June 7, 2009
Morning Service

James 5

 

Review:

1. Last week in chapter 4 we saw that Faith;

·        Produces humility.  “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

·        It also produces dependence upon God.   “If the Lord wills, we shall live, and do this, or that.”

 

This morning in chapter 5 we will see how that Faith endures awaiting for Christ’s return, and how that Faith prays for the afflicted, and lastly how that faith confronts the erring brother.

 

Jam 5:1-20  Come now, rich ones, weep and howl for your hardships coming on.  (2)  Your riches have rotted, and your clothes have become moth-eaten.  (3)  Your gold and silver have corroded, and their poison will be a witness against you, and will eat your flesh as fire. You heaped treasure in the last days. 

• 1-3;  For people who put riches, and accumulation of this worlds goods before God.  God told us the formula for having what we need.  Work six days, and rest one day.  And that one day we rest is for us, and God.
• And along with this success formula goes, sharing, and helping those less fortunate. 
• It wasn’t to many years ago that people didn’t buy or sell on Sunday.  It was the Lord’s day for rest.
• It’s very easy to see what has happened to our country, we are sliding God farther, and farther to the end of our priorities.  We are putting everything before God.  Look at our system.

1. Our churches aren’t even half full on Sundays anymore.  They used to be full.
2. Our Government has allowed unbelievers to take prayer out of schools.
3. Our own school systems have replaced Wednesday night prayer meetings with ballgames.
4. The recreation we have for our children, ballgames are even replacing Sunday morning church activities.
5. Our United States has become a place of recreation mad people.  Hunting, fishing, camping, boating, and there is nothing wrong with any of this except when you put it before God.  Who do you think allows you to be able to enjoy all this?  It’s God, so why not keep Him first in all that you do.
6. People look to get their shopping done for the upcoming week rather than go to church and worship our creator.

• We are caught up in a system that is fast removing God from it’s very existence.
• Look at what is happening; This is a perfect picture of our country today.  Men taking their own lives because of great losses in their wealth.  This is all they care about.  What a sad picture.

 

And still aimed at the wealthy;

(4)  Behold, the hire of the laborers reaping your fields cry out, being kept back by you. And the cries of those who have reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts. 

• And this is why Unions had to come into existence. 
• Greed on everyone’s part has gotten us where we are at today.

(5)  You have lived luxuriously on the earth, and lived wantonly. You have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. 

• Just what we have discussed already.  This describes most people in the U.S.  We live in a land of plenty, even when things look bleak, the stores are packed with people buying.

(6)  You have condemned and murdered the just; he does not resist you. 

• Again, some people just can’t get enough.  They even want more, and are willing to do whatever it takes to get it.

(7)  Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and the latter rain.  (8)  You also be patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of your Lord draws near. 

• This should be at the top of our to do list:  HOW DO I DO THIS?

1. Put God first in all that you do.  BE PATIENT.  Remove yourself from this rat race the world is in.
2. Step back and look at your week, Sunday morning there is an opportunity to gather in Jesus name, to worship, receive, give, and learn more of God’s will for your life.   Sunday evening, just before you have to start to work on Monday morning, is a wonderful time to come to God’s house for words of encouragement from Him, so you can make it till Wednesday night prayer, and Bible study.  Then you can make it till Sunday morning again.  THAT IS HOW YOU IT.

(9)  Do not grudge against one another, brothers, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge stands before the door. 

• Grudge, or judge.  We are not to judge one another, Jesus will be our judge when the time comes.

(10)  My brothers, take the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering ill, and of patience.  (11)  Behold, we count blessed those who endure. You have heard of the patience of Job, and you have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is full of pity and of tender mercy. 

• Job was a wealthy man, and used it wisely.  God aloud satan to take away everything he had, money, family, everything even his health, but Job remained faithful to God, and would not curse God, and die.  In the end God replenished Job’s wealth with double of what he had before, because of his faithfulness.

(12)  But before all things, my brothers, do not swear; neither by the heaven nor by the earth, nor any other oath. But let your yes be yes, and your no, no, lest you fall into condemnation. 

• Your word is something very important.  So don’t speak rashly, or harshly.  Don’t swear on anything.  Be honest in all your doings.

(13)  Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing psalms.  (14)  Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  (15)  And the prayer of faith will cure the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. And if he has committed sins, it will be forgiven him. 

• Afflicted, pray.  Hopefully we do this.
• Cheerful, sing praises to God.  That’s what Psalms are, praises to God Almighty.
• Are you sick?  Call for the elders of the church, they will pray with you, and anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord.  AND THE PRAYER OF FAITH WILL CURE THE SICK, AND THE LORD WILL RAISE HIM UP.  And if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

(16)  Confess faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much.  (17)  Elijah was a man of like passion as we are. And he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for the time of three years and six months.  (18)  And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth caused its fruit to sprout. 

• Again the confidence in sincere prayer.  Everyone needs a prayer partner that they can lean on.  Let me suggest that you use the same one that I do.  His name is Jesus, and He is alive and well.  He never tells others what I put in his confidence.  He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

(19)  Brothers, if anyone among you err from the truth, and if anyone turns him back,  (20)  know that he who turns back the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

• Be willing to listen, forgive, share, have sincere concern for people.  There are many people that have been deceived by satan, and they need someone to show that they are still loved, and cared about by the church.  Allow Jesus to love them through you.

 

OUR PRAYER THIS MORNING WOULD BE THAT GOD WOULD OPEN OUR EYES TO THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING BACK TO THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CHRISTIANITY.  HELP US TO PUT YOU FIRST IN OUR LIVES, AND THOUGHTS OF DAILY LIVING.   AND TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE ONE WHO DIED FOR US.     AMEN.