A new cap...a recap...final sermon post of James: James 5.13-20

 


I bought Stephanie and I a couple new "caps" so we would fit in at the Cleveland Indians baseball game.  A friend from the church couldn't make the game so we received the opportunity to go with another wonderful couple from the church, Russell and Carol.  We watched a "no hitter" but it wasn't in the home team's favor.  One of the beautiful aspects of this picture beyond my wonderful wife is another couple who have graced our lives.  God has wonderful people all over this country who love their local church.  We are so thankful to be co-laboring alongside of them at Weymouth Community Church.

I also called this post a "recap" because I start the sermon with a couple of "take aways" I will remember through our study of the book of James.  16 sermons in total that we started the first Sunday in May.

  • James loves illustrations and pointing us to Bible heroes.
  • James wants us to compare man's way of doing things with God's prescribed way for the Christian to follow.
  • James speaks at times as (p)rophet and at other times as pastor.
  • James 1:18 became the key verse for me, his explanation of salvation.
"In the exercise of His will
He brought us forth
by the word of truth,
so that we would be a kind of first fruits
among His creatures."

James finishes with identifying 4 groups within the church with the phrase, "is anyone," and then gives what they should do with the phrase, "let him."  

1st group - Is anyone suffering persecution or trial?  Action to be implementing immediately?  Engage in prayer.

2nd group - Is anyone cheerful with a joyful spirit?  Action to be implementing immediately?  Sing praise of the Giver of joy.

3rd group - Is anyone sick, feeble, and without strength?  Action to be implementing immediately?  Call upon others (spiritually mature) to pray for you and care for you.

4th group - Is anyone wandering or straying from the truth?  Action to be implementing immediately?  For those of the group to seek out the sinner so that they might go from "sinner" to "saved and in Christ" and from living a life following after sin to living a life characterized as one following after their Savior.

The 4th group is really different than the first 3 because it focuses not on the person who is wandering or straying from the truth but on the one who is going after the wanderer.  The searcher is to know the weight of what has happened to the one who has returned and received salvation.  You, the searcher, were used of God to reach out to someone, the wanderer, and their final destination and earthly life was changed!  

James ends his letter with "go" and Jesus, his half-brother, ends His time with His disciples telling them to "go."  Many correlations we have made between these two over the last 4+ months.

I walk away from James appreciating his balance between speaking as a prophet with warnings and sternness and speaking as a pastor with practical lists and encouragement to follow God faithfully.  James keeps calling out to them as, "my brothers" no matter which speaking style was needed.  I pray for discernment and increasing love of the brethren to do the same.

Adam



A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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