Don’t Envy The Rich!Don’t Envy The Rich! Don’t Envy The Rich!Don’t Envy The Rich!

Speaker: Doug Humphrey Senior PastorSpeaker: Doug Humphrey Senior Pastor

What Would You Be Willing to Do?

• 1 of 4 respondents said they would abandon their entire family

• 25% would abandon their church

• 23% said they would become a prostitute for a week

• 16% noted they would leave their spouse

What Would You Be Willing to Do?

• 7% said they would kill a stranger,

• 4% would undergo a sex change operation

• 3% confided they would put their children up for adoption

1 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.

2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.

3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.

4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.

5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.

6 You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.

7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.

8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.

9 Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear -- not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.

Don’t Envy The Rich!Don’t Envy The Rich! Don’t Envy The Rich!Don’t Envy The Rich!

Speaker: Doug Humphrey Senior PastorSpeaker: Doug Humphrey Senior Pastor

Four Economic/Spiritual Groupings

1. Those who are poor without and poor within.

2. There are those who are rich without and rich within.

3. Those who are poor without and rich within.

4. Those who are rich without and poor within.

I. Don’t envy the rich.

Don’t Envy the Rich Because…

1. Earthly wealth is transitory in nature (vv.2-3).

2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths

have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire.

• Decisions affect eternity

• Man is accountable

• Absolutes

• Spirit and Matter

• Source of Authority: Bible

• Decisions affect this life only.

• Man is autonomous

• Relativism

• Matter only

• Source of authority: Self

Biblical World ViewBiblical World View Secular World ViewSecular World View

Secular View of Life

Birth Death

Nothing

70-80 years

Christian View of Life

Birth Death

70-80 years Eternity

Don’t Envy the Rich Because…

1. Earthly wealth is transitory in nature (vv.2-3).

2. God will judge the unrighteous.

The Unrighteous Rich

Those wealthy persons who:

(1) ignore God

(2) live for this life only

(3) have gained their wealth unjustly

The Unrighteous Rich

Those wealthy persons who:

(1) ignore God

(2) live for this life only

(3) have gained their wealth unjustly

2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.

3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire.

Four Serious Charges

1. They were guilty of hoarding their riches.

3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.

Four Serious Charges

1. They were guilty of hoarding their riches.

2. They were cheating those deserving wages.

4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.

Four Serious Charges

3. They were living a selfish lifestyle.

5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.

Four Serious Charges

3. They were living a selfish lifestyle.

4. They were taking advantage of the righteous.

6 You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you…

I. Don’t envy the rich (5:1-6).

II. In the face of unjust suffering, patiently await Christ’s return (5:7-12).

A. Be patient

7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.

8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.

Patience

(macrothumeo): self restraint that refuses to retaliate against a wrong suffered.

7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming….

8 You too, be patient… 10 Brothers, as an example of

patience in the face of suffering…

Perseverance

(hupomeno): bearing up under adverse circumstances.

11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

B. Stand firm

8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.

C. Do not complain or grumble

9 Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

Grumble

(stenaza): to sigh or groan with unintelligible or semi-intelligible words

C. Do not swear

12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear -- not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.

Application/Challenge

1. Ask God to give you contentment as you patiently await Christ’s return.

Application/Challenge

2. When you find yourself discontented determine not to:

• focus on the situation, or you’ll become angry.

• focus on yourself, or you’ll become filled with self-pity.

• focus on someone to blame, or you’ll begin complaining.

Application/Challenge

2. When you find yourself discontented determine not to:

• focus on the present, or you’ll miss what God is trying to achieve in your life.