The Judge Is At the Door

The New International Version Chapter 5

5 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. u 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

Patience in Suffering

7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

We’re in the Book of James again this week. Today James is going to teach us about two things, he says, that can ruin us: Greed and impatience.

Now you might think, “I’m not either of those things. I’m not a greedy person; I’m not an impatient person.” You might say that and you mght be right. That may be true. But sometimes we’re not always as good a judge of ourselves as we think either. Sometimes a person’s conscience is misinformed. Our conscience only operates as it should when it is fully attentive to God’s Word, both His law and gospel. Without God’s Word, our conscience gets corrupted by sin so that it’s like a compass without a magnetic north pole.

Sometimes we’re not always as good a judge of ourselves as we think either. Sometimes a person’s conscience is misinformed. Our conscience only operates as it should when it is fully attentive to God’s Word, both His law and gospel. Today James says, (5:9) “The Judge is standing at the door!”—Nothing better than a little judgment day therapy to keep our thinking straight—

Sometimes, too, with Satan its a matter of degrees, so that He wins over time in a long battle of attrition by introducing sin a little bit at a time into our hearts and lives. James reminds today that it’s no time ever to let down our guard—(5:8,9) “The Lord’s coming is near,” he says, “The Judge is standing at the door!”—Nothing better than a little judgment day therapy to keep our thinking straight when it comes to things like greed and impatience.

Today James says, (5:9) “The Judge is standing at the door!”—Nothing better than a little judgment day therapy to keep our thinking straight—

They kind of go together, don’t they—we even have a phrase I think that sums up greed and impatience all at once—we call it “Instant gratification,” right? We want something and we want it now! James doesn’t want either of these things ruining or weakening our faith. James starts with greed. (5:1-3) “Now listen you rich people: Weep and wail, because of the misery that is coming on you! Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire.”

you build up a tolerance to Satan knows that we’ll never notice

When things are working right God’s Word enlightens our conscience. The psalmist said, b() “Your Word is a lamp for me feet and a light for my path.” God’s Word makes things clearer and has the power to enable us to live God’s Word. James says, (5:8–9) “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near...The Judge is standing at the door!”—which is to say, he’s near with his Word and his judgment in matters is always available to us—it’s like he’s knocking constantly at the door of our hearts getting us to lay hold of the things he says in his Word, to see that his judgments about all things is right, and to understand it will be final on the last day.

which is another way of saying, God’s near with his Word—His Word and judgment in matters is always available to us—knocking at the door of our hearts His goal e’s always getting us to lay hold of the things he says in his Word, to see that his judgments about all things is right, and to understand it will be final on the last day.

James doesn’t want either of these things to ruin or weaken our faith.

which is another way of saying, God’s near with his Word—His Word and judgment in matters is always available to us—knocking at the door of our hearts His goal e’s always getting us to lay hold of the things he says in his Word, to see that his judgments about all things is right, and to understand it will be final on the last day.

God’s Word makes things clearer and has the power to

But we all have a sinful nature so we’re all susceptible to greed and impatience at times. James doesn’t want either of these things to ruin or weaken our faith.

And let’s face it.

James doesn’t want either of these things ruining or weakenin our faith, and neither do we. So the main goal today isn’t just to avoid greed and impatience, but to grow in our longing and desire for the treasure we have in Christ. That’s really where James wants to take us.

Be careful with that. Jesus isn’t interested in labels as much as He’s interested in the condition of our heart, and helping us guard our hearts against these things. We might not label ourselves as greedy or impatient, but we wouldn’t label ourselves as adulterers and murderers either, (but remember what Jesus said about that). () “I tell you the truth, that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” There Jesus goes again, LOOKING AT OUR HEARTS!

Some of the Christians James was writing to were doing well. Some weren’t. Some had good jobs, had their needs provided for and were doing alright. Others, though, were struggling in different ways. Some were getting hit hard by local persecution at the hands of the Jews or Romans that led to them losing their jobs, being cut off from family, and worse.

So James writes to both groups. To the rich the temptation was to a life of ease, to forgetting about the needs of others and mission work--making Christ known through offerings and prayers and sharing their faith. Others living in poverty and persecution faced different temptations. For them the challenge was believing God was still in control and that their future was still in His hands--that Satan didn’t own and control the planet, and that somehow they were on our own, with no hope of deliverance from suffering. If that was the case, then they might as well just give up their faith, forgetting about everyone else and just fend for themselves.

Greed and impatience. And let’s face it.

James will help us check that. Actually the Holy Spirit will do that as we meditate on his Word greed and patience.

And He’s interested in helping us guard our hearts, so that we are rich not toward earthly things, but toward Him.

So the question for you todayWhen James was writing his book, he addressed both kinds of people--greedy people, and impatient people. Now before I lose you today because you’ve already decided in your mind that you’re neither one—please wait—don’t go anywhere until you hear James out.

Greed and impatience go really well together. Which is why we have one phrase that sums ‘em both up at once: We call it immediate gratification. Immediate gratification is wanting something, and wanting it right now. It’s greed and impatience.

Be careful with that. Jesus isn’t interested in labels as much as He’s interested in the condition of our heart, and helping us guard our hearts against these things. We might not label ourselves as greedy or impatient, but we wouldn’t label ourselves as adulterers and murderers either, (but remember what Jesus said about that). () “I tell you the truth, that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” There Jesus goes again, LOOKING AT OUR HEARTS!

And He’s interested in helping us guard our hearts, so that we are rich not toward earthly things, but toward Him.

So if you’re ready let’s check your heart.

So if you’re ready let’s check your heart. James starts with greed. (5:1-3) “Now listen you rich people: Weep and wail, because of the misery that is coming on you! Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire.”

James starts with greed. (5:1-3) “Now listen you rich people: Weep and wail, because of the misery that is coming on you! Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire.”

He starts with greed. Who’s good all the time at doing that?

Who’s good all the time at doing that?

Some of the Christians James was writing to were doing well. Some weren’t. Some had good jobs, had their needs provided for and were doing alright. Others, though, were struggling in different ways. Some were getting hit hard by local persecution at the hands of the Jews or Romans that led to them losing their jobs, being cut off from family, and worse.

So James writes to both groups. For the rich the temptation was to a life of ease, to forgetting about the needs of others and mission work--making Christ known through offerings and prayers and sharing their faith. Others living in poverty and persecution faced different temptations. For them the challenge was believing God was still in control and that their future was still in His hands--that Satan didn’t own and control the planet, and that somehow they were on our own, with no hope of deliverance from suffering. If that was the case, then they might as well just give up their faith, forgetting about everyone else and just fend for themselves.

In the Gospel Lesson, He said, () “Be rich toward God.”

If your only focus is on the here and now, James would say, the Lord is knocking in judgment. “Weep and wail,” James says. It’s a common expression in the Old Testament when God called his people out for their unfaithfulness. (v.2) “Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. (v.3) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.”

If hoarding and getting wealth is your main mission in life, then again, what you need James would say, is a little “Judgment Day Therapy!” Remember that your end or the end of all things,whichever comes first, is near. Health and Beaty fades, wealth is given to another—everything eventually rots—you can’t take it with you. Somewhere I read that if a funeral director has to clothe you in the casket with clothes they supply, that the don’t have pockets. Where you were going you don’t need them! So use them in ways that honor him and help your neighbor. (v.4) Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.”

Greed and impatience. And let’s face it.

James compares greedy persons to fattened cows that are slaughtered for a feast. They have fattened themselves but they will be destroyed! “So tell us how you really feel about greedy, rich people James!” What James is teaching here is really no different from what his brother taught in Matthew where Jesus said () “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

“So tell us how you really feel about greed and materialism, James!” He compares greedy persons to fattened cows that are slaughtered for a feast. They have fattened themselves but they will be destroyed! What James is teaching here is really no different from what his brother taught in , where Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

What James is teaching here is really no different from what his brother taught in , where Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Okay, that was a lot, but keep in mind, though, that this isn’t just a harangue against the rich. Jesus never said it was a sin to be rich, any more than it’s a sin to be big, or tall, or short. But it’s the love of money that is a root of all kinds of evil.

Be careful with that. Jesus isn’t interested in labels as much as He’s interested in the condition of our heart, and helping us guard our hearts against these things. We might not label ourselves as greedy or impatient, but we wouldn’t label ourselves as adulterers and murderers either, (but remember what Jesus said about that). () “I tell you the truth, that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” There Jesus goes again, LOOKING AT OUR HEARTS!

The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

It wasn’t just a harangue against the rich either. Jesus never said it was a sin to be rich, any more than it’s a sin to be big, or tall, or short.

And He’s interested in helping us guard our hearts, so that we are rich not toward earthly things, but toward Him.

So if you’re ready let’s check your heart.

Think about it this way. I remember sitting on the bench in basketball A LOT my sophomore year in high school. I remember getting more than a little frustrated by that, especially as I watched one of the bigger guys who started who could hardly dribble or make a jump shot even close to the hoop. I was faster at running, faster at reacting, quicker on defense—but he had one advantage on me—he was BIG. Each season the coaches worked with that big guy, teaching him how to shoot a better jump shot, and better ways to play offense and defense. They taught him how to box out and rebound better—and with hard work he got a lot better. I was still good but the big kid was better because he had one thing I didn’t. He was big.

You don’t see yourself as a greedy person. I bet that the Pharisees didn’t either. Outwardly people would’ve seen them tithing—giving a tenth of all their worth to God as an offering—not bad—what would a tenth of your worth be? The Pharisees turned out not to be a very good judge of themselves. Jesus said, () “You Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?”

“So why don’t you tell us how you really feel about greed James!?” “Weep and wail,” James says. It’s a common phrase in the Bible when God was calling out his people for their unfaithfulness to him. But remember, God’s reason always for turning up the heat through His prophets and apostles, like James—this isn’t a harangue against being rich or rich people.

AtSo many times we want something and we got to have it now

Think about it this way. I remember sitting on the bench in basketball A LOT my sophomore year in high school. I remember getting more than a little frustrated by that, especially as I watched one of the bigger guys who started who could hardly dribble or make a jump shot even close to the hoop. I was faster at running, faster at reacting, quicker on defense—but he had one advantage on me—he was BIG. Each season the coaches worked with that big guy, teaching him how to shoot a better jump shot, and better ways to play offense and defense. They taught him how to box out and rebound better—and with hard work he got a lot better. I was still good but the big kid was better because he had one thing I didn’t. He was big.

“So tell us how you really feel about greed and materialism, James!”

Being rich is like being big. It’s a blessing God gives some people and not to others. God doesn’t make them rich because he loves them more. He does not make them rich because he loves them less. Some come into wealth because God gave them the ability to work hard and invest wisely. Some were born into it.

Being rich is like being big. It’s a gift. It gives you potential. When you see a fellow human being in need, you can do something. When you see an opportunity like the Mission work in Vietnam we heard about some weeks ago, you can help make that happen. A rich persons income far exceeds their needs; you can do what some others only dream of doing int he kingdom of God.

You still might be sitting there saying though, that’s still not me. I’m not rich. But you and I really are. Some time ago the NY Times reported that Americans at the bottom 5% are still richer than 68% of the world’s population. According to globalrichlist.com, if you earn $50,000 a year, you are richer than 99.7% of the world’s population. 9 in 10 Americans have a higher standard of living tan the rest of the globe.

Some of you

Still a student and only have a part-time job? Let’s say you make $3,000 a year from that job. You’re still richer than 82% of the world’s population! And the thing is you don’t live on $3,000 if you still receive food, housing, and medical care for free courtesy of Mom and Dad. Add those benefits to your annual “income” and I’m sure it would boost your “rich” status into the 90% range.

Did you know that if you earn $50,000 a year, you are richer than 99.7% of the world’s population?! (globalrichlist.com) Still a student and only have a part-time job? Let’s say you make $3,000 a year from that job. You’re still richer than 82% of the world’s population! And the thing is you don’t live on $3,000 if you still receive food, housing, and medical care for free courtesy of Mom and Dad. Add those benefits to your annual “income” and I’m sure it would boost your “rich” status into the 90% range.

It’s funny though. My brother’s a pastor in Australia, and one day he got this random email from a person searching for solid Bible teaching from someone, anyone out there, and so he got my brother’s email answers he ended up getting a

I could pass more accurately,

He took on the Pharisees once saying, () “You Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?”

I know statistics never tell the whole story. But whatever our circumstances, we are all susceptible to greed because we have a sinful nature. A poor person can be just as discontent and greedy as a rich person. God wants us to guard our hearts and repent whenever the sinful nature in us starts focusing more on earthly things, instead of being rich toward God.

As much as it is a warning about their hearts. He doesn’t want greed to ruin their faith in Jesus.

I know statistics never tell the whole story. But whatever our circumstances, we are all susceptible to greed because we have a sinful nature. A poor person can be just as discontent and greedy as a rich person. God wants us to guard our hearts and repent whenever the sinful nature in us starts focusing more on earthly things, instead of being rich toward God.

James doesn’t sound at all about being worried at all about hurting anyone’s feelings, does he? “Weep and wail,” James says. It’s a common phrase in the Bible when God was bringing His judgment on people for their unfaithfulness. (v.2) “Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. (v.3) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.”

Get ready, ‘cuz here it comes-- “Listen, you rich people: Weep and wail, because of the misery that is coming on you!” James doesn’t sound at all about being worried at all about hurting anyone’s feelings, does he? “Weep and wail,” James says. It’s a common phrase in the Bible when God was bringing His judgment on people for their unfaithfulness. (v.2) “Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. (v.3) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.”

Again, what Jesus is interested in today is not so much whether we think we’re greedy or not, patient or impatient. He’s interested in our hearts.

“Weep and wail,” James says. It’s a common phrase in the Bible when God was bringing His judgment on people for their unfaithfulness. (v.2) “Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. (v.3) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.”

(v.2) “Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. (v.3) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.”

So if you’re ready let’s check your heart.

(5:1) “Now listen you rich people...” --Get ready, ‘cuz here it comes-- “Listen, you rich people: Weep and wail, because of the misery that is coming on you!” James doesn’t sound at all about being worried at all about hurting anyone’s feelings, does he? “Weep and wail,” James says. It’s a common phrase in the Bible when God was bringing His judgment on people for their unfaithfulness. (v.2) “Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. (v.3) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.”

If hoarding and getting wealth is your main mission in life, then James says,

But let’s just hear James out today anyway, because we don’t want greed to even begin taking root in our lives. And we want to be waiting in patient faith as the Lord’s Day continues to draw near. believers who live in patient endurance for the Lord’s day to come. James says, “The Judge is standing at the door,” which is another way of saying the Lord’s present, and what he says applies here and now, and will be final on the last day. He’s the One who helps us be content and patient believers as we wait for his return.

So James writes to both groups. To the rich the temptation was to a life of ease, to forgetting about the needs of others and mission work--making Christ known through offerings and prayers and sharing their faith. Others living in poverty and persecution faced different temptations. For them the challenge was believing God was still in control and that their future was still in His hands--that Satan didn’t own and control the planet, and that somehow they were on our own, with no hope of deliverance from suffering. If that was the case, then they might as well just give up their faith, forgetting about everyone else and just fend for themselves.

Traveling through life with us Satan does something tricky with us.

So who’s James writing to today? You might think “I’m not greedy or impatient, so it can’t be me.” But before you think that, let’s hear James out and ask God to help us judge things the right way. He’s the One, James says, who’s standing at the door; he’s the best Judge of things. He’s the One who helps us live patiently with contentment til the day of his coming.

I’m sure that most of you are familiar with the story of Job, right? One moment in Job’s life everything is delightful, the next it’s dreadful.

James says, “The Judge is standing at the door,”

But let’s just hear James out today anyway, because we don’t want greed to even begin taking root in our lives. And we want to be waiting in patient faith as the Lord’s Day continues to draw near. believers who live in patient endurance for the Lord’s day to come. James says, “The Judge is standing at the door,” which is another way of saying the Lord’s present, and what he says applies here and now, and will be final on the last day. He’s the One who helps us be content and patient believers as we wait for his return.

Now before I lose you today because you’ve already decided in your mind that you’re neither one—please wait—don’t go anywhere until you hear James out.

which is another way of saying the Lord’s present, and what he says applies here and now, and will be final on the last day. He’s the One who helps us be content and patient believers as we wait for his return.

Now before I lose you today because you’ve decided in your mind that you’re neither greedy or impatient—just listen to what James lays out for us here and ask God to help you judge of things. James says he’s the One standing at the door; he’s the One who helps be content and patient believers until the day of his coming.

So who’s James really writing to here today? Originally, in chapter one he says it was, (1:1) “To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.” “Twelve tribes” is a reference to the tribes of Judah (So Jewish converts to Christianity) living among the nations—so it’s a reference to true believers everywhere.

Hopefully if a person said that to you recently, they were just joking around.

Most people get the story of Job wrong though. You know why? It’s because they think it’s just a story about a person deals with suffering. Someone will say this or that person has the patience of Job. But the main point of Job’s story isn’t Job, or Job’s patience in suffering, or his humble submission in suffering, or any other character trait of Job during the time he was humbly and patiently suffering at the hands of Satan. The main point of this story, like it is with any other book of the Bible, is God and your his Son Jesus

So who’s James writing to today?

humbly and patiently suffering,

and ask God to help us judge things the right way. He’s the One, James says, who’s standing at the door; he’s the best Judge of things. He’s the One who helps us live patiently with contentment til the day of his coming.

So who’s James writing to today? In chapter one it says, (1:1) “To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.” “Twelve tribes” is a reference to the tribes of Judah (So Jewish converts to Christianity) living among the nations—so it’s a reference to true believers anywhere. Some of the Christians James is writing to were doing well. Some weren’t. Some had good jobs, had their needs provided for were alright. Some were even prominent citizens and were well off. Others, though, were struggling in different ways. Some lived where local persecution at the hands of the Jews or Romans meant losing their jobs, being cut off from family, or worse.

accepting

This is no joke though. You can almost pinpoint the time in American history when we started to become a consumer-driven society, and psycho-therapy was right in the mix of things making that shift happen.

Psycho-therapy is based on the premise that people like us have unconscious desires, that are teeming just beneath the surface of our thoughts on a day-to-day basis. Psycho-therapy aimed at controlling those emotions and instincts.

Back in 1920s—the “Roaring Twenties”—(remember from your history books) America had become an industrialized nation and big business was interested now in convincing people that there were things they needed that they didn’t really need.

We must shift America, he wrote, “from a needs to a desires culture. People must be trained to desire new things even before the old have been entirely consumed. We must shape a new mentality in America. Man’s desires must overshadow his needs.” Prior to this there was no such thing as the American consumer. There was the American worker And they manufactured and the y worked and they saved. And they ate what they had to and they shopped for what they needed. While the very rich shopped for things they didn’t need, most people did not.

a nephew of of Sigmund Freud,

showed people how they could make people want things they didn’t need by linking mass produced goods to their unconscious desires.

Psychotherapy is regularly used by advertisers and public servants to try to convince people to want things they didn’t need by linking mass produced goods to their unconscious desires.

Psychotherapy showed people how they could make people want things they didn’t need by linking mass produced goods to their unconscious desires.

And it was actually a nephew of Sigmund Freud, the man famous as one of the pioneers in psychotherapy, who helped big business out with this. For the first time psychotherapy was used by used by advertisers to convince people that they needed things so bad they really didn’t need that they would spend money on them. The trick was to link mass produced goods to the unconscious desires of the people.

The only question today is: Who’s he talking to?

So James writes to both groups. To the rich the temptation was to a life of ease, to forgetting about the needs of others and mission work--making Christ known through offerings and prayers and sharing their faith. Others living in poverty and persecution faced different temptations. For them the challenge was believing God was still in control and that their future was still in His hands--that Satan didn’t own and control the planet, and that somehow they were on our own, with no hope of deliverance from suffering. If that was the case, then they might as well just give up their faith, forgetting about everyone else and just fend for themselves.

In chapter one of his book, it says James was writing to wrote his book In the first chapter of his book James tells us he’s writing to (1:1) “To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.” They were converts to Christianity living out in the world and some of them were doing well. Some of them were persecuted and weren’t doing so well. Persecution in the Roman Empire was more local at the time, so that some new Christians were doing well and some weren’t. Some had good jobs at the time they also became Christians and they kept those jobs and were doing alright financially. Some of them were prominent citizens and were well off. For others, subject to persecution and hardship, it meant losing everything. For them the challenge was to believe that God was still in control and their future was still in his hands despite what many times seemed like proof of the opposite: that Satan owns and controls the planet, that we’re on our own, and there’s no deliverance from suffering. The goal then grab what you can and take care of your own as opposed to looking out for the needs of others and living for Christ.

Who’s good all the time at doing that?

In the Gospel Lesson, He said, () “Be rich toward God.”

You don’t see yourself as a greedy person. I bet that the Pharisees didn’t either. Outwardly people would’ve seen them tithing—giving a tenth of all their worth to God as an offering—not bad—what would a tenth of your worth be? The Pharisees turned out not to be a very good judge of themselves. Jesus said, () “You Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?”

Again, what Jesus is interested in today is not so much whether we think we’re greedy or not, patient or impatient. He’s interested in our hearts.

In the first chapter of his book James tells us he’s writing to (1:1) “To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.” They were converts to Christianity living out in the world and some of them were doing well. Some of them were persecuted and weren’t doing so well. Persecution in the Roman Empire was more local at the time, so that some new Christians were doing well and some weren’t. Some had good jobs at the time they also became Christians and they kept those jobs and were doing alright financially. Some of them were prominent citizens and were well off. For others, subject to persecution and hardship, it meant losing everything. For them the challenge was to believe that God was still in control and their future was still in his hands despite what many times seemed like proof of the opposite: that Satan owns and controls the planet, that we’re on our own, and there’s no deliverance from suffering. The goal then grab what you can and take care of your own as opposed to looking out for the needs of others and living for Christ.

5 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. u 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

And so when James

So let’s see what James says to both groups, the rich for whom everything was going alright, or the poor and persecuted. Then we’ll see what it has to do with us. Here’s how James starts out in verse one: (5:1) “Now listen you rich people...” --Get ready, ‘cuz here it comes-- “Listen, you rich people: Weep and wail, because of the misery that is coming on you!” James doesn’t sound at all about being worried at all about hurting anyone’s feelings, does he? “Weep and wail,” James says. It’s a common phrase in the Bible when God was bringing His judgment on people for their unfaithfulness. (v.2) “Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. (v.3) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.”

you have to evaluate in your mind whether he’s talking to you or not.

we have to

While you’re thinking, consider that the NY Times reported that even Americans at the bottom 5% here are still richer than 68% of the world’s inhabitants. What’s considered poor here is still out of reach for most people globally. 9 in 10 Americans have a higher standard of living than the rest of the globe.

The point is that it’s easy to think that there’s always someone richer than you, but we all have a sinful nature which means we’re all vulnerable to the temptation to assign more value to the temporary things and people of this life than the eternal things of God and his kingdom of grace.

9 in 10 Americans have a higher standard of living than

we all need to repent of the sin of materialism at some point. We’re all vulnerable to the temptation to make temporary things and people the point of our life instead of the eternal purposes of God and his kingdom of grace.

So let’s give an honest listen to James’ words today to see how they might strike a chord with us, too. A word of warning: James’ whole letter isn’t for the snow-flake Christian who can’t take a little bit of rebuke if needed. If James sounds like he’s hitting pretty hard in these verses, he is, because he doesn’t want riches to ruin any one of us. Just look at the graphic description here not just of what happens to earthly wealth, but to people who cling to it instead of Christ.

The Book of James belongs to that group of letter we refer to as the General Letters. Which is to say they were circulated in a general way among the believers in various churches around the empire.

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

.2) “Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. (v.3) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.”

“Now listen, you rich people: Weep and wail, because of the misery that is coming on you.” “Weep and wail,” James says. It’s a common phrase in the Bible to describe the way God’s judgment comes on people for their unfaithfulness. (v.2) “Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. (v.3) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.”

If hoarding and getting wealth is your main mission in life, then James says, you need some help to remember that we are living in the last days—you might think of it as “Judgment Day Therapy!” It used to be that if the funeral directors had to clothe your corpse in the casket that the pants they supplied didn’t have pockets. Where you were going you didn’t need pockets. God gives us wealth to be used in ways he blesses in this life, not in greedy, selfish ways. (v.4) Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.”

If James sounds like he’s hitting pretty hard in these verses, he is, because because he doesn’t want riches to ruin any one of us. Look at the graphic description here not just of what happens to earthly wealth, but to people who cling to it instead of Christ. James says this corruption doesn’t just come upon things, but upon people. “Weep and wail,” James says. It’s a common phrase in the Bible to describe the way God’s judgment comes on people for their unfaithfulness.

(v.4) Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

“So tell us how you really feel about greed and materialism, James!” He compares greedy persons to fattened cows that are slaughtered for a feast. They have fattened themselves but they will be destroyed! What James is teaching here is really no different from what his brother taught in , where Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

(v.2) Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

Look at the graphic description of what happens not just to earthly wealth, but to people who cling to it like its their god.

He compares greedy persons to fattened cows that are slaughtered for a feast. They have fattened themselves but they will be destroyed! Of course, what James is teaching us here is really no different from what his brother taught us in , where Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Traveling through life with us Satan does something tricky with us. He takes the price tags on all the stuff that matters the most, like God and our salvation in Christ, our hope of heaven and our time in his Word—he’s takes the price tags off valuable things like that—God’s things—and then swaps them with all the stuff that doesn’t matter as much or at all—He gets us to put the highest value on things like sports and alcohol, sex and pleasure, restaurants and travel, recreation and rv’s and atv’s—and he tricks us into thinking we can’t live without those things—and we buy it!

And the devil has this satanic smile across his face the whole time we do try that--

And all the while there’s this Satanic smile across his face when we actually buy it all—and believe him when he gets us thinking life is all about the immediate gratification of getting stuff and getting ahead in this life.

ally buy it all—and believe him when he gets us thinking life is all about the immediate gratification of getting stuff and getting ahead in this life.

Traveling through life is sometimes like walking through the grocery store. Only in this grocery store Satan has done something tricky. He’s taken all the price tags off the stuff that matters the most, like God and our salvation in Christ, and our hope of heaven and our time in his Word—he’s taken all the price tags of those things and other stuff like the peace that comes to us through Jesus and the hope and true joy that’s ours in Christ—he takes all the price tags of those things—the things of God and then he swaps them with all the stuff that doesn’t matter nearly as much or at all—He puts the highest price tags on things like sports and alcohol, sex and pleasure, restaurants and travel, recreation and rv’s and atv’s—and of course to get it all it takes money so he puts the highest value on getting more of that and keeping that.

I was watching a documentary recently entitled, “The Century of Self.” (It’s on You tube so you can watch it if you want)—it’s a fascinating documentary that talks about the way advertisers and big business uses concepts of psychotherapy to influence people’s choices in advertising. It talks about how in the years before the Great Depression, before the crash of Wall Street and the roaring 20’s, advertisers used to just put out the plain facts about shoes, about cars or whatever else they were selling, and they’d just emphasize the basics—what it does, how well it works, and how long it lasts—and that was it. But over time, big business and government and even the CIA got involved try to build a market economy driven by a consumer mentality—they called it “The Engineering of Consent.” They tried to create a situation where people weren’t in charge of their democracy anymore, but rather, to an economy where their desires were in charge. They paid a guy who was actually the nephew of Sigmund Freud and used him as a consultant for decades—the vision of America was one driven by capitalism and consumerism. The point here isn’t about one form of government or another—it’s the approach that Satan loves—getting people to think that real happiness in life is achieved by adding things and money onto your life—and that’s the powerful message in marketing and advertising—that you can’t live without this or that stuff in your life—or this image because of these clothes, or that car, or this lifestyle. And the whole time Satan is smiling, isn’t he, because he knows that greed and materialism will ruin us if we let it.

Did you know that nearly 70% of all lottery winners end up broke within seven years? Even worse, I read about several winners who died tragically soon after. Few were happy and a small number lived happily ever after. You’d be blown away to see how many said they wished they’d never won at all.

Of course, money itself isn’t the problem. It’s the love of money Jesus says is a root of all kinds of evil. Watch out, James says, so it doesn’t ruin you, or lead you away from Christ and his purposes for your life. James reminds us that the Judge is standing at the door. One day soon he will return as Judge and Redeemer. SO, instead of short-sighted, self-focused living, we begin to focus on God’s goals for our lives.

If we’re honest we all realize that James is talking to each of this morning.

But the whole time the devil tries to get us to do that—and it will ruin our life if we do!

Patience in Suffering

7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

I’m sure that most of you are familiar with the story of Job, right? One moment in Job’s life everything is delightful, the next it’s dreadful.

Most people get the story of Job wrong though. You know why? It’s because they think it’s just a story about a person deals with suffering. Someone will say this or that person has the patience of Job. But the main point of Job’s story isn’t Job, or Job’s patience in suffering, or his humble submission in suffering, or any other character trait of Job during the time he was humbly and patiently suffering at the hands of Satan. The main point of this story, like it is with any other book of the Bible, is God and your his Son Jesus

accepting

The only question today is: Who’s he talking to?

I think you need therapy.

Hopefully if a person said that to you recently, they were just joking around.

This is no joke though. You can almost pinpoint the time in American history when we started to become a consumer-driven society, and psycho-therapy was right in the mix of things making that shift happen.

Psycho-therapy is based on the premise that people like us have unconscious desires, that are teeming just beneath the surface of our thoughts on a day-to-day basis. Psycho-therapy aimed at controlling those emotions and instincts.

Back in 1920s—the “Roaring Twenties”—(remember from your history books) America had become an industrialized nation and big business was interested now in convincing people that there were things they needed that they didn’t really need.

We must shift America, he wrote, “from a needs to a desires culture. People must be trained to desire new things even before the old have been entirely consumed. We must shape a new mentality in America. Man’s desires must overshadow his needs.” Prior to this there was no such thing as the American consumer. There was the American worker And they manufactured and the y worked and they saved. And they ate what they had to and they shopped for what they needed. While the very rich shopped for things they didn’t need, most people did not.

And it was actually a nephew of Sigmund Freud, the man famous as one of the pioneers in psychotherapy, who helped big business out with this. For the first time psychotherapy was used by used by advertisers to convince people that they needed things so bad they really didn’t need that they would spend money on them. The trick was to link mass produced goods to the unconscious desires of the people.