Accepting God's Will
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Thank you for joining us again for a drive in service. We had so much fun last week we decided to do it again.
This morning we are going to begin a new series called Recalculating: When Plans change.
We’ve all experienced a change of plans at some point in our lives…especially in more recent weeks. When plans change…what do we as Christians do?
No matter where we are in the planning process, the beginning, the point where it changes, or about to wrap things up, there is one thing that we must seek to have throughout and that is the will of God.
I believe it is a sad thing the type of picture that has been painted of the will of God for a persons life when we believe that it is some mysterious thing that cannot be understood by us mere mortals.
Over the next few weeks we are going to explore God’s will and various ways starting this morning with “Accepting God’s Will”
Get your Bible’s out or open your Bible Apps to James 4:13-17. The book of James is in the New testament near the back of your Bible. It was written by James, the brother of Jesus. Yes, Jesus had siblings. That’s a lesson for another day.
The book of James was written to Jewish believers of the day and is a very practical book. It is the book that contains the verses regarding faith and works.
This morning we are going to see where James is calling believers, like you and I, to Reason within ourselves that our plans are not our own and to recognize our place in the will of God and fulfilling His purpose. As I read and preach this morning I’d like for you to consider what your attitude is towards God’s will. Do you ignore it? Do you know it but refuse to obey it? Or, do you love and obey it?
Follow along with me this morning as I read
James 4:13-17
13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
PRAY
Notice with me the first call that James Presents
I. A Call to Reason
I. A Call to Reason
The Bible reads “Go to now..” I don’t know about you but I don’t speak that way. Another way to say that is “Come now...” Come now and listen. Come now and hear. Come now you who are making plans.
Each of us make plans. Some more extensive than others. Myself, I like a detailed plan. I don’t always make one but I love a detailed plan.
And whether you are like me and enjoy the details of a plan or like my wife and enjoy some spontaneity, I believe this call to reason hits home with each of us because it speaks to what a plan provides.
It provides a level of control and a level of certainty. When you say “I”m going here to do this and that and this will be the result” we can all feel confident in whats going to happen in regards to that area.
So this call to reason is not just for the planner it is for anyone who finds comfort in knowing the outcome.
James call to reason calls on those who have a desirable plan.
A. A Desirable Plan
A. A Desirable Plan
He isn’t just speaking to those who are making sinful plans or plans that are evil. The plan he presents in this illustration is one that makes sense to all of us.
Go here, do work, make money.
This wasn’t uncommon for the Jews of the day nor is it uncommon for any of us today.
Jesus even spoke a parable about a certain rich man that goes like this
Luke 12:16-21
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
The Rich man considered only his plans for his crop and never what the Lord desired.
The rich man reasoned in his heart to tell his soul “Soul, thou has much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”
Sounds like a great plan from a humanistic point of view. He made three common mistakes though
1. He mistook his bankbook for his Bible
1. He mistook his bankbook for his Bible
He judged his successs by the balances of his bank accounts rather than the what he read in the Bible.
Jesus said “You may be rich but you are not rich toward God.” I don’t know about you but I’d rather be rich toward God than rich toward man.
2. He mistook his body for his soul
2. He mistook his body for his soul
A soul has no use for the crop or the money he could gain from selling it. He was so foolish he could not discern between the physical and the spiritual. Our body needs food our soul needs Jesus.
John 6:35
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
3. He mistook time for eternity
3. He mistook time for eternity
He told himself “You’ve got many years” Jesus said in verse 20 “You fool…tonight your soul is required of you”
He said tonight you die…now who does that bumper crop belong to?
We make plans as though we have control over the future. We look forward and time determine what we will do and what we will have not realizing that time is not in our hands.
We can make as many desirable plans as we want but we mustn’t forget what James mentions next: A disregarded principle.
B. A Disregarded Principle
B. A Disregarded Principle
James 4:14
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Whether we lay plans for today or tomorrow we honestly have no idea what is going to happen in the next 30 seconds. We give ourselves this illusion of control because it provides us with comfort yet it shows our misguided faith.
Is our faith in our plans or in our provider? Do we find comfort in control or in the creator?
Our life is but a vapor, here today and gone in the same day. We must remember that we all will spend more time dead than alive…so why do we focus on the temporal rather than the eternal?
I’m not tell you to never plan…I’m not telling you to not have goals, dreams, and aspirations…I am telling you to reason in your heart the purpose behind your plans and ask yourself “If my plans change, will I glory in the Lord or are they all about me?”
Our text started with a call to Reason and then James gives a Call to Recognize
II. A Call to Recognize
II. A Call to Recognize
James 4:15-17
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Notice with me first that it is a call to recognize our place
A. Recognize your Place
A. Recognize your Place
I grew up an only child. I am now the father of three wonderful kids. 2 boys and my sweet little girl. I see a lot of myself in all of my children. My oldest Son likes to be the leader and be the one that makes the decisions. So much so that he likes to tell the others what to do. Any of your children do this?
I’ve heard him go to them and say things I say “If you don’t do this you can’t play a game.” “If you’ll do this I’ll let you watch that.”
When I hear these things I normally have him come to me and discuss how that’s not his place. He’s assuming authority when he actually has none. He’s trying to exercise influence when he hasn’t earned any. It’s a great leadership teaching moment.
He recognizes his place and never does it again.....that’s not true. It’s almost a weekly occurence in one way or another.
We often will do the same in relation to the authority we really have over our lives. We make plans as though we are the ones in charge. We go day to day living as Christian atheists.
We believe there is a God, we believe Jesus died for our sins, but we don’t really want Him involved with EVERYTHING we are doing.
We are assuming authority over our lives that we don’t have. Many of you had plans for March, April, and May and I bet they didn’t include a drive in church service, everything being closed, and you becoming your child’s teacher.
See…we thought we had control.
James says not to approach life in this way. We should say “If the Lord wills.” You hear many people saying this. In modern vernacular it’s more commonly said “Lord willing.”
Down South they’ll say “Lord willing and the Creek don’t rise.” Which I never understood meant a literal creek flooding or the creek indians…but that’s neither here nor there.
I don’t, and maybe I should, walk around making the statement Lord willing all of the time. However, I do seek to know in my heart that every plan I have is under the subjection of God. He can change them on me. If saying Lord willing helps you to recognize your place in relation to the Lord then I suggest you make that habit.
When we don’t make our plans or go about our lives with this mindset, it is sin.
James said in verse 16
James 4:16
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
When we rejoice in our plans and in our accomplishments as though they are our own, we committing evil acts.
It’s prideful and sinful to believe that you have control of it all. I do believe in the sovereignty of God but I do not believe we are pawns that are moved about as he pleases. I believe that we must choose to seek after and perform the will of God in our lives.
Thats recognizing our place. It is not the pawn moved about as the master pleases irregardless of our choices and decisions in life. It is that of an adopted child into the family of God that is responsible for learning and knowing the will of God and following after it.
The will of God is not a mysterious thing that not of us can ascertain or accomplish. However it is not a cookie cutter model that all of us can adapt to our lives.
We saw moments ago that our life is but a vapor.
When we Recognize our place it is then our responsibility and privilege to recognize His purpose.
B. Recognize His Purpose
B. Recognize His Purpose
God’s Purpose or God’s will is two fold: 1. His overall will for people and 2. His will for you specifically
I want to highlight God’s will for everyone real quick
2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
He desires that no one perishes but all have everlasting life. He desires that each person on earth would trust Jesus as their savior and have an eternal home in Heaven with them.
1 Thess 5:16-18
16 Rejoice evermore.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
2. He desires that we rejoice forever with him, That we would pray and commune with him without ceasing, and in everything give thanks.
1 Thess 4:3
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
3. That verse speaks of obtaining from such things outside the confines of marriage.
Those are some things are for every person alive.
The will of God for your life though is a tailor made plan that is for your good and His glory.
Jer 29:11
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
I once read about a young man at a youth conference where a preacher had spoke on following God’s will with your life. The teenage boy came up to the preacher and said “I would give my life to the Lord, but I’m afraid.” The preacher asked “What are you afraid of?”
The teenager responded “I’m afraid God will ask me to do something dangerous!”
The preacher then bestowed upon wisdom each of us should hear “The dangerous life is not in the will of God, but out of the will of God. The safest place in the world is right where God wants you.”
Where does God want you today? Apparently He wants us living through this coronavirus.
What’s God’s will for you during this time? What should you be doing? Have you asked?
I’ll tell you first, as Warren Weirsbe said, “The will of God is a living relationship between God and the believer.”
We wander what God’s plan is and what’s going to happen....don’t expect God to reveal to you His entire plan for your life. Know why? We couldn’t handle it.
Don’t forget
Matthew 6:34
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Let’s seek what God has for us today. God will reveal His will to those that are willing to obey it.
John 7:17
17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
As you are doing the will of God for you as a Christian you will find the will of God for you as an individual.
Why though? Why should we try to obey the will of God? Why should we try to follow what He would have for us?
We enjoy deeper fellowship with the Lord
Mark 3:35
35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
2. We enjoy knowing God’s Truth as evidence in John 7:17 I just read
3. Our prayers will be answered
1 John 5:14-15
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
That doesn’t mean every prayer will be answered as you ask it. I believe it means our hearts and minds will be aligned with God’s will leading us to pray according to His will.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Have you considered your attitude toward God’s will? Do you totally ignore and live you life as if there is not a God?
In my experience that leads to fear, hopelessness, uncertainity.
Do you know God’s will but refuse it? How sad is the vapor that is wasted on it’s own pursuits rather than channeled towards the will of God.
It is the vapor that when properly channeled can power a locomotive. What could God do with your vapor if you accepted His will?
Are you here this morning and don’t know Jesus as your savior?
If your here this morning and want to trust Jesus as your savior I want you to know that’s very easy. If you believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins, was buried in a tomb, and rose from the dead, then you are saved.
You see, one Pastor put it this way, “Salvation is not something you achieve, it is something you believe.”
If you just made the decision to trust Jesus as your Savior I want you to help you confirm that with a prayer.
The words of the prayer mean nothing but what you believe in your heart means everything.
“Dear Jesus, I know I’m a sinner, I believe you came to die on the cross and rose from the dead. I put my faith right now in you and ask you to come into my life and change me from the inside out. Amen.”
PRAY
If you made that decision this morning I want you to make sure you fill out that form on lbcbristol.org/drivein or send us an email at info@lbcbristol.org. I have a gift I want to send you. I want to rejoice in your decision with you. I want to pray for you. I want to talk to you about the next step of faith you can take to deepen your relationship with Jesus.
At this time I want to thank you again for coming out. Our worship team is making their way back out to play and sing a closing chorus and while they sing I’d like to ask you to give your attention to the parking team that has vests on for direction to leave.
