We read Matthew 6:24 last week concerning the double minded man.
Remember that James closely follows Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, and is now recalling
Christ's comments on caring for the things of God and not worrying about the things of
this world.
I. Let the brother of low degree . . .
A. James is talking now to the poor, the ones who have
no social standing.
Notice that he calls these people brothers. Being poor and having no
social standing is not an indication that the individual is without faith. Particularly in
the time Jame's was living, many Jewish Believers were poor bacause they were Believers.
Many had accepted Christ as their Lord and been disowned by their families, at great
personal cost. In this instance, their very poverty was a testimony of their faith and
commitment.
Jame's whole argument to this point is that trials and sufferings,
including poverty and low social standing, are a great blessing of the Lord-designed to
perfect patience and bring the person to a maturity and well-roundedness in their
Christian character. That does not mean that riches may not be a blessing, but that God in
His wisdom knows how to bring each individual to maturity and deals with each person in
the precise way that individual needs in order to grow to maturity.
B. Rejoice.
Everything James has said to this point would be to no avail if the
poor brothers were sad, downcast, or bitter because of God's dealings with them. James has
already said generally, "Count it all joy when you are tried in various ways."
Now he says, "In case you think you can rejoice in trials, but you also think that
God has forgotten you and allowed you to be poor, remember--this too is a trial from God
in which you should rejoice, knowing that God is at work perfecting your faith and
Christian character." We often think that we could rejoice in trials, but then think
that the things in our life are not trials, but curses; or that we could rejoice if we
knew that God was testing us--but that the things in our life certainly are not trials.
James is taking a particular example and saying to those experiencing it, "Yes, this
really is God's testing. He really hasn't forgotten you. So REJOICE!"
The word "rejoice" is usually translated "glory"
or "boast." As Christians, there are certain times that we are told to boast:
Psalm 34:2
Jeremiah 9:23,24
Romans 5:3
1 Peter 4:16
C. In that he is exalted.
God does not play games with His people. He has a special purpose in
bringing testing into our lives. He wants to perfect us, to make us all that we should be,
to conform us to Christ image--to exalt us. Whatever our circumstances, we can rejoice
knowing that a loving God who controls all circumstances is working in our lives to make
us what He wants us to be--He is exalting us. See James 2:5; 1 Corinthians 4:13; *Malachi
3:17.
II. But the rich in that he is made low.
A. Those Christian brothers who are rich are being tested by God in
other ways.
They must learn to depend on God, to not have pride in their money or
social status, and that God has given them money for His glory and the perfection of their
character. The wealthy must never gloat over their poor brothers in the Lord, but
recognize that God has dealt with each of them in the manner best designed to bring each
Believer to maturity.
Exactly as the poor Believer is to look to God as his source and
supply, so too is the rich Believer. The moment he looks at his money as his security, he
has failed the test; just as the poor brother fails who doesn't rejoice in God's dealing
with him.
B. Because as the flower of the grass he shall pass
away.
This is a picture used by many writers of the Bible. For example,
look at Isaiah 40:6-8 and 1 Peter 1:24.
Notice the distinction between the flower and the grass; the grass
withers but the flower falls. All men, rich and poor, are grass; the non-essentials can be
likened to the flower. Since the rich tend to enjoy the finer things of life, they must
beware. The flower dies much quicker than the grass; they can fall into despair much
faster than the poor when their enjoyable thins pass quickly away.
III. Verse 11.
We tend to picture grass as it withers during a drought, perhaps
taking days or weeks to wither. But the picture here is of the grass around
Jerusalem--rich grass with the dew on it early in the morning, with flowers standing out
above the grass; but yellow and dead-looking in the afternoon. The hot sirocco winds in
the east blow practically every day, withering all vegetation. The image James is giving
us is not of a long dry season with the gradual dying grass, but the beautiful grass of
the morning dead by mid-afternoon.
Application:
1. God designs our unique circumstances to meet our particular
needs. Our greatest need, and God's greatest concern, is that we mature in the faith and
well-rounded in Christian character--like Jesus.
2. Even circumstances that last a long while, like wealth or
poverty, are not the result of luck or fortune; but are also designed to perfect our
character.
3. From an eternal perspective, neither wealth nor poverty are
important; but our response to the circumstances of life. If we are poor, we should
rejoice and trust God; if we are rich, we should be careful to trust God. Our eternal
state will not be determined by our financial condition here, but will somehow honor those
who trust God and grow in Christian maturity--those who have learned to use every
circumstance for God's glory.
4. This short life is simply a training session for eternity; death
but graduation from training to service.
Questions for next week (from James 1:12):
1. How can any person be assured of winning a crown from God?
2. How many crowns for Believers are mentioned in Scripture?
a. Are they different crowns, or different names for one crown?
b. Why do you think so?
3. What does "for when he is tried" mean? Support this.
4. Are those that are tried and those the Lord loves the same or
different people? Prove your answer.