Please remember that you bless us with your presence, and may the Holy Spirit bring you His wisdom and His understanding.
09/28/2024 – Prologue -Rise of Atheism – There has been a collapse of religious faith in the US and the post-industrial west: indicative of a massive failure on much of the leader-ship of the major Christian denominations. This runs counter to global trends. Unbelief is growing in the nations led by ardent secularists. The ‘Great Reset’ envisions a complete rejection of faith as normative. James uses the phrase ‘wedded to the world’. Maybe the phrase, ‘wedded to the state’ is more accurate. We see this as more and more folks leave the traditional family for support and attach themselves to the state for support. (BOTS)
[James 4:11-17] – Living by Trust in God – We are indebted to C.S. Lewis for his famous Narnia stories. One of his evil characters opines, “Men like me, who possess hidden wis-dom, are freed from common rules, just as we are cut off from common pleasures. Ours is a lonely destiny.” This is a basic moral point! The moment one speaks out loud or to themselves; that an action which is wrong for ‘ordinary’ folks, but it is okay for them, be-cause they are different; that person swells in pride and is headed for disaster. Many of our current political leaders fall for this moral trap, especially those with political careers. (Biden) James uses the same argument when warning against speaking evil of fellow Christians. Slander/gossip eats away at Christian fellowship and requires an immediate response or it becomes fatal. James’ point is: that the ordinary law which applies to all Christians - ‘love their neighbor …’ does not apply to them, the self-selected. They place themselves above the law and absolve themselves from petty standards. They tend to be judging the law instead of doing the law. Such a stand is foolish and arrogant. It usurps the very role of God. They ask, “Who are you to judge your neighbor?” [v. 12] Clearly, there is only one lawgiver, one judge, and He is able to rescue or destroy. James is stating, only God may pass judgement. Especially when a Christian is speaking evil of another Christian. And, it is also a warning. When one attempts to set him-self above God’s holy and royal law of freedom [v. 1:25; 2:8,12] one may find themselves being judged by the law. These passages warn us not to put yourself in the place of God. [v. 13-16] These verses give warning concerning future plans. The example of going to a nearby town to do business; indicates two things: business planning as a function treated solely as a human effort without seeking God’s guidance; or because we are Christians, and we have the Messiah on our side we are more secure. God is on our side. James likens everyday life to the early morning mist. It hangs in the lowest levels of the valley – beautiful, evocative, mysterious – all very human characteristics. When the sun rises higher, the mist disap-pears. That is life. We have no idea what today will bring, much less tomorrow. This is a lesson in, humility. [v. 6, 10] Learn to take each day as God’s gift. When I was a boy, when anyone expressed a hoped-for event, someone would say, “God willin’ and the crick don’t rise.” This was a sign, do not usurp God’s sovereignty. We should return to this sen-timent. Before our secular uprising, those expressions were in our Christian bloodstream. This chapter ends with a greater warning: not to do, what you know you should do, is an occasion for sin. (Omission) It is not sufficient to avoid an obvious act of sin. (Commis-sion) This lesson may be reduced to one observation: When one learns the humility need-ed to accept God’s royal law and to live by it; to accept God’s sovereignty, to order all of life; and to live within that; and then, only then are we able to see clearly the positive things to which we are called. Whether a decision, large or a small, to perform an act of kindness; if we elect to ignore it or pretend, we have not heard it - we have committed an act of pride. We set ourselves in place of God. How does this impact our lives? Most persons responsible for our spiritual well-being would carefully guide us. Do not obsess with our perceived disobedience. Do not focus too much on yourself. We are not able to help all in need. James wants us to be balanced in our thoughts and actions, but always center on God! We are to seek His call for our lives and not be attracted to all the pretty lures the world has placed before our eyes.
[James 5:1-6] – Warnings to the Rich – Has James been providing a variety of moral stories? Or a general guide to life? We must ask who James condemns in [v.6]? It is ‘the rich’ and not only for being oppressive, living in luxury, or denying workers their wages. Far worse is to have condemned the Righteous One and killed Him. It is they who are responsible for Jesus’ death. Suddenly, we realize who ‘the rich’ are: the Jerusalem elite: the Sadducees, Pharisees and chief priests. They had fine homes and ate well. They were very pragmatic. They conducted liturgy and festivals in a manner not to offend anyone; tempering God’s law(s). They kept the peace with the Romans and used force against the Jews, if needed. They were strict in their management of events in Judaea, Jerusalem and the Temple. What happened when Jesus arrived? He soon cleansed the Temple. It was prophetic, meant to indicate the Temple’s coming downfall. He tread on the toes of the elite. They responded the way all rich elites do in the face of provocation. He must be eliminated. Does anyone see any similarities 2,000 years later? But no one was able to eliminate Jesus. Comforting! God raised Him from the dead, impacting His first followers; James’ family; and all Christians today. God declared Him ‘in the right’ then and ‘in the right’ for all time. But the elites who killed Him then want to diminish His influence now. Jesus then and now James points the finger at the economic oppression that had become rife throughout Judaean society. The official leaders were responsible. Then and now, they set the tone and the tax-collectors, with others, followed them. Jesus announced another way: a release from debt for the poor. The elite cried that anyone who would forgive the debts of the poor was a fool. Recall the credit crisis of 2008. The rich lined up for debt forgiveness and the poor paid for it via higher taxes and inflation. James called attention to the rich holding back wages from day laborers. Could the rich make an added day of interest by withholding pay for a day? Now- who benefits from the illegals working ‘under the table?’ Would the workers, then or now, settle for a lesser amount if paid daily? In [v. 3] James warns the rich about stored up riches. He also warned of ‘the last days. Jesus had launched God’s kingdom on earth, as in heaven: claiming it to be the ‘age to come’, exactly what the Israelis had prayed to have happened. In this new age the least important thing would be stored up riches. The elites saw silver, gold, fine clothes, food and wine. God saw rust and moths. [Matt. 6:19-20] They would become as fat as turkey’s – for the day of slaughter. [v. 6] This is the sharpest warning about careless luxury in the Bible. Jesus is not against wealth. He opposes ill-gotten gains. The workers of the world are wary now, they see the global economy as currently designed as being more or less like the Judaean economy - most benefits flowing in one direction. This is reinforced when small populations of people ensure they possess not just enough, but excessive amounts - over and over again. Meanwhile, others starve within their sight. The elites now, as in Jerusalem, scorn the poor labelling them - lazy. The church must keep [James 5:1-6] at its elbow. We must speak against this evil. It is not only individualistic, but systemic. Who hardened their hearts and killed Jesus? AMEN
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