbor's curt.
Love is deafness--when a scandal flows.
Love is thoughtfulness--for other's woes.
Love is promptness--when duty calls.
Love is courage--when misfortune falls.
Source Unknown.
Certainly this is not the ways of the world.
The word of God is rejected by many and even believers forget the wonderful word during times of trial and troubles.
During a time of great depression for Veretta Cheal I brought my guitar on a visit to sing a few hymns with her. It gave her comfort in the midst of trial and soon after she had a time of peace in her life.
God uses us all where we are. Through our own gifts at times he gives comfort, peace and joy to those who suffer.
Peace
Peace that Jesus gives is not the absence of trouble, but is rather the confidence that He is there with you always.
Source Unknown.
Martin Luther found peace with God when he found the gospel. What had been for Luther the trial of life as he struggled with Gods righteous justice - that sins separated us from God and as sinners we, in the sight of God, must be condemned - became a joy on account of Christ. Because of Christ as our substitute who stands in our place and receives God’s wrath as the once for all sacrifice for our sins we by faith receive his reward by faith as God’s beloved children in whom he is well please.
5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. 5:1
Because of Christ and by faith we have peace with God.
Christ’s peace is your peace by faith.
Christ’s peace is freely give in the gospel
Christ’s peace is not received by works of righteousness.
Christ’s peace is a gift to be shared with others.
Let us close with the prayer that we began:
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
Source Unknown.
Prayer, Proclamation, Love, and Peace!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
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