James
5:19-20 ESV
My brothers, if anyone
among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that
whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death
and will cover a multitude of sins.
Often as I
drive, I listen to the Frank Sinatra station on my satellite radio. More and
more it seems that you hear folks like Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, and Barry
Manilow leaving the type of music that they are known for and returning to the
standards. Yes, they are heading back to the Great American Songbook as to sing
all the songs that our parents and grandparents, and even some of us today
listen and sing along with today.
These rock and
pop music artists also understand that musical standards are there for a
reason, they are just good songs that many people know. Likewise our text from
James speaks to those that have been living away from God, and what must be
done to bring them back to the Standard of Faith. This Standard of faith
resides within the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Just as some
musical performers return to the Great American Songbook because it is good
stuff, those that have been living away from Christ are returning to the good
stuff of the Great Word of God. Just as people understand what the standards of
good music are, those who have distanced themselves from God are returning to
the Father because He is “The Good God.”
Matthew Henry States in his
commentary on James 5: 19-20 “For
six thousand years He has been multiplying pardons, and yet his free grace is
not tired nor grown weary. Certainly Divine mercy is an ocean that is ever full
and ever flowing. May the Lord give us a part in this abundant mercy, through
the blood of Christ, and the sanctification of the Spirit”. (Henry n.d.)
My prayer
for many this day is that if they have distanced themselves from the goodness
and mercy of God, is that they are led back to what is good and true. The Great
American Songbook is great for a lifetime, but the grace, mercy and love of God
are for an eternity.
It is still
and will always be “The Good Stuff.”
This is the
day that the Lord has made.
Pastor Tim.
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