The Unscrupulous Rich (Part C)

I mean if they can talk about their filled we can talk about righteousness. So if there any of you here in the workplace and you feel a little nervous about not ringing on this. I say bring in why should Satan be the only one with a microphone.

Why does he get to tell his side of the story and Kristin shiver over in the corner because they're afraid they will be like that anymore is the problem. When we begin to fear men, not God.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Rick is currently teaching through the book of James. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, and now here's Pastor Rick and James chapter 5 of this continuing study called the unscrupulous rich. This is not an attack on the wealthy attack on the unscrupulous. He says in their corrosion will be a witness against you, and will eat your flesh like fire all that a soul has without him will be held against Jesus.

Whatever you get without him in your thinking in your heart works against you to devour oneself is to harm oneself. That's the idea is it is consequences for this behavior. That's with Jay.

I'm holding you accountable. I'm telling you you not going to get away with this by faith you'll see it by faithlessness.

It will get you choice is yours. If you are well-to-do and you are a believer you are gifted with this wealth is listed in the gifts by the apostle Paul. There are those who can give what you have to give from this understanding whatever you have is given to you by God. It belongs to him and is entrusted to you, and you can enjoy some of it there's some degree of pleasure that you are permitted, but when the tail wags the dog is a problem and as far as giving you go to the Lord. With that as the poor Christians are supposed to go. We know what our duty as we do that we claim that we will praise him forever, that we will love him forever were not satisfied with mere duty duty is doing what I know I'm supposed to do, whether I like it or not, for however long it can be a hard run. It's not being a stoic is not being an epic carrion either finding that balance. It's obeying the Lord. Believe it or not.

I know you won't believe what I'm about to tell you but I'm susceptible to pity parties I get my little hat. My little party favor out set up the whole house decorated and have my pity party before the Lord, why, why don't you do like. Can't you just bit and I find it is an honor to get up off my knees and go do my duty to do what I'm told, anyway I don't have to bless me for me to do what I'm told I just had a pity party little while ago you should've been there, you weren't invited to busy with your own and as the Lord does this remind you hey did you see that verse in Corinthians were Paul's talking about all things he suffered. See, I get frustrated by what I think are stupid defeats. I can understand some defeats I walked out.

Some of them for the Lord okay Lord. These are approved I can be defeated in these apartments is the ones that I have an approved of where I suffer defeat and shame became and I look at the life of Paul and Jeremiah. Jeremiah got fed up with God. I said I'm done I was. I was never born.

The guy that came and said it's a boy. Let him be accursed.

Jeremiah said he was so frustrated in the flesh full-blown God reveals him back in.

So Jeremiah rise at roller coaster the next minis praise the Lord. Next minute, 20th chapter, I believe, is a 20 chapter might be the 23rd. What a ride see in life of Job seat and Jacob and yet we see again Paul in Corinthians, all the things he suffered after the first beat down for Christ.

I would've opted for a different community by moving a moving and I'm not going that side of town.

The company goes back the stone. Paul near to death the disciples gathered around him prayed for him and he got up and went back into the city that belonged to the thugs that stoned him. That's the kind of stuff I want. That's the kind of stuff I don't have but that's not going to stop me from wanting it or pursuing it or preaching. So we come to verses and we look at those with gold and silver that are corrupted and we listen again to Paul and say I have not wanted your gold or your silver or your clothing.

I just wanted to preach the truth to you. I will get my gold when I get to heaven and it will be in the face of my Lord Jesus, that is the template for us all and so he says. Their corrosion will be a witness against you in verse three it will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Nothing wrong with saving money but something wrong with withholding it when it's not your place when you have debt you are accountable for, and you must pay that he mentions the last days ever conscious of the last days is the Christian is to return of Christ. Christ is come crucified rose again and is returning he is coming again. We know the side of this is Christians second Thessalonians. In a similar attack on the wicked Paul writes to that little church, he says, and to give you concerning the return of Christ to give you who are troubled rest with us.

When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord from the glory of his power, when he comes in that day to be glorified in his saints to be admired among all those who believe because our testimony among you was believed see this man took beat downs and many other types of sufferings, hunger, cold, you know it's wintertime you know you you you get a chilly so I hate winter will imagine if you had no defense against it. You just had to suffer these are the kind of things.

Paul put up with because he he saw Christ team knew him he know that regardless of what happened to him.

He did not undo Christ was truly meant everything to him.

So you come to church near Christmas time.

True Christians want truth. That's what they want to hunger and thirst for righteousness is to want the truth that fall from heaven.

No matter what the platform is from Scripture, whether it is concerning the virgin birth, a judgment against the unscrupulous slaying of a giant the beginning of creation, whatever it is, the Christian will receive because the Christian knows whose hand comes from.

That is what is essential from where does this water, before I put my lips on it, where does it come from, is it safe to drink in several years ago and are outreach trip to Alaska we went away up in the mountains and is just you know snow everywhere and the streams everywhere and I wanted to just is just one stream running and I was going to go and scoop up some nice cold water and drink it in the local yokel said don't do it. They had a thing that I probably said the synopsis those of you heard this before. Do like this little unfinished in you will be burdened but it is in there that a thing at the time and maybe still do Paul Bieber fever. There were parasites in the water because of the wildlife and if you drink the water.

You weren't sure of the that water was contaminated or not you would be sick for a very long time so it doesn't matter what we put to our lips. What we take in what we consume. That's what our communion table is set up communion table said it doesn't matter what goes inside of us and for us it is Christ we read a verse like that from Thessalonians.

We hear the righteous cheer on yes God will execute justice, then the spirit of God says what are you doing to lessen the amount of souls going to hell what you doing. Ask yourself what are you doing for the kingdom that's wanted me to keep doing work for the kingdom does not mean one bungle paint in heaven. You may paint here on earth, for the kingdom. We have a men's maintenance ministry that is just extraordinary folks come in you and you don't even know the work they've done. They do it for the king.

They do it because they believe that this is his house to be used by him and in that process. Those who believe can be made stronger and those who don't believe can be saved and the ones that are made stronger, and Christ will pray to Christ will turn their attention will soon canons of prayer against the work of the devil to pray for the lost soul, and when you pray, I hope you pray for lost souls with some degree of intensity is nothing casual about praying for lost souls all year and God can you save Jack or whatever me maybe going to save them. Doesn't do justice to the war that we fight we pray with an intensity. Such intense issues.

Well at the fall of Jerusalem, which isn't far from the wells about the maybe 25 years could be give-and-take from the time that James wrote this letter. Jerusalem will fall and the rich will become. They will be tortured, there will be abuse they will lose all their wealth. They will be killed. Romans had great problems Wednesday sacked Jerusalem. One of them was getting rid of the dead bodies that were everywhere. Many of them killed by the Jews against Jews and Romans against Jews also.

So Mark's gospel chapter 8 verse 36 what will the prophet command gains the whole world and loses his soul. That's what James is saying what.

What you do you read. So what if you go to hell. Verse four. Indeed, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields which you Back by fraud cry out in the cities of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabia. Well now he turns his attention to the exploitation of the workforce of your business owner that matters to you as a Christian, you certainly do not want to abuse your workers and many Christian employers do not abuse their workers.

They do the right thing days pay four days work. They follow the agreement. It is shameful when Christian workers are the problem and it is too common to find Christians be more about being head then unbelievers.

Sorry is just envisioning friend pick out what being is maybe being as a kidney being. Why, if I'm talking to you is the Holy Spirit talking through me why why are you more of a problem in the workplace than the believer. Why can't you work hard, why why why the mowers in the reapers are selected as representatives of the higher laborers that the rich were using to get rich. Remember we started off talking about the Industrial Revolution, when machinery was placing you know human power human craftsmanship and work and of course they became abusive. They would pay on time.

He paid so little. It was ridiculous will anyway.

Deuteronomy 2415. The Jews would've known this, each day you shall give him his wages and not let the sun go down on it for he is pouring has set his heart on it, lest you cry out against you to Yahweh, and it be a sin to use.

So when James says indeed verse for the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you Backbite fraud cry out and so you're saying you know this is an L Scripture, you have an and in our society we have an agreement.

Usually every two weeks. Sometimes once a month or every week. This payday. And if the employer is holding back through dishonesty than him because he is sending that's what they were doing in the days of James and the says they cry out in the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabia as the blood of Abel cried out. Jeremiah brings it up.

Also, many years after the giving of the law on Deuteronomy is woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness in his chambers by injustice uses his neighbors service without wages and give him nothing for his work. Maybe you are not rich but you hired a contractor and you to slow pan up that's on call for once the work is done pay up if you're still of course you know of Gus's punchless ears got addressable, that's another matter.

Now this word Sabia your is an untranslated word why why did not the translators transit means host.org multitude why did not. The translators just simply translated to irritate us. That's why only reason why they get to that, words, and I don't translate that one. What is this the needle in the haystack anyway. Malachi again dealing with the subject, I will come near you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against those who exploit wage earners because they did not fear me the Lord of hosts, so this is again were James finds Scripture to support his point is drawing it from the Bible verse five.

Let me pause here for a moment and say because the current culture is so hostile towards Jesus. That is not our queue to become timid and fun of them concerning Jesus quite the other way around. We are to be very clear that we adore the Lord. We love to talk about him and we disagree with those who disagree with them. All of them and thinking as we were singing how how hesitant Christians have become, for fear of what doesn't matter what it is you afraid of. It's no pass to be quiet. The only reason why we are to be quiet in the face of the unbeliever is that the Holy Spirit says just be still wet unless he says that in most of the time. He does not. I mean if they can talk about their filth.

We can talk about righteousness.

And so if there any of you here in the workplace and you feel a little nervous about not ringing on this. I say ring in why should Satan be the only one with a microphone. Why does he get to tell his side of the story and Kristin shiver over in the corner because they're afraid they will be liked anymore is the problem. When we begin to fear men, not God. Well, you have lived on earth in pleasure and luxury nasal talking to me what is compared to many people in the world I have lived in pleasure and luxury. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury. You have fattened your hearts as in the day of slaughter.

So from an injustice. Now he goes to self-indulgence. You will be you not incur upholding backpay from those who supposed to pay up usual stingy cheapo and now he says, and now now you just… I live the life of the rich and famous. You just don't care whose head you step on to maintain this lifestyle to get it. Those who live for fun are the devil's playground. You live for thrills and sensations. You are his playground, and that's not all.

He doesn't play fairly you going to get shot in the back by him you going get hit out of bounds you going to get a being ball by him, so be careful.

Their worship of pleasure would become slavery then as it is today.

The rich man and Jesus parable built all of his silos was only concerned about his wealth his achievements. What he was going to do.

I will I will.

He would've been right at home with these people that James is rebuking says you have fattened your hearts to the heart here is the seat of appetites and passions. You just do whatever you want. That's why you some rich phenol dissolute celebrities and rich folks you ever noticed some dumb names the stick on the kids some of you remember moon zapper. I mean, what was that what got you know, even in a new moon. They just feel like because they've got some degree of fame and wealth that they can do whatever they want to do. They can do the ridiculous was seeing it happen to this very day fattened their hearts on their own passions. They don't think they just feel again. Matthew 621 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also if you fattened your heart towards those things and give you a thrill and not the truth, then you're going to be on the wrong side of judgment he says is in the day of slaughter. So here it is that the picture that he paints there still grazing out in the field and within minutes they going to be at the slaughterhouse, but they're still fattening themselves up oblivious to the slaughter that awaits them is is an excellent metaphor. James pulls out as in the day of slaughter. There you are fattening your little heart heading off to help people great prophet Isaiah warned and he he wanted retribution.

I may meet. I don't know how many of you are familiar with Jeremiah. Maybe when you read this prophecies you get too bogged down by some of the dollar prophecies to us because it deal with issues that were current events to him, but not Rawson, but if you if you're not familiar you missing out. Listen to what he says. He says, but you or Yahweh know me you have seen me and you have tested my heart toward you pull them out like sheep for the slaughter and prepare them for the day of slaughter sued the Lord God made to suck your child. They are crooks was Paul comes along and he says, except for these chains. I wish you all like me set up all saying well you put me a James show him Lord put them testament approach is different so James is not hoping to rush to judgment.

He simply telling them what's coming.

That should be enough because when Peter said you are poisoned by bitterness and bound in iniquity.

Simon said all he stopped in his tracks and he said pray for me when I told the outcome. When I told the outcome of so many people who are wicked that are put under conviction and then sort of just go out of our lives and we don't know whatever happens to them after that, whether they truly repented, or was it just a flash in the pan were to fear well verse six you have condemned. You have murdered the just. He does not resist you just cannot resist you.

You overpowered him. You've got all the controls that's what you wanted them. Well, that's why you are who you are.

You've got the power he is nothing, and so you bully you become a tyrant golden rule of those were on this level of wealth have this kind of heart is that they make the rules that they don't live by their for the little people rules are not for people of this class.

This is what the revolutions of been spawned from being under such authority almost done so figuratively. He uses the word you've murdered while they work people to death that we have trade unions and OSHA that that do help and in so some of these areas on trade unions are of course abusive and some are not.

I once belonged to a union and that was, I thought a very good union.

They were serious about making sure that those who employed us got their money's worth and it was an honor to work that union there were other hand, so you they were scoundrels and crooks loves.

Well anyway, Deuteronomy 8 versus 1117 and 18.

Beware that you do not forget Yahweh, then you may say in your heart my power and my might might of my hand have gained me this wealth shall remember Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you power to get well and so money cannot buy peace with God.

Obedience, submission those of the things that by peace with God, thanks for joining us today as we took a deeper look into the book of Jean here on cross reference radio cross reference radio is the daily radio ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia were blessed to bring you God's word with each broadcast. If you like more information want to listen to additional teachings from Pastor Rick please visit our website cross reference radio.com if you've been blessed by this program would love to hear from you when you visit the website.

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