Week 11 of the Book of James
Throughout his
letter, James consistently reminds his readers that trials, temptations, and
persecutions are sure to come in the life of a believer. Yet, even in the face
of such opposition, we should not fear because the return of the Lord will soon
be here. This simple truth should encourage us and push us to endurance. As we
wait for the coming of the Lord, we should do so in the community of God,
praying faithfully for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
How does your life look different after studying
the book of James?
The Point:
Christians wait patiently until the coming of the lord.
James
5:7-20
7 Be patient,
therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for
the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the
early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for
the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another,
brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the
door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets
who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who
remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have
seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
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.
13 Is anyone among
you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 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 one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.
And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your
sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The
prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a
man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain,
and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he
prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
19 My brothers, if
anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him
know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul
from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
The Holy Bible:
English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), James 5:7-20.
Study
Notes
As James continues
his message from the preceding passage (5:1-6), where Christians are being
taken advantage of by the rich and haughty, he concludes his letter with the
expectant hope of the impending Day of the Lord. To “wait patiently” implies
believers are longing, ready for the return of the Lord. In the face of worldly
opposition and trials in which James has already discussed, the return of the
Lord isn’t something to dread, but a moment we should look forward to with
eager anticipation and excitement.
Stand
Firm
In the face of
trials, temptations, worldly opposition, fights, and quarrels, believers must
be ready to stand firm as we wait for the appearance of our Lord. James
commands us to “Establish your hearts,” meaning that we should cling to Jesus
and the truths of our faith when we face opposition and tribulation. James
warns against grumbling and complaining as a wrong response to such trials.
Rather, we are to be long-suffering as we seek to wait for and obey King Jesus.
Seek
Community
And while we are
called to stand firm as we wait for our final vindication at the return of the
Lord Jesus, we’re not called to do so in isolation. We live in an
individualistic and experiential culture. Truth is subjective to one’s opinion
and experience. Perhaps more than ever, the Church must be a people united not
only in mind and deed, but also in prayer. As is consistent with the message of
James, “truth” doesn’t simply refer to right doctrine, but right doctrine
combined with right action. Here, James instructs us to guard our brothers and
sisters not only from wrong belief, but also to snatch our brothers and sisters
back from sinful action.
Pray
Faithfully
Finally, as we’re
called to stand firm against this world in the community of the local church,
James instructs us to be faithful in prayer. While there is much that could be
said about this passage of Scripture, what is clear is the necessity of both
the church and believer to stand firm and pray fervently for the return of the
Lord and fellow believers. James reminds us that those who have placed faith in
the crucified and risen Jesus are now declared righteous by His blood, and it’s
the righteous man’s prayer that has “great power as it is working.” Thus, in so
doing, we can not only withstand the fiery trials of this life, but we will be
a people who patiently and faithfully wait for the return of the King as we
seek to live a life of holiness in this world.
QUESTIONS
FOR DISCUSSION
What stood out to
you from this passage?
Read v.8. What does
this passage say is our hope during living in a lost and unjust world? Read
v.9. What is the wrong way to wait for our vindication at the coming of the Lord?
Why is community so
essential in the Christian life? How do we see this played out in the passage?
What does this
passage tell us about prayer?
Read v. 15. Do you
think this guarantees bodily healing when we pray? (The word “save” in this
passage refers to salvation, not physical healing.)
Why do you think
our prayers have “great power as it is working?”
How and when does
this passage prompt us to pray?
END
Teacher Notes:
I finally found a cartoon that explains Susan & me:
This is our final lesson on the book of James...
So, I wanted to show a quick review...
The book of James
emphasizes faith in action. Right living is the evidence and result of faith.
The church must
serve with compassion, speak lovingly and truthfully, live in obedience to
God’s commands, and love one another.
We ought to be an
example of heaven on earth, drawing people to Christ through love for God and
each other.
If we truly believe
God’s Word, we will live it day by day.
God’s Word is not
merely something we read or think about, but something we do.
Belief, faith and
trust must have hands and feet – ours!
How should your
life be different after studying the book of James?
Remember: James’
goal is to get into your business and challenge how you live.
As we wait for the
coming of the Lord, we should do so in the community of God, praying faithfully
for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
In the 2014 movie
The Judge, Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.), a successful lawyer returns to his
hometown to defend his estranged father, Joseph Palmer (Robert Duvall), a judge
accused of murder.
At the end of the
film, they both gained a newfound respect for each other and started fishing
again. Hank learns his father has terminal cancer. Hank also learns that
his father was tough on him because he wanted him to learn to succeed with
integrity, and Joseph learned that his son was really a good lawyer but needed
to know something from his father.
Just before passing away, Joseph tells his son what a great lawyer he is - he says, "I choose you!"
Where are you in
relation to the average life span?
How are you going to spend the remaining time you have left - on yourself?
What would James’
message be to us all today?
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