Sermon Details

Sermon Notes

February 12, 2012

A Biblical Prescription for Healing

James 5:13-15 , (16)

Pastor Jeff Hinds

1. Real healing often takes place in response to authentic prayer (James 5:13-18 ; Psalm 50:15 . Prayer--not healing--is really the central theme of these verses. 
2. Real healing can occur as God graciously responds to the prayers of elders who are called to intercede over a sick believer.
   1. a.The sick person calls the elders—initiation originates with the afflicted person (James 5:14-15 ).
   2. b.This is not akin to modern, so-called, “healing services”—this is between God, the afflicted, and the elders—not a made-for-T.V. “anointing service” (James 5:14-15 ).
   3. c.This text is talking about serious illness, as the text states that the elders are summoned à the implication is that the person is bedridden (James 5:14-15 ).
   4. d.Oil was medicinal in the first Century. Its mention in the text indicates that the Bible is not anti-medicine. God often chooses to heal through both prayer and medicine (James 5:15 ).
   5. e.Sickness may be caused by personal sin (James 5:15 ). This is not likely true in most cases—but it can be true and therefore should not be ignored as a possibility.

3.The focus on the healing prayer is not healing—it is “saving” (James 5:14-15 ) because of a “prayer of faith”. The text does not promise “healing”—it promises “saving” based upon faith.

4.While God may very well heal, and we do pray for such healing, He only promised to save us based upon faith (James 5:14-15 ). Yet, the text also implies, strongly, that God moves powerfully for our good in response to authentic prayer (James 5:16 ).

Next Week Read Matthew 28:18-20 to prepare