JAMES 5:1-6House of Pain

JAMESKey Verse: But be doers of the word,

and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves- James 1:22 (NKJ)

JAMES Review- Why, you do not even know

what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes- 4:14

“We were created for eternity. And if we forget it, we invest in the wrong direction”- Henry Blackaby

“People are what their desires are”- Thomas Manton

JAMESHow do you feel?

James 5:1-6: Encouragement and Warning

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Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you- vs. 1

Who is James talking to? (James 3:1)Believers or not?

Is it wrong to be rich?

JAMESOlolyzontes- wail- loud howling in

pain and misery  Grieve, mourn and wail. Change Grieve, mourn and wail. Change

your laughter to mourning and your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom- 4:9your joy to gloom- 4:9

Willful repentance vs. howling at the coming judgment

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Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days- vs. 2-3

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Wealth- grain, oil, garments, coins

Grain rotted, oil turned rancid, clothes were moth-eaten and moldy. Gold and silver were tarnished

Judgment- Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire.

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What are the last days?

What’s the first charge against the rich?

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Hoarding

Why is it wrong?

**Bonus Question: Does anyone in America hoard?

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From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked- Luke 12:48

JAMESLook! The wages you failed to pay

the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty- vs. 4

What’s the second charge? Cheating workers out of their pay

JAMES 90% of people live on small farms

Landowners have serfs who are tied to the land and do all the work for day-laborer wages

If they don’t get paid, they don’t eat

“You didn’t do it right, I’m not gonna pay you today!”

He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?" declares the LORD- Jeremiah 22:16

He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done- Proverbs 19:17

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress- James 1:27

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God will always avenge those who oppress the poor and needy

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You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter- vs. 5

Third charge? Living in luxury and self-indulgence

Luxury- lifestyle that leads to lifestyle that leads to weakened moralsweakened morals

Self-indulgence- extravagant extravagant and wasteful livingand wasteful living

Fattened yourselves- lit. “hearts”- giving the heart giving the heart whatever it desires, whatever it desires, regardless of the costs or the regardless of the costs or the needs of othersneeds of others

Marquis de Lafayette- French general/friend of George Washington.

1782 :"The bad harvest has raised the price of wheat. This is the time to sell”- Layfette’s manager

"No, this is the time to give“- Layfette

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You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you- vs. 6

 What’s the fourth charge? Murder

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Innocent- dikaion- righteous/ dikaion- righteous/ believersbelievers

Not opposing- defenseless or defenseless or refused to fight back refused to fight back unrighteouslyunrighteously

 

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Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds…- James 1:2

Encouragement- God will take care of justice in the end Nero, 66 A.D., putting down the

Jewish revolt, began by slaughtering the rich Jewish landowners (James was written around 60 A.D.)

Warning- I don’t have to be rich according to American standards to have the same attitudes and actions

Is it wrong to be rich?

Consider the SourceDid it come from righteous business dealings?

Consider the AttitudeIs it mine to use so that I can live in luxury and self-indulgence?

Consider the ResponsibilityWhat does God expect me to do with it?

Takeaways: From everyone who has been given much,

much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked- Luke 12:48

Is there anything I deny myself so that I may help others?

Am I harboring bitterness towards those who’ve done me wrong? Or do I trust that God will take care of it in the end?

If God were standing here today, what would he say about how I’ve handled what I’ve been given?