The Perils Of The Rich And Famous
Text: James 5:1-6
Introduction
1. "There are people so poor that the only thing they have is money."
-- Unknown
"He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has."
-- Henry Ward Beecher (1813–1887)
1. We tend to think that rich people have everything, but the reality is, unless they have Jesus they have nothing!
2. James tells us that for those in love with their wealth...
A. Judgment Is Coming
B. Vengeance Is God's
3. Let's stand together as we read James 5:1-6.
Proposition: Anything that we put ahead of God in our life will be destroyed in the end.
Transition: James makes it very clear that for those in love with their wealth...
I. Judgment Is Coming (1-4).
A. Have Become Worthless
1. You know you're in trouble when your Dad or Mom starts the sentence with, "Look here!"
2. That's exactly what James does with, "Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you."
A. These rich people are probably not believers, but rich nonbelievers. Very likely the wealthy landowners are the objects of James’s scathing rebuke.
B. These rich people have lavish surroundings, plenty of food, plenty of money. But there are terrible troubles ahead of them—not earthly suffering, but eternal suffering—and they should be wailing in sorrow for what they will lose then.
C. Groan: In the New Testament the only occurrence of the onomatopoeic verb is also in a negative context, where “to cry with a loud voice” is well expressed as “to groan with anguish.”
D. Those who become rich at the expense of their hired workers and commit other sins against innocent ones 5:4-6face the prospect of weeping and wailing when they endure the misery that is coming upon them as judgment from the Lord (verses 1,4) (The Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary – Lambda-Omicron, Under: "3512).
E. The words weep and groan were often used in the Old Testament by the prophets to describe the reaction of the wicked when the Day of the Lord (the day of God’s judgment) arrives.
F. Jesus said that those who would be excluded from God’s Kingdom would be weeping and gnashing their teeth (Barton, 1089).
G. We must remember, however, that in Scripture people are not denounced because of wealth but because of its misuse and abuse.
H. Abraham, a man of great wealth, was a friend of God (2:23). God called Job a perfect and upright man (Job 1:8).
I. The rich mentioned here, like those in 2:2-6, were apparently not members of the congregations.
J. They were not called to repentance, but rather to "weep and howl" for their coming judgment. It is assumed they will remain unrepentant.
K. The warning came to believers who might be tempted to make wealth their chief object (The Complete Biblical Library – Hebrews-Jude, 242).
3. James continues his rebuke saying, "Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3 Your gold and silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment."
A. The instability of wealth is the clearest warning of the coming “troubles” of the rich. Goods that are rotting and clothing that turns to rags indicate the impermanence of life.
B. Their money, security, lavishness, and self-indulgence are as good as rotted because they can do nothing for them in eternity (Barton, 1089).
C. In Bible times objects of wealth included foodstuffs, costly clothing, and precious metals. The corrupted riches here probably refer to grain which had rotted while in storage.
D. The rich fool stored up vast quantities of crops. While people starved, heartless men allowed food to spoil.
E. Their silver and gold would lose their value. They would become as worthless as thoroughly rusted iron.
F. In the Day of Judgment, whatever the nature of the wealth possessed, it would have absolutely no positive value.
G. In fact, the wealth they had dishonestly acquired and selfishly hoarded, and which they valued so highly, would become a witness against them in the Day of Judgment.
H. It would insure their condemnation and intensify the fires of judgment. Only treasures of righteousness will stand the test (The Complete Biblical Library – Hebrews-Jude, 242).
4. In v. 4, James points that God is a righteous, holy, and merciful and just God when he says, "For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies."
A. In those days there were no labor laws, and the rich often treated workers very unfairly. It appears they had cheated these people out of their just wages.
B. Now, like the blood of Abel (Genesis 4:10), which cried out for vengeance, the defrauded wages in a sense cried out for condemnation of the rich.
C. A just God would not ignore the cry that came from the defrauded workers and defrauded wages.
D. This is why those who had obtained their riches in a way that was illegitimate should weep, because they can anticipate certain judgment (The Complete Biblical Library – Hebrews-Jude, 242).
B. It All Burns In The End
1. Illustration: Billy Graham said: "We are rich in the things that perish, but poor in the things of the spirit. We are rich in gadgets, but poor in faith. We are rich in goods, but poor in grace. We are rich in know-how, but poor in character. We are rich in words, but poor in deeds."
Jesus said that our life does not consist in the material possession we have. Our peace of mind, our joy, our happiness, our comfort, and our eternal destiny does not depend upon our earthly possessions.
2. Great wealth won't get you into heaven, but it might get you into hell!
A. 1 Timothy 6:10 (NLT)
10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
B. People of great wealth and prestige think that they have it all: money, possessions, social and political pull.
C. However, there are many rich people who are miserable because they have a huge God shaped hole in their hearts that is never filled.
D. They can never have enough wealth.
E. They can never have enough possessions.
F. Their houses are never big enough.
G. Their cars are never sporty enough.
H. As a result, they strive for more and more to fill the emptiness they feel.
I. But the reality is that only God can fill that hole, that emptiness. Yet they push God aside because they believe they don't need him.
J. The result is misery in this life and eternal damnation in the next!
K. The only answer is not more money, the answer is Jesus!
Transition: This brings us to James's next point...
II. Vengeance Is God's (5-6).
A. The Day Of Slaughter
1. James has pointed out to these people that God has seen the evil they have done, and now he will tell them what awaits them.
2. In v. 5 he says, "You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter."
A. The lifestyles of the rich and famous may make interesting media fodder, but they are noxious to God. These rich, who have taken the land from the poor and then refused to pay their deserved wages, have shown gross lack of concern and selfishness.
B. To this they have added an attitude of wastefulness and self-indulgence that God detests. A life of luxury and satisfying every whim is essentially worthless.
C. Money will mean nothing when Christ returns, so we should spend our time accumulating treasures that will be worthwhile in God’s eternal Kingdom.
D. Money itself is not the problem: Christian leaders need money to live and support their families; missionaries need money to help them spread the gospel; churches need money to do their work effectively.
E. It is the love of money that leads to evil and causes some to oppress others to get more.
F. This is a warning to all Christians who are tempted to adopt worldly standards rather than God’s standards (Romans 12:1-2) and an encouragement to all those who are oppressed by the rich. For these rich people, their treasure is worldly wealth.
G. They have enjoyed life, feasting as they would on the day when an animal is slaughtered. Ironically, James says that they are like fattened animals ready for the slaughter when the day of God’s judgment arrives (Barton, 1090).
3. James concludes this section by reminding the rich, "You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you."
A. The condemning and killing of good people probably was both active and passive. Inconvenient people may indeed have been murdered; but more likely, the poor people who could not pay their debts were thrown in prison or forced to sell all their possessions.
B. With no means of support and no opportunity even to work off their debts, these poor people and their families often died of starvation. God also considered this murder. Either way, in the unjust system, it was legal.
C. The poor had no power to defend themselves. Their only recourse against the evil rich was to cry out to God.
D. The conditions that James is describing may seem hopeless. Many of the rich will not repent.
E. Believers can live with hope, however, because Christ is coming back (Barton, 1090).
B. Judgment Of The Rich
1. Illustration: The Rich Are Stingy & The Poor Are Generous: In recent years the rich have become a lot richer, but are giving less. Business Week (1/24/00) reports that poor households (incomes of under $10,000) average gifts to charities was 5.2% of their income in ’98, nearly double the 2.3% they gave in ’93. Rich households (incomes over $100,000) gave only 2.2%, down nearly 1/3 from 3.2%.
2. It's true you can't take it with you, but then, why would you want to?
A. 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)
9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
B. The riches of this world may seem flashy and sparkle, but in the end they fade, wither and turn to dust.
C. However, the blessings of God are real, substantial and eternal.
D. 1 John 2:17 (NLT)
17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
E. Why crave and strive after the things of this world that are here today and gone tomorrow?
F. Why lie, cheat and steal to get things that do not last?
G. The things that God offers are glorious, eternal and good for you.
H. Strive after those things that last and God will see that you have everything you need!
Conclusion
1. "He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has."
-- Henry Ward Beecher (1813–1887).
2. James tells us that for those in love with their wealth...
A. Judgment Is Coming
B. Vengeance Is God's
3. Three things to remember...
A. Money can't buy the things that really matter.
B. It is more blessed to give than to receive.
C. The things of this world are only temporary, but the things of God are eternal!
