Class Lesson for August 30, 2026

 Series: Pray this way...

Sermon Recap

James 5:13–20 closes his letter with a call for the church to be a praying community, in suffering, in sickness, in sin, and in wandering. James points to the prayer of a righteous person as having great power, and holds up Elijah, a man with a nature like ours, as proof that ordinary believers' prayers accomplish extraordinary things. He closes with a call to pursue one another when we wander from the truth, because bringing a wandering brother or sister back covers a multitude of sins. Prayer, in James's vision, is never meant to be a private, individual practice alone. It is the lifeblood of a caring community.

 

James 5:13-20

"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 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. 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. 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. 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. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 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. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Ephesians 6:16.

 

 

Discussion Questions

1. What stands out to you most in James 5:13-20?
2. Why do you think James connects prayer to every season of life rather than only to crisis moments?
3. What makes confession to one another difficult, and what would it take for this to grow as a group?
4. Why is it significant that James describes Elijah as "a man with a nature like ours"?
5. What does it look like practically to "pursue" someone who is wandering from the truth without pushing them further away?
6. Who is someone in your life right now who needs your consistent prayer or your pursuit?

 

Closing Thoughts

James envisions a church where no one carries their burdens alone, where confession is met with prayer rather than judgment, and where wandering believers are pursued rather than written off. As a group, we can practice this by being honest about our struggles, praying specifically and consistently for each other, and taking the risk of pursuing someone who is drifting from the faith. A group that prays for one another this way becomes a picture of the gospel itself, people who could not save themselves, brought back by relentless love.

 

END

Teacher Notes:

A Praying Community

James 5:13-20

 

Someone is suffering? → Pray.

Someone is sick? → Call the church. Pray.

Someone is struggling? → Don't let them face it alone.

Someone has wandered? → Go after them.

Prayer is powerful? 

Don't underestimate what God can do through ordinary people.

Click Play to Watch

Prayer, to James,

is never meant to be a private, individual practice alone.

 

He sees prayer as the lifeblood of a

caring community.

James 5:13-20

"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 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. 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. 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. 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. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 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."

Discussion Questions

Why do you think James connects prayer to every season of life rather than only to crisis moments?

What kinds of suffering tend to drive us toward God?

Why does suffering sometimes drive us toward God, while other times it causes people to turn away from Him?

Why is it sometimes easier to pray for someone's physical problem than their spiritual problem?

What is the difference between praying for someone and praying with someone?

Why is it significant that James describes Elijah as "a man with a nature like ours"?

What does it look like to "pursue" someone who is wandering from the truth without pushing them further away?

How do we understand prayer when God doesn’t answer in the way we prayed He would?

Three truths we can know: 

An unanswered prayer is not necessarily an unheard prayer. God may say yes, no, or wait, but silence or a different outcome doesn't mean God wasn't listening.

Faith isn't believing God will do what I ask. Faith is believing God is good and trustworthy even when He doesn't do what I ask. That's a much harder and deeper faith.

Our ultimate hope isn't that God will always heal this body. Our ultimate hope is that God will ultimately make all things right.

What does it look like to be a community that doesn’t simply pray for one another, but actually carries one another to God in prayer?

Class Lesson for August 23, 2026

 Series: Pray this way...

Sermon Recap

Luke 18:9–14 contrasts two men who went to the temple to pray: a Pharisee confident in his own righteousness, and a tax collector who could only cry out, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Jesus says it is the tax collector, not the Pharisee, who went home justified. This parable teaches that prayer is not a platform for self-congratulation but a posture of humility. True repentance does not compare itself favorably to others; it simply casts itself on the mercy of God.

 

Wayne’s notes from his sermon last Sunday: Luke 18:9-14

 

Luke 18:9-14

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated others with contempt: ‘Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you; this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’”

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Luke 18:9-14.

 

Discussion Questions

1. What stands out to you most in Luke 18:9-14?
2. Why do you think the Pharisee's prayer, despite sounding religious, was not acceptable to God?
3. What made the tax collector's prayer different, both in content and posture?
4. Why is it so easy to slip into comparing our own righteousness to other people's, even unintentionally?
5. What is the difference between conviction that leads to humble confession and shame that leads to hiding?
6. What would it look like for you to pray more like the tax collector this week?

 

Closing Thoughts

The Pharisee’s prayer reminds us how easily comparison and self-righteousness can creep into community, while the tax collector’s prayer shows what genuine humility before God sounds like. As a group, we can model honest confession with one another, refuse to compare our sin against someone else’s, and remind each other that our standing before God is never based on our performance but always on His mercy. A group marked by humility becomes a safe place for real transformation to happen.

 

END

When Prayer Becomes a Mirror

Luke 18:9-14

 

1.   We Start Measuring Ourselves

2.   Spiritual Blindness Can Hide Behind a Good Life

3.   Repentance is the Cure for Comparison

Luke 18:9-14

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated others with contempt: ‘Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you; this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’”

Most of us spend a great deal of our lives managing the picture that other people see. We want to be seen as good parents, good grandparents, good Christians, faithful friends, generous and dependable people.

 

But Jesus tells a story about two men who went to the temple to pray. One had a very impressive picture of himself. The other wasn't interested in the picture, because he knew what the X-ray would show.

 

When you come before God in prayer, are you more aware of what you've done, or what He has done?

Comparison looks sideways.

Discipleship looks forward.

Worship looks upward.

Click Play to Watch

Class Lesson for August 16, 2026

 New Series: Pray this way...

Sermon Recap

Luke 18:1–8 teaches that believers ought “always to pray and not lose heart.” Jesus tells the parable of a persistent widow who wears down an unjust judge through sheer perseverance, then makes a “how much more” argument: if even an uninterested, unrighteous judge eventually gives justice, how much more will a good and loving Father respond to His own children who cry out to Him day and night? Persistent prayer is not about convincing a reluctant God. It is the natural posture of faith that keeps trusting Him even when the answer is delayed.

 

Luke 18:1-8

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

“And He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, “Give me justice against my adversary.” For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, “Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.”’ And the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to His elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them? I tell you, He will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?’”

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Luke 18:1-8.

 

Discussion Questions

1. What stands out to you most in Luke 18:1-8?
2. Why do you think Jesus used an unjust judge, rather than a good one, to make His point about God?
3. What is the difference between persistent prayer that flows from faith and prayer that flows from doubt or anxiety?
4. Why do you think believers are tempted to lose heart when prayers aren’t answered quickly?
5. How does Jesus’ closing question about finding faith on earth connect persistence in prayer to the state of our faith?
6. What is a situation in your life right now where you need to keep praying and not lose heart?

  

Closing Thoughts

Jesus told this parable precisely because perseverance in prayer does not come naturally when circumstances are discouraging. As a group, we can carry each other’s burdens by continuing to pray for one another’s requests over time, refusing to give up on people or situations too quickly, and reminding one another that God is not an unjust judge who must be worn down, but a Father eager to act on behalf of His people. A church that prays persistently becomes a people marked by hope rather than discouragement.

 

END

Teacher Notes:

Click Play to Watch

What stands out to you about Chris and the advice

he gives his son?

Perseverance is easy to talk about when you know the story has a happy ending.

It's much harder to persevere when you're still in the middle

of the struggle.

The widow in Jesus' parable today, is also in the middle of a struggle. She doesn't know how her story is going to end. She doesn't know if or when justice will come. She doesn't even have a sympathetic person in authority on her side.

 

 

But she keeps coming.

 

Luke 18:1–8

“And He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, “Give me justice against my adversary.” For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, “Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.”’ And the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to His elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them? I tell you, He will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?’”

Jesus is addressing something that we all experience:

What happens to our prayer life when God doesn’t

seem to answer?

 

It's easy to pray when:

the diagnosis is good

job comes through

prodigal comes home

financial problem is resolved

relationship is restored

surgery goes well

or an answer comes quickly

 

But what causes us to lose heart when we've been praying about something for a long time and nothing seems to change?

 

 

 

Prayer: Transaction vs. Relationship

 

Transactional Prayer says, God, give me this.

Relational Prayer says, God, I trust You with this.

 

Persistent prayer isn’t always repeating the same request. Sometimes it’s just continuing to say, Father, I don't understand, but I still trust You.

 

The Christian isn't promised: If you persist long enough, you'll get the outcome you want.

 

We're promised something deeper: God is faithful, and therefore we can continue trusting Him even when

the outcome is uncertain.

 

  

 

Giving up says,

God isn't going to do anything.

 

Surrender says,

God, I don't know what You're going to do,

but I trust You.

 

 

Click Play to Watch

But sometimes our stories don't resolve as quickly as Chris Gardner. Some prayers take months. Some take years. And some we may not see answered this side of heaven.

 

This is where the words of Jesus become so important: “Pray and don't lose heart.”

The Bible gives this image an even deeper meaning. The rainbow first appears in Scripture as a sign of God's covenant — a reminder that God keeps His promises.

 

The rain represents what we see.

The rainbow reminds us of what we know: God is faithful.

Jesus ends this parable by asking,

“When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”

 

The question isn't whether there will be rain. There will be.

The question is, when the rain comes, will we still believe

in the promise?

Perhaps one of the great gifts of growing older is that we have enough history with God to know that He can be trusted — even when we don't understand everything.

Conclusion

Faith says, I will keep praying — not because

I know what God is going to do, but because

I know who He is.