Unused Power Series

TOPIC: UNUSED POWER

Text: James 3:13-18

Introduction:

(ILL. There’s a story about a wealthy man who was terminally ill. The doctor said, "There’s only one thing that will save you. A brain transplant. It’s an experimental operation. And it’s very expensive." The wealthy guy said, "Money is no object. Can you get me a brain?" The doctor said, "We have three available right now. The first one was from a college professor. But it’ll cost you $10,000." The guy said, "Don’t worry. I can pay, it will make me more wiser. What about the second brain?" The doctor said, "It was from a rocket scientist. It’ll cost you $100,000." The man said, "I have the money. And I’d be a lot smarter too. But tell me about the third brain." The doctor said, "The third brain is from a Chicago Bear football player. But it would set you back a million dollars." The man said, "A million dollars? Why so much for his brain?" The doctor said, "It’s never been used.") We too have unused power in us, above us, around us, everywhere, not our brain, but it is called WISDOM!

We always hear the word wisdom; we even like to become wise like Solomon. But what really wisdom is and how wisdom can do to a person?

This morning we will continue to discuss the book of James and our series, “A Life Who Makes a Difference!”. Let’s open our Bible in James 3:13-18 (read). Let us pray first.

v. 13 shows that wisdom is present to anyone, so the question here is not do you have wisdom but what kind of wisdom do you, is it really wisdom or wish-doom? From our text we will see truths about this topic, wisdom and even the power that in it if properly tap the right one and properly use.

1. SOURCE OF WISDOM (v. 15)

I Corinthians 1:18-2:1-16 – wisdom of this world is foolishness to God, but the wisdom from God is foolishness to those who don’t have God in their heart. Genesis 3:6, “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her and he ate it.” She saw the fruit and was thinking to eat it to gain wisdom. If we go back a little bit we can see where this notion came from vs. 4-5, “You will not surely die, the serpent said to the woman. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” From these verses we can see that there are surely two sources of wisdom. God and the devil, heavenly and the earthly wisdom.

A. HEAVENLY WISDOM – come from God – Proverbs 2:6, “For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”. Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Heavenly kingdom comes from God; He is the only source of this kind of wisdom. Now what is this heavenly wisdom? James 1:5 said, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will given to him.” When James said this he is referring on how ones life should live. He is talking about trials, temptation and how to face it. It means that wisdom is not an acquired knowledge from our study, or passing an exam, or having a good career and job, etc. Heavenly wisdom is way of life, attitude, character. Proverbs 1:20-21, “Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech.” Solomon is talking wisdom her as if wisdom is a person calling, crying, shouting, raising her voice in the street, everywhere. So when James said, “If you lack wisdom…” he refers to how we should live according to God’s Word. The context of James letter is about being doer and not juts hearer of God’s Word.

B. EARTHLY WISDOM – on the other side earthly wisdom comes from the prince of this world, the devil (Genesis 3:4-6). It is a wisdom relying on what a man and flesh can do, according to the desire of the flesh, according to the old nature as James mentioned. It is actually foolishness before God. It is living according to mans plan and desire.

C. What is the source of your wisdom? Do you have a heavenly wisdom or earthly one?

2. EXPRESSION OF WISDOM (vv. 13-18)