What If You Just… Don’t? (Virtual Sermon Notes)
GIST: There is good we’re meant to do, but we don’t have forever, so don’t get weary and don’t put your “good” in a box.
SCRIPTURE: James 4:17
Today, we’re going to wrap up James 4. Last week, we just left this one verse. However, the implications of this verse are the summation of a point James has been making throughout the letter. Essentially, the true Christian life will be actively lived. It’s not just a label we put on. It’s also bigger than just not doing certain things. Because we’ve had a heart change, our desires are being transformed. There are two sides to that coin. Because we have been changed, there are things we will not do. However, because we have been changed, there are also things that we will do. Missing out on either side of that is an issue, but James zeroes in on the latter. You might hear this referred to as the difference between sins of “commission” versus sins of “omission”. Most of the time when we think of sin, we think of it in the terms of just not doing bad stuff. Don’t kill people. Don’t look at pornography. Don’t steal stuff. But when you read the Bible, you see it’s much bigger than that. When Jesus was preaching the Sermon on the Mount, He took all these moral expectations the Jewish community had embraced and flipped them upside down. He pointed out that it wasn’t enough just not to do bad stuff, it was about the heart behind those actions...or inactions.
Here, James has been building up this picture of Christian living— true, active faith that’s lived— and he makes this statement, which many agree was probably a common phrase at the time. Nonetheless, he frames it in a very dynamic context. From the beginning of this letter, he’s told us to face trials with joy knowing God is good and can use even our struggles to grow us closer to Him, to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, to actually do what the Bible teaches, to control our tongues, to be impartial in our sharing of the gospel, to be merciful, to care for those in need, to avoid mindless arguing and complaining, to seek God’s wisdom and not our own, and (as we studied last week) to only make plans with reference to God’s ultimate sovereignty. Then, he says this. Look at James 4:17→
“17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”
Simple truth, but such meat for us to digest today. And I feel like this is especially hard hitting for most of us studying this together today. See, James says, if you know and don’t do, that’s sin. If you’ve been exposed to God’s Word, you’re amongst those who know better. We’re without excuse. I have a pretty wordy gist for us today, but it’s also my points and my takeaways, so don’t get too intimidated ☺️. Gist: There is good we’re meant to do, but we don’t have forever, so don’t get weary and don’t put your “good” in a box.
I don’t want to keep you long, but I do want us to break down the practical implications of this verse, so let’s dive in.
I. There Is Good We’re Meant To Do.
Works Prepared. A few months back when we were still meeting inside our building without masks on ☺️, I referenced Ephesisan 2:8-10. Verses 8-9 are often quoted because they remind us that our faith is the gift of God and is not the result of works. Unfortunately, verse 10 often gets left out, but you need it to get the whole picture here. We’re saved by Jesus alone! And we’re saved on purpose with a purpose. Look at what Ephesians 2:10 says, “10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
This is expressing the same truth as our verse this morning. We are called to actually do stuff. We should be actively loving God and loving people. We should be digging into His Word and coming to Him in prayer and sharing Him with those we communicate with (I would say “around us”...but that is a more limited circle right now ☺️). AND here's the deal, every day God is providing you opportunities to serve Him in so many different ways, and if you know that (which if you just read those words, you at least do now!), then it’s a→
Sin To Not. We spin our wheels doing so many things, don’t we? I know I do. I know I waste so much time on empty pursuits. They’re not inherently evil, but they’re robbing me and others of the blessing of being used by God to do what I was actually called to do! We were created for good works, and→
II. We Don’t Have Forever.
Remember last week? We’re just→
Sinful Vapors. Our time on this earth is limited. We’re not guaranteed tomorrow. So we must→
Live Intentionally. That one hits me hard. Guys, this is a call to prioritize. I don’t mind saying that. I even kind of like thinking about it. But I’m not good at doing it. I’m not good at always following through on actually spending my time wisely for Him. Pray for me. I need His constant support in this. Pray for each other, because I’m sure I’m not in this boat alone. And as you strive to live this intentional life for Jesus→
III. Don’t Grow Weary.
Galatians 6:9 is one of those verses I find myself quoting pretty often. I’m usually using it to try and encourage someone else, but I think I’m probably the one who needs to hear it most. In the context of telling the Christians in Galatia they will reap what they sow, Paul gives this encouragement. “9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Guys, it’s easy to give up. It’s easy to put on the “church stuff” cloak and go do some kind of service project, or outreach, or VBS, but then just take it off and go back to “normal living” because maintaining that would just be too exhausting. Christian living will not be easy, and there will be times that you feel overwhelmed and burdened. It will be tempting to tell yourself lies like, “well, no one else tries as hard as I do” or “I’m the only one giving this much anyway”. I know. I’ve been there too. But don’t let weariness rob your joy! Persevere knowing the harvest is coming, even if you never see it!
And as you do that→
IV. Don’t Put Your “Good” In A Box.
I know that probably just sounds like I was stretching for a point, so let me explain what I mean here ☺️. We’re all called to→
Righteous Living & Gospel Sharing. That’s what our lives should all be about. However, we have to be very careful not to confuse that with→
Churchy Doing. Now, I know this can be taken the wrong way, so please hear me out. Too often, we can allow ourselves to get away with not actually serving Jesus actively with our lives by doing “church stuff” and calling that good. Now, that doesn’t mean those things aren’t valuable or purposeful, but too often, they’re just not enough, and sadly, sometimes they’re not helping spend the gospel or grow our own faith at all. Just coming to church won’t save you. And just coming to church isn’t enough for you to say your faith is alive.
I know that’s uncomfortable, but sometimes we need to feel uncomfortable, so we can see what we’re missing. In fact, right now, life isn’t really very comfortable, but this is a perfect→
Time To Evaluate Our “Good”. Let me just be real with you guys. In our current climate, that might look different than we’re used to, and this might stretch our comfort zones. But let’s take this as a challenge. I don’t know when life is going to return to “normal”, but I don’t want that to be our goal as a church. I don’t want us to be looking forward to the time when we can go back to doing… fill in the blank. Instead, I want us to live active, faith-sharing lives right now, so that when we’re able to do more, we’re ready to do more better. Let’s take this time to evaluate our own hearts and our practices as a church, so we can move forward serving Him and showing Him to this community even more effectively than we were before this pandemic.
We could keep going with that one, but for this morning, let’s leave it there and recap in our→
TAKEAWAYS
1. There Is Good We’re Meant To Do.
2. We Don’t Have Forever To Do It.
3. But Don’t Grow Weary.
4. And Don’t Put Your “Good” In A Box.
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