Godly Wisdom
James 3:13-18 – Victory Fellowship
August 29, 2021 - Rev. Roderick Grabski
1) INTRODUCTION:
a) My stories of poverty. (couldn’t pay attention; chicken bone)
b) Others’ stories of poverty. (no shoes, no car, flies in butter)
c) What are we doing? We are BOASTING.
d) Why?
i) Are we better because of it?
ii) Are we trying to justify what we have now?
iii) Do we want to add credibility to what we say? We must be wise to have endured such lean and hard times!
e) We need to be cautious about relying on our own human wisdom based on JUST our life experience. James is talking about a humility that is based on Godly Wisdom that should be reflected in the way we live our lives and interact with others.
2) RELATING THE TEXT:
a) Out of these 6 verses in James 3 we need to remember two things:
i) #1- Our wisdom should not be a product of the ways of the world - ie. Jealousy and Selfish Ambition.
ii) #2- God’s Spirit provides a Wisdom that unites Christians and produces good fruit in their lives.
b) Godly Wisdom:
i) A wise person knows 3 ways to get something done –hire a professional, do it yourself, or forbid your teenager to do it!
ii) James relates in 1:5 that if anyone lacks wisdom they should ask God for it, and God gives wisdom, generously and without reproach, to all who ask for it in faith.
c) Here in chapter 3 James describes a life led by Godly wisdom: an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
i) James describes the attributes of one who possesses Godly wisdom from above: is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
ii) Without seeking Godly wisdom we are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic, and our lives are full of disorder and evil of every kind.
iii) But if we seek and rely on Godly wisdom, we are peacemakers WHO will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
3) APPLICATION:
a) When we ask God to give us His kind of wisdom, we begin to have the mind of Christ.
i) We no longer seek our own agenda.
ii) We are no longer motivated by jealousy and selfish ambition.
iii) We no longer have to be in control, but rather, we seek Godly will.
b) Here are five subtle challenges Christians face in our culture today: How we accept and/or respond to these things determines whether we are seeking Godly wisdom or relying on worldly wisdom.
i) The Universe is NOT God. It was created by God.
ii) Not all people are God’s Children.
iii) Jesus was more than a good teacher.
iv) It’s not enough just to believe in a “higher power.”
v) Even though God knows all, we still need to confess our sins to Him.
4) CONCLUSION:
a) God, in His wisdom, gave us salvation through Jesus Christ. In Christ, we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28).
b) In His wisdom, God desires that we be whole and healthy and wise.
PRAYER
SONG: Ancient Words
James 3:13-18 (NLT) 13 If you are wise and understand Godly ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.
15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.
16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
