"Pray for One Another" 1-29-23
Overview
Pray for One Another
The author of James knew firsthand how God transforms lives. According to John 7:5 and Mark 3:21, Jesus' own brothers did not believe in him during his earthly ministry—they even tried to restrain him, thinking he was out of his mind. But after the resurrection, the risen Christ appeared to James 1 Corinthians 15:7, and James went from skeptic to leader of the Jerusalem church Acts 15. It is this transformed brother of Jesus who urges us in James 5:16: "Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
That promise—"the prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective"—is often distorted into a formula: pray with enough faith, enough fervor, enough technique, and you are guaranteed the outcome you want. But Scripture teaches something different. Who are the righteous? You are. Not by your own effort, but because Abraham's pattern of righteousness through faith (James 2:23; Romans 3:21-22) is fulfilled in you through Christ. Clothed in his righteousness, washed in baptism, and given faith through Word and Sacrament, you stand before God as one whose prayers he hears.
What about Elijah's example? James 5:17 is careful to remind us that "Elijah was a human being like us." He was not extraordinary, and his fervency was not the lever that moved God. Looking back at 1 Kings 17–18, we see that Elijah was simply praying in accordance with what God had already declared he would do. Grace surrounds and bathes our prayers. Unanswered prayer does not mean you lack righteousness, status, or zeal—it means, as Jesus himself prayed in Gethsemane, "your will be done."
Praying for one another is not limited to healing. Paul asks for prayer that the gospel would spread 2 Thessalonians 3:1, gives thanks for the saints in his prayers Ephesians 1:16, and Samuel considers it sin to stop interceding for God's people 1 Samuel 12:23. These prayers may be loud or silent, long or short, spoken in groups or whispered on a pillow at night. They may be born of a simple question—"How can I pray for you?"—or shaped by Scripture itself, such as Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:17-19 for wisdom, hope, and knowledge of God's power. However it comes, intercession is the redeemed community in action: brothers and sisters made righteous in Christ, lifting one another to the Father, trusting his perfect will. This is God's vision for community—pray for one another.
Transcript
Which opens your Bibles, please, with me to the fifth chapter of the Book of James. 3s
James is in the New Testament, if you're using a few edition of Holy Scripture, it's 9s
found on page 204. 14s
James the fifth chapter for our study this morning. 17s
Brothers, and this one's brother was Jesus. 22s
I was speaking of James. 31s
Can you imagine having Jesus as your brother, the second member of the Holy Trinity, 35s
God in flesh, the word made flesh, true God and true man, can you imagine if you were 47s
in James's sendals, what it would be like to have Jesus as your brother? 58s
The initial reaction that James had to this was not good. 71s
Scripture gives us some clues. 78s
For example, in John the seventh chapter, it tells us for not even his brothers believed 81s
in him. 88s
In Mark the third chapter, it says, then he, speaking of Jesus, went home and the crowd came 91s
together again so that they could not even eat. 98s
When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him. 102s
For people were saying, he has gone out of his mind. 106s
Did you catch who the ones were that were restraining Jesus? 111s
His family were restraining Jesus. 115s
James' initial reaction to his brother was not favorable. 119s
What occasion then the change? 128s
Could it be? 132s
First Corinthians 15 chapter, where it tells us, following the cross and following the resurrection, 133s
and then he appeared to seefus then to the 12, then he appeared to more than 500 brothers 142s
and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, those some have died, then he appeared 150s
to James. 162s
James. 164s
Acts 15 chapter tells us that James was a leader in the church in Jerusalem. 165s
He went from unbeliever to believer. 175s
He went from one who was not following his brother as Messiah to one that confessed his brother 180s
was the Messiah. 189s
And he is the author of this passage this morning that speaks about prayer. 191s
It's another one of these one another passages that we are studying these weeks. 199s
And this passage to pray for one another. 206s
The immediate context of our passage is a prayer for healing. 212s
Take a look when we please at verse 16 chapter 5, James writes, 217s
therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. 224s
It's a logical extension, isn't it? 233s
That as we confess our sins to one another as we receive the Word of absolute, 235s
that we're going to pray for the well-being of each other. 241s
The healing here is physical and it is also spiritual. 245s
Then goes on to say, the prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 254s
Notice the qualifier there? 264s
The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 267s
And then an example verse 17, 271s
Elijah was a human being like us and he prayed fervently that it might not rain. 274s
And for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 281s
Then he prayed again and the heavens gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest. 286s
This example here comes out of first kings chapter 17 and first kings chapter 18. 294s
Elijah is raised up by God. 299s
Elijah is given the call to oppose the worship of the idle bale. 303s
Elijah is to do this in Word and in deed. 309s
Second part of verse 16 again. 315s
The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 317s
Elijah prays and there's a drought. 326s
Elijah prays and there's the end of the drought. 328s
The prayer of the righteous is effective. 333s
Does that sound though like some of the messages you can hear? 345s
I came across an article this week. 352s
It was an article about how to get results when you pray. 355s
And the author said that if you just do what he was writing, 360s
you would get results 100% of the time. 364s
100% and of course results defined here was that your prayers would be answered in accordance with your will. 369s
What it is that you wanted. 378s
And so just put into practice these he said seven things. 380s
Put in these things seven of them and your prayer will be answered 100% of the time. 386s
I 100% success rate. 394s
One of the things was if you only have enough faith. 396s
The author said. 406s
Author also said, make sure that you visualize yourself successful. 407s
So visualizing yourself successful is a key to this. 416s
Do this, do that on and on the list. 420s
The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 429s
So if your prayer isn't answered then in accordance with how you want the prayer to be answered, 444s
does that mean then that you're not righteous enough. 450s
If your prayer is not answered then in accordance with how you want it to be answered, 457s
does that mean that you're not special enough? 464s
If your prayer is not answered how you want it to be answered, 469s
then does that mean that you didn't pray with enough fervancy. 473s
That if you only pray a little bit more fervent, 479s
then your prayer will be answered. 486s
Is that the problem? 492s
Is the problem then? 495s
Us. 498s
When it's not answered, turn a page or two back to James the second chapter. 500s
Please, James chapter two verse 23. 508s
Thus the scripture was fulfilled. 518s
That says Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 520s
And he was called the friend of God. 527s
You notice what's associated with belief? 530s
Righteousness. 534s
Paul puts it this way in Romans the third chapter. 535s
But now apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed and is 537s
attested by the law and the prophets. 543s
The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus for all who believe. 547s
So who are the righteous? 556s
You are the righteous. 562s
You are the righteous. 566s
Don't have enough righteousness for your prayer to be answered. 571s
We've been clothed in the righteous garment of the Lord Jesus Christ. 579s
The Lord Jesus Christ has borne our sin on the cross. 583s
The death has been paid. 588s
The tomb is empty. 590s
God looks at us and he sees the perfect righteousness of his son. 592s
We are wrapped in it in our baptism. 598s
We are washed in those promises. 601s
We are given the gift of faith through word and through sacrament. 604s
God makes us righteous. 610s
Righteousness is not our own doing. 612s
It is not our own action. 615s
It is that which is given to us. 617s
Who then are the righteous? 620s
You are the righteous. 625s
You are the righteous. 629s
So then if your prayer is an answer, does that mean you're not special enough? 634s
That means you're not special enough? 641s
Take a look, please. 644s
At verse 17, back in our text, chapter 5. 645s
Verse 17 says, Elijah was a human being like us. 654s
Was Elijah any different than you and I? 662s
Absolutely not. 665s
Was Elijah a sinner like you and I? 666s
Elijah was made righteous in anticipation of the Messiah that would come. 670s
We are made righteous through the Messiah who has come. 675s
Anything special about Elijah? 684s
Nope. 689s
Elijah was just used by God in the role that God wanted to use 692s
Elijah. 699s
And Elijah was a human being like you and me. 701s
So if your prayers aren't answered, does that mean 712s
that you're not righteous enough? 715s
Beloved, we have been made righteous through the blood 717s
of the Lord Jesus Christ. 720s
If your prayers aren't answered then in accordance with your will, 723s
does that then mean that you're just not special enough? 726s
Well, how special was Elijah? 731s
Bible makes it pretty clear. 735s
He was just ordinary and ordinary human being. 737s
Well, Elijah, the Bible says, 746s
prayed with fervancy. 747s
So is that it? 748s
So if your prayers aren't answered in accordance with your will, 749s
does it mean then that you're just not praying 752s
with enough fervancy? 755s
That if you just put a little bit more inf into your prayers, 758s
then God here will be moved that God is sitting on his 762s
strong waiting for just a little bit more emotion 766s
and a little bit more enthusiasm and a little bit more 769s
energy out of your prayers before he answers it. 772s
Is that it that you just don't pray with enough fervancy? 775s
Well, is it okay to pray with fervancy? 781s
Well, sure. 787s
Is that the cause of the answer of prayer? 790s
No. 795s
Remember where that story goes back of Elijah 799s
to first Kings chapter 17 and first Kings chapter 18? 802s
In first Kings 17 and first Kings 18, 808s
God says to Elijah, 811s
there's going to be a drought and then the drought is going to end. 812s
So what was Elijah doing? 817s
Elijah was just asking God to do what he had already said 821s
he was going to do. 823s
Elijah just prayed in accordance with the will of God. 827s
That's all Elijah did. 834s
Wasn't his fervancy? 837s
Righteous enough, you are righteous. 842s
Have to be special for God to answer prayer. 848s
Elijah was just ordinary human just like you and I. 851s
Enough fervancy? 857s
Okay. 858s
Elijah just prayed what God had already told him. 862s
He was going to do. 866s
He was just praying in accordance with the will of God. 868s
You see, grace is that which surrounds and bathes prayer. 875s
Her name is Gloria and Gloria and a bunch of her other lady 895s
friends at the church each year would take the intern out 901s
for lunch. 905s
I was in turn like 11 or 12 by that point. 907s
There was a long history of interns. 910s
And so I received the invitation from Gloria and her group 913s
to go out to lunch, I said sure. 917s
God in the car, Gloria was driving. 920s
I was the only man in the car. 923s
So driving along as we come into the parking lot 926s
by the restaurant, Gloria says, 929s
help him Jesus, help him Jesus. 933s
Now, I'm the only man in the car. 937s
So I think to myself, I wonder what they think I need help with. 941s
And I'm not opposed to that prayer. 948s
We all need help every moment of our lives. 950s
I wasn't opposed to it. 952s
And then Gloria said another prayer. 954s
And I realized that she was praying verbally for the man 956s
that she was seeing in the parking lot. 961s
Just praying for him. 964s
That was new to me because I am still continue to be 968s
a silent prayer in those situations. 972s
I don't verbalize it. 976s
Gloria, that's just what Gloria did. 977s
Sometimes the prayers for the other. 983s
Sometimes those prayers are out loud. 986s
Sometimes they're silent. 992s
Sometimes it's the make shift grouping. 996s
We're all the sudden one notices 1001s
that the group that had gathered for conversation 1004s
were now praying for someone in the group. 1007s
Sometimes it's just the two people 1011s
that are sitting down having the conversation 1014s
and then all of a sudden you notice that they're praying 1017s
for that person. 1021s
Sometimes it's at night when your head is on the pillow 1024s
and the pressure of the situation results 1028s
in the bursting forth of prayer. 1031s
Sometimes the prayers for the other are long 1035s
and sometimes they are short. 1037s
But the prayers for the other are certainly not limited 1042s
to healing prayers in holy scripture. 1044s
Why we read in first this loneliness 1048s
the fifth chapter, Paul says, beloved, pray for us. 1051s
Second Thessalonians, a third chapter. 1056s
He says, pray for us so that the word of the Lord 1058s
may spread rapidly and be glorified everywhere, 1062s
just as it is among you. 1066s
In Ephesians the first chapter, he says, 1070s
I do not cease to give thanks for you 1072s
as I remember you in my prayers. 1075s
For Samuel, the 12th chapter, Samuel says, 1079s
more over as for me, far be it for me 1082s
that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing 1085s
to pray for you. 1089s
Sometimes those prayers for the other 1092s
are just born out of the simple question. 1094s
How is it that I can pray for you? 1096s
Sometimes it is born out of praying 1101s
the very words of scripture. 1103s
How about praying this prayer for someone today? 1107s
From Ephesians one, I pray that the God 1111s
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, 1114s
may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation 1118s
as you come to know Him, 1121s
so that with the eyes of your heart enlightened, 1124s
you may know what is the hope to which He's called you. 1127s
What are the riches of His glorious inheritance 1130s
among the saints? 1134s
And what is the immeasurable greatness of His power 1135s
for us who believe according to the working 1139s
of His great power? 1142s
Whatever the pangs are that proceed 1147s
the birth of prayer for the other. 1150s
Whatever those birth pangs are, 1154s
it is the community in action. 1158s
The redeemed community 1162s
through the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, 1164s
the community of faith that God has brought together 1168s
praying for the other 1174s
and the prayer of sins unto God 1179s
and His perfect will. 1186s
It's done. 1192s
Verse 16, 1198s
therefore confess your sins to one another 1201s
and pray for one another. 1206s
You who have been clothed in a righteousness 1215s
that is not your own, 1218s
you have been made righteous, 1220s
pray for the other. 1226s
You who are flesh and blood just like Elijah, 1231s
you who are a human being, 1236s
pray for the other. 1242s
Fervancy, 1248s
it's not the answer, 1252s
the cause of the answer to your prayers. 1253s
Fervancy isn't the cause of the answer, 1258s
but it is turning to God 1262s
and praying and lifting up the petitions for the other. 1264s
And then just as our Lord prayed 1269s
in the garden before the crucifixion, 1271s
your will be done. 1276s
Your will be done. 1279s
That's exactly. 1282s
Exactly. 1284s
What the brother James had in mind 1287s
when he penned these words. 1290s
It's exactly what God had in mind 1294s
when he inspired James to write these words. 1298s
God's vision for community, pray for one another. 1305s