1. Presumptive pride is futile
2. Presumptive pride is arrogant
3. Presumptive pride is sinful
Well, here we are, standing at the edge of a New Year. People use this time of the year for different things, don’t they? Of course, some people just use the New Year as an excuse to party. But most people use the changing of the calendar for a much better purpose. Many people use it as a time to reflect over the events of the past year. A lot has happened this past year, hasn’t it? Some things have probably happened that we expected, but many more things have happened that we could never have imagined. Good things have happened and bad things have happened. You can never forecast things like birth and death and love and strife, can you? And each of us have tasted those things this past year. Each of us has enjoyed the thrill of a new experience. And each of us has mourned the passing of experiences we’ll never have again. Think back with me to this time last year. What were your plans for 2007? What were your hopes and dreams and aspirations? I’m not talking about resolutions. Resolutions usually don’t make it through the month of January. I’m talking about real plans. Now, I want you to think about your plans for the coming year. Have you made any yet? Are you planning a career change? Are you planning a major investment? Are you planning to retire? Are you planning on a new family member? Planning for the future is a good thing. God has given us the ability to think and plan for a reason. He intends for us to use the minds He’s given us. He intends for us to plan for the future. He intends for us to save for the future. He intends for us to prepare for the future. The problem comes in when we begin to see our plans for what they are not. When we begin to see our plans as the ones that matter the most. When we begin to see our plans as sovereign. As all-knowing. As the be-all-and-end-all. God wants us to make plans, but He wants us to trust Him far more than we trust our plans. God has a plan that is far bigger than any plan we can make. And His plan is guaranteed to be fulfilled. Look back at the plans you made last year at this time. Can you say that your plans are guaranteed to be fulfilled? The last time we were in James, we started a section of his letter that runs all the way from chapter 4:1 through 5:6. Remember that throughout James’ letter, God’s Word gives us 9 tests to determine whether or not our faith is real. This large section that we started a few weeks ago is our sixth test of faith—the pride test. Remember that the pride test is actually a three part test. We already covered the first part when we talked about selfish pride. The second part of the test is about presumptive pride. That’s where our text takes us this morning. If you were to come up with the most basic definition of pride you could, what would it be? Think about it. If you had to explain pride to a young child, what would you say? Probably the most basic definition of pride I can think of is to say that pride is putting ourselves in the place where only God should be. When we looked at selfish pride a few weeks ago, we saw what happens when we elevate our selfish desires above God’s desire. This morning we’re going to see what happens when we elevate our personal plans above God’s plan. When we think we know more about the future than He does. When we pridefully presume upon God by placing our worries over His providence. This morning, I want us to get rid of our presumptive pride. I want us to submit our plans to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. I want us this coming year to be able to say with Him, “Not my will, but Thine.” In order to do that, we’re going to look at three characteristics of presumptive pride. The first characteristic is that presumptive pride is futile. Look with me in verses 13-14:
JAMES 4:13-14
Presumptive pride is futile. I’ve heard it said that the true definition of futility is doing the wrong thing over and over again, hoping to get better results. There are a lot of things in life that seem futile, aren’t there? Things that you keep doing and doing and doing and it never seems to make any difference. Erma Bombeck once said that, “Housework is a treadmill from futility to oblivion with stop-offs at tedium and counter-productivity.” Another comedian once talked about how futile dusting is. He said, “Dusting is a good example of the futility of trying to put things right. As soon as you dust, the fact of your next dusting has already been established.” When I was little, I used to think the same thing about doing dishes. Why do we do the dishes after we eat when we’re just going to eat on them and dirty them up again? It seemed futile to me. And my mom probably responded to me the same way that James responds in verse 13. He says, “Go to now.” That’s King James for “Listen here, boy.” He says, “I want you to think about what you’re saying.” Well, what were they saying? They were saying that in the coming year, they were heading to another city to start a business and make a lot of money. Who knows, they might have been sitting on the threshold of a new year like we are this morning. And here were their plans for the New Year. They had it all mapped out. You can almost picture them making their plans, can’t you? Here’s Bob the entrepreneur. He has his to-do list in hand. Kind of like Santa Claus—he’s made his list and now he’s checking it twice. Demographic study of new business location—check. Market survey—check. Property location—check. Investor buy-in—check. Surveys, studies, inventories, investments—check, check, check. The PowerPoint presentations are done. The plan is in place. All that has to be done is to implement it. All the business, leadership, and management books say we’re going to make a killing. What a “can’t miss” proposition! Oh wait. Did Bob the entrepreneur forget anything? In the middle of all his plans and studies and surveys, could there have been anything he left out? He left out God. He forgot to seek the face of the One who created Him. He forgot to determine the will of the One who sustains him. How many times do we do that? In all of your plans that you have laid out for the coming year, have you asked God what His plans are? As we plan for the future of Brushfork Baptist Church, are we asking what God’s plans for us are? When you look at verse 13, there was nothing wrong with planning on going to a city. There was nothing wrong with planning on staying there for a year. There was nothing wrong with planning on starting a business there. There wasn’t even anything wrong with planning on making some money from that business. So what was wrong with the man’s plans? He left God out. He thought he was going to do all that on his own. He forgot that without the Lord, he’s really nothing. He forgot that even if all of his business plans work, his life is but a vapor. Talk about futility. He could be the most successful businessman on earth, but that doesn’t really matter when his little time is up. What matters is his obedience to the will of God. What about you? When you make your plans this year, are you considering the Master’s plan? Are you considering God’s will and subjecting your plans to it? I don’t want my future plans to be based on this vapor of life that God has given me. I don’t want the future plans of this church to be based on any of our vapors of life that God has given us. Yes, we will make plans for the future, as we should. But we will subject our plans to God’s plan for us. None of us knows what’s going to happen tomorrow. Only God does. Doesn’t it only make sense for the only One who knows the future to be the One on whom we base our plans? If we don’t, we’re showing presumptive pride. And that is sheer futility. But not only is presumptive pride futile, it is also arrogant. Look with me at verses 15-16.
JAMES 4:15-16
Presumptive pride is arrogant. Arrogance is one of those ways where our society has been completely turned on its head. Proverbs 6:16-19, lists seven things the Lord hates: “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” Notice what the list starts with—a proud look. Haughtiness, arrogance—God hates it. But it seems that our society perpetuates it. Well, not all of our society. Do you remember Mohammed Ali? Mohammed Ali was one of the greatest boxers to ever enter the ring. It’s probably an understatement to say that Mohammed Ali was arrogant. One of his favorite sayings was, “I am the greatest.” Back when he was still in his prime, he had to get on an airplane to go to his next fight. Right before the plane was ready to take off, the stewardess told him to put on his seatbelt. He ignored her. On her next pass down the aisle, she told him again to put his seatbelt on. He ignored her again. Finally, on her final check before the plane took off, she insisted that he put his seatbelt on. This time he didn’t ignore her. This time he looked at her and said, “I’m Superman. Superman don’t need no seatbelt.” The stewardess didn’t back down one bit. She looked him right in the eye and told him, “Superman don’t need no airplane either—buckle up.” There is no mistaking the fact that Mohammed Ali was unbelievably arrogant. But guess what? You are even more arrogant than he was in God’s eyes when you show presumptive pride. Verse 16 says that rejoicing in your boastings is evil. Well, what is “rejoicing in your boastings?” The word that is translated “rejoicing” really simply carries the meaning of loudness. It is a neutral word that is shaped by the context of the words around it. In the context of praise or celebration, it literally means loud rejoicing. In the context of this passage, it literally means being a loud-mouth. So rejoicing in your boastings is being a loud-mouthed, arrogant braggart. Rejoicing in boastings is far more arrogant than claiming to be Superman. Why? Because rejoicing in your boastings is claiming something that only God has. It’s claiming a level of control that only He has. It’s claiming the words of the old Frank Sinatra song, I Did It My Way. Can you imagine standing before God with these words on your lips: “Regrets, I’ve had a few—but then again, too few to mention. I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption. I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway. And more, much more than this, I did it my way.” And listen to the words of the last verse: “For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself, then he has naught. To say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels. The record shows, I took the blows and did it my way.” How arrogant. These six things doth the Lord hate, yea seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look…. You see, life isn’t about doing it “my way.” When we do things our way is when we head down the wrong path. That’s what verse 15 is about. It’s not about a legalistic phrase that we have to say whenever we talk about the future. It’s not wrong to say, “Lord willing, we’ll be back here tonight.” It’s not wrong, but it’s not required. This isn’t about legalism. It’s about your heart. When you make your plans for the future, do you do it your way? Are you arrogant in your plan making? “This is the way it’s going to be.” “I’m going to accomplish this no matter what.” “I’m going to be successful no matter what.” “I’m going to get my way no matter what.” “I’m going to be in control no matter what.” “The record shows, I took the blows and did it my way.” That is presumptive pride. It is arrogance. It is an abomination to God. It is one thing to make plans thinking you’re in control. It is completely another thing to make plans knowing that God is in control. One is arrogant and evil. The other is humble and godly. Which one do you think God will honor? Your plans might not get fulfilled the way you wanted them to, but Jesus will be honored. And we know that His plans will be fulfilled. And the more you submit your plans to His, the more your plans begin to look like His. You see how that works? Then, imagine standing before Jesus one day and being able to say, “I did it Your way.” What a glorious day that will be when all of His plans are fulfilled and all of ours are just a distant memory. Presumptive pride is futile and it is arrogant. Presumptive pride is also sinful. Look at verse 17.
JAMES 4:17
Presumptive pride is sinful. Once again, we’re faced with reality. The reality is that most of the time our problem isn’t that we don’t know the right thing to do. God has given us His Word. He has given us consciences. He has given us His church. He has given us His law. He has even given us the law of the land to let us know what is right and wrong. There are very few instances where we can truly say, I didn’t know. We know that there is a God. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” All you have to do is honestly open your eyes and see the wonder of creation to know that God exists. And when we see that the creator God exists, we see how small and feeble we are in comparison to Him. The knowledge is there. The awareness of who God is and who we are in comparison to Him is there. There’s no question about that. The question is, how does that knowledge impact our lives? How does the fact that there is a God who is in control of the universe impact your plans? If He doesn’t impact your plans at all, verse 17 says you’re sinning. If He only impacts your plans when you try to get Him to endorse what you’ve already purposed in your heart to do, you’re sinning. See, the problem isn’t knowing what’s right. The problem is doing what’s right. And here’s what right. Making plans is right. But it’s only right when your plans are held in submission to God’s plan. Do you remember when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane? Turn with me to Luke 22:
LUKE 22:39-42
Jesus asked the Father for the cup of suffering to pass from Him. I’m sure that since He was Jesus, He asked in faith believing that the Father could answer His request. But then what did He say? He said, “Not my will but Thine be done.” He said, I know the plans that I want. But I am placing my plans under your plan. So, what are your plans this year? I hope they’re big plans. I hope they’re bold plans. But more than that, I hope they’re not presumptive plans. I hope they’re not prideful plans. Otherwise, no matter how successful they might look, they will ultimately be futile. They will be arrogant. They will be sinful. Is that how you want to begin 2008? Or do you want to begin 2008 with a truly successful plan? A plan that is guaranteed to succeed. There is only one way for that to happen. And that is to submit to the will of God for your life. You might say, “Preacher—that sounds good, but what is God’s will for my life?” I’m glad you asked. First, His will for your life is to trust Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Turn from your sins and turn to Jesus in faith believing He is who He said He is and did what He said He did. Second, God’s will for your life is that once you have given your life to Jesus, you need to follow Him in believers baptism. Baptism doesn’t save you. But baptism is an outward symbol of an inward change. It is the first step of obedience in a believer’s life. If you don’t follow Jesus in that first step, how will you be able to follow Him in any other step? The Lord’s will is for you to trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior, to obey Him in believer’s baptism, and third, to unite with a local church. Jesus calls the local church His body. If you are not a member of a local church, I can think of no better place to serve the Lord than right here at Brushfork Baptist Church. Once again, church membership doesn’t save you. But it is God’s will that once He has saved you for you to be part of Jesus’ body as a member of a local church. Finally, the Lord’s will is for you to always submit to His lordship. That means living like He wants you to live. That means spending time in prayer. Spending time in His Word. Spending time with His people. And spending time spreading His gospel. If you are neglecting any one of those areas, you are not in His will. And when you are not in His will you’re placing your will over His. And remember when we started? That was the definition we came up with for pride. How is your pride this morning? To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin. You know the areas you have placed your will above God’s will. Confess those to Jesus this morning. Don’t leave this place with your will still in the place where only God’s will should be.
