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
