THE GIFTS OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE
1 Corinthians 12:8
INTRO: Who Flew the Kite? “I did,” said the wind! “I did,” said the paper! “I did,” said the string! “I did,” said the boy! But in reality they ALL flew the kite! If the wind had lulled, if the paper had torn, if the sticks had broken, if the tail had caught in the tree, or the boy had fallen, then the kite would have come down! Each had a part to play!
God has placed you in a strategic role! You are important to your Church ministry. Just use your gift to the Glory of God and leave the results to Him.
ILLUS: What you don’t know can get you hurt! In Texas there once lived a Mexican bank robber named Jorge Rodriquez. He had been so successful that the Texas Rangers put a whole posse on his trail. For months they tried to catch him as he slipped across the Rio Grande. Finally a ranger cornered Jorge in a saloon one night. Quietly the ranger slipped up behind Jorge and put his six-gun to Jorge’s head. Then the ranger said, “I know who you are and, unless you tell me where you’ve hidden the bank money, I’m going to blow your brains out!”
There was one problem: Jorge did not speak English and the ranger did not speak Spanish. Just then an enterprising little fellow stepped up and said, “Would you like for me to translate for you?” The ranger nodded. So the translator told Jorge what the ranger had said. Jorge was scared to death and said to tell the ranger he could have the money but please don’t pull the trigger. He told the translator exactly where the money was hidden and then begged for mercy. The translator took all this in and then solemnly told the ranger: “Jorge Rodriguez is a brave man. He says he is ready to die!”
It’s also possible that what you don’t know spiritually can get you hurt. That’s why God gave us the gifts of wisdom and knowledge.
I. A GOOD DEFINITION.
While these two gifts are closely related, there are some differences. Knowledge is the ability to state facts about something. Wisdom is the ability to take those facts and apply them to life. A simple analogy might help here.
ILLUS: In medical science, the research scientist might discover the facts but the physician puts them to use.
Within a Sunday School class, a teacher might have thoroughly researched the facts and communicated them while someone else in the class might say, “Hey, do you know what this means we ought to do!”
II. A GOOD EXAMPLE.
Jesus was noted for His knowledge as early as age twelve, when He talked with the Temple elders. Wisdom was also a characteristic of Jesus, according to Luke 2:40, 52. On some significant occasions Jesus demonstrated His wisdom and knowledge. He knew the Scriptures and He knew how to apply them (e.g. rich man; woman taken in adultery).
Compare this to Acts 6:3. We are to recognize men with this wisdom as leaders in our Churches today.
III. GOOD USE OF THESE GIFTS.
Many of our finest Sunday School teachers, preachers, and professors make good use of these gifts.
What Are the Marks of Those with the Gift of Knowledge?
1. They enjoy deep Bible study.
2. They are intrigued with certain passages. Often, like William Carey, they have a love for languages.
3. They research the Bible in a desire to know as much as they can.
4. They occasionally find treasures the rest of us miss.
What Are the Marks of Those with the Gift of Wisdom?
1. They can intelligently and compassionately apply the Scriptures.
2. They can size up many situations quickly and say, “Here’s what the Bible says about that.”
3. Often they can handle difficult problems which crop up in the Church by quoting a scriptural principle.
4. They can cut through all the talking and show what the real issue is.
5. They can make you think!
CONC: Do you possess the gift of knowledge or the gift of wisdom? You should develop that gift if you have the potential for that gift. God has given you that gift in order to serve him in this Church.
