Project Knowledge Lesson Summaries

^{Project Knowledge:  A Study of the book of James - Good Eye, Bad Eye}

Given by Pastor Gentry Hinojosa, Wednesday, November 28, 2012

This is our first blog installment of our Wednesday night 'Project Knowledge' lessons taught at Mosaic Church, part of the New Beginnings Community family of ministries, a study which began a few months ago.  Today, we pick up our study of James in Chapter 5.

The main theme for the Book of James, whose authorship is attributed to James the brother of Jesus, is an emphasis of practical religion or living out your faith which is evidenced by good works.  [And to see the relationship between faith and deeds, or good works, read the earlier passages from vs. 2:14-26 which concludes: 'as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.' ]

Verses 1-6 are a stern warning to the wealthy.

^James 

^{5 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.[a] 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.}

<sup>Additionally, we find a parallel Scripture from Matthew 6, vs 19-24.   

Matthew 6</sup>

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,^[c] your whole body will be full of light.²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy,^[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Note terms like moth, corrupt and destroy..  Money, one's possession or the like can be destroyed and are therefore mere earthly treasures.  The test is that we cannot take them with us when we die!  

From Matthew 6:22, the 'eye is the lamp of the body' and so Matthew explains further:  healthy eyes = body full of light; unhealthy eyes = body full of darkness.  

The eye, as the lamp of the body, is a metaphor for a person's heart attitude.  In modern terms, we say the eyes are the window to the soul.  A person with 'healthy eyes' has a generous nature and they 'see' the sufferings of others.  This insight moves them to compassion and then action.  What good is your compassion if you don't do something about it?  The required action that James is specifically addressing is a person's generosity, how these Jewish converts handled their wealth.  In this case, wealthy individuals were cheating people out of their due wages in an attempt to hoard their wealth.  This was a serious infraction of Christian living and jeopardized the work of the church.  It reminds me of some of today's popular 'reality' shows and celebrities who party hard (which, let's face it, costs a lot of money) only to wind up, to put it lightly, in immodest and compromising circumstances.  They are living self-indulgent lifestyles.  Certainly I cannot see the condition of their souls, but would a casual observer know for certain that these people were authentic Christians?  Or could you say this kind of behavior is recommended for one professing to follow Christ?  This is not to judge, but to value an individual's good judgement and fruit of the Spirit which include self-control.

Now, if the eyes are a window to the soul, or your heart attitude, can one's heart be divided against itself?  See now with a new perspective (or eye) Matthew 6:24:  'No one can serve two masters.  Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money.'  

As I meditate on that verse, I cannot help but understand (or see) that the love of God and the love of money are opposing affections.  This is not to say, however, that having money or even wealth is inherently evil,  it is the LOVE of money that is evil and will draw you away from God.  In fact, worrying about money drives one to hoard and the hoarding was evidenced by their self-indulgent lifestyles (James 5:5).  

Generosity to those in need is our duty and obligation and was a key act of piety in Jewish tradition, let's look at some other verses on generosity:

Proverbs 11:24-25

New International Version (NIV)

²⁴ One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
    another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

²⁵ A generous person will prosper;
    whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Proverbs 22:9

New International Version (NIV)

⁹ The generous will themselves be blessed,
    for they share their food with the poor.

These passages teach 'Kingdom Principles' for Godly living - and furthermore, marks of true religion.  We could say it's an encouragement to really put your money where your mouth (or profession) is!  

Practical Application Exercise:
3 good tips for managing your offerings:

2 Corinthians 9:7
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 

1)  Decide beforehand - prayerfully ask the Lord what it is He would have you do with money and possessions in your care.  That's right!  For the saved believer understands that all things belong to him already and we His stewards.  The rightful owner, therefore, knows best how to assign these assets!  If we give out of guilt, compulsion or other emotional response to some plea; we run the risk of regretting our decision later.  

2)  Give for the right reasons - closely tied to the preceding idea:  give to a worthy cause (and perhaps one where you have a spiritual burden, and even better, one which sponsors or accompanies the Gospel).

3)  Give with the right attitude - if you cannot give willingly, happily and cheerfully

Do not give if you cannot do so with joy from your heart - for that is what this whole lesson is about, the importance of having a 'good eye' that you may be a lamp unto the body (light in this world), see the needs of others and give generously to meet those needs.  

You can read the whole chapter of James from the New International Version here:  http://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=James&qs_version=NIV.

Dear Reader, may the Lord bless you and speak to your heart so that you may develop a 'good eye' so that you, in turn, may be blessed and refreshed in Jesus' name, Amen!