James 4:13-5:8

Sermon preached at Gospel Light Christian Church, Singapore
by Pastor Dr Paul Choo
on 10 April 2005

1. The only certainty in life is uncertainty (4:13,14): “Go to now” can roughly be translated as “Come now, listen.” James urges us all to listen because we are all prone to think that we can predict the future. While many will deny this, they nonetheless are very upset when things did not happen as they expected them to. The “stereotypical man” described in this verse, predicted that he would still be alive the next day, still alive at the end of the year, will arrive safely at his destination in another city, carry out all his business strategies according to his planning and make the predicted profit. I am pretty sure that this man did not go around telling others: “It is certain that I’ll be alive at the end of the year and I’m certain that I will make $100,000,” but he “said” this to himself in his heart and mind. The unwillingness to accept the truth that the only certainty in life is its uncertainty is the cause of much sorrow – as people get very upset when things do not happen as they planned. It is the cause of much unnecessary stress in our daily lives as we get upset with traffic jams, spilled milk, ill children or colleagues, etc. This verse is not teaching us to live unplanned lives but it is teaching us to remember that in all our planning, to expect surprises. Uncertainty is part of life. Sure it causes stress in our lives. But to be shocked when unexpected things happen in our life causes far more stress! Relax! If it can go wrong, it will!

2. Our life is just a vapor (4:14): A “vapor” has an uncertain future, a short life-span and is quickly forgotten. Similarly, man’s life is unpredictable, short and quickly forgotten after he is gone. While this is true, this is not the way we perceive our lives. Most of us have “unwritten” life-plans that stretch to a ripe old age of sixty or seventy. If we are diagnosed with an illness that “spoiled” our plans, most of us would be very angry with God for “taking away our lives”! The shock that the recent tsunami took away so many “young” lives is a testimony that we forgot that man’s life is just a “vapor”! Instead of looking at life as a “guaranteed period,” it is wiser to see each day as a bonus to be lived to its fullest and possibly as its last. So let us celebrate each day as a blessing to enjoy and an opportunity to do good!

3. The only certainty is God’s will (4:15): Life’s circumstances are uncertain. Life itself is uncertain. But God’s will is certain – it will be done. He is sovereign – He is King! Therefore, our goal is to discover God’s will for our lives (Colossians 1:9-11) and then do it. While God allows us to exercise our right to make our choices, He exercises His right as our Creator to have a plan for each one of His creation. To fight His will is like trying to swim against a powerful current, ie, working hard, getting worn out but going nowhere. To know and do His will is like swimming with a strong current, ie, working hard but not getting worn out and going very far.

4. Everyone hates boasters (4:16): If an employee of a company told you that in five years he will be a manager, in ten he will be the vice-president and in twenty he will be the chairman, you will label him as a egoistical boaster because you know that anywhere along the way he could get sick, have a new boss who does not like him, be a victim of downsizing or a merger or a changed business environment, etc. While most of us are too smart to say such things aloud, we nonetheless continue to do so in our hearts and minds – in full view of God, who hates boasters. While it is not wrong to “dream big dreams,” don’t forget to include the BOSS in your dreams! 

5. Knowing is not the same as doing (4:17): James added this verse because his readers’ response to what was taught in the previous verses is likely to be: “I know what you say is true. It is so obvious!” Most people don’t like to hear what they know because they believe that if they know it, then it is sufficient. They fail to realize that knowing what to do is only the start. The real objective of knowledge is not knowledge itself but a better life. In other words, knowledge without application is useless knowledge. The complete learning-cycle is: learn a fact, understand the principle behind the fact, and then apply the principle to different areas of our lives. This verse tells us that failure to apply truth to life is a sin! It makes us hypocrites, ie, those who know a lot but do nothing. We are told to “let our light so shine before men” (Matthew 5:16), not our talk or theological theories. The difference between teaching, preaching and praying is that teaching transmits information, preaching encourages us to apply the information in our lives and prayer enables us to do it!

6. Rich and miserable (5:1-3): The prevailing “world-theory” is “wealth and health equal happiness.” (The prevailing “women’s theory” is: “beauty equals happiness.”) While it is true that money can buy many good and beautiful things, it cannot buy happiness. Therefore, James begins with “Go to now” before he states this shocking warning to rich people to “weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you”! One of the causes for a rich man’s misery is the disappointment that he gets from his goods/achievements. Instead of reaping continuing happiness from them as he expected, he spends his time trying to preserve their value from depreciating, eg. he has to work hard to preserve the value of his assets, upgrade his skill sets, preserve his deteriorating physical health and looks. While it is true that poor people too have to work hard to do the same things, they are much less bothered by these. For the rich, these activities are consuming activities that “eat his flesh as it were fire,” wearing him out mentally and physically. An owner of a big beautiful house has to exert more effort to maintain it, compared to a modest house. The golden “mean” in life is the best place to be in (Proverbs 30:8,9).

7. The sin of hoarding (5:3,5): Because we believe that more is better, we tend to accumulate far more than we need for our present needs or for our future needs. Wasted rotten food, unused clothing, unnecessarily large savings, testify of this truth. On the Day of Judgment, these unused things will be brought up as witnesses against us, to witness against our selfish lives. When God gives us more, it is not for storage but for usage. Real joy comes when we give to the needy (ACTS 20:35). We will be accountable for every second and cent we misused. Let us hope that we do not have too many “witnesses” to testify against us on that Day. Just as a pig is fattened for the slaughter, we seem to be doing the same (v.5).

8. Oppressing the helpless (5:4,6-8): James warns us of the common sin of oppressing the helpless, who cannot retaliate, eg. foreign workers. Their Protector is not sleeping. Though He does not react hastily, He will certainly judge. Sooner or later, we will all have to face Him!

Are you ready to face Him?

You can be ready! (John 3:16)