INTRO.- ILL.- An angel appears at a faculty meeting and tells the dean that in return for his unselfish and exemplary behavior, the Lord will reward him with his choice of infinite wealth, wisdom or beauty. Without hesitating, the dean selects infinite wisdom.
"Done!" says the angel, and disappears in a cloud of smoke and a bolt of lightning. Now, all heads turn toward the dean, who sits surrounded by a faint halo of light. At length, one of his colleagues whispers, "Say something."
The dean looks at them and says, "I should have taken the money."
That’s what most would have chosen in the first place. Many people think that money is the answer to all their problems. If this is true then why do the rich and famous have so many problems? Why do they often divorce? Why do they use and abuse drugs?
I Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
If a person is looking for a better life in the love of money they are looking in the wrong place. WHO SAYS SO? GOD!
ILL.- Someone said: You don’t have to be listed in Who’s Who to know what’s what. And especially, if you go by the Word of God.
The wisdom of God is found in His Word. It’s always smart and safe to go by His Word.
Job 12:12-13 “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.”
Normally, we think of wisdom as coming from the aged because they lived longer and experienced more. But not all senior citizens are wise. But to God belongs true wisdom and great power.
Job 28:28 “And he said to man, ‘The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.’” Amen! How true! To fear, honor and respect the Lord is truly wise. To shun evil is a smart thing to do. A wise deed indeed!
Psalm 104:24 “How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.”
Can we begin to understand the works of God? How could He create such diversity among the animals in the world? What a wise and intelligent God we believe in!
PROP.- James gives an additional description of the truly wise person versus the unwise person.
1- The wise person is marked by good
2- The unwise person is tainted by evil
3- The wise person is stirred by heaven
I. THE WISE PERSON IS MARKED BY GOOD
13 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. Are you doing any good in life?
Acts 10:38 “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”
Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
ILL.- Tom Cruise played good Samaritan several times in 1996. After witnessing a hit-and-run accident in L.A., he called 911 and stayed with the victim until help arrived. When he found out she had no health insurance, Cruise picked up the $7000 medical bill.
Later that year, Cruise and then-wife Nicole Kidman were on their yacht near Capri when they spotted a boat nearby catch fire and sink. The couple was able to rescue all five people aboard the doomed ship.
Wow! Hollywood celebrities aren’t the only people who can do good, however. WE CAN TOO! We may not be able to pay someone’s $7000 medical bill but we can do good to others. We just have to keep our eyes and ears open to those in need.
Galatians 6:9-10 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
I Timothy 6:17-18 “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”
Our text speaks of deeds done in humility. What’s that? They are done humbly.
Good Deeds Done In Secret
I did a favor yesterday,
A kindly little deed,
And then I called to all the world
To stop and look and heed.
They stopped and looked and flattered me
In words I could not trust,
And when the world had gone away
My good deed turned to dust.
A very tiny courtesy
I found to do today;
’Twas quickly done with none to see
And then I ran away.
But someone must have witnessed it,
For—truly—I declare—
As I sped back the stony path
Roses were blooming there.
I Corinthians 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
ILL.- One of my college professors, Don DeWelt, often said “praise the Lord.” Why did he do that? He would say it in response to something good, meaning, “the Lord deserves the praise or the credit.” And He does! And this is how we do our deeds. We point to Him as best we can.
II. THE UNWISE PERSON IS TAINTED BY EVIL
14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
I say that the unwise person is touched and/or tainted by evil. Why? Because they do evil stuff. They act from evil motives.
ILL.- Sometime ago there appeared in a newspaper a cartoon showing two fields divided by a fence. Both fields were about the same size and each had plenty of the same kind of grass, green and lush.
In each field there was a mule, and each mule had his head through the fence eating grass from the other mule’s pasture. All around each mule in his own field was plenty of grass, yet the grass in the other field seemed greener or fresher, although it was harder to get.
And in the process the mules were caught in the wires and were unable to extricate themselves. The cartoonist put just one word at the bottom of the picture—“DISCONTENT”!
That’s both discontent and envy. As they say, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” Oh yeah!? But they also say the water bill is higher! Or something similar to that. But it still needs to be mowed and maybe, more often!
When we look at others and envy what they have or the lifestyle they have, we are somewhat evil because God teaches us in His Word that discontent leads to other evil practices: living to make money, always pushing to get ahead materially, trying to keep ahead of the Joneses, always thinking about material things, which some day will perish.
Matthew 16:26 “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” What a great evil that would be! To lose that which is eternal or over that which is temporal!
Discontent and the love of money may be the root of all kinds of evil.
ILL.- Soldier to officer: “Let me know when this becomes a volunteer army. I’d like to volunteer to be a general.”
That sounds like someone who wants to get ahead without the work. It could be selfish ambition. And selfish ambition leaves others out of the picture. It thinks only of me, myself and I with the desire to get ahead. And who fits that description? That could be many people in our society.
ILL.- I heard a guy recently ranting and raving on a youtube clip about the politicians who are asking for cuts here and cuts there in order to improve the American economy, but he said something to the effect that those same politicians are not taking any pay cuts or less of this and less of that. They want the best of everything and they still take their free plane jaunts and luxury vacations, good retirement packages, good health insurance.
IT COULD WELL BE CALLED SELFISH AMBITION with little or no thought for the American people! I don’t think ALL politicians are self-centered, but some are.
Selfish people are tainted by the evil wisdom of the world.
Mark 1:21-26 21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil[e] spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
While there may only be some who are truly demon possessed, there will be millions upon millions who are influenced by evil.
ILL.- The old baseball player/preacher Billy Sunday in the 1930’s used to say, “I know the devil is real because I’ve done business with him.” And there are many who are doing business with him by doing evil and they don’t even realize it.
Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
III. THE WISE PERSON IS STIRRED BY HEAVEN
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. This is the wisdom we need.
ILL.- C. S. Lewis wrote: We are very shy nowadays of even mentioning Heaven. We are afraid of the jeer about "pie in the sky," and of being told that we are trying to "escape from the duty of making a happy world here and now into dreams of a happy world elsewhere." But either there is "pie in the sky" or there is not. If there is not, then Christianity is false, for this doctrine is woven into its whole fabric. If there is, then this truth, like any other, must be faced, whether it is useful at political meetings or no.”
I BELIEVE IN HEAVEN! Don’t you? And if we do, then it should motivate us to do something good in this world!
Look at the fruit of heavenly wisdom:
- Pure. Purity starts in the heart and mind. To be speak pure and be pure we must think pure and this can only come by setting our hearts and minds on that which is above!
Colossians 3:1-4 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
- Peace-loving. Are you a fighter or a lover?
Romans 12:18 “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
- Considerate. Are you considerate of others? Or are you always looking out for yourself more than anyone else?
ILL.- Elizabeth Chevalier, author of the best-selling novel, Driven Woman, wrote in a letter to Macmillan, “Have you heard the one about the novelist who met an old friend? After they had talked for two hours, the novelist said, “Now we’ve talked about me long enough—let’s talk about you! What did you think of my last novel?”
Philippians 2:4 “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
- Submissive. 1 Peter 5:5 “Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
- Full of mercy Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
- Impartial. A person who is fair, who doesn’t play favorites, etc.
- Sincere. Genuine. Real. Not a fake nor someone who puts on an air. What you see is what you get.
When you find with these traits or qualities, there you find a person who is stirred by heaven itself!
CONCLUSION------------
Who is wise among you? Good question. And the answer to that question can be found in this text. The truly wise person is marked by good and stirred by heaven.
Steve Shepherd, Jonesboro Christian Church, AR
jonesborochristianchurch@suddenlink.net
