#7 & 8 Twin Illusions
James: 12 Lessons we don't want to hear • Sermon • Submitted
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· 7 viewsJames paints a picture of two tempting illusions that await those with enough worldly prosperity often get trapped by. The illusion of CONTROL and the illusion of SUCCESS. Both are created by wealth and both draw faithful people away from the truth about the world, both steal focus from the main thing, and make room and excuses for all kinds of evil. James shows these images to his readers so they might see the ways they have let these illusions draw them away from living accocrding to the Gospel. And he challenges them to reject these illusions and "do the good (they know) they ought to do."
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I - The most important thing I did last week.
I - The most important thing I did last week.
I am a planner.
It helps me to have a list, a schedule, and a structure to my days.
If I didn't I would be sunk.
It helps me make sure that I do what I need to do but to be honest I do it because I enjoy it.
In a self directed and self motivated vocation like mine its very important fore me to make plans. But I have always been disposed that way.
I am the kind of person that likes to know what is coming next, likes to know at precisely what time it will start, and precisely what time it will end.
Unfortunately that is often difficult or even impossible in a world full of humans beings who dont fit nicely into half hour blocks.
What was the most important thing you thought you were going to do last week? And what did it turn out to be?
Last Thursday I got home later than I would have liked from a long day. My plans for the day didn’t quite work our how I had hoped and I was tired. I didn't get done the things I had wanted to get done and I felt like it.
And when I walked in the front door and sat down knowing that I was going to be busy through the weekend again.
I sat down in the living room, pulled my phone out of my pocket and got busy zoning out in front of Facebook Erin and Foster said hi to me and Erin, went into the kitchen to start making dinner.
Foster came over to me with some books and I was just not in the mood to read. I was losing my voice and all I wanted to do was zone out or perhaps think through this sermon, or maybe go for a walk as I had spent most of day sitting inside.
I sat there on my phone reading news as Foster climber into my lap and started insisting that I read, “How do dinosaurs act when they are mad?”
And to be honest I wanted to turn on the TV to distract him while I flipped through the news a little longer, but I didn't have the remote so finally I put my phone down and started reading to him. We read the same book about five times and a few others.
I hate to admit it, but I was a little annoyed. Why couldn't Erin pay attention to him while making dinner. Why couldn’t i get just a few minuets to zone out and do my own thing.
I told myself I had so many important things to get done still. A sermon to write, people to visit, meetings to plan, and encouragement to give. I had planned my evening out in my head, but real life was getting in the way.
While I was reading, I am glad to say that bitterness subsided.
We read some books. Then we went into the other room to play Foster’s version of hide-and-seek. It’s just like regular hide and seek but the hider must hide in the same spot every time, and the seeker pretends to not know where to look.
Then we jumped on the bed for a while.
and as I am standing here I am realizing what you all have surely already picked up on. That out of all the thing I did this week. All the plans made, meetings had, prayers offered, sermons written, events planned, and conversations. That hour and a half time was the most important thing I did all week.
Y - What was the most important thing you thought you were going to do last week?
Y - What was the most important thing you thought you were going to do last week?
Y - What was the most important thing you thought you were going to do last week?
Y - What was the most important thing you thought you were going to do last week?
And what do you think was the most important thing
I don't know about you, but I am easily mistaken, easily led astray when it comes to the things that matter most in life.
I constantly mistake inessentials for essentials and get mixed up on what matters most.
I think we are are particularly prone to illusions about what matters most, what deserves our attention an our time, and what plans are worth making and keeping.
All the while the real stuff, the things that really matter slip by our attention, get put off to tomorrow in favor of other things.
G - Two Images, Two Illusions (that capture our lives), Two Lessons
G - Two Images, Two Illusions (that capture our lives), Two Lessons
Transition: Of course the same was true in James day. In our scripture today James presents a couple of illusions a couple of ideas about what matters that are particularly attractive, and according to James particularly destructive to us and others.
James Paints a picture of two people who from afar look pretty good
two ways of living that I think are attractive to us.
The Merchant - The ILLUSION of CONTROL - Instead of Loving God - Presumes on God
Now Listen - You Merchant
Walk through 13-16
James describe someone who believes they are master of their own destiny. Who looks at the world and assumes naively that their plans
The merchant appears to have everything under control. From afar we want to be this person. Someone whose well crafted plans work out.
And what a place to be
Someone with A plan, a future, and success on the horizon. But she fails to realize that she is not in fact in control.
The merchant instead of loving God, presumes on him. The merchant falls into that all too human trap.
v.14
The illusion that we and others are in control of our lives. That all is under our control. That dreaming and planning for the future is as good as acting.
P
The Merchant - If Jesus Greatest command is to Love God and Love Others, the Merchant fails to love God by ignoring him, the merchant assumes control over his or her live and plans like he owns tomorrow.
We often fall viticm to this illusion of control. That we own our futures, but it doesnt take long for an illness, an accident, or another person to come in and shatter that illusion for us.
Plans like he owns tomorrow.
The Rich Farmer - The ILLUSION of SUCCESS - Instead of Loving Others - Oppresses others
Now Listen - You Rich
Walk through 1-6
Appears to be living the good life, to have won! From afar they are adorned with beautiful clothes and surrounded by wealth and luxury.
We want to be them.
But this too is an illusion.
James points out how the rich makes compromises - Oppresses others, to the greater Goal of accumulating wealth.
But that wealth, now bears witness against them. The gold and garments are now evidence of wages unpaid to workers. They are fat now, but in the long run their accumulation cries out against them.
If Jesus greatest command is to love God and love others, the Rich person fails to love others, but exploiting them for the most temporary gain of worldly wealth.
James warns his readers against this illusion of success.
Both...
Live the opposite of Loving God Loving Others. The Merchant rejects God in favor of his own plans. The Rich oppresses others in the service of accumulating wealth.
Both may (or may not) have good long term intentions. But both are headed for disaster. They are missing the Main Thing.
When we walk their paths, worship their success, and live like them we are in danger of falling in the same pit.
We are meant to hear these stories and think. “What fools!” But then as scripture often does, catch a glimpse of our own foolishness, our own sin inside theirs
These paths are easy to make excuses for, and they look ok on the outisde, but they lead to death. The gospel offers something else.
Point/Sticky Statement: Presuming on God, and Opressing others is the opposite of following Jesus. These paths are easy to make excuses for, and they look ok on the outisde, but they lead to death. The gospel offers something else.
The offer of James echos the offer of the gosepel. In an uncertain world. A world where tragedy can strike at any moment. As world where we are pulled by twin illusions. The illusion of Self determination and control and the illusion of worldly wealth.
When our excuses are revealed to be just that?
The offer of James echos the offer of the gosepel. In an uncertain world. A world where tragedy can strike at any moment. As world where we are pulled by twin illusions. The illusion of Self determination and control and the illusion of worldly wealth.
A world where these twin illusions pull our attention away from the meaning of life.
James says this,
v.17
Life is Short, God is in control and he loves you
It is not that making plans or even experiencing monetary success are bad things in themselves. Its that they are temporary and small, and we have so much more on offer.
The bible challenges us to live grounded lives.
Y - What is the most important thing God has for you today?
Y - What is the most important thing God has for you today?
Trans: I dont know which illusion is more enticing in your life
If you are more tempted to make compromises on how you treat others OR if you are drawn by the illusion that you are the master of your own destiny.
But they are traps.
The merchant tells us we have all the time in the world, so why start now.
The illusion of wealth fills our focus and blinds us to the people we have forgotten and would rather not remember.
Both trap us, both lead us to spend our lives trying to figure this life out. Both put our focus the tempoary, short lived, and mist like success of this life. Both lead to tragedy.
But Jesus offers us something different.
But we are offered
Matthew 6:19-21
The New International Version Chapter 6
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.
He offers us a chance to live according to the kingdom. Life in God’s solid world, now. To trust God with tomorrow, and life today like God has us.
To, instead of obsessing over tomorrow, or security, or wealth to do the good God calls us to today.
To put down the illusions that distract us and get busy living out God’s plan for us now. TO get busy loving God and Loving others, NOW.
To stop putting off the things that matter most for the illusions of success this world has to offer.
Challenge
So what is the thing you are excusing in your life that you know you shouldn't be?
Who is that person you know you ought to give some time to?
Who do you have a broken relationship with that you need to call?
What is your next step in reconnecting with your spouse?
or your kids?
or your parents?
or your friends?
or your siblings?
What are you waiting for?
And
W - What if we laid down these illusions and instead lived in God’s kingdom now?
W - What if we laid down these illusions and instead lived in God’s kingdom now?
Imagine what it would be like to REST in the knowledge that this life its triumphs and painst are short, God is in Control, and that he loves you.
Who could you love better?
What burdens would you lay down?
What would you stop doing?
What would you start doing?
Lets pray