Take me to church

Review/intro

James, half brother of Jesus, a critical voice early, now leader of mother church in Jerusalem

writing this encyclical letter to leaders in the church as a charge for the church

background of much of the teaching is Jesus, mainly sermon on the mount, and proverbs. As a messianic Jew....no surprise for these two major sources to be in the background.

Main concern is right living. How does our faith instruct the way we are to live in the world?

Now the closing of the letter. What a wonderful several weeks we have experienced studying this letter. Now, James concludes with an important encouragement for the church.

turn to James 5:13....

Scripture

James 5:13–20 NIV

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Pray.

Introduction

A few weeks ago I was in one of my doctorate intensives. Normally I would go to Dayton, Ohio for these weeks but with COVID we have been forced online. This is rough but some of the benefit of online is we get to have all kinds of “guests” come and teach and lead.

One of the founders of this movement in England joined us. The movement or parachurch organization is called Fresh Expressions.

Fresh expressions was born in a post-christian Europe and it has made its way over here as well. There is a lot of really cool things that have come out of in the name of evangelism. What they do is reach people and establish “churches” around share commonality with people that would never step foot on our campus. So you have churches that meet weekly in the dog park, or at a brewery or bar, or laundry mat, tattoo parlor, etc.

Really cool evangelistic outreach.

However, my classmates and I began to ask some questions about what exactly makes them a church. What is necessary for a church to be a church. I think we would all say that the building is not it. Though we take advantage of a beautiful building and campus here. Is it having an official pastor....I dont think that is the case.

What could we strip away from this gathering and still call it church?

instruments

professional musicians

the building, (o’ Lord, not today)

offering, giving together

service/mission

Scripture

sermon

sacraments

prayer

discipline

fellowship

Mack Styles from parachurch organization says,

The church is the God-ordained local assembly of believers who have committed themselves to each other. They gather regularly, they teach the Word, celebrate communion and baptism, discipline their members, establish a biblical structure of leadership, they pray and give together. Certainly the church may do more, but it is not less than this.

commitment

gather

word

sacraments

discipline

biblical leadership

prayer

giving

James, here at the end, is going to give his take on what the church…not the institution, but the people of the church are to do. What it should look like? How we should interact.

Writing to the church leaders, a general letter of instruction, he now addresses 4 people at the end:

those that are troubled

those that are happy

those that are sick

those that are battling sin

Why these at the end? How could he be so specific?

Maybe because at any given moment this is the makeup in the church....

I know that this may shock you because we walk in these doors like politicians on election day, everything is good, couldnt be better.

It may shock you to know that this morning in the room, are folks that are deeply troubled, are rejoicing, are battling sickness, or are stuck in sin.

Is anyone troubled?

James goes back to where he starts. Remember week 1?

“Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

James goes right back to facing trouble.

This word means affliction or something that is causing severe pain. This could be

broken heart

betrayal

grief

stressed

worried

James says if you are troubled, then pray.

Why is it that so often, this is the last thing we do? In the moments we need God the most, we push further away?

Sometimes we take our troubled hearts to facebook and air out our grievances and spend no time talking to God.

Is anyone happy?

Is anyone happy, then let them sing!

Why is this so important?

Because in my worst days, I need to see you sing! I need your voice when mine is absent.

I gotta be honest, Sundays sound like a tired bunch.

Is anyone sick?

Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the leaders of the church and pray with the anointing of oil.

A lot of times we ask very little of God.

Is anyone in sin?

If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Let them confess one to another.

Let me ask a hard question because we are online and none of you will feel like you need to hide your eyes....

When is the last time you confessed sin to another so that you might find healing?

See quote from the cure.....

My dad and I visited a church last week:

Our first time going, so we were quiet and watched a lot. Some people engaged with us and asked if it was our first time, we said yes.

Fellowship was amazing, interaction with staff and with each other. Like friends on the journey.

there were many struggling and sick people, and next to them were healthy care-givers.

I watched one of the sick persons bring around valentines for everyone

People were sharing food

Most were interacting and listening to one another.

Something really cool happened when one of the sick persons beat their sickness they rang a bell and the whole congregation cheered and sang and high-fived.

Take me to church, where the troubled feel confident in prayer, where those rejoicing fill the space with their gratitude, where the sick find healing, and where freedom is received. Take me to that church.