"Prayer Emergency"
Notes
Transcript
James 5:15
"You need to go to the hospital!”
"You need to go to the hospital!”
If you were seriously injured, I might say to you, “You need to go to the hospital in order to survive!”
But there are no guarantees. We assume that. But we still go.
I think that is what James is saying about prayer in this text.
How should we react to problems?
How should we react to problems?
James is telling us here that we should react/respond to problems with prayer - in faith.
James begins and ends his letter with the theme of problems.
James 1:2-4, 12
James 5:7–11
Outline for this text...
Prayer for ourselves (v. 13)
Prayer from our elders (vv. 14-15)
Prayer from others (vv. 16-18)
When we are suffering or in sin this is what we should want.
In verse 13 we considered a response of prayer and a response of praise, which gives us a general principle.
In verse 14, James gets more specific. Last time we considered 2 main questions in the verse 14.
Who are the sick?
It is those with physical or bodily weakness due to illness, disease, ailments, etc.
This will include spiritual weakness, and James encourages a spiritual response.
It is in this context that we should read verse 15.
“Save” - deliver; though it is used of spiritual salvation, is used here for deliverance from the physical sickness. Spiritual salvation is not a result of prayer. This along with the context demands a physical deliverance (“made well” Matthew 9:22; Mark 6:56; Luke 18:42; Acts 4:9).
Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.
And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.”
if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,
“Raise him up” then is also from physical affliction (Matthew 9:6; Mark 1:31; Acts 3:7).
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.”
And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.
What is anointing with oil?
Symbol (“in the name of the Lord”) - consecration/devotion; presence/power
It further emphasizes Who is being sought and Who makes the change.
Today in verse 15 we will continue this with 3 more questions.
Does this guarantee healing?
What does sin have to do with sickness?
How is forgiveness a part of this?
Does this guarantee healing?
Does this guarantee healing?
It is not always God’s will to heal (2 Corinthians 12:7–10).
This is not meant to be a magic formula or a way for us to arrogantly predict the future.
So I think it is safe to see implied here...
If it is the Lord’s will (1 John 5:14–15).
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
James is assuming some understanding on the part of his readers.
He wants them to do this knowing that God works in this way.
He wants them to pray in faith (“the prayer of faith...”), which must take into account God’s will.
Who?
Immediate - elders
Context - anyone (v. 13)
“The prayer of faith” wherever it is.
James wants them to be involved in praying - individual and corporately.
This involvement in prayer should be guided by their faith.
What?
Seeking God in confidence - God’s power.
Seeking God in trust - God’s way.
This says nothing about the amount of faith.
How much is it enough?
Can anyone have enough?
Faith is a gracious gift.
Answered prayer is a gracious gift, not earned.
The prayer of faith knows...
That God can…that God is good...that God wants what is best for us...
But the prayer of faith trust in God’s will...
The prayer of faith wants what God wants…which may or may not be healing.
What this does guarantee is that God does work in this way (when it is His will).
How do doors get opened? By knocking . Not all doors. But you wouldn’t stand at a door waiting for it to open without knocking. And when you knock, you anticipate it being opened.
If you were seriously injured, I might say to you, “You need to go to the hospital in order to survive!” But there are no guarantees.
Which should mean for us that this is a primary way that we seek His will. We should want His will/His healing.
What does sickness have to do with sin?
What does sickness have to do with sin?
Maybe nothing
James does say “if.” It’s not necessarily related.
Sickness is a part of this world.
We should not assume that our sickness is directly related to some particular sin (John 9:2–3).
And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
Maybe chastening
God does chasten His children (Hebrews 12:6).
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
God may use sickness for this chasten (1 Corinthians 11:30).
That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.
James does include a connection here. If the sickness is chastening from God, then the sin must be dealt with as well as the sickness.
Maybe the sickness is a time of self-examination
During which time numerous/unrelated sins come to mind.
In this case, the time of sickness should become a time of repentance.
This would definitely be God’s will in any moment including times of sickness.
How is forgiveness a part of this?
How is forgiveness a part of this?
Again, this can imply some things since James can assume that his readers have enough understanding to fill in the blanks.
Implied here would be a heart of confession (1 John 1:9).
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
In this the suffering individual is aware of physical weakness and spiritual weakness.
James is portraying this moment as a time of physical and spiritual change.
It is a bigger picture than just the sickness - there’s much more to each of us.
Seek God in suffering!
Seek God in suffering!
And’s let’s see what He does.
Benediction:
Scripture Reading: