Faith In All Circumstances Series

Faith in all Circumstances

James 5:13-20

A Person of Faith who is…

In Trouble should Pray (v.13a)

Happy should Praise (v. 13b)

Sick should Call (v.14-15a)

In Sin should Confess (v. 15b-18)

Faithful should Preach (v. 19-20)

Slide

We finish up our series “James – Real Faith for Real Life” today. James has been a great book and I hope that it has challenged and helped you to live out your faith in real life.

The overarching theme of James is the reality of our faith is shown in how we act. And I would say one of the sub themes of that I would say is that our faith, or lack thereof, is shown by what comes out of our mouths and off our tongues.

In every chapter of James, he writes about things that should not be coming out of the mouth of a person of faith.

In Chapter 1, James tells us that our tongue should be slow to speak (1:19)

In Chapter 2, James tells us to not be hypocritical with our tongues by speaking words of comfort without works that comfort.

In Chapter 3, James tells us that the tongue is wicked and that it is often used to curse men and that those who teach need to be very careful because they will be judged on the teaching that comes from their tongue

In chapter 4, James tells us that the quarreling that comes from our tongues, really reveals our evil desires. (4:1-2). He also tells us to not slander with our tongues (4:11) or speak presumptuously about the future like we control it (4:13-17)

James shows that a false faith or a faith that needs to grow can be checked with what comes out of our mouths. But a real faith can also be checked with what comes out of our mouth.

In this last part of Chapter 5,(James 5:13-20, turn there)

Slide

James wraps things up with 5 things that should be coming from the tongue of someone who has a real faith.

Let’s read James 5:13-20 and see what the Lord tells us through James that should be coming out of the mouth of a person of faith.

James 5:13-20

13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. (NIV)

Pray.

Ok, James talks about some different circumstances of life that each of us will face and what should be coming out of the mouth of a person of faith who finds themselves in those circumstances.

First, he tells us that

A Person of Faith who is…

In Trouble should Pray

Slide

James 5:13a - Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. (NIV)

The word that is translated as “trouble” in the NIV, could also be translated as “suffering.”

In times of trouble and suffering, James tells us that it is not complaining and whining to others, grumbling with our tongues (James told us in 5:9, “Don’t grumble against each other”) but instead, we need to be praying to the Lord with our tongues so we can be strengthened and endure.

Paul uses this same word when he tells Timothy in

2 Timothy 4:5 to “endure hardship.”

Everyone of us are going to face times of trouble, times of suffering.

James told us at the beginning of this letter to take joy in trials because they produce perseverance which God uses to mature and complete us so we don’t lack anything.

We see that most of the writers of the Bible went through extreme suffering.

Paul suffered.

He told Timothy that he was going to suffer and that he should endure.

We all will face circumstances that bring suffering into our life.

Being a Christian and following the Lord’s will does not mean that we will not suffer.