The BIBLE, God's Amazing Book

“The BIBLE, God’s Amazing Book” 

 

INTRODUCTION:

            God has chosen to reveal Himself to men in multiple ways. We have Five (5) Sources of Revealed Truth About God:

·         Through God’s Creation (Psalm 19)

·         In history (Especially in God’s Covenant dealings with Israel, though not exclusively)

·         Through Jesus, The Living Word of God in Flesh

·         Through our own person experiences with God (admittedly subjective)

·         Through the Scriptures, the Bible, The Living Word of God in Print

 

TRANSITION:

Today I want to talk about this last source of revelation, God’s amazing book, the Bible. The following statement is a fitting tribute to the Holy Bible. I am sorry I cannot tell you who wrote it. But I can tell you that it has for many years graced the introduction of every Bible produced by the remarkable Gideons International.

“This book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be saved, and practice is to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveller’s map, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter. Here paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of Hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labour, and condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents. It is the Book of books—God’s Book—the revelation of God to man.”

 

MAIN BODY:

I. TITLES Used for the Scriptures:

A. “The Law of the Lord” – Psalm 1:1-2 – “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! ² But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law, he meditates day and night.”

B. “The Book of the Lord” – Isaiah 34:16 – “Seek from the Book of the Lord and read: Not one of these will be missing; none will lack its mate. For His mouth has commanded, and His Spirit has gathered them.”

C. “The Holy Scriptures” – Romans 1:1-2 – “Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the Gospel of God, ² which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures.”

D. “The Word of God” – Ephesians 6:17 – “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

E. “The Word of Life” – Philippians 2:16 – “…holding fast the Word of Life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.”

F. “The Bible” comes from the Greek word, βιβλίον (biblion), meaning “book, document, tablet, or scroll”

 

II. “The SWORD of the Spirit” (My favourite term)

A. Ephesians 6:17 – “And take the helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

1. The Sword of the Spirit is an OFFENSIVE WEAPON = Used to advance the cause of Christ and of truth.

2. The Sword of the Spirit is a DEVENSIVE WEAPON = Used to ward off temptation and other attacks of the enemy.

B. Hebrews 4:12 – “For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

 

III. God’s Divinely Inspired Book

A. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is inspired by God [literally “God breathed”] and [therefore] profitable for (1) teaching, for (2) reproof, for (3) correction, and for (4) training in righteousness; ¹⁷ so that [i.e. in order that, to the end that] the [person] of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

·         Taking the four profitable purposes listed here we could explain it this way. The Word of God…

1.       Teaches us to take the right path. (Teaching)

2.      Shows what we did wrong, where we go off the path. (Reproof)

3.      Reveals how to get back to God’s path. (Correction)

4.      Instructs us on how to lead a life of peaceful path-walking. (Training)

B. 2 Peter 1:20-21 – “But know this first of all (i.e. of 1^st importance, priority), that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke [wrote] from God.” In other words, Scripture originates from God. But He channels it through prepared men. He sovereignly and miraculously moves in them and through them. A metaphor is that the Holy Spirit is the wind in their sails, that moves them along, and empowers them to write was God wants communicated. God uses them as a writing instrument. The writer’s words, thoughts, and experiences show through, but the content is superintended by God. Examples:

·         The prophet Daniel did not understand some of what he was writing. When he asked God about it the Lord told him to just keep writing, it was not intended for him to know because it was not going to happen in his lifetime. Daniel 12:8-9 – “As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, ‘My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?’ ⁹ He said, ‘Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time.’”

·         Likewise, John the Apostle was commanded to continue writing, despite not understanding the meaning of what he was recording. Revelation 1:11, 19 – He said, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea… ¹⁹ Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.”

 

IV. God’s Book Leads Us to Salvation

A. 2 Timothy 3:15 – “And that from childhood you have known the sacred writings (the Scriptures), which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.”

B. 1 Corinthians 1:21 – “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its ‘wisdom’ did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”

 

V. It Needs to Be Intelligently Examined

A. Acts 17:10-12 – “The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. ¹² Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men.”

B. 2 Timothy 2:15 – “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

 

VI. The Attitude We Should Demonstrate Toward God’s Word

A. Psalm 1:2 – “But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law, he meditates day and night.”

B. Psalm 119:72, 97, 103 – “⁷² The Law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces… ⁹⁷ O how I love Your Law! It is my meditation all the day… ¹⁰³ How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

 

VII. The Bible IS NOT Subject to Change

A. Matthew 5:17-18 – “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfil. ¹⁸ For truly I say to you, until Heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”

B. Mark 13:31 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”

C. Revelation 22:18-19 – “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; ¹⁹ and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”

 

VIII. The Word of God Will Be the Basis of Judgment

A. John 12:48 – “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the Word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.”

 

CONCLUSION:

            One of the groups that I have respected and supported for many years is the Wycliffe Bible Translators who have as their goal, to provide God’s Word in all of the languages and dialects of every tribe, tongue, and nation on earth. But you might ask, why are groups like the Gideons and Wycliffe so “gung-ho” about getting Bibles to everyone? What is the big deal about having a Bible? That is a fair question.

Of course, I am not looking at this subject from a purely objective standpoint because the Bible has already made a profound impact on my life. I love the Bible and I believe that it is God’s Book, His revelation of Himself and of His plans for time and eternity. His Word has been my comfort and my guide. The Bible has been my friend and companion. I am incapable of being objective about it because I am a fanatical Bible-lover, Bible-believer, and Bible-thumper. And I will never apologize for it.

Let me tell you why. The words of Jeremiah 15:16 come to my mind, “Your words were found, and I ate them [absorbed them, digested them], and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart.” That is the testimony of countless millions who, like me, have learned to love the Word of God. It is the same thing David was feeling when he wrote Psalm 19:7-10, “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. ⁸ The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. ⁹ The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. ¹⁰ They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.”

In September of 1832 Sir Walter Scott, the famous Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet lay dying. Sir Walter, a great Christian, said to his secretary, “Please bring me the book.” His secretary stood there looking at the thousands of books in Scott’s library and she came back in and said, “Dr. Scott, which book?” He said, “The book, the Bible, the only book for a dying man.” And I would have to add that the Bible is not just the only book for a dying man, but it is also the only book for a living man, because it is the Word of Life as well as our Hope in Death.   

One Another Commands

 

The One-Another Commands of the NT

 

Unity. Approx. 1/3 of “one another” commands deal with the unity of the church.

·         Be at peace with one another (Mark 9:50)

·         Do not grumble among one another (John 6:43)

·         Be of the same mind with one another (Romans 12:16; 15:5)

·         Accept one another (Romans 15:7)

·         Wait for one another before beginning the Eucharist (1 Cor. 11:33)

·         Do not bite, devour, and consume one another (Gal. 5:15)

·         Do not boastfully challenge or envy one another (Gal. 5:26)

·         Gently, patiently tolerate one another (Eph. 4:2)

·         Be kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving to one another (Eph. 4:32)

·         Bear with and forgive one another (Col. 3:13)

·         Seek good for one another, and do not repay evil for evil (1 Thess. 5:15)

·         Do not complain against one another (James 4:11; 5:9)

·         Confess your sins to one another (James 5:16)

 

Love. Another 1/3 of the “one another” commands instruct Christians to love one another.

·         Love one another (John 13:34; 15:12, 17; Romans 13:8; 1 Thess. 3:12, 4:9; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:11; 4:7, 11; 2 John 5)

·         Through love, serve one another (Gal. 5:13)

·         Tolerate one another in love (Eph. 4:2)

·         Greet one another with a kiss of love (1 Peter 5:14)

·         Be devoted to one another in love (Romans 12:10)

 

Humility. About 15% stress an attitude of humility and deference among believers.

·         Give preference to one another in honour (Romans 12:10)

·         Regard one another as more important than yourselves (Philippians 2:3)

·         Serve one another (Gal. 5:13)

·         Wash one another’s feet (John 13:14)

·         Do not be haughty: be of the same mind (Rom. 12:16)

·         Be subject to one another (Eph. 5:21)

·         Clothe yourselves in humility toward one another (1 Peter 5:5)

 

Here are the misc. leftovers:

·         Do not judge one another or put a stumbling block in a brother’s way (Rom. 14:13)

·         Greet one another with a holy kiss (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12)

·         Husbands and wives: do not deprive one another of physical intimacy (1 Cor. 7:5)

·         Bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2)

·         Speak truth to one another (Eph. 4:25)

·         Do not lie to one another (Colossians 3:9)

·         Comfort one another concerning the resurrection (1 Thess. 4:18)

·         Encourage and build up one another (1 Thess. 5:11)

·         Stimulate one another to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24)

·         Pray for one another (James 5:16)

·         Be hospitable to one another (1 Peter 4:9)

 

 

The Dynamics of Encouragement - 25 August 2020

 

“The Dynamics of Encouragement”

 

INTRODUCTION:

All of us need encouragement. It is a basic human need. Without it we do not develop correctly in mind or emotions. A child raised without encouragement becomes stunted in his/her personality. These are the same people who go on to commit antisocial acts that result in them being thrown into prisons or other kinds of institutions.

            I am not saying that children should be indulged and spoiled. That is the pendulum swinging too far in the opposite direction and results in insufferable little brats and self-absorbed adults that no one wants to be around. No, I am just talking about the kind of encouragement that assures people that they are valuable, capable, loved, wanted, needed, believed in, and trusted. God has wired us up to need encouragement from our parents, our peers, and from one another in the Body of Christ. That is why He has commanded us to encourage one another

 

TRANSITION:

·         The command to encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11, 14) – “¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing… ¹⁴ We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”

·         The antidote to spiritual hardening and falling away (Hebrews 3:12-13) – “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

·         The accountability leading toward greater godliness (Hebrews 10:24-25) – “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵ not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

 

MAIN BODY:

But, exactly HOW do we encourage people? Here are Seven Ways:

 

1. By the SPOKEN WORD = Using gentle, loving, healing words.

·         Proverbs 12:25 – “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.”

·         Proverbs 16:24 – “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

·         Proverbs 18:21 – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

 

2. By the WRITTEN WORD = Using cards, letters, love notes, and spontaneous letters of appreciation.

·         Philippians 1:3-8 – “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, ⁴ always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, ⁵ in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶ For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. ⁷ For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. ⁸ For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.”

·         Romans 16:22 – “I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord.”

·         E.g. Paul’s loving letters to Timothy and Philemon

 

3. By the LISTENING EAR = By truly hearing people, not only their words but also the heart behind their words.

·         James 1:19-20 – “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; ²⁰ for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” [N.B. “Quick to hear” implies not only speed but inclination and willingness to listen.]

 

4. By the LOVING TOUCH = With hugs, and kisses, and a hand on the arm or a pat on the shoulder.

·         2 Corinthians 13:12 – “Greet one another with a holy kiss.”

·         Acts 20:36-38 – “When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. ³⁷ And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, ³⁸ grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were accompanying him to the ship.”

 

5. By the OPEN HOME = Practicing a “drop in anytime” policy, showing genuine hospitality.

·         1 Peter 4:9 – “Be hospitable to one another without complaint.”

·         1 Timothy 3:2 – “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach.”

·         Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”

 

6. By the LOVING GIFT = Sending flowers for no reason, no-occasion gifts.

·         Philippians 4:13-18 – “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. ¹⁵ You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the Gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; ¹⁶ for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. ¹⁷ Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. ¹⁸ But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.”

·         Acts 20:35 – “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

 

7. By the CARING SERVICE = Helping elderly people, showing up to help without being asked, taking meals to the sick, offering to babysit.

·         1 Corinthians 16:15-16 – “Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that they were the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry (service) to the saints), ¹⁶ that you also be in subjection to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labours.”

 

CONCLUSION:

I believe that the consummate example of an encourager in the Bible is the man called “Barnabas.” We first meet him in Acts 4, where we discover that his name was really Joseph. Barnabas was the nickname given to him by the apostles because of his obvious character.

·         He sold some land and gave the money to the apostles to help the other believers. This demonstrated his personal sacrifice. Acts 4:36-37 – “Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement), ³⁷ and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”

·         Later, he spoke up for Saul when no one else was willing to take a chance on him. This shows that Barnabas was willing to take risks to help others. Acts 9:27-28 – “But Barnabas took hold of [Saul] and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.”

·         Barnabas ministered alongside Paul in Antioch. We see that he was happy to see others become successful. Acts 11:19-26 – “So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. ²⁰ But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. ²¹ And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. ²² The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. ²³ Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; ²⁴ for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. ²⁵ And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; ²⁶ and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”

·         Barnabas was sent to Jerusalem with relief money because he was a trustworthy servant-hearted man known for his acts of kindness. Acts 11:27-30 – “Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius. ²⁹ And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea. ³⁰ And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.”

·         Barnabas took John Mark along because he could see hidden value and potential in him, just as he did in others like Paul. Acts 15:35-39 – “But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord. ³⁶ After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. ³⁸ But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.” [N.B. As it turned out Barnabas was right, and Paul was wrong. Later, in Paul’s second letter to Timothy he writes: “Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.” That would have never happened without Barnabas’ ministry of encouragement.]

James Series #13 - 2 August 2020

“The Wicked Rich”

James 5:1-6

Message #13 in James Series

2 August 2020

 

INTRODUCTION:

            Our text for this week is right off the front page of hundreds of newspapers, as well as all sorts of electronic news media. Since the start of the “Occupy Wall Street” movement back in September 2011 we have seen many similar movements not only in North America but also in many cities of Western Europe and the UK. While there is certainly a mixed message coming from these protesters, there is also a recurring theme: “We are unhappy because the rich are getting richer, while the poor and oppressed are getting poorer by the day. Banks and corporations are stealing our wealth and not paying their fair share. They are getting away with murder!” In other words, these thousands of protesters are rising and reacting to the social class they call, “THE WICKED RICH.”

            While many of us are also frustrated with the way our governments have been handling things, most of us are also sceptical about the efficacy of these demonstrations in the streets of our cities to bring about any significant and lasting changes. However, they still serve to illustrate a point. Most people know instinctually that there are two kinds of wealthy people: (1) Those who made their money through hard work, long hours, and much sacrifice; and (2) Those who either inherited it, or got rich through dishonesty or taking advantage of other people.

 

TRANSITION:

            The Bible has a lot to say about wealth, including the right way to get it and the correct attitude that we Christians should have toward it. People often misquote the Bible and ignorantly repeat the old saying that “Money is the root of all evil.” But that is not what the Bible says. Nowhere does the Bible allege that money per se is evil. Rather, the apostle Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:6-10, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

            In this study we want to exam what the Bible teaches us about wealth as seen through the eyes of James in James 5:1-6. In verses 1-3 James explains that possessing riches can turn out to be a curse. In the verses 4-6 he warns that pursuing riches can be an even bigger curse.

 

MAIN BODY:

Verse 1: Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. 

• Many commentators claim that James was not speaking here to Christians but to unbelievers. I am not so sure about that. Up until now in this letter he has been speaking to Christ’s followers, so why would he suddenly switch gears? Why would he even bother to give this teaching if it did not apply in some way to believers? No, I think the warning given here applies to all men, believers, and nonbelievers alike.
• Throughout the NT we find warnings to the rich, not that possessing wealth is in-and-of itself immoral but because the Bible places a greater stewardship upon rich people, puts them under a greater burden of responsibility. This goes along with Jesus’ warning found in Luke 12:48, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” From God’s vantage point wealth is not intended for selfish exploitation.
• I believe that the “weeping and howling” here in verse 1 are not signs of repentance and sorrow for their wrongs, but the expressions of the rich of their frustration and anger in the face of God’s impending Day of Judgment. God wants their wealth invested for Him in His Kingdom, not hoarded for their own pleasure and security.

 

Verse 2: Your riches have rotted, and your garments have become moth-eaten.   

• Notice that both verbs in this sentence are in the perfect tense: “…have rotted… have become moth-eaten.” To God it is already a done deal. Biblically speaking, wealth is to be used for righteous purposes, not hoarded, or stored up for a rainy day. That goes along with what I said a moment ago about the stewardship of riches. Besides, money is like milk or raw meat—it does not store well. It tends to go “bad.” According to Jesus in Matthew 6:19-21 it rusts, rots, gets stolen, and becomes moth-eaten. Listen: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” 
• Some of us know what it feels like to have the moths eat our money. Over the past few years many of us have lost pensions and other investment monies. The money we have been socking away for years so that we could retire someday has pretty much gone up in smoke. For that reason, many of us can certainly relate to James’ words here about our wealth rotting away and becoming moth-eaten. Money is just not something you can count on. It can disappear in a heartbeat if the stock market tanks!

 

Verse 3: Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! 

• If you leave metal objects laying out in the weather, they will surely rust. I have accidentally done that a few times with tools—left them laying on the deck or someplace where they got wet. Very quickly they begin to rust. The rust leaves a stain on whatever the tool happens to be sitting on. Even after you take the tool away and store it where it belongs, the rust stain is there as a reminder of your foolishness.
• Do not get lost in the metaphor here. We all know that gold does not rust or corrode, although silver does tarnish. We also know that rust does not normally work like an acid and burn the skin.  But here James says that in the Day of Judgment the rust from the misused wealth will “consume your flesh like fire.” He is using figurative language to say that the rust of the hoarded wealth will serve as a witness against the rich, because God meant for their wealth to be used for the good of mankind and for the glory of God, not to be selfishly hoarded and stored up for them.

 

Verse 4: Behold, the pay of the labourers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. 

• Starting here in verse 4 through the end of verse 6 James points out that the pursuit of money and riches can turn out to be a curse.
• In verse 4 James is obviously speaking about unfair labour practices—a rich farmer refusing to pay his workers what he owes them, withholding their just wages. The labourers protested and asked for what they rightly had coming but the farmer just turned a deaf ear. However, James says, God was listening to their cries. Their pleas reached His ears. He was paying attention and saw everything the farmer did to them. “The Lord of Sabaoth” means “the Lord of Hosts [referring to heavenly hosts]” or “the Lord of the Armies.” It is a title that emphasizes God’s power, authority, and sovereign omnipotence. He is not a God to be messed with! And He has a very tender spot in His heart toward the poor and does not like anyone who hurts them or threatens them. This was made clear in the Law of Moses way back in Deuteronomy 24:14-15, “Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns. ¹⁵ Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they may cry to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.”
• Likewise, in Ezekiel 18:12-13 the prophet talked about the fact that the wicked rich will be judged by the Righteous Almighty One: “He [the wicked rich man] oppresses the poor and needy. He commits robbery. He does not return what he took in pledge. He looks to the idols. He does detestable things. ¹³ He lends at interest and takes a profit. Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.” Now that is what I call a “heavy-duty threat.”

 

Verse 5: You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 

• Another sin of the rich in this indictment was their extravagant, luxurious living, implying that this was going on while they were surrounded by people living in poverty all around them. But James says that all this pleasure was just fattening them up for the day of slaughter, much the way we fatten up cattle on corn and tasty expensive feed to get them ready for the butcher. I believe that James is basing his comment on Jeremiah 12. In verses 1-2 of that passage Jeremiah expresses his frustration with the Lord allowing the wicked to prosper: “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? ² You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts.” Then, down in verse 3 the prophet begs the Lord to give them what they have coming: “Drag them off like sheep to be butchered! Set them apart for the day of slaughter!” I believe that it is this Day of Judgment to which James is referring.

 

Verse 6: You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you. 

• Some commentators have tried to spiritualize this verse and say that James is speaking of Jesus when he says, “You have condemned and put to death the righteous man.” They say that this verse refers to Isaiah 53, which speaks about Jesus who opened not his mouth before His accusers, nor resisted His attackers.
• However, this interpretation does injury to the text because it is not supported by the context. We have no right or authority to pull a verse out of its natural setting and make it say whatever we want it to say. And that interpretation simply does not fit the context, nor go along with what James has been saying up to this point. By “the righteous man” James is referring to the workers up in verse 4 who have a just cause before their unjust employer. They are “in the right” and their unjust boss is “in the wrong.” James is not talking here about the poor man’s salvation but about his right to receive what he has worked for.
• “You have condemned and put to death the righteous man.” James is speaking here using hyperbole (exaggeration or overstatement). He has already talked about how poor people were being dragged into debtor’s court and charged unjustly (cf. 2:6). Now he is pointing out that when a poor man is hauled into court, he has little recourse and can do nothing to defend himself. He is completely at the mercy of the unscrupulous rich man. Yet even in the face of this mistreatment, the poor man does not resist. In chapter 34:21-22 of the apocryphal book of Ecclesiasticus there is a statement that serves to illustrate James’ argument: “The bread of the needy is the life of the poor; whoever deprives them of it is a man of blood. To take away a neighbour’s living is to murder him; to deprive an employee of his wages is to shed blood.” 
• James is here pointing out the ultimate viciousness of greed and fraud: it often ends in murder because avarice will stop at nothing.

 

CONCLUSION:

            I believe that James had several purposes in mind for writing these six verses. First, he wanted to show us the utter worthlessness of all earthly riches when compared to real spiritual wealth. Secondly, he wanted to show the despicableness of those who possess earthly riches and squander them on their own pleasures rather than invest them in the Kingdom of God. In so doing he hoped to prevent his readers from putting their hopes, aims, and desires on earthly things rather than heavenly things. And thirdly, I believe that James was reminding those among the Christians who were wealthy that God holds them to a higher standard of stewardship. Frankly, there are not very many rich Christians. I think that is because God cannot trust most of us with money. When we get a few extra dollars, we get all stupid and start making bad choices.

            But whether we have a lot or a little, it really all belongs to Him, not to us. We need to be good stewards of whatever He entrusts to us. But beyond that, Christian employers have a special obligation to be fair, and just, and honest in their dealings, both with their workers and their customers. A Christian boss who cheats on his taxes, rips off his workers, and lies to the government is an embarrassment to Christ and His Church and will one day have to give an account before Almighty God. And woe to him on that day!

James Series #15 - 16 August 2020

“Closing Counsel for Holy Living”

James 5:12-20

Message #15 in James Series

16 August 2020

INTRODUCTION:

            All of us have watched courtroom proceedings on television and many of us have even served on juries at one time or another. You know that the whole shebang starts with the prosecutor standing up and laying out the state’s case against the accused. Then again, at the end of the trial, the prosecutor gets the last word to sum up the state’s case for the jury. That closing statement is the end of the show, the last word before the jury goes out to ponder the case and draw its collective conclusion about the guilt or innocence of the accused.

TRANSITION:

            Today is our 13^th study in the Book of James and we have finally run out of book. We are at the end of the road. Over these many weeks we have heard James talk about many different subjects, but in the text for today he wraps it all up and ties a red bow around it.

            Last week we studied James 5:7-11 where James encourages believers to be patient and hang in there even through the tough times, always remembering that the Lord will be coming back soon to set the crooked things straight, to judge the wicked and to reward the righteous. To illustrate his point he gives two examples: (1) the farmer, who waits patiently for the soil to produce a crop, all-the-while continuing to work in faith and in hope of the coming harvest; and, (2) the prophets of old who suffered much yet put their faith in God and endured, knowing that the Lord would reward them for their faithfulness.

            Now we come to James’ closing argument. Throughout this letter he has been offering Christians practical advice on holy living. He has taught us how to bear up under trials, how to resist temptation, how to control our tongue, how to escape the snare of worldliness, and how to avoid the pitfalls that accompany wealth and materialism, just to name of few of the lessons. Now, here at the end of his letter he offers a few more pieces of wise counsel.

MAIN BODY:

Verse 12: But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by Heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment. 

• My mother always told me not to swear. In fact, she washed out my mouth with soap a couple of times to help me remember not to cuss. However, the word “swear” here has nothing to do with cussing. Rather, James is referring to the habit of some people to swear by something to prove that they are telling the truth. “I swear on my mother’s grave!” “I’d swear to it on a stack of Bibles.” That kind of thing. The Christian life is to be founded on honesty and integrity. Even trials and tribulations should not change that. Hard times should in no way diminish our honesty, and honesty should never require an oath. 
• James’ point is that a Christian’s word should always be good. In fact, this is exactly what Jesus was saying back in Matthew 5:34-37, “But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by Heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵ or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the City of the Great King. ³⁶ Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.” James is just agreeing with Jesus and reminding his readers that God listens to what comes out of His children’s mouths. When he speaks here of “judgment” he is not talking about eternal damnation but about the chastening of the Lord. He is warning believers not to fall into the habit of swearing to prove their honesty. For a Christian that should never even be an issue. Christians should always tell the truth, under every circumstance. There is no time or place for lying, not even for those so-called, “white lies.”

Verse 13: Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 

• Here in verse 13 and continuing through verse 18 James takes up the subject of prayer. He says that we should be fervent in prayer in every situation and circumstance: in trials, in triumph, in sickness, and even in our times of spiritual conflict.
• “Is anyone suffering? Then pray! Is anyone rejoicing? Then offer up to God songs of joyful praise!” In other words, prayer is always the appropriate response to whatever is going on in our lives—good or bad. Paul says in Colossians 4:2 that we are to “…devote ourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” And in Ephesians 6:18 he says, “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit.”    

Verses 14-15: Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; ¹⁵ and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 

• In verses 14-16 James takes up the subject of prayer for the sick. Now just so you know, I do believe in divine healing. I do not believe in 99% of the so-called “divine healers” but I do believe that God still answers prayer and heals sick people to show forth both His power and His great mercy. I believe in praying for the sick and I also believe in anointing the person with oil in obedience to the Scriptures, although I do not believe the oil has any magical or mystical powers. Moreover, on several occasions I have seen God heal people in ways that left no doubt that it was a result of His powerful touch in response to the prayers of His people.
• However, I also believe that these verses have been much misunderstood and misapplied in many Christian circles. Some Christian groups teach that all sickness is a result of sin in the life of the believer. That is a lie and cannot be supported by Scripture. Other groups insist that God wants you to walk in wellness, never to be sick. They say that sickness is an evidence of a lack of faith because God would always be pleased to heal His child. However, this flies in the face both of biblical teaching (e.g. Paul’s thorn in the flesh) and of what we can observe with our own eyes. I have personally known of some of God’s choice servants who have struggled with physical infirmities and various diseases. These name-it-and-claim-it “word-of-faith” groups are all wet, and when they pray and the person does not get healed, their cowardly fallback position is to blame the victim of harbouring secret sin or of having weak faith. In my opinion, that is unconscionable and despicable.
• So then, what is James saying here? Let’s unpack it phrase by phrase. “Is anyone among you sick?” He does not specify what kind of sickness—mental, emotional, or physical—and Christians can suffer from any or all of these, just like the rest of humanity. He apparently leaves the door open to allow for any kind of illness. “Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him.” Notice that the sick person is the one who is to initiate this process. “He must call for the elders.” This is an act of faith on the part of the afflicted person. The elders do not just show up unbidden, unasked. It is the felt need of the sick person and his faith that brings the elders to his bedside. “…and they are to pray over him.” In context here, I believe that they are to pray and ask God to reveal His will in this instance. In many cases it is not God’s will to bring healing. Sometimes His answer is like that given to Paul, “NO! My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in your weakness.” “…anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”  What kind of oil is to be used for this anointing? And what is the significance of the oil anyway? First, the Bible does not specify what kind of oil to use and I do not think it makes any difference. Traditionally olive oil has been used, because to this day, that is the most common kind of oil used in the Middle East and probably what James had in mind. As to its significance, I believe that it is an aid to faith.  Moreover, oil in the Bible is often a symbol of the presence of God’s Holy Spirit (cf. anointing priests for service, anointing a new king, etc.). The oil used by the Early Church in these kinds of situations was not medicinal but ceremonial, picturing the presence of God in that room with the sick person.
• Now it is clear here that it is not the oil that heals the sick person, but rather it is the Lord that shall raise him up in answer to the “prayer of faith.” But this is not to say that God always answers believing prayer. All prayer, including prayer for healing is subject to the will of God. Also, as James points out in the next verse, sometimes, although certainly not always, sickness is the result of personal sin, in which case repentance and confession are necessary for the healing to take place.
• And one more thing, there is no indication here that calling the elders excludes the use of a physician or of medicine. That group in Oregon City that calls itself “Followers of Christ,” who refuse to take their children to be treated by a doctor, have it all wrong. The Bible does not advocate such stupidity. All healing is from God. Sometimes He does it through prayer alone. Other times He does it through the skill of a surgeon or the use of medication. But the praise goes to Him in every case.

Verse 16: Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 

• I can remember my dad having a bone to pick with this verse. He always insisted that James did not really mean to confess our sins to one another because we are incapable of wiping away one another’s sins. Only God can do that. He believed that the word “sins” here should be translated as “faults.” Let me just say that I loved and respected my father, but on this point he was mistaken. The problem with that view is that the word James uses here is the exact same word we find in both Romans 3:23 and 6:23. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” It is the Greek word, hamartia, and it means to sin by missing the mark established by God. Moreover, the word “confess” used here in James 5:16 is the same Greek word, homologeo, (“to say the same thing [as God], to agree [with God]”) that we find in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 
• So why are we commanded by James to confess our sins to one another if we cannot forgive and cleanse one another’s sins? It seems like wasted energy and an exercise in futility. Unless… unless there is some other benefit to confessing our sins to one another besides being forgiven! I believe that when we admit our sins and faults to other Christians, we take away much of the power that the sin has over us. In that process we let light and fresh air into the dark corners of our life and allow other people not only to pray for us but also to walk with us on our spiritual journey. There is great power and benefit in that! I do not know if you have ever noticed but mould, mildew, and mushrooms all like damp, dark, basements. Why is that? But when you open wide the windows and let in the light and fresh air, the Fungi Family packs up and moves out. That is also what happens when we stop hiding our sins from one another but let the light and fresh air in. James begs us: “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed.”

Verses 17-18: Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. ¹⁸ Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. 

• Elijah is my favourite prophet of the OT. He must have been an incredible person to know, and he was certainly a man of integrity and courage and he possessed an amazing personal faith in God. Yet James points out that Elijah was not a super-human. He was made from the same stuff that we are. However, I think he just did more with what he had! I believe that James is referring here to a story told back in 1 Kings 17-18. Briefly, Elijah was the Lord’s prophet back during the reign of the evil king, Ahab, who was married to Jezebel. We read in 1 Kings 17:1 that at God’s leading Elijah declared to Ahab, “…As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” Then later, at the end of chapter 18 after Elijah had that little contest with Jezebel’s 400+ prophets of Baal we learn that God caused the rains to start up once again after 3½ years of drought.
• So again, what is the point here? James’ point was up in verse 16: “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” James is just using Elijah to prove his point. Elijah’s success was not a result of any special quality that he had. He was just a plain old guy with an incredibly powerful God!
• One of my favourite Bible verses is an obscure verse found in an obscure context. In Daniel chapter 11 the prophet gives a prophecy about the coming evil ruler that we know from the NT as the Antichrist, who will be Satan’s pawn during the time of the Great Tribulation. In verse 32 Daniel is talking about events in that future time: “Those who do wickedly against the covenant he [the Antichrist] shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” I love that! And I believe that it is a clue to spiritual power and success in every age and in every place. Strength and spiritual victory is tied to knowing God in an intimate way. That was the secret of Elijah’s success. Moreover, if you and I are ever to accomplish anything significant for the Kingdom of God it will be because we know our God and draw our strength from Him, not because we have any power of our own, because we do not!

Verses 19-20: My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, ²⁰ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul [i.e. his life] from death and will cover a multitude of sins. 

• This verse reminds me of the words of that old hymn: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.” We have all “strayed from the truth” a few times, have we not? In these last two verses of the letter James talks about being faithful in mending the broken lives of those who have strayed from the truth. It is important to remember that any believer can fall into error if he is not vigilant. And sin always has nasty consequences, sooner or later. James here points out that sin can sometimes even lead to a Christian’s untimely death. Paul warns of this in 1 Corinthians 11:30, and of course, we all remember the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. God struck them both dead, right there in the meeting, for lying both to God and to the congregation.

CONCLUSION:

James is reminding us that, in fact, “we are our brother’s keepers.” Paul deals with this same subject in Galatians 6:1 where he says in the NLT: “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.” 

We have a spiritual obligation toward one another. We are commanded to pray for one another. We are told to speak the truth to one another. We are told to restore one another after we have fallen into sin. James says in this last verse, “…he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” The covering of sins is an OT image for forgiveness, and forgiveness is the best gift that any of us can ever give or receive.

I hope that this study of the Book of James has been helpful for you and that it has given you some food for thought and blessings for your soul.