We are going through the book of James.
We've gotten now to James chapter 5.
! I'll be going through James 5, 1-12.
Before I start, I'd just love to pray for us.
Father, we pray for your spirit to move, Lord.
We pray that you would be glorified
as I preach your word, Lord.
Help us to revel more in who you are, Lord,
and less of our situations, circumstances,
and how we feel about ourselves, Lord.
Help us to know how big and glorious
and grandiose you are, Lord,
and how small we are in comparison.
Help us to treasure you, Father, above all things.
Pray for clarity of words as I preach.
Pray for conviction of the body, Lord.
Conviction of sin and conviction to love you more
than we love ourselves,
than we love our lives,
than we even love our own families.
families, Lord.
Lord, we pray that you would
save us from our sins,
from ourselves, Lord.
And if there's any who's not saved
that is here, Lord,
you save them.
In Christ's name I pray.
Amen.
Alright, I'm going to read
James 5, 1-12.
You guys can follow along
in your Bible if you'd like as well.
Come now, you rich people.
Weep and wail over the miseries
that are coming on you.
Your wealth has rotted,
and your clothes are moth-eaten.
Your gold and silver are corroded,
and their corrosion will be a witness against you
and will eat your flesh like fire.
You have stored up treasure in the last days.
Look, the pay that you withheld from the workers
who mowed your fields cries out.
And the outcry of the harvesters
have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
You have lived luxuriously on the earth
and indulged yourselves.
You have fattened your hearts
in a day of slaughter.
You have condemned,
you have murdered the righteous,
who does not resist you.
Therefore, brothers and sisters,
be patient until the Lord's coming.
See how the farmer waits
for the precious fruit of the earth
and is patient with it
until it receives the early and late rains.
You also must be patient.
Strengthen your hearts
because the Lord's coming is near.
Brothers and sisters,
do not complain about one another
so that you will not be judged.
Look, the judge stands at the door.
Brothers and sisters,
take the prophets who spoke the Lord's name
as an example of suffering and patience.
See, we count as blessed those who have endured.
You have heard of Job's endurance
and you have seen the outcome
that the Lord brought about.
The Lord is compassionate and merciful.
Above all, my brothers and sisters,
do not swear,
either by heaven or by earth with an oath,
but let your yes mean yes
and your no mean no
so that you won't fall under judgment.
Amen.
What a lovely text.
I felt so much fellowship with the Lord
as I was studying it
and I hope to bring you into that study as well.
And to start,
what I want us to consider
is treasuring God.
And a specific verse for this is
Matthew 13, 44,
which is,
the kingdom of God
is like treasure hidden in a field,
which a man found and covered up.
Then in his joy,
he goes and sell all that he has
to buy that field.
And he buys that field
because he knows that the treasure itself
is worth even more than that field
and worth even more than he has.
Bonhoeffer says about this,
talks about costly grace,
grace,
which is Christ crucified,
right?
Grace is not something that's cheap.
We throw around the word grace often,
but it's not,
we cheapen it in so many ways,
but the Son of God came and died
for our sins.
That's costly grace.
Costly grace is the treasure
hidden in the field.
For the sake of it,
a man will go and sell all that he has.
It is the pearl of great price to buy,
which the merchant will sell all his goods.
It is the kingly rule of Christ,
for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye
which causes him to stumble.
It is the call of Jesus Christ
at which the disciple leaves his nets
and follow him.
And in that,
well,
what I really want us to consider
is what is the cost of the treasure to us
in following Christ,
right?
Bonhoeffer hits on a lot of different things there,
which I'd love to explore more
as we go through the text.
This is a really long text,
so keep your Bible open,
keep your app open.
I'm going to try to go verse by verse
and then we'll hit some application points
to conclude.
So the first section to hit
would be James 5,
1 through 6.
And in this section,
really first,
I just want to go through
a definition of rich, right?
What does it mean to be rich?
rich,
and
a dictionary definition of it
is having a great deal of money,
wealth,
or assets,
right?
But in some eyes,
like whenever I was really,
really poor growing up,
not that I'm rich,
truly,
but whenever I was growing up,
I saw those who were rich
as those who had more
than they needed to live,
right?
So really,
anyone who had any excess
was rich to me.
And that is the case
for a lot of people
in this world
who are not as fortunate.
And the Bible has a lot to say
about the rich.
It has a lot to say about wealth.
It has a lot to say about our finances.
And some questions
that I want to put to the test
and I want you guys to consider
as we go through this
is,
is it a sin to be rich?
Is it a sin to be wealthy?
Right?
There's condemnation
here given to the rich.
Weep and wail
over the miseries.
Talking of the rich.
Is it a sin to be rich?
And then of that,
should our daily bread,
right,
our needs
be of constant
not knowing
where it'll come from?
So constant strain,
constant striving,
right?
Is it wrong to save
your excess
when there's so many people
who don't have?
Right?
What about your 401ks?
Why are you saving up
a 401k?
Try to answer these
to the best of my abilities
based on what the
Bible has to say,
but
start with verse 1.
Come now,
you rich people.
Weep and wail
over the miseries
that are coming
on you.
Right?
There's
a progression
that James
will talk about
in those who are rich,
right?
But here,
he's saying
what
those who are rich
need to do
is weep and wail
over the miseries
that are coming on them,
meaning that there's
judgment coming
for them.
but that is because
of how they view wealth,
how they view money,
right?
1 Timothy 6,
verse 17 through 19,
Paul is talking about
those who are wealthy,
and he says
to Timothy,
instruct those who are rich
in the present age
not to be arrogant
or to set their hope
on the uncertainty
of wealth,
but on God,
who richly
provides us
with all things
to enjoy.
Instruct
them to do
what is good,
to be rich
in good works,
to be generous
and willing to share,
storing up treasure
for themselves
as a good foundation
for the coming age
so that they may
take hold
what is truly life.
Right?
These people
that James
is talking of
is the opposite
of this.
they are rich
in this present age,
but they're arrogant.
They're arrogant
in their wealth.
Right?
And that arrogance
comes from
not needing
to depend
on anyone,
not needing
to depend
on anything,
not having
any uncertainty.
Right?
But
that's not
what Paul says.
Paul says that
the uncertainty
of wealth,
wealth is
uncertain.
it's here
one minute
and gone
the next.
God
is the only
one who is
certain.
He's the only
one who is
immovable.
Right?
And those
who are rich,
he instructs them
are to do
good works,
be generous,
be willing
to share.
Right?
That is the
instruction
that is given
to those
who are rich.
But in here,
those who are
arrogant
and trusting
in their wealth,
there's a weep.
It's a wail
because there is
a coming judgment.
To continue,
verse 2 and 3,
your wealth
has rotted
and your clothes
are moth
eaten.
Your gold
and silver
are corroded
and their
corrosion
will be a
witness against
you and
will eat
your flesh
like fire.
Right?
In this,
we are living
in a time
of the last
days.
Right?
where it
says,
in these
last days,
it is between
Jesus'
first coming
and Jesus'
second coming.
And we are
in these
last days
now.
There's a
theme in
this text
that James
references
often,
which is
Jesus is
returning
soon.
Right?
I think
different people
hold different
conviction as to
when Jesus
will come
back,
what needs
to take
place before
he comes
back.
But the
theme that
James gives
here is
that he
is coming
soon.
Right?
And I
want us to
consider that
in this.
That Jesus'
return is
imminent.
He will
come like a
thief in the
night.
That is not
just a verse
that's out
there.
Oh,
he'll come
like a
thief in the
night,
but all
these need
to happen
first.
No.
That's
true.
And so
Jesus'
return is
soon.
And all
these things
in here
that these
people trust
in,
these wealthy
trust in,
will fail.
Right?
What?
Your wealth
has rotted.
Right?
Any food or
abundance that
you store up
will rot.
there's
nothing that
you can
store up
in food
in abundance
or anything
like that
that will
not rot.
Your silver
and gold
are corroded.
Right?
You trust
in your
silver and
your gold,
your Bitcoin,
your Ethereum.
It's corroded.
Your dog
go to the
moon,
Michael.
And their
corrosion,
their corrosion
will be a
witness against
you.
There's
this verse
of God
being able
to raise
up the
sorry,
different verse
that if we
didn't praise
God,
the stones
would cry
out.
Right?
And in
worship of
God.
And in
the same
way,
these gold
and these
silver will
be a
witness
against
these
people.
Why?
Because this
gold and
this silver
is truly
the idol
that they
are worshiping.
You don't
have to go
to a
Hindu
temple
to see
an idol.
Just look
at your
bank account
that you're
worshiping.
And that
brings us
to what
Jesus says
in Matthew
6,
19 to
21,
don't store
up for
yourselves
treasures
on earth
where moth
and rust
destroy and
where thieves
break in
and steal.
Right?
Which is what
they're doing.
Storing up
for themselves
treasures
on earth.
But store
up for
yourselves
treasures
in heaven.
And that
is working
with what
Paul said
that the
rich need
to do,
which is
to be rich
in good
works.
Be
generous.
Right?
Willing to
share.
Store up
for yourselves
treasures
in heaven
where neither
moth nor
rust
destroy and
where thieves
don't break
in and steal.
for where
your treasure
is,
there your
heart will
be also.
Right?
Where is
your heart?
Right?
Is it in
your bank
account?
Is it in
the abundance
of food
that you
can have?
Or even
the delicacies
of food
that you
can have?
I love
the imagery
that
James writes.
he says
not only
that there
will be
a witness
against
them,
but they
will eat
their flesh
like fire.
It's kind
of gross.
But
that is
just the
wrath
that is to
come upon
them.
Right?
The imagery
that what
you trust
in will be
turned against
you.
Not only
will it be
turned against
you, it
will consume
you.
As a
judgment
that what
you needed
to trust
in was
the all
consuming
fire of
God.
Onward
we go.
Verse 4.
Look,
the pay
that you
withheld
from the
workers who
mowed your
fields,
cry out.
And the
outcry of
the harvesters
have reached
the ears of
the Lord
of the
hosts.
Lord of
hosts.
The one
James talks
about,
right?
Those rich
are greedy.
They're selfish.
They are
withholding.
And they
do this so
that they
might be
richer.
They
withhold
what is
due their
workers,
right?
It says
who mowed
your fields,
but really
it's someone
who's harvesting.
So,
someone who
takes a
sickle
to the
grain and
brings it
into the
barn,
right?
They didn't
have
lawnmowers
then.
See,
you know?
But it's
someone who's
out in the
heat of the
day and
working,
working like a
dog to take
care of their
family,
and yet the
rich would
withhold
their pay.
But in
their
arrogance
and
pride,
they had
set
themselves
up against
the Lord
of hosts.
An ancient
name that
James invokes,
the Lord
of hosts,
also the
Lord of
armies,
the
commander,
right?
And this
goes back to
what James
is saying
in chapter
four,
which is
God
resists
the proud,
but gives
grace to
the humble.
God is in
opposition to
anyone.
who would
do this
because
they're
arrogant.
There's
injustice
there,
and God
is a
God of
vengeance.
And so
I come to
the question
when I was
studying of
wanting to
ask yourself,
are you a
withholding
person?
Do you
withhold
what is
due to
other
people?
Right?
I don't
have any
workers.
awesome.
Let's
read the
story of
Ananias
and
Sapphira.
But a
man named
Ananias and
his wife
Sapphira sold
a piece
of property.
However,
he kept
back part
of the
proceeds
with his
wife's
knowledge
and brought
a portion
of it
and laid
it at
the
apostles'
feet.
Ananias
asked,
why has
Satan
filled
your
heart
to
lie
to
the
Holy
Spirit
and
keep
back
part
of the
proceeds
of the
land?
Wasn't it
yours while
you possessed
it?
And after
it was
sold,
wasn't it
at your
disposal?
Why is it
that you
planned this
thing in
your heart?
You have
lied not
to people
but to
God.
And when
he heard
these words,
Ananias
dropped dead
and great
fear came
over all
who heard.
The young
man got
up,
wrapped his
body,
carried him
out and
buried him.
To
continue,
Peter asked
his wife,
did you sell
the land
for this
price?
And she
said,
yes,
for that
price.
And Peter
said to
her,
then why
did you
agree to
test the
Holy Spirit?
Let the
feet of
those who
buried your
husband
are at
the door
and they
will
carry you
out.
And
instantly
she
dropped
dead
at his
feet.
In
this,
not only
of who
works for
you,
but do
you withhold
what truly
belongs to
the Lord?
Whether
it be
tithing,
whether it
be God
calling you
to give
to a
certain
person,
whether
it be
God
saying to
do such
and such
with such
and such
money,
are you
withholding?
For you
have set
yourself up
against the
Lord.
Do not
be arrogant
from this.
Do not
be like
Ananias and
Sapphira.
And even,
I think
everyone can
relate to
this,
waiters.
There's a
really bad
stigma
that Christians
have
with waiters
that
Christians
are
really
bad
tippers.
I
remember
I was
with my
buddy,
Sam,
in New
York,
and
I was
like,
yeah,
I don't
really tip.
I don't
really do
that.
He's like,
oh,
nice.
Nice way
to love
your neighbor,
right?
That should
not be the
stigma that
outsiders have
with Christians.
It should
be that we
are generous
people.
It should
be that we
are loving,
not only in
our money,
but in
talking to
these waiters
and loving
them and
preaching the
gospel to
them, dare
I say it.
That should
not be how
we act
with anyone
our attitudes
towards our
brothers and
sisters,
towards those
on the
outside,
should not
be one
of withholding
because our
Father did
not withhold
his own
Son from
us.
But he
poured out
his blood
generously
for you.
Onwards to
verse 5.
You have
lived luxuriously
on the earth
and have
indulged
yourselves.
You have
fattened
your hearts
in a
day of
slaughter.
Pleasure
and luxury
are what
these people
are seeking.
It's
ultimately
what
these
desires,
any sinful
desire,
will lead
you to,
is being
pleasurable,
being luxurious.
I mean,
if you consider
the story of
the prodigal
son,
what does he
run to?
He runs
to prostitutes,
to spending
all the money
on fleeting
things.
That's what
they desire.
And some
people,
unlike the
prodigal,
will never
get saved,
will never
hit rock
bottom,
but will
continue
living this
way.
There's a
day of
slaughter
coming.
there's
the
example
of
Jesus
telling
the
story
of
when
a
nobleman
goes off
to a
far
country
to receive
a letter
to become
king,
and his
servants
send a
delegation
after him
saying,
we don't
want this
man to
be king.
This is
the parable
of the
ten
talents,
ten
meneas.
And when
the
nobleman
returns
with the
letter
to be
a
king,
what does
he do
with those
wicked
servants?
He
slaughters
them
before him.
There is
a day
of slaughter
coming,
when the
king of
kings will
return and
judge these
types of
people who
are setting
themselves up
against the
Lord,
not trusting
in him,
but trusting
in the
world,
in their
own power,
in their
own wealth,
God's
And that's
an encouragement
to strengthen
your hearts
with Christ.
Verse 6,
you have
condemned,
you have
murdered the
righteous who
does not
resist you.
I think the
NIV has a
better reading,
which is,
you have
condemned
and murdered
the innocent
one who
is not
opposing
you.
NIV for
you,
so.
There's a
progression in
the love of
money,
right,
that is
being laid
out here.
They're
withholding,
right,
they,
okay,
they've
gotten this
idol of
money,
right,
they've
desired it,
I love
it.
And then
it starts
off with
them hoarding,
right,
hoarding more
and more
silver,
more and more
grains,
more and more
stuff.
And they're
like, oh,
I want even
more.
Let me start
withholding from
my workers.
I'll get even
more that way.
Aggression.
Let's keep
going.
And with all
that, I can
live luxuriously.
I can live
such comfort.
Oh, man,
there's some
people who are
opposing me.
They're opposing
what I'm doing.
They don't like
it.
I'm going to
murder them.
I hate that
they oppose
me.
I hate that
they come
after me.
I'm going to
murder them
and condemn
them.
That is
what's
happening.
These are
innocent ones.
Sorry, it
says, who
is not
even
opposing.
Right?
It reminds
me of
John the
Baptist and
Herod.
When
John the
Baptist
goes and
confronts
Herod and
says, you
need to
repent.
I believe
it was
his brother
sister that
he was
married to.
Says, like
this, like
you need to
be divorced
from her.
And what
did she ask
for at that
dance?
For John
the Baptist's
head.
Because she
wanted to
continue in
her sensuality.
I would
encourage you
brothers and
sisters to
continue to
oppose.
Do not
fear death.
Do not
fear opposition.
Do not
fear persecution.
Your God
is backing
you.
And he
is the
rock.
And
I
consider
in this
verse even
Lazarus and
the rich
man.
Right?
There is a
rich man
who is
dressed in
purple and
fine linen,
feasting
lavishly every
day.
But a
poor man
named
Lazarus,
covered with
sores,
who is
lying at
his gate.
He
longed to
be filled
with what
fell from
the rich
man's
table.
But instead
the dogs
would come
and lick
his sores.
One day
the poor
man died
and was
carried away
by the
angels to
Abraham's
side.
The rich
man also
died and
was buried.
And being
in torment
in Hades,
he looked
up and
saw Abraham
a long
way off
at
Lazarus'
side.
Father
Abraham,
he cried,
have mercy
on me and
send Lazarus
to dip
the tip of
his finger
in water
and cool
my tongue
because I
am in
agony in
these
flames.
son,
Abraham
said,
remember
that during
your life
you received
your good
things just
as Lazarus
received his
bad things.
But now
he is
comforted
here while
you are
in agony.
Besides
all this,
a great
chasm has
been fixed
between us
and you
so that
those who
want to
pass over
from here
to you
cannot,
neither can
those from
here cross
over to
there.
father,
he said,
then I
beg you,
send him
Lazarus
to my
father's
house
because I
have five
brothers
and I
want to
warn them
so that
they won't
come to
this place
of torment.
But Abraham
said,
they have
Moses and
the prophets,
they should
listen to
them.
No,
father Abraham,
but if
someone from
the dead
goes to
them,
they will
repent.
But he
told them,
if you
don't
listen to
Moses and
the prophets,
then you
won't be
persuaded if
someone raised
from the
dead.
There's
revelation in
this,
truly,
that only
God can
save someone.
Right?
If they
won't listen to
Moses and
the prophets,
and they
won't listen to
someone who's
raised from
the dead,
only God
can save
a truly
dead person
whom we
all are.
We are
all dead
in our
trespasses
and in
our sins,
and if
you don't
believe that,
then you
believe in
a lie.
Of this
text right
here,
I've had
great comfort
in this
text at
one point
in my
life.
I think I
was about
15 when
I watched
this documentary
called
Hypernormalization.
Great
documentary.
It's about
four hours
long.
If you're
committed to
Lord of the
Rings,
you'd be
committed to
this.
But it
shares of
the downfall
of the
Soviet Union,
and from
there progresses
to how
the banks
came to
take control
of a lot
of the
world,
and how
a lot
of the
world was
controlled
by money
and power
the rich
and the
wealthy.
And it
shows all
of the
wars that
are funded
by so
many rich
people.
And what
the documentary
really does
is it
presents to
you all
these things,
but doesn't
give a
conclusion.
It doesn't
say what
should happen,
what you
should do,
what you
should think.
It just
says,
this is
happening.
And my
heart was
so fearful
because I
considered how
rich these
people are,
how powerful
they are,
and how I
have no
control over
any of these
things that
they could
do.
Yet this
text was so
comforting because
yet these
realities are
still true
to this
day,
that the
rich do
murder the
innocent.
Right?
to stay
rich and
wealthy.
But,
God has
the final
say in
all of
these
things.
He is
in control
of all
of these
things.
He's the
one who
ordains
them,
and He's
the one
who will
bring
judgment
upon those
who are
wicked in
the misuse
of money,
in the
misuse of
power,
in the
misuse
of authority.
And He
will slaughter
them.
Note of a
new section,
moving on to
verses 7
through 11.
To me,
as I was
reading this,
it seems like
a culmination
of multiple
themes and
things that
have been
represented
throughout the
book of
James.
that are
now in
kind of
these
verses,
right?
So,
in my
Bible,
in CSB,
I know a
lot of you
guys read
ESV,
in mine,
one thing
that I
noted was
it starts
off each
section
almost with
therefore
brothers and
sisters,
in verse
7,
then verse
9,
brothers and
sisters,
do not
complain,
and then
verse 10,
brothers and
sisters,
take the
prophet.
And then
verse 12,
above all,
my brothers
and sisters.
The CSB,
NIV should
have something,
or KJV,
something like
brethren,
or ESV,
maybe even
brothers and
sisters.
It's kind of
a crescendo,
a drumbeat.
Therefore,
brothers and
sisters,
therefore,
brothers and
sisters,
these are the
things that I
want you to
do.
Right?
And just
together,
verse 7 and
8,
therefore,
brothers and
sisters,
be patient
until the
Lord's coming.
See how the
farmer waits
for the
precious fruit
of the earth
and is patient
with it until
it receives
the early
and late
rains.
You also
must be
patient.
Strengthen
your hearts
because the
Lord's coming
is near.
That theme
that I
mentioned of
the Lord's
coming and
the Lord's
coming being
near is
evident here.
Right?
We are in
this waiting
period,
waiting for
the Lord.
Come,
Lord Jesus,
come.
And what
does this
type of
patience look
like that
James is
writing about?
And for
this,
I want to
highlight
Romans 8,
25,
which says,
now if we
have hope
for what we
do not see,
we eagerly
wait for it
with patience.
Right?
We eagerly
wait for it
with patience.
Right?
There's a lot
of things that
I eagerly
wait for.
such as
my chicken
nuggets in
the toaster
oven.
I eagerly
wait for it
and I eagerly
wait for it
with patience
because if I
took it out,
it would
still be
frozen.
A new
movie release.
I'm forced
to be patient
for that,
but I eagerly
wait for it.
I'll watch
the trailer
time and
time again,
eagerly
waiting for it,
but I have
to be patient
because it'll
come.
It'll come
soon.
Man,
for that
monster buck
to come
around before
I could
pop it.
It's a
nine-pointer.
Hunting.
You guys
didn't get
that?
Whatever.
But if 20
years from
now, the
Lord tarries,
I wonder
if based
on the
pattern of
your life
now, you
would be
eagerly
waiting for
the Lord.
Would you
be eager?
Do you
eagerly wait
now?
Do you
consider daily
the Lord's
coming?
God's
coming?
As Paul
says, I
have fought
the good
fight, right?
Will you
say 20
years from
now, I
have fought
the good
fight.
I'm
fighting the
good fight.
I have
never stopped
fighting.
I have
not ceased
for a minute
to stop
doing good
works.
The Lord
is my rock
and my
foundation,
my joy,
and daily
I must
come to
him and
plead for
dependence and
salvation.
Is that
you, 20
years from
now, eagerly
waiting?
Are you
eagerly
waiting now?
What does
your waiting
look like?
Is it
eager?
Is it
hungry?
Is it
come, Lord
Jesus, come,
I need you
because I
love you.
And as
James held
that resolve
that the
Lord's
coming was
near, so
must we,
we must,
else we
lie that
we have
joy in
the Lord.
It is
hard
sometimes,
it's
tough,
but we
must eagerly
remember that
his coming
is near.
And in
this verse,
it talks
about the
establishing of
our hearts,
right?
Or strengthen
your hearts,
right?
And this is a
resolve within
ourselves.
This is a
resolve to
be strong.
Isaiah 57,
the Lord will
help me,
therefore I
have not,
I have not
been humiliated,
therefore I
have set my
face like
flint,
and I know
I will not
be put to
shame.
It's kind of
weird putting,
setting your
face like
flint.
It means a
hardening of
the face,
it means a
resolve.
And in this
resolve of
Christ and
his coming,
and eagerly
waiting,
we will not
be put to
shame,
but the
Lord will
honor us.
And there
is a lot
of trials
and persecutions
to come in
our last days
that we are
in now.
There's hard
relationships,
but come what
may,
persecutions,
slander,
being confronted,
our own
fallen and
broken nature,
your own
sins,
we still
look to
the Lord
and we
strengthen
our hearts
and we
say,
come Lord
Jesus,
come.
Verse,
verse 9,
to continue
this theme,
brothers and
sisters,
do not
complain about
one another
so that
you will
not be
judged.
Look,
the judge
stands at
the door.
Right?
the answer
in our
flesh might
be to
grumble
in hardship
and all
these sins
and hard
relationship
to groan.
but we
must not
lest we
be judged.
Judged
by who?
By the
Lord Jesus.
It says,
look,
the judge
stands at
the door.
He is at
the door.
He's about
to come
in.
The
Lord's
coming is
near.
This
groaning
is different
or this
do not
complain
is different
than verse
4.
Don't
criticize
anyone.
That
criticism
there is
more of
trudence,
which is
to lie
about
someone or
something like
that.
This is
more of a
grumbling,
of a
groaning
against one
another.
It's not
that you're
lying about
a person.
It's that
you have
some hard
relationships
and you're
like,
ugh.
There's an
ugh attitude
towards a
person and
that is
what James
is saying
you must
not have.
How does
James say
that we
are to
act?
James 1,
19 to
21,
my dear
brothers and
sisters,
understand
this.
Everyone
should be
quick to
listen,
slow to
speak,
and slow
to anger.
For human
anger does
not accomplish
God's
righteousness.
Therefore,
rid yourselves
of all
moral filth
and evil
that is so
prevalent.
Humbly
receive the
implanted
word,
which is
able to
save your
souls.
And that's
a groan.
That groaning
resolves in
being quick
to speak,
quick to
anger,
quick to
hate,
quick to
slander,
quick to
criticize.
And no,
we're to
be quick
to listen,
slow to
speak,
slow to
anger.
Or do
you not
love your
brothers and
sisters?
Love covers
a multitude
of sin.
sin.
And the
judge does
stand near.
He is
wrathful.
And he
abhors any
moral filth.
So put that
aside.
We know
how to
act.
We know
it.
It's in our
minds.
sins.
And we
must bear
one another's
burdens and
not complain
against one
another.
Where there's
mistrust,
right,
where there's
bitterness,
where there's
suspicion,
it's when we
see Satan at
work.
There's a lie
that we're not
against flesh and
blood, but of
the cosmic
powers.
Did we not
just sing of
Satan,
our ancient
foe doth
seek to
work us
woe?
His craft
and power
are great
and armed
with cruel
hate.
On earth
is not
his equal.
Did we
confess that
about Satan
just now?
Yes.
He is
armed with
cruel hate
and on
earth is
not his
equal because
we are
powerless
against Satan
except by
the Lord.
Where you
walk in
bitterness and
unforgiveness and
suspicions is
Satan's
playground and
you need to
repent.
continue to
verse 10
11.
Brothers and
sisters,
take the
prophets who
spoke in
the Lord's
name as an
example of
suffering and
patience.
See, we
count as
blessed those
who have
endured.
We have
heard of
Job's
endurance and
have seen
the outcome
the Lord
brought about.
The Lord is
compassionate
and merciful.
Why is
James exhorting
us to take
the prophets
examples?
It's because
they suffered
greatly.
But where
did they
suffer?
Who did
they suffer
with?
They suffered
by the hands
of people who
they loved,
who they
wanted to be
saved, yet
rejected them.
True brothers
and sisters,
who rejected
them.
Unlike the
rich,
right, who
take lives
for themselves,
who murder
to raise up
their own
wealth, to
raise up their
own position
and status,
who backstab,
who slander,
we are not
to be like
them.
We are to
lay down our
lives for our
government,
as the
prophets
did.
I love
that he
mentioned
Job's
endurance,
or what
Job
endured.
Let's
remember what
Job
endured.
He had
seven sons
and three
daughters,
and they
were all
killed.
I've
wept over
my friend
losing one
son.
How much
more would
I weep
if I
lost ten
kids?
Where Job
lost all
of his
wealth and
all of his
possessions,
that is
Job's
suffering.
Consider
Job's
suffering.
Yet at the
end of it
all, Job
says,
I have
heard reports
about you,
but now my
eyes have
seen you.
Therefore I
reject my
words, and I
am sorry for
them.
I am dust
and ashes.
I have
heard reports
about God,
heard the
law of God,
but now I
have seen
him.
I have
seen him
in his
glory.
My kids
are taken
away.
All my
wealth is
taken away.
I have
seen you
Lord, and
I repent
my
haughtiness.
This is
Job's
endurance,
as must
ours be,
that we
stand upon
the rock.
And then
there's a
encouragement
here in
suffering that
we all
must
remember
that we
all must
remember.
James says,
the Lord is
compassionate
and merciful.
Are you
in suffering?
Are you
in trials?
The Lord is
compassionate and
merciful.
Do you believe
that?
Is he?
He is.
He is because
we are not
in hell
right now.
First off,
because that's
what we
deserve.
If you
think that you
deserve less,
that's a
lie.
onward to
verse 12,
coming to
the end of
the chapter
or these
verses.
Above all,
my brothers and
sisters,
do not
swear either
by heaven
or by earth
or with
any oath,
but let
your yes
mean yes
and your no
mean no,
so that you
won't fall
under judgment.
I think
greater revelation
of this verse
is found in
Matthew 5,
33 to 37,
which says,
Jesus is
talking,
says,
again,
you've heard
that it was
said to our
ancestors,
you must not
break your
oath,
but you must
keep your
oaths to
the Lord.
But I
tell you,
don't take
an oath
either by
heaven because
it is God's
throne or
by the earth
because it is
his footstool
or by
Jerusalem
because it
is the
city of
the great
king.
Do not
swear by
your head
because you
cannot make
a single
hair white
or black,
but let
your yes
mean yes
and your
no mean
no.
Anything
more than
this is
from the
evil one.
The revelation
that Jesus
gives here
is that we
swear,
as the Jews
did,
by heaven
instead of
by God,
right?
It's an
escape.
Oh,
it's not
God,
it's heaven.
Like,
my words
mean a little
less.
I have
some
escape.
Heaven is
his throne.
When you
swear by
heaven,
you're really
swearing to
the Lord.
Earth is
his footstool.
It is
his still.
You're still
swearing to
God.
If you
swear by
your own
head,
like,
I'm going
to do
this and
I swear
upon
myself,
you are
his.
He is
the potter.
You are
the clay.
If you
swear by
something
fleeting,
like the
grass,
still
his.
Anything
that you
swear by
will always
be his,
and your
words are
still
accountable.
And so
he's
saying,
don't let
this be
grandiose.
Just be
honest.
Just be
honest.
Let your
yes be
yes,
and your
no be
no.
And this
is consistent
with James'
teaching,
right?
verse
chapter
3,
3 to
12,
just talking
about the
tongue,
right?
Now,
if we
put
bits in
the mouths
of our
horses so
that they
obey us,
we direct
their whole
bodies and
consider ships.
Though very
large and
driven by
fierce wind,
they are
guided by
a very
small
rudder,
whatever
the will
of the
pirate
directs.
So
too,
though the
tongue is
a small
part of
the body,
boasts
great things.
Consider how
a small
fire sets
ablaze a
large force.
And the
tongue is
a fire,
the tongue,
a word
from,
sorry,
and the
tongue is
the fire,
the tongue,
a world
of unrighteousness,
a place
among our
members.
It stains
the whole
body,
sets,
sorry,
I'm losing
my place,
sets the
course of
life on
fire,
and it
sets itself
on fire
by hell.
Every
kind of
animal,
bird,
reptile,
and fish
is tamed
and has
been tamed
by humankind,
but no
one can
tame the
tongue.
It is
a restless
evil,
full of
deadly
poison.
With
the tongue
we bless
our Lord
and Father,
and with
it we
curse
people who
are made
in God's
likeness.
in this,
James is
telling us
to just
remember
the tongue.
Let your
yes be
yes and
your no
be no.
Control
of the
tongue is
super
important.
We will
be judged
by our
words.
If God's
law is so
important that
not a dot
or tittle
will be
taken away,
then I
will judge
us by
our words.
For out
of the
mouth,
the heart
speaks.
I tell
this to
my wife
all the
time
whenever
I'm
joking.
Whenever
she's
joking
actually.
And
she's
like,
babe.
And so
with
all that,
I have
three
application
points
for us
to consider.
The
first
is your
treasure.
Where is
your treasure?
Right?
There's a
constant
desire for
us to
have the
bigger,
the better,
and the
new.
The bigger
house,
right?
The bigger
car,
right?
The bigger
whatever.
The better
phone,
better
laptop,
better work
situation,
a newer
car,
insert it,
right?
The bigger,
the better,
the newer.
But
it's not
bad to
desire those
things.
But where's
your treasure?
Is that
where you're
treasuring?
Like,
are you
keeping up
with the
Jones?
Is that
what you're
doing?
Instead,
it should
be
monumental.
God is
monumental.
God is
the bigger,
the best,
the most
monumental
thing that
there ever
could be.
That is
who we
are to
treasure.
God is
marvelous.
He is
far better
than anything
we could
think of
or imagine.
Oh,
how marvelous.
Oh,
how wonderful.
And my
song shall
ever be.
Oh,
how marvelous.
Oh,
how wonderful
is my
Savior's
love for
me.
He is
monolithic,
meaning that
he will
never
change.
You want
the newer,
but he
never
changes.
He's
consistent.
He is
monumental,
he is
marvelous,
and he is
monolithic.
That
is where
your treasure
needs to
be.
Where is
yours?
is it
in a
new work
situation?
Not bad
again.
What is
that?
Is God
truly who
you're
treasuring?
Truly
who you're
desiring?
As I've
talked about
the return
of the
Lord Jesus,
is he so
precious to
you?
And then
the second
application
point is
patiently
waiting.
instead of
complaining.
And I
just have a
question here
which I've
hinted at
multiple times,
which is,
do you know
what you
deserve?
Truly,
have you
considered?
Maybe you
have,
but consider
again.
Do you
know what
you deserve?
It is
God's
kindness
and patience
that we
are saved.
it is
his
loving
kindness
that we
are here,
that we
are not
crushed
as we
should be,
that we
are not
in agony.
Do you
know what
you deserve?
so in
patiently
waiting
instead of
complaining
and grumbling,
I mean
this with
our
church
members,
right?
We are to
be patient
with them,
right?
Because what
we deserve
is impatience.
What we
deserve
is a quick,
swift
vengeance
because we
have broken
God's
law.
We are
to be
patient
and
compassionate
because we
are striving
to be
like our
Savior.
Are you
patient?
Are you
patient in
your situation
of life?
Waiting
and depending
on God?
Are you
patient with
your spouse?
Are you
patient with
your kids?
Are you
patient with
your spiritual
kids?
I have a
great example
from Sarah
of us.
I was
confessing
last night
a lot of
sins that
I had
and one
of it
being
not
truly
giving
her time
that she
deserves
and giving
more time
and more
affection to
the body
and to
the brothers
than I
was given
to her.
and she
responded and
said,
I've been
praying for
that for you
and it's a
great example
of being
patient in
prayer.
Be patient.
If you've
confronted,
has not
been received
well,
patiently
pray
because only
God can
open their
eyes.
And then
the last
one is
endure to
the end.
are you
in trial
now?
Are you
suffering?
Is there
hardship in
your life?
Endure to
the end.
Consider
Job.
He
endured
to the
end
and his
trust was
in God.
Are you
in trial
now because
of a sin?
Are you
being disciplined
because of a
sin?
Repent
and endure
to the
end.
Finish the
race.
Truly.
I hate
running
with a
passion.
Finish the
race.
Runners have
such endurance
and we
must run
in the
spiritual
race
with
endurance.
And our
feet are
weak
but Christ
quickens
us.
Do you
trust in
him?