A Servant Church Heals Series

A Servant Church Heals

Text: James 5: 13 – 20

Focus: “That ye may be healed”

We have looked at the Servant Church loves, the servant church empowers, the servant church trains, the servant church forgives and this Sunday we conclude our series with the Servant Church heals.

To heal means to restore or to bring one to wholeness in all aspect of human life.

Therefore, the servant church can heal if it manifests the reality of a tender, loving, merciful and compassionate God who can raise you up and make you whole in the midst of an evil world.

I’m talking about a God whose throne you can boldly approach knowing if you are suffering, or knowing if you are sick: you can go to God for healing.

There are two Greek translations that I need to l lift up. When James speaks of afflictions or suffering, the word he uses means literally weary.

When James speaks of sick, the word he uses means literally weak.

James is not just referring to the bedridden, the diseased, or the ill. James includes in his language those who have grown weary, who have become weak both morally and spiritually. You who are weary come home.

Therefore, if you are weary; if you are weak, if you are having problems navigating through life with you moral and spiritual anchor griping the solid rock of Jesus Christ.

Don’t despair, don’t become depressed, and don’t become dejected: there is something you can do!

I happen to turn on the television late one night and saw the ministry show of Action Jackson. Late at night he is telling people over the airwaves that they can call into an 800 number and he will send them a prayer cloth that had been dipped in anointed oil. Just like someone hawking watermelons on the side of the road, he was selling prayer cloths. I wondered how many people have reduced the power of God to heal into selling snake oil.

How many people are so superstitious that they have become gullible to schemes concocted by devious and despicable people?

How many people stand in lines waiting for the next faith healer to come through town? I watched a gentleman recently set-up a tent for a healing service. He erected a swimming pool on the sidewalk. I believe to simulate one being dipped in the Pool of Siloam. The evening of the healing service we had a wind storm in the city. The day when I passed by the place I saw the swimming pool he erected had been turned over and damaged by the wind storm.

How many people are so superstitious that they have become gullible to schemes concocted by devious and despicable people?

I want you to know that James provides a solid and sensible way to address moral and spiritual weariness and weakness.

Go to the servant church where you can be healed.

Is there anyone afflicted? Is there anyone sick? Is there anyone suffering? Is there anyone who needs forgiveness?

Go to the servant church where you can be healed.

Because in the servant church you should be able to call on some elders, an elder is one who is spiritually and biblically mature. An elder is one who is experienced with God’s ways. An elder is one who has met Jesus Christ for themselves and Jesus is for them Savior and Lord.

When you go to the servant church you need to be able to call on some elders.

I want you to know that there is no gender bias in being an elder. An elder is one who takes time to be holy. Who walks often with the Lord? Who has the praises of God continuously in their mouth? An elder is one who can get a prayer through.

Because an elder is one who God deems righteous; in other words an elder is in right standing with God.

Right standing is not what you put one the outside: a robe, a collar, a uniform, a hat, or a scarf. Right standing is not determined by what on the outside.

Right standing is determined by what’s on the inside. Right standing is the condition of your heart, the condition of your mind, the condition of your spirit, the condition of your prayer life, the condition of your faith walk. All of that deals with right standing and through maturity – experiences with God where you have been found worthy – you become recognized as an elder in the faith community.

Is there anyone afflicted? Is there anyone sick? Is there anyone suffering? Is there anyone who needs forgiveness?

When you go to the servant church you need to be able to call on some elders.

Elders have something that you need when you are weak and weary.