James: A Wealth of Warnings
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A man in 1580’s England came up with a saying “A fool and his money soon part.” He didn’t come up with that idea. It comes from the Bible.
20 Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person, but a fool consumes them.
That’s an Old Testament way of saying, “A fool and his money soon part.” The first 6 verses talk about riches and money
Money is on people’s minds and maybe m ore than you might think
1 in 4 money is the thing they think about the most during the day
90% say money impacts their stress level
65% financial difficulties are piling up and they can’t overcome them
40% want a fresh financial start
Some of you might be thinking you need a fresh financial start, but what if you became super rich? Would you become a better person?
The University of California Berkley did a test in San Francisco. They discovered that drivers of luxury cars were four times less likely to stop and allow pedestrians to have the right of way than those who were driving more inexpensive cars. Also, those who were driving more expensive vehicles were more likely to cut off other drivers.
So money doesn’t make us better, but it can make us worse. James is going to warn us about the dangers of getting and using money the wrong way. Like the other passages we’ve studied so far in James, he doesn’t pull any punches. This is a hard passage to hear because James is so strong with his language. He takes a strong stand against those who are rich and use money wrongly.
Before we get into the passage, you might be tempted to think this doesn’t have anything to do with me. He’s talking about the rich and I’m broke! You might think you can tune out the sermon and wait for the next one, but we’re going to look at the reasons why all of us should be careful with money.
Let’s take a look at verses 1 through 6:
1 Come now, you rich people, weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted and your clothes are moth-eaten. 3 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. 4 Look! The pay that you withheld from the workers who mowed your fields cries out, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Armies. 5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and have indulged yourselves. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous, who does not resist you.
You can tell right away that James takes a harsh tone when he says, “weep and wail over the miseries that coming on you.” James is echoing the Old Testament prophets who warned the rich about abusing the poor.
14 The Lord brings this charge against the elders and leaders of his people: “You have devastated the vineyard. The plunder from the poor is in your houses. 15 Why do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor?” This is the declaration of the Lord God of Armies.
The first question that comes to mind is, “Who is James writing to?” Is he writing to rich believers or rich unbelievers that are attending some of the churches James is writing to? The way James words this passage indicates he is talking to those who were in the churches that would read his letter.
If we follow the pattern James has used throughout this book, we see James giving tests of true, saving faith. Tests identify whether someone who says they’re a Christian is the real deal. James directed this warning to unbelievers pretending to be Christians, but the same lesson apply to believers too.
The word that is translated weep means to sob out loud. It was used to describe the wailing that happened when someone died. The word howl means to shriek or scream. It’s a picture of uncontrolled grief. James tells us the reason they should weep and wail is because of the miseries that are coming on them.
The trouble and suffering James is talking about is the judgement these people will receive when they stand before the Lord. Jesus gave a similar warning:
24 But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort. 25 Woe to you who are now full, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are now laughing, for you will mourn and weep.
James describes several ways the rich were condemned because of their sins. We need to be careful that we don’t make the same mistakes when it comes to dealing with money. The first way the rich sinned with their money was by hoarding it. Let’s look at verses 2 and 3.
2 Your wealth has rotted and your clothes are moth-eaten. 3 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.
James described the three main ways wealth was measured in his day besides land and houses. He said their wealth was rotted which was talking about food. Wealth was also measure by the clothes people wore. That sounds like today doesn’t it? Clothes embroidered jewels were handed down as heirlooms. Finally, James said their gold and silver are corroded or rusted. Coins weren’t made of pure silver and gold, so he might be talking literally about them rusting or he might be using figurative language.
James said the rich stored up treasure in the last days. You translation might say you have laid up treasure or heaped up treasure. It’s not wrong to have it, but it’s wrong to heap it or hoard it. Remember the story of the rich man who had so much money he decided to tear down all his barns and build bigger ones?
16 Then he told them a parable: “A rich man’s land was very productive. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? 18 I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there. 19 Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.” ’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’ 21 “That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
James is saying that is wrong to hoard your money because we are focusing on it rather than God. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus taught about focusing on the right things.
19 “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
He said your heart is where your treasure is and the people James is describing had their heart in their possessions. He said they were storing up or heaping up treasure in the last days. James is thinking about the return of Jesus Christ. That’s what he means by the last days. We’ll study verses 7-11 next week where James says be patient until the Lord’s coming. He anticipated Jesus coming again.
The people who were hoarding their money were living like Jesus wasn’t coming back. We have to ask ourselves if we’re doing the same thing. Are we living with an eye toward eternity and the Lord coming back soon? Are we using our resources to to make an eternal impact or are we hoarding them like there is no life after we die?
I’m not saying it’s wrong to have a savings account or to invest your money wisely. But money and things don’t last. You can’t take them with you. Someone who is so focused on gathering more things and more money is not focused on God.
Next, James said the rich got their money in the wrong way. The first way was to withhold the wages from workers that finished the job. They earned it, but the rich person didn’t give them a paycheck. Let’s look at verse 4:
4 Look! The pay that you withheld from the workers who mowed your fields cries out, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Armies.
We need to understand how business owners paid workers 2,000 years ago. People didn’t get paid by contract in those days. They didn’t earn a salary. You got paid for the work you did that day. We can look at the Old Testament laws for the nation of Israel:
14 “Do not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether one of your Israelite brothers or one of the resident aliens in a town in your land. 15 You are to pay him his wages each day before the sun sets, because he is poor and depends on them. Otherwise he will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be held guilty.
So you were supposed to pay your workers every day before the sun sets because they were poor and needed the money to survive day by day. The people James describes didn’t do that. They kept the money earned by their workers so they could get richer. James says the pay they withheld cries out and the Lord heard the cry of the workers.
The second way the rich James says the rich got their money in the wrong way was through the courts.
6 You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous, who does not resist you.
James says “you have condemned.” That word condemned means you’ve passed judgement or sentenced. It’s a legal word and leads us to believe they were using the court system to take advantage of the poor.
They had money so they could afford to do it. Think about rich people today who can afford the best lawyers so their is almost a two tiered justice system. It was the same way in their times.
He said they have murdered the righteous who don’t resist you. They didn’t resist because they didn’t have any money to resist them; no power. People with money have power and can get what they want. They can use the legal system to protect themselves and go after the little guy. It’s like the saying “we live by the golden rule, the one who has the gold makes the rules!”
It’s always been that way. If you have money, you can get things done. If you don’t have money, you can’t fight it in court. They couldn’t resist the rich who were taking people’s money and controlling the courts.
It’s not wrong to get money, but it’s wrong to get it the wrong way. It’s wrong to desire money more than you desire God. It’s wrong to want what other people have. Jesus taught about the sin of greed.
15 He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed, because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”
We’re also told not to steal in the Ten Commandments. I’m sure you’re thinking you would never do that. But there are more ways to steal than robbing a bank. Are you putting in an honest day’s work or are you constantly on social media, making phone calls, or cutting corners? Do you come in late and leave early? Do you call in sick when you aren’t? Are you paying your bills? If you have a business, are you fair to your employees? Do you cheat on your income tax?
All of those things are ways of stealing. So the Bible is clear we shouldn’t get money the wrong way. James condemned the rich who were hoarding their money and those that got their money dishonestly. He also talks about those who spent their money luxuriously on themselves.
5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and have indulged yourselves. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
The rich lived luxuriously while indulging their pleasures. They didn’t deny themselves anything. They were like the prodigal son who took his inheritance and wasted it.
13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.
James said they fattened their hearts in a day of slaughter. It’s the same word that used in the Old Testament to talk about fattened calves. In Bible times, people would often keep at least one piece of livestock that was fed a special diet to fatten it up to make it more tasty when the killed it for a celebration. James is painting a picture of people who’s hearts are fattened by their wealth, but who will face a day of slaughter, a day of judgement for their wickedness. Without the saving faith in Jesus, that is what they’re facing.
Did you ever see the commercials on TV about people who were stupid rich? One of them showed a rich mother and her daughter at an auction. They were talking about a cell phone service that would save them money while the mother and daughter keep bidding against each other for a diamond covered cat. The daughter said “We don’t need to save money do we Momma?” and the mother says “No we do not!”. While they kept raising their paddles to bid higher and higher, the daughter said “Like Daddy always says, ‘Money doesn’t spend itself, right Momma?” The mother notices her arm while she raises her paddle and says look at that muscle! Both of them show of their arms while the bid for the little cat statue climbs over a million dollars!
It’s easy to laugh at them for being so foolish with their money, but we need to take a look at the foolish things we spend money on too. Are we spending money on things that matter or on things that are really worth nothing in light of eternity. A Christian’s resources should be used to build God’s kingdom. We should use them to win the lost.
9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of worldly wealth so that when it fails, they may welcome you into eternal dwellings.
We are told to use our resources to take care of those in need.
17 If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him—how does God’s love reside in him?
And we are told to support those in ministry.
6 Let the one who is taught the word share all his good things with the teacher.
I want to be clear that the Bible doesn’t condemn having money. The big picture is that the Bible, and James included, does not condemn having money. It does condemn getting it the wrong way and then misusing it once you have it. It is not a sin to be rich. And you need to know that. We shouldn’t assume since someone has a lot of money that they must be evil.
The Bible, in the law, even gives rules for getting and securing wealth. Moses told the Israelites who were about to enter the Promised Land that God gave them power to gain wealth.
18 but remember that the Lord your God gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm his covenant he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
The Bible also says that hard work results in having money and there is profit in all hard work.
4 Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring riches.
23 There is profit in all hard work, but endless talk leads only to poverty.
We are in line with God’s will when we work hard to provide for our family, to take care of the needy, and to build God’s kingdom. And when we’re blessed with wealth, we should keep our trust in God and not our riches.
The Bible never says it’s wrong to have riches, but the problem is when we put our trust in them and when we put money above God. Jesus said we have to make a choice between money and God.
24 “No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
We can’t have it both ways. We’re going to love one and turn our back on the other. If money is our god, there’s no room for Jesus. I want us to take a quick look at a passage that Paul writes to see how we should handle money in our lives.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. 8 If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Let’s start with godliness with contentment is great gain. We didn’t bring anything into the world and we can’t carry thing with us when we leave this world. You never see a UHaul trailer being pulled by a hearse.
Paul says we should be content if we have food and clothes. That’s a little hard to hear in our day and age, but the truth of the matter is that we aren’t promised riches. God promises to take meet your needs and not your greeds. He doesn’t promise excess, or abundance, or surplus. When our basic necessities of life are taken care of we should be content.
Paul says:
11 I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. 12 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.
So the first thing we can do is learn to be content with whatever God has given us. When we want to be rich, Paul says we fall into a trap which leads to ruin and destruction. In other words our attitude is more important than our income. Now let’s go down to verse 17.
17 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. 18 Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share, 19 storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of what is truly life.
The next thing we can learn is that if you do have money, don’t be puffed up and proud. Don’t think your awesome and successful because you’re smarter than everyone else. And don’t put your hope on the the uncertainty of wealth. The stock market goes up and it goes down. People lose everything everyday. Trust God who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. Enjoy the blessing God has given you.
The last thing is that those who have been blessed with riches should put them to work for good. Be rich in good works, generous and willing to share. We should be a pipeline for God’s blessings to share with others instead of a storage tank. God wants to work through us to bless others.
As we finish our study of this passage, I want you to do something. I want you to take out your wallet and hold it. We’re not going to take up another offering, but I want you to hold your wallet as a symbol of our relationship with our money.
This is a test. What do I mean by that? First, it’s a test of of our work ethic. What we have in our wallet doesn’t always reflect how hard we work, but I want you to think about it. The Bible says those who work hard are put in a position to get the resources they need. So this is a test of your work ethic.
It’s also a test of self-control. Are you living within your means or do you spend more than you have? Are you spending money on things that you can’t take with you when you die? Do you waste the resources God has given to you?
It’s a test of your integrity. How did you get what you have? Did you get it honestly or dishonestly? Did you cheat on your taxes? Did you talk someone into buying something they didn’t need? Did you cut corners at work?
It’s a test of your love for people. Are you using the money you have to help others? Are you willing to help someone in need?
Last thing, it’s a test of your love for God. Are you willing to put Him in charge of your wallet? Are you trusting in God or your money?
We’re going to pray and I want you to keep your wallet in your hands. Let’s pray that God will be in control of our lives and our money. Let’s ask God to help us trust Him instead of our money.
But first, you have to have a right relationship with God. You have to be willing to turn away from your sin and ask God to forgive you. We’ve all sinned and rebelled against God. We deserve punishment, but God loved us so much that He sent His son Jesus to take our punishment. Jesus was born and lived a perfect life. He was the only one who could take our punishment. He took all of our sin and died on a cross. He rose from the grave three days later and is alive today.
All you have to do to be saved is ask God to forgive you from your sins and believe that Jesus is God’s son. You need to trust Jesus with your life and be willing to follow Him wherever He leads. Let’s pray.
