James
Righteous Passion
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
If we expect to pray as righteous people, we cannot discriminate
Jesus loves the whole world
Jesus’ zeal proved to be the ultimate test of love, He laid down His life for sinners
It is not just Nazareth, that no good thing comes out of, it is the world
We all have sinned and fall short of God’s Glory
As you and I pray fervently, as we get caught up in zeal
Let us never lose sight of being zealous for sinners
Pray earnestly, pray with passion and zeal
But be sure your prayers are based on your knowledge of the righteousness of God
Not a righteousness of your own
Know how much God loves sinners
And wants all to come to knowledge of Him and His love
Don’t let discrimination get in the way
Paul sums it up as he sees himself as the worst of all sinners in 1 Timothy 1:15-17
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Righteous Passion
Prayer of the righteous.
James is very clear…
The prayer of the righteous is a passionate prayer.
The KJV says, “fervent prayer of a righteous man”.
Elias was a man subject to like passions
as we are, and he prayed earnestly.
The righteous are full of passion…
They deeply care and life matters.
The righteous are zealous for God.
Sadly, many who are zealous for God
do not know the righteousness of God.
Paul, the apostle, said he was trained in the law.
He was zealous for God and persecuted the
follower of the Way to their death and arrest.
Acts 22:3-4
Paul was very aware of the discrimination problem.
So often our zeal becomes
discrimination against others…
The discrimination between the Jews to the
north, Israel, and the Jews to the south, Judah.
Remember Jesus in John 4
speaks to the Samaritan woman.
The discrimination was so strong it was
unheard of for a southern man to have
anything to do with a northerner,
especially a northern Samaritan woman.
Later Jesus made the divisiveness the basis
for the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Luke 10:29-37
Much of Jesus’ resistance was
based on discrimination.
Jesus grew up in Nazareth, which was
technically in the Northern Kingdom.
In John 1:46, we get a glimpse of
discrimination for anyone from Nazareth…
"Nazareth! Can anything good come
from there?" Nathanael asked.
John 1:46
Despite the discrimination, the haltered and zeal…
Jesus continually aimed toward reuniting Israel.
And turning the hearts of its people back to God.
His message of love and forgiveness,
of loving your neighbor as God loves us…
Was always on the forefront of His mind.
And it won over the people
both the northerners and southerners.
The Apostle Paul addressed
The divided nature when he said…
He is both Jew (Acts 21:39)
and an Israelite (Philippians 3:5).
Paul’s desire and prayer was to see God’s
people united, as we see in Romans 10.
Paul’s desire is to see all Israelites
saved, but there is a problem…
The problem is not a lack of zeal for God.
The problem is a lack of knowledge.
Zeal that is not based on knowledge.
Romans 10:1-4…
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
Our bias, or discrimination can get
in the way of our knowledge of God.
When our discrimination gets in the
way we establish our own righteousness.
James says…
The prayer of a righteous
man is powerful and effective.
If we expect to pray as righteous
people, we cannot discriminate.
Jesus loves the whole world.
Jesus’ zeal proved to be the ultimate test of love…
He laid down His life for sinners.
It is not just Nazareth that no good
thing comes out of, it is the world.
We all have sinned and fall short of God’s Glory.
As you and I pray fervently…
As we get caught up in zeal…
Let us never lose sight of being zealous for sinners.
Pray earnestly, pray with passion and zeal.
But be sure your prayers are based on your
knowledge of the righteousness of God…
Not a righteousness of your own.
Know how much God loves sinners…
And wants all to come to knowledge of Him and His love.
Don’t let discrimination get in the way.
Paul sums it up as he sees himself as the
worst of all sinners in 1 Timothy 1:15-17…
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Scripture Reading
James 5:16-17 KJV
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.
James 5:16-18 NIV
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
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