James 4:13-17The Biggest Lie in Business

   

James 4:13-17

13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Title: The Biggest Lie in Business

Outline:

1. The Statement (verse 13)2. The Silliness (verse 14)3. The Sin (verse 16)4. The Solution (verse 15)

1. The Statement (verse 13)

13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."

Economics 101: Supply and Demand

1. The Statement (verse 13)

13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."

Acts 15:36After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.“

Acts 18:20-2120 When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent,21 but taking leave of them and saying, "I will return to you again if God wills," he set sail from Ephesus.

1 Corinthians 16:5-65 But I will come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia;6 and perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I may go.

Proverbs 21:5“The plans of the diligent lead to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes to poverty.”

James 4:13,15-16

13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."… 15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

Luke 12:16-19

16b “The land of a rich man was very productive.17 "And he began… saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?'18 … 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.19 'And [then] I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."'

4 When [Jesus] had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, But I will do as You say and let down the nets.”

Luke 5: Going Fishing with Jesus

2. The Silliness (verse 14)

14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 

The Woman

2. The Silliness (verse 14)

14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 

3. The Sin (verses 16-17)

16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. 

The Sin!!!!!

3. The Sin (verse 16)

16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.  

4. The Solution (verses 15, 17)

 15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.“… 17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. 

Colossians 1:17

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Hebrews 1:3

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.

4 When [Jesus] had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, But I will do as You say and let down the nets.”

6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break…

8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus' feet, saying, "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!"

Luke 5: Going Fishing with Jesus

Discussion Questions

1) Secular: is it just another word for self-sufficiency? What do you think? How are we to live our lives? Should there be a “secular” part? 2) Ecclesiastes 7:2 “It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the end of every man, And the living takes it to heart.” How do you think this fits James’ message?

3) The presence of presumption often reveals the ingratitude of grace. How so?