Sermon Text: James 5:1-12
Below is a sermon manuscript from April 6, 2025. Watch the sermon here.
Introduction
I want to start out by reading a section of a book written by someone who influenced Martin Luther King Jr. A book that had a tremendous impact on the civil rights movement overall. He says this,
In many analyses of hatred it is customary to apply it only to the attitude of the strong towards the weak. The general impression is that many white people hate black people and that black people are merely the victims. Such an assumption is quite ridiculous. I was once seated in a Jim Crow car which extended across the highway at a railway station in Texas. Two black girls of about fourteen or fifteen sat behind me. One of them looked out of the window and said,
“Look at those kids.” She referred to two little white girls, who were skating towards the train. “Wouldn’t it be funny if they fell and spattered their brains all over the pavement!” I looked at them. Through what torture chambers had they come-torture chambers that had so attacked the grounds of humaneness in them that there was nothing capable of calling forth any appreciation or understanding of white persons? There was something that made me shiver.
Hatred, in the mind and spirit of the disinherited, is born out of great bitterness—a bitterness that is made possible by sustained resentment which is bottled up until it distills an essence of vitality, giving to the individual in whom this is happening a radical and fundamental basis for self-realization.[1]
The book has a common theme of those who have their backs up against the wall. In this position there are several dangers. When opposition is coming there is a danger of becoming like those who are going against you or developing deep hatred in your heart. He uses the example of Jesus and how he was treated during his time on earth. Well, those coming after Jesus would have to deal with similar issues. But how were they to live? How could they chart forward a better course?
Judgment is Coming (for the Oppressors)
Now, near the end of the letter, we are made aware of a real issue that is going on in their midst. Why do they need wisdom? Why is there an issue between the rich and the poor in the congregation? Why is it important for them to take care of the orphan and widow? What are the specific patterns of the world that are being dealt with? This section may be the key to understanding. If there are wealthy landowners in their midst exploiting them and if certain members of the congregation are apt to envy the position of these unbelieving landowners instead of caring for those who are suffering in their midst, the pieces of the sporadic puzzle of James start to come together. Maybe this is why the merchants are apt to press on without considering God’s will; they chase after this lifestyle more than holiness. Maybe that is why some desired to be teachers because of the status it would bring in that society. Regardless of whether this is the interpretive key or not, there is a lot for us to look at, understand, and apply in our section this morning.
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When James writes “you rich,” his language is sharp. The single descriptor rich is often used in the Old Testament in contrast to the righteous (Prov. 10:15–16; 14:20). We see James doing something similar here. That, in combination with no discussion of repentance or reference to brothers in this section, it seems that James is employing a tactic the prophets used to proclaim judgment on the nations. This served to instruct God’s people of God’s attitude toward sins and to curb them from falling into similar patterns.
Judgment for hoarding
The first issue that we see in the passage is hoarding. James says that their gold, silver, and clothing piles will be evidence against them. Their self-focused accumulation. We might think of those who merely buy to buy but never with the intent to use. Moth-ridden clothing because it is merely owned in a closet but not being used.
Pursuing wealth for its own sake is a characteristic of the ungodly.[2] Allberry reminds us that “our more sophisticated forms of wealth are no less fickle. It may just take one sharp and sudden downturn in the market.”
Difference between saving and hoarding
Now, the objection might be, “Does this mean we cannot save but have to spend or use all our money.” If we answer yes, then we contradict many other passages in Scripture. Both the Old Testament (Proverbs 6:6-8; 21:20; Ecc. 11:2) and the New Testament (Luke 12:16-21; 1 Cor. 16:2) discuss the wisdom of saving. Part of the wisdom is so that a person has what they need when times are difficult and can provide for themselves and others. Saving for retirement can be helpful in not being a burden on others or blessing others later in life.
Allberry offers a helpful corrective as well: “This doesn’t mean we shun the good things of this world, but it does mean that we do not put great stock in them. They are, like us, fleeting. Hoarding for its own sake is very foolish.”[3]
Hoarding is self-focused and does not have an open hand willing to give to others. Saving is done even amid generosity, not as a substitute for generosity. Saving recognizes that all things ultimately belong to God; hoarding cries, “Mine!”
Judgment for injustice
James also wants his audience to be aware of the judgment for injustice. This is helpful for them as many in his audience likely experienced the devastating effects of this economic oppression. Wealthy landowners were keeping back wages from laborers.
For those treated this way, it is easy to feel small and insignificant, yet God cares. Not only here but throughout Scripture (Amos 5:11-12; Jeremiah 22:13; Malachi 3:5), we see God caring for the poor and neglected. James specifically addresses the fraud and injustice and how the cries of the poor reach his ears.
Is this a problem today? There can be a problem with employers defrauding their employees, absolutely. But the general idea is perhaps even more prevalent. Those who have much and don’t need to depend on others for daily sustenance can lose touch on how important these daily wages are for others. For the landowner or for some, paying workers can seem like just another thing on the to-do list. But if it’s not done on time it can be catastrophic for those who need to be paid. As James says, it leads to death. I believe that is what James means by murder and it’s documented in apocryphal writing. Listen to Sirach
25 The bread of the needy is the life of the poor;
whoever deprives them of it is a murderer.
26 To take away a neighbor’s living is to commit murder;
27 to deprive an employee of wages is to shed blood.[4]
It is also a challenge for other Christians. It is easy to lose sight of the difficulty of others because we don’t face it ourselves. Not everyone within a church comes from the same economic situation. Sensitivity towards others and standing up for them in the face of difficulty are important.
In our self-centeredness there is the ability to project our situation onto everyone else and lose the ability to relate. Allberry says it like this, “Affluence can lead to carelessness and insensitivity.” Honestly, that is one thing that we must guard against – even as a local church. We can insensitively say, “We can all afford it” in a group where some really can’t simply because we can afford it. We can say “it’s not that expensive” because it’s not that expensive to us. Affluence can lead to carelessness and insensitivity. This is true for those who have more than others in terms of large-scale realities. But it is also true in relationships. We should seek to be just in our dealings with others, and we should seek to be sensitive to varying financial and socioeconomic realities within our congregation.
One practical way this might play out too is in how we spend our money. What types of businesses are we supporting? How do they treat their employees? Supporting small businesses and local shops can be a good way to use our money to bless others.
Judgment for indulgence
Another trap that James mentions is extravagance. This is not merely hoarding for ourselves, but now the focus is on spending for ourselves. It is pampering ourselves and living the most lavish lifestyle we can.[5] Those who pursue extravagance do not see their money as an opportunity to bless others but as a means to elevate their own status.
Does this mean it is wrong to buy things? No. But it does mean that we should live below the lifestyle that we are capable of living. The extravagant reach to the top of what they are capable of. Their motives are selfish, and even if they wanted to give, they couldn’t because their lifestyle demands all of their money. Just because you can afford something doesn’t mean that’s the best use of the money. Sometimes we might be jealous of people who have extravagant things. James’ warning should give us pause. Those who pursue extravagance are fattening themselves for slaughter. As Charles Spurgeon once said, “To earn money is easy compared with spending it well[6].” Those who have more will be responsible for more.
Jesus is Coming (for His Church)
There is comfort in knowing that God is just, and there is a challenge to not adopt the patterns of the world. But what about positive instruction? What should Christians be doing in the face of difficulty and opposition? That is where James turns next. Where does he start? His initial command is grounded not in them but in something outside of them that will happen. An external reality is the motivation. What is this reality? It’s the reality that Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming, so be patient.
Jesus is coming, be patient
First, we see the command to be patient. Often during difficulty, we want to do something. This is particularly true when there is opposition to us. James instead commands patience. This does not rule out action, but it does rule out hasty action and action that is not dependent on the Lord. He is not writing as someone who is trying to keep people in line so they don’t overthrow those in power. He is writing as a Christian leader to Christians. His purpose is for them to find hope and security in God and His plan. He wants to assure them that God is at work and God does hear their cries.
There is Hope, The Lord is Coming
The command is connected with a reason for patience: the Lord is coming. Because Jesus is coming, that impacts the reason for patience and the ability to be patient. First, Jesus’ return is associated with true justice. This gives hope to the sufferers that they will be vindicated. Those who suffer today will not only have relief, but God will deal with those who cause the suffering. Second, knowing there is an end gives an ability to be patient in the moment. If you watch a sports game and know for sure that your team will win, it changes the way that you watch them do horribly early on. The temporary ugliness of the game is offset but the guaranteed success. We are able to be patient, we probably won’t flip out on our team, we won’t throw something at the TV out of anger, etc.
Illustration: Waiting For Rain
Rains in this part of the world would happen at two times. First, the early rains for October/November, and second, later rains in March/April. The farmer could not bring the rain; he could do what he was able to but ultimately had to wait. The rain was an expression of God’s faithfulness to provide for the farmer. This was their livelihood. No rain, no food. Yet, as God was faithful in that area of physical provision, so would God be faithful to His people and bring necessary justice down like rain.
Stand Firm, Jesus is Coming Soon
As mentioned before, being patient does not rule out action; the farmer still worked the field, perhaps added fertilizer, etc. Christians who are waiting are also called to stand firm. They are called to have faith even before they see justice come. Part of standing firm means that they are not moved by false teachings and other things that cause them to doubt God’s goodness (1 Cor. 15:58).
How can we stand firm? By recognizing all that has been done for us already. James says that Jesus’ return is soon. What does that mean? Some think that it means James thought Jesus would return right away, but he was confused. Those who say this are usually trying to use it to take a shot at Scripture and its reliability. Instead, we can see that James is getting at the idea that the work of redemption was accomplished by Jesus, and now we simply await his return. There is no more huge things on the redemptive calendar. We don’t know when Jesus will return, but we do know it’s coming, and it could be any day.
Jesus is coming, don’t grumble
There is a temptation when waiting to complain. To get frustrated. James addresses this head on with his command to avoid grumbling. Grumbling shows a lack of faith, a lack of trust in God. James doesn’t just say not to grumble. He also discusses the content of their grumbling – about one another! How easy is it when we are frustrated or when life is hard to complain about other Christians? We might think that they should be doing things for us or mad because it seems that God has given them an easier life. Here, James turns to the judgment of God, but this time against the one who is grumbling. Instead of being patient and waiting for God to bring true judgment, they are bringing judgment on themselves. Now, the passage uses the words “brothers,” which is used of Christians. This isn’t about them going to hell or losing their salvation. But it is meant to challenge them.
The idea of grumbling would call to mind those grumblers in the wilderness. Do you remember that? In the Old Testament, God was leading his people to the promised land, and yet there was grumbling, there was hoarding of the food that God had provided, and there was disunity among the people. These are real events that took place. And they are also a picture of the Christian life. God is leading us to the new heavens and earth. He is coming to set up a better kingdom on this earth and will rule it in perfect peace and harmony. But in the meantime, we are on a journey. It’s not an easy journey. Life is hard. There are many ups and downs. But we must, as they say in driver’s training – aim high in steering. We are not looking at the everyday details as our guiding compass but looking ahead to what will be.
We’re Not the First Ones
Instead of thinking about other Christians and complaining, a better step is to think about Christians who have come before us and how they have been faithful. James uses two examples, the prophets and Job. These examples are people who have been through hardship too.
What James’ readers are experiencing is not foreign to the people of God. We are not promised a life of ease and comfort. Difficulties don’t just come to unfaithful, sinful people. In fact, God’s prophets and the most righteous person on the planet at one time, Job, experienced great difficulty. Not only are we not the only ones who experience it, but others have been faithful in the midst of it.
Sam Allberry puts it like this, “James wants his readers to be very clear that what they are facing, while by no means easy, is certainly not new. Those who suffer as Christians are not blazing a new trail but traveling a well-worn path.” What does this mean? The pain and heartaches in life are not something new that Christians face, and obedience is not impossible. The prophet Jeremiah brought difficult news about judgment to God’s people and suffered because of it. He was betrayed by his own family (Jer. 12:6). Yet he remained faithful in speaking God’s word. He patiently endured.
Jesus is coming, don’t make hasty oaths
The last command we see from James is not to swear. By this, he means to not swear by something. He has oaths in mind. As his readers are waiting, they should let their speech be seasoned with the same patience they are to practice. Their speech can undermine their faithful waiting. We already saw how this could happen with grumbling, now he discusses oath making. Biblical scholars debate exactly what kinds of oaths these might have been. Were they swearing they would pay back their debt? Were they asking for more and swearing that this would help them? Were they making oaths with God in the heat of the moment: “God you do this for me and I will do that for you.”
Be People of Your Word
It’s unclear if we can imagine any of these situations. What’s clear is that James wanted their speech to be trustworthy. They shouldn’t need to bolster it by swearing to something because they should be people of their word. This applies beyond making oaths. It means that we should be people of integrity in our speech. We don’t twist the truth. We don’t exaggerate when people think we are giving truthful information. It also means that we should strive to keep our word and our commitments.
There is a tendency today to commit to something as long as something better doesn’t come up. We tell someone we will be there but then back out at the last minute. You might even have a reason, but it’s not a true reason to break off a commitment if you actually were committed.
In society at large keeping our word is a big deal and in jeopardy. One commentator mentions how once a handshake deal was more binding than many legal documents are treated today.
It is sad to see how American culture has deteriorated in less than three generations. Before World War II, a “gentleman’s handshake” could often substitute for a written agreement. In much of the last half century, formal contracts were needed before one could trust a businessperson’s word, but then one could usually count on it. Today, even written contracts are frequently broken, to such an extent that in some circles people do not even perceive the process to be unethical. Societies ultimately collapse when too many people lose their verbal integrity, so Christians must remain at the forefront of those whose word can be trusted unquestioningly.[7]
I Can’t Swear in Court?
Does this mean that it is always wrong to take oaths or to swear to things? Can a Christian say “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, so help me God?” No, the apostle Paul calls God as his witness that he is writing truth in 2 Corinthians 1:23. There are other places in Scripture that oaths are done, even by God himself – the Abrahamic covenant and Acts 2:30. James is not ruling out an oath in a courtroom, he’s ruling out rash oaths made in the heat of the moment and everyday circumstances needing oaths because our words aren’t trustworthy. We should be true to our word.
Conclusion
We have a dual reality that Jesus is coming and justice is coming. But we cannot separate the two. Jesus is both redeemer and judge. In our passage we hear of the last days and of the coming of the Lord. What exactly takes place in the last days is debated, but one thing that all agree upon is that in the last days Jesus will return for His people and that there will be a judgment. Listen to the words of our statement of faith,
We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.
Two destinies are determined by our relationship with Jesus. As he asked his disciples – who do you say that I am? Who is Jesus to you? Is he the judge who will rightfully assign you your punishment or is he your redeemer. A picture may be helpful. In the Old Testament, God sent plagues to set his people free in Egypt. In one of those plagues, there was judgment by death. But God’s people were spared by putting the blood of a lamb on their doorposts. The same God who brought judgment provided a way through judgment by blood.
The question is, where are we? Have you turned from your sins and received the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior or not? Listen as we think through this passage, we need to understand that we fall short of God’s standard. We have misused money and talents. But there is forgiveness through Jesus. He came to rescue sinners. That is what we celebrate this morning. He came to take the punishment for our sins so that all who trust in Him will not experience the just punishment for their sins but will experience the eternal blessing of Jesus’ obedience for them.
[1] See, Howard Thurman, Jesus and the Disinherited (Boston: Beacon Press, 2012), 68-69. I changed dated language to be more sensitive.
[2] Allberry, James, 128.
[3] Allberry, James, 128.
[4] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Sir 34:25–27.
[5] Allberry, James, 129.
[6] Charles Haddon Spurgeon, John Ploughman’s Talk: Plain Advice for Plain People (Redding, CA: Pleasant Places Press, 2005), 101.
[7] Craig L. Blomberg and Mariam J. Kamell, James, vol. 16, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008), 236.
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