Text: James 5:13-20
Facebook live: The prayers of the faithful bring peace!
19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
From our bulletin cover in the book of Revelation, we read:
7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Rev.12:7-9
The battle continues friends, and James in his epistle talks about the consequence and the cure.
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.
The work that we can do for ourselves seems simple enough. Pray. You may, and you may not find it difficult, or you may wonder what do I say and how should I say it?
When you suffer. Talk to God.
How should I begin? With what words do I start? How will I know the answer?
Our Father who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name.
Is simple enough. As the disciples ask the Lord himself in Luke 1
11 … “Lord, teach us to pray,”
The work of prayer is communication with God. Take your cares to God himself. To confide to a friend loved one when we suffer is how our loving heavenly father hopes we all see him. As one that we confide in when life has troubles are ever before us.
Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
Alleluia! Let praises ring!
To God the Father let us bring
Our songs of adoration.
To Him through everlasting days
Be worship, honor, power, and praise,
Whose hand sustains creation.
Singing, ringing:
Holy, holy,
God is holy;
Spread the story
Of our God, the Lord of glory.
Our hymns sing that which we believe into our hearts. We proclaim God’s word and truth which in turn brings comfort and peace.
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.
The elder, aka [πρεσβυτέρους] the presbuterous is speaking of the pastor but in our context as we invite and elect those who serve as Elders in the church, in support of the pastoral office, they too can bring peace and prayer to those in need.
It is a bit of a three-fold help. Pray, praise and call on those brothers and sisters in Christ to lift up the needs of the body of believers here for prayer and deliverance.
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
Anointing oil has long been connected with the work of the Holy Spirit.
16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
The healing balm of anointing oil, I use as a gift brought to those I visit, and it is especially important when receiving the Lord’s Supper is difficult - with swallowing concerns, on a ventilator, unconscious, or sleeping.
James brings the result of these gifts when he says:
15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
save the one who is sick
the Lord will raise him up
he will be forgiven
Three important works that all have eternal implications!
Whether you recover from the illness you deal with or die, your eternal home is secure. The prayer of faith needs an object and that object is Jesus. It is not that we don’t desire to be well and live, but that the greater need is met.
And in Christ your greater need is assured.
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
Again, the need is that you may be healed eternally, and have the peace that passes all understanding. It is to bring the importance of faith and its object. That we see our need and Jesus as the cure.
The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
The righteous person … is you!
The one claimed by Christ has access to this power in prayer. It is often forgotten or we think someone better should pray. I am not too high on the prayer ladder we think, so the Lord can’t hear me. Open you mind and mouth friends and ask and the Lord will answer!
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
Elijah like you and me, born in sin and in need of a savior God used and he heard his fervent prayer. God also hears you and your prayers, mediated through Christ come to the father. As we heard last week in Mark 9:
“… and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
Mark 9:37b
Wondering from the truth! It is part of our daily lives. Parents, siblings, children, friends and coworkers. All can fall away from the faith or refuse to head the call of the Holy Spirit. So we pray and keep telling them the good news and asking God to draw them to faith.
[Coworker story]
19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
4 Alleluia! Let praises ring!
Unto our triune God we sing;
Blest be His name forever!
With angel hosts let us adore
And sing His praises evermore
For all His grace and favor!
Singing, ringing:
Holy, holy, God is holy;
Spread the story
Of our God, the Lord of glory!
Friends, that is our call. To spread the story of the Lord of Glory!
Alleluia! Let praises ring!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen
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