Godly Wisdom
James chapter 3:13-18
Introduction
James 3:13-18
As we continue to look at practical teachings of James, we see today James is talking about wisdom. That there is two kinds of wisdom. There is wisdom that comes from heaven and there is worldly wisdom. Society wants to lie to us and suggest that you cannot have both and if you are seeking Godly wisdom that you are living with your head in the clouds and are out of touch to reality. I would challenge you this morning that for a Christian both are beneficial, but if you have to choose one, Godly wisdom wins every time. If fact, if you remember 1:5- James says that if you lack wisdom, you should ask God, and God generously will give it ... with the stipulation that you must believe that He will, not doubt, not be double-minded. Wisdom comes from numerous sources. We can learn from others, books, experiences, our up bringing from parents, formal education such as colleges, informal technical training like on the job training, and the most important, wisdom that comes from God’s Word. Wisdom should be something that we are all interested in. Book of Proverbs is full of Scriptures on wisdom.
“Blessed is the man who finds wisdom” (3:13)
“Wisdom is supreme, therefore get wisdom, though it cost all you have, get understanding.” (4:7) “Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and shun evil” (4:8)
When I say wisdom, what do you think of? Smart? Wise old man like Confucius sitting on top of a mountain bursting with knowledge and you have to find a way up the mountain. Dolly Lama- destined from birth to have all the answers of life’s questions. I have met some really smart people, and they have a wealth of knowledge that they are willing to share. I have met some people that are book smart, but they have no common sense. I have met people that are smart, know what they need to do and never bring themselves to do it. (V13) “ who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” let’s not run by that too fast. Just like faith without works is dead and meaningless. Wisdom without being active in your life is worthless.
Illustration
I swear some heard God wrong. God said brains, and they thought trains, because they actively are going down the wrong track at full speed. If you are not able to apply wisdom and understanding, what good is it? The wisdom here is not only spiritual wisdom. It is practical. It is to be applied. It has feet. It is going to show itself in your life. How many times do you have to learn the same lesson? Armchair quarterbacks of life. Always quick to tell someone else what to do and how to act, but when it comes to their life, it is a mess. They are racing down the track at full speed, ready to hit the same old road blocks time and time again. How wise are you? According to God’s definition? Today we live in an age of information. Anything you want to know is available to you. They say information doubles every 4 years. They say that more information has been gathered in the last 30 years than the previous 1000 years. Knowledge is the accumulation of facts. Wisdom is taking knowledge and applying to our lives.
Wisdom can be learned from children.(Sermon Central)
Patrick, 10 years old- “Never trust a dog to watch your food”
Michael, 14 years old- “When your Dad is mad and asks you , do you think I look stupid don’t answer him.
Eileen- “Never try to baptize a cat”
Joel, 10 years old- “Don’t pick a fight with your sister when she has a baseball bat in her hand.”
Society equates wisdom with titles, and degrees, nothing wrong with degrees, I have an education, but wisdom is more than being able to speak a lot of information. The “expert” doesn’t always have all the answers. Proverbs of the Bible are observations of life. The observation I see in most people is disastrous. Proverbs 3:5 “ Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.” Society they would pick that apart and say.. I can’t trust in the Lord. Religion is a crutch, you want anything out of life, you have got to do it yourself. The only understanding is my own understanding, the way I see things. Weather, it is right or wrong, it is my understanding. The only path I will be traveling is my own path. To a believer behind that Scripture is a Omni present God with All Mighty power that you can fully put your trust and heart in understanding. That you don’t understand all, but he does and that he will not lead you astray and he will keep you on the right path and you acknowledge Him as Lord of your life. It doesn’t come without trials, but it does come with a peace that passeth all understanding.
He tells us there is two kinds of wisdom
One harbors selfish ambitions, bitter envy and doesn’t come from God. It is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. I did not say it, God said it It measures success by worldly standards. Claw up the ladder, take as many out as you can, and be the last one standing at all cost. Bitter envy; envy is the Greek word Zelos, which we get the word zeal. Zeal is a good thing if it is channeled in the right direction and put in a right purpose. Here is bitter zeal- harsh resentment, because they could not bear someone else succeeding. Examples today, Mad someone got a new car. Someone else got promoted. Someone else is bettering themselves. Not happy but resentful. James says don’t boast about that- that’s not wisdom, that did not come from God.
That’s not from God- that’s of the devil.
That’s not from heaven- it’s earthly.
That’s not of the Spirit- that is of the flesh. (Carnal)
Jealousy and self-ambition is not from God. Bad attitude is not just a shame, it is being influenced by fostering things that are not from God.
Definition of unspiritual- anything that is in opposition of God. Anything that is normal to us but not normal or acceptable to God. Nothing can grow spiritually in immorality, dishonesty, bad attitude, jealousy, selfishness, confusion. (Repeat)
There is always , repeat always disorder and chaos when we do things that do not line up with the things of God.
Chuck Colson
Fellowship is more than unconditional love that wraps it’s arms around someone who is hurting. To often we confuse love with permissiveness. True fellowship out of love for one another demands accountability. There is no such thing as a perfect church. Satan’s strategy is to rob the church of it’s power and have individuals look to their own wisdom instead of Godly wisdom. When we are wrong in our hearts, we will be wrong in our lives and with our words. (Write that down) it is Stinking Thinking Believe a lie that we know better than God. When the church can confront and win over peoples lives who are inconsistent , we will make the devil mad and revival is on the way.- that’s examples of worldly wisdom.
Godly wisdom
v17- “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, and good fruit, impartial and sincere, peacemakers who saw peace raise a harvest of righteousness. God tells us that we cannot be double-minded, we cannot play on both sides of the fence.
Question
Do you live a life with certainty or confusion?
Peaceable or always in crisis and chaos?
Are their absolutes? Are they Godly absolutes?
James tells us real wisdom begins with a pure life. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure” the word pure from the Greek means; without a flaw, pure enough to stand before God, not having concealed motives. Even kids know how to be on their best behavior when they have to.
Illustration
I was Making coffee Friday morning at the house. Becky is refinishing the cabinets in the kitchen and has all the dishes on the table in the dining room. I had a hard time getting around open doors and things not where they go. She sees me struggling getting the coffee pot ready and helps me. I fill the coffee pot and forget to put the pot under the coffeemaker. I could blame the devil for that, I could blame the hard life growing up in the city. Maybe my up bringing. I have to blame myself. I did a stupid thing and had to clean up the mess because of it.
Real wisdom, Godly wisdom, has to begin with God. Wow That’s rocket science isn’t it. You will never have peace in your life, until you have peace with God. Selfishness makes us inconsiderate, inconsiderate makes us angry at others, anger makes us miserable,being miserable and people don’t want to be around us. That’s why people kick the dog, snap at our spouses, neglect the kids, go postal at work. Add to the mix their anger at God, and you have half the people in the world struggling with their lives. Remember, when we are wrong in our hearts, we wil be wrong in our lives and with our words.
God has to be first. Got it Number 2- Godly wisdom is teachable. You don’t know everything. Stupid people think they are always right, wise people listen to advice. They are willing to yield and be open. Godly wisdom Comes from God . Godly wisdom is teachable . Godly wisdom is being a peace-maker. Not giving up your values, but choosing wisely the battles you will fight.
It is very hard to argue when one party refuses to argue. When they walk away. To have a cool down period. Peace-makers defuse conflict by being submissive to the Spirit of God and not having to eat words not meant to say. Godly wisdom is controlled by mercy. Mercy is giving someone something that they did not deserve. If they deserved it, it would not be mercy. “Full of mercy and good fruit”
closing
Godly wisdom looks like this:
Godly wisdom comes from God
Godly wisdom is teachable.
Godly wisdom is being a peace-maker.
Godly wisdom allows mercy.
No God- no wisdom. Plenty of head knowledge.
Know God- know wisdom.
Wisdom starts with a fear (reverence for God)
Remember what Godly wisdom looks like (Sermon Central)
It counts the cost and lives for the future.
Focuses on right living.
Relationship first with God and then others.
It puts first things first.
It gives God what belongs to God.
Worldly Wisdom
Belief system that elevates self.
It lives for evil purposes.
Lifestyle filled with chaos.
Shallow relationship with God and others.
I repeat 3:12 in closing
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom”
Let’s pray.
