Money Talks

1
Money Talks

• Be Mature
• Chapter 11
• James 51-6
• By Warren Wiersbe

2

• Themes of James 5 are trouble and money
• 5th Mark of mature Christian he is prayerful in
  trouble
• The immature believer trusts in his experience
  and skill, otherwise, he will turn to others for
  help.
• James was concerned about the selfishness of the
  rich. Therefore, he advised them to weep and
  howl for three reasons.
• The way they got their wealth (54 6a)
• Acquiring wealth is great, but it is not if it is
  done by illegal means (ways) or for illegal
  purposes.
• Prophets like Amos, Isaiah, and Jeremiah had
  warned them of the selfishness and the coming
  judgment.

3

• 2. Holding back wages (54)
• Matt. 201-14
• parable of laborers
• Deut. 2414-15
• Jer. 2213
• Lev. 1913
• kept back in Greek never will get their
  salaries
• thou shalt not steal
• Controlling the court (56a)
• People with wealth get political power and get
  what they want
• God gave a system of courts to Israelites
• Exodus 1821 No judge to be greedy
• Lev. 1915 Judge to be neutral
• Deut. 1916-21 No perjury should be tolerated
  by the judges
• Is. 3315 Micah 311, 73 Bribery is condemned

4

• The rich oppressed Poor couldn't resist the rich
  man for the lack of weapons. Instead, he calls on
  God for justice.
• Positive notes
• Prov. 1311
• Prov. 104
• Prov. 234
• Matt. 633
• 3. The way the rich used their wealth (53-5)
• They stored it up (53)
• Wrong to store up wealth when we owe money to
  employees
• Rich men were hoarding they were guarding them
  for their own security and pleasure

5

• Around 10 years after James wrote, Jerusalem fell
  to Romans. No security.
• Matt. 619-21
• lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven
• Lay up treasures use all that we have as steward
  of Gods wealth what we do on earth is recorded.
• they kept others from benefiting from it (54)
• The rich robbed the poor.
• As stewards, we have certain responsibilities
  toward the Master for the good of others and
  glory of God.
• I Cor. 42 Moreover it is required in
  stewards, that a man be found faithful.

6

• They lived in luxury (55)
• Luxury is waste and waste is sin
• Quaker tell me what thou dost need and I will
  tell them how to get along without it.
• Luke 1215 And he said unto them, Take heed,
  and beware of covetousness for a man's life
  consisteth not in the abundance of the things
  which he possesseth.
• Difference between enjoying what God has given us
  (I Tim. 617) and living extravagantly on what we
  have withheld from others.
• Luxury has a way of ruining character and is a
  form of self-indulgence

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• 4. What Their Riches Will Do (51-4)
• Howl for your miseries that shall come upon
  you
• Consequences
• Riches will vanish (disappear) (52-3a)
• Riches are uncertain like money and stock markets
• Life is brief and we cant take wealth with us
• misused riches erode characters (53)
• Money is neutral, but the love of money is the
  root of all evil (I Tim. 610)
• Thou shalt not covet, the last commandment
• Abraham was rich and maintained character unlike
  Lot who was rich and yet ruined his character
  and, finally, family

8

• Ps. 6210 If riches increase, set not your
  heart upon them
• Prov. 221 A good name is rather to be chosen
  than riches, and loving favor than silver and
  gold
• Judgment is certainty (53,5)
• Future judgment
• The rich mens wealth will witness against them
  (53)
• The wages they held back will witness against
  them (54a)
• Great White Throne (Rev. 2011-15) judging sin
• The Judgment Seat (II Cor. 58, 9) works and
  ministry
• I Cor. 31-15
• Loss of a precious opportunity (53)
• The last days The coming of Christ is near

9

• Eph. 516 Redeeming the time, because the days
  are evil
• James condemned the wrong use of riches, and rich
  people who use wealth as a weapon and not as a
  tool with which to build.
• James 25 Poor in this world and rich in the
  next world
• OR
• I Tim 617 rich in this world and poor in the
  next world
• Where your treasure is, that where your heart
  is
• Matt. 621