James Warning to the Rich

 

James

Warning to the Rich

What would you do to become rich?

What would you do if you were rich?

James is using very strong language here in James chapter 5

James is calling the rich to take a good look at their life

Look at the misery of wealth

For most of us we cannot see past the beautiful homes, cars,

Freedom of travel, and the power to do whatever we want

If you don’t want a life like that you must be dead

We all want the freedom finances can give us

James is strongly addressing the evils of riches

Evil #1 Riches for your luxury and self-indulgence in earth

Evil #2 Taking advantage of others to get rich

The pursuit of money will destroy relationships

Money is not the issue, it is what it leads to

 

 

Warning to the Rich

 

What would you do to become rich?

 

What would you do if you were rich?

 

James is using very strong

language here in James chapter 5.

 

James is calling the rich to

take a good look at their life.

 

Look at the misery of wealth.

 

For most of us we cannot see past the

beautiful homes, cars, freedom of travel,

and the power to do whatever we want.

 

If you don’t want a life like that,

you must be dead.

 

We all want the freedom finances can give us.

 

James is strongly addressing the evils of riches.

 

The first thing he addresses

is the end result of wealth…

 

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.

 

I have been settling estates for 8 years.

 

Recently, Sandy and I traveled to check out an estate.

 

It was a castle, in the estate were luxury cars,

furniture, game room, exercise room,

five huge bedrooms and ten bathrooms.     

 

The toilet on the main floor must have

been imported, it was like nothing
Sandy or I had ever seen before.

 

I do not know the owner, whether

 he was a good man or a bad man.

 

But I do know at age 40 he bought the

castle and at age 52 died of a bad heart.

 

At age 52, he owned a 4 million dollar winter

home on the ocean, as well as this multi-

million dollar castle and the finest furnishings.

 

Sadly, he did not live to enjoy it and now it

has been auctioned off to the highest bidders.

 

All his possessions were left behind

and so it will be with the rest of us.

 

Jesus said…

 

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,

where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

 

There will be a day where people

 will weep and wail in misery.

 

This day will come after this life is over.

 

Although you can’t buy your way into heaven…

 

 How you handle your wealth and riches

on earth will affect you for all eternity.

 

Riches so often are used to give us

the pleasures of heaven on earth.

 

But for the true entrepreneur plans

not just for this life, but for eternity.

 

I know another man in his 70’s

who owns a successful business.

 

 The reason he is still working

is to support missionaries.

 

Each week he preaches at the homeless

mission and never misses an opportunity

to share Christ with others.

 

If you were to meet my friend…

 

 You would know right away he

is fully invested in eternal life.

  

After James warns of the misery of

gaining the world and losing our soul…

 

 He addresses how we gain riches.

 

 Look! 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.  

James 5:4

 

I think we all have seen

the unfair payment for labor.

 

We have seen the unfair cost of things

that make life more comfortable.

 

James is bringing us back to the main issues…

 

Love the Lord and Love your Neighbor!

 

The “Royal Law”.

 

There are those you do what they do

so everyone can have a better life.

 

But sadly, there are those whose

concern is their personal pleasure.

 

James says we have slaughtered and murdered

innocent people for our indulgences in pleasures.

 

I wish we were reading about

 a past time in history.

 

But these words of James are as true

for today and they were in the time

of the first century church.

  

I believe we all should work to become rich.

 

 We should work so that we never

become a burden to anyone else.

2 Thessalonians 3:10

 

We should work to make life better

for the family God has given us.

1 Timothy 5:4, 8, 16

 

We should work to help those who can’t work.

Proverbs 3:27, 28

 

We should work to give others a better way of life.

1 Timothy 6:18

 

Paul gives the rich this warning…

 

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

1 Timothy 6:17-19

 

Where is your treasure?

 

Never be richer in earth than you are in heaven.

 

May it not be your luxury and self-

indulgence in earth you work for.

 

But the riches of Heaven obtained by

loving your neighbor as yourself.

 

The pursuit of money will destroy relationships.

 

Money is not the issue, it is what it leads to…

 

 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

Some people, eager for money,

have wandered from the faith and

pierced themselves with many griefs.

1 Timothy 6:10

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

James 5:1-6 NIV

5:1 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 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. 4 Look! 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. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.   6 You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.