Watch
Listen
Read
Be Christian: Wisdom Defined
Associate Pastor Cole Parleir
Today we are going to cut through the confusion of the days we live in and talk about ‘wisdom’.
Is there anybody out there today who wants to be more wise? I do!
With so much information and opinions available at our fingertips, wisdom seems like a lost ideal in our day. But, I’m here to tell you today that God wants you to be wise.
God promises if we ”cry out” for wisdom and seek it, He will give it.
Let’s pray and ask God for wisdom.
Scripture
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
James 1:5-8 ESV
Wisdom is a gift from God
God wants to give you more than you ask for
God won’t rebuke for asking
Faith is the price for wisdom
Confusion is a symptom of faithlessness and lack of God’s wisdom
Before we jump to James chapter 3 let's take in a summary of James 2
Your tongue is powerful. It produces blessings and cursing. If you want to be perfect you most first control your words.
So how do you know if you or someone else has wisdom? Self assessment:
"Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
James 3:13-18 ESV
Two Wisdoms: Heavenly and Worldly
Heavenly Wisdom
Sourced from heaven. A humble heart that is displayed in good works that backup good talk. Walk the talk.
Pure (motivation)
Peaceable
Gentle
Open to reason
Full of mercy
Full of good fruit
Impartial
Sincere
It sows peace and reaps righteousness
Gives and promotes God’s abundant life
Heavenly Wisdom is tied to righteousness. The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective. You want wise people praying for and counseling you.
“If it’s not godly, it’s not wise.” - Anonymous
Worldly Wisdom
Sourced from hell and sowed by demons into human hearts in order to kill, steal, and destroy you.
Shows up in the heart as bitter jealousy (unhealthy competition) and selfish ambition.
“See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;”- Hebrews 12:15 ESV
Many become deviled through disorder and every vile practice.
We can only come to know God through HIS wisdom and power.
Christ: the power of God and the wisdom of God
“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.””
1 Corinthians 1:17-31 ESV
The cross of Christ is God’s wisdom.
The cross of Christ is God’s power.
The cross of Christ disarms demonic wisdom freeing it’s captives.
Christ Jesus is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
This heavenly Wisdom from God gives us understanding of his free gifts, beginning with salvation.
Wisdom is the mind of Christ. It is the renewed mind.
“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.”
1 Corinthians 3:18-23 ESV
Will you become a fool to the world today?
Will you allow God to wash away your sins by placing your faith in HIS wisdom and power displayed at the cross of Christ?
Will you believe the gospel today?
The Gospel is the good news that God became man in Jesus Christ. He lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died—in our place. Three days later he rose for the dead, proving he is the son of God and offering the gift of salvation and forgiveness of sins to anyone who repents and believes in him.
Wisdom is to see heaven and move toward it.
Second City Church - Be Christian, Pastor Rollan Fisher 2020