It is so good to be with you again. Thank you for being there. We are glad to be here and listen to what God is teaching us through His Word. Again, today’s lesson has an evident and practical takeaway.
Years ago, I was part of a large group that had scheduled a trip together. We all came from different areas and met in New York City for our flight. As our flight time approached, so did the predictions of a big snowstorm. The snowstorm won, and our flight was canceled. Someone in our group said, “Man plans, and God laughs.”
We did our best to prepare and plan, but we know things like snowstorms and other circumstances may change our plans. Knowing this, we hold our plans loosely, prefacing them with the word “Lord willing.” Christians continue committing our future to God, knowing He controls everything. This is precisely what James reminds us of in today’s lesson. You see, we tend to forget. We tend to get in the rhythm of life, making our plans and executing them month after month, year after year. This isn’t bad, but we quickly forget to acknowledge God in our plans. This lesson reminds us to consider our future and keep God in it.
Let’s give our attention to J Mark as he teaches from James 4.
When the luxury oceanliner Titanic was launched near the beginning of the 20th century, many people believed in new science and technology. They believed that science in the twentieth century could and would provide answers to all their problems. The loss of the Titanic was a tremendous blow to their confidence. It’s too bad we haven’t learned much from their experience. In this 21st century, many are making the same mistake.
In our text for today, James warns us about the danger of making plans that exclude God. Our study today is from James 4:13-17. The message’s title is “You’re Going to Do What?”
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;
14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Our text reveals four WARNINGS related to our plans for the future.
The First WARNING is,
Unrealistic Expectation
I find the beginning words of verse thirteen quite interesting: “Go to now.” The modern equivalent would be something like, “Oh, come on,” or, “Now wait a minute.” These are expressions of disbelief. What is it that calls these expressions of disbelief? It is people who make plans without considering God.
Don’t you find it easy to make plans without thinking about God’s plans? Too often, I find myself in this mode of thinking. Someone asks me, “Will you be at the meeting on such and such a date?” And I respond, “I sure will.” But who decides whether I’ll be there or not? God does. Some of my expectations may be unrealistic. I don’t know if I’ll be there or not. Lots can happen between now and then.
Does that mean it’s wrong to make plans? In Proverbs chapter six, God tells us to take a lesson from the ants. They plan by gathering in the harvest in preparation for the time when gathering is impossible. In Luke fourteen, Jesus talks about the importance of planning when he illustrates the man who...
