Maturity Thru Prayer
James 5:13-18
I.
Introduction.
A.
As noted in previous lesson, these
Christians were certainly suffering
B.
And James has encouraged them to be
patient and endure the suffering
C.
There is a great reward for those
who patiently endure
D.
But there are also dangers:
complaining (v. 9) and swearing (12).
E.
Rather, James encourages us to
pray!
II.
Prayer: A Mature
Responses to Difficult Situations
A.
When Suffering
1.
Suffering: very broad:
sickness, bereavement, disappointment, persecutions, loss of property
2.
Prayer:
a.
RWP: "let him keep
on praying"
3.
Removal of the
suffering, if it be the Lord's will: 2 Corinthians 12:8
a.
"Concerning this I
implored the Lord three times that it might leave me."
4.
Strength to endure the
suffering, if it be the Lord's will that we bear it: 1 Corinthians 10:13
a.
"No temptation has
overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not
allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will
provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."
5.
Suffering may be for
our ultimate good; as James previously taught, but we must realize.
a.
Psalms 119:67,
"Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word."
b.
Psalms 119:71, "It
is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes."
c.
Psalms 119:75, "I
know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness You
have afflicted me."
B.
Cheerful
1.
Tendency to separate
these, but that is not absolutely necessary!
a.
Acts 16:25, NAS95
"25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of
praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;"
2.
Even in the midst of
physical suffering, it is possible for Christians to be cheerful!
a.
suggests a state of
mind free from trouble -- the opposite of affliction -- happy!
b.
The mature Christian
knows to sing while he is suffering. (Singing is much easier after suffering.)
c.
Job 35:10, "But no
one says, 'Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs in the night,"
3.
We should be a people
who sing
a.
Psalms 147:1, NAS95
"1 Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is
pleasant and praise is becoming."
b.
Psalms 149:1-4, NAS95
"1 Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, And His praise in the
congregation of the godly ones. 2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker; Let the sons
of Zion rejoice in their King. 3 Let them praise His name with dancing; Let
them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre. 4 For the LORD takes pleasure
in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation."
c.
Psalms 137:1-6, NAS95
"1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, When we
remembered Zion. 2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps. 3 For
there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying,
"Sing us one of the songs of Zion." 4 How can we sing the LORD'S song
In a foreign land? 5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, May my right hand forget her
skill. 6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth If I do not remember you,
If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy."
4.
Why don't some
Christians sing praises more often, more fervently?
a.
Are they that
"afflicted"?
b.
Hasn't God done enough
in our lives to prompt us to praise Him fervently in song?
c.
Are our minds too full
of the songs of the world?
d.
What excuse can we
possibly give for refusing to praise God for His glory and goodness?
1.
We cannot use the
excuse that we cannot sing
2.
God
"commands" all to sing, and unless we are "mute" the
command applies to us
3.
Fortunately, God is not
concerned with how it sounds, but that it is coming from the heart, therefore
all who can speak can and should sing!
e.
Singing praises to God
is just as important as praying to God! Perhaps our prayers would be answered
more often, if we would praise God more often!
C.
In sickness
1.
This is a specific type
of suffering that may be especially difficult to bear.
2.
Satan thought it would
be harder for Job
a.
Job 2:4,5, NAS95
"4 Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a
man has he will give for his life. 5 "However, put forth Your hand now,
and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.""
3.
In times of physical
sickness, call for the elders of the church
a.
You want the prayers of
the "righteous" working in your behalf, don't you?
b.
Notice: You are to call
for them, not wait for them to call on you!
c.
Have the elders pray
with you.
1.
In faith (trusting in
the Lord's power to heal, if it be His will)
2.
With fervor ("the
effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.")
d.
The healing was
providential, not miraculous.
1.
No instantaneous cure:
a.
Epaphroditus:
Philippians 2:27, NAS95 "27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death,
but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would
not have sorrow upon sorrow."
b.
Trophimus: 2 Timothy
4:20, "but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus."
2.
Spiritual needs are
taken into consideration when elders are called.
a.
This is in view of the
phrase "and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven"
1)
This implies the
sickness is physical, though it may be accompanied with spiritual sickness as
well
2)
But the conditional
"if" makes it clear that the illness may not be accompanied by sin,
which if true, would mean the illness is not spiritual, but physical
b.
Job's suffering was NOT
due to sin: Job 6:28-30
1)
Job 6:28-30 "But now, be pleased to look at me, for
I will not lie to your face. [29] Please turn; let no injustice be done. Turn
now; my vindication is at stake. [30] Is there any injustice on my tongue? Cannot my palate discern the cause of
calamity?
c.
But other passages show
a clear connection.
1)
David: Psalms 32:3,4,
NAS95 "3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my
groaning all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My
vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah."
2)
Paralytic:
a.
Mark 2:5, NAS95 "5 And Jesus seeing their
faith *said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven.""
b.
Mark 2:9-11, NAS95 "9 "Which is easier, to
say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven'; or to say, 'Get up, and pick up
your pallet and walk'? 10 "But so that you may know that the Son of Man
has authority on earth to forgive sins"--He *said to the paralytic, 11
"I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home.""
d.
Mature Christians
willingly examine their lives and see if sickness is due to sin
1.
Psalms 139:24, NAS95 "24 And see if there be any
hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way."
2.
And carefully remedy
the situation: confess and seek forgiveness
a.
Matthew 5:23,24, NAS95 "23 "Therefore if you are
presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has
something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go;
first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your
offering."
A. Immature
1.
All you’ve said is that prayer when
suffering and sick may not help. Suffering stays, sickness continues
2.
WHY PRAY?
B. Prayer that works
1.
Effective prayer of a righteous man
avails much.
2.
Key is a righteous man!
a.
1 John 2:29, NAS95 “29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also
who practices righteousness is born of Him.”
b.
1 John 3:7, NAS95 “7 Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who
practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;”
c.
1 John 3:22, NAS95 “22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His
commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.”
3.
Some Examples:
a.
Joshua - Sun Stand Still: Joshua
10:12,13
b.
Elijah: Return life to a child: 1
Kings 17:19-22
c.
Elisha: Return life to a child: 2
Kings 4:32-35
d.
Hezekiah: Safety of Jerusalem,
185,000 Assyrians die: Isaiah 37:21, 36
e.
Church for Peter in Prison: Acts
12:5-10
C. Elijah
1.
A man with nature like ours
2.
Prayed earnestly that it not rain:
didn’t for 3.5 years
3. Prayed again: it rained.
IV.
Conclusion
A.
Suffering is very real
and will happen to those in Christ.
1.
The immature will allow
the suffering and their shortsightedness to destroy their faith comes.
B.
Be Steadfast and Depend
on God for help!
C.
Immature Christian will fail to
pray
1.
Questioning it’s effectiveness
D.
And thus not finding help in time
of need.
E.
Mature Christians will pray and
sing
1.
Because it works!
2.
Because it helps!
3.
It is a constant reminder that no
matter what we face in this life our God is in control and cares for us.
Modified from Dave
Stewart sermon outline.