James 5
W E E K S I X
Have you ever found yourself looking at everyone else around you - at school, on television, in your Instagram feed - and wish that you had more of what they have? Wishing you had more money, more clothes, the expensive shoes, the newest phone? Deep down, we all know that more money, more clothes, or more stuff will not relieve the pain—and the lie—of comparison. It’s a bottomless pit of need, with endless demands which are never satisfied. We know this, but we also need reminding.
This is the gift of James 5, which reminds us what is true about all our pretty possessions. Preached with the same fire-bellied conviction as the Old Testament prophets, James has harsh words for wealthy people who misuse their riches. Whether we have wealth or we don’t, whether we misuse our money or we don’t, our possessions amount to very little. Drawing on earlier biblical imagery of moth and rust (Matthew 6:19), James reminds us that even our finest earthly possessions will one day be gone. Their Kingdom weight is slight. Their investment yields even less. Money and possessions cannot, and will not, give us what we want.
There are times in life when we feel so deflated we just want to give up. Many people James wrote to - the poor and the persecuted - felt that way. Can I really go on? Jesus, where are you? Why haven't you come back yet? These people were Jews recently converted to Christianity. Because of their new beliefs, they were rejected by their own people. They were persecuted by everyone around them, and James tells them to do what? “You also must be patient.” (5:8). Patience is much deeper than something you practice when someone is hogging the bathroom. Patience—the long-suffering kind of patience—is something that arises when real trials strike.
Unlike most people in our culture today, the early Christians likely expected Jesus to return during their lifetimes. Many believed He could return at any moment. Today, anyone predicting exactly when Jesus will return is recognized as a false teacher (Mark 13:32), but at the time, the disciples had seen Jesus ascend into heaven and hoped He would return soon (Acts 1:11). In the New Testament church, waiting for the Lord's return sometimes led to unhealthy inactivity (1 Thess. 4:13-5:11), and today it can lead to unhelpful speculation and preoccupation. James mentioned the Lord's return as a means to encourage his audience to see their suffering in light of the bigger picture. In this section of his letter, James says "Don't give up!" He encourages his friends to persevere, to press on (as he did in Chapter 1), and to keep hoping for a triumphant future with Jesus.
James opened his letter with the topic of suffering, and he closed his letter with a call for patience in suffering. It's a major theme of the book. James indirectly addressed forms of difficulty in His teaching on other topics. A right view of wealth and poverty will relieve suffering. A right view of our faith in action will relieve suffering. A right use of our speech will relieve suffering. Suffering always happens in a context, and the ultimate context is God's sovereignty. Adopting God's perspective on suffering allows us to see it within His plan!
James 5
Come now, you rich people, weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you. Your wealth has rotted and your clothes are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days. Look! The pay that you withheld from the workers who mowed your fields cries out, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Armies. You have lived luxuriously on the earth and have indulged yourselves. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous, who does not resist you.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.
Brothers and sisters, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door!
Brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. See, we count as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and have seen the outcome that the Lord brought about—the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “yes” mean “yes,” and your “no” mean “no,” so that you won’t fall under judgment.
Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.
My brothers and sisters, if any among you strays from the truth, and someone turns him back, let that person know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
READ :
James 5
OBSERVE & INTERPRET :
What initially stands out to you about this passage?
Look for key words, comparisons/contrasts, commands, etc. - what did you highlight or underline in this passage?
Key Words:
Comparisons:
Contrasts:
Commands:
Questions:
It’s hard to ignore the fact that James repeats “brothers and sisters” over and over in this passage! Why do you think he repeated this so many times?
So, maybe you’re not a business owner with workers that you have to pay, but it’s still important to reflect on your own life and where you are storing up your treasures. (Verses 1-6) Are there areas in your life that you have been selfish with what God has given you and kept it for yourself rather than using it to care for and connect with other people?
James is asking us to be patient until the Lord’s coming, and relates this to waiting for fruit to ripen (verses 7-8). What do you think it looks like to be patient in this way?
In verse 12, James encourages us to make sure that our “yes” means “yes” and our “no” means “no.” What do you think this means? What does this look like in your life?
In verses 13-18, James gives some practical advice on what we should do in specific circumstances — if you are suffering, you should pray; if you are cheerful, you should worship and sing praises; if you are sick, you should ask church leaders to pray for healing. What situation are you in right now and what is your attitude? How do you need to respond to that?
APPLY :
Patience and endurance has been an overall theme of this letter from James! What are some areas within your life that you believe God is asking you to endure or be patient in?
What are some blessings that you have seen in your life as a result of trials or difficult times?
How will you set aside time to be even more intentional in your prayer life? What are your action steps for increasing in that intentionality?
Wherever you are currently at in life — suffering and discouraged, or cheerful and blessed — it is important to remember that God is in control of all things and wants us to be in a relationship with Him! Take time to thank God for your relationship with Him, confess your sins, and ask God to work in you as you build patience and endurance for today and tomorrow!
EXTRAS :
Use a resource like the Faithlife Study Bible app or the Logos Bible app to do some word studies or get new insight into specific words or phrases and how they fit into this passage of Paul’s letter.
Dig deeper into your understanding of suffering by looking up the following verses:
Luke 18:1
Luke 22:39-44
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
1 Peter 5:10
STUDY TOGETHER
There is great encouragement that comes with community and accountability when we study the Bible with other believers! If you plan to study with other people, follow these few steps during your STUDY TOGETHER time:
READ - Make sure to read the passage together
DISCUSS - Use the study questions from this blog to discuss your study of James over the week. If there were parts of the passage that you didn’t understand, ask other people what they thought or understood!
CHALLENGE - Spend time talking about how this passage applies to your life right now. How can you keep each other accountable to what you are learning or what God is working out in you?
PRAY - Don’t forget to talk to God and lift each other up while you are together. Take notes and be intentional to pray for your small group throughout the week.
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
R E S O U R C E S
A list of resources used throughout this online Bible Study series in James
James: A Double-Edged Bible Study, A TH1NK LifeChange Study by NavPress. A NavPress resource published in alliance with Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Copyright 2013 by The Navigators.
James Study by SheReadsTruth, https://shereadstruth.com/plans/james/ Copyright 2019 by SheReadsTruth, LLC. All rights reserved.
James Study by HeReadsTruth, http://hereadstruth.com/plan/james/ Copyright 2019 by HeReadsTruth, LLC. All rights reserved.
Grounded: Wisdom for Real Life from Proverbs and James by Clayton and Sharie King, LifeWay Press, 2018.
James: Faith / Works by Matt Chandler. Copyright 2018 The Village Church, Lifeway Press, All rights reserved.
