“I continually find it necessary to guard against that natural love of wealth and grandeur which prompts us always to claim an exception.”
– William Wilberforce
I. Issues that Condemn the Wealthy
Issue 1 - Hoarding.
James 5:1-3 – “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.
“Weep” and “Wail” are, of course, words associated with judgment in the Bible.
Point: Hoarding is not a spiritual gift.
Issue 2 - Dishonesty.
James 5:4 - “Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.”
Point: Greed can dull our commitment to ethics.
Henri Nouwen – “Wealth takes away the sharp edges of our moral sensitivities and allows a comfortable confusion about sin and virtue.”
Issue 3 - Indulgence.
James 5:5 – “You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.”
Point: The wealthy have a hardening of the spirit that, if left unattended, will eventually cause death.
Issue 4 - Destruction.
James 5:6 - “You have condemned and murdered the innocent men, who were not opposing you.”
Point: Riches can lead to the demise of others.
James 2:16 – “If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?”
II. To be Unworldly Generous …
A. ...work on being content.
Philippians 4:11 - “I have learned to be content with whatever I have.”
Philosopher Epictetus: “Contentment comes not so much from great wealth as from few wants.”
Point: The content heart is a sacrificial heart.
Hebrews 13:5 - “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’”
B. ...focus on being rich in spirit.
James 5:2-3 - “Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days.”
Point: Being rich in spirit is permanent and eternal.
C. ...embrace the Generosity Challenge.
Point: If your wealth controls you, you will pay some kind of price for it.
Calvin Coolidge - “No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.”
** Paul has the most profound word for those who would be dare to take the Generosity Challenge - 2 Corinthians 9:7-8, 10-11 (NLT) -
“7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. ‘For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. 11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.”
Application: Practical suggestions to developing a Mindset of Generosity
· Do the old “clean out your closet” discipline.
· Tithing is a privilege
· Keep food cards to give away to the homeless
· Avoid “comfort consumption”
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