Lord Willing

Resurrection Wisdom in a Perishing World – Part 8

If the Lord wills...

(James 4:11-17, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, May 4, 2014)

[11] Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. [12] There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

Man's anger does not bring about the righteousness of God. It does not lead to holiness, but anger may easily lead to evil speech. In particular, out of a tumultuous and angry heart, a man may eventually give in to the temptation to speak against someone who he should be helping as a brother in Christ.

We need to do the law of mercy. That is what the true Judge of all the earth calls us to. But when we judge our brother, we think that we know better than God. We judge God and His Law. Does that sound wise?

God is able to save and to destroy. Do we think that we should disregard His call to mercy? The Lord calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. How did we ever get so proud? Does the gospel of Jesus Christ call us to judge our neighbor? Jesus laid down His life for us.

[13] Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—[14] yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. [15] Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” [16] As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. [17] So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Underneath the anger is a presumptuous pride that is unbecoming of those who follow Jesus? We who judge others have a habit of placing ourselves where only the Lord should be. We will do this and that, and no one is permitted to stand in our way.

What proud boasts we make for those whose lives are a mist! How can we exist beyond our mortal days in a world of blessedness? Only if the Lord wills. How can we accomplish anything in our brief lives? If the Lord wills.

O the sinfulness of sin! Proud boasting is arrogant and foolish. We know that the Lord who died for us calls us to humble service. Ignoring His Word is not an option.

Put the Word to Work: It is time to agree with the Almighty that only God is God. What is the Lord's will? Let us do what He says. He does not call us to judge others or to boast about what we think that we will accomplish. He is leading us to do the next thing with a humble heart. This is the only way for us to glorify and enjoy the Lord.

Grant wisdom, Lord! In trial make us pure!

Help us to do all that Your Word demands.

By mercy found, now we will find the poor.

Our faith will shine in works that You command.

Teach us Your Word from lips of faithful men.

Fill out Your church with wisdom from above.

You are our King! To grace You add more grace.

You are the Lord! You lead Your church in love.