Wisdom In Christ Series

INTRO.- Wisdom. Who doesn’t need it?

ILL.- A preacher said: When I was a young minister, a funeral director asked me to hold a grave side service for a homeless man with no family or friends. The funeral was to be at a cemetery way out in the country. This was a new cemetery and this man was the first to be laid to rest there.

I was not familiar with the area and became lost. Being a typical man, of course, I did not ask for directions. I finally found the cemetery about an hour late. The back hoe was there and the crew was eating their lunch. The hearse was nowhere to be seen.

I apologized to the workers for being late. As I looked into the open grave, I saw the vault lid already in place. I told the workers I would not keep them long, but that this was the proper thing to do. The workers, still eating their lunch, gathered around the opening.

I was young and enthusiastic and poured out my heart and soul as I preached. The workers joined in with, "Praise the Lord," "Amen," and "Glory!" I got so into the service that I preached and preached and preached, from Genesis to The Revelation.

When the service was over, I said a prayer and walked to my car. As I opened the door, I heard one of the workers say, "I never saw anything like that before and I've been putting in septic systems for twenty years."

Everyone needs wisdom for life, both young and old preachers included. Wisdom will help us keep from making certain mistakes in life and especially, if we receive the wisdom that is from above.

James 4:13-18 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. 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. 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.

The wisdom from above is: goodness, humble, pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, sincere, impartial, and full of good fruit. WHAT A LIST OF WISE THINGS TO DO OR BE!

Wisdom deals with how we live, not so much what we know. There are plenty of educated fools in this world. Without the wisdom of God we will make plenty of mistakes in life.

ILL.- Here are the words of Wilbur Chapman, words of wisdom: “The rule that governs my life is this: Anything that dims my vision of Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps my prayer life, or make Christian work difficult, is wrong for me, and I must, as a Christian, turn away from it.” THAT’S TRUE WISDOM!

PROP.- Paul explains what it means to have wisdom in Christ.

1- We expose the darkness

2- We use time wisely

3- We respond to the Spirit

I. WE EXPOSE THE DARKNESS

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.

Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

How do we expose the darkness in this world? By shedding light wherever we go!

ILL.- Several years ago I read of a terrible accident in which several youth were killed when their car was struck by a train. At the trial the watchman was questioned: “Were you at the crossing the night of the accident?”

“Yes, your Honor.”

“Were you waving your lantern to warn of the danger.”

“Yes, your Honor,” the man told the judge.

But after the trial had ended, the watchman walked away mumbling to himself, “I’m glad they didn’t ask me about the light in the lantern, because the light had gone out.” God sees when our light has gone out.

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”