James 5:1-11

Wealth, Power, and Patinece

Introduction

On the morning of August 17, 1971, nine young men in the Palo Alto California received visits from local police officers. While their neighbors looked on, the men were arrested for violating Penal Codes for armed robbery and burglary, searched, handcuffed, and led into the rear of a waiting police car. The cars took them to a local police station, where the men were booked, fingerprinted, moved to a holding cell, and blindfolded. Finally, they were transported to the Stanford County Prison—also known as the Stanford University psychology department.

They were willing participants in what is known as the Stanford Prison Experiment. This is one of the most controversial studies in the history of social psychology. The participants were, middle-class college students. They answered a questionnaire about their family backgrounds, physical and mental-health histories, and social behavior, and had been deemed “normal.” A coin flip divided them into prisoners and guards. According to the lore centered around the experiment, the guards, with little to no instruction, began humiliating and psychologically abusing the prisoners within twenty-four hours of the study’s start. The prisoners, in turn, became submissive and depersonalized, taking the abuse and saying little in protest. The behavior of all involved was so extreme that the experiment, which was meant to last two weeks, was terminated after six days.

The Stanford experiment underscored those findings, revealing the ease with which regular people, if given too much power, could transform into ruthless oppressors. The Stanford Prison Experiment is cited as evidence that it is a recurrence to a past style, manner, outlook, approach, or activity that lurk within us all. it’s said to show that, with a little nudge, we could all become tyrants.

Transition

Key point

Read Scripture

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. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 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. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

Patience in Suffering

Context

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Context

Abuse of money and power can corrupt a person bringing misery and God’s judgement (vv. 1-6).

Let’s start with the first observation, Abuse of money and power can corrupt a person bringing misery and God’s judgment. The letter starts with the words “Come now” or” Listen now. You rich people.” The rich people being rebuked here are most likely wealthy landowners. This class of people were frequently criticized in Old Testament Jewish literature. They were known as greedy and for continued acquisition of land and for their exploration of their workers that were forced to work the land. During the first century there was social and economic conflict between these two classes of people. They are not being condemned because they have money, but because of their sinful use of their wealth.

Patients and endurance trough suffering brings God’s rewards (vv.7-11).

Conclusion