3. 1Come now, those who are rich,
weep and moan over the miseries that are going to
come upon you.
2Your riches have rotted away
and your clothing has become moth-eaten.
3Your gold and your silver have corroded
and the fact that they are rusty is evidence against
you
and will eat away at your flesh like fire.
You have stored up earthly treasure in the last days.
4. 4Behold, the wages that you failed to pay those
who harvested your fields are crying out against
you.
And the cries of the harvesters are being heard
in the ears of the Lord Almighty.
5You have lived upon this earth in luxury and
self-indulgence.
All you have done is to fatten yourselves for the
day of slaughter.
6You have condemned and killed innocent
people who were powerless to resist.
5. 7For this reason be patient, brothers, until the
coming of the Lord.
The farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth.
He patiently waits for it until the time of the early
and latter rains.
8You should be patient in the same way.
Strengthen your hearts because the coming of the
Lord is drawing near. 9Brothers do not grumble
against one another so that you will not be
condemned.
Behold, the judge is standing at the door.
6. 10Brothers, take an example from the way the
prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord -
the way they suffered and endured with
patience.
11We deem those who have endured like this as
blessed people.
You have heard of job’s perseverance
and you saw what the Lord finally brought
about.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
7. 12Above all things, brothers do not take oaths,
neither by heaven nor the earth nor anything
else.
Just let your “Yes” but yes and your “No” be no
so that you will not come under condemnation.
8. WHO ARE THE ‘RICH’ PEOPLE AND
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
9. Captivated by the present and blinded
to the ultimate
weep and moan over the
miseries that are going to
come upon you.
Their preoccupation with
gaining and sustaining
wealth has robbed them
of the opportunity to see
earthly wealth in the light
of eternal well being
10. Investing in ultimate values
2Your riches have rotted away
and your clothing has become
moth-eaten.
3Your gold and your silver have
corroded
and the fact that they are rusty is
evidence against you
and will eat away at your flesh
like fire.
You have stored up earthly
treasure in the last days.
• Riches have rotted
• Clothing has been ruined
• Gold and silver corroded
• The awareness will horrify you
• Stored wealth will have no
value
11. Gaining at the expense of others
4Behold, the wages that you failed to
pay those who harvested your fields
are crying out against you.
And the cries of the harvesters are
being heard in the ears of the Lord
Almighty.
5You have lived upon this earth in
luxury and self-indulgence.
All you have done is to fatten
yourselves for the day of slaughter.
6You have condemned and killed
innocent people who were
powerless to resist.
• Ripped other people off in order
to gain more for yourself
• Unaware that the cries of the
victims are heard in heaven and
part of ultimate reality is the
exposure of injustice and the
establishment of true justice
• Deceived by a culture that
honours self indulgence
• Immune to the fact that this
lifestyle can only be maintained
by others being destroyed.
13. Live NOW…… as THEN
7For this reason be
patient, brothers, until the coming of
the Lord.
The farmer waits for the precious
fruit of the earth.
He patiently waits for it until the
time of the early and latter rains.
8You should be patient in the same
way.
Strengthen your hearts because the
coming of the Lord is drawing near.
9Brothers do not grumble against
one another so that you will not be
condemned. Behold, the judge is
standing at the door.
• Live in the Presence
rather than living in the
present
• Sow for the Harvest not
for the Immediate
• Measure yourself by the
opinion of heaven
rather than the earth.
14. Live by REVELATION not by REASON
10Brothers, take an example from
the way the prophets who spoke in
the name of the Lord - the way they
suffered and endured with patience.
11We deem those who have endured
like this as blessed people.
You have heard of job’s perseverance
and you saw what the Lord finally
brought about.
The Lord is full of compassion and
mercy.
• Live fully according to
what you know God has
said.
• Don’t measure suffering
as disapproval
• Look for the harvest
• Trust the compassion
and mercy of God
15. Live by covenant, not by contract
12Above all things, brothers do not
take oaths,
neither by heaven nor the earth nor
anything else.
Just let your “Yes” but yes and your
“No” be no
so that you will not come under
condemnation.
16. 3 THINGS TO AVOID
like the plague
1. Allowing the immediate to
blind you to the ultimate.
2. Refusing to put value in
things that will come to
nothing
3. Refusing to gain for
yourself at the expense of
others.
3 THINGS THAT WORK
to make it happen
1. Live now by the values of
eternity [heaven].
2. Live by revelation not by
reason
3. Live by covenant not by
contract
17. 3 THINGS TO DO
1. I am going to review……………
2. I am going to practice……………….
3. I am going to tell…………………
