OPERATION RESTORATION – James 5:19-20

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INTRODUCTION:

We’ve come to the final two verses of James’ letter to the Hebrew Christians scattered all over the Roman Empire and beyond. It’s not the typical conclusion of a letter, such as the ones written by the apostle Paul, or Peter, or John. There are no parting words of farewell, and there is no closing prayer. But James has a reason for ending his letter with the words he uses. We will soon see, as we fit these parting words into the context of the rest of the letter.

Having served as a chaplain in a hospital setting for many years, and having been “under the knife” several times myself, I’ve become somewhat familiar with the procedures that are followed in some operations. I think that there are some elements of comparison, and I will be pointing them out as we look at James 5:19-20 in the light of what has preceded it.

Here are two translations of this passage of Scripture, James 5:19-20:

“My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth, and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.” (NASB)

“My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering from God.” (The Message)

I. THE UNHAPPY WANDERERS (verse 19a)

James calls them “brethren”, meaning that they are either believers, or at least members of the congregations. “If anyone strays from the truth”. The word “if” implies that there are some in these congregations who have strayed, and there are others who haven’t strayed from the truth. He is saying that straying from the truth can happen and has happened. The word translated “strays”, or “wanders” is the Greek word “planao”. We get our English word “planet” from this word. It was generally believed, in those days, that the planets wandered around in the skies, and appeared in different places and at different times. They didn’t realize that these planets are in an elliptical obit around the sun, as is the earth.

James has been describing and dealing with these “wanderings” throughout his letter. Many of his readers and hearers have been guilty of impatience, misuse of their tongues, self-centeredness, greed, or other evidences of failing to practice the truth. The following saying is so true: “If truth isn’t applied, we’ve either wandered from it, or never possessed it.”

It’s a scary thing to wander from the truths of God’s Word. It usually happens slowly, imperceptible at first. Then we realize that we have not only wandered from the truth, but we have also drifted away from our closeness to the Lord Jesus Christ and to other believers. Feelings of guilt, fear and embarrassment may keep us from seeking help and turning back. We may begin to feel that our lives are out of control and that the situation is hopeless.

Have you ever been in a helpless situation because of a physical injury or infection? When I was in my early 20’s I felt pain in my lower abdomen. Within minutes I was doubled over, and the pain was so intense that all I could do was to cry out for help. My mother heard my cries and took me immediately to a nearby hospital. I was given a shot to ease the pain and told that I was having an acute appendicitis attack. I would be going into surgery immediately. My family doctor arrived, and told me that he would be performing the surgery. I would be sedated and would not be awake or feel any pain during the surgery. His presence and assurances relieved much of the tension I was experiencing. When I awoke there was a scar, stitches and minimal pain. The inflammation was gone and I was feeling much better. One of my aunts died from a ruptured appendix when she was a teenager, so my fears were real. I look back at that event as a life-saving experience, thanks in part to the immediate action by my mother and the doctor.

II. THE RESTORERS (verse 19b)

The end of verse 19 contains five simple words: “And one turns him back” (NASB). The Message uses the words, “Go after them. Bring them back.” In verse 20 James gives a more detailed description of the wanderer’s condition when he says “turns a sinner from the error of his way.” James uses the Greek word “hamartolos”, an archer’s term meaning, “missing the mark”. But the word is also used to describe a traveler who has left the familiar road and is following winding, twisted paths that cause him to lose his way. He has chosen to go his own way, and this choice has affected his thoughts, words, actions, and attitudes. We are either walking in God’s truth or in our own way. Those are the options. The “turning back” is descriptive of the acknowledgement of one’s sin, confession of it, turning from it, and once again walking in fellowship with God and in obedience to God’s truth.

The apostle Paul, in Galatians 6:1, wanted to make sure that his readers knew what their attitude should be in the restoration process. He says, “restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, lest you too be tempted.” I have an anonymous poem in my collection of illustrations, and it brings tears of regret to my eyes every time I read it. I hope it has a similar effect on you.

Pray don’t find fault with the man that limps

Or stumbles along the road,

Unless you have worn the shoes he wears

Or struggled beneath his load.

There may be tacks in his shoes that hurt

Tho’ hidden away from view,

Or the burden he bears placed on your back

Might make you stumble too.

Don’t sneer at the man who’s down today,

Unless you have felt the blow

That caused his fall or felt the shame

That only the fallen know.

You may be strong; but still the blows

That were his, if dealt to you

In the selfsame way at the selfsame time

Might cause you to stagger, too.

Don’t be too harsh with the man that sins,

Or pelt him with word or stone,

Unless you are sure – yes, doubly sure –

That you have no sins of your own.

For you know perhaps if the tempter’s voice

Should whisper as soft to you

As it did to him when he went astray

It might cause you to falter too.

In order to effectively turn another believer back to fellowship with God through gentle reproof and correction, we will need to have that kind of an attitude toward the wanderer and toward ourselves. The hymn writer, Robert Robinson, expressed his inner struggles when he said: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love.” (Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing). The wanderer will need love, concern, and encouragement in order to confess the sin which has dragged him down, and redirect his focus toward the God who loves him and wants to forgive him and welcome him back. You might say that God is calling us to be part of the “welcoming committee”.

III. THE JOYFUL RESULTS (verse 20)

At the end of verse 20, James describes the results of the restoration process. First, “He . . . will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins”. These words can be confusing if taken out of their context, and without a grasp of the Hebrew concept of sin and death. The word “he” refers to the restorer, as he is used by God. The phrase “save his soul from death” is probably referring to physical death, not spiritual death. As a doctor often saves his patients from the harmful and continuing affects of an infection or an injury, the restorer has the responsibility and privilege of saving a wandering Christian from the continuing effects of his sin. In the Old Testament scriptures, sin is often associated with physical death. When Adam and Eve sinned, one of the penalties was eventual physical death. Moses and a whole generation of the children of Israel spent 40 years wandering in the desert and dying because of their sins. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire because of sin, and only Lot and his family were spared. The recipients of his letter didn’t need an explanation. They already knew the record of God’s dealings with His people.

The other result of the restorer’s ministry is “the covering of a multitude of sins”. By his own loving, listening, and forgiving attitude, the restorer mirrors God’s love and forgiveness, and becomes a model of forgiveness and acceptance to other believers in the fellowship. As it says in Proverbs 10:12, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions.” King David said in Psalm 32:3-6, “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me. My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to Thee, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’; and Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin.” As a restorer, God gives us the privilege of sharing in the joy of that forgiveness (covering) of sin and return to fellowship. They say, “Misery loves company”. Well, relief-from-misery loves company also, and we’re invited to the celebration! If you’ve ever had a restoration experience, whether you were the restorer or the one who was restored, you know that it was a joy-filled experience for both parties!

IV. SUMMARY AND PERSONAL APPLICATION

Pastor and Bible teacher Warren Wiersbe concludes his commentary on the epistle of James by asking a series of questions to help us examine our hearts and evaluate our own spiritual maturity. Let’s reflect on each question and be honest with ourselves and with God as we answer them.

Am I becoming more and more patient in the testings of life?
Do I play with temptation, or resist it from the start?
Do I find joy in obeying the Word of God, or do I merely study it and learn it?
Are there any prejudices that saddle me?
Am I able to control my tongue?
Am I a peacemaker rather than a troublemaker? Do people come to me for spiritual wisdom?
Am I a friend of God or a friend of the world?
Do I make plans without considering the will of God?
Am I selfish when it comes to money? Am I unfaithful in the paying of my bills?
Do I naturally depend on prayer when I find myself in some kind of trouble?
Am I the kind of person others seek for prayer support?
What is my attitude toward the wandering brother? Do I criticize and gossip, or do I seek to restore him in love?

May the Lord give you diligence as you pursue godliness and divine wisdom. May He also provide strength and a loving friend if you should begin to stumble or falter.

“But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” (James 1:22)

PATIENCE APPLIED AND EXEMPLIFIED – James 5:9-11

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INTRODUCTION:

Writer and humorist Mark Twain once said, “Don’t complain and talk about all your problems. Eighty percent of people don’t care; the other twenty percent will think you deserve them!” As the saying goes, “those who complain about the way the ball bounces are usually the ones who dropped it!”

i. PATIENCE APPLIED ( verse 9)

James’ reading and listening audience appears to have problems with complaining. The Greek word literally means “groaning” or “grumbling”. I get the feeling that it starts deep down inside a person and increases emotion as it reaches the lips. How many times have we been in difficult or frustrating situations and felt the desire to express those aches and frustrations in anger to someone else? As a child, or a teenager, can you ever remember saying these words to your parents: “Aw, do I have to?” And the usual reply was: “Yes, you do!” Complaining didn’t get us very far as children, did it? And it usually causes more harm than good as adults!

This word James used may also have been intended to remind his audience of a situation in the Old Testament where grumbling and complaining affected a whole generation of people. In Numbers 14, when the twelve spies returned from spying out the land of Canaan, the people of Israel believed the negative report given by the 10 spies rather than the report given by Joshua and Caleb. Exodus 14:2 says, “And all the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron . . . ‘would that we had died in the land of Egypt , , , it’s better for us to return to Egypt.’ ” God’s punishment upon them affected a whole generation of the nation of Israel. God said in verse 31, “Your children, however, whom you said would become a prey – I will bring them in, and they shall know the land which you have rejected. But as for you, your corpses shall fall in this wilderness.” That was a high price to pay for their “grumbling”, and failure to believe in God’s power and promises. James might be implying, “That’s what God thinks of grumbling and complaining against Him. You may want to reconsider your attitudes and actions toward each other”.

Returning to James 5:9, what James has said in this verse may also fit in with his illustration of the farmer in verse 7. For the most part, farmers don’t tend to complain to each other and get into arguments with each other. They are too busy for that sort of thing! They have more important things to do! There is a harvest to prepare for, get underway, and finish! All over the world you will find agricultural cooperatives, also known as farmers’ co-ops, where farmers pool their resources (such as land, machinery, feed, seed, fertilizer, etc.) for the benefit of all. They know how to “cooperate” with each other!

James ends verse 9 by saying, “Behold, the Judge is standing right at the door”. The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 7:1 and 2, “Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by the standard you measure, it will be measured to you.” God is “standing right at the door” and He hears everything you say and sees everything you do.

II. PATIENCE EXEMPLIFIED (verses 10-11)

A. THE PROPHETS (vs. 10)

Here in verse 10, James says, “Take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.” Joseph, the son of Jacob, would be considered a prophet, and one of the great reminders of suffering and patience in the Old Testament is called “The 50:20 Principle” because it is found in Genesis chapter 50 and verse 20. Here Joseph says to his brothers, “And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” This was the attitude of the prophets both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. They were patient and content, knowing that God was sovereign and would use their sufferings and their deaths to bring glory to Himself and to accomplish His purposes.

Someone asked C.S. Lewis, “Why do the righteous suffer?” Why not?” He replied. “They are the only ones who can take it.”

The Scriptures don’t give very much specific mention of what each prophet patiently suffered. However, we do have general mention in several places. The last book of the Hebrew scriptures is II Chronicles. Chapter 36, verse 16 says, “but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets.”

The Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:11-12, “Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely on account of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Near the end of His life, when Jesus laments over the city of Jerusalem, He says, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!” (Matthew 23:37) The Lord Jesus patiently endured His own sufferings and death, as did Steven, the church’s first martyr, because it was God’s will, and they were looking forward to being in the presence of God. These words and images may have come to the minds of the recipients of his letter as he mentions the prophets as examples of patience. And, even though the book of Hebrews was probably written after this letter of James, his Hebrew-Christian readers and listeners were familiar with the sufferings of the prophets and others as described in Hebrews 11:37. “They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death by the sword . . . “

B. Job (verse 11)

Probably the best-known example of patience in the Old Testament is the patriarch Job. To correct any misunderstanding, Job was a real person, not a fictitious character. He lived in a real location, was married and the father of ten children, and was a prosperous businessman. Forty-two chapters describe the details of his life and sufferings. The prophet Ezekiel twice includes his name along with the names of Noah and Daniel (Ezek. 14:20,24).

It’s hard to imagine the grief and suffering Job experienced, and the sense of rejection by God and his friends. He loses all his possessions, all his children, and his health in a matter of moments. His wife tells him to curse God and die, his friends condemn him, and God is silent.

When James speaks of Job’s endurance, he’s not trying to sanctify Job and put him above the level of humanity. “Did not Job grumble about his circumstances, self-righteously proclaim his innocence, and generally question God’s way with him? . . . Yet there is still a sense in which the Job of the Old Testament can be seen as a great example of steadfastness. For although Job did complain bitterly about God’s treatment of him, he never abandoned his faith; in the midst of his incomprehension, he clug to God and continued to hope in him (Job 1:21; 2:10; 16:19-21; 19:25-27)” (Douglas Moo, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, JAMES), William Barclay says, “Job’s is no grovelling, passive, unquestioning submission. Job struggled and questioned, and sometimes even defied, but the flame of faith was never extinguished in his heart.”

The following poem from an unknown source beautifully and clearly depicts for the Christian, the relationship between suffering and the sovereignty of God:

My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me

I cannot choose the colors He worketh steadily

Oft times He weaveth sorrow and I in foolish pride

Forget He sees the upper and I the underside

Not til the loom is silent and the shuttle ceases to fly

Shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.

The prophets were willing to die for their faith, and counted it a privilege to suffer for God’s sake. Job was able to trust God and cling to God in the midst of all that he suffered. Can’t you and I, by the grace of God, accept our circumstances without complaining or holding a grudge? You know that the answer is “yes”, don’t you? And I believe that this is what James is trying to communicate to his brethren in Christ then and now.

May the grace of the Lord be with you, in all patience and long-suffering.

I don’t know if you remember these initials which were popular back in the 70’s: PBPGIFWMY (Please Be Patient, God Isn’t Finished With Me Yet). Those words are true for all of us, so be patient and “hang in there”!

BE PATIENT LIKE THE FARMER – JAMES 5:7-8

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Are you a patient person – both on the outside and on the inside? Do you mind standing in long lines? Are you unperturbed when listening to long commercials on your TV or radio, or long, automated ads on the telephone? Are you content when put on hold for an undetermined amount of time? If your honest answer is “yes”, you are, by far, an exception to the rule!

In 2006, a survey of more than 2000 adults revealed that most people take an average of 17 minutes to lose their patience when waiting in line. Also, most people lose their patience in only 9 minutes when on hold on the phone. Impatience is a common trait; wouldn’t you agree?

James has finished his verbal chastening of the selfish, unrighteous rich people, and is continuing where he left off in his address to the churches. We see the transition in verse 7, where James now calls his readers and listeners “brethren”. He is writing once again to his brothers and sisters in Christ.

I. THE EXHORTATION (vs. 7a)

He has been telling the wicked rich people what to do before they meet their Maker. Now he is telling his fellow believers what their attitude should be in their present circumstances in order to prepare to meet their Lord and Savior. He reiterates what he said in chapter 1, verse 12: “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial, for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” In this letter, James has brought to their minds many passages from the Old Testament, and I believe he is doing so again. One Old Testament passage of Scripture that closely parallels his words is Psalm 37. In verses 7-9 of Psalm 37, King David writes: “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret for him who prospers in his way, because of him who carries out wicked schemes.” Then David says in verse 9, “For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.” This exhortation is repeated several times in Psalm 37. I encourage you to read the whole psalm to get the full effect of what David is saying there under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

James also gives this encouragement in verse 7 in order to protect his readers and listeners from their own selfish plans and boastful attitudes (James 4:13-17). Some of them have been setting up their own timetable for what they want to accomplish for themselves, and have been boasting about it to others.

When James uses the words “until the coming of the Lord”, he may be reminding himself of the Lord Jesus’ words to him and the other disciples: “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3). That’s a wonderful promise for us to cling to as well, in these troublesome times! The early church believed that Christ could come at any moment, and that was a source of joy and encouragement in their trials. Twenty centuries have passed, but Christ could still come at any moment. Are you excited about that possibility? It could become a reality at any moment!

II. THE EXAMPLE (vs. 7b)

James says, “take a good look at the farmer as an example of patience (long-suffering)”. The farmer has a lot of work to do, and he also must wait for things to happen in his fields and orchards. Plants take time to grow and fruit takes time to ripen. As his readers and listeners know, in Deuteronomy 11:13-14, God made a promise to the nation of Israel before they crossed the Jordan River and entered the promised land. “And it shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, that He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain . . . “. In Israel, the early rain, or autumn rain, comes in October and November, after the ground has been prepared and the seed has been sown. This rain enables the seed to germinate, produce sprouts, and grow to almost full height. The late rain, or spring rain, comes in March or April, when the buds have formed, and enables the grain to mature for the harvest. It’s important that the farmer follows this timetable set forth by God if he wants an abundant harvest. There is a time of patiently waiting for the autumn rain to arrive, for the spring rain to arrive, and for the harvesting to begin, but the farmer is kept busy preparing and repairing the equipment and the barns, and getting the laborers ready for the coming harvest. The time goes by quickly because the farmer is committed to his tasks and excited about the harvest to come.

III. THE EXHORTATION (verse 7b)

James encourages his readers and listeners to have the same attitude of perseverance and expectancy as the farmer that he has just described. There are, and have been, times in our lives that have tested our patience and posed a threat to our devotion to God and service for Him. There have also been times when we have wanted to get things done in a hurry just to get them over with! 19th-century preacher A.B. Simpson offers this advice: “Beloved, have you ever thought that someday you will not have anything to try you, or anyone to vex you again? There will be no opportunity in heaven to learn or to show the spirit of patience, forbearance, and longsuffering. If you are to practice these things, it must be now.” Each day offers countless opportunities to learn patience. Let’s not waste them.

A PERSPECTIVE FROM ABOVE

I’m going to carry this illustration of the farmer a step further because both the Old and New Testaments do so. It is a clear, powerful, and exciting realization and motivation for us today. I have already shared scriptures concerning the early and late rains as found in the old testament. But there is another image that James may be trying to convey, and this image may be coming to the minds of his readers and listeners. It is the image of God as the patient Farmer, the Cultivator, the Planter, the Nurturer, the Pruner, and the Harvester in the lives of His people.

King David says to God is Psalm 65:9-10: “Thou dost visit the earth and cause it to overflow; Thou dost greatly enrich it. The stream of God is full of water. Thou dost prepare their grain, for thus Thou dost prepare the earth. Thou dost water its furrows abundantly; Thou dost settle its ridges. Thou dost soften it with showers; Thou dost bless its growth.” He describes God as doing the whole work of the farmer.

Psalm 121 gets more personal. “Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is the shade at your right hand. The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from every evil. He will keep your soul.” As the farmer takes good care of his land and crops, so the Lord takes constant care of His people.

A song that I sing to myself almost every day is the hymn, “God Will Take Care Of You”. Now I’m beginning to realize why this song is so special to me. The words. “God will take care of you” are repeated over and over again with different melodies. Singing the song brings a smile to my face and an assurance that those words are really true. It reminds me that when I was a little child, my mother used a similar method to calm me down and help take away the fear or the pain I was experiencing. She would hold me close, rock me in her arms, and say, “It’s OK, Tommy . . . It’s alright . . . I love you . . . You’re going to be alright . . . It’s gonna go away . . . You’re going to be OK.” Does that bring back memories? Those repeated words brought comfort to me, and helped take my mind off the problem. In a similar way, God tells us over and over again in the Scriptures that He loves us and will take care of us.

Isaiah 30:18 reflects the patience of a farmer. “Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you. And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.” “For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His delightful plant.” If God is waiting, that means He is also watching, and with joyful anticipation!

The Lord Jesus echoed the words in the psalms and prophets when He said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. . . . by this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples” (John 15:5,8).

We believers in the Lord Jesus are God’s vineyard, God’s field. We are the fertile ground that God has prepared. He has planted the seed of His Word in us, watered it, and caused it to germinate and grow. He has provided for everything, filled us with His Spirit, and taken care of everything in our lives. Now He is waiting patiently for you and me to cooperate with Him so that we might bear much fruit before He comes again. The seed is in that fruit to bear more fruit. God wants us to depend upon His enabling, follow His example of working and waiting on Him, and so prove to be His disciples. You are equal to the task because He is the “Lord of the Harvest”, and He has called you to be His laborers. The coming of the Lord is very soon!

“For you are God’s fellow-workers: you are God’s field” (I Corinthians 3:9). May you experience the Lord’s care for you, and may your lives bear much fruit for the Lord!

I’m moving on to a new construction site: James 5:9-11. Hope to see you there once construction begins! This work-in-progress must go on until He comes! Or until I go to Him – whichever comes first! May the Lord of the Harvest bear fruit in your life today as you abide in Him! (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control).

THE RICH CAN BE ROTTEN – James 5:1-6

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INTRODUCTION:

As James writes this letter, it seems as though he has a stack of issues and complaints that have been brought to him for consideration and response. Now he comes to an issue that is “written in bold letters and highlighted in red”! He uses some fiery language here in his response to the rich people among his readers and listeners. If you are a wealthy person yourself, don’t take these words of his personally until you understand the context! James is disappointed in them and he disapproves of their actions. He is not condemning wealth, but he is condemning some of the ways that they have gained that wealth, and the ways they have misused it.

In order to understand what is going on, and why it is so wrong, we will have to leave our twenty-first-century technology and see things through the minds of his first-century readers. As we will soon see, technology has changed, but people haven’t!

It’s interesting to note that some Bible commentators skip this passage of Scripture, and some others just make a quick note of it and press on. The passage doesn’t seem to fit well into the context of what James has said before it and after it. Let’s proceed and see if we can make any sense out of it!

I. WASTING THEIR WEALTH (verses 1-3)

In verse one of chapter 5, he addresses the “rich”. These are the “filthy rich” – they have so many possessions that they can’t possibly use them all. They had gained those riches unjustly and were using them selfishly. James tells them to “weep”, “wail” (scream), now, in an attitude of true repentance before they are taken out of this world and will be weeping and wailing for eternity in Hell. These rich people to whom James is making his appeal are not Christians. Their actions in disobedience to God’s Word make their spiritual condition obvious. That’s why the suffering and judgment he is referring to is eternal. So I do not believe that James is condemning them. He is condemning their actions and warning them of the eternal consequences. The word translated “wail” or “howl” in verse one is the Greek word “ololuzontes”. The word is called an onomatopoeia – a word that sounds like its meaning. Try saying the word “ololuzontes” outloud yourself a couple of times. Say it loud enough for a congregation of people to hear it clearly. If somebody hears you, you may get the response, “What are you whining about?” This is the only time that this particular word is used in the New Testament. I believe James chose this word intentionally under the inspiration of God. He wanted any “filthy rich” person who might be in the congregation, on the Sunday that his letter was read aloud, to hear what it would sound like if he didn’t let the Lord Jesus Christ have control of his life and his wealth.

In verse 2, James says to the rich, “your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.” In this country, we measure wealth by dollars and cents, and by holdings that can be converted into dollars and cents. Here, James is speaking of riches in grain and clothing. For the poor in those times, food was a matter of life and death. The prophet Micah said that the withholding of food from the poor was the equivalent of cannibalism (Micah 3:2-3). For the poor, clothing was also a basic necessity. However, for the rich, it was a way of showing off their wealth. Some of the rich had so many garments that many of them were never worn and became “food for the moths”. I guess they didn’t have mothballs or use cedar chests back in those days! The sad thing was that these rich people didn’t care! They would rather have their food and clothing go bad than contribute to the needs of the poor! They turned down the joy and blessing that they would have received from their generosity. No wonder their lives were so empty and miserable!

You may have heard this illustration, but it may be useful to hear it again. One day a certain old, rich man of a miserable disposition visited a rabbi, who took the rich man by the hand and led him to a window. “Look out there. What do you see?”, asked the rabbi. “I see men, women, and children”, answered the rich man. Again the rabbi took him by the hand and this time led him to a mirror. “Now what do you see?” “Now I see myself”, the rich man replied. Then the rabbi said, “Behold, in the window there is glass, and in the mirror there is glass. But the glass of the mirror is covered with a little silver, and no sooner is the silver added, than you cease to see others, but you see only yourself.” The Lord Jesus called this phenomenon “the deceitfulness of riches” (Mark 4:19)

Citicorp Bank ran a series of billboards about money. One said: “Money changes hands – just don’t let it change the rest of you! (DB August 2010)

Verse 3 reflects the words of Jesus in His Semon on the Mount:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

In verse 3, James says to his readers: “Your gold and 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.” The word translated “rusted” here, means “to rust down” or “to corrode”. Gold and silver, wealth that we may consider to be indestructible, is going to be destroyed, and those who trust in them will be destroyed also. Like rust or corrosion, your lust for riches will eat away at your souls!

I believe that James is not only giving them a graphic description of their riches, but he is also making an urgent plea to them. “Take a good look at your possessions! Observe the rotting grain in your storehouses; make note of the moth holes on the clothes in your closets; observe the rust or corrosion on your gold and silver! It’s all plain to see! They are a witness before your eyes, and they are a witness against you before the eyes of God also! Take heed and repent of your selfishness and greed, and give the Lord Jesus Christ His rightful place as Ruler of your lives before it’s too late! You can’t take it with you beyond the grave, but you will suffer for it throughout eternity because God is your witness, and it has all been written down!

“And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. . . . And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:12,15)

ii. DEPRIVING LABORERS OF HARD-EARNED WAGES (verse 4)

In verse 4, James gives further proof of their selfishness, this time in their dealings with the laborers who worked in their grain fields. These were called “day laborers”. They received their pay at the end of each day, and their pay was barely enough to meet their basic needs. The wealthy landlords had the money to pay them. Yet they knowingly and willfully disobeyed God’s Law, which says, “You shall not oppress the hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your countrymen or one of your aliens who is in your land in your towns.” (Deuteronomy 24:14-15 NASB)

This next passage of Scripture is even more specific about paying the laborers: “The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning.” (Leviticus 19:13 NASB). In other words, they were to pay their laborers when the day’s work was done, and before those laborers went home for the day.

Have you ever been a “day laborer” – harvesting a crop? If so, I’ll bet you have some stories to tell! My brother and I got a taste of it, and it wasn’t a pleasant experience! We were looking for work and saw a newspaper ad saying, “Grape-pickers wanted”. We arrived at the address at daybreak and saw an old bus pulling out and a large group of men standing around. While we were walking over to them, another old bus arrived, full of men. These were migrant farm-workers, brought in from tenement houses nearby, and the only one who spoke English was the foreman! Large buckets were handed out and the work began! These were wine grapes on high trellises, and there were miles of them . . . the dust, the heat, the flies, bees, wasps, and, worst of all, the spider webs and spiders! At lunch-break, my brother said “I’ve had enough!”, and I was quick to agree. We talked to the foreman and he told us what time to return at the end of the day and pick up our pay. We could afford to do that, but all those migrant workers needed the money to survive and feed their families. They were paid by the bucket, not by the hour, so they had to work hard and fast to fill as many bucket-fulls of grapes as possible by the end of the day. It was no “picnic”, believe me! If you’ve ever read John Steinbeck’s book, “The Grapes of Wrath”, you would have an image of what it must have been like to be a “day laborer” moving from field to field during harvest season.

Here in verse 4, in order to get the grain harvested and put away, the laborers had to work from dawn til dusk. The rich land-owners promised to pay their laborers a certain amount at the end of the day. The tense of the verb “withheld” indicates that those laborers would probably never get their hard-earned wages. There is a clear application for each of us in this verse. We ought to pay our bills, and pay them on time!

James has more to say to these wealthy Jewish land-owners. They think that they are going to get away with this unfairness, but James warns them that their day is going to come. He uses a very familiar passage in the book of Genesis to get his point across to them. When James says, “the pay . . . which has been withheld by you, cries out against you”, he is reminding them of God’s words to Cain after he had killed his brother Abel and then buried his body. He must have thought that he had committed the “perfect crime”. But God said to Cain: “Where’s Abel your brother? . . . What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to Me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:9-10) Then God pronounced a curse on Cain.

James ends verse 4 by saying, “the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the Lord of Sabaoth.” God is watching, and God is listening to the prayers of these laborers. The phrase “Lord of Sabaoth” or “Lord of Hosts” pictures God as powerful, invincible, and the Leader of a great army. Ladies and gentlemen, there are no “perfect crimes”, at least not in God’s sight, and He will bring judgment in His time!

III. THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES, AND YOU KNOW IT! (verse 5)

As James brings this rebuke and warning to the unrighteous rich people to a close in verses 5 and 6, I detect a note of sadness and sorrow in his words. Do you? These wealthy land-owners know how to over-feed their chickens in order to get more breast meat. They know how to feed their cattle with the best grains, as much as they will eat, in order to get more steaks. They are “preparing those animals for slaughter”! James is saying, “Can’t you see that you are doing to yourselves the same thing that you are doing to your livestock?”

James wants them to take a good look at themselves. They are living a life of luxury, satisfying their own desires and lusts. They fit Ezekiel’s description of the city of Sodom in Ezekiel 16:49. “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food, and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy.”

IV. YOUR ONLY HOPE (verse 6)

In verse 6 James brings his rebuke and warning to these wealthy, selfish, unbelieving Jews to a conclusion. Throughout his epistle, the apostle James has phrased his words in such a way as to bring to mind Old Testament passages of Scripture that would be familiar to his readers and listeners. Remember that these rich Jews had also been taught the Scriptures by their parents when they were little children. They faithfully attended the synagogues with their families, hearing the Scriptures being taught by the rabbis and other teachers of the Law. Many of these sons of the wealthy may also have attended rabbinical schools for further training. Their parents wanted them to have the best education available at that time.

I can imagine that there were many rich Jews of all ages who hated the Lord Jesus Christ because He spoke many times publicly against the misuse of riches (eg. Mt. 19; Luke 6, 16). His parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus must have set the hearts of many wealthy Jews against him. It makes me wonder whether some of his rich listeners were also among those in Pilate’s courtyard yelling “Crucify, crucify Him” (Luke 23:21). Here is the literal translation of James 5:6 from the Greek: “You condemned, you murdered the righteous man. He does not resist you.” These words immediately bring to my mind the words of the prophet Isaiah: “Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, he did not open his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7). These wealthy Jews knew this passage of Scripture. They heard it at home, in the synagogue, and at the temple worship services, and they had studied it in school. They also knew the last words of that chapter, which reads, “Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.” I believe that many, if not all, of these selfish, wealthy Jews were standing at a distance, watching the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. They wouldn’t want to miss this event! If so, they probably heard, or were told about, this prayer that Jesus uttered on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

We don’t know for sure if this was James’ intent when he wrote the words of verse 6, but we do know that God always forgives those who truly repent of their sins, recognize that those sins were paid for by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, and let Him reign as Lord of their lives. Whether rich, poor, or in-between, that is what brings meaning, purpose, and joy to one’s life. Can you attest to the truth of those words in your own life? I sincerely hope so!

CONSTRUCTION SITE: COMPLETED

It’s time to begin a new construction project at “the vacant lot next door”!

ARE YOU LEAVING GOD OUT? James 4:13-17

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James began his letter by talking about the present situation of his readers and reflecting on their past. Now he begins to look at the future. He begins verse 13 with the words “come now”. I think he’s trying to regain their attention. This is a long letter, and as it’s being read aloud at the various congregations, some of his readers are becoming distracted or falling asleep! It’s time for a “wake-up call” So James says “come now”. We might say, “Come on! You’re doing it again! Come on! Think about what you are doing, and what you are saying to each other!” A popular saying, when I was a child, was: “Get your head screwed on straight!” Nowadays you hear the phrase: “Get your act together!” His readers had been setting themselves up in the place of God by judging others. Now they are doing the same thing again by leaving God out of their plans.

In today’s terms, James is saying that they are telling each other: “I know exactly where I am going, what I’m going to do, how long it is going to take, and how much money I am going to make in the process! James’ response is “come now”, where does God fit into all of this? It reminds me of the poem “Invictus”, written by William Earnest Henley. The closing lines of his poem are written below:

“It matters not how straight the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.”

The poet writes about a person whose life is miserable, but who finds some contentment in the fact that he is in charge. No one is telling him what to do!

Are you leaving God out? Do you sometimes leave God out of your life? Do you prefer to control your own destiny, and do you try to impress others by your ability to do so? Maybe you’ve been doing so today? Maybe you didn’t even realize it until now? If you don’t do something about it today, it becomes easier to leave Him out tomorrow, doesn’t it? What are you saying to God when you make plans without consulting Him?

James isn’t condemning planning. But he is saying, “As you plan, don’t leave out the Master Planner!” “He has plans for you also!” Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (NKJV) Like actors and actresses on a stage, we may think that we can play our roles any way we want, but we are of no heavenly good if we don’t obey the instructions of our “Heavenly Director”! He’s the one in charge of the operation and He knows how to get the job done right!

In verse 14 James asks them a question and then gives them the answer, recalling to their minds passages of Scripture from the Wisdom Literature (Job thru Song of Solomon). He asks “What is your life?” Immediately He answers, “It is a vapor (mist, puff of smoke), that appears for a short time and then vanishes.”

Job says, “my life is but a breath” (7:7); “my days are swifter than a runner” ( 9:15). He also uses such images as a flower, a shadow, and a worm to convey the shortness of life. Psalm 39 also says that life is a breath, and Psalm 73 speaks of life as “a dream that vanishes when we awake.” Proverbs 27:1 says, “Don’t boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” Conclusion: Life is brief, and life is uncertain. Can you relate to that? The older you get, the more you will relate to it!

If you are a “Trekkie” [a Star Trek fan], you may remember what happened when the phaser gun’s setting was on “vaporization”. It was an excellent visual aid for depicting a vapor!

I don’t think that this generation has as clear a concept of the passing of time as my generation and the generation before mine. My grandfather had a beautiful pocket-watch, and when we came over for a visit, my two brothers and I would take turns sitting on his lap, and he would put his watch against our ears so that we could hear it ticking. I enjoyed listening to the ticking sound of my first watch whenever I held my left wrist up to my ear. This action on my part caused me to think for a moment about the passing of time: tick . . . tick . . . tick! We now live in a digital age and don’t hear the ticking sound very often anymore. Nevertheless, time is “ticking away”, one second at a time, whether we can hear it or not!

While I was in college, I attended a Navigator conference and Leroy Eims was the main speaker. One of his messages was entitled “Investing Your Life”, and this verse, James 4:14, was the primary focus of his message. After describing what a vapor was, and how long it lasted, he told us that there are only two things in this life that will last forever: God’s Word and people. His challenge was: “What are you going to do with your vapor? Are you going to invest it in the things that will last forever or are you going to let them go to waste? Everything else is going to be burned up! Don’t wait another moment to commit yourself to God and ask Him to change your attitude, so that the things that matter the most to you are the things that matter the most to Him!”

In verse 15, James corrects their boastful words in verse 13 by telling them what they should be saying. James says, “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that” (NASB). What he is saying to them is not a new revelation. King David said in Psalm 40:8, “I delight to do Thy will. Thy Law is in my heart.” David also said in Psalm 43:10, “Teach me, O Lord, to do Thy will, for Thou art my God.”

Even clearer and more compelling are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. In John 4:14, when food was set before Him and He was encouraged to eat, the Lord Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to accomplish His work” (John 4:34). When He taught His disciples to pray, He told them to pray according to the Father’s will, not their own: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done“ (Matthew 6:10). In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus said, “Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from me; yet not my will but Thine be done.” (Luke 22:42).

In the writings of John, Paul, Peter, Luke, and the letter to the Hebrews, we find the words, “if the Lord wills“, “if the Lord permits”, or something equivalent to that. May those words be a part of our plans and our conversations as well, and may those words be a true expression of our hearts.

With this instruction in mind, James gives them a stern warning: “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Do all of his readers know the right thing to do? Do they know what he is talking about? They certainly do! They were taught the commandments from childhood, especially the two great commandments given in Deuteronomy 6 and Leviticus 19. “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). The verses that follow say: “These words . . . shall be on your heart . . . teach them diligently to your sons . . . talk of them . . . bind them as a sign on your hand , , , frontals on your forehead . . . write them on the doorposts . . . and on your gates.” And Leviticus 19:18 says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” So James is saying, in effect, “Therefore, since you know what is right to do, you sin every time you fail to do it!” Planning is important, but life is lived from moment-to-moment, and from situation to situation. God has called us and empowered us to love Him and others each step of the way and every moment of the day. The following saying helps to get the point across: “All that’s needed for evil to triumph is for Christians to do nothing.” I can still remember my father’s words to me: “Don’t just sit there; do something!”

May the Lord continue to unfold His plans for you, and direct your steps today! May your thoughts, words, and actions become more closely aligned with the will of the Father as your love for Him grows deeper.

TRUE WISDOM IS WITHOUT HYPOCRISY – James 3:17 (continued)

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I’ve spent a lot of time studying and pondering this next attribute of heavenly wisdom. It has been a very eye-opening and convicting study for me. I hope and pray it will have the same effect on you also as you read and consider it. The apostle James, here in verse 17, states that wisdom from above is “without hypocrisy”. In order to understand this description, we must first have a clear concept of what a hypocrite is.

“Hypocrite” is a Greek word that literally means “under a mask”. It was used in the Greek culture to describe an actor on a stage. In the ancient theaters, each actor played several parts. To change identities he would simply wear a different mask. This was the word that Jesus used to describe the Jewish leaders. Over and over again in the Gospels, especially Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus called them hypocrites. No sin was so sternly denounced by Jesus as that of hypocrisy. In Matthew 23 Jesus called them “blind guides”, “whitewashed tombs”, and “vipers”. He used the strongest possible language of condemnation.

William Barclay asked the question: “What were the things which incurred the anger of Jesus?” The first thing he mentions is: “Jesus was angry with anyone who was a hypocrite.” The following are some further excerpts from William Barclay’s comments. “A hypocrite is a man who says one thing with his lips and quite another in his heart. . . . The man who is one thing to your face and quite another behind your back, the man who is ostensibly pious on Sunday and completely worldly on Monday, the man who professes a religion of love and of service, and who lives a life of bitterness and selfishness – that is the man who incurred the anger of Jesus” (Day by Day with William Barclay).

Let’s not forget that the first hypocrite described in the Bible was Satan. He disguised himself as a serpent when he tempted Adam and Eve to disobey God. When we act like a hypocrite we are acting like him, following his example. II Corinthians 11:14 says that he “disguises himself as an angel of light” when he’s really the prince of darkness.

Do we sometimes put on a performance in order to win the applause or approval of others? Most of us like to “look good”, don’t we? We like to look good on the outside, and we like to give the impression that we “look good” on the inside. A seminary professor once saw a bumper sticker that read, “Jesus is coming! Look Busy!” He later warned his students about the dangers of “faking it” – pretending to be something we are not.

One way Christians wear a mask is by not sharing their weaknesses, thereby giving the impression that they don’t have any weaknesses. A close look at their lives will soon show that to be untrue. And even if people don’t see it, God sees it. We can’t fool Him!

We sometimes give in to the temptation that we have it all together, don’t we? But a person with wisdom from above recognizes that he has imperfections, struggles, fears, and temptations, and is honest before God and before others. Such people are sincere, transparent, authentic, genuine, open, and reliable. As the saying goes, “What you see is what you get.” There are no “unpleasant surprises”. They can be trusted because they are not motivated by pride but by obedience to God and love for others. They are more concerned about pleasing God than impressing people.

Are you happy with the way you look on the outside? What about the inside? Jesus makes it very clear in Matthew 6:16, “Don’t be like the hypocrites”!

Dr. M.R. DeHaan of the Radio Bible Class Ministries says: “The biggest hypocrite of all, however, is the man or woman who refuses to come to Christ because there are so many hypocrites in the church. Such a person is being inconsistent. Business is full of hypocrites, but that does not stop him from doing business. Society is full of them, but he does not decide to become a hermit. Hell is full of hypocrites, so if a person doesn’t like hypocrites he had better make sure he’s not going there.” There’s no bigger hypocrite than the person who pretends that he doesn’t need Jesus.

Our lives are on display, like the ads in the newspaper. Who is being advertised in your life? Is the Lord Jesus Christ being advertised on the front page and on every other page of your life? Jesus wants “top billing”, not “honorable mention”.

The Coca-cola company used the following slogan in a song about the quality of their product: “What the world wants today is the real thing.” I hope that’s true of our world today – that more and more people are seeking the real thing. If so, let’s be the “real thing” ourselves, not cheap imitations. Let’s reflect upon the character and the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ and let Him shine through us to our world today. That’s what the Spirit of God will do in and through us if we’ll get out of His way and allow Him to take control. Are you ready and willing?

TRUE WISDOM IS FULL OF MERCY AND GOOD FRUITS – James 3:17 (Continued)

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Reporters and city officials gathered at a Chicago railroad station one afternoon in 1953. The person they were meeting was the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize winner. A few minutes after the train came to a stop, a giant of a man, six feet four inches tall, with bushy hair and a large mustache stepped from the train. Cameras flashed. City officials approached him with hands outstretched. Various ones began telling him how honored they were to meet him.

The man politely thanked them and then, looking over their heads, he asked if he could be excused for a moment. He quickly walked through the crowd until he reached the side of an elderly black woman who was struggling with two large suitcases. He picked up the bags and with a smile, escorted the woman to a bus. After helping her aboard, he wished her a safe journey. Returning to the greeting party he apologized, “Sorry to have kept you waiting.”

The man was Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the famous missionary doctor who had spent his life helping the poor in Africa. In response to Schweitzer’s action, one member of the reception committee said with great admiration to the reporter standing next to him, “That’s the first time I ever saw a sermon walking.”

That was an act of mercy. Dr Schweitzer saw a need. He had compassion, and he met the need. The title of this story was: “Forget yourself for others and others will not forget you! The Scripture reference was Matthew 7:12 where Jesus said, “Therefore, however you want others to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Story taken from “God’s Little Devotional Book”)

By contrast, worldly wisdom tends to be self-centered and ego-centered, envying people above them, and treating people beneath them with harshness and disdain. Having worked in a large company for several years, I noted that some people in positions higher than mine would not talk to me, respond to a greeting, or even look at me.. They treated me as if I didn’t exist. The Lord Jesus directed His attention to this kind of behavior in one of His parables.

The parable of the Good Samaritan, in Luke 10:30-37, is one of the most well-known of Jesus’ parables. In it, the priest and levite see the injured man at a distance and cross over to the other side of the road as they pass him. Rather than taking responsibility and showing mercy for a fellow-Jew, they cross over to the other side of the road and treat the person as if he didn’t exist. However, the Samaritan, who was hated by the Jews, felt compassion and made sure that the man was taken care of at his own expense. He had nothing to gain from this other than the satisfaction that he was pleasing God. That was truly an act of mercy on his part.

The apostle James, here in verse 17, describes this fifth evidence of wisdom from above. It is “full of mercy and good fruits” or “controlled by mercy and good fruits”. This word “mercy” is found 78 times in the New Testament Scriptures, and many of those occurrences are associated with the miracles of Jesus Christ. Mercy and good fruits are linked together here. Mercy, or compassion, is an attitude and motivation that is evidenced by “good fruits” or the outward acts of mercy. James expressed that concept earlier, in chapter 2, verses 14-17, when he said, “What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works. Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? James is saying that genuine faith is evidenced by genuine works, and he is also saying that genuine wisdom is evidenced by outward acts of mercy.

We find in Scripture that mercy is closely associated with several other character qualities and behaviors. For example, mercy and love are often found together. Ephesians 2:4 says, “But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love, which He had for us.” Mercy and forgiveness belong together also. Daniel 9:9 says, “To the Lord belong compassion and forgiveness.”

In his book, Beneath the Cross of Jesus, A. Leonard Griffith tells the story of a young Korean exchange student, a leader in Christian circles at the University of Pennsylvania, who left his apartment on the evening of April 25, 1958, to mail a letter to his parents. As he turned from the mailbox, he was met by eleven leather-jacketed teenage boys. Without a word, they beat him with a blackjack, a lead pipe, and their shoes and fists – and left him lying dead in the gutter.

All Philadelphia cried out for vengeance. The district attorney planned to seek the death penalty for the arrested youths. And then, this letter arrived, signed by the boy’s parents and twenty other relatives in Korea: “Our family has met together and we have decided to petition that the most generous treatment possible within the laws of your government be given to those who have committed this criminal action. . . . In order to give evidence of our sincere hope contained in this petition, we have decided to save money to start a fund to be used for the religious, educational, vocational, and social guidance of the boys when they are released. . . . We have dared to express our hope with a spirit received from the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ who died for our sins.”

What a testimony of mercy, finding expression in forgiveness! A hymn comes to mind that is a reminder and encouragement to be a vessel of mercy to others. Here is the last stanza and chorus:

Give as ’twas given to you in your need, Love as the Master loved you;

Be to the helpless a helper indeed, Unto your mission be true.

Make me a blessing, Make me a blessing,

Out of my life may Jesus shine;

Make me a blessing, Make me a blessing,

Make me a blessing to someone today.

TRUE WISDOM IS REASONABLE – James 3:17 (Continued)

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Would you consider yourself to be a “reasonable person”? We use phrases like: “let’s be reasonable about it” and “that sounds reasonable” to describe a particular frame of mind and approach to problems or decisions. We generally use the word “reasonable” to mean sensible, fair, open to other opinions or viewpoints. It is a quality that is admired in others and is, hopefully, an attitude that we try to maintain in our own lives.

The Greek word that the apostle James uses here is used nowhere else in the New Testament. This is the only time it is used in the Scriptures. There must be some significance to that fact, wouldn’t you think? The Greek word is “eupeithes”, and it has a deeper meaning to it. It means “easily persuaded” or “persuaded in a good way”, in contrast to the stubborn and obstinate people who insist on having their own way. It also means a willingness to obey God, to pursue the teachings of the Scriptures, and to follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ.

A reasonable person is willing to give way on minor and unimportant issues. As the old saying goes: “Don’t sweat the small stuff; keep the big picture in mind.” Such a person takes the first step to resolve potential issues before they become issues. He gives preference to the other person before envy and strife can even become an issue.

One who possesses this wisdom from above is considerate, agreeable, and easy to live with. He is willing and ready to listen to the views of others, to hear both sides of the story, and to change his viewpoint if he is proved to be wrong. He seeks the good of others over his own good.

Abraham (or Abram) in the Old Testament is a good example of one who acted reasonably. In Genesis 13 Abram settles a property dispute with his nephew Lot. Abram suggests a compromise and gives the preference to Lot. That’s being reasonable!

Another example comes from American history, involving a man by the same name. President Abraham Lincoln, after the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War, knew that General Robert E. Lee was open to attack from the rear as he was retreating to Virginia. He sent word to General George Meade, the newly appointed commander of the Potomac, to attack. Aware that the General was under heavy pressure to succeed, Lincoln also enclosed this personal note: “The order I enclose is not on record. You need not publish it. Then, if you succeed, you will have all the credit of the movement. If not, I’ll take the responsibility.”

May we have the kind of unselfish concern for others that was displayed by these two Abraham’s. May we be reminded of the ultimate example of unselfishness: the Lord Jesus Christ, who left His throne in heaven to become a human being so that He might understand our weaknesses, and so that He might pay the price for our sins in our place. When issues and decisions face us in our daily lives, “let’s be reasonable about it” in a Scriptural way. Does that sound reasonable to you?

TRUE WISDOM IS PEACEABLE – James 3:17

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“Peaceable” is not a word that’s used much in our vocabulary. I don’t use it, other than the phrase, “Let’s get peaceable about it!” Some other translations use the words “peace-loving”. The Greek word “eirenike” is only used here and in Hebrews 11:12 in the New Testament. The word means “composed”, and “tranquil”, and speaks of one who is at peace with God and seeks to be at peace with others. We can’t be at peace with God and at peace with others unless we have a pure heart. No wonder James says that wisdom is “first pure”.

The apostle Paul says in Romans 12:18, “If possible, on your part, be at peace with all men.” In Romans 14:19 he says, “So then, we must pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.” When you were growing up, did you ever get into an argument with your siblings, or with other children at church, at school, or in the neighborhood? Sure you did! And do you still remember the famous words, “he started it” or “she started it”? Is your mind a little foggy right now? Mine is! It’s interesting to note the things we remember from our childhood and the things we forget!

Can you remember your father or mother stopping a quarrel between siblings and saying, “We’re family!” “That’s your brother, (or sister, or cousin).” I want you to apologize to one another and say you’re sorry.” There would be tearful apologies and hugs, and things would be better for a while. It wouldn’t get so far out of hand again because as you looked at each other, those words would come back to your mind: “You’re family”.

Fighting is not something we naturally outgrow when we become adults, is it? As adults and as Christians, we probably don’t punch, kick, shove, bite, or pull hair anymore, but we still have our own arenas and tactics. Dr. M.R. DeHaan of the Radio Bible Class ministries wrote a devotional on this subject in Our Daily Bread. The following is part of what he shared. “How many times has it happened? You walk away from an argument on the subject of holiness, realizing that you’ve been sinning like crazy. As you think back, you wonder what it must have looked like to God. Remember the way it started? You were sitting around the coffee pot with your Christian friends. The discussion moved from cars to churches, to the sovereignty of God. You love a good lively challenge, so when your doctrinal sparring partner let down his guard or punched a little too hard, you jumped in for the friendly kill. For some reason, the Scripture you used to support your argument just bounced off his head. A few more verses were tossed back from his direction. You claimed they were thrown so badly you didn’t even feel their impact. Then you began to get a little uneasy. It soon became apparent that you were no longer testing ideas. The friendly difference of opinion had turned into a struggle that was now being waged with voice tones, inflections, and gestures.” He concludes by saying, “When will we learn that knowledge must be accompanied by wisdom? When will we stop using the doctrines of God as ammunition for our own egos? When will we allow His Word to make us pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated?”

On a positive note, Proverbs 17:27 says, in the New American Standard Bible, “He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.” I like the word “cool” there. It brings these words to my mind: “refreshing”, “soothing”, “pleasant”, “a welcome relief”. Are there people you like to be around because they make you feel at ease? They are interested in you and like to listen to you and interact with you. They accept you the way you are and aren’t trying to impress you? Do you walk away from the conversation refreshed and renewed? I hope you have people like that in your life. I also hope that you are that kind of a person yourself, or you are taking steps to become more of a source of refreshment and encouragement to others. The Lord Jesus called those “blessed” (happy, joyful) who are peacemakers (Matthew 5:9).

My next message is about the word “gentle” in verse 17. “Be cool!” Please come again soon!

EARTHLY WISDOM – James 3:15-16

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In my previous study on verse 14, James gave a warning to his readers at that time, and the warning applies to us today: “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.”

In verse 15, James gives a name to the kind of wisdom he has just described. He calls it “earthly wisdom”. This kind of wisdom does not “come down from above”. In other words, God does not give this kind of wisdom. James also uses two more words to describe this wisdom, and with each word the description seems to become worse and worse. Not only is it “earthly” wisdom (wisdom that does not come from God), but it is also “natural” wisdom. The Greek word suggests that this wisdom has to do with the body and the soul or emotions, but not with the spirit. So this wisdom James speaks of is not only not from God, it has nothing to do with God. When you think it can’t get any worse than that, it does. James goes on to say that this wisdom is demonic. Satan and his demons evidenced this kind of wisdom when they became filled with envy and rebelled against God. Therefore a person with this kind of wisdom is easily influenced by Satan.

Earthly wisdom is an end in itself. People strive for it so that they might boast about it, and so that others might tell them how wise or smart they are, and pass the word on to still others. On the other hand, godly wisdom is not an end in itself but a means to an end. King Solomon in the Old Testament is considered to be one of the wisest men who ever lived. Let’s take a look at how Solomon received that wisdom, and why he received such wisdom from God. In I Kings 3 we read that King Solomon loved the Lord and walked in obedience to Him. And while Solomon was at Gibeon, after he had offered sacrifices there on the altar, the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him to ask for whatever he wanted. That’s quite an offer! In verses seven and eight of I Kings 3 Solomon says, “And now, O Lord my God, Thou hast made Thy servant King in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out and come in. And Thy servant is in the midst of a people which Thou hast chosen, a great people who cannot be numbered or counted for multitude. So give Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Thine.” God answered Solomon’s request and gave him far more than he asked for.

In contrast, we see in the Scriptures what human wisdom has acccomplished. It began with Adam and Eve’s removal from the Garden of Eden and the affects of their sin upon our world. Earthly wisdom has also resulted in wars, discrimination, poverty, and pollution of our environment to name a few. In our churches human wisdom has led to church fights, church splits, and churches closing their doors, among other issues.

In verse 16 James sums up the effects of earthly wisdom. He says, “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.” When Christians act in this way it also leaves a bad impression on others. As one Christian put it: “Self is spiritual BO!”

A prime example of jealousy and selfish ambition in the Bible is found in the OId Testament book of Esther. Haman the Agagite, in Esther, chapter 7, constructs a gallows on which he intends to hang Mordecai the Jew in order to satisfy his own selfish desires and demonstrate his power. However, his plan backfires! Queen Esther learns of his plot and intervenes. As a result, the king orders that Haman be hanged on the gallows he had built for Mordecai the Jew. Not only that but all of Haman’s ten sons are killed also. That’s a very high price to pay for his selfish motives and actions!

As in the case of Haman, pride and selfishness can have harmful or tragic side effects on innocent people. Let me give you another case in point. Other examples may come to your mind.

In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea, causing a tragic loss of life. The news of the disaster was further darkened, however, when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident, which hurled hundreds of passengers into the icy waters. The tragedy was not traced to some major problem like a breakdown in radar or thick fog. The blame was attributed to human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship’s presence. Both could have taken evasive action to avert the collision. But according to news reports, neither wanted to give way to the other. It seems that each was too proud to yield and make the first move. By the time they saw the error of their ways, it was too late.

There’s been a lot of talk about pride, envy, and boasting in this sermon so far. How about you? Does life seem unfair sometimes? Are others better off than yourself? Do others seem to get all the “lucky breaks” in life? Do others seem to get away with things that aren’t right? Are you tired of listening to all the boasting that’s being done by others? We’ve all had those thoughts and feelings before, haven’t we? I have! Even the psalmist expresses those feelings in Psalm 73:3. He says, “I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness”.

When this happens, we’ve lost our perspective and have begun to fall into the habit pattern of using “earthly wisdom”. God wants us to look at life from the perspective of eternity. If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ; if you’ve repented of your sins and invited Him to reign as Lord in your life, then you’re going to spend eternity with Him in heaven and your joy will be unending. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Doesn’t our envy seem to be a waste of time in comparison to what’s already ours for eternity? Shouldn’t it be reminding us to pray for those who have this world’s wisdom and this world’s goods, yet will forfeit their souls? When envious thoughts begin to fill our minds, let’s spend time alone with God in His Word and in prayer, and ask Him to put things back into their proper perspective.

This section is still under construction. Thought you might like to see how it’s coming along. It’s still a “work in progress”, and so am I (and so are you)!