James 5 - The Watchman’s Message - A Warning to the Rich

Thank God that the Bible tells the Christian how to live.  It’s much more than advice.  It is the command of our King.  To know the Way of Jesus Christ we are to know and do what we are told in the New Testament.  God does not leave us hanging.

        Yes, we have a solemn responsibility to live in this evil world with godly wisdom and righteous behavior.  We will mess up.  That's obvious.  And that’s why we are told to continue to confess our sins to each other and to pray.  But God shows us how to live and for that we give thanks.

        The Christian is a person of patience and great endurance.  We have God's explosive power to sprint, charge, and fight, but the Christian is always a good long-distance runner.  Eternity is the long game.

Worldly standards and oaths are not our way.  We seek truth, wisdom, discipline, and good judgment from the perspective of eternity, from the Day of Judgment forth.  That’s our home.  We are citizens of heaven.  

Make your yes, yes, and your no, no.  Pray sincerely.  Never showy.  Never wordy or repetitious.  Stop the Christianese.  We have no one to impress.  Let’s humbly ask God for what we need and to help us through the good days and the hard ones.

Stop the legalism.  Your formulas of who's a good person and who's bad.  Stop it.  Jesus died for all people.  He loves every person.  Let's treat every person with that level of love and respect.

        Let’s celebrate well.  And sing well when we are happy.  

        Know the difference between one or two good lagers with fellowship and God-honoring discussion and a disastrous night in a club.  As James says, resist the devil and he will flee from you.

        And let's mourn well and come alongside those who are sick and sad with love and good deeds.  When we are sick we know that God heals.  God is the Healer.  God wants us to seek His healing - His way.  God has lost no power.  The Holy Spirit can do anything today that He’s done over time.  Let's be the Christian men that the apostles describe in God's word.  Those who seek to honor God, those who seek honorable roles as elders in the Church.  Let's put into practice the instructions given in James’ letter.

We know God’s forgiveness, His character, and His grace.  And we must constantly (daily - that is at least at every meal) remind each other of it.  How many days does a man or woman get to turn to Christ?  As many days as they have breath.

Like the Watchman, James warns us.  He warns us that we only get one life to live and that it matters greatly what we believe and do.

The Watchman’s Message in Ezekiel 33:10-20 shows God's character, His gift of free will, and God’s saving justice.  We are now under the New Covenant, but God’s character never changes.  We hear that message from James.  A message that God gives people the freedom to turn from wickedness to do what is right and just - to repent of their sins - to live and to have all their past sins forgiven.  You can ask God for that forgiveness through what Jesus did on the Cross for us right now.  Simply ask God to forgive you and turn to His way.  And He will forgive you of all your sins.

Yet God’s way of justice has always been faith in action.  It is following God and obeying His life-giving ways.  That’s what James tells us: to prove our faith by what we do.  Faith without good deeds is dead.  Don’t dabble in sin or think that living a double life is without consequence.  Don’t pretend to be righteous - a one-day/Sunday Christian - and a six-day Satanist.  Instead, turn from evil.  Expose evil and do good deeds.

People today dislike a watchman as much as they did in 586 BC.  No one likes to be challenged, criticized, or to have their evil deeds exposed.  I certainly don’t.  I got told this week that I had a big ego and was arrogant.  That stung.  It really did.  That is exactly the opposite of who I want to be.

        Do you think that many people go to church today pretending to be sincere, but they are only looking to be entertained?  Listen to what God’s word says, “So my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you.  They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say.  Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money.  You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument.  They hear what you say, but they don’t act on it!” (Ezekiel 33:31-33).

James reminds us that such hearts and such intentions are not our way.  We are to trust our Lord and King, Jesus Christ and we are to put our faith into action with good deeds.  Let us remind each other as long as we have breath that we are to constantly turn to God and follow His way.  And we are to do our best to help others, including those who have wandered away, to trust in Jesus and to follow Him.

Amen.

Enjoying a wonderful sunset meal with good friends, at Herradura Beach, Costa Rica.