CHRISTIAN LIVING
May 18, 2021
A. Starting point: 1 Tim. 2:1-6

B. Praying from: JAMES 5

SINS OF THE RICH
“Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
THE CURSE OF SELFISH LIVING
4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
WAITING FOR THE ADVENT OF THE LORD
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
INSPIRATION OF EXAMPLE
10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
PRAYER FOR THE SICK
13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
POWER OF PRAYER
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

I. THE PUNISHMENT—vv. 1–6
SINS OF THE RICH
1. Sorrow—v. 1. Man paying for his sin.
2. Selfishness—vv. 2–3. All things soon pass away.
THE CURSE OF SELFISH LIVING
3. Saviour—v. 4. The Lord sees the injustice.
4. Sensual—vv. 5–6. Those who lived in pleasure, and those who condemned and killed the Just One.
II. THE PATIENCE—vv. 7–8
WAITING FOR THE ADVENT OF THE LORD
1. Promise—v. 7. Christ’s coming—be patient.
2. Purpose—v. 8. Patience helps to establish our hearts. Impatience means indifference!
III. THE PROBLEMS—v. 9
Grudge could mean two things: envy and hatred.
1. Reason for grudge—jealousy, covetousness.
2. Results of having grudge—displeased God. God must send judgment upon those who have grudges.
IV. THE PURPOSE—vv. 10–12
INSPIRATION OF EXAMPLE
1. Prophets—v. 10. The Prophets suffered much for standing for God and righteous things.
2. Patience—v. 11. Note Job’s patience (Job 42:12).
3. Promises—v. 12. Say what you mean—mean what you say. Broken promises are lies!
V. THE PRAYER—vv. 13–18
PRAYER FOR THE SICK
1. Singing—v. 13. Praise to God.
2. Sickness—vv. 14–15. Note God’s plan for healing.
3. Sacredness—v. 16. Two steps: (1) Confession of faults and sins. (2) Cleansing—prayer of a righteous man has great results.

POWER OF PRAYER
4. Simplicity—vv. 17–18. Elijah was no superman.
VI. THE PARDON—vv. 19–20
1. Warning the backslider—with love, kindness.
2. Winning the backslider—save his eternal soul.

VI. THE A-MEN OF ROMANS 16:20, 24, 27
16:20 “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. A-men.”
16:24 “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. A-men.”
16:27 “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. A-men.”