• Everybody shows what is most important to them.
1. Thanks to Dan Owen who pointed out in a sermon that Jesus is everything to us.
2. But a lot of people will say,  “my family is everything to me.”  Others will say, “Football is everything to me.”  Or, “My job is everything to me.”  Or, “My music is everything to me.”  “My friends are everything to me.” Some say, “Money is everything to me“.
3. Jesus said, “for where your treasure is, there will be your heart also” Mt 6:21
4. 30 pieces of silver, money, was the price agreed upon by Judas and the Priests, Lk 22:5; Zech 11;12
5. Mt 16:26  What will a man give in exchange for his soul?
6. Lk 19:23  the very least the man could do with this meager amount entrusted to him is put it in a bank.  That would have been more faithful than burying it.
7. Lk 3:14  be content with your wage and don’t do evil to get more
8. Lk 18:22  a rich man places great value on wealth that makes eternal life fall short
9. 1 Chronicle 29:10-14 – it’s God’s money
10. Deut 8:17,18 – God gave you the power to earn wealth –
11. Today I’m talking about money. This is very dangerous and doing so I feel like Paul going into Corinth or Ephesus telling the people to turn from false gods.
12. Money is not evil but its at the root of much evil. It can value much or little.
13. Jesus’ words show loving money  1] we will do more evil to get it; 2] will value heaven less

1. A Look at the Rich – hold back on the defesnsiveness, it will blind you from seeing the point and learning.
1. There are 4 things they have to answer for… James 5:1-6
1. The evidence is  a testimony against them – 4 things
2. James 5:2   they store up riches and place great value on things of this life.
1. Their stored up riches are a witnesses against them,  Lk 12
2. As we read this, we have to ask what are we storing up for?
3. James 5:4  the robbing of those that labor under them.  COMMUNISTS ARE SOCIALIST GOVERNMENTS ARE VERY GOOD AT THIS. Newspapers.
4. James 5:5  The pursuit of wanton pleasures
1. 1 Tim 6:9,10   some longing for riches have wandered away from the faith
5. James 5:6  condemned and put to death the righteous man
1. Verb Righteous are Christians,  Jam 2:24  declared righteous by works
2. Adjective, Righteous man and and powerful prayers, James 5:16
3. Like he says in James 2,  they are the ones who drag you to the court.
6. Serious judgment is coming…
7. Question:  Why address the rich in a book to Christians?
1. Christians may be rich – if you are living beyond the daily needs, laying up treasures on earth, you are rich – it’s a relative term.
   Christians may become rich.  Ask the majority of people in the world and you’ll see
   Christians can value the rich beyond what is a spiritual valuation.
2. A Look at How We Exalt the Rich
1. Question:  do you give more attention to the visitor that will benefit you financially? Do you see a dollar sign when they enter? Do you think how you are going to be enriched by an association with them?
2. James 2:5-7 read it
1. Here’s what they are doing.
2. They are exalting the rich
3. They are demoting the poor.
4. Jas 2:13, It’s evil, and evil judgment, a valuation that’s completely different than God’s.
5. “By your standard of measure it will be measured to you!” Mt 7:2
3. The Problem of Partiality in the Church
1. It’s a real situation that dishonors God, 2:1
2. Men overvalue people with money because they love money
3. It is sin, Jas 2:9
4. When you undervalue the poor it’s because you love money
3. The Beautiful Plan of God for the Church — the Equalizer of men
1. Jas 1:9-11   This is speaking of proper perspective vs the world’s perspective
2. By the world, the poor are looked own upon
3. By the world, the rich are exalted
4. But in the church, the rich and poor are the same – glory in this both of you.
5. What’s the point?  Value yourself as God does – Poor and Rich
1. We know how the world is superficial and judgmentally evil.
2. Poor should know they are special
3. Rich should know they are not valued for their riches
4. There is a sameness in the church
4. Final thoughts
1. It’s not yours; everything belongs to God. God put it in your hands to see what you would do with it;  “MY Money” is an idol.
2. It’s hard for the rich to go to heaven
3. People of faith must not show partiality – it’s bad form for me if I’m a seller of soap to approach the visitor and tell him I know how to get the stains out of his collar.
4. The Church is a great equalizer – male/female;  slave/free;  Jew/Gentile;  Rich/Poor
5. Know true riches – you are rich in Christ.
1. How sad to have all of the riches of Christ, to have heaven’s reward guarded for you, and then for Christians to mope around, sobbing and wailing, and angry with God because they aren’t blessed!

Categories: Uncategorized