| Teacher: Rusty Kennedy Series: James (Acts) |
Rusty's Notes | |
- Think of all that is involved in life: today, tomorrow, buying, selling, getting gain, losing, going here, going there.
- Life is made up of people and places, activities and goals, days and years; and each of us must make many crucial decisions day after day.
- Apart from the will of God, life is a mystery.
- When you know Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and seek to do His will, then life starts to make sense.
- Even the physical world around you takes on new meaning.[1]
- Living in this pandemic… you can either listen to the news and statistics… or listen to the Spirit.
OUR WILL AND GOD’S WILL
James 4:13 – 5:6
13 Come now (now listen), you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.”
- In reference to the traveling salesman who settles in one place for a season to make a buck and then moves on to the next.
- A beauty salon ad defined a term which has long needed clarification. It read: “Permanent Waves. Guaranteed to last three months.”
- So, permanence is the quality of lasting three months![2]
- Keep this in context of James speaking to an unsettled group that is looking for a home.
- This is a group of people who are going through a major transition in their lives and trying to figure out how to maneuver through the course.
- I can sympathize with James… He’s gathering all his chicks and trying to encourage them through a rough transition.
- Some of them are doing really well in the situation and others are really struggling.
- But he is writing to a group of people who have at least one thing in common which is learning how to live out of their new heart.
- There is still a struggle to live out of their own will or live out of God’s will. (walk by the Spirit)
- In this sense, they are creating community among themselves.
- There is something to say for longevity in a community. Invest in people.
- Community helps keep you focused and grounded.
- Who you hang out with greatly impacts your life.
- Disaster Relief – Home Depot or Lowes pops up but then they also stick around.
- Man’s plans are always tentative.
- His plans are not his own.
- Time is not his own.
- In fact, life is not his own.[3]
- If we can zoom out on this current situation, we will see that it most likely makes the history books.
- But the reality is, most likely, in a couple of years it has already become history.
- That doesn’t mean that it didn’t change the way we did life just a couple months ago but we have moved on to a new way of doing things.
- But still… in the big picture… it is a blip on the radar screen.
- 3-4 months of “quarantine” may seem like a huge deal now… but this reboot will not be given much thought after the next reboot.
- James refers to life being a vapor/mist which is very similar to what Solomon was saying in Ecclesiastes & Proverbs.
- I tried to explain this to a family last night who is on the brink of losing one of their own.
- It is hard to see the bigger picture when reality says “look at this right here”.
- Their answers are probably more visible when they can see the bigger picture… as time goes by.
- Proverbs 27:1 - Don’t boast about tomorrow,
- Luke 12:16-34 - 16 Then he told them a parable: “A rich man’s land was very productive. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What should I do, since I don’t have anywhere to store my crops? 18 I will do this,’ he said. ‘I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones and store all my grain and my goods there. 19 Then I’ll say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.”’
- “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’
- “That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
THE CURE FOR ANXIETY
- Then he said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, don’t worry about your life, what you will eat; or about the body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: They don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than the birds? 25 Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? 26 If then you’re not able to do even a little thing, why worry about the rest?
- “Consider how the wildflowers grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. 28 If that’s how God clothes the grass, which is in the field today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will he do for you—you of little faith? 29 Don’t strive for what you should eat and what you should drink, and don’t be anxious. 30 For the Gentile world eagerly seeks all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.
- “But seek his kingdom, and these things will be provided for you. 32 Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make money-bags for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.[5]
- The key to avoiding boasting is a godly perspective.
- Arrogance mentioned once again.
- Man’s boasting only covers up man’s weakness.
- Paul did not consider the will of God a chain that shackled him; rather, it was a key that opened doors and set him free.[6]
- These people know the will of God but choose to disobey it.
- This attitude expresses even more pride than does the first; for the person says to God, “I know what You want me to do, but I prefer not to do it. I really know more about this than You do!”[7]
- This attitude only sees a small part of the big picture.
- “How does this affect me now?” doesn’t allow you to see the bigger picture in how it will affect you 10 years from now. Or how it will affect your generations to follow.
- Family tree… They made decisions in the heat of the moment that are reflected long after they are dead and gone.
- Selfish perspective… God perspective.
- Ephesians 6:6 - Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will from your heart.[8]
- How do you “do God’s will from your heart”?
- Know Him
- Know what He has given you
- Obey what you know
WARNING TO THE RICH
James 5
1 Come now, you rich people, weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you.
- “rich” is a relevant term.
- What is rich?
- In today’s definition it could easily be defined as one without debt.
- That has changed in the last 50 years.
- A rich person could be determined by Forbes
- A rich person could be determined by material possessions: House, car, boat, etc.
- A rich person could be determined by how they share what they give away.
- James did not say it was a sin to be rich.
- Abraham was a wealthy man, yet he walked with God, and was greatly used of God to bless the whole world.
- James was concerned about the selfishness of the rich and advised them to “weep and wail.”[9]
- Deuteronomy 24:14 - “Do not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether one of your Israelite brothers or one of the resident aliens in a town in your land.[10]
- In the scramble for more wealth, the rich used their influence in courts of justice, and in the process were guilty of bringing condemnation and even death to innocent men who offered no resistance.
- “innocent men” is lit., “the righteous one” though it probably refers to a class of people rather than to one individual.
- What began as an interest in money ended as an insensitivity to murder.[12]
- 1 Corinthians 4:2 - In this regard, it is required that managers be found faithful.[13]
- Just in the last 8 months, you have:
- Supported the local community financially and physically
- Supported several families in the need of counseling
- Supported a single mother who has MS and relies on caretakers every day.
- Paid an electric bill for a family so they could turn their heat back on for the winter.
- Supported local businesses that are need.
- Several families in financial need.
- Supported a couple of ministries (inside of Leavener) that meets physical needs of others in the community.
- Several individuals on missions.
- A family that is pursuing ministry and encouraging them to teach from their identity.
- Thank you for being faithful, caring and supportive.
[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 371). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2] Tozer, A. W., & Eggert, R. (1998). The Tozer Topical Reader (Vol. 2, p. 242). Camp Hill, PA: WingSpread.
[3] Blue, J. R. (1985). James. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 831). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Pr 27:1). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Lk 12:16–34). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 372). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[7] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 372). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[8] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Eph 6:6). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 374). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[10] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Dt 24:14). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[11] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Jas 4:13–5:6). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[12] Blue, J. R. (1985). James. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 833). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[13] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (1 Co 4:2). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
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