The Most Dangerous Word In The Bible

THE MOST DANGEROUS WORD IN THE BIBLE

James 4:13-14

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: ONE-LINE QUIPS

1. What do you call a cow with a twitch? Beef Jerky.

2. Did you hear the rumor going around about butter? Never mind, I shouldn’t spread it.

3. I stayed up the whole night trying to figure out where the sun was, then it dawned on me.

4. What did the tie say to the hat? “You go ahead & I’ll hang around.”

5. The fitness trainer asked me what kind of squat I’m accustomed to doing. I said, “Diddly.”

6. What do you get from a pampered cow? Spoiled milk.

7. How does NASA organize a party? They planet.

B. THESIS

1. The question is, “What is the most dangerous word in the Bible?” When people are asked this question, some think it’s ‘hate,’ others ‘hell,’ others fear, or revenge, or death. But it’s a less dangerous looking and a less-dangerous-sounding word than any of these.

2. Indeed, what’s dangerous about this word is that it hides and disguises its threat and menace. What is the most dangerous word? It’s a word that has closed the door of success to many a dreamer and condemns many to failure, poverty, and defeat. It’s a word that paralyzes action and leaves duties undone.

3. What is this word? It’s the word “TOMORROW!”

C. TEXT

1. James 4:13-14, “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.”

2. When we examine the way people excuse themselves when they use the word “tomorrow,” we find 3 APPLICATIONS OF THIS WORD “TOMORROW” THAT LEAD TO SIN: First, as Procrastination; Second, as Uncertainty/ fear; and Third, as Ignoring future judgment.

3. Let’s look first at how people postpone actions to tomorrow because they procrastinate.

I. PROCRASTINATION

A. NEGLIGENCE CAUSES DEFEAT

1. We’ve all heard about General George Washington leading his troops across the frigid Delaware River in winter, but maybe you didn’t know a curious coincident that gave him the victory that day.

2. Colonel Rahl, commander of the British troops in Trenton, New Jersey, was playing cards when a courier brought an urgent message stating that Washington was crossing the Delaware River.

3. Rahl put the letter in his pocket and didn't bother to read it until his card game was finished. Then, realizing the seriousness of the situation, he tried to rally his men to meet the coming attack, but it was too late.

4. His procrastination caused many of his men to be killed, and the rest of the regimen to be captured. Only a few minutes delay cost him his life, his honor, and the liberty of his soldiers.

5. Earth's history is filled with the wrecks of half-finished plans and unexecuted resolutions. ‘Tomorrow’ is the excuse of the lazy, and the refuge of the incompetent!

6. As someone said, “Procrastination is my sin, It brings me nothing but sorrow, I know that I should stop it, In fact, I will…TOMORROW!”

B. WHAT PROCRASTINATION GETS YOU

1. ILLUS.

a. A farm boy accidentally overturned his wagonload of corn in the road. The former who lived nearby came to investigate. "Hey, Willis," he called out, "forget your troubles for a spell and come on in and have dinner with us. Then I'll help you get the wagon up."

b. "That's mighty nice of you," Willis answered, "But I don't think Pa would like me to." "Aw, come on, son!" the farmer insisted. "Well, okay," the boy finally agreed. "But Pa won't like it."

c. After a hearty dinner, Willis thanked his host. "I feel a lot better now, but I just know Pa is going to be real upset." "Don't be foolish!" exclaimed the neighbor. "By the way, where is he?" "Under the wagon.".

2. What’s the favorite day to start a diet? Tomorrow! Moses asked Pharaoh “When do you want God to remove these pesky frogs?” Pharaoh’s answered, “Tomorrow!”

3. ‘Tomorrow’ is the chief tool of Satan to get people to disobey God. It can shut Heaven’s gates and condemn souls to outer darkness! And worse, it keeps people from surrendering to Christ!

II. UNCERTAINTY/FEAR

A. AVOIDANCE NEVER WORKS

1. I heard about a woman who was so upset that she was turning forty that she got on an airplane, flew out over the Pacific Ocean, and crossed the International Date Line, where as you may know, the calendar changes -- just so that she would not actually be anywhere on the day she turned forty.

2. Now isn’t that ridiculous? It didn’t change anything, did it? She was just as old on that side of the date line as she was on this one, and when she came down to earth, she was forty years old plus one day. It didn’t settle anything, did it? Nice try, but no cigar.