"Are Any in Need of Healing?"

Scripture text: James 5:13-16

My Course of Study class this week [seminary classes required by the United Methodist Church for Local Pastors] was focused on the Reformation, and in our studies, we considered the issue of righteousness which seemed to have such a great impact on Martin Luther’s life. One verse is Romans 1:17 and the other passage is related, and is from Romans 3:10-11 .
Luther was concerned with these words in the 1st chapter that seemed to imply that we can attain the status of righteousness, and that we need righteousness. But chapter 3 tells us that we need to be righteous but can never become righteous, and if that’s the case, how can we ever get to heaven?
The issue of indulgences - the paying of pentenances to shorten the time required in purgatory - bothered Luther considerably, and this very issue is what lead him to the Wittenburg University door where he posted his "Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences", which we know as the 95 Theses. We can’t buy righteousness, we can’t gain righteousness, but we need righteousness to come into the presence of God. See his dilemma?

Over the years, Luther came to the realization that while we can’t create our own righteousness, we can receive the righteousness of God as His holy and generous gift through faith, which, incidently, is also His gift to us. And in faithful righteousness, all things are possible. And this leads us to our reading for today.

Read James 5:13-16

“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” In faithful righteousness, all things are possible! In faithful righteousness, our prayers will be powerful and effective – our petitions, our offerings, our needs can all be met in the righteousness that can only come through faith in Jesus Christ.

Is anyone in trouble? Is anyone sick? Is anyone struggling in their sinful ways or suffering in loneliness or loss? Is anyone being abused or abased by the sin of others?
Is anyone in need of healing?

James wants us to know that prayer offered in faith will bring health to the sick, relief to the troubled, forgiveness to the sinner, restoration to the lost and lonely, and renewed strength to the abused.
Every prayer, offered in faithful righteousness, will be powerful and will be effective.

Today, we offer each and every person here an opportunity to come forward in faith and God-given righteousness for anointing and prayers for whatever may be burdening you, and for whatever may be causing you pain. Come with a friend, or come by yourself. Come on behalf of another, or come for yourself. Come for some huge struggle, or come for an irritation. But regardless, come.

“Call the elders of the church to pray over you and anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord.” And in the context that the elders are the faithful and righteous children of God, that’s exactly what we will do today. I may be saying the words, I and one or two others may be the ones who lay hands on you, but all of the faithful who are here today will be joining in prayer for you and with you.

(We then held a healing service, with many congregants coming forward - some for their own issues, many for the burdens that haunt their friends and family)