Sermon Tone Analysis

The Sin of Hoarding Wealth

James 5:1-6

L/W-(Thank you to Josh for leading worship and service and sharing/teaching the Word)

As we’ve worked through the book of James, we’ve learned

Who a bondservant of Christ is supposed to be (James 1:1 “James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.” )

How and what it means to have joy in trials/temptations (James 1:2-3 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

How and what it means to seek God’s wisdom and strength during times of trials/temptations (James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” )

The cause of these are and how to guard and protect ourselves—it is our own selfish/prideful desires (James 1:14 “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” )

Our faith must have feet (it must be demonstrated) (James 2:17 “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” )

What trials/temptations are common to all believers (James 3-5)

It means to depend on God and not one’s self (James 4:13-17)

Next three weeks, as we close out James--

We finish out another common trial/temptation to believers

Then a 2-part discussion on, again, James encouraging, exhorting and teaching us a step by step look at combating them

In our time in James,, there’s been many times of challenge, encouragement, and conviction (at least with me there has been).

As we approach the conclusion and continue on through God’s Word, I’d like to take a moment to encourage and remind you of something.

In the times of conviction, whether through James or any part of our study of God’s Word, we’ve been taught that its purpose is to draw you closer to God (this is 100% accurate and we should continue to see it as such; however, I’d like to share with you another perspective): Conviction is a picture of God’s grace and mercy.

Conviction is mercy, in that God allows us, through the Holy Spirit, to see how we’ve wronged Him, to reveal our sin to us; it is at the same time grace, b/c He also provides us a way of escape—the cross.

We come to realize it is mercy when we stop looking at conviction as God shaming and pushing you away, and see God as God fighting for you and pulling for you.

When we see His mercy in this, we will also see His grace:

Why does He fight for you?

One—because He knows what sin has caused you and does not desire any one to be apart from him (2 Peter 3:8-9 “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

Two--Because you are precious in His sight .

You are His creation—the pinnacle of what He’s created.

It would go against His very nature not to fight for something (someone) who was/is created in His very image and likeness.

So as we wrap up this last look at common trials/temptations and we remember all of what the Bible, through James as taught us, I pray each of us, starting with myself, approach conviction with this understanding…and embrace the lessons of sanctification we have learned together

JAMES 5:1-6 (READ)

The topic of money is spoken about numerous times throughout Scripture and Jesus taught about it at length.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught His disciples not to lay up treasures on earth, “where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal,” rather to lay up treasures in heaven.

He went on to say, in Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

He instructs the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18-23, that in order to follow him he must, ‘…sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.””

Jesus teaches us in Luke 9:23-24 that the cost of following Him should cause us to go bankrupt of ourselves and the things of this world, “Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.”

Jesus teaches about an unjust steward in Luke 16.

At the conclusion of this parable in Luke 16:13, he says, ““No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and mammon.””

Here, according to David Jeremiah, it is revealed that people serve money (mammon), “when their sole aim is to live as comfortably as possible, with little concern for the poor or disadvantaged.

James, in these first 6 verses of chapter 5, challenges us to look at another common trial and temptation which faces all believers (especially those who are wealthy); hoarding wealth; but note this, living in the country we live in, despite the climate—we live in the overflow compared to so many others.

Those who are well-off, wealthy, or have much--have a tedious and ferocious temptation and warning: to hoard money/wealth and not help those in need (poor, destitute, the struggling, the homeless, etc.) It’s not sin to be wealthy—but there are strong and straightforward truths of Scripture that warn/condemn/judge those who withhold and hoard wealth and do not use it to reach those in need.

There are four points in today’s message, and before we start, we need to know what “weep” and “wail” (“howl”) mean, b/c each of these points today a Biblical call for exists.

It’s a call and command to weep and wail (howl) to those living to make money their lord; to weep and wail over their divided and malignant hearts.

“Weep” --”to lament, sob bitterly”

Ancient times—term that described wailing for the dead or intense remorse

James is saying—the Bible is teaching—that hearts surrendered to the love and lordship of money ought to be so convicted to the core, that intense remorse is required

“Wail” (“howl”)—expression of extreme grief

In Scripture we find it only the O/T prophets and always in the context of judgment

James is saying—the Bible is teaching —that hearts surrendered to the love and lordship of money ought to be so grieved over how they’ve made money their lord, that repentance is the only response

The four reasons a person should weep and wail (howl) when it comes to wealth are:

I. (v.1) (FIRST) You should weep and wail (howl) If you are hoarding wealth

James 5:1 “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!”

There’s no hidden meaning or application with this verse—its direct and straightforward.

Hoarding money will bring misery

Notice what the Bible says about the miseries of hoarding/coveting/serving money: They are personal, they are plural, and they are coming (promised)

They are personal

Hoarding/coveting money directly effects the heart of the one hoarding

While displaying to others that their wealth is providing happiness, inside, this person is full of despair, hollowness, and sin

They are plural

What are some of these miseries?

Bondage/Afflictions

In binding yourself to money/wealth—you are in bondage to it, enslaved by it

to want more

to never having enough, or

to panic/worry/fear if there’s not enough

To make money your lord is sin—and sin’s effect is bondage/affliction

You are held by it

You operate by it

You find your worth in it

Emptiness

Making money your lord brings at the very most, temporal satisfaction—but like all things of this world

it will not last

it will not provide lasting satisfaction

it has no divine value

Loneliness

Purposelessness

Mind—either your mind is consumed with

how to make more

how to hold on to it

fear/worry/stress when there’s not enough

While it might bring worldly comfort, there’s a lack spiritual contentment (look at this oft-misapplied verse)

Philippians 4:10-13 “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound.

Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

They are coming

It is an assured truth—the miseries that come in hoarding/coveting/treasuring wealth are not a “maybe” or a “might happen,” they are promised—not just in the next life—but also for the current one

The bottom line—riches/wealth which are hoarded are sure to fail you in some way and they will never satisfy you

II.(v.2-3) (SECOND) A person should weep and wail (howl) for thinking wealth is lasting

James 5:2-3 “Your riches are corrupted, and your garments 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 heaped up treasure in the last days.”

Again, note the straightforward language James is using

(Note three things)

“Riches are corrupted”—Corrupted--(sessepen)-this word means rotted and refers to things such as vegetation or building materials which

rot if they are not used/eaten

“Garments are moth-eaten”

“Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you.”

Gold/silver become cankered or rusted—and stand as a witness against you (gold cannot rust, so what does James mean?)

James means that if minerals lie unused, they become coated over with filth, tarnished, corroded, and eventually worn away

The whole point in what James is saying is this: (1) if vegetation and building materials are rotten, (2) if your stuff goes unused, and (3) if your riches go unused —they are useless—and eventually will become so rotten, moth-eaten, and covered in filth they are unusable and will be gone—and never be used for the good God intended them to be.