LESSON 8 … Week of June 7, 2020 PRAYERS OF FAITH - JAMES 5:13-20 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ As we begin our final passage of study in the letter of James, the theme is clearly prayer. In each verse, 13-18, the words pray or prayer appear, and each verse reflects an aspect of prayer life. We might think of this section as a “how to manual” on prayer. Verse 13 addresses the prayer of an individual as James begins, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” At the beginning of our study, we read in James 1:2: “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” As James now brings the letter to a close, he again mentions suffering. By placing a similar theme at the start and close of the letter, James is using a literary method called an “inclusio,” placing a frame around a theme that is reflected throughout the letter. The Greek word translated as suffering in the ESV Bible in Verse 13 appears in other translations as hardships, afflictions, or facing adversity. How should an individual respond in times of suffering? With prayer! In the second half of Verse 13, James writes, “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” Some translations use psalms instead of praise, and for a Jew in that period of time, singing psalms was required of the righteous man. James reminds his readers that they must not forget to pray in the good times as well as the bad. How does a person respond when they are happy? With prayer - songs of praise! In Verses 14 and 15, James addresses prayer of the elders. The Greek word presbyter is used of church officers throughout the New Testament, and, obviously, this is where we get the term Presbyterian. James writes in Verse 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.” The Greek word for sick can include weakness of any kind, but here it is probably physical illness as the same word is used in Matthew 10:8 where Jesus sends out his 12 disciples with the instruction to heal the sick. It is also used in John 11 to describe the condition of Lazarus. The elders of the church are to pray over the sick person, and it is unclear whether or not hands were laid on the person when the prayer was offered. The word for anointing reflects a practice in Jewish tradition where oil is used as medicine as opposed to for a sacramental use. How should church officers respond to a person who is ill? With prayer and medicine! This is a place where James is Christological, prayer and anointing are done “in the name of the Lord,” and clearly here “the Lord” refers to Jesus. As recorded in Mark 6:7-13, when Jesus sent out his 12 disciples, He gave them His authority over unclean spirits. As the disciples anointed many who were sick with oil, people were healed. Verse 15 continues with the result of the prayer of faith: it will save the one who is sick, the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. There is much here to consider. In Bible times, sickness and sin went together, and there are many stories in the Gospels where the two words appear together. For example, in Mark 2:3-12, Jesus is preaching in Capernaum and some men bring a paralyzed friend to Him for healing. Unable to get to Jesus because of the crowd, they remove 34 the thatched roof of the home and lower the paralytic to Jesus on a bed. As a result of the friends’ faith, Jesus forgives the man’s sins and then tells the man to rise, pick up his bed and go home, and he does. The word “save” here is significant; it is used four other times in James, always in reference to salvation of the soul. The phrase “raise him up,” has two meanings. There are instances in the Gospels where it reflects raising the body from an illness, but it also may mean raising up the soul, as in resurrection. Verse 16 reflects prayer of the fellowship of believers as they pray for one another, something near and dear to the heart of the church and prayer ministries. Believers have the responsibility to pray for one another, and James will say more about community in the final verses of the letter. How does the church pray? The church prays for one another for healing, and with a heart to restore the lost (Verses 19-20). As we have seen in this study, James uses Old Testament models of faith in his letter. In Verses 17-18, James uses the prophet Elijah as an example of one like us who prayed fervently. The story, found in 1 Kings, Chapters 17 and 18, is centered on a drought that lasted three years. Although it does not specifically tell us Elijah prayed for rain, he prays within the story in two instances, to raise a widow’s son from death in 17:20-24 and for fire from heaven to defeat the prophets of Baal in 18:36-37. In both of these cases, the result of Elijah’s prayer was that people recognized the Lord as God and saw the extent of his power. How do we pray as Elijah? We pray fervently, with the assurance that God hears our sincere and heartfelt prayers. As the letter of James concludes, we have learned much about a biblical model of a Christian community. James’ teaching is often hard to hear and his tone is harsh, but it is characterized by love for his “brothers,” Christians within the church. James calls us to live as Christ did. A mutually-supportive community of faith includes being watchful for anyone who strays from the flock. And this is how James closes the letter in Verses 19-20: “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.” As we are called to save the soul of the wandering sinner from death, we participate in the work of Christ, who not only covered sin but defeated it. Indeed, this is the good news of the Gospel, and a reason to be cheerful and sing praises! As you begin the week’s study, consider these questions and share with your group as you are comfortable doing so. Have you ever been anointed with oil? What was the occasion? When you are happy, do you sing? If so, what do you sing? 35 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ QUESTIONS FOR WEEK 8 –PRAYERS OF FAITH - JAMES 5:13-20 1. Read James 5:13-18. Summarizes what we learn about prayer from each of these verses. James 5:13 James 5:14-15 James 5:16 James 5:17-18 2. Share an experience you have had with one of the prayer teachings above. 3. Read the stories of Elijah praying in 1 Kings 17 and 18. What characteristics of Elijah’s prayer are important to us yet today? 1 Kings 17:17-24 1 Kings 18:36-39 4. Read James 5:19-20. How do these verses relate to the prayer of faith in James 5:13-18? 5. As you look back through the study, were any of James’ teachings new or surprising to you? 6. Which lesson in this study spoke to you personally? Why was it helpful? 36 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ JAMES 5:13-20 FOR FAMILIES 1. James 5:13-18 might be considered a “how to manual” on prayer. James tells us how individuals, church leaders, other believers should pray, and he gives us the example of Elijah as one who prays intensely. Create a “how to manual” of prayer with a page for each family member. Keep track of specific prayers prayed and how they were answered. 2. Add a section into your “how to manual” on the Five W’s of prayer: Who should we pray for (everyone)? What should we pray about (everything)? When should we pray (all the time)? Where should we pray (anywhere)? And why should we pray (because God, our loving Father, wants us to talk to him)? Look for opportunities to reflect on the W’s of prayer and add notes to the manual. 3. Teach children to pray using the five finger method of prayer. Your thumb reminds you to pray for those closest to you, as it is the closest to your body. Your index finger is the pointing finger, use it to remember to pray for teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need prayer as they seek wisdom and point others in the right direction. The middle finger is the tallest finger and reminding us to pray for our leaders, for Godly wisdom as they make decisions. The fourth finger is the ring finger, and it is the weakest finger on our hand. It reminds us to pray for those who are weak: elderly people, small children, and those who are ill. Finally, the pinkie finger reminds us to pray for ourselves. Once we have prayed for everyone else, it puts our own needs in perspective. Draw your hand and list those you pray for by each of your fingers.