http://bible.com/events/48846138

James and Rich and Wrong
Who has your heart?

‭‭James‬ ‭5:1-6‬‬
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 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. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

The clarifying question here is this: “What is the problem?”
-The root of the problem James is addressing is greed, our desires driving us to want more and more.
-“You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence” James 5:5
-Next James provides a visual of what this looks like: “You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.” James 5:5

‭‭Luke‬ ‭12:15‬‬
Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

The Bible talks a lot about money. Jesus speaks a lot about money. And we have a lot of questions:
-Why does the Bible talk about money so much?
-Is it wrong to have money?
-Should I feel guilty?
-Why do I give to the church?
-How much do I have to give?

The best question we should be asking:
Who has your heart?

Verses for further study/reflection:
Luke 12:13-21
Psalm 63:1-11
1 John 2:16
2 Corinthians 9:7
Ecclesiastes 5:10
Hebrews 13:5
Psalm 52:5-7

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:16-26‬‬
Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY

James and Rich and Wrong (ER)
Ecclesiastes 5:10:
Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless

‭‭James‬ ‭5:1-6‬‬
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 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. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

Biblical commentator John Ritenbaugh describes greed as a “ruthless self–seeking and an arrogant assumption that others and things exist for one’s own benefit (James would say for one’s own luxury and self-indulgence).”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:16-26‬‬
Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:26‬‬
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

YOUR LIFE WILL ALWAYS REVEAL
WHAT YOUR HEART TRULY TREASURES

So what is the best question to ask yourself?

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭8:8-9‬‬
I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

Scripture for further study/reflection:
Luke 12:13-21
Psalm 63:1-11
1 John 2:16
2 Corinthians 9:7
Ecclesiastes 5:10
Hebrews 13:5
Psalm 52:5-7

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:16-26‬‬
Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY

http://bible.com/events/48841888

James and Tomorrow
Tomorrow belongs to God and God alone.

‭‭James‬ ‭4:13-17‬‬
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 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. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

-The specific reason James points us here is not because of the ‘what’ but because of the ‘why’.
-James is not condemning the actions specifically of planning ahead, or running a successful business. He is pointing to the motivation behind the actions.

1. As we live our lives, we must have a proper view of our lives.
-“What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (Verse 14)
2. As we live our lives, we must have a proper view of God.
-“Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’ ” (Verse 15)
3. Living in such a way without this perspective is not just unwise, it is boastful and evil.
-“As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.” (Verse 16)

‭‭John‬ ‭6:38‬‬
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

Bottom Line:
Tomorrow belongs to God and God alone.

Verses for further study/reflection:

‭‭James‬ ‭4:13-17‬‬
And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, “Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.” You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.” As it is, you are full of your grandiose selves. All such vaunting self-importance is evil. In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that, for you, is evil.

‭‭John‬ ‭6:35-38‬‬
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY

Proverbs 27:1
Job 14:5
Ecclesiastes 9:12
Psalm 103:15
1 Peter 1:24

Church of the Nazarene East Rock

James and Tomorrow
Tomorrow belongs to God and God alone.

As we continue through James, he is taking time out to remind his readers the importance of not only giving God today, but also seeing to it that we have given God our tomorrow too.

As we dive into our teaching text today in verses 13-17 James is again calling for our surrender in humility. Except this time he does something unique- James calls for the surrender of something we don’t yet have and may not ever have for that matter:James calls you to surrender your Tomorrow…

As hard as it can be for us to recon with, a proper and humble response to the Lord includes giving God our future.

As we unpack our text today, James will help us to see our lives in the light of eternity and show that our only response must be one of humility and trust in God’s plans for our future.

‭‭James‬ ‭4:13-17‬‬
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 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. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

As we begin today, It may be helpful for us today to establish what this text is NOT saying, so we can more clearly unpack what James is really getting at.

This is not saying we cant make plans for the future or that we shouldn’t save money for a rainy day.

Its not saying that we cant have a business that produces a profit. In our text, James is looking beyond the actions of our plans, to our motives to our heart posture behind our planning.

For James, part of living surrendered to God’s authority is that we would allow him to have full control over the future.

‭‭James‬ ‭4:13‬‬
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”

In what James lays out here there is a pretty clear self-confidence (with self being the operative word here) and pride in the plans and the outcome of this person. There is even perhaps a since of pride in what they will accomplish because of their plans.

‭‭James‬ ‭4:14‬‬
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.

James reminds us very directly here of a reality we often forget.

Tomorrow belongs to God alone…

Woody Allen once said “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans”

‭‭James‬ ‭4:15‬‬
Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

James offers a different way of thinking and planning for Christians to view the future. That we can make plans…we can plan on doing “this or that”… BUT that we would submit our plans to the Lord and place our confidence in Him rather than our ability to manage the future.

‭‭James‬ ‭4:16‬‬
As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.

When we set our life course based off of our desires for a house, a career, a family, or whatever it is, no matter how good it is, we are actually guilty of arrogantly boasting before the Lord.

The root issue that James is pointing out is that we have taken the future out of God’s hands and determined that we would hold onto it.

‭‭James‬ ‭4:17‬‬
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

I think James knew there is a big difference in knowing these things and actually living our lives like they are true.

For us to know these truths and not to live them out- is SIN for us.

In your life, who holds the future?

James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY

http://bible.com/events/48840300

Church of the Nazarene
James and Being Lifted
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” -James 4:10

‭‭James‬ ‭4:7-12‬‬
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

Submit to God

Resist the Devil

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:2‬‬
in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

Come Near to God

‭‭James‬ ‭4:10‬‬
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

“Humility toward men will be the only sufficient proof that our humility before God is real.” Andrew Murray

Other content for further study/reflection:

The 10 Commandments of James 4:7-12
1. Submit yourselves to God
2. Resist the devil
3. Come near to God
The rest of the actions are in support of the previous three commands.
4. Wash your hands
5. Purify your hearts
6. Grieve
7. Mourn
8. Wail
9. Humble yourselves before the Lord
10. Do not slander one another

‭‭James (Jacob)‬ ‭4:7-12‬‬
So then, surrender to God. Stand up to the devil and resist him and he will flee in agony. Move your heart closer and closer to God, and he will come even closer to you. But make sure you cleanse your life, you sinners, and keep your heart pure and stop doubting. Feel the pain of your sin, be sorrowful and weep! Let your joking around be turned into mourning and your joy into deep humiliation. Be willing to be made low before the Lord and he will exalt you! Dear friends, as part of God’s family, never speak against another family member, for when you slander a brother or sister you violate God’s law of love. And your duty is not to make yourself a judge of the law of love by saying that it doesn’t apply to you, but your duty is to obey it! There is only one true Lawgiver and Judge, the One who has the power to save and destroy—so who do you think you are to judge your neighbor?

James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY