True Treasure Beyond the Mirage - James 5

Pastor Dan Walker, PhD, MDiv

Introduction: Seeing Past the Illusion of Earthly Treasure

Picture a weary traveler trudging through a vast desert. The sun is beating down and he feels like he can’t go on. Suddenly he spots an oasis in the distance, a pool of water surrounded by palm trees.

He hurries forward towards the oasis, but as he gets closer it disappears. It was merely a mirage, a deceptive illusion. This mirage is like the earthly treasures and pursuits that we often chase after.

We believe they will meet our needs, fulfill our desires and bring us happiness. Yet, in reality, they are fleeting and elusive. Scripture warns us that what appears valuable in this world often disappears when we finally reach for it.

Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV) “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This is a clear warning from Jesus about storing up and depending on earthly treasures. They are fleeting, just like a mirage. Rather, we are to lay up heavenly treasures by doing things with eternal value.

When are treasure is in heaven, then that’s where are hearts will be. Our lives inevitably move in the direction of what we value most, whether that value is eternal or temporary.

Proverbs 23:4-5 (ESV) Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.

Our goal in life is not to build up treasure on this earth. When we make that as our objective, God will see to it that it flies away when we least expect it. Believing that money will be the answer for our lives is a mirage.

Putting our trust in earthly treasures, rather than in God will lead to disaster. But when we take our earthly wealth and give it to God through our tithes and offerings, it transforms into heavenly treasure.

Earthly treasures fade, but steadfast faith and patience bring eternal rewards. This truth calls us to examine where our confidence truly rests.

Be Careful What You Value

James 5:1-3 (ESV) Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last
days.

These verses are directed toward the rich, whether believers or not. Being rich is not a sin. It’s how you use the resources that God has entrusted to you that’s important.

First of all James speaks of the judgement coming on those who live for money. All of their riches that they trusted in will be taken away from them. The last line summarizes the sin of these rich people.

They have laid up treasure on the earth in the last days. The people in James day were living in the last days and so are we. The last days are the days between Jesus’ resurrection and His return.

James 5:4 (ESV) Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.

The rich were not paying those who worked for them a fair wage. Why? Because they wanted more of the money for themselves. Those that they were defrauding were calling out to God in prayer.

God was going to send judgement on these rich people. Their wealth became a tool of oppression rather than a means of honoring God and serving others.

James 5:5-6 (ESV) You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

Rather than using their money for God’s purposes, these rich have lived in luxury and indulging in whatever excess they desired. The day of slaughter refers to Judgement Day. These rich were only concerned about themselves and their desires.

These type of rich people oppress and persecute believers. God is calling on them to repent from their sin of valuing their money over God and others. We also must be careful what we value.

Choosing God First With What We Have

Probably no one listening to me would think of themselves as rich. Yet, compared to billions of people around the world, we all are rich. Every person here leaves in a place with hot and cold running water, indoor bathrooms and showers.

AC in the summer and heat in the winter are normal for us. We have stoves to cook your food and refrigerators to keep it fresh. Laundry machines to clean your clothes and a car to get around.

We are all rich and we must be careful what we value. God’s Word calls all of us to put Him first with our finances. Jesus called that seeking His kingdom first.

Rather than just using our finances for ourselves, we are called to tithe 10% of our income to God’s work in the church. When we do that, God promises to bless us and to meet all of our needs.

If we put God last and only give to Him if there is anything left over, we are valuing ourselves first. We then come under God’s judgement of the rich who valued themselves other Him. Be careful what you value.

Hang In There When It’s Hard

James 5:7 (ESV) Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.

This verse was written 2000 years ago, but it tells us today to be patient for the Lord is coming. James gives us the illustration of a farmer, who plants seeds and then waits patiently for the crop to grow and a harvest to be reaped.

In order to the seeds to produce a harvest, they must receive the early and late rains. We also must be patient waiting for the Lord to return. We know that God is holding Jesus’ return back so that more people can be saved.

Once Jesus returns, there will be no more opportunity for anyone to be saved. So, the fruit that we are planting seeds for and patiently waiting for the harvest, is what? The fruit is people that will be saved through our efforts on planning seeds and watering through our prayers.

Our efforts to seek God’s kingdom and spread the Gospel will often be resisted by the rich. They will often persecute anyone and anything that threatens their wealth. Yet, we must be patient and hang in there even when it’s hard.

James 5:8 (ESV) You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Again, this verse encourages us to be patient. Whenever something is repeated in the Scripture, it is to emphasize the point. We can grow impatient that Jesus has not come back yet.

Yet, we are closer to His return than anyone who has lived in history. We ought to establish and ground our hearts in the truth of God’s Word. The coming of the Lord is at hand, it is imminent, it could happen at any time.

It could happened today and in a split second everything on earth would change. Are you ready for the Lord’s return? Are those you know, in your family, at your work or in your neighborhood ready?

Establish your hearts to continue to walk with God in anticipation of His return. Living with that expectation shapes how we endure hardship and how we treat others.

James 5:9 (ESV) Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

What happens when we get impatient with the world around us? We tend to take it out on other people, grumbling and complaining about the faults of others. James warns us not to grumble against others, because it is sin and will be judged.

He says, the Judge is standing at the door. Who is the Judge? It is Jesus and He is standing getting ready to open the door and return to earth.

This time, Jesus will not come as a baby, but as a conquering king, bringing judgement on those who have not believed in Him. The anticipation of Jesus’ return and Judgement Day should help us to be patient and ton continue to serve the Lord.

The reality of His return should help us to treat others with love, rather than grumbly or arguing with others. Hang in there when life is hard, be patient.

Focusing Your Mind on God’s Return

One of the challenges as a believer is what do you focus your mind upon. You can focus your mind on life’s problems and difficulties, or you can focus your mind on God. If you focus on life’s problems, you will become discouraged and even depressed.

You will become impatient with God and other people, leading to relationship issues. This passage is encouraging us to focus on God. Not just a God who is removed far from us in heaven.

But a God, Jesus Christ, who is going to return again and remove all the problems. When you focus on Jesus and working with Him to build His kingdom, everything will change for you.

He will guide you, encourage you and give you strength and patience. Rather than being fixated on problems, you will focus on God’s solutions. Both now and in the future when He returns.

A life focused on God is a life that does not worry, but is filled with faith. Hang in there when life is hard and keep focused on God.

Learn From People Who Never Gave Up

James 5:10 (ESV) As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

The Bible, God’s Word was given to us by God to teach us how to live. The Bible includes many stories of people who followed God and accomplished great things. James is reminding us of the stories of the Old Testament prophets.

They followed God and called others to follow Him. Yet, many suffered persecution from those who did not want to listen. But the prophets remained patient and carried out their mission even in the face of suffering.

They are an example to us, how we can live in God’s blessing, even in the midst of suffering. They also show us that even when you are walking close to God, there will be hardships in life.

James 5:11 (ESV) Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

These prophets are heroes of the faith, because they did not give up, either on life or on God. There is a whole long book in the Old Testament about Job. Job was a righteous man who went through a time of very difficult trials.

Yet, He did not turn His back on God, nor lose His faith. God was merciful to Job and blessed him abundantly in the end for persevering. In order to gain value from these stories, you need to be reading your Bible daily.

As you do, God will encourage you with examples of people who followed God. Their faith reminds us that endurance is possible through God’s strength, not our own.

James 5:12 (ESV) But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

What is an oath? An oath is “a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness.” Someone may say, I going to do such and such, so help me God.

Or, they may say, I’m going to do such and such, no matter what happens. An oath is meant to bolster your speech to make other’s believe you. People often make oaths in time of suffering or difficulty.

We are not to make oaths, because oaths are boastful statements, often about the future. Last Sunday, we talked about someone who made an oath about what they were going to do over the next year.

God simply wants us to yes or no to questions, without oaths. He wants us to submit our plans to His will, rather than going our own way.

We must learn from God and the stories of those who have gone on before. Trusting God to see us through in His strength and wisdom, not our own.

Conclusion: Choosing the True Treasure That Lasts

As we come to the close of this message, let’s remember the weary traveler in the desert. He was misled by a mirage, which was simply an illusion. Imagine if he had a compass that pointed him to a real, life-giving oasis.

In our world, there is a vast desert of worldly pursuits and illusions. But we don’t have to be fooled by those mirages. We have been given a compass, the Word of God, that directs us to eternal treasure.

Earthly treasures, no matter how appealing, will disappear like that mirage. But heavenly treasures, the true riches that God offers are everlasting. They don’t wear out, fade or fly away, they are steadfast and true.

May each of us focus our lives on the true treasure beyond the mirage. May our hearts be anchored in what lasts forever, rather than what disappears tomorrow.

📘 Continue the Journey

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