1. When was the last time you heard a message preached from this passage of Scripture?
2. The one and only time I heard a message from this text was by a preacher named Ernest Gambrell at a missions conference at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Va. Beach.
3. A preacher by the name of William MacDonald said: "In one of the most searching and piercing sections of his Letter, James now launches into a denunciation of the sins of the rich. The words fall like hammer-blows, blunt and unsparing. In fact, the denunciation is so strong that these verses are seldom preached on."
4. The Bible does not say that it is a sin to be rich. There is nothing wrong with owning property, nothing wrong with making a profit, or investing money, and so on.
5. There is nothing wrong with wealth gained honestly and used properly. James condemns those who have gained wealth dishonestly and are using it selfishly.
6. John Wesley used to say: "Make all you can, save all you can, invest all you can, and give away all you can."
7. The problem with most rich people is that they give away very little.
8. James is not teaching a socialistic "soak the rich" message; he is not advocating a "distribute the wealth--class-warfare" message.
9. James is preaching what the O.T. prophets preached, and teaching what his half-brother, the Lord Jesus Christ taught (cf. Luke 6:24-26; 12:16-21; 16:13; 18:24,25).
10. There is some disagreement among Bible teachers as to who James is speaking to – are these rich people saved or unsaved? Personally, I believe that they are not saved.
11. Normally James addresses his readers as "brethren" (1:2; 2:1; 3:1). In 4:1 he says "among you," and the context indicates that they are saved (cf. 4:11).
12. However 5:1-6 seems different, and it is highly unlikely that Christians could live like this. It appears to me that these are wicked rich people who are oppressing God’s people (cf. 5:6), and then James says: "Be patient therefore, brethren…" (5:7).
13. In this passage James refers to four specific sins of the rich.

1. HOARDING WEALTH (5:1-3)
2. FAILING TO PAY PROPER WAGES (5:4)
3. OVER-INDULGENCE (5:5)
4. CONDEMNING AND MURDERING THE JUST (5:6)

14. This message seems to have little relevance to a middle-class church like ours. However, there is plenty of application for us. Also, most of the world would consider us rich by their standards.

I. IT IS A SIN WHAT THEY DO WITH THEIR MONEY (5:1-3).

1. James says: "Go to now" (5:1; cf. 4:13), an expression indicating disapproval.
2. James summons the rich to weep and howl because of the miseries which would come upon them. Soon they would meet God and their money will do them no good.
3. James is not unlike the O.T. prophet Amos who cried out, "Prepare to meet thy God" (Amos 4:12).
4. Now the rich are smug and arrogant – they have their great wealth, their fancy cars, their own private jets, their many mansions – one on the east coast, one on the west coast, one in Europe, etc. – but soon it will all be over for them, and then they will be filled with shame and remorse.
5. Now they are living like royalty, soon they will be weeping and howling. The death of Princess Diana and her rich boyfriend is a tragic example of the folly of expecting happiness from money.
6. Judgment day comes for the rich man and he must stand before God like a dirty beggar. And God will judge him for his covetousness, for seeking security and comfort in material things rather than in God.
7. The rich will weep and howl in agony when they are reminded that they indulged themselves to the full while others had not even the bare necessities.
8. Most rich people waste their money on frivolous and worldly pleasures while missionaries are struggling to build churches, and millions of heathen have never even seen a Bible.
9. I heard of one stupid movie star who filled her swimming pool with expensive champagne – you can imagine how much money was wasted on that! Meanwhile, there are rescue missions that could use some help in giving out soup and blankets and most importantly, Bibles to those in need.
10. As I said earlier, having wealth is not necessarily evil, it is what you do with it that matters. Hoarding wealth is definitely wrong and God judges the rich for that (cf. Matt.6:19-21).
11. In James’ day, wealth was generally in the form of grain, oil, clothing, gold, and silver (5:2,3). If he were writing today, he might mention stocks and bonds and other investments.
12. Grain will rot – "Your riches are corrupted" (5:2) – perhaps there were worms in the grain, maybe the oil had become rancid.
13. "…and your garments are moth-eaten" (5:2b), they probably had no mothballs back then. The point is that their grain and clothing had been hoarded to the point where they were spoiled.
14. Their food could have been used at one time to feed the hungry; now it was worthless. Their garments could have been given away to those in need, now they were moth-eaten.
15. I remember years ago when it came out that Imelda Marcos had hundreds of pairs of shoes. Clothing that is worn regularly does not get damaged by moths. It is wrong to have more than you need.
16. Nothing material in this world will last forever. The seeds of death and decay are all about us. We need to always remember: "`Tis only one life. `Twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last."
17. "Cankered" (5:3) means corroded, discolored, tarnished. The expression, "and shall eat your flesh as it were fire" means that their failure to use their riches for the good of others would cause them the keenest suffering and remorse.
18. When their eyes would at last be opened to see the cruelty of their selfishness and greed – costly jewelry, expensive clothing, extravagant parties, luxurious homes, high-priced limousines, traveling all over the world, etc. – when their eyes are finally opened to all of this, it will be a painful, scorching experience.
19. Saving is good but hoarding wealth is bad. "How much did he leave behind?" Answer: "All of it!"
20. I have never seen a hearse pulling a U-haul.
21. "Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days" (5:3b) indicates the folly of their hoarding in view of their impending judgment. James believed that the coming of the Lord was near (5:8,9).

II. IT’S A SIN THE WAY THEY GOT THEIR MONEY (5:4-6).

1. First, James condemns them for what they do with their money. Next, he condemns them for the way they got their money.
2. The laborers who reaped down their fields were deprived of their rightful pay. The rich were guilty of fraud and the poor workers cried out in vain (5:4).
3. But God, "the Lord of sabaoth" (hosts) hears their cries (5:4b).
4. Here the Bible clearly teaches that some rich people got their wealth through dishonest means. Today many rich people not only cheat their workers, but they cheat on their taxes also. Some use false weights and measures (like the butcher with his finger on the scale). Some bribe inspectors and other officials, falsify expense accounts and other reports, use false advertising, etc. None of this escapes God’s attention.
5. Let me stop here for a moment and remind you that it is a bad testimony for Christians not to pay their bills. Some Christians are a stumbling block because they owe money to unsaved people.
6. While their employees are being cheated, the rich are living "in pleasure" (5:5), i.e. luxuriously, "high on the hog." James says they have "been wanton," i.e. they have indulged themselves.

III. WHAT THEY COULD HAVE DONE WITH THEIR MONEY.

1. They squandered their wealth while others starved to death.
2. While churches are trying to build Christian schools, and get out the Gospel over radio and television, the rich drive down the highway in their chauffeur-driven limousines, drinking their booze, on their way to another party or fancy restaurant, oblivious to what is going on outside, concerned only with themselves.
3. Wealth and luxury have a way of ruining character. For example, consider the Kennedys.
4. James compares these worldly, self-indulgent rich people to fat swine or cattle, stuffing themselves right up to their time of slaughter (5:5b).
5. James says that they "have condemned and killed the just…" (5:6). This brings to mind the way Ahab and Jezebel killed Naboth (I Kings 21).
6. I do not know who wrote this poem but it fits this passage of Scripture:

You’ll pay. The knowledge of your acts will weigh
Heavier on your mind each day.
The more you climb, the more you gain,
The more you’ll feel the nagging strain.
Success will cower at the threat
Of retribution. Fear will fret
Your peace and bleed you for the debt;
Conscience collects from every crook
More than the worth of what he took,
You only thought you got away
But in the night you’ll pay and pay.

CONCLUSION:

1. A preacher preached a simple message one day from Pro. 19:17.
2. His sermon was brief and had only two points:

1. If you like the terms, then put down your money.
2. Money talks. What will it say to you at the last judgment?