Sermon Tone Analysis

Text: James 4:13-17

Introduction

Have you ever had something important that needed to be accomplished and you ended up putting it off until the next day?

We have all been guilty of that from time to time.

What we witness here is James noticing how people were living with the assumption of having the guarantee of future days and therefore boasting about all that they would accomplish on those days for their own glory.

It was almost like tomorrow would always follow today and it was just as simple as that.

It even seemed like tomorrow was their servant and it must come and serve their plans for personal gain.

This chapter speaks of several “good” things to apply our life too as apposed to the bad things.

He mentions these things and then caps them off with a serious warning about the reality of time and therefore how God views the procrastination of doing spiritual good when we are well aware of it.

1) Life Is Complex

It would do us good to pause for a moment and consider what is involved in life...

PERSONAL — I have learned that when you least expect it, new variables get added to your life.

That is not to say they are negative, but nevertheless, life can easily become more complex.

You may ask, “Don’t you plan out your week?”

You may achieve a smoother week for all your to-do’s and goals to be accomplished, but you can’t fit all the variables of life into a life planner.

I say all that to say this, going forward with arrogance about what you will do, decide or commit too tomorrow is completely illogical.

Not to mention, God calls it a sin!!!

Tomorrow is never a promised servant for you to complete the good God would have you to have done today.

Even if it was, who is to say tomorrow’s variables won’t prompt you to put it off on the day after that?

For some, this might disrupted your feeling of purpose, because your perception of purpose and existence is to reach the goals ahead of you.

This is why HUMANISM is such a fragile life model to follow.

Luke 12:16-21 speaks of the farmer who spent all his time building bigger barns.

Luke 12:19-20 “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?”

You see, this is why KNOWING JESUS gives you daily freedom to not worry about tomorrow or be lazy because you have enough for many days ahead.

God’s will for your life is the foundation of removing the mystery surrounding the purpose of your life.

When you start to seek God’s will, life start to make sense.

The physical world even starts to make sense.

Living for God’s will gives you a mind of confidence about living today even if tomorrow never comes.

You can go forward and say, “This is my Father’s world.”

2) Your Life Passes Quickly

James compares the longevity of our life to a VAPOR.

Job 7:6-9 “6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, And are spent without hope.

7 O remember that my life is wind: Mine eye shall no more see good.

8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: Thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.

9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: So he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.”

Job 9:26 “26 They are passed away as the swift ships: As the eagle that hasteth to the prey.”

Job 14:1-2 “1 Man that is born of a woman Is of few days, and full of trouble. 2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.”

Have you ever noticed that we typically only consider the YEARS WE’VE BEEN BORN???

WE CAN’T AFFORD to not count each and EVERY DAY of our existence.

Invest in those thing that are ETERNAL!!! (v15)

So, please stop ignoring your Bible and the wisdom that comes from this pulpit!!!

The priority of a NEW DAY from God is to do the GOOD God would have you do that day.

“good” = the good that is of eternal value.

A life impacted by Biblical truth is more than an academic Christian.

Habits must be the endeavor of the believer.

Your hearts follows your habits, not the knowledge you have in your head.

Joshua 1:8 “8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

Psalm 1:3 “3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

3) Delaying Good Is Sin

THIS IS GOD’S WILL!!!

Question: If this be true, why do so many people choose to disobey it?

Some truly think, “I know what You want me to do, but I prefer not to do it.

I really know more about this than You do!”

This is nothing more than PRIDE!!!

Here are some possible reasons why many live disobediently to God in spite of knowing God’s will:

Man has accomplished so many wondrous things, they think they can do anything anytime they see fit.

Man ignores the nature of God’s will.

See it as something that can be accepted or rejected.

Men especially are bad for this philosophy:

My wife likes to go so I go and support her.

My kids enjoy S.S. so we go too.

My wife serves in the church so I try to help her to make her feel good

LISTEN — the will of God is not an OPINION; it is an OBLIGATION.

(Warren W.)

It is not a “take it or leave it.”

To treat God’s will lightly is to bring upon yourself God’s hand of chastisement.

Some consider God’s will as something that brings MISERY.

Actually, obedience brings the opposite of misery.

You may think you are doing yourself of favor by rejecting God’s will here.

How will you feel when you get UP THERE???

Disobedience DOWN HERE brings about losing rewards UP THERE.

Colossians 3:22-25 “22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.”

Conclusion

One main reason why James declares God’s position on “not doing good today,” is simply you have no guarantee of ever doing that good outside of today.