Low Position Vs High Position

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you poor in high position?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that being rich is you are happy in your low position.

IV. TEXT:

James 1:9-10 (New International Version)

The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.

But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower.

V. THESIS:

Desire CHRIST not to be rich and CHRIST will make you rich.

VI. TITLE:

Low Position Vs High Position

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Uncertain, probably James, the LORD's brother

B. Special doctrinal theme: Good works

C. Key Text: James 2:17 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

D. Audience: Apparently to the Jewish converts

E. Main theme: practical religion

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. The poor is in high position - take pride

"The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position."

1. It's in the opposite, if we are in GOD, we are opposite and different from this world.

2. Why? Because the poor ones always realizes that what they have are spiritual true riches and heir of GOD.

Psalms 107:41 (Amplified Bible)

Yet He raises the poor and needy from affliction and makes their families like a flock.

Psalms 140:12 (Amplified Bible)

I know and rest in confidence upon it that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will secure justice for the poor and needy [of His believing children].

Proverbs 19:22 (New Century Version)

People want others to be loyal, so it is better to be poor than to be a liar.

Job 5:16 (New Century Version)

So the poor have hope, while those who are unfair are silenced.

I thought favor comes from the rich but think again, there's a favor of the poor that not even the richest person can buy with his money. It's a favor from the LORD.

Job 20:10 (New Revised Standard Version)

Their children will seek the favor of the poor, and their hands will give back their wealth.

An example of a favor of the poor, is if a poor borrows money, he can pay it without interest, while a rich man, will need to pay in full: principal and interest.

Exodus 22:25 (Amplified Bible)

If you lend money to any of My people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor, neither shall you require interest from him.

B. The rich is in low position - take pride as well.

"But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position"

1. Wealth and riches does not define a man, but GOD defines man. Without GOD, man is hopeless; GOD without man is still GOD. Money is not the currency in Heaven, actually you can buy things in Heaven without money. Money is the standard measurement of wealth and riches in this world but not in Heaven, it's opposite and different. We are talking about people who are rich without CHRIST, that's why even if you're rich with CHRIST, you are still in high position, because there's a tendency that you will value something you can see, so there's a struggle, compared with being poor, you are drawn to GOD, because you always have a need (financial), rich people does not realize that because they think money can buy everything.

James 5:1-3 (New Revised Standard Version)

Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you.

Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten.

Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days.

Revelation 2:9 (New Revised Standard Version)

"I know your affliction and your poverty, even though you are rich. I know the slander on the part of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Revelation 3:17 (New Revised Standard Version)

For you say, 'I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.' You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

Proverbs 21:17 (New International Version)

He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.

Check this out, Simon became a believer and still after becoming a believer, he thought that his money can buy even GOD's gifts.

Acts 8:20 (New Revised Standard Version)

But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God's gift with money!

1 Timothy 6:10 (New Century Version)

The love of money causes all kinds of evil. Some people have left the faith, because they wanted to get more money, but they have caused themselves much sorrow.