(003 James) Reality Check: Living Life with a Proper Perspective
Notes
Transcript
Handout
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,
10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.
11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
It seems that James is full of crazy thoughts!
Really these thoughts are connected with the last.
James continues to help us have a proper perspective about life.
This is an ongoing thought about trials.
The poor will have to endure trials and temptations that come with being poor.
The rich will have to endure trials and temptations that come with being rich.
There are things that money can’t change.
Paradox: a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true.
Paul said: “When I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor 12)
Jesus said: “Whoever want to be a leaders must be a servant.” (Mark 10)
This passage is about eternal perspective.
James wants to move us towards maturity by moving us away from earthly thinking.
1. The perspective of poor people.
1. The perspective of poor people.
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,
1. The perspective of poor people.
1. The perspective of poor people.
Let the lowly brother.
Lowly = poor.
Brother = believer
James is talking to believers who don’t have much.
Not a lot of money
An old car
Old clothes
Not a great education
Little hope of getting out of that situation.
These brothers can start thinking they are not valuable to the family.
James says they have something to boast about!
The poor should find joy in his situation.
The poor should see it as exaltation or being lifted up.
First, let’s understand a couple of things...
(1)A. God gives special care to the poor.
(1)A. God gives special care to the poor.
Jesus Himself was poor.
20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
9 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 by his poverty might become rich.
(1)A. God gives special care to the poor.
(1)A. God gives special care to the poor.
The disciples left everything they had and followed Jesus.
So they too didn’t have much.
We read that they at times wondered where they would get their next meal.
Let’s see what else is said about this...
5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.
27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
The poor and lowly have a special place in God’s heart.
The gospel went to the poor first.
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
(1)A. God gives special care to the poor.
(1)A. God gives special care to the poor.
The reality is that there are Christians who will have little most of their life and that is ok.
A christian is not less because they have less.
(1)B. The Bible tells us what true riches are.
(1)B. The Bible tells us what true riches are.
9 “ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
True riches last for eternity.
Our true treasure is heavenly treasure.
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
(1)B. The Bible tells us what true riches are.
(1)B. The Bible tells us what true riches are.
Paul had it all… wealth and status.
The things that were GAIN
I counted them as loss.
He said he got them out of the way to GAIN Christ.
This is James’ point.... The brother of low decree doesn’t have gain to count as loss… he already has nothing.
True riches is knowing Christ!
That’s why we can count/recon trials as only joy.
We know Christ by sharing in His suffering.
So no we can understand what James is saying when he says...
(1)C. The poor can boast because they are already humbled.
(1)C. The poor can boast because they are already humbled.
Those who are poor are already humbled.
This isn’t something you have to work at.
They don’t have to give up stuff.
They don’t have to get thing out of the way.
This isn’t merely those who don’t have money.
Those who have less in society.
Nobodies.
No money.
No education.
Seen as less than by others.
Daniel Long mentioning those SUCCESSFUL guys we went to school with.
Poor people (Lowly people) MUST depend on God everyday.
Lowly is the same Greek word in Philippians.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
The poor man also knows that Christ did not stay poor.
He was exalted.
20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
The bible often portrays the rich in a negative light.
23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
(1)C. The poor can boast because they are already humbled.
(1)C. The poor can boast because they are already humbled.
This doesn’t mean it is wrong to be rich.
Be talented.
God seems to say that those people have to work harder to have the right perspective in life.
2. The perspective of rich people.
2. The perspective of rich people.
10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.
2. The perspective of rich people.
2. The perspective of rich people.
The proper perspective of the rich is to realize their earthly riches are temporary.
Riches are not wrong, with the proper perspective.
Money is not the root of all evil, but the love of money...
Talents are not wrong.
Having a name or a platform is not wrong.
Paul points out that NOT MANY are that way.
God chooses the base or lowly people.
The flower of the grass fades quickly.
An eternal perspective helps the rich view their riches this way.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
The proper perspective to realize riches are temporary.
James paints a picture.
Wealth is like flowering grass.
It will not last.
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
The proper perspective for the rich is to understand where the riches came from.
7 For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
Everything we have is from God!
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
It is easy for rich people to trust in their own efforts.
28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
2. The perspective of rich people.
2. The perspective of rich people.
Wealth isn’t wrong but wealthy need the proper perspective.
James doesn’t say to get rid of your wealth.
James says understand where your real wealth is.
3. A perspective for all people.
3. A perspective for all people.
11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
3. A perspective for all people.
3. A perspective for all people.
James is incredibly descriptive.
In spring the flower come out everywhere and are beautiful.
We know they only last for a short time.
The summer sun will eventually scorch the flowers.
Every summer we have brown grass.
We should see their riches that way.
Be careful what you are pursing in life.
Know your WHY.
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
3. A perspective for all people.
3. A perspective for all people.
It isn’t wrong or a curse to be poor.
Know where your real treasure is.
Understand biblical wealth and success.
It isn’t wrong to be rich.
Know where your real treasure is.
Understand biblical wealth and success.