Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

How many of you have ever had to call someone out because of something they said?

friend?

family member?

Co-worker?

I remember when I was in seminary and there was some inappropriate words spoken to my daughter from a fellow student.

The displaced status of these Jewish Christians has brought to the surface some basic spiritual issues; and it is to these spiritual issues that the author directs his exhortations.

The words spoken were either ignorant or malicious

But either way he needed to be confronted.

I needed to speak to him about his words.

He needed to be rebuked.

However, before I did so I needed to seek some wisdom from friends family.

I still remember sitting down with Pastor Zach seeking wisdom from him on how to handle this situation.

James is about to lay out some harsh rebukes on people within the church (both believers and unbelievers)

Come now you who say

Come now, you rich...

Yet, before he goes into the rebukes he explains how not to judge one another.

James makes it clear that you are not to judge one another.

However, James is about to go ahead and rebuke or even judge some within the church.

How does this work?

He says in verse 12 that there is only one lawgiver and judge...

And it is by his authority that we are to judge and rebuke one another.

For if we judge by our own authority the law testifies against us because we are ourselves worthy of judgement.

So when I spoke to this individual who spoke inappropriately to my daughter, I had to rebuke or judge him according to the judgements of God.

In other words, we call sin out in one another not because we are holy and righteous ourselves, but because God has revealed himself and it is by God’s authority we call sin sin.

And this is what we see James doing, he brings forth his judgements and rebukes not because he is righteous, and they have fallen short of his standard, but because God is righteous and as their spiritual leader he is speaking for God.

So with this in mind, let see how James rebukes the arrogant in verses 13-17

The Rebuke of the Arrogant

Verses 13-17 James rebukes the arrogant who think they have autonomy to live their lives apart from the sovereign will of God.

about the temptations of autonomous planning more generally and thus a failure to take God’s will into account

13-

At first glance it may seem that James is rebuking those who have the ability to travel, to invest, and make money.

Is there something inherently wrong with travel?

Trade?

Making a profit?

Does God prefer his people to be confined to one place?

No, we are to take the gospel the the nations

Does God prefer his people to not trade or invest?

No, the virtuous women of is known for trading and investing and she is praised for this.

Does God prefer his people to not make a profit?

No, Jesus rebukes the unwise servant in the parable of the talents who does not invest the talent for profit but rather buries it in the ground.

If its not evil to travel, trade or make a profit, why does James rebuke those who do such things in this passage?

What causes James so much consternation with these people is not their vocation but their attitude.

He is not bothered by traveling, or spending or staying or making a profit.

But rather, he is speaking to a heart that is arrogant, prideful, and selfish.

He is rebuking an attitude that believes that oneself is the greatest authority in ones life.

The consistent use of the future tense indicative verbs

The consistent use of the future tense indicative verbs—“we will go” (πορευσόμεθα), “we will spend” (ποιήσομεν), “we will do business” (ἐμπορευσόμεθα), and “we will profit” (κερδήσομεν)—shows a confidence that these plans will be carried out.

The consistent use of the future tense indicative verbs—“we will go” (πορευσόμεθα), “we will spend” (ποιήσομεν), “we will do business” (ἐμπορευσόμεθα), and “we will profit” (κερδήσομεν)—shows a confidence that these plans will be carried out.

“we will go” (πορευσόμεθα)

“we will spend” (ποιήσομεν)

“we will do business” (ἐμπορευσόμεθα)

“we will profit” (κερδήσομεν)—shows a self absorbed confidence that these plans will be carried out.

And James has, as we should, a very high view of God’s sovereignty.

James knows that each breath we take is a breath provided of by God

James knows that our health, finances, comfort, jobs, families, are all in the hands of God.

So to assert that we will go and spend and trade and profit without any regard to the sovereignty of God is painfully arrogant.

So James says,

How dare you be so arrogant to claim you will do this thing or that when you don’t even know, nor can you control, what tomorrow will bring.

How can you, being the kind of creatures that you are, presume to dictate the course of future events?

The fragility of human life is one that should lead us to to the creator and sustainer with the meekness of wisdom.

For the life we live is like mist, it appears for a little time and then vanishes.

James knows that arrogance moves us not toward, but away from friendship with God.

The poet William Ernest Henley famously wrote in his poem “Invictus” — “I am the master of my fate / I am the Captain of my soul.”

This is the attitude James is rebuking.

you are the master of nothing.

You are the captain of nothing.

Your life is a mist.

You are here now, but in a moment you will be gone.

When the greatness of God’s glory is realized, when we see him for who he is, the great sovereign king, it effects everything!

***Its like having kids

There is nothing in your life that is left unaffected when you have kids

your marriage changes

your friendships change

travel plans, meal planning, bed time, everything changes when you have kids.

And this is the way its supposed to be.

in the same way when we submit ourselves to the sovereign will of God everything changes.

So in light of God’s infinite sovereignty and our limited finiteness how should we think about the future?

15-

Everything we do should be in submission to Christ’s Lordship.

everything!

Kurios speaks of dominion and kingship - being master.

We far to often think of Jesus as our savior, but not as our king.

We think of him as our moral guide, but not as one who is our master.

James wants us to think of Jesus not just as our savior, but also as our master.

And who are we to do anything without first consulting with your master.

As followers of Christ we are men and women who are under authority.

Not just in the spiritual realm, but we are under the authority of Christ in everything we do.

But we boast in arrogance when we think we are our own masters or our own captains.

And James says that such boasting is sin.

So these young Christians have just received some strong words from James.

Do not be arrogant

do not boast

Recognize that you are men and women under the rule and reign of king Jesus.

Therefore, seek the kings will when making plans.

This submission to the sovereign kingship of Christ applies to all men everywhere.

Here is the reality.

Jesus has been given rule and authority over all people.

Perhaps James is seeing the affect of what happens when the church seeks to be friends with the world rather than friends with God.

Those who have not placed their faith in Christ are not excused as if they serve a different king, they are without excuse because they live in rebellion to king Jesus.

The antagonist in James Letter are the Rich among them who are oppressive, wicked and evil.

Yet their lives are lives of ease, and