Introduction: This message is for two kinds of people:

1. Those who have a tendency to take for granted the blessings they have received in life.

2. Those who believe that if they make a decision to do something, it is as good as done.

 

Illustrations:

Ÿ         During the Battle of the Wilderness in the American Civil War, Union general John Sedgwick was inspecting his troops. At one point he came to a parapet, over which he gazed out in the direction of the enemy. His officers suggested that this was unwise and perhaps he ought to duck while passing the parapet. “Nonsense,” snapped the general. “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this dist-.”   A moment later Sedgwick fell to the ground, fatally wounded through the heart.

 

Ÿ         His name was Brandon Lee. He was the son of the famous martial arts expert and movie star Bruce Lee. Growing up with that background, Brandon said all he ever wanted to do was become a martial arts expert himself, and be a successful movie actor. His career didn’t really go very far early on. He acted in a few American made “B” movies and several foreign martial arts films, but then he had the opportunity to star in a major motion picture called “The Crow”. During the making of the movie, Brandon displayed a fairly decent acting ability, and began receiving other offers to make movies. His career looked like it was headed on the fast track upwards. During one interview, Brandon discussed how he was planning on making several other films after he was finished with “The Crow.” He discussed how he was excited about the prospects for his career. He even talked about how he admired the invincible nature of the character he was presently portraying. The next day on the set, a fellow actor was mistakenly handed a prop gun with a metal fragment in the barrel. During the scene when the gun was fired at Brandon Lee, he was shot and killed. He never was able to make the movies he had planned to. He never was able to see his career take off, like he was looking forward to. He didn’t even get to finish the movie he was working on. He, unlike his character, was not invincible.

 

How presumptive are you about tomorrow? 

 

I. The Arrogance That Is Condemned . . . vs. 13 and 16.

James is referring to certain businessmen who strut around as if they own the world.

 

A. These men had a plan in mind . . . "Today or tomorrow . . ."

It is not the planning that is wrong, but the presumption that it will happen.

 

B. These men had a place in mind . . . "We will go into such a city . . ."

Always plotting, always planning, and always preparing for expected profit.

 

C. These men had a period in mind . . . ."and continue there a year . . ."

 

D. These men had a purpose in mind . . . "and buy and sell and get gain:"

The word gain is a compound word in the original -- "a love for gain." A love for money

 

E. But these men had a great problem . . . vs. 16

1. These men left God out of their lives -- they were not atheist, only practical atheists. But the big problem was that they didn't seem to mind; they "boasted" in their efforts. "Boasts" carries the idea of "a false claim; of vaunting oneself." A literal translation of the original language of the verse would say this, “But now ye boast in your vauntings.”  The same word is used one other place in the N.T., in

1 John 2:16 which says, For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. These men falsely believed that even without God they were making a success of their lives. These people were making great speeches of what they were going to do and how they had power over their own destiny.  James does not say these people are lost, but that they are presumptive.  Did you notice that the word “boastings” is in the plural?  This was an attitude that these people had over a long period of time.  I’m reminded of what it says in Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

 

2. Read Deut. 8:10-18  There is a danger when things are going well.  That is when we need to be on guard to the pride that can swell within us and cause us to begin thinking that we are self-made people; that God has nothing to do with our successes.  That is a trap

that so many fall into, and according to Deut. 8 God knows about it and will do something about it.

 

II. The Attitude That Should Be Considered . . . vs. 14 and 15.

 

A. Remember the brevity of life . . . "What is your life? It is even a vapor (mist) . . ."

1. Throughout Scripture we are reminded that our lives will come to an end shortly. Different words and word pictures are used in the Bible to express the brevity of life, such as “wind” (Job 7:7), “a cloud” (Job 7:9),  “as grass, as a flower” (Psalm 103:15), “like a shadow that declineth” (Psalm 102:11). 

 

2. These men planned for a whole year, God said they could not be sure of the next day. These men thought they were independent, but God said they were ignorant.

 

B. Remember the boundaries of life . . ."If the Lord will, we shall live . . ."

No person is ever ready to plan or prepare for anything till he understands God’s providence.

 

1.The providence of God is Biblical . . . nothing happens but that which is HIS will. (READ: Acts 18:21; Romans 1:10; I Corinthians 4:19;  I Corinthians 16:7). Whenever we as God’s people make plans for the future, we must do so with the desire that God’s will be done.  There is a Latin phrase for this concept -- "Deo Volente" -- "God willing."  We should not make one plan without the complete recognition of God’s will being involved. 

 

2.The providence of God is beneficial . . . "all things work for the good . . ." Romans 8:28  If the plan fails we can say with confidence that it was the Lord’s will.  If the plan succeeds, we can humbly say it was God’s will.

 

III. The Action That Is Commanded . . . v. 17.

"Therefore," ties v. 17 with what has preceded.  The “therefore” is a concluding statement that brings the teaching of this paragraph (vss. 13-17) as well as much of what we have studied so far in the book of James to a maxim that believers must remember and live by -

 

A. To know what to do and to not do it is sin.

1. In other words, these men have the doctrine in the head, but not out in their heart. It is the same as a man who listens to the word of God and does nothing about it.

 

2. Jesus in his teaching referred to the sin of omission - just refusing to do the right thing.  In the parable of the talents the unfaithful servant was judged because he hid the talent he was given rather than using it.  He had not used it for evil purposes but he had not used it for good.  In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Priest and Levite are condemned because they refused to do the needed good for a fellow suffering human being, while the Samaritan was praised for reaching out to another. 

 

B. This is a strong warning to us who love to study the Word of God.

1. Bible study is not an exercise in mental gymnastics. It is for the purpose of transforming the life. Every time we hear from God, we ought to apply it to our life.  Tomorrow you are going to get up to make plans about your business and life.  How are you going to go about doing that.?

 

2. We know what God’s Word tells us about having a presumptive attitude about our life and work now that we have studied this passage of scripture.  We are now responsible for making the will of God the center and desire of our life.

 

Conclusion: The solution for arrogance comes in the form of simple humility before God. An understanding that God is sovereign and in control. And understanding that it is God who gives us all we have, —including our salvation and eternal life. An understanding that the entire universe is held together by God’s word alone. An understanding that God could destroy us and the universe we live in, in a blink of an eye. James is calling us to a right perspective. When we place things in their proper perspective, James is confident we will be much more likely to be living as Christians should be, —in submission to God’s will.

 

Do you have things in proper perspective? Are you seeking more self-significance or more humility before God? Does God’s will factor into your planning, or are you living the life of practical atheism?  Like Brandon Lee, we don’t know what tomorrow may hold. That means today is the day to submit to God. Today is the day to be forgiven. Today is the day to pray. Today is the day to worship Him. Today is the day to share Christ with that friend. Today is the day to humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, for He will lift you up. My friends, today is the day - not tomorrow.