A warning for the rich of this world

Part of series on James, 4:13-5:12

Clevedon Baptist Church  – 30/jun/2013

 

The book of James was, most probably, written by the James the brother of Jesus, and leader of the pre-eminent first century church in Jerusalem. It is sent out to the “twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” (chapter 1:1). Some argue that the Apostle James is mainly writing to Jewish Christians, as he mentions them meeting in synagogues in chapter 2:2 (in the Greek). However, I take this prophetic term to refer to all the Christians who are scattered across the world. In scripture “twelve” signifying completeness. The Apostle Paul in the book of Romans (11:16-18) comments on how the Gentiles (thats you and me) are grafted into the people of God.

The Apostle James is clearly concerned that we understand that the way we act matters, what we say matters, what we do and don’t do matters.  Our Christian faith is not just some abstracted intellectual ideology. It has a very practical component that is not an optional extra. And what is this practical component? … Love, Love in action, real and true selfless, self sacrificing Love. (Agape).

In the first chapter James talks about having the right mindset, patience , and faith (verse 3, 4) , poverty and humility (verse 9,10), endurance (verse 12). And this kind of character or as the Apostle Paul put it “fruit of the Spirit” grows from a true and living relationship with God. True faith is God breathed, it comes from God and we if we truly believe will know this. Our Christian faith is not some abstract intellectual ideology, it is an expression of a relationship with the living God.

We may believe in many things. I believe that electricity is real even though I can’t often see it; but Christian faith is not like believing in electricity. I believe that England will one day win the world cup again, but Christian faith is not like believing in some wild hope. Christian faith is like trusting a friend. True faith expresses the presence of a relationship. Listen to the words of Jesus in  John’s Gospel (15:9-12)

9As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. …  14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends

True Christian faith in God not only expresses a belief that He exists; for you can believe God exists and not be a Christian. You can believe that He is good, loving and forgiving, and still not know Him within your heart. You can even be like the Muslims who believe that He is, that He is mighty and merciful, but never know His close abiding presence inside. Its like holding onto the photo of a loved one rather than holding onto loved one themselves.

You see true faith in Jesus is “abiding in His love”, it is living and staying with Jesus. It is being at home with Jesus. Its like going around to His house and moving in! Christian faith is being rooted in a mystical relationship with the eternal and loving God. It begins with the breath of God in our souls, it follows on with a trusting heart that submits to His will above our own. With a heart that trusts Jesus we receive, from God, peace and forgiveness for everything we have done wrong.

Now this forgiveness of God is not based on anything we do, as the Apostle Paul makes clear in Romans and Galatians. If it was based on doing good who would measure up to God’s high standards, who is perfect and completely without fault? We are all frail and weak people who often follow the wrong paths. We still make mistakes, consciously and unconsciously, by commission and omission. We need the undeserved forgiveness of a loving friend and we have this in Jesus.

But as relationships are not static, friendships hopefully grow and deepen. Through all of lifes ups and downs Jesus leads us and asks us to listen to His words, and obey His commands. And His primary command is this ‘express your love for me by loving one another’  

And this takes us back to James (1:22), “be doers of the word not just hearers only, deceiving yourselves” James is pointing out that true love is not just singing a few hymns in Church and placing a few pounds in the offering. Its actually about relationships with the rich and the poor alike, its helping the weak and needy, and having true wisdom that is based on the love of God.

The world has its own agenda and hierarchy. Rich, beautiful, powerful people on top, and the weak and poor ones at the bottom; it was ever thus. Some say ‘If you want to get on in the world grab all you can, and with both hands. If you have to push past a few weak ones well it is survival of the fittest isn’t it?’ This is the way of the world, but it is not the true and living way.

But Jesus has shown us a completely different paradigm, one where the rich and powerful God becomes weak and poor. Jesus who is God became human for a season. He, God,  became vulnerable and was victim to all injustice, ultimate He was considered by the ruling powerful people of this world to be like some rubbish to be disposed of on a cross.

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are. (1 Corinthians 1:27-28).

And the truth of this was made manifest by Jesus rising from the dead.

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, (1 Corinthians 15:20-24)

Now which view is true; the world’s or God’s? Worldly success in this life, will not get you into God’s good books. It will not see you obtaining eternal life. God values things that the world does not. God values poverty, humility, compassion, peace, forgiveness, faithfulness and above all self sacrificial loving.

and Apostle James put it (James 2:5)

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

The Apostle James says the way we treat people matters; what we say and do matters. It matters to others, it matters to God and ultimately is matters in defining the kind of people we are. If we are angry or proud or rude or inconsiderate it matters. If we are selfish and unkind, riding roughshod over others it matters. If we harbor bitterness towards others, if we talk behind their backs gossiping half truths about them, out of envy or spite,  it matters to God. And all these actions are not right and are not of God.

Having said this, I agree with the Apostle Paul and believe truly in my heart of hearts that even if I run up all kinds of sins and misdeeds I am still forgiven when I trust Jesus. It not about trying to achieve some good account with God, no. I can never do enough good, love enough to be like God who is perfect in all ways. You see we have reasons to feel guilty, if we truly reflect on how we live our lives. We have guilt because even though we know that we should do good, we do not. We have guilt and have no excuse. But our acceptance by God is not about achieving a good account, it not about balancing the bad things we have done with more good things. Our acceptance by God is because of who He is, and what He has done for us. It was He who loves us, it was He who chose us first; and then we trusted Him. Have you fully grasped this yet? Do you feel the freedom of guilt here. Listen to John (1 John 1:8-9)

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

So it not about me trying to achieve a good balance sheet by doing good. Its always about accepting and trusting that there is enough forgiveness in the loving heart of Jesus to cleanse me from all things that I have done wrong, all guilty weight of sin.

So when the Apostle James say that you must show love, he is assuming that you have understood that it is the free gift of a loving God that you have been completely forgiven. James is speaking to some people on the edges of the fellowship, saying ‘if you never show Christian love maybe you never really got it in the first place’. “Got it, got what?” you say. Maybe you never entered into a living relationship with God, never found a home with Him, never became a friend of God.  

In chapter 4 we see warnings about this division between the world and God, “anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4) . He encourages us to “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). Stop sitting on the fence between God and the world. Come to God, draw near to God, confess your sins, humble yourself and He will lift you up.

This leads us onto the section 4:13-17 where James gives a warning about seeking riches in this world. We may think that we have plenty of time in this life to do what we like. We may be like that man that Jesus talks about in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 12:16-21)

16 ‘The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, “What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.” 18 ‘Then he said, “This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’” 20 ‘But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?”21 ‘This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich towards God.’

“Every good gift comes from above” (James 1:17) . Any wealth we have come from God, any health we have comes from God, each and every day we have comes from God. We need to have our minds transformed by these thoughts. We need to reflect of the truth of these thoughts. “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:17). And so we should understand that all life is by the grace of God. James says we should think, in everything we plan, “if God is willing …” . In Cyprus some Greeks, even today, lace the speech with phrases like, “syn Theou” which means with God’s blessing, and “Kyrie eleison”, which means Lord have mercy. But not many really understand what they are saying. James wants our hearts and our words to be together; free from hypocrisy, loving and trusting Jesus.  

In chapter 5:1-6 James continues his attack on the world and especially the rich. “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!”. Some preachers preach a prosperity gospel, and they seem to be very successful for a season. They preach that God can and will bless you materially in this life if, you have faith, enough faith! Their focus is on material blessings in this life, the riches of this world. But not many come to the letter of James for a warning. You see it is all about where you place your trust. Is it in wealth and health, and the pleasures of this life, or is it in the arms of a loving God? Wealth and health will fade away, but the true gifts of God last forever.

The blessings of God are peace of heart, forgiveness for all wrongs we have done, healing of the wounds of this life, true joy in His eternal presence and friendship with eternal loving God. These are riches beyond anything we can find in this life apart from Him.

And so James encourages us to be patient, to wait patiently for the fruit of life, to wait for “the early and latter rain”. James exhorts us to wait for all the good gifts that God has promised to us. Like the soil need rain to grow the crops, we need God’s Spirit to establish in our hearts the love of God. We need God in everything. Even though at times things in our lives may be hard and tough, with many struggles, God alone is enough. The abiding presence of God is all we shall ever need.

In summary, James is urging us to be truly followers of Christ Jesus, not seeking after worldly treasures. James is urging us to have a transformed mind and heart that knows God as friend. James urges us and encourages us to express our love for God by loving one another. And this is the Gospel “express your love for God by loving one another”.

Psalm 71, A prayer of the aged believer

Clevedon – 15/Sept/2013

Partly based on Spurgeon’s exposition

Our text today is Psalm 71, it is a prayer. It is literally a Jewish song, of the old David. The grey haired David was meditating on the fears, the worries and all the great troubles that go along with a long life. The old David had seen it all. He had seen nearly all life had to give, all life's ups and downs. So let us read

1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.

2In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me; turn your ear to me and save me.

3Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go;

give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

4Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.

He says in verse 1 “In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge”. God deserves our confidence, and let Him have it all. Let us place all that we are before Him. Let us place all our trust in Him. You see it is so easy, and natural, to be self-reliant; when we are young, fit and able. But the David says, trust in God, find refuge in God, rest in God. It is like standing on rock. Do you remember this Hymn

“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. 

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand; 

all other ground is sinking sand.”  

The closer you are to someone the more you tend to trust them. It is like this with Jesus, the more intimate we are with Jesus the more firmly we trust Him. You see God knows our faith, but He loves to hear us declare it. David says  “Let me never be put to shame” or as (AV) puts it “Let me never be put to confusion”.

When our minds are confused we finds it hard to declare praise. If trust our own thinking rather than God’s, if we lean on our own understanding then God’s ways will appear confusing. We can easily take refuge in our own personal plans and dreams. But as believers this always leads to a confused heart. When we stop reading scripture, when we stop praying, when we stop confessing our sins, when we withdrawn from fellowship with believers, when we stop being led by the Spirit of God, we find a confusion in our hearts and minds and souls. And often at the heart of this confusion is unconfessed sin and guilt. So at these times we find it hard to praise Him, to trust Him.

If we find ourself in this place, return to Jesus, let us place ourselves in His hands.  For “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”  Jesus loves us, He will always welcome us home with loving arms, He knows us through and through, from top to bottom, from beginning to end. He knows us like none other. Nothing we say or do is hidden from Him; and He is for us so who can be against us? His love for us will never fail. Let us trust Him. The scriptures promise and you will find this truth: when you begin with trusting heart you will end with a joyful heart.

So David says to God “turn your ear to me and save me”. David says this: ‘please God be true to your word, to the good things you have promised. Stoop to my feebleness and hear my faints whispers; be gracious to me in my weakness and smile on me’  

He continues with “Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go” Permit me oh my God to enter into your presence and find a good home. This is David’s prayer and song; to come into the presence of God and recognise that he has a safe place there. It is in need that David calls out to God; and we are always need to experience the comfort of our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is in weakness that the elderly David enters into the strong presence of God. It is in frailty that he come to the safe and powerful presence of God; and David is always welcome there.

Do you feel weak and poor or do you feel strong and rich? Remember what Christ said in the sermon on the mount, “Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.” . It is those who understand they need the help of God who will inherit the blessings of God. And so we also can always go and live in this safe and powerful presence of God.  The mercy gates of God’s presence stand wide and open; open to all who would enter.

Like David, let us say “Deliver me, o my God” Happy are those who are able to say “my rock, ... my refuge, ... my God”. And do you know that this shall be the only lasting possession from this life. All other possessions will fade and fail but the presence of His love shall endure for ever, this is our Gospel.  

5 For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.

6 From my birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you.

7 I have become a sign to many; you are my strong refuge.

8My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendour all day long.

Verse 6 says “From my birth I have relied on you” It is worth reflecting on this fact. Even before we knew of God, even before we were able to understand anything of God we relied on Him. As St Paul said in Acts “For in Him we live and move and have our being.” The Scriptures say God, through Jesus, created all, and sustains all, believers or no. So God knows us before we knew anything. Have you been blessed to live a long life and a long life with God? Remember this and have confidence that God has sustained you from the very beginning, and will carry on through all of life's up and downs. God has a plan and purpose for us, and He will carry it through to completion. If we have been faithful to Him we will become, as David says,  “a sign to many”. A signpost to others that points to God, that points to his unfailing love throughout life.

You see if you reflect and meditate of these truths then we, like David, will open our hearts and open our mouths to sing praise to Him. We sing praise not because we like singing, not because we like the tune, not even because we like the words, but because we are responding to the meditations of our hearts. True worship comes from true trust in Jesus. It flows from an understanding of who God is and what He has done, and what He will do.

9 Do not cast me away when I am old;

  do not forsake me when my strength is gone.

10 For my enemies speak against me;

   those who wait to kill me conspire together.

11 They say, ‘God has forsaken him;

   pursue him and seize him,  for no one will rescue him.’

12 Do not be far from me, my God;

  come quickly, God, to help me.

13 May my accusers perish in shame; may those who want to

  harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace.

 

David sings “Do not cast me away when I am old”  David is not tired with God but there is some fear that God will be tired with him. It is easy for the elderly to feel as if they are a burden on others. For they pass from strength to weakness, from self-reliance to being reliant on others.

It is clear that David made his fair share mistakes, he made enemies. Some of these were his own children! These people wanted to shuffle David out of the way, demoralise him, threaten him, discourage him. They had no morality, no love for anyone but themselves. There are many people like this even today. It is clear that David remembered their actual words. When people use harsh and bitter words against us they can stick in our minds. These words played around in David’s mind and so he thought “has God forsaken me? for I’m not what I once was. Even my own family want me gone and out of the way”. Now is this not what some of our elderly feel today?

So he prays “Do not be far from me, my God” Let me know your comfort, let me know your shelter, let me experience your lovingkindness. I believe that there is no more important prayer in the this life; that we may experience the love of God shed abroad in our hearts. It matters not whether you are seventeen or seventy. This love of God surpasses all understanding and is like no other.

I remember a story told about the St John the apostle in old age. In his mid eighties he was arrested and taken away to Rome, he was tried found guilty and thrown into pot of boiling oil, death by boiling oil ... but God preserved his life. A few years later under orders of Roman Emperor Domitian he was banished to the prison island of Patmos where he has visions and wrote the book of Revelations. On Domitian’s death he was released and returned to Ephesus where he wrote His Gospel. So most of John’s writing of scripture was as a very old man. Never say you are too old serve God! So at Ephesus in extreme old age (probably in his 90s) he could only make it to church being carried in the arms of his disciples and was unable to speak very many words. He used to say no more at their several meeting than this “Little Children, love one another”. Eventually the disciples and leaders of the church got tired of hearing always the same words, said “Master, why do you always say this?” - “It is the Lord’s command” was his reply, “and if this alone is done, it is enough”. John got his point across, and I doubt anyone living at the time would have forgotten it.

I believe this love is a solemn Christian duty in this life. We are to encourage one another, the young encouraging the old with all the fiery passion of youth, and the old encouraging the young with the all sober wisdom of age. And let us be patient with one another.

You see we are to encourage one another to seek God, to find God, to love God. Let our Christian faith be not just a matter of words and thoughts, but let it be found in genuine experiences of hearts and souls. And lets this genuine faith manifest itself by acts of service to others; young helping the old, the old helping the young.

Now the church’s role is to encourage this dialog between young and old. Our duty is to support those who are struggling through life’s ups and downs. We are to support the weak, listen to the lonely, comfort those who struggle with the burdens, like of care of elderly. For it is in giving that we receive from God. In a generation when families are scattered across the world, can we, as a local fellowship, encourage a compassionate listening? Can we find ways to include all, particularly those who are old? How would the elderly St John fit in our fellowship, who would bring him? Would we be interested in hearing him speak? I don’t have all the answers here. But I feel that in this new and modern generation of fractured and solitary families we need new ways to recover the old practice of Christian fellowship. Let us continue to read from verse 14.

14 As for me, I shall always have hope;

   I will praise you more and more.

15My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,

   of your saving acts all day long –

   though I know not how to relate them all.

16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord;

   I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.

17 Since my youth, God, you have taught me,

   and to this day I declare your marvellous deeds.

18 Even when I am old and grey,

   do not forsake me, my God,

till I declare your power to the next generation,

   your mighty acts to all who are to come.

Even throughout his troubles David says “I will hope continually” . He thinks when I cannot rejoice in what I have I will look forwards and rejoice in what I shall receive. And so praise flows out of David as he says “I will praise you more and more” because he looks forward to the future and heavenly blessings of God.  David has mediated on a long life where God has saved him again and again in the past. He has learned as a good son learns from a loving father. Now as an old and grey headed man he is released in praise again. His experience of the deep abiding presence of God is clear for all to see. As is his willingness to communicate with the next generation the love of God that is in his heart. The old David encourages the young, blessing the young, teaching them about true worship.

Here we see how the Gospel is past on from one generation to the next. The faithful believers trusting in their Lord and God, declare that God is real, that he is trustworthy and that he is loving. And so the baton of the Gospel is passed on. So we continue to read

19Also Your righteousness, O God, is very high,

You who have done great things;

O God, who is like You?

20 You, who have shown me great and severe troubles,

Shall revive me again,

And bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

21 You shall increase my greatness,

And comfort me on every side.

David’s praise is pure adoration, “O God, who is like You?” He speaks like a lover speaking to his beloved. When we draw near to God we can enter into a place were we are overwhelmed with awe at the depths of the mercy and holiness of God. And yet this adoration goes along side the our great and severe troubles. You see it flows out of the very real and difficult situations in this life.

Old age can presents itself with many of these great and severe troubles. And yet God has promised to revives us, to lift us up, to bring us back from the depths, even from the grave. However low the Lord may permit us to sink, he will  fix a limit to the descent, and in due time bring us up again. Even when we are laid low in death’s tomb, as believers it is because of God’s mercy that we can go no lower. We shall retrace our steps and rise to a better land. All this is promised because the Lord is mighty to save. It is safe to lean on Him, for Jesus is the all powerful one who sustains both heavens and the earth, the Lord of all comfort, the Lord of all compassion.  

22Also with the lute I will praise You—

And Your faithfulness, O my God!

To You I will sing with the harp,

O Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You,

And my soul, which You have redeemed.

24 My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long;

For they are confounded,

For they are brought to shame

Who seek my hurt.

David still wanted to give God his best, his best music, his best singing, his very best words. Even at old age when his fingers on the harp and lute were not what they once were, even when the beauty of his voice had faded. He knew that God sees the intention of our hearts.

So let me finish with verse 23. “My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, And my soul, which You have redeemed.”. There is no weariness in his praise. We see again that the trusting heart leads to a rejoicing heart. Spurgeon said about this verse ‘Soul-singing in the soul of singing’. Singing from our souls is what it is all about. It is not about the song, hymns or chorus, old or modern. It is not about the musical instruments, guitars or organs. It is not even about the words, simple or poetic. It is always about the true worship of souls, soul-singing.

That’s what we need to recover in this generation. A heart the trusts, a compassionate listening, and heartfelt soul-singing to our God who is Love.