A GODLY VIEW OF LIFE
James 4:1-17
* If I were to ask you to describe your life in a metaphor, what would that metaphor be? Let me offer some possibilities: Would it be a symphony, battle, puzzle, journey, minefield, dance, a dramatic play, or maybe ‘a party?’ And these serve as only some of the words which might fit the bill.
* Even though you may never have thought about it, your concept about this speaks more about your life than you might think. For instance, if you think life is a battle you are constantly looking for a fight (and there will always be someone to oblige you), if you think life is a minefield you will likely become paralyzed in attempting anything for fear it will blow up in your face (I.E. relationships, business interests, and even church ministry), and if your think it’s party all you’ll want to do is “have fun.” While this approach might be pleasing to hear, when taken in context of creation, we must know that it is inaccurate at worst and incomplete at best. Forrest Gump’s mom says, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.”
* Might I submit to you that life is too short, too important, and too personal to leave to chance? Wouldn’t it be best to give our absolute best in this?
* God the creator, designer, and sustainer of life has HIS view of life, HIS own metaphors for life, and as the designer, He knows the best way to “live”. Not only does He have His own plans for life, but more to the point, He has plans and a direction for YOUR life. Whether you actually find His plan for you and thus, abundant life (or life to the fullest) will largely depend on your view of life, that is, what your life’s is like. If we’re arrogant, we’ll try it by ourselves. If we are abased, we’ll think that He don’t care about us. However, if we desire to be our best, we will look to both the designer’s manual & the designer Himself.
* Through His word, God reveals 3 metaphors for life which we need to see;
1. Life is a Test – This concept goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden and continues all the through the Revelation. Adam and Eve were told not to eat of the tree as a test of their love for God, Abraham was told to sacrifice his son of ‘promise’ as a test of his commitment, Daniel faced a lion’s den while the 3 Hebrew boys faced the fiery furnace, and the list goes on as does the testing. Scripture is replete with words like “test, trial, temptation, refining, and more. Over 200 times we read these words and understand their meaning, at least, we understand in the abstract. But how about in the practical? Can you get your mind around how Jacob felt when Laban required him to work an additional 7 years for Rachael? Can you really imagine how David or Peter felt when they failed their tests so miserably?
* The tests of life are continuous and mysterious. Although we don’t know all the reasons or the ways that God uses to test us, we do know He tests us to see our heart, our love, our hope, character, and our faith.
* Though we don’t know all the things He chooses to test us with, we can see and know SOME of those tools. Some of God’s testing instruments;
* He uses “changes” to test us. These test our ability to learn, grow, and be remade. May I submit this could be a parallel to the potter and the clay? When the clay becomes hardened, it is of no use to the potter. God desires for us to be pliable and flexible that He can make & remake us.
* He uses “delayed promises” to test us. This tests our patience. We are kind of like 3 years old (with which I have some experience) who want what has been promised and they want it NOW.
* He uses “impossible problems” to test us. Have you ever considered exactly what an impossible problem is? It is any problem you have which hasn’t been turned over to the Lord. If I have a problem that “I” can handle, chances are that on my own, “I’ll” handle it wrong. These things test our dependence on God.
* He uses “unanswered prayers” to test us. These test our faith in God. If God doesn’t answer our prayer, then something must be wrong with God. Yet our text today teaches us that we do not have because we do not ask or when we do ask, we ask with the wrong heart, motivation, and desires.
* He uses “undeserved criticism” to test us. I submit to you that how we handle this displays our character.
* He even uses seemingly “senseless tragedies” to test us. If can be said that this tests our trust in God. A car accident, a deadly hurricane, a 9-11 incident, or even a dead baby, are just a few of the things which cause people to ask, “Where is God?” God said, “Trust me, I still know best.”
* One of His great tests is “spiritual absence” or better said, “When I cannot feel or sense God, how do I respond?” Sometimes God withdraws to check out your heart, your love and your commitment. (2 Chron. 32:31)
* James 4:7-10 gives us ways to pass life’s test. See these instructions: “Submit to God, resist the devil, draw near to God, cleanse your hands, purify your hearts, and humble yourself before the Lord.” What we may forget is this; while these instructions may appear easy, the truth is that they run counter to every natural desire we have. Thus, this is our test.
* When I think of the word “test”, it gets my knees knocking because of my recollection of tests in school. I was never a good test taker. And the teacher always seemed to relish the fact that I did so poorly. Perhaps she depended on me to complete the wrong side of the curve. However, God desires that every person pass the test. In fact, He tells us that when we face life’s tests He will give us grace to meet the day or provide an avenue of escape. Furthermore, James 1:13 says this; “Blessed is a man who endures trials, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that HE has promised to those who love Him.”
2. Life is a Trust – When I see the word trust used in this way, it reminds me that God has given us this life and made us steward (managers) of His world. Think about that; everything we have is on loan from God and we need to manage it as such. Parents have long taught their children to take care of their ‘own’ things, but to take special care of borrowed things. Legally, you can do whatever you want with that which is YOURS, but if you have been made an executor, a trustee, or a custodian of a trust, then you have to give an accounting for your actions.
* Most of us know or can quote Psalms 23, but we tend to not hang on to Psalms 24. Verse 1 says, “The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, BELONG TO THE LORD.” All that we have (possessions, family, opportunities, money, ETC) has been loaned to us by God. He allows us to make use His STUFF.
* We have some friends who own a place in the area of Gatlinburg, TN. They have offered this place to us that we might get away and be refreshed from time to time. We always enjoy it. Yet, it is not ours and because it’s not ours, we make sure to follow all the instructions we are given and leave it better than we found it. They entrust us with the keys to their place and we do our best to honor that trust by adhering to their wishes.
* Can you make the connection? In the Bible we can read story after story about being stewards (managers) of God’s possessions but possibly one of the most recognized stories is told by Jesus himself in the Parable of the talents in Matthew 25. There are several things of note in this story
a) He gave to each one according to His ability. Our Lord does not give us that which we cannot handle. To one he gave 5, to one 2, and to another 1, each according to what HE KNEW they could handle. God has given you exactly what you need and what you can develop or invest.
b) There is an expectation of increase. Please hear this; Jesus reserved His harshest judgment for the barren, unproductive, and unfruitful. People will say, “We are expected to be faithful, not fruitful” yet the Bible teaches us something entirely different. Scriptures say we are to be both faithful AND fruitful. Read the words of Jesus in John 15.
c) A time of accounting is coming. In Matthew 25, the master returned and required an audit of that trust He has left with his servant. It is in this same way that one day our Lord will return and a public audit will be done. The question; “What have you done with what you were given?”
d) We will receive a reward or penalty. Based on the findings of that audit we will hear a “Well Done” or something we don’t care to hear. What words would you like to hear? “Well Done” or “Lazy Slave.” Think about it; everyone receives a penalty or reward, base on HIS judgments.
* May I ask if you are living life like it is a God-given trust?
3. Life is a Task – Not only is life a task, but it’s a temp job at that. Verse 13-17 reveals to us some truths about our life which properly redirects us.
* First we are reminded to have the proper INLOOK. This is speaking of our attitude of self, self-importance, and self-reliance. Together, verse 13 & 16 paint a picture of the ugliness of our tendencies. We tend to be arrogant, boastful, and prideful like we have it all under control. James reminds us that not only do we not have today under control, when it comes to tomorrow, we cannot guarantee ourselves that we’ll have one.
* Next we are reminded to have the proper OUTLOOK. This is a message which needs to be heard today. It speaks of the brevity of life. We tend to live according to the old say, “like there is no tomorrow,” while missing the truth that there may well be no tomorrow. The Bible tells us our life is like a vapor, a mist, and even a bit of smoke. All of these pictures illustrate the abruptness with which life comes and goes. Someone has rightly said, “We should live like today is our last day on earth.”
* Next, we are reminded to have the proper UPLOOK. Verse 15 gives us a life-style thought, “We should say—‘if the Lord wills’ I will do this or that.” Where has this dependence gone? When times were more difficult, the common thought was “if God gives me strength” or “if God allows me to” and today, we have lost that ability to look up for help, strength, and direction. The Psalmist (121) writes, “I will raise my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Do you have that kind of mindset that HE is in control every day?
* Finally (and this may be only for me, but it is my impetus, my incentive, and my reason for life)…It is the proper ONLOOK. Watch how this works;
* James 4:17 says this, “For the person who knows to do good, and doesn’t do it, it is sin.” Isn’t it interesting that in this concept of a “Godly view of Life” that it comes back to sin. This should remind us that, if God uses all these things to test us, then NOTHING in life is insignificant. Everything you do, say, and believe, has eternal implications. This is what causes me to look on, beyond the hurts, disappointments, and difficulties of today. It would easy to bow out, cut and run, or quit. The world itself promotes these thoughts, but to look ahead locks me in to staying the course.
* The task we, as believers, are given is to represent our Lord in this Life. Because we are His, we are different; we are aliens, strangers, and foreigners to this world. In fact, if we are truly His perhaps we should hold a green card. Better than a green card, we hold a red card. It is made red by the redeeming blood of Jesus in our life. And, our task is to show that card whenever by how we talk, walk, act, and live, so that others will know who it is we represent. A godly view of life drives us daily.
