The Church Restored –

James 5:13-20

What should the church look like? there are a lot of responses to that question depending on where your coming from. Some might saying everyone using their unique gifts. Others might say plenty of evangelism and outreach programs. and in the past I might have been tempted to answer like that. But I think its less about the amount of activity and more about our expression of faith and humility. in his final words James calls the church to action. to be a people of prayer, to care about one another to have faith the prayer really works and to make the effort to bring people back to the faith who have gone astray.

(13) Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. (14) Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. (15) Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. (16) Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (17) Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! (18) Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.

(19) My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, (20) you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.
James 5:13-20 – NLT

I. The Church Restored Is a Praying Church (vv. 13–14)

Key Thought: Prayer should be our first response, not our last resort.

1.Being open to receive– When your suffering hardships what is your default reaction.? for many its to pull back from gathering with other Christians. Why is that? well sometimes its pride, sometimes is not wanting to answer the question. how are you doing? sometimes its shame. we feel bad and so we would rather not gather. Its no wonder that many of the writings of Paul and even James tells believers what they already know in their head but are having a hard time convincing their heart of. and that it to humble themselves. and ask for prayer.

II. The Church Restored Is a Healing Community (vv. 15–16)

Key Thought: Confession and prayer bring healing—not just physical, but emotional and spiritual.

Confession and prayer bring healing– this is not always physical illness that’s healed but sometimes there is a brokenness that is so deep that the only way to bring healing into that area of our lives is trusting another who also has the Holy Spirit and partnering with them in prayer. if we were meant to do this alone we wouldn’t have all these encouraging words prompting us to gather together as the church and do these things.

Illustration:
Imagine church less like a theater and more like a hospital—where people check in not to perform but to heal.

Transition:
That kind of community takes faith—the kind that believes prayer actually works

III. The Church Restored Believes in the Power of Prayer (vv. 17–18)

– Now James shifts from the believers praying for one another to the example of Elijah. there are several points to make here. some are obvious and on the surface others not so obvious,

The Example of Elijah

1. He was an ordinary human being– just like Elijah we too can have wonderful results as we pray in faith. we don’t have to be a prophet or a pastors just faithful.
2. He prayed in alignment with God’s will– for context you need to go to 1st kings 17 and 18. King Ahab had done evil in the sight of the Lord he married a Phoenician princess named Jezebel and imported their false religion in the country and persecuted the true priests of God. it was so bad the priests had to go into hiding and Elijah spoke to ahab and told him it will not rain. unless its by his word.. and so the Land of Israel had to endure a drought and people suffered good and bad alike in the country. because of the evil that had been allowed. You know when Elijah prayed and it was allowed to rain again? When the people repented of their sins and stopped following the false prophets.
   1. I wonder how many in Israel to went along to get along with the government ordained false teaching, with the lies coming out of the seat of power, How many were putting their lives at risk for boldly speaking out about the godlessness and the worship of the false demonic gods that had been imported into israel. Obadiah had to hide the priests of the real and true God so they wouldn’t be slaughtered.
3. His goal was the restoration of God’s people. as it rained in Israel crops grew and there was much fruitfulness. As God’s people turn back to him we will bear the fruit in keeping with repentance.
   1. false prophets and teachers trying to divide up the body of Christ. it is important to make sure your in a bible teaching church.
   2. people are making decisions based on feelings and and a lack of understanding of history and human nature. and While in a rational world i would like to believe that we would win in the market place of ideas we are not operating in a rational world. this is the world we are operating in
   3. 18) But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.  (19) They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. (20) For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. (21) Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. (22) Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 
      Romans 1:18-22 – NLT

transition: we are now seeing the results of that suppression of truth as an entire generation has been exposed to a  rewritten version of our history and told that Christianity is evil and oppressive and that socialism and communism are good. We have seen feelings and group acceptance elevated above that of objective truth. and many of these terrible ideas have seeped into the church. which is why we need to be more bold than ever on biblical truth

IV. The Church Restored Brings Wanderers Home (vv. 19–20)

Key Thought: The church’s mission is not comfort but rescue.

• We live in a world darkened by deception (Romans 1:18-22).
• Truth has been suppressed; minds are confused.
• Our task: boldly proclaim truth and call people back to Jesus.

Application:
Stop trying to appeal to everyone. Focus on being faithful—loving, praying, and proclaiming Christ as the only Savior.

Illustration:
A lighthouse doesn’t chase ships—it simply shines. That’s the restored church: steady, bright, and unashamed of Jesus.