James Series (13)

James 5:1–6 CSB

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.

5 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.  

“Church, there comes a moment when heaven stops listening to praise and starts responding to cries. A moment when the gold we trusted begins to corrode, when the luxury we flaunted becomes evidence against us, and the wages we withheld cry louder than our worship.”

Today, we’re not preaching comfort—we’re preaching confrontation. James 5:1–6 is not a gentle whisper; it’s a divine courtroom summons. It’s God saying, “I’ve heard the cries. I’ve seen the injustice. And I will not stay silent.”

This passage isn’t just for the rich—it’s for anyone who’s let comfort numb conviction. It’s for the church that’s forgotten that holiness isn’t just personal—it’s economic, relational, and ethical. It’s for the believer who needs to remember: God doesn’t just count your tithe—He hears your transactions.

We’re going to let conviction do its work. And we’re going to ask: When the cries of the oppressed reach heaven… what does heaven hear from us?

At the heart of pride is often a love for money—that is, materialism. James isn’t condemning money itself. Some of God’s servants were wealthy (e.g., Abraham, Job), and money was not their problem. Condemned here is a mindset that turns gold into a god. James addressed riches previously (1:10–11; 2:1–4), but in 5:1–6, he rebukes the rich people among his readers whose hearts were devoted to materialism. Theirs is a sin that transcends time. If you live in modern America, you are tempted to be a materialist.

5:2–6 First, he warns the rich that wealth and possessions will pass away. They’re unreliable. Riches can come to nothing in a day; expensive clothes become moth food (5:2). Then he reminds them that stored up treasure won’t profit them in the last days (5:3). Remember the rich young ruler of Matthew 19:16–22? Remember Jesus’s story of the rich man and Lazarus (see Luke 16:19–31)? Clutching riches can cost you eternity. Materialism (when the physical and financial take precedence over the spiritual and the eternal) has a high price tag. Finally, he condemns the rich for how they treated others—especially those who worked for them. God greatly condemns economic injustice in the workplace. They withheldpay from their workers while they themselves lived luxuriously and indulged (5:4–5). They had murdered the righteous, which probably means they hated (murdered in their hearts; see 4:2) those less fortunate than they.

The key is to recall Jesus’s teaching, “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth.… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt 6:19–21). The stuff of earth is tied to earth. But that which is tied to eternity will have eternal repercussions.    

Weve been walking Through the book of James for a few months now. When God put it on my heart to preach through the book of James I didn't exactly no why he was calling me to do things a little bit different and preach expository but when God ask us to do things that we don't understand that's usually when it's time to not only be obedient but to get ready. I'll say get ready because God is fixing to show us something when we are asked to do something out of our comfort zone and different from the way that we've been doing it.

 James Chapter 1 — Mature Through Trials Trials are not interruptions—they are invitations to spiritual maturity, refining faith, and producing endurance in the body of believers.

James Chapter 2 — Live Faith That Works

 Genuine faith doesn’t play favorites and doesn’t sit idle—it moves in love, mercy, and righteous action toward others.

 James Chapter 3 — Let Your Words Reflect Wisdom

The tongue can either build the church or burn it down—so speak with restraint, humility, and heaven-born wisdom.

James Chapter 4 — Submit and Draw Near

Stop striving and surrender. The church must repent of pride and learn dependence through submission to God.

 James Chapter 5 — Persevere and Pray with Power

Waiting patiently is not passive—it’s powerful. In suffering, prayer becomes the lifeline of the church, healing individuals and uniting hearts.

James isn’t just a collection of wise sayings—it’s a Spirit-breathed progression. Each chapter builds on the last like scaffolding for a sanctified life, guiding the church from endurance to action, from speech to surrender, and finally to powerful prayer

 Chapter 1: Mature Through Trials

Foundation of faith is laid. James begins by calling the church to embrace trials—not escape them. Why? Because trials produce endurance, and endurance leads to maturity. This sets the tone: spiritual growth starts with how we respond to hardship. The church must learn to stand before it can serve.

Chapter 2: Live Faith That Works

Faith is tested in relationships. Once the church learns to endure, James shifts to the evidence of that faith—action. Faith isn’t just personal; it’s communal. The church must reject favoritism and embrace mercy. Trials taught us to stand, now love teaches us to move. This chapter asks: “Is your faith visible in how you treat others?”

 Chapter 3: Let Your Words Reflect Wisdom

Maturity shows in speech. Faith in action isn’t just about deeds—it’s about words. James now addresses the tongue, the smallest member with the greatest impact. A church that serves must also speak wisely. This chapter builds on the previous by saying: “If your faith moves your hands, it must also tame your mouth.” Wisdom becomes the filter for both.

Chapter 4: Submit and Draw Near

The heart behind the words. After exposing the power of speech, James digs deeper—into motives. Why do we fight? Why do we speak harshly? Pride. Self-will. So he calls the church to submit. This chapter is the turning point: from outward expression to inward surrender. The church must not just act and speak rightly—it must be humbled before God.

Chapter 5: Persevere and Pray with Power

The fruit of surrender is powerful prayer. Finally, James ends with a vision of a church that waits well, prays fervently, and lifts each other up. The trials of chapter 1 now meet the prayers of chapter 5. The church that endured, acted, spoke wisely, and surrendered is now ready to intercede. Healing, restoration, and revival flow from this place.

Chapter

Spiritual Progression

Church Application

1

Trials produce endurance

Learn to stand firm

2

Faith must be active

Serve without favoritism

3

Words reveal maturity

Speak with wisdom

4

Surrender is essential

Submit and repent

5

Prayer becomes powerful

Persevere and intercede