Sunday LinkUp – 29September2024 – James 5:13-20

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OPENING COMMENTS

In the season of Ordinary Time, just like in every season, we are reliant upon God.  Thankfully, we can trust God to give us aid when we need it.

This week’s theme is God our help.

In James, we are told about the power of prayer.  Finally, in the Mark passage, we are warned to do all we can to separate ourselves from the things that prevent us from receiving the help that is in Jesus Christ.

 

 

OPENING SONG

 

FIRST READING

Mark 9:38-41

38 Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.”  

39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  40 For he who is not against [a]us is on [b]our side.  41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

 

FIRST MESSAGE

  • How Enemies Become Friends    
  • Cara Garrity   

From the TRANSCRIPT …

If you’re an animated movie fan, and I say, “To infinity and beyond!” you probably will immediately think of Buzz Lightyear from the movie Toy Story!  In the movie, Buzz Lightyear was an astronaut toy character who was voiced by actor Tim Allen.  If you remember the very first Toy Story, Buzz was the new toy that captured the boy Andy’s attention, leaving his old favorite, Woody the Cowboy, cast aside. Woody was understandably jealous, so at the beginning of the movie, Woody and Buzz were rivals.  But it’s when they’re kidnapped by the nasty boy Sid that they realized they didn’t have to be enemies.  Buzz and Woody needed to work together to escape Sid and get back to Andy.  Their common goal fostered empathy and respect between the two.

The gospel of Mark reports a similar type of story where the apostles saw others outside their group casting out demons in Jesus’ name, and they might have been a little jealous.  Let’s read what happened:

John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.”  But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.  Whoever is not against us is for us.  For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.  
Mark 9:38-41 (NRSV)

Jesus points out an important lesson, not just for the disciples but for us, too.  Love and kindness have their roots in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so when they’re expressed — even by those who don’t hold similar beliefs — they’re furthering the good news of God’s love for all humanity.  In this context, Jesus is addressing those who were doing good works in his name.  We might think of the many different Christian denominations who often may disagree about some theological doctrines but who still love and serve the same God.

Buzz Lightyear and Woody were united, at least at first, in their desire to get back to Andy, and as they worked together on that goal, they developed a relationship based on respect, empathy, and even love.  Though some would like to restrict good works to their own understanding we’re encouraged to recognize how the Father, Son and Spirit infiltrate all aspects of creation.

When we see love and kindness at work, we can rejoice because we know God is meeting the world’s needs and affirming humanity’s value, no matter who is doing the loving or showing the kindness.

May you recognize God’s love and kindness in the world today, and may you pass it along.

I’m Cara Garrity, Speaking of Life.

 

 

SECOND READING    

James 5:13-20    Is anyone among you suffering?  Let him pray.  Is anyone cheerful?  Let him sing psalms.  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.  15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.  And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.   

16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  The effective, [b]fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.  18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.   

19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save [l]a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

 

WHAT IS GOD SAYING TO US?  What do you think He would want you to take away?   We’re going to unpack the passage to see.   But, before that . . .

 

SPECIAL MUSIC

 

INTERACTIVE SERMON 

 

James 5:13-18,19-20

13 Is anyone among you suffering?  Let him pray.  Is anyone cheerful?  Let him sing psalms.  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.  15 And the prayer of faith will  save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.  And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 

  1. What do you think we should take away from vv.13-14?
  2. How do you understand the word “sick” in v.14?
  3. How do you understand the “will save” in v.15?
  4. How do you understand the word “sick” in v.15?
  5. How do you understand the “will be forgiven” phrase in v.15?

 

  • From Enduring Word Commentary …
    • And the prayer of faith will save the sick:  Many have wondered if James guarantees healing here for the sick who are prayed for in faith.  Some interpret this as a reference to ultimate resurrection.
    • The reference to sins being forgiven adds to the idea that James is considering a spiritual work and healing, not necessarily a physical healing.
      • Yet the context of the statement demands that James does not exclude physical healing as an answer to prayer, though he does seem to mean something broader than only a physical healing.
      • Clearly, God does not grant immediate healing for every prayer of faith, and the reasons are hidden in the heart and mind of God.  Still, many are not healed simply because there is no prayer of faith offered.
      • The best approach in praying for the sick is to pray with humble confidence that they will be healed, unless God clearly and powerfully makes it clear that this is not His will.  Having prayed, we simply leave the matter to God.     

 

  • From preceptaustin.org … (quoting from a sermon by Brian Bell) …
    • Sometimes there is a direct relationship between personal sin & sickness.  Consider the story of David & Bathsheba (adultery, murder, refusal to repent) – Psalm 32 is David’s journal of this period.  Psalm 32:3-4 “When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long.  For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer.”    Sometimes there is no direct relationship between personal sin & sickness. = “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.” (John 9:2-3)

 

  • It is not always God’s will that everyone be healed.  For example,
      • Paul had the gift of healing but left Trophimus sick in Miletus (2 Timothy 4:20);
      • Epaphroditus almost died while ministering to Paul (Philippians 2:25-30);
      • Timothy had a stomach problem & frequent ailments (1 Timothy 5:23);
      • Paul asked God 3 times to remove his thorn in the flesh, that God said no to, but that His grace was sufficient for him. (2 Corinthians 12:7-8)
  • We must always make allowance for God’s will in the situation …
      • 1 John 5:14-15    Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

 

16 [a] Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  The effective, [b] fervent  prayer of a righteous man avails much.  17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.  18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.    

  1. Do you think the first part of v.16 is to be taken literally?
  2. Can you think of two persons — in the church — that you would feel comfortable confessing your trespasses to?
  3. What kind of healing do you think is in view in v.16b?
  4. What do you take away from the last part of v.16?
  5. Why is the fact that Elijah was a man with a “nature like ours” worthy of note?
  6. Why do you believe Elijah waited for three years and six months to pray for rain to fall again?  Why didn’t he pray for rain after 3 years … or 2 years?

 

  • From The Enduring Word Commentary …
    • To one another: Confession to another in the body of Christ is essential because sin will demand to have us to itself, isolated from all others.  Confession breaks the power of secret sin.   Yet, confession need not be made to a “priest” or any imagined mediator; we simply confess to one another as appropriate.  Confession is good, but must be made with discretion.  An unwise confession of sin can be the cause of more sin.
    • It is possible – though by no means always the case – that a person’s sickness is the direct result of some sin that has not been dealt with, as Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 11:30.
    • Public confession of sin has the potential for great good or bad.  Some guiding principles can help.
        • Confession should be made to the one sinned against.
        • Confession should often be public.   A.T. Robertson, the great Greek scholar, says that in James 5:16 the odd tense of the Greek verb confess in this verse implies group confession rather than private confession.  It is confession “ones to others” not “one to one other.”
        • Public confession must be discrete.  Often the confession needs to be no more than what is necessary to enlist prayer.
        • Distinguish between secret sins and those which directly affect others.  “If you sin secretly, confess secretly, admitting publicly that you need the victory but keeping details to yourself.  If you sin openly confess openly to remove stumbling blocks from those whom you have hindered.” (J. Edwin Orr)
        • Confession is often made to people, but before God.  You confess your sin before others and ask them to pray for you to get it right before God.
        • Confession should be appropriately specific.  “It costs nothing for a church member to admit in a prayer meeting: ‘I am not what I ought to be.’  … It costs something to say: ‘I have had bitterness of heart towards certain leaders, to whom I shall definitely apologise.’” (Orr, Full Surrender)
        • Confession should be thorough.  “Some confessions … make no provision for a different course of conduct in which the sin is forsaken.” (Orr)
        • Confession must have honesty and integrity.  If we confess with no real intention of battling the sin, our confession isn’t thorough and it mocks God.   The story is told of an Irishman who confessed to his priest that he had stolen two bags of potatoes.  The priest had heard the gossip around town and said to the man, “Mike, I heard it was only one bag of potatoes stolen from the market.”  The Irishman replied, “That’s true Father, but it was so easy that I plan on taking another tomorrow night.”     By all means, avoid phony confession – confession without true brokenness or sorrow.
    • Those who hear a confession of sin also have a great responsibility.  Those who hear the confession should have the proper response: loving, intercessory prayer, and not human wisdom, gossiping, or “sharing” the need with others.  Confidentiality is key — of the utmost importance.

 

What about the effective prayer of a righteous man?

 

    • The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much: In writing about the need for prayer for the suffering, for the sick, and for the sinning, James points to the effective nature of prayer – when it is fervent and offered by a righteous man.
        • i. The idea of fervent in this context is strong. “It might be rendered literally: ‘Very strong is the supplication of a righteous man, energizing.’” (Meyer)
        • ii. “Long prayers give no particular evidence of Divine inspiration.” (Clarke)
        • iii. Effective prayer must be fervent, not because we must emotionally persuade a reluctant God, but because we must gain God’s heart by being fervent for the things He is fervent for.
    • For a prayer to be effective … it must be offered by a righteous man — someone who recognizes the grounds of his righteousness reside in Jesus, and whose personal walk is generally consistent with the righteousness that he has in Jesus.

 

  • Please note, however … sometimes even the most fervent and effectual prayer of a righteous man or woman does not bring healing, as the apostle Paul discovered when he sought God for his affliction (2 Cor. 12:7–10).

So … WHAT, for you, IS THE MAIN TAKEAWAY?

 

For me …

A.  Re: James 5:15 … which says “the prayer of faith WILL save the sick ….”

  • I don’t believe this guarantee is for every prayer, but for a particular type of sickness.
  • I believe the sickness in view is one that is caused by sin (see 1 Corinthians 11:30).

B.  Re: Elijah’s prayer …

  • I don’t believe that it shows we can get God to do our bidding (if we only pray fervently enough and live righteous lives).
  • I believe that Elijah’s “prayer of faith”, in causing rain to stop, was directly inspired by God.  Remember that Elijah was not just a righteous man, but also a prophet (one who God spoke to directly)

 

CONCLUSION

A.  In every situation, remember God … go to God first.

B.  If you feel you need to confess … say only what is appropriate and necessary AND, above all, use discretion be wise in whom you confess to … BE WISE.

C.  The best approach to prayer … pray in faith, knowing that God is able, then leave the matter with God. 

  

 

 

 

CLOSING SONG

 

CLOSING PRAYER

 

 

Everything is Better with God

James 5:13-20

 

Bacon.  For those who eat both meat and pork, just saying the word can make mouths start watering — crispy, salty, smokey bacon.  It is not good for us, but we cannot stop eating it.  Bacon is so good that vegans came up with a plant-based version called “facon.”  Even those reluctant to eat meat, by their actions, admit that bacon is hard to live without.  The desire of Americans to find a way to put bacon on almost anything has led many to believe that everything tastes better with bacon.  In fact, Sara Perry set out to prove it.  The author and commentator wrote a cookbook called Everything Tastes Better with Bacon: 70 Fabulous Recipes for Every Meal of the Day, where every recipe features, of course, bacon.  For the culinarily adventurous, you can eat bacon on a doughnut, in a bar of chocolate, in a gum ball, infused in mayonnaise, in a smoothie, and in many other forms.  Even when bacon appears in the most unlikely of places, many will eat it because, apparently, everything tastes better with bacon.

What bacon does for our taste buds, good relationships do for our hearts.  When something good happens to us, the first thing we want to do is share the news with a beloved relative, spouse, or friend.  When something awful happens to us, we often turn to the same person for comfort.  If everything tastes better with bacon, then everything is better with love.  Even bacon!  There is a saying from Euripedes, “Friendship doubles your joys, and divides your sorrows.”  Most of us would agree that life is better when we get to share it with a friend who loves us.  Perhaps James had a similar thought in mind when he wrote:

 

Is anyone among you in trouble?  Let them pray.  Is anyone happy?  Let them sing songs of praise.  Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.  If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.  Elijah was a human being, even as we are.  He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.  Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.  My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. (James 5:13-20 NIV)

James begins this passage by encouraging his readers to turn to God in prayer in every situation.  Whether we are feeling troubled, happy, sick, or another emotion, we can share that moment with the Lord.  When sharing the ups and downs of life, we tend to give our attention to human beings first.  It makes sense because most of us do not perceive God with our senses.  It is harder to accept God’s presence when we cannot see or hear him.  However, if we truly understood the love of God, he would be the first one we turned to in our time of trouble.  He would be the first one we tell our good news.  He would be the first one we reach for when we are sick, in pain, weary in the flesh, or worn down by life itself.  He is truly the best friend who makes everything better.  He gives everything meaning.  He is life itself.  Lord, I pray that we would learn to turn to you first.  I pray that we would realize that you make everything better.

We should resist viewing this passage through a transactional lens.  In other words, we have to avoid the temptation to view prayer as simply a means to get something we want from God.   Although prayer changes things, we should not approach God seeing him as a servant to our will, remaking the world as we desire it to be.  Rather, prayer is a way to deepen our relationship with God and the primary means by which we spend time with him.  James is encouraging us to “pray continually,” as Paul would put it, sharing all of our moments with our loving Father.  As we spend time with God, we become more able to discern who he is, who we are, God’s will, and the things he is doing in and around us.

Of course, we should be transparent with him about our feelings and honest about the desires of our heart.  However, when we ask God for something, it should flow from who he reveals himself to be.  In other words, our prayers should be in line with who he is, what he has said, and what he is doing.  This is what James calls the “prayer offered in faith.”  And, as we make our requests known to God, we should do so with an open heart, leaving room for God to be God.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus expressed his desire not to die, which was in line with God’s nature.  However, he also prioritized God’s will over his own and remained open to whatever God wanted to do.  Jesus showed us how to express our deep desire to God like a child to his father, while also honoring the fact that God is sovereign.

The prayers we offer in faith have power.  James stated that the “prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”  The “righteous person” is not some kind of special, super Christian.  “Righteous” means to be rightly related and connected.  Righteousness is the right thoughts, words, and actions flowing from our right relationship with God.  As an example, James mentioned Elijah was a man with a nature like ours.  That means that he was not perfect in thoughts or actions.  He fled because he was afraid (1 Kings 19:3), he was depressed and even sounded resentful toward God (1 Kings 19:9-14).  Yet Elijah started and ended a drought with prayer.

We can assume the drought was not Elijah’s idea, and he was acting based on what God told him to do.  This is what gave Elijah’s prayer power; he prayed what God revealed to him.  He prayed God’s will.  Therefore, the prophet’s prayer was not him trying to manipulate God into making the world the way Elijah would want it.  Rather, Elijah’s prayer was a witness statement based on what he saw and heard.  It was a pledge of allegiance to the will and ways of God.  Let it be so for us as we pray for those who are sick or weary.  Let us remember that it is not the persuasiveness of our prayers that brings forth healing and rejuvenation.  God does not need to be convinced to be good.  He is good.  Let us remember that healing is possible because of the nature of God and his love towards us.  When we pray for healing, we are discerning and affirming the will of the one who promised us healing in this life and the next.

Before asking God for anything, we would be wise to first seek his heart.  How does God view our situation?  What is he working out?  What is he trying to show us?  How can we bring him glory in this moment?  In other words, we should let our relationship with God, cultivated in prayer, inform our requests.  When we hear from God, we can pray with conviction and power because we know that he cannot lie.  He will keep his word.  This is what empowers us to pray bold prayers.  We are not being bold in our own strength.  We are being bold in God’s strength.  We are bold because Christ is at the Father’s right hand making intercession for us.  Because of God’s radical love for us, our prayers can be audacious, as the Spirit leads.

As we share more and more of our life with God through continual prayer, we will find our joys doubled and sorrows divided.  He is a Father and a friend.  He is the one with whom we share all of our firsts.  Jesus opened the door and showed us the way to relationship with God.  Now, we can bear witness to the fact that everything is better with love.  Everything is better with God.

 

 

 

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