God Over Money - James 5:1-6

INTRO

Story - I was gifted 1000 when I was in 8th grade

I had a lot of ideas about how I wanted to spend my money

Bought a new skateboard

72 Thin-line Telecaster - Mom had me buy the Squire Strat-Pack so I could stretch my money

No one likes to be told how to spend their money.

So I get the distinguished honor today to talk about your relationship and my with money.

Today we are coming to the harshest language in the entire book of James if not the whole NT.

This is a really challenging word from James that reads a bit like an OT prophet hammering against the wicked.

Really to understand what is happening we have to remember that James is writing to the early church, specifically Christians who are dealing with intense persecution.

Additionally at this time 80% of the world was in poverty.

It’s likely those who are reading this have experienced intense suffering and have been shorted and taken advantage of by wealthy employers.

They were in no position to stand up for themselves as Christians.

This is helpful because the wealthy James is ranting against are most likely unbelievers.

We know this as he doesn't call them brothers and sisters but rather come now you rich.

He gives no call to repentance, rather just a proclamation of judgement.

The purpose here is to tell James’ readers: God sees you.

He sees your suffering and he is not indifferent.

Justice is coming.

Fast forward to today and we live in a much different context.

We actually have legislation in place that prevents us being ostracized at our jobs for our faith.

Compared to most of the world we have to admit that we are wealthy.

Certainly many of us don’t feel wealthy.

So what do we do with this passage?

In James words to the unbelieving rich we find timeless warnings that echo through the ages.

So today we are going to walk through these warnings and see the relationship we have with our money and our possessions.

Here is our Big Idea:

Big Idea: The Steadfast life anchors it’s hope not in wealth, but in the ever-constant God.

It’s God over Money.

That’s what I want you to keep in mind as we walk through this text.

Let’s look at these warnings from James

Starting with

1. Hoarding Wealth

Look back back at the passage

James 5:1–2 (ESV)

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten.

Kent Hughes when look at this passage tells the story of Bertha Adams

She was seventy-one years old.

She died alone in West Palm Beach, Florida on Easter Sunday, 1976.

The coroner’s report read: “Cause of death … malnutrition.”

After wasting away to fifty pounds she could no longer stay alive.

When the state authorities made their preliminary investigation of her place, they found a veritable “pigpen … the biggest mess you can imagine.”

One seasoned inspector declared he’d never seen a home in greater disarray.

The pitiable woman had begged food from neighbors and gotten what clothes she had from the Salvation Army.

From all appearances she was a penniless recluse—a pitiful and forgotten widow.

But such was not the case.

Amid the jumble of her unclean, disheveled belongings, two keys were found which led officials to safe-deposit boxes at two different local banks.

The discovery was absolutely unbelievable.

The first box contained over 700 AT&T stock certificates, plus hundreds of other valuable certificates, bonds and solid financial securities, not to mention a stack of cash amounting to nearly $200,000.

The second box had no certificates, only more currency—$600,000 to be exact.

Adding the net worth of both boxes, the woman had well over a million dollars.

Bertha Adams’s hoarding was tragic, and her death was an unusually grim testimony to the shriveled focus of her life.

Her great wealth did her no good whatsoever.

Its proper use could have meant good health for her and many others.

This kind of hoarding is deeply wrong.

James is calling out the wealthy for accumulating so much and sitting on it. Wanting more and more.

In the ancient world, wealth was measured in harvested grain, clothing, and precious metals, and jewels.

However, James warns that hoarding these riches can lead to ruin.

Imagine vast stocks of grain, carefully stored to preserve wealth, only to sour and become useless.

Lavish clothing, a symbol of status and position, left moth-eaten and worthless due to neglect in storage.

Even gold and silver, while not physically corroding, hold no lasting value in the grand scheme of eternity.

You’ve heard the old adage: You never see a u-haul attached to a hearse.

In our society, the pursuit of accumulation has become a cultural norm.

We measure success by the size of our bank accounts and the possessions we amass.

The more we have, the more important we feel.

Pride swells within us as we showcase all we have.

However, James's message strikes at the heart of this obsession with having money and being selfish with it

Pursuing riches solely for personal gain is ungodly and foolish.

Here is the sad reality: The wasted treasures we hoard testify against us, It exposes the sinfulness of our hearts, which greedily acquire more than we need. (like a toddler MINE)

But here is the problem: Wealth is transient.

It corrodes, rots, and ultimately vanishes.

We have to recognize there is in us a tendency to put our hope in what we own.

Does that mean we shouldn't save? no....As Christians, we are not forbidden from saving for the future or planning wisely.

But we must do so with a godly purpose, acknowledging that we do not know what the future holds.

Our plans should align with the will of God, and our saving should be driven by a heart of stewardship. (All that I have is given)

Wealth is a tool to be used for godly purposes, not an end in itself.

James adds the phrase "in the last days," which serves reminds us of the impending day of reckoning.

God's eternal judgment will shed light on the folly of living solely for earthly possessions. In that moment, the true value of our pursuits will become tragically clear.

Again The Bible doesn't condemn responsible saving, but it vehemently opposes the unbridled accumulation of wealth for selfish gain.

It calls us to look at our hearts, what are we trusting in?

Look at Luke 12:27-31

Luke 12:27–31 (ESV)

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

Hoarding our wealth, is living as though Jesus isn't alive.

It’s functional atheism.

Jesus himself reminds us not to fixate on earthly treasures that can be lost or stolen.

Instead, we are called to invest in heavenly treasures—acts of love, compassion, and generosity that have eternal significance.

We need to break free from the curse of hoarding and align our hearts with God's purpose.

We are called to invest our resources in ways that honor God and bless others, storing up treasures in heaven where they will never fade or diminish.

We don’t have to hoard. We can live with open hands because we know that all that we have belongs to the Lord.

2. Fraud and Oppression

James 5:4 (ESV)

Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.

Throughout the Old Testament, God's heart beats for justice and compassion towards the poor, towards those who labor.

Deuteronomy, Leviticus, and Proverbs all resound with commands to treat the poor and needy with fairness and respect.

God's heart is for the worker, and He urges employers to pay their workers promptly,

God knew they depend on their wages to survive.

How different if you didn’t have to wait for your paychecks but were compensated for each day.

So is this the kind of treatment people were finding in James’ day?

No, James reveals a grievous injustice in his time: wealthy employers exploiting the poor by withholding their hard-earned wages.

This crime deeply grieves the Lord for two reasons.

First, the impoverished workers struggle to make ends meet, and denying them their wages means depriving them of food and basic necessities.

Second, this exploitation happened during harvesttime, when the rich revel in abundance while their laborers suffer in need.

Can you picture the scene of Thanksgiving Eve, where employers are enjoy lavish feasts while their employees can't afford even a simple turkey?

This stark contrast between excess and deprivation is not limited to Ebenzer Scrooge—it resonates through history and persists even today.

There is a wicked heart of selfishness

An ambitious farmer, unhappy about the yield of his crops, heard of a highly recommended new seed corn.

He bought some and produced a crop that was so abundant his astonished neighbors asked him to sell them a portion of the new seed.

But the farmer, afraid that he would lose a profitable competitive advantage, refused.

The second year the new seed did not produce as good a crop, and when the third-year crop was still worse it dawned upon the farmer that his prize corn was being pollinated by the inferior grade of corn from his neighbors' fields.

James lays out a prophetic cry.

This prophetic cry resounds against any individual or nation that thrives on the backs of the poor.

If you are an employer you are called to value your workers, compensating them fairly and providing good benefits rather than seeking profit at their expense.

All of us should see that the way we spend money, the way we live should

Here is a challenge for you

The people we employee for various tasks whether it’s our server or someone who works for us: View them as an image bearer.

Something is profoundly broken in us when we think the person is just a good or service to get what I want.

Let’s see what the next warning is

3. Over Indulgence and Arrogance

Any one remember MTC Cribs?

Man I use to watch that show seeing celebrities living in opulence.

Skate parks in the living room, multiple cars, personal chiefs.

It looked awesome I wanted that.

I think most of us feel the allure of self-indulgence.

That is the call and narrative of the world: Get yours, treat yourself

Money cannot bring satisfaction.

It is like the man who said, “Last month my aunt died and left me $25,000.

Last week, my brother died and left me $38,000. I am so depressed.”

His good friend said, “Why are you depressed?”

He said, “Because this week, nobody died.”

look at verse 5

James 5:5 (ESV)

You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

James doesn't discourage us from enjoying the good things God has blessed us with in this world.

God, our Creator, delights in providing for our needs and granting us enjoyment.

However, James targets a dangerous attitude—the belief that we are the center of everything.

When we adopt this self-centered mindset, our pursuit becomes self-indulgence, seeking the most extravagant lifestyle for ourselves.

James reminds us that our money, our possessions, like all good things, is meant to be used in service to others, not for our selfish desires.

It is a tool to bless and meet the needs of those around us.

Our lives should reflect a balance: having in order to give.

We should not live at the peak of luxury, keeping everything for ourselves.

We are called to be giving to help meet the needs of others.

We must resist the temptation to envy the extravagance of the rich, whether those in our neighborhood or the mega-rich we see in the world.

James boldly emphasizes the reality of judgment to come, and for those who live in reckless extravagance, it will be a "day of slaughter" (James 5:5).

Just like the turkeys on the idyllic farm, who feast in luxury but ultimately face the day of slaughter, we have to wake up and recognize that worldly pleasures are temporary.

James's message speaks to the rich unbelievers, cautioning them against this grave mistake.

But We, too, must learn from this wisdom.

Would we purposefully use our resources to build up others and live with a heart of generosity and compassion.

When we do this we echo the character of our generous Creator, finding true fulfillment and purpose in a life lived for others and in preparation for the eternal rewards of a life well-lived in service to the Lord and others.

4. Injustice

Look at verse 4

James 5:4 (ESV)

Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.

and then down at verse 6

James 5:6 (ESV)

You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

Maybe you’re not be negligent landowners like those mentioned here, this message still strikes a chord with us.

It's all too easy for the wealthy to become oblivious to the needs of others and their responsibilities towards them.

A day's wages means everything to the workmen laboring in the fields—it puts food on their family's table.

Yet, for the rich, that wage is just a trivial detail among many and is easily forgotten.

The laborer is treated as one of the insignificant masses, merely "the help," and paying their wages becomes an annoying chore.

Affluence can breed carelessness and insensitivity.

But it’s easy for us to become indifferent (driving here today....do we care? The stark reality of foster care…are we indifferent)

We find comfort in knowing that God is deeply concerned for the poor and oppressed.

Throughout the Old Testament, He instituted laws to protect them, and prophets like Amos passionately condemned those who exploited the vulnerable.

God remains attentive to such injustices.

The cries of unpaid wages and mistreated workers reach His ears; nothing escapes His notice, and He promises to act.

As James concludes his indictment, he delivers a grave accusation: the wealthy have condemned and even murdered the innocent, who posed no threat to them.

In some instances, wickedness and exploitation may lead directly to loss of life.

But even indirectly, the lifestyle of the affluent can harm and even cause the death of others.

Tragically this still holds true in our day where our consumer choices can impact the lives of workers in impoverished nations.

Ignorance cannot be an excuse, we must be responsible and consider the impact of our actions.

We have the power to support ethical companies and shun those that exploit the economically vulnerable.

We can consider how we might give of our finances to advance the cause of Christ, to showcase compassion.

James's warning to "weep and wail" and the impending "misery" for the rich is not because being wealthy is inherently wrong.

The crime lies in hoarding, extravagance, and injustice.

(1 Timothy 6:10

1 Timothy 6:10 (ESV)

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.

Loving money, not having money, is the root issue

Wealth can be dangerous, as it tempts us with harmful desires and traps us into ruin and destruction (1 Timothy 6:9).

Instead of seeking excessive riches, perhaps we should echo the wisdom found in Proverbs and pray for contentment with daily provisions.

Proverbs 30:8–9 (ESV)

Remove far from me falsehood and lying;

give me neither poverty nor riches;

feed me with the food that is needful for me,

lest I be full and deny you

and say, “Who is the Lord?”

or lest I be poor and steal

and profane the name of my God.

The world would mock such an ambition and request. God does not.

Conclusion

So we have seen the warnings against hoarding wealth, fraud/oppression, over-indulgence and injustice

But I fear many of us have heard this and though: Cool…well I’m not wealthy so I’m good.

Having wealth is not a bad thing, it’s when wealth has us that we fall into trouble.

No matter what plans we make, or what wealth we have, we must be fully convinced of the truth that we are fully dependent on the mercy of God.

The majestic King of heaven, Jesus Christ, willingly laid down His glory and riches to rescue us, His beloved.

Leaving the splendors of eternity behind, He humbled Himself, taking on frail human flesh, and walked among us with boundless compassion.

Though deserving of all honor, He chose to dwell with the lowly, the broken, and the outcast, revealing the heart of the Father for the lost.

Jesus’ ultimate act of selflessness came to light on a rugged cross, where He surrendered His very life as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

He endured the weight of our transgressions, bearing the burden of our shame and guilt, all for the sake of redemption and reconciliation.

Jesus, the embodiment of love incarnate, gave up everything, even His own life, to offer us the priceless gift of salvation.

In His resurrection, He conquered death, unveiling the triumphant power of God's unfathomable love.

The gospel story resounds with this glorious truth: Jesus laid down His heavenly glory and treasure, for the broken

He purchased redemption and eternal life for us.

The call now is that we live in that hope.

Wealth cannot satisfy, no idol can.

The only satisfaction for our longing hearts is that satisfaction that comes from the gospel.

If we soberly look at this passage we see that we are a people who are prone to use power to gain an advantage over others.

We are all tempted to use whatever riches we have in self-indulgent ways.

Matthew 6:21 (ESV)

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Our bank accounts do a good job of telling us what we prize.

Do we long for the church to thrive?

Do we care for the gospel going forward?

Are we broken for orphans and widows?

Do we have abundant hope and are we sharing that hope?

John Perkins, evangelist and social worker in Jackson, Mississippi, told a story concerning a woman who was trapped in poverty.

She had ten or twelve kids packed into a four-room house.

All her cupboard held was cornbread.

When Perkins encouraged the small Oak Ridge Church outside of Mendenhall, Mississippi, to help this neighbor out, they began to send food.

But it didn’t produce much change.

The church asked itself, “How could Christ’s love deal with these needs?” The answer began to surface when Perkins observed that in the summer, while it was hot and humid, the woman and her children tore wood off the outside of the house to use in their cooking fire.

You could look right through the whole house.

Members of the church told John it seemed stupid to tear up the house when winter was just a few months away, so many of the people in the community quit trying to be charitable.

They began to blame the woman for her own problems.

To a certain extent, she was to blame, but Perkins recognized that she was trapped in the cycle of poverty.

The root problem was that for this woman and many folks like her, poverty had moved beyond her physical condition to claim her whole mind.

To the poor, poverty leads to thinking just for the moment.

It leads to an inability to think about the future because of the total demand to think about survival in the present.

It is a culture, a whole way of life. Money can’t help until there is reason to have hope for the future

Coram Deo we have that hope.

Would God give us generous hearts that desire to make much of him.

Application Questions

1. Do I trust God as my provider, or am I leaning towards a hoarding mentality with my wealth and possessions?

2. Am I prone to self-indulgence and seeking excessive pleasure in worldly comforts? How can I cultivate a heart of gratitude and contentment?

3. How does fixing my eyes on Jesus, who gave up His glory and life for me, change my perspective on wealth and possessions?

4. How can my life impact the world around me if I choose to live like Jesus in a wealth-obsessed culture? In what specific ways can I seek God's guidance to align my heart with the values of His Kingdom?