Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction (40 - 3min)

Last time we were together James laid out the difference between what he called an earthly wisdom and a wisdom form above.

2 Common problems and 2 extremes to avoid:

Prideful planning / Self-focused comfort

planning is bad / it’s a sin to be rich

2 things we often waste that we should steward and even risk - money and time

Notice the ‘Come now’ 

We don’t risk randomly but faithfully

If we understand these resources are limited or out of our control we steward them differently

Our time and money are two things that God provides, but when we believe we have an abundance of either money or time we can easily become arrogant with either.

God wants to take us from pursuing a comfortable self-confidence to an active God-confidence.

2 Types of people:

Those who have a calendar with actual words on it and those who have a calendar just to look at the cute puppies

Some of you are feeling convicted already - he knows what he’s doing tomorrow?! Wow.

james 4:

Plan in pencil because life is uncertain.

(4:13-14)

Plan in pencil because life is uncertain.

(4:13-14) (37 - 10min)

How many of you are planners?

You know:

what you are having for lunch today

Plan in pencil

(13) Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”

(13) Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”

Is it a sin to plan?

No.

There are many Proverbs in the Bible that talk about the wisdom of planning ahead, of gathering together wise counsel to plan for success.

Is it wrong to plan ahead, to schedule, to keep a calendar - No. Planning is what got you here.

Planning in an of itself is not good.

Planning in light of your God-given purpose and his people-focused plan is.

Planning in light of your God-given purpose and his people-focused plan is.

The problem is not the presence of planning - it is the absence of God in the planning.

The problem is not that we plan things, the problem is when we believe WE plan them.

’M going to get married next year, WE’RE going to start a family soon.

I’M going to finish school, get a job, find a guy/girl, get married, have 2.5 kids, work my way up in the company, have a nice house, nice car, nice vacations.

I’M going to retire early, move to Florida, and play golf until I die.

Control

It assumes we are in control of our life.

None of those things are bad.

However, all of those things are assumptions.

Compartments

This assumes there are parts of our lives we consult with God and there are parts we simply plan out ourselves.

They assume you know the future.

(14a) yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.

If we are honest, we do not know what the next 30 seconds will bring.

yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.

What is your life?

For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

(ESV)

Life is brief (when the focus is temporary)

(14b) What is your life?

For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

You will die and few people will remember you.

(14b) yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.

What is your life?

For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Life is a mist - ‘vapor’

ILLUST - column of steam out of power plant

looks solid but dissipates and disappears

looks like something you could hold and control but if you try - you can only direct it while it lasts - you can’t hold onto it.

life is like that.

This is why I’ve never been asked to write a book on self-esteem or be a motivational speaker.

Our brief life is the opposite of God

ps 90:1-

The ramifications:

In our brief life of uncertainty, we can anchor to an everlasting, good God.

Without Jesus, our souls are loosely tethered to a drifting ship bound for destruction.

Because if you have never trusted in Jesus as Lord of your life - confessing your sins and trusting that his death and resurrection satisfied God’s wrath against your sin, then this eternal God is not YOUR God, and there is no anchor for your soul, the anxiety you feel is real and warranted.

If, however, you are a follower of Jesus, then you have nothing to fear.

The brief nature of your earthly life is found secure in the eternal nature of God’s life through Jesus Christ.

Because of the uncertain nature of our lives, we should plan in pencil:

Is planning bad?

Because of the uncertainty of life, James calls us away from making plans on our own and to plan with God not only because of the certainty of his nature, but because his will is certain.

Plan with God because His will is certain.

(15-16) (27 - 10min)

(15) Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

(16) As it is, you boast in your arrogance.

All such boasting is evil.

Favorite pious Christianese:

We should say, “If the Lord wills. .

.”  (Lord willing)

I’ll see you tomorrow, Lord willing.

If the Lord wills, I’ll find

I’ll use the bathroom . . .

Lord willing (did we really seek his advice?)

Not religious lip service

Not telling God our plans and praying for a blessing

To plan as if we are guaranteed tomorrow is arrogant according to James.

It is arrogant because it assumes two things: Control and Compartments

Control

It is highly suspect that the assumption of control in planning our lives would be for Kingdom work for God’s glory.

It assumes we are in control of our life.

Compartments

This assumes there are parts of our lives we consult with God and there are parts we simply plan out ourselves.

Control

It assumes we are in control of our life.

Compartments

This assumes there are parts of our lives we consult with God and there are parts we simply plan out ourselves.

Here is the reality:

God is sovereign