The Letter of James - 5:10-18
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Examples of suffering
Examples of suffering
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Examples of suffering -10
Examples of suffering -10
James returns to his though of patience in suffering.
the prophets
the prophets
While James looks at the prophets for examples of suffering, the author of Hebrews references some of the horrific atrocities others have gone through because of their faith.
33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. 35 Women received their loved ones back again from death.
But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. 36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. 38 They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
35 Women received their loved ones back again from death.
But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. 36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated.
Heb 11:35
Heb 11.33-38
One take-away we get from James is that doing God’s will often leads to suffering. We must be equipped with the willingness and endurance to maintain spiritual integrity as we wait for God to transform our situation.
Job was a man of great endurance.
endurance
Lord was kind
Full of tenderness and mercy
One take-away we get from James is that doing God’s will often leads to suffering. We must be equipped with the willingness and endurance to maintain spiritual integrity as we wait for God to transform our situation.
The prophets suffered injustice, they also spoke out against it.
Jesus said
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Not be happy as in NLT, happy speaks to the state of our emotions
Rejoice and be glad speaks to the state of our relationship with God.
Remember
12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
James takes a shift in vocabulary in vs 11. 7-10 he used the word patience, now he’s using the word endurance. Some believe that James used “patience” to speak mainly of the believer’s response to other people while using “endurance” to refer getting through trials.
Job
Job
Job was a man of great endurance.
Although we don’t always look to Job as one who endured suffering faithfully. He did complain a lot and demanded an answer to why he was suffering. We do know that he never abandoned his faith. Throughout his entire ordeal of questions why God would allow the things to happen to him, he clung to God and continued to hope in him.
21 He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”
10 But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.
Job
25 “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. 26 And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! 27 I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!
Job
Job was real.
He struggled and questioned.
He didn’t understand and wanted an explanation.
He wasn’t passively submitting to the the trials and testing.
But, his faith was never extinguished.
1 Then Job replied to the Lord: 2 “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. 4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ 5 I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. 6 I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
In the end, Job realizes how the Lord was kind to him.
11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.
1 Then Job replied to the Lord: 2 “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. 4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ 5 I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. 6 I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
The lord was kind to him at the end
Job realizes the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.
As we see with Job, his integrity was rewarded in the end
endurance
Lord was kind
Full of tenderness and mercy
It seems as if James is now drawing his letter to a close, but in an odd way. He doesnt use the typical closing format that other NT writers used in their letters such as Paul’s, greetings, travel plans, a benediction. It almost seems as if this verse is out of place.
12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
What we’ll see is that James is wrapping up his letter by touching on three “speech” issues critical to the community.
Don’t Swear
Don’t Swear
Here, James seems to go back to as he has throughout this letter.
12 “Do not bring shame on the name of your God by using it to swear falsely. I am the Lord.
Lev 19.
Taking an oath wasnt prohibited under the levitical law, but taking one and swearing by heaven/God was prohibited. The OT law demanded that one be true to the oath he had taken. There was often a curse added to the oath that was taken.
I will do this, if I dont, this bad thing will happen.
James also seems to reflect Jesus teaching about swearing in
34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. 35 And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. 36 Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. 37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
This reminds me of when I was a teenager. If you wanted to find out if someone was telling the truth, you’d say “put that on your momma.” For instance, someone is telling a story about something that happened that might not be that believable, you would say, “put that on something.” They reply, “man, I put that on my momma.” This was the ultimate truth detector. But just like most things, it gets out of hand. People start to put that on everything, or I put that on God. It’s funny how this still goes on some 2,000 plus years later.
No is no
12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
Yes be yes
No be no
So now we have James referencing Jesus teaching not to take a vow, or an oath. He’s suggesting that our word should be consistent and dependable, utterly trustworthy as if it were a legally signed document. A simple yes or no should suffice.
We should be commited to integrity in speech in our friendships, relationships, partnerships so that we are never required to give an oath. Our yes is yes, and our no is no.
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
Prayer offered in faith
Prayer offered in faith
So James moves to his second “speech” issue critical to the community. Prayer. He mentions three different circumstances in which prayer should be offered up.
Prayer
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
james 1.2
Hardships - Pray
Hardships - Pray
It’s interesting that when most of us read the first part of this verse, we immediately pray that God will remove the hardships that we’re suffering. I’m not so sure that is James intention.
Taking this whole letter into account, I think James call to pray is circles around the idea of enduring the hardships with the right spirit, spiritual strength to endure the trial with a godly spirit.
Cheerful - Sing praises
Cheerful - Sing praises
Suffering hardships is based on current circumstances. Cheerful is based on emotions, not outward circumstances. Kind of like peace of mind.
It’s important to remember God when things are going well. Suffering reminds us that we need God. James is reminding his readers to sing praises to God continually, especially when things are going well.
Just as we tend to pray continually through trials, we should pray, sing praises, continually through cheerful season.
14 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.
James
Sickness - Call for the elders of the church -14
15 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.
Sickness - Call for the elders of the church
Sickness - Call for the elders of the church
Anointing with oil is a physical action with symbolic significance. Think of communion or baptism.
Many don’t know what to do with these two verses. James seems to interweave the physical with the spiritual. One way to reconcile James statements here are step out of the 21st century and head back to around AD 45 when this was written.
We tend to completely separate the physical from the spiritual.
Sin and sickness were often closely associated in the ancient world.
27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.
James isn’t stating that sickness is caused by sin, rather the physical and spiritual are more connected than we sometimes understand
office of elder
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Letter of James B. Prayer and Healing (5:13–18)
The prominent role of the elders in Acts and the description of the office in the Pastoral Epistles suggest that elders were spiritually mature men who guided the spiritual development of local congregations.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Letter of James B. Prayer and Healing (5:13–18)
But other factors suggest that James probably views the anointing as a physical action symbolizing consecration.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Letter of James B. Prayer and Healing (5:13–18)
As the elders pray, they are to anoint the sick person in order to symbolize that that person is being set apart for God’s special attention and care.
be forgiven
16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
Confess sins & pray for each other
Confess sins & pray for each other
earnest prayer
righteous persoon
great power
wonderful results
17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! 18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.
Elijah prayed - no rain -17
He prayed again - it rained -18
James 5:
19 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.
Transition:
Reading:
Scripture Reading:
v. 10: For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
v. 11: We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.
v. 12: But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.
v. 13: Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.
v. 14: Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.
v. 15: 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.
v. 16: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
v. 17: Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!
v. 18: Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.
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II. Main Point
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Transition:
So What?
Conclusion:
Sermon Templates Life Change (Rick Warren)
Life Change (Rick Warren)
1) Establish a need
2) Give personal examples
3) Present a plan
4) Offer hope
5) Call for commitment