Transcript Slide 1

Presentation 20
The Structure of the Book
Introduction and Trials in the Christian Life (1: 1-8)
Happiness in our Circumstances(1: 9-11)
Trial, Temptation and Gift (1: 12-18)
Hindrances to Fruitfulness(1: 19-21)
Doers and Hearers (1: 22-25)
True Religion (1: 26-27)
Favouritism (2: 1-7)
The Royal Law (2: 8-12a)
Showing Mercy (2.12b-13]
Faith and Works (2:14-26)
Teachers and the Tongue (3: 1-12)
True and False Wisdom, (3: 13-17)
Peacemakers (3: 18)
Defeat Through Lack of Submission(4: 1-6)
Victory Through Submission(4: 7—10)
Judging One Another (4: 11-12)
Boasting of Tomorrow (4: 13-17)
The Misuse of Wealth(5: 1-6)
The Need of Patience (5: 7-12)
Appropriate Responses (5:13-16)
Restoring the Wanderer (5:17-20)
Presentation 20
Presentation 20
Introduction
How good are we at making the
appropriate response to the situations
that face us in daily life?
If it begins to rain we put up our
umbrella - that's an appropriate
response! If you are driving to church
and the traffic lights turn to red and
you stop- that's an appropriate
response!
In the passage before us James calls
upon Christian men and women to
make a series of appropriate
responses.
Presentation 20
Trouble and Happiness
Generations of philosophers have wrestled with
the problem of how to cope with the triumphs
and disasters of life. James’ answer is remarkably
succinct;
“Is any of you in trouble? He should pray. Is
anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise” v13.
We can experience all sorts of troubles; physical
troubles, business troubles, family troubles etc.
And our response should be - to pray. Now
James is not suggesting that if we pray God will
always remove our troubles. That doesn't always
happen.
Prayer may not remove the difficulty but it
transforms the situation and that is much more
important.
Presentation 20
Trouble and Happiness
God has lessons for us to learn in times of
trouble. He cares for us enough NOT to
remove the difficulty till it has done its
gracious work in our heart.
Remember Job! That poor man cried and
cried for God to remove his sufferings. But
God's response was "not yet". Why? God
was waiting for them to produce a
‘harvest of righteousness’.
You may ask, ‘Why pray if our situation
will not be instantly changed?’ Surely in
order to bring God into the situation. In
order that we might know God's grace
change us in the situation.
Presentation 20
Trouble and Happiness
It is often easier to bring God into our lives in times of trouble than it
is when life is wonderful, when with the exception of an hour of so
of worship each week God can be too easily forgotten.
We can become more taken up with what God
has given us all to enjoy than we are with the
Giver. How do we guard against this danger?
James' says, ‘Let such a person sing songs of
praise’v13. This is how to keep God in focus
when you are enjoying life’s blessings. Thank
God for all that his hand has bestowed.
A famous preacher writes,
“Our whole life… should be so turned towards
God that whatever strikes us, whether
sorrow or joy, should be deflected upwards
into his presence.”
Presentation 20
Physical Illness
James further develops the idea of
appropriate response by addressing
those who are sick in v14-15...
These verses have drawn a wide range
of interpretation. The Roman Catholic
Church finds the basis for its doctrine
of Extreme Unction here. The priest
will anoint the person who is "in
extremis" [at the point of death] with
oil and pray for their forgiveness.
However, the plain sense of scripture
points to the raising of the sick from
their sick beds and of bringing them
back to health in this life.
Presentation 20
Physical Illness
Some take these verses as the only divine
prescription for healing. They believe
visiting the doctor and taking medicine
expresses a lack of faith. But this belief
limits the way in which God can work.
Dr Henry Frost in his helpful book
"Miraculous Healing" writes,
“healing of any kind is necessarily divine. A
physician doesn't heal nor medicine nor a
scientific diet, nor an improved
environment... All creation or re-creation is
from God and hence, in every instance of
healing, he is the one who heals, whether
he acts directly through unknown laws or
directly through known laws.”
Presentation 20
Physical Illness
Do you see what is being said: all the
healing mechanisms that are triggered to
aid us in our illness are gifts from God fresh air, sunshine, protein, vitamins,
medicines, diagnostic and surgical skills etc.
If, as some claim Christians are to rely on
supernatural means of healing alone, why
do we read of Paul sympathising with
Timothy's chronic illness and advising him
to take a little wine for his stomach
condition [1Tim.5.23]. He didn't tell him to
call in the elders of the church to pray for
him. It is not as some think a sign of mature
faith to refuse to call in the doctor.
Presentation 20
Physical Illness
Others teach that Christians should
claim healing as their right. They cite
Isaiah 53.4 “He took up our infirmities
and carried our diseases”. It is
claimed that the Christian on the
basis of Christ’s death can claim
“healing as his right”.
This teaching can cause great distress.
Joni Eareckson at the age of 18
became a quadriplegic and was
confined to a wheelchair. Her
boyfriend, who held this view on
healing, told her that all she had to do
was claim healing from God. All she
had to do was exercise faith!
Presentation 20
Physical Illness
She was not healed. What conclusion
was to be drawn?
The insidious suggestion was sown in
her mind, ‘you are still in a wheelchair
because your faith is not strong
enough’.
If healing is something the Christian
can claim as a right and if, as some
suggest, sickness in the Christians life
reveals a lack of faith, how then do
we explain Paul's thorn in the flesh.
Was his faith inadequate?
The fact of the matter is that it is not
always God's will to heal!
Presentation 20
Physical Illness
What then does James teach? First, note that
prayer is to be made “in the name of the Lord”. This
is not some magical formula, it’s not a spiritual spell
or incantation that forces God to give you what you
have asked.
To pray ‘in the name of the Lord’ is to pray in
keeping with his mind and will – it is to pray for
something that it is part of God’s plan.
In 1 Jn. 5.14 we read “This is the
confidence that we have in him
that if we ask anything according
to his will, he hears us.”
In other words, when we are sure
of God's will and purpose in praying
for healing then healing occurs.
Physical Illness
Secondly, “the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well”.
Faith is not to be confused with the kind of assurance footballers
psyche themselves up to attain before a match, “We believe we’ll win”.
The faith James speaks of is linked to the
assurance God gives that he will heal.
James draws a circle. Sometimes it is
God's will to heal in response to prayer.
And so he gives the sick person and the
church assurance of his will and the faith
to ask for healing. They pray, God heals.
This whole movement begins and ends
with God. Sometimes we are unsure of
God’s plan. No compelling assurance
given. In those situations, when the sick
person and the church prays in faith, it is
that God’s will might be done.
Presentation 20
Physical Illness
But what does James mean by “if the sick person has sinned God will
forgive him” v15. There is sometimes a connection between specific sin
and sickness. But not always as Jesus disciples supposed,
“who sinned this man or his parents that he
was born blind?” Jn. 9v2.
Jesus taught that sometimes there is a
connection between sin and sickness. Jesus
words to the paralysed man he healed were,
"See, you are well again. Stop sinning or
something worse may happen to you.“
Jn 5.14
Repressed guilt can often manifest itself in a
physical ailment. In speaking to the paralysed
man Jesus went behind the sickness to its cause.
Jesus dealt with them both.
Presentation 20
Physical Illness
Think of Paul's warning to those in Corinth who had abused the
Lord's supper 1Cor 11.18-22, 27-31. Their drunken, immoral
behaviour had disgraced the grace of God and ridiculed Christ’s
death. Paul asks ‘are you surprised that there is weakness and
sickness among you’. He exhorts them to self-examination. Paul is
not saying, ‘if we have sinned we should not come to God’s table’.
Where sin is not taken seriously, where there is no
repentance or desire for reformation of character, then
God will not standby and allow his gospel to be
disgraced. After sin is exposed if the sinner
continues in open defiance to bring
God’s name into disrepute then there
are consequences to be faced.
Spiritual Health
With this kind of thing in mind James speaks of sickness, healing and
forgiveness in the same breath. cf v16 “Therefore confess your sins to
each other and pray for each other that you may be healed”.
The word “healed” is different from the word used in v15. It
incorporates the idea of spiritual and physical health. The connecting
"therefore" in v16 also reminds that there is a link between our sin
and our spiritual health.
Cf Ps 51 “let the bones you have
crushed rejoice... restore to me
the joy of your salvation.”
Given that such a relationship
exists, what appropriate response
will restore our spiritual vigour?
Presentation 20
Spiritual Health
First, "confess your sins to each other." James has mutual confession in
mind. Putting things right with those we have wronged. “If you are
offering your gift at the alter, and there remember that your brother
has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the alter.
First, go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your
gift” Matt 5.23f . Jesus is saying, God will not accept your worship
until you are at peace with those you have injured. It’s not
enough to say to God “I'm sorry I blew up with so and so”.
We need to tell them we are
sorry! A great deal of our
public worship is worthless
because of an obstinate
refusal to be reconciled with
fellow Christians we have
offended or with whom we
have a festering disagreement.
Presentation 20
Spiritual Health
James then urges us to "pray for one another". Confession is made in
the context of prayer, not in a spirit of mock humility, nor as a means
of drawing attention to ourselves. We need a spirit of prayerfulness
that cries out "Lord help me to put this right".
Similarly, those on the receiving end of the confession should hear it in
a spirit of prayerfulness. It costs others to admit their wrong. We need
to ask for God’s help to receive the other warmly and to
put out of our mind the harm they have
done us.
There's nothing worse than a
confession of sin being met with,
“Well its about time” or
“You have no idea what
terrible hurt you caused me.”
Presentation 20
Conclusion
James has called in these verses to
make appropriate responses to a
whole variety of situations.
And it is only as we do so that we are
able with God’s help to contribute to
our spiritual, psychological and
physical wellbeing.
Presentation 20