The temptation of wealth

James 5:1-6

1Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. 2Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.

I. Message

Content

1. Hoarding wealth, allowing wealth to rot rather than sharing with others for good cause (v1-3)
2. Owing wages to the workmen and taking advantages of them will not go unpunished (v4)
3. Abuse of power, condemnation and murder of the innocent. Living in luxury and self-indulgence, fattening oneself as for the day of slaughter. (v5-6)

Theme

1. The temptation of wealth.
2. Wealthy yet uncompassionate brings about disaster.

II. Who is God? Who is Jesus? Who is the Holy Spirit?

1. The God who examines all (v4)
2. God who vindicates for the innocents (v4)

III. What is God teaching me (command, promise, model, rebuke, warning)?

1. Wealthy but uncompassionate will bring about disaster

“Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. 2Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire.” (v1-3a)

Although wealth can be a blessing, it could also be a temptation. Some say, “Money and wealth are the best servant but the worst master.” There is certainly some truth to this saying. In fact, God is not against wealth, but he is against gaining wealth through unjust means. James directed his warning of imminent disaster especially to those who has gained their wealth through unjust means. He said, “You rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire.”

Reflection: How do I gain wealth? Do I hoard wealth by any means necessary or earn my wealth legally and with integrity?

2. Wealthy but uncompassionate will bring about disaster

“You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you.” (v3b-4a)

James continued by pointing out concrete examples of their ‘wealth without compassion’. They hoarded wealth to themselves and oppressed the innocents. He talked specifically about the workmen who were hired to mow the fields. Their rightful wages were often owed or postponed indefinitely. These were the ways with which the wealthy oppressed the workers for the purpose of accumulating personal wealth.

Reflection: How do I handle financial matters in my daily life, especially regarding the source of my income? Is there any unjust or ambiguous practice?

3. Wealthy but uncompassionate will bring about disaster

The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. (4b)

James then personified the cries of the innocents. The Lord Almighty has heard and He will deal with the injustice. Here, ‘the cries of the harvesters’ echoes Genesis 4:10 where the Lord said to Cain after he had killed Abel, ‘Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.’ This means that evil deeds would not be without trace; right and wrong shall be revealed. God examines all; evil deeds would not go unnoticed. God will administer justice.

Reflection: Do I still have any hidden deeds and sins, those that are causing continual cries and accusations of injustice?

4. Life of luxury and self-indulgence

“You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.” (v5)

James then said: “you who are wealthy but without compassion, who oppress the innocents, who hoard wealth with unjust means have lived a luxurious, reckless and immoral lives.” Such a way of life is death seeking; they fattened themselves as if prepared to be slaughter!

Reflection: How do I live? Do I oppress the innocent; rob others to hoard wealth, fattening myself? Am I like a fattened animal ready to be slaughter?

5. Using wealth to entrap the innocent

“You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.” (v.6)

Finally James pointed out that not only have they fattened themselves as the animals ready to be slaughter, they condemned and murdered innocent men. The extremity of their evil deeds will certainly receive God’s judgment?

Reflection: In my business and daily dealings, have I misused wealth to entrap the innocent?