Title James 5:1~12 (2011.5.3)
Contents
Title: Lessons for the rich and the poor
Text: (James 5:1~12)
Hymns: 492. For a moment in the world I live
Date: May 3, 2011 (Tuesday) 5 am
Venue: Jeonju Yebut Church Small Worship Room
1. Look back on your life (verses 1-6)
The apostle James warns the rich who love money more than God. Some rich people treated the people they love and serve as merely a means of providing their convenience. They misunderstood that their wealth would last forever. He lived intoxicated with a comfortable life and did not pay the wages of the poor properly. But matter is not eternal. Also, material does not save the soul. Do we not live a materialistic life too? Being wealthy in itself is not evil. It is evil to lead a selfish life and to harm the poor. God will surely judge all these things in the last days of the world.
2. Wait for the day of the Lord (verse 8)
In contrast to the wealthy, the poor and marginalized at that time had a difficult time without being comforted. Even within the church, such suffering continued. James encourages such people and exhorts them to wait for the Lord's Day with the heart of a farmer who looks to the fruit and weathers the hot summer days. The “day of the Lord” means the day when the Lord will come again and the day when His will will be done. In the Lord's day, justice will be restored and love and justice will be realized. The saints can be strengthened as they await the coming of the Lord's Second Coming.
Are you experiencing the hardships of life right now? Don't be sad. Wealth is not eternal on this earth, and suffering does not last forever. Nothing is permanent in this world. Now it's not long before all is revealed. I hope that you will become a saint who has the hope of life and waits patiently.
3. Be patient (verse 10)
When we encounter problems in life, we can distinguish between believers and unbelievers according to how we deal with them. A person of faith solves all problems in life in God's way. Let go of impatience and impatience and strengthen your mind. Suffering and adversity can lead to complaints and resentment. But James exhorts the Saints to be patient. Patience is the attitude of being patient in the face of injustice. The life of spiritual giants is a good model for living with patience and hope. Even in the midst of suffering, Job did not sin with his lips and waited for God's restoration to the end. God granted a double blessing to such a Job (verse 11). God will give the blessing He gave to those who persevere today.
In order to become a community that is pleasing to God, everyone must become God's good stewards. If we remember that we are all brothers, divisions in the community will disappear. I hope that you will become believers who give and receive grace with a heart that considers others better than you.
<Prayer>
1. Let our church become a community that God is pleased with!
2. Let the young disciples be filled with the Holy Spirit and be born again as disciples of the Lord!
3. Heal the weak patients and restore the family to faith!