Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
Would you like to be rich?
Very few would say, “Nah, it doesn’t interest me!”
One wise guy said, “They say it’s better to be poor and happy than rich and miserable.
But couldn’t something be worked out, such as being moderately wealthy and just a little moody?”
(In Reader’s Digest, 9/82.)
Would you like to be rich?
Very few would say, “Nah, it doesn’t interest me!”
One wise guy said, “They say it’s better to be poor and happy than rich and miserable.
But couldn’t something be worked out, such as being moderately wealthy and just a little moody?”
(In Reader’s Digest, 9/82.)
As Christians, we know that the Bible has many warnings against the dangers of pursuing wealth.
In , for example, the apostle Paul warns,
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
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.
But most of us read that and think, “I could handle it, or at least I’d like to try!” It seems as if more money would solve a whole lot of our problems.
But, we often forget that wealth can create a lot of problems as well.
It’s the story of a poor pearl diver who dreams of finding the perfect pearl.
One day he actually finds it.
The rest of the story unfolds how his once tranquil life turns into a growing nightmare as everyone else desperately tries to take his treasure from him.
In our text, James again assumes the role of Old Testament prophet, thundering against the ungodly rich who oppress the poor.
The words of our text are not an appeal to repentance, but rather a scathing denunciation of wrath to come.
While there may have been some professing Christians in the churches to which James wrote who were guilty of the sins he confronts here, his main target was the ungodly rich outside of the church.
Why would James spend six verses denouncing those who are outside of the church, who would never read this warning anyway?
It’s similar to when the Old Testament prophets pronounced woes on Israel’s pagan enemies (see ).
The warnings serve two main purposes.
· First, they should encourage us who know God to be faithful and endure, knowing that in due time He will judge the wicked.
· Second, it should warn us not to fall into any of the sins that will bring judgment on the wicked.
Because wealth can be a dangerous trap, we should be careful not to use it in an ungodly manner, but rather to be faithful.
He makes three points:
1. Wealth can be a dangerous trap that leads people to eternal destruction.
a.
The Bible does not teach that money itself is evil, but rather that it is extremely dangerous when it falls into the hands of those who are prone to sin.
Jesus calls it “unrighteous Mammon” (, ), because those who get their hands on it often use it sinfully.
b.
Money is like a loaded gun: it can be extremely useful in certain situations, but you’ve got to use it carefully, or you may hurt others and yourself.
Or, to use another analogy, money is like fire.
Used properly and under control, fire is a helpful tool.
But if it is used carelessly or with evil intent, it can become a powerful force that destroys both property and life.
c.
When combined with the fallen, greedy, selfish human heart, money can quickly corrupt.
That’s why Jesus said (), after the rich young ruler walked away from salvation,
i.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
ii.
The disciples were astonished and said (19:25), “Then who can be saved?”
Jesus replied (19:26), “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
iii.
In other words, it takes nothing less than the power of God to save us from the dangers of greed and selfishness that are bound up with wealth.
2. James shows three ways that wealth can become a trap that leads to spiritual destruction:
a.
To be rich without God is to be short-sighted in light of eternity.
i. James’ readers who were mostly poor and oppressed may have been thinking, “Why be righteous if all it gets you is oppression?
Why not pursue wealth if it gains you some comfort?”
James’ answer is, because judgment is ahead!
ii.
He begins (5:1-3), “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire.
Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.”
iii.
James is forcefully making the point that wealth is temporary and that judgment and eternity are ahead.
So to pursue wealth to the neglect of pursuing God or to trust in wealth as the solution to your deepest needs is sheer folly!
As Jesus pointedly said, the Mammon of unrighteousness will fail ().
Therefore, we must use it wisely in light of the reality of eternity.
iv.
James’ times, there were three main indicators of wealth.
James uses three terms to point to the temporary nature of each.
1.
First, there was grain.
You could store it in large bins or silos.
But James says of it (5:2), “Your riches have rotted.”
2. Second, there was clothing.
In a world where most of the poor only had the clothes on their backs, it was a sign of wealth to have more than one change of clothes (see ; ; ; , ).
The apostle Paul could claim that he had coveted no one’s money or clothes ().
James echoes Jesus, who warned that clothes are subject to the ruin of moths ().
3. Third, there were gold and silver.
James knew, of course, that these metals are not subject to literal rust.
But he is using irony to make a point.
When God brings judgment, even these precious metals will be doomed to corruption.
v.
When James (5:3) says, “It is in the last days you have stored up your treasure,” he is referring to the entire period between Christ’s ascension and second coming, which is viewed as “the last days” (; ).
But death is “the last day” for all of us!
As the rich fool in Jesus’ parable found out, he had plenty stored up for this life, but when he died, he was poor where it mattered most—he was not rich toward God ().
To be rich without God is to be short-sighted in light of eternity.
b.
To be rich without God gives temporary comfort and ease, but long-term misery.
i.
The ungodly rich mistakenly think that they are relieving themselves and their families from hardships through their wealth and possessions.
The very thing that they trust in for comfort now will result in their final ruin.
ii.
The Bible commands us to provide the necessities of life for our families and ourselves ().
There is nothing wrong with living comfortably.
We can do much more to serve the Lord when life is not a constant struggle just to survive.
Modern labor-saving conveniences such as washing machines, dishwashers, lawnmowers, and even automobiles (curse that they sometimes are!) help free up time for family and ministry that would otherwise be spent working.
iii.
These things become a problem when they begin to control us, instead of us controlling them.
A computer is a useful tool, but it can also become a controlling master.
Many Christians waste many hours with their computers, neglecting time with God, time with their families, and time serving God.
James is warning that it is possible to enjoy the comforts of life without God, but if we fall into that, those comforts become a snare.
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