Practical Wisdom for Life

Opening: A Prayer for Healing (5-7 minutes)

Your Africa story - Keep this personal and vivid

Set the scene: Where were you? What was the situation?

The boy's condition - what was wrong? How serious?

The moment of prayer and healing

Meeting him and his mom afterward - their response?

Your internal response - surprise? Gratitude? Questions?

Transition question for audience:"How many of you have ever prayed for healing - either for yourself or someone else? What did you expect to happen?"

This gets both Christians and non-Christians thinking about their own experiences with prayer

The Question That Changed My Perspective (8-10 minutes)

The reflection that hit you: Coming back home, I kept thinking about what I'd witnessed. And then this passage in James was coming to mind…

Read James 5:13-16 slowly

The Western skepticism:

"I've heard that question before: 'Why don't we see people raised from the dead here in the Western U.S.?'"

"But here's what hit me about that boy in Africa..."

Your key insight - expand this:

In rural Africa, an AED would be a miracle. An ambulance would be supernatural intervention. A hospital with trained doctors? Absolutely the hand of God.

"So why do I think of it any less here?"

The mystery isn't gone just because we understand some mechanisms

We understand "a small fraction of the complexity of the body" - this is huge! Expand on this

Medical knowledge itself could be seen as God's gift to humanity

Challenge the audience:"What if the difference isn't that God isn't moving here - what if the difference is in how we're looking?"

James's Practical Faith (10-12 minutes)

Set up James as the practical brother:

Half-brother of Jesus, leader of early church (Acts 15)… probably written in 46 to 49AD

Known for making faith concrete and livable… (Faith pistis as allegiance)

Not abstract theology, but "how do you actually live this out?"

Walk through the practices - make each one concrete:

Economic Issues & Class Division:

Favoritism toward wealthy people in church gatherings (2:1-7)

Rich people oppressing the poor and withholding wages (5:1-6)

Partiality based on social status and appearance (2:2-4)

Faith vs. Works Confusion:

People claiming to have faith but showing no evidence through actions (2:14-26)

Misunderstanding the relationship between belief and behavior

Dead, inactive faith that doesn't produce fruit

Speech and Tongue Problems:

Uncontrolled, destructive speech (3:1-12)

Teachers speaking without wisdom or maturity (3:1)

Cursing and blessing coming from the same mouth (3:9-10)

Worldliness and Spiritual Compromise:

Friendship with the world over loyalty to God (4:4)

Double-mindedness - trying to serve both God and worldly desires (1:8, 4:8)

Pursuing earthly pleasures over spiritual priorities (4:1-3)

Pride and Self-Reliance:

Boasting about future plans without acknowledging God's sovereignty (4:13-16)

Arrogance in making business and life decisions

Lack of humility before God (4:6-10)

Conflict and Quarreling:

Fighting and disputes within the church community (4:1-2)

Judging one another harshly (4:11-12)

Selfish ambition causing division (3:14-16)

Impatience and Complaining:

Grumbling against one another (5:9)

Lack of perseverance during trials (5:7-11)

Impatience while waiting for God's timing

Neglect of Practical Care:

Failing to care for those in need - especially widows and orphans (1:27)

Offering empty words instead of practical help (2:15-16)

This type of behavior was evident enough, James needed/wanted to address it… this last part in chapter 5 we have what some might call a summary of what James has been working through… not everyone, but some theologians would.

"In trouble? Pray."

What does this look like for a college student?

Not just crisis prayer, but first-response prayer

Share a personal example of choosing prayer first vs. anxiety spiraling (ending another year in red… dead guy giving money)

"Happy? Sing songs of praise."

This might feel awkward to non-Christians - acknowledge that

It's about cultivating gratitude and recognition

Even secular research shows gratitude practices change brain chemistry

"Sick? Call for the elders."

What does this mean in a college context?

It's about not facing struggles alone

The oil isn't magic - it's sacramental, symbolic of God's presence

"Prayer of faith" - what is that? It's not positive thinking, it's trust in God's character

Hebrews 11:6

The healing theology piece - Be careful not to promise physical healing or suggest lack of healing means lack of faith

The sin/sickness connection - This needs gentle handling so you don't blame people for their illnesses

Define "prayer of faith" - Make sure this doesn't sound like "pray harder" or "doubt kills prayers"

The sin factor (handle carefully):

"Sometimes sin is the cause of our trouble - not always, but sometimes"

James isn't saying all sickness is from sin (Jesus corrected that thinking… John 9)

But sometimes our choices do create our problems

The solution? Community confession and prayer

The Elijah example:

Why does James use Elijah?

"A man with a nature like ours" - he wasn't superhuman

Called as a prophet… with calling and election comes great responsibility

Elijah gives us such a human approach to walking with God in responsibility… another study for another time

His prayer stopped rain for 3.5 years, then brought it back

Point: ordinary/normal people's prayers have extraordinary power

The Community Imperative (8-10 minutes)

The isolation trap:"Some of us need to hear this tonight: we need to be in community."

When we isolate:

When we're in trouble

When we’re hurting

When we're doing things we shouldn't

When we're sinning

When we're doubting

Expand on "prone to wander":

Quote the hymn verse in full

“O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be! Let that grace now, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here’s my heart; O take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above.”

This is the human condition - we drift

It's not a character flaw, it's why we need each other

College is prime time for wandering - new freedoms, new questions, new pressures

The proximity principle:"Change comes through proximity, not distance."

Unpack this more - what does it mean practically?

How is this countercultural? (Cancel culture, cutting people off)

Jesus's example with the disciples who failed him repeatedly

Personal example of someone who stayed close to you during a difficult time?

The Stakes: Life and Death (3-5 minutes)

James's final words:"Whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."

What's at stake:

Not just comfort, but life and death

"A multitude of sins that could have happened, won't"

This is about trajectory - where does isolation lead vs. community?

For your mixed audience:

Christians: In as much as you are able, this is your calling to pursue wandering brothers and sisters

Non-Christians: This is what authentic Christian community looks like - not perfect people, but people who refuse to let go of each other

Closing Challenge (2-3 minutes)

Two questions:

"Who in your life might God be calling you to pursue with proximity instead of distance?"

"Who in your life do you need to let pursue you?"

Final thought:Bring it back to the boy in Africa - his community gathered, prayed, and God moved. "What if that same power is available here? What if the only difference is whether we're willing to gather, pray, and expect God to move?"