James 5:12-20

Before you start your time with God today, take a moment to pray to your God. Ask God to "fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,” as the Apostle Paul did in Col. 1:9. As we learned already from James 1:5, God promises to answer this prayer and give you His wisdom! After you pray, take time to read through the passage slowly, taking notes on what God is teaching you through His Word, and answer the questions.


As you read this week's passage, look for these words or phrases: swear, oath, suffering, sick, anointing, confess, prayer, and Elijah.


Passage for the week: James 5:12-20 (NASB)

12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.
14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
15 And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.
18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
19 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back,
20 Let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.


Digging Deeper:


MONDAY


· List 5 specific things that you noticed about the passage.



· List characteristics of God that you find in the passage (what God is like, His attributes, etc.).



· How does this passage connect with the rest of the book of James? Where else does James talk about going through trials or suffering?



TUESDAY

· What does James mean in verse 12 when he says “do not swear?” Is he speaking of using foul language or in general or something specific? Explain your answer.



· James says that those who do not let their yes be yes and their no, no will fall under judgment. What does this mean and how can you avoid being under judgment? See the words of Christ in Matthew 5:33-37 for help.




· According to verse 13, how are we to deal with suffering? What should we be doing when we are cheerful?



· Read these verses to see the power of praying and singing to God: Ps. 50:15, Ps. 55:22, Ps. 100:1-5, Phil. 4:6-7, Col. 3:16, 1 Peter 5:7. Write down what you learn through these passages.



WEDNESDAY

· In verse 14, James tells his readers that if they should call for the elders of the church when they are sick. Have you ever invited the elders of the church to pray over you when you were sick? Should you have done this or is James speaking of a different kind of sickness? What type of sickness is James speaking of here?




· In verse 14, the elders of the church anoint the one who is sick with oil in the name of the Lord. What is the significance of the anointing with oil?



· Later in verse 15, James writes that “the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick.” Is he saying that if someone prays in faith, he will be cured of a disease? What is he saying here?



· According to verses 15 and 16, does prayer really accomplish anything? Explain your answer.




THURSDAY


· What is the purpose of Christians confessing their sins to one another? To what extent should this be done? How does this command affect your view of fellowship and the interaction with your brothers and sisters in Christ?



· James recounts the prayer of Elijah. Where is this story found in the Old Testament? What is the point of James including this story here?




· James says that the prayer of a righteous man avails much. What are 2 examples in Scripture (besides Elijah) of the power of prayer?



FRIDAY

· How do the final two verses of this chapter relate to Matthew 18 and Galatians 6?




· How are you demonstrating the pattern of love for the brethren that James describes in this passage?




· How are you demonstrating the dependence on God in prayer that James describes in this passage?





· Pick a verse or two from this passage that has really challenged you and memorize it.




Chew on this:

James begins this section by stressing the importance of our words. As he has done throughout this letter, James shows us that our speech will reveal to others what our spiritual condition really is. We should not swear an empty oath or vow; but instead, we should speak straightforward and honestly to one another. This means that our words have integrity and can be trusted.

The next section James gives us the antidote to suffering caused by the evil treatment or persecution that was attacking the church at this time. We are to seek God’s comfort through the power of prayer and minister to one another in singing praises. To those who are sick (could mean weakened by persecution or in to be afflicted with an unbearable disease), James directs them to call for the elders or pastors of the church for strength, support, and prayer. This was important because many of the people who were sick in the church were being neglected – just like the poor in chapter two. The anointing the sick with oil refers to a normal practice of that time period, although it could have some significance to ceremonial anointing or medical treatment. The most important thing here is NOT the oil, but that the elders of the church are praying over the sick “in the name of the Lord.” The power to heal does not come through the oil, but through the Lord! We must also keep in mind that the sick person who is being prayed for has a contrite and repentant heart, for they have confessed their sins to God and are right with Him.

Likewise, we should also be transparent with one another by confessing our sins to each other and praying for each other. For those of you who are wondering, James is not telling us to confess our sins to a priest. What he is saying is that mutual honesty, openness, and sharing of our needs will enable us to uphold each other in our spiritual struggle with sin. Some of us might feel uncomfortable with this, but we are told that the end result of this is healing! James tells us that these effective fervent prayers that we pray to God for one another will accomplish great things! And, just in case you think that prayer does not work, James gives us the illustration of Elijah. As we know, Elijah struggled just like we do, and yet God still used him and his prayers in a mighty way.

James concludes his letter by telling us to watch out for each other. It you and I see someone who is straying from the truth, then it is our responsibility to seek them out and bring them back to the truth. Rather than condemnation, restoration is the goal. And that is what James hopes will happen. For the unbeliever, this person will not just be turned from the error of his way, but will also be saved from eternal death. For the believer, Galatians 6:1 still applies here. Meekness and love acts through bringing a person as gently as possible back to repentance. That repentance will be accepted by God, who will forgive their sins. Then, the forgiven person can continue on the right way, rejoicing in their tests, for they know that their reward is coming.


For His Name,

Pastor Stephen

James 5:1-11

Before you start your time with God today, take a moment to pray to your God. Ask God to "open the eyes of your understanding" to the wisdom of His Word, the hope of your calling, and the greatness of His power (Eph. 1:17-19)! Then read the passage slowly, taking notes on what God is teaching you through His Word, and answer the questions.


As you read this week's passage, look for these words or phrases: riches, weep, Lord of Sabaoth, patient, farmer, prophets, and Job.


Passage for the week: James 5:1-11 (NASB)

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.
2 Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!
4 Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
6 You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.
7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains.
8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.
9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.
10 As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.


DIGGING DEEPER:


MONDAY


· List 5 specific things that you noticed about the passage.




· List characteristics of God that you find in the passage (what God is like, His attributes).



· How does this passage connect with the rest of the book of James? Where else does James talk about the rich people who were abusing the poor?



TUESDAY

· Why would the riches of those in verses 1-3 be “rotted”, garments “moth-eaten”, and gold “rusted”? How will the rust of the gold be a witness against them and consume their flesh like fire? What does James mean here?




· When will the judgment of verses 2-3 come? Is James speaking of the present or the future? Explain your answer.




· James notes that the rich have stored their treasure in the last days. Compare and contrast Jesus’ parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21 to James 5:3. Are you laying up treasure in Heaven or on earth? Remember, where your treasure is, that’s where your heart is too!



WEDNESDAY

· The laborers in this passage are the field workers for the rich. What have they done to “reach the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth”?




· In verse 4, James uses the highest name for God in the Hebrew mind. Be careful - the text says, “The Lord of Sabaoth” and not “the Lord of the Sabbath.” What does the Lord of Sabaoth mean? What is the significance of James using it here?



· In verse 5, James condemns the rich for having “fattened [their] hearts in the day of slaughter.” What is this “day of slaughter”? What is James referring to?



THURSDAY

· What is a life of “wanton pleasure”? What does that look like? Is the term “pleasure” used anywhere else by James?




· What does James mean in verse 9 by the “Judge is standing right at the door”? Why would that keep them or you from complaining against each other? Why would you complain if you were in this situation?



· Why do you think they would kill a righteous man? Why doesn’t the righteous man resist?



FRIDAY


· James mentions Job as an example of endurance. Why does he choose Job? Why is he such a great example of endurance? Read Job 42:10-17. How did God bless Job for his endurance?



· Pick a verse or two from this passage that has really challenged you and memorize it.


Chew on this:

James now turns to the wealthy outside the church. These people are not only failing the test of having wealth, but they are also the source of some of the pressure on the church as they take advantage of poor Christians. James does not waste any time telling them that they should be weeping over their sin and that their wealth will be the end of them. James takes the rich people on a trip into the future. He shows them what their great stores of possessions will look like – rotted or corroded! The “corrosion” of their wealth is evidence that they did not need it as bad as they think.

Just like the rich in this passage, our wealth is not the most important thing in our lives. James even shocks us in this verse by telling us that the riches that we believe will bring us happiness will actually eat your flesh like fire! This reminds me of the rich man in Jesus’ parable in Luke 12:13-21. The end of the world is coming, and it is time to put treasure in heaven, not store it on earth.

Far from giving, these people have done even worse in that they have failed to pay the workmen who harvested their fields. What made it worse is that no one would hear the cries of the workers. The workers, however, appealed to heaven, and the Lord Sabaoth heard their cry. The term Lord Sabaoth is the term means “Lord of Hosts or armies.” God Almighty does not hear and then do nothing as people are living luxuriously, robbing the poor, and even condemning those less fortunate; He hears and acts with awesome power. Instead of a day of harvest for the rich, it will be a day of slaughter with God’s judgment behind it! In fact, God is already standing at the door – His judgment may come sooner than we think! In the midst of all these things, however, we should be sure to not complain or grow impatient, but to trust God to make things right in His timing when He returns. Just as the farmer waits patiently from the planting of his seeds (early rain) to the harvesting of his crops (latter rain), so we should wait patiently for the Lord’s return.

James concludes by telling how we can strengthen our hearts as we persevere. We are told to remember the suffering of the Old Testament prophets who suffered as they spoke in the name of the Lord. Men like Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all went through incredible hardship, but remained faithful to the God they served so well. What is interesting to me is that the example of Job, not a prophet, but a righteous man, is tacked on to this. Even though we may not be able to relate to the Old Testament prophets, we can certainly all connect with Job. He was not always perfect, and even questioned God and doubted His promises. However, God had not forgotten him. In fact, one of the main lessons we learn from Job’s life is not his suffering, but God’s unlimited compassion and mercy!

The point of all of this is not to condemn people who have wealth. It is those who “desire to be rich” that will face ruin and destruction (1Timothy 6:9-10). Life is not about ownership, but stewardship! We have to remember that God is the source of everything we have and that He expects us to use it for His glory by investing it in what will count for eternity. James also encourages us to focus on the promises and compassion of the Lord. We can trust Him to be the righteous Judge and to be a gracious and merciful God!


For His Name,

Pastor Stephen