James 5:1-12
Series: The Letter of James
1 Pay attention, you wealthy people! Weep and moan over the miseries coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted. Moths have destroyed your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you. It will eat your flesh like fire. Consider the treasure you have hoarded in the last days. 4 Listen! Hear the cries of the wages of your field hands. These are the wages you stole from those who harvested your fields. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of heavenly forces. 5 You have lived a self-satisfying life on this earth, a life of luxury. You have stuffed your hearts in preparation for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who doesn’t oppose you. 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must be patient as you wait for the coming of the Lord. Consider the farmer who waits patiently for the coming of rain in the fall and spring, looking forward to the precious fruit of the earth. 8 You also must wait patiently, strengthening your resolve, because the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Don’t complain about each other, brothers and sisters, so that you won’t be judged. Look! The judge is standing at the door! 10 Brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of patient resolve and steadfastness. 11 Look at how we honor those who have practiced endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job. And you have seen what the Lord has accomplished, for the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. 12 Most important, my brothers and sisters, never make a solemn pledge—neither by heaven nor earth, nor by anything else. Instead, speak with a simple “Yes” or “No,” or else you may fall under judgment.
Habits For Christian Living:
Don’t Hoard Stuff (Money), Give Freely
Hoarding Wealth/Stuff (Vv. 2-3)
So much wealth stored up that it "has rotted";
Their clothes are moth eaten.
Hoarded food & clothing — All going to waste.
Their ultimate crime was uncontrolled greed that resulted in oppression of the poor
Luxury & Self-Indulgence (v.5);
Given into Easy Living,
The Fattened Rich have become like cattle, completely unaware of their impending destruction.
2. Pay People What You Owe Them… (v4)
3. Be Patient — Give up our Right To Get Even (V7-8)
4. Persevere — STAND FIRM IN Christ Through All Things, AS You WAIT (V8, V10-11)
“12 Those who stand firm during testing are blessed. They are tried and true. They will receive the…” — James 1:13
5. Don’t Be A Complainer (V9)
6. speak with a simple “Yes” or “No,” (V12)
“34 But I say to you that you must not pledge at all. You must not pledge by heaven, because it’s God’s throne. 35 You must not pledge by the earth, because it’s God’s footstool. You must not pledge by Jerusalem, because it’s the city of the great king. 36 And you must not pledge by your head, because you can’t turn one hair white or black. 37 Let your yes mean yes, and your no mean no. Anything more than this comes from the evil one.” —Matthew 5:34-37