A life that Truly Matters

Intro

Baptism Class next week: 9:30am

We have been in the book of James since the week after easter here and we took a little breather for mothers day but today we are back at it

Next week will be the last week of the book of James

SO Ii have told you that I like the book of James because of its “punch in the Gut” style.

James doesn't beat around the bush…He just comes right out and says it.

Also for James unfortunately he doesn’t have this really beautiful way of writing where everything is linked together…The book is really these fragments of teachings that he just kind of throws out there

So it is my hope today that none of this feels fragmented but just so you know it might

But I want to open up with this scripture found in Proverbs

As you know the two places that James uses heavily were from the words of his brother Jesus and the proverbs

This scripture means so much for me today because I was studying this scripture with a group of college students when Hurricane Katrina happened we were reading this proverb

proverbs 3:27

The New International Version Chapter 3

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,

when it is in your power to act.

So proverbs are the wisdom of God right...

And it says…Do not withhold good…when it is in your power to act...

Does God withhold good from his people? No: In his letter to the Galatians Paul says that at just the right time God sent his son, born of a woman..under the law, so he could redeem us and adopt us as his sons & daughters.

It is in God’s nature to do good for his people and it should be in our nature to do good for others when it is in our power to do so...

And following Jesus isn't just about getting your good deeds in…It is about becoming the type of person whose deepest desire is for the Good of everyone

Think of how your life might change today if you decided that this is just the way your were going to live.

You would have to be willing to have your life interrupted to do good for others.

Many of us withhold good because it is too much of an interruption

So to live this way would be to be willing to life each day just for that day…and to not worry about the future

Because your primary concern would be how you could give good things today.

So I want to encourage you to have that on your mind as we get into the book of James this morning:

James 4:13-17

The New International Version Chapter 4

Boasting About Tomorrow

13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

I love this: What is your life? You are a mist…You're there for a second and then gone

So what James is saying is almost a combination of Jesus’ teaching and a proverb...

James is saying don’t boast about tomorrow where Jesus teaching is don’t worry about tomorrow...

And the proverb is don’t withhold good from those who deserve it when you have the power to act…But James here takes that a step further and says, if you know the good that you should do and you don’t do it…then it is a sin for you

In other words, God’s character is fully good.

God is the very definition of what is good, so when something swells up in us to do good, guess what that is…it is the prompting of God.

And when you end up not doing that good, what you are essentially doing is ignoring God’s voice and prompting in your life

James calls it a sin and rightfully so sin separates you from God

Every time God leads and prompts us....A way we can get closer with God is by doing it…And then it sort of becomes second nature and guess what…You begin to do the Good that God wants from you naturally!

See what James is addressing is these wealthy folks in the church who saying is if you spend too much time boasting about what is coming up in your, where your traveling next and how great life is foe you then you will never let yourself focus on others....

And that is what the church is about right?

Focusing on others. Helping others find and follow Jesus.

James is calling the church to be humble and selfless

To serve other people. to be the family that God is making them to be.

Because....After all…What is your life? It is a blip on the radar of world history

I do a lot of funerals. I sit down with a lot of families who are grieving and who have to stare this question in the face…What is life?

And I always feel bad for the people that have very little to say about their loved one.

You ask them about what the person did with their life and it is like I don’t know they worked and then that was really it.

They sat on the couch and yelled at CNN or FOX

Church becoming like Jesus takes work....What if you started giving your family funeral material right now?

And the way you do that is that when something good for others comes to mind…Do it!

When you feel like you should bless someone else…Do it!

When you feel compelled to give something away…Then be generous...

Your life is a mist: Give yourself away

Now I love that the first words in this scripture started with “Now Listen” because that exactly how James starts the next segment

James 5:1-5

The New International Version Chapter 5

5 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. u 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

There is so much here!

First of all: Who is James sounding like here?

Kind of like his brother right?

Matthew 6:19-21

The New International Version Chapter 6

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

James is saying: Look 20 years ago Jesus gave this teaching and it didn't take long

So lets get settled on the teachings of Jesus so we can get settled on what James is saying

Jesus taught us that we should treasure two things beyond all other things

1. Treasure God

2. Treasure one another!

To treasure something means to ascribe value to it

What Jesus is saying is to invest your life in what God is doing…That sort of thing can never be lost!

What we treasure focuses our heart: Remember what Jesus said about this, that our hearts will be where our treasure is.

See here is how this works in really practical terms

When you treasure God’s kingdom then you can see everything in its true worth in relationship to God’s kingdom

What I just said is huge: Don’t miss it!

When you treasure God’s kingdom then you can see everything in its true worth in relationship to God’s kingdom

Look what Jesus did!

His culture didn’t value children, but Jesus made them the example of how you follow him!

His culture didn’t value women, but Jesus saw their true worth and gave them a prominent place in his ministry!

The culture in which Jesus lived threw out the sinner class, but Jesus valued them, he went and ate a meal with them

The culture in which Jesus lived gave prominence to the wealthy , but Jesus in all of his teachings gave a special prominence to the poor

DO you get it now: When you treasure God’s kingdom then you can see everything in its true worth in relationship to God’s kingdom

Do we treasure what God treasures?

Do we treasure relationships of love and Joy?

or do we treasure things? Phones? Money? Stuff?

This is so important because when money and possessions become a larger treasure than people then we will misuse people to get money.

This is what James is talking about in the church:

At the end of chapter 4 he is saying, you go on all these fancy trips and flaunt your wealth

Then in the beginning of chapter 5 he is saying your wealthy off the backs of others. You are oppressing people

And just like in the story of Cain and Able, God tells Cain that Able’s blood cries out from the ground

James tells the church that when there is economic injustice in your life, your money cries out against you.

What James is saying is that while murder is very public and instantly everyone knows about it.

Money is secretive. You can use money unethically and no one will know about it.

One of the things that we can do with money is we have the power to ignore needs

When Jesus spoke of his eventual return and judgment. One of the things that he identified was our ability to care for others.

In a parable about his own return, Jesus said this:

Matthew 25:34-40

The New International Version Chapter 25

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Do you get the words of James now: When you know the good you ought to do and you don’t do it…its a sin for you...

James is reminding the church to re-evaluate what you treasure!

Is our treasure all in your stuff?

James is calling the church out by saying: Look you have hoarded wealth in your last days!

And the hard truth about money is this

Even for the most materialistic people in the world…its not about the stuff...

Hoarding wealth becomes a signpost in our lives that life is about me! Its about my comfort…my happiness…My joy...

And jesus came giving himself away: Completely opposed to that way of thinking.

I want to end this message with really simple truths

What is the Good that you know you ought to do?

Do you do it or ignore it?

Where is your treasure at in this world? What do you value? Because that is where your heart is at

How are you using your money?

It is an indication of what you truly value.

COMMUNION:

Today we are going to end this message by celebrating the Lord’s Supper..>Communion

And every time we take it, there is this reminder of what God values

He shows us in this words that last night:

This is my body given for you!

This is a new covenant in my blood.

Jesus values doing good for all the world…do you