Tag: Servant’s Heart

“The Wealthy’s Social Responsibility”

Date: 9-20-14

Text: James 5:1-6– 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.  [NIV84]

The Big Idea: James, like his Brother, Jesus, is very, very concerned how the scattered believers use their wealth.

My Thoughts: 

Have you read the above passage yet? If you have, give it a read again. How does it make you feel? (a) “Right on! Give it to them!” or (b) “Hey, wait! That’s not fair! I worked hard for my money”? Whichever side you come down on, we have to admit that James does come at the rich pretty hard. James is tell the wealthy that they have a social responsibility to use their wealthy righteously: (1) because it is temporary (vv. 1-3); (2) because it is right to pay those a fair wage who do a fair day’s labor (v. 4); (3) because righteousness is not self-indulgent nor does it selfishly corrupt justice in the courts (vv. 5-6)….

Lifestyle worshipers, lest you think James is just flying off the handle, he is actually remembering a sermon his older Brother once gave. Jesus preached stuff like this? Yep. It was in a sermon called, “The Sermon on the Plain,” (the cousin to “The Sermon on the Mount”) In it our Master says this: “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets” (Luke 6:24-26 NIV84).

The word, “woe,” is an intense word denoting a deep sense of compassionate concern for the dire outcome of one’s actions. James, like his Brother, Jesus, is very, very concerned how the scattered believers use their wealth. How do you feel about this? Do the wealthy have a social responsibility? To what degree? Your thoughts?

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

— Matthew 6:24 (NIV84)

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

— Matthew 6:21 (NIV84)

 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

— 1 Timothy 5:6-10 22 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, be Wisdom in me as I use what You have blessed me with to bless others. Continue to make me an instrument of Your presence to bring healing and not harm,  In Your Name Amen.

Pastor Mike

“The Test of Envy Through Relationships”

Date: 9-18-14

Text: James 1:9-11  9 The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10 But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. [NIV84]

The Big Idea: Our true Love being test with regard to material ‘stuff’.

My Thoughts: 

This may seem like a simplistic argument, but if we all had the same ‘stuff,’ we would never be tested with envy or jealousy or stealing…. Why do we need to be tested? To demonstrate true Love; a Love that springs from a heart that freely chooses to embrace, commit, sacrifice… for another. …

Lifestyle worshipers, maybe some of us have ‘burped,’ “It’s not fair. Why would God do such a thing?” This is a good question. Yet it appears He started this test pattern in the garden with the two trees. Oh, there were many more trees in the garden, but He pointed out two, and He gave expressed instructions not to eat from one of the designated two: “Don’t eat the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil.” (Don’t you find it interesting that He did not command Adam or Eve, “You must eat from the tree of Life”?)

Just like Adam and Eve’s true Love for the LORD was being tested through obedience, so is our true Love being test with regard to material ‘stuff’. This test reveals whether or not the “Have’s” will look on the “Have not’s” with distain, etc., and the “Have Not’s” will envy (stealing in their hearts) what the “Haves” have. What are your thoughts on this? Do you see a Christ-like response to the disparity between the rich and the poor? Do you see this as a test at all?

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

— Luke 16:10-12 (NIV84)

You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

— Revelations 3:17:18 (NIV84)

 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

— 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, empower me by Your Holy Spirit so that I may have a response to the disparity between the rich and the poor that will honor Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  In His Name Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Various Trials; One Joy”

Date: 9-9-14

Text: James 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [NIV84]

The Big Idea: Though there may be various trials of all sorts, there is only one perspective: Joy.

My Thoughts: 

Hebrews 12:7a exhorts us to: “Endure hardship as discipline.” Or as I have said in the past, “Be trained by the pain.” And James supports this exhortation by telling us that though there may be various trials of all sorts, there is only one perspective: Joy. Now to some this may seem perverted. We need not enjoy the pain, but we definitely enjoy the product: becoming more like Jesus.

Lifestyle worshipers, is an attitude or perspective check is in order? Ironically, just this past Sunday, I was chatting with someone about this perspective/attitude check. We have a banner over the entrance to our facility. “As you leave, you can ask yourself where you fit,” I exhorted my fellow follower: “The wounded whine; the broken serve,” the banner states with two passages underneath, one of which is John 13:14: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” Not sure if they did or not, but I am sure I did. How about you? Do you need to “consider it pure joy,” too? 

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

—Hebrews 12:2-3 (NIV84)

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

— Romans 8:18 (NIV84)

Keep on rejoicing in the Lord at all times. I will say it again: Keep on rejoicing!

— Philippians 4:4 (ISV)

Heavenly Father, by the shed blood of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and through His power, I confess I need an attitude adjustment and a perspective shift. I have been near-sighted and whiny, caring only about my personal comfort.  I ask You, Lord Jesus Christ, to bear the consequences of my actions. Remove the pain and shame I have caused Your Name. Be that part of my Life that has been disobedient to You. I release myself into Your hands. Be the fullness of Joy in my Life through Your Holy Spirit. In Your Name Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Practicing What He Preached”

Date: 9-2-14

Text: James 1:1  James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. [NIV84]

The Big Idea: James uses a word that represents the lowest of the lowest slave: doulos.

My Thoughts: 

As you read through the book of James, can you sense his humility? He could have started off his book with, “James, the Oldest brother of our Lord Jesus and my older brother…,” but he doesn’t. Instead, he uses a word that represents the lowest of the lowest slave: doulos. Now, in the Christian community we have given this word a much ‘greater’ meaning. This is because of what our Lord said about this in Matthew 23:1: “The greatest among you will be your servant.” He chose a word that represents a position lower than the word for servant here….

What does this mean for us, Lifestyle worshipers? I see at least one lesson: James practiced what he preached. He exhorts his fellow believers to  not take pride in our high position (James 1:9) and not to show favoritism (2:1). In his case, do not give him any adulation for being the brother of our Lord Jesus. None. And in this lesson, I take comfort that it doesn’t matter what position or title I  carry in the Christian community, I am still but a doulos of the Lord Jesus Christ, washing the feet of the saints and shining the spot light on the Master, who alone is worthy.

What lessons from James do you see in this ‘title’ of doulos?

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

  Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.— Matthew 24:45-46 (NIV84)

And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
— 2 Timothy 2:24 (NIV84)
 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. — Romans 12:10 (NIV84)

 

Lord Jesus Christ, be my gloves of Kindness and my Socks of Gentleness as I serve my brothers and sisters in humility and Love.  In Your Name Amen.

Pastor Mike