The Rich Warned
Introduction:
1. James seems to step away from speaking directly about Christians and into a discourse about the wealthy in general.
2. He addressed verses 1-6 to the rich whose sole interest was in material things.
3. By directly aiming this at the wealthy in general he seems to be pinpointing the dangers of coveting wealth by Christians.
4. Verses 1-3 are a declaration of doom for rich.
5. James tells the rich that they should be weeping and howling because of the destination of their souls in its present condition.
6. As a result we find that James' warning concerns the desire for Christians to hoard and trust in riches more than God.
I) Warning About Riches
A) Riches are not inherently evil.
1. There have been faithful men who were rich.
a. Job was one of the wealthiest men in the world.
b. Philemon was affluent.
c. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were very well off.
2. Some of the most corrupt individuals have been poor.
a. Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.
b. We may be able to think of people today who are poor and sin continuously.
3. It is not the wealth that is the problem but its use.
B) The Rich must answer three questions concerning their money.
1. How did I acquire my money?
2. How am I enjoying my wealth?
3. How is my money being used?
4. These three questions show whether or not this warning applies to them.
II) Warning About Disuse
A) Hoarding is a means of disuse of wealth.
1. Man sees beauty in riches and wealth.
a. Men spend their entire lives searching for money
b. Wealth is so important that it determines who they are.
(i) Their self-worth is related to the amount of money they have.
(ii) Their wealth is the source of their safety and security in the world.
c. "Riches" is the word for money but also implies wealth of any kind.
(i) In other words, the context actually shows us that it is not just money sitting in the bank that is meant as corruptible.
(ii) "Riches" means anything that is treasured up and can deteriorate.
(a) Riches can mean houses, land, cars, interest gained from money in the bank, clothes, collections of coins, stamps, cars, models,
(b) There is no limit to the things that count as riches.
i. The word in context addresses the evils of hoarding.
ii. For some men are blinded to their own hoarding because they do not see that all such things if not used do and must deteriorate.
2. The parable of the talents is about hoarding money.
a. The parable introduces three servants given money by their master
(i) They were given 5, 2, and 1 talents respectively.
(ii) They were given these talents according to their ability.
(a) Yet this ability was not the important part of the parable.
(b) They were rewarded because they were faithful not because of ability but because they increased the money.
b. The one talent man was condemned not because he did not use his ability but because he did not increase the Lord's money.
(i) He chose to hoard the money given to him.
(ii) It was the loss of opportunity for increasing the influence of the Lord that caused the servant to be disciplined.
c. If we read the entire context we find that the parable introduces those who are the sheep and goats.
(i) God divides them according to their use of the financial surplus they have been given.
(ii) They helped to feed and clothed and visited those who were in need and as such they did that unto the Lord.
B) Riches deteriorated by hoarding.
1. Luke 16 records the life of a rich man and Lazarus.
a. The rich man lost his soul because he hoarded his money.
b. He had an opportunity to feed, clothe and aid Lazarus every day.
c. His wealth was corrupt, eaten by moths and rusting by disuse.
2. Luke 12 records the life of another rich man.
a. He lost his soul because he failed to use what his land brought forth for feeding others.
b. He only fed his soul and his needs.
c. His wealth was corrupt and deteriorated from disuse and hoarding.
3. The emphasis of these verses is not on riches but on the pronoun "your."
a. The statement "your riches" shows us that one's wealth has become a part of him.
(i) There is no recognition that God gave those riches to you and belong to Him.
(ii) The man that sees his riches as his personal savior is in trouble.
b. The use of "your" implies that wealth has become the possessor's idol.
(i) The money belongs to God.
(ii) He gives man everything he needs.
4. The corruption comes as a result of man's affection and love for money.
a. 1 Timothy 6:10 - For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
b. The moment man places his trust in money to save him it becomes rotten.
(i) In God's sight, a small pebble is worth as much as a billion dollars.
(ii) In eternity material wealth will be worth nothing.
(iii) No material item will survive Christ's return.
c. Man loves rotten money in several ways.
(i) The rich man refuses to give his money away and follow God.
(ii) The rich man refuses to provide for the needs of the poor.
(iii) The rich man allows his money to sit in the bank unused and uncultivated.
III) Warning About Judgment
A) The ruin of material things is a witness to hoarders of the impending destruction of God.
1. One's homes burning down, cars being stolen, stock market crashing, collections being lost in a move, land being taken by the government, clothes tearing and wearing out is all reminders of the destruction of God upon the heart that is turned toward these things.
a. Corruption is the result of the actions of covetous, greed, avarice, and love of money.
b. Ezekiel 15:7 - And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them.
c. God will destroy those whose lives have been corrupted by their actions toward riches.
2. Hoarding riches will eat your flesh.
a. Just as rust eats away at iron so will hoarding eat away at your flesh.
(i) This is a literal flesh.
(ii) We must forget so soon that there will be a body resurrection in which our bodies are translated meeting the Lord in the sky.
(iii) The bodies of men who hoard their riches will actually be punished eternally in the second death.
(iv) Revelation 21:8 - But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
b. They have laid up their treasures in the last day.
(i) The hoarders of riches have made their decision on where they want their reward.
(ii) They have chosen to look not with the eyes of faith toward the heavenly reward but toward the material reward that lies before them.
(iii) The merriment and ease in their own wealth gives them their own reward.
(a) It is this joy that shows the corrupted heart against.
(b) 2 Peter 2:13 - And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
(iv) The last days impresses upon us the immediacy of the judgment.
(a) It can come at any time.
(b) The prophecy of the Savior is fulfilled and thus we are to waiting for his return.
B) The last resort for the hoarder is to weep and howl at his end.
1. He should be seeing the end of his life and its corrupted, rotten and moth eaten condition.
a. Yet he is blinded to the end which he is striving.
b. It is the very fact of this nonuse of his money that keeps him from salvation.
2. For majority of men who choose to love riches it will be too late when they recognize their lives are headed for destruction.
a. They neglect the value of what has given them.
b. They allow their riches and their lives to perish.
C) Because God judges based upon use; how then shall we use our wealth?
1. We must help those in need.
2. Acts 4:32-37 - And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
a. This is how we use our wealth to help others; by giving it up for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God.
b. Let us remain warned of riches which will corrupt and ruin our lives.
Conclusion:
1. Where is your trust?
2. Do you think that if you had money your life would be easy?
3. Do you trust that your unused wealth will provide you with an easy lifestyle?
Do rely upon your money to live the way you want to live?
If so there is a problem. You can't live the way you want to live and still live for Jesus.
4. Do you hoard your money for a rainy day?
5. Each yes answer to any of these questions tells God where your trust lies.
6.
Posted in: Book of James, Sermon Outlines, Wealth, Worldliness