Boasting about Tomorrow

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”— 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. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Sermon

James speaks to the members of the churches who have been scattered due to persecution

James has warned of worldiness

He shows his readers the senselessness of living a life of practical atheism

Mankind’s pride closes their eye’s to reality

They make plans and talk as if they are master of their own life and God does not exist

Example of Boasting

James 4:13 ESV

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”—

Now Listen

“Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”

James does not attack making plans but rather highlights the lack of contemplation of God

Jesus said...

Matthew 24:38–39 ESV

For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

return..

James 4:13 ESV

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”—

Example James gives of people planning and working without thinking about God

They show as much arrogance as the person who slanders his neighbour

The sin of failing to come to God in prayer is one of the most common offenses a Christian commits

They fail to realise that they cannot add even a minute to their life, they aree completely dependant on God

Jesus told a parable...

Luke 12:16–21 ESV

And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

You do not know what tomorrow will bring

James 4:14 ESV

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.

They have not heeded the counsel of Solomon...

Proverbs 27:1 ESV

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

Yet, they talk about the future with absolute certainty.

But the do not have any control over it.

If we have no idea what the future brings what is the purpose of life?

Ecclesiastes 12:13 ESV

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

James reminds us “you are a mist that appears for a little time and vanishes”

Hosea 13:3 ESV

Therefore they shall be like the morning mist or like the dew that goes early away, like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor or like smoke from a window.

God is Sovereign

James 4:15 ESV

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

In all our planning, deeds and accomplishments we must acknowledge our submission to God

We ought to place him first and say “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that”

It must not be a pious formula

Paul later taught through example:

Acts 18:21 ESV

But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.

1 Corinthians 4:19 ESV

But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power.

1 Corinthians 16:7 ESV

For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.

Philippians 2:19 ESV

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.

Philippians 2:24 ESV

and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

Hebrews 6:3 ESV

And this we will do if God permits.

James has already taught our tongue is a bridle for our actions (James 3)

It was not a formula

Luke fails to relate its use to the narratives of Paul’s journey’s recorded in Acts

Paul fails to employ this formula in places where we would expect it

Therefore, we do not use the words God Willing as a threadbare or repetative phrase

Rather our entire lives ought to present and ackowledge our submission to God’s secure and protective care

Boasting is Evil

James 4:16 ESV

As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

The business men had ventured out, taken risks and made profits

Success breeds success, and along with prosperity comes pride and self-sufficiency

J. B. Phillips provides this paraphrase, “As it is, you get a certain pride in yourself in planning your future with such confidence. That sort of pride is all wrong.”

Human boasting is worthless

Not only is it unjustified it is tottally unacceptable to God

James goes as far to say “is evil”

Paul teaches us that we can boast on in weaknessl in this weakness the power of Christ becomes evident (2 Cor 11:30;12:5,9 )

A Christian, then, may boast of himself “only in so far as his life is lived in dependence on God and in responsibility to him.”

Consider, boast of how many with be converted (UCCF - Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship)

Sin of Omission or Neglect

James 4:17 ESV

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

The early church has not yet got the writings and teachings of the New Testament

James’ letter is the first

James reminds them to not play with fire and to listen to their God given consciences

We must avoid the sin of omission (Leaving God out of our lives)

If we walk in step with Christ we know what we should be doing

Samuel’s farewell speech...

1 Samuel 12:23 ESV

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

“by failing to pray for you”

Samuel shunned the sin of neglect

Neglect is the equivalent of ignoring God and our neighbour and is therefore sin against the law of God

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Closing Prayer

Doxology

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