September 2, 2018
Evening Service

This morning was a bit of a reality check for us.  James had us to analyze how it is we make plans for our lives and how to include the phrase “If the Lord wills” into those plans.  God has our future planned out for us and I certainly trust His plan over any I would come up with.  We sing from our hymnal “where He leads me I will follow” and many times that means we must choose His Will over our own.  The second part of the message dealt with James’ statement that “our life is but a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”  It is important that we get our priorities straight and put God first in everything in our lives.  It is only then, knowing God is in control of tomorrow, that we are free to live for Him enjoying each day and the blessing that come along with it.  We will pick up actually exactly where we closed with verse 17 of chapter 4.

James 4:17 Therefore to him who knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin.

·        This is one of the 5 places in our NT scriptures that define sin.  Sin sometimes is described into two kinds and they are called the sin of commission (doing what is wrong) and the sin of omission (not doing what is right).  An example would be it is a sin to tell a lie (commission) but it is also it is sin to know the truth and not tell it (omission).

·        My thought this morning was to leave you with the idea that God was calling you to act upon making some needed changes in your life, but you were putting it off to a more convenient time (sin of omission).  When the Holy Spirit confronts you with something that needs to be changed in your life we need to act immediately.  We are not promised tomorrow and once we put something off once, it becomes much easier the second time.  We need to learn to listen to the Spirit’s voice in our life and allow it to guide us into walking the path that God wants us to.

·        As we begin chapter 5, James now addresses the fate of those unbelievers who totally ignore God’s wisdom and choose worldly wisdom.

 

 James 5:1-6  Come now, rich ones, weep and howl for your hardships coming on.  (2)  Your riches have rotted, and your clothes have become moth-eaten.  (3)  Your gold and silver have corroded, and their poison will be a witness against you, and will eat your flesh as fire. You heaped treasure in the last days.  (4)  Behold, the hire of the laborers reaping your fields cry out, being kept back by you. And the cries of those who have reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts.  (5)  You have lived luxuriously on the earth, and lived wantonly. You have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.  (6)  You have condemned and murdered the just; he does not resist you.

·        James in his practical straight shooting way boldly proclaims the worthlessness of this worlds riches and the people who have strived their whole lives to attain them.  At the Second Coming it won’t matter if you have your check book with you or even cash on hand neither will buy you a ticket to heaven.  It is only those who have strived to attain treasures in heaven that will be invited to go.  Money is not the problem.  We all need some sort of income to live and provide our families with a place to live and food to eat.   I am sure you remember Paul telling Timothy:

 

 

1 Timothy 6:9-10  But they who will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which plunge men into destruction and perdition.  (10)  For the love of money is a root of all evils, of which some having lusted after, they were seduced from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

·        It is not money that is the problem, but it is the love of money that is the root of all evils.

·        James mentions the evils that are done to attain it; withholding proper wages from employees and cheating customers out of what is rightfully due them.  All knowingly done so they can enjoy a life of pleasure and luxury.  That is only a season in life and there will be a day for those who do those things to give account of their actions.  The Book of Revelations is full of painting a clear picture of what the wrath of God will look like for those who have refused to answer His invitation and choose to live life their own way.  They will enjoy this for a season (but not true enjoyment) and then comes destruction.  James now goes to the opposite view and looks at the rewards of suffering now on this earth for the rewards that will await us later in heaven.

 

James 5:7-8 Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and the latter rain.  (8)  You also be patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of your Lord draws near.

·        James returns to his original message of endurance in trials.  He uses the practical example of a farmer waiting patiently for his crops to grow and mature; a process that cannot be hurried along.  He does not plant in the spring and then relax all summer long.  He works dilligently to assure that the fall will bring a bountiful harvest.

·        It is in the same manner that we must patiently wait for the return of our Lord.  We cannot hurry Him along with the things we do.  We must wait patiently and be busy about the work He has given us to do in preparation for His return.  It is by faith that we anticipate the Lord’s return just as the farmer by faith anticipates his harvest.  We both look forward to the rewards for the labor we have invested.

 

James 5:9-11 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge stands before the door. 

·        Part of patience is waiting without casting blame on one another when things don’t go right (our plans don’t come together).  Blaming others is always easier than taking ownership or responsibility upon ourselves.  God is the only Judge, let Him do His job and you stick to what God has called you to do.

 

James 5:10-11  My brothers, take the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering ill, and of patience.  (11)  Behold, we count blessed those who endure. You have heard of the patience of Job, and you have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is full of pity and of tender mercy.

·        Many of the people God called to be His voices in this world were greatly persecuted, yet they remained faithful to their calling.  As we began this letter James encouraged us to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials.”  He now reinforces that message by referring us to those who have come before us.  These examples would be very well known to the new Jewish believers he was writing to.  The story of Job is a great example of enduring trials with a faithful and humble spirit and being rewarded greatly for it.  In the end God blessed Job (Job 42) with two times everything that he had lost.  He rewards those who diligently seek Him.  He promises that we will face persecutions but we also will be rewarded for our faithfulness.

·        James then quickly switches gears again and touches quickly on another subject.

 

James 5:12 But before all things, my brothers, do not swear; neither by the heaven nor by the earth, nor any other oath. But let your yes be yes, and your no, no, lest you fall into condemnation.

·        This is another subject that ties directly to the Sermon on the Mount:

 

Matthew 5:34-37  But I say to you, Do not swear at all! Not by Heaven, because it is God's throne;  (35)  not by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King;  (36)  nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.  (37)  But let your word be, Yes, yes; No, no. For whatever is more than these comes from evil.

·        It was common practice in those times to swear an oath that you were being truthful or that you would fulfill your words.  This ties in directly with this morning’s message from James that God is in control not us.  We must be careful not to promise something that we are unable to perform.  It is often out of our control to be able to fulfill a promise or vow and Jesus and James advise us to not even go there.  Don’t make vows or promise at the risk of breaking your word.

 

James again has delivered us with very practical and applicable wisdom that we can apply to our daily lives starting today.  If you seek riches on this earth at any cost, you will answer to the Lord for that in the end.  If we are patient and endure trials temptations we will be rewarded in the end.  He warns us not to swear or take vows because sometimes we cannot control what will happen.

 

Heavenly Father grant us the vision to see our reward that lies ahead and the courage to endure until our faith becomes sight.