Bringing Back Those Who Wander From The Truth

James 5:19-20
September 26, 2021
Abraham Hong

Sermon Script

As we wait for the return of our King, it is often easy and tempting to just give up on people. On people who are among us. On people who are a part of the church.

When people among us wander from the truth by believing things that are not right, when they stray away from biblical teaching and doctrine and God’s word, it is often easy to just think that there is nothing that we can do to change their minds. And so we may give up on them. We may want to give up on those who reject the idea that the Bible is true. We may want to give up on those who deny the virgin birth and resurrection of Jesus. We may want to give up on those who stop believing that God is a good and loving God.

And when people among us wander from the truth by doing things that are not right, when they stray away from biblical living and obedience and God’s will, it is often easy to just think that there is nothing that we can do to change their lives. And so we may give up on them. We may want to give up on those who are deep in sin. We may want to give up on those who have burned down bridges and broken up relationships. We may want to give up on those who are too dirty or scandalous, too scary or impossible, too untrustworthy or unapproachable, too far away for any kind of reconciliation or redemption, too not worth our time or effort.

This is sad. This happens a lot in the church. This can happen with people among us. But this must not be.

As James concludes this letter to the church, he encourages us to not give up on such people. Today’s passage motivates us to bring such people back. Back to church. Back to the Bible. Back to true Christian life. Back to the Lord Jesus Christ.

There can be people among us who wander from the truth. They can be either believers in Christ who backslide and struggle. Or they can be non-believers who never really repented or believed in Christ in the first place. In either case, our basic work is one and the same. We are to bring them back. If anyone among us wanders from the truth, we are to bring them back.

Let us take this moment right now and remember that Jesus brought us back. Jesus brought you back. You were once a sinner who was wandering far away from him. Your ledger was once filled with a multitude of sins. You were once a soul headed toward eternal death. But Jesus brought you back.

Jesus loved you. And he saved you. He brought you back from your wandering and he saved your soul from death by covering your multitude of sins with his redemption, his atonement, his blood, his substitution, his forgiveness, and his righteousness. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who found you as a stray sheep that was once lost. He found you. He laid you on his shoulders. And he rejoices over you. It is as if he calls together his friends and his neighbors and says to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” Jesus brought you back. Praise the Lord!

This ought to be the heart and the soul and the engine of our church. Jesus brought us back. And with the same kind of grace and love, we are to bring wanderers from the truth back as well.

So let’s do this.

Is there someone you know who is double-minded and unstable in all of his or her ways? Let’s bring them back. Is there someone you know who is going through temptation and saying that he or she is being tempted by God? Let’s bring them back. Is there someone you know who thinks they are religious and does not bridle their tongue but deceives their heart and therefore has a religion that is worthless? Let’s bring them back. Is there someone you know who is guilty of partiality? Let’s bring them back.

Is there someone you know who has a dead faith because they have faith without works? Let’s bring them back. Is there someone you know who is struggling with jealousy or selfish ambition? Adultery or murder? Coveting and fighting and quarreling? Let’s bring them back. Is there someone you know who is not growing in the wisdom that comes down from above but is instead growing in a wisdom that is earthly and unspiritual and demonic? Let’s bring them back. Is there someone you know who you care for and want to love and want to see come back? Let’s bring them back.

There is so much that can be said about how to bring people back. But just start with this. Pray for them. If it is good and necessary, talk with them. And then pray with them. And walk with them. Consider together the truth of the Bible and the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray about such truths. If it is good and necessary, heed the steps of church discipline in Matthew 18. Pray more and more. Pray again and again. Ask God for wisdom and love in all of this. This is the basics of what it looks like to bring people back.

And this is what real involvement and real love at church looks like. Caring for one another. Mutual accountability. Personal responsibility for the spiritual well-being of others. Walking together in God’s sanctification. Wouldn’t you want people in your life who will bring you back when you wander? Do for others what you wish others would do for you. This is love at it’s finest. Love for God and love for our neighbors. We do not want to leave anyone behind.

Dear Highland, we are in the business of rescuing people. We are not in the business of abandoning them. And the stakes are very, very high.

Today’s passage gives an incredible promise. 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. Is there anything worse than eternal death? Is there anything more important to put away than sin? This is a wonderful promise that is full of hope. Jesus is the one who saves sinners. And he invites us to be a part of that. We are like the friends of the paralytic who brought the paralytic to Jesus. We can bring sinners and wanderers back to Jesus. And Jesus will fulfill his promises to us. This is amazing. Do we have the faith and hope and love to do this? Let us do what we can do. Let us bring back those who wander from the truth.

And, in closing, if you yourself are the one who is wandering, then I have good news for you. You can come back to the Lord. You are invited to stop wandering. You are invited to turn around and come home again. Get help from us. Ask help from us. Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, for the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Come back to church. Come back to us. Come back to Jesus. Sure, you may be waiting for us. But we are also waiting for you. So maybe let’s meet in the middle? Please understand that your soul may be in danger of death. Please realize that your sins need to be dealt with. But we’ll get through all of this together. Come back. Come back.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Come, Lord Jesus, come back soon! Amen!

Soli Deo Gloria