If I Only Had A Brain (Livingston)

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

Introduction

Back Before Norah and I Got Married, When I Still Lived with My Mom…

We would have a Church Get-Together Every Halloween at Our House

We’d have a Chili Supper, Corn Hole, Campfire, Activities for Kids…

At the End of the Night We’d have a Spooky Hayride

On More than One Occasion…

Norah and I would Dress Up as Dorothy & Scarecrow…

To Talk to/Goof Around with the Kids

Who can Tell Me the Name of the Song Scarecrow Sang?

“If I Only had a Brain”

That’s What We’re Going to Be Looking at Tonight

Not a Brain, Specifically…

But 2 Important Ideas that are Connected to the Brain:

Knowledge

Wisdom

We’re Going to Focus on the Importance of Knowledge & Wisdom…

To Our Lives as Followers of Jesus

Primarily, We’re Going to Focus on Wisdom

I Think it Might Be Helpful to Start with Understanding the Difference…

Between Knowledge & Wisdom

Knowledge = Acquired Facts/Information

Knowing Things

Knowledge is Important to Being a Christian

God Wants Us to Know Him

Know Who He is, What He’s Like, and What He Expects of Us

We Need to Know the Scriptures

We Need to Know the Gospel

What Jesus has Done, is Doing, Will Do for His People

There is No Salvation Outside of Knowing God and the Gospel

But We Can’t Stop with Knowledge, Right?

We Need to Add Wisdom to Our Knowledge

If Knowledge is Having/Knowing Information…

Then Wisdom is Understanding What to Do with that Information

We Don’t Just Need to Know God/Scriptures/Gospel…

We Need to Understand How to Apply that Knowledge to Our Lives

We Need to Move from “Knowing” to “Practicing”

What Good is Knowledge if it isn’t Put to Use?

In James’ Letter, He Talks a Lot About the Importance of…

Turning Knowledge into Action…

And Faith into Works

James 1:22 (LSB)

22 But become doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

I Like the Plain Language of the NLT

James 1:22 (NLT)

22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

Being a Follower of Jesus is More Than Just…

Knowing Who God is and What He Expects of Us

We’ve Got to Be Doers

We’ve Got to Live it

James 2:14–16 (NASB95)

14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?

What Good Does it Do…

To Know What Jesus Teaches About Loving One Another…

If We Don’t Put that Knowledge into Practice?

When a Sibling in Christ has a Need that We’re Able to Meet…

But All We Offer Them is Our Sympathy and a Prayer…

We’ve Proven that Our Faith is Dead

We’ve Proven Ourselves to Be No Wiser Than the Demons…

Who Know God, But Don’t Obey Him

To Know What’s Right But Not Do it…

James Calls Sin

James 4:17 (NASB95)

17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

This is a Textbook Definition of What it is to have Knowledge…

But Not Wisdom

The Wisdom Literature of Proverbs Gives Us the Same Example as James:

Proverbs 3:27–28 (NASB95)

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you.

This is What Wisdom is All About:

Knowing What God Wants…

And Putting that Knowledge into Practice

You can have the Scriptures Memorized from Front to Back…

But that’s Worth Nothing if You Don’t Put that Knowledge to Use

Wisdom is Extremely Important to the Life of a Christian

It’s Crucial

But Not All Wisdom is Worth Having

James Says There’s Earthly/Heavenly Wisdom

And He Tells Us the Difference

James 3:13 (NASB95)

13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.

Wisdom is Like Faith in that…

Without Outward Proof, it’s Useless/Dead

Wisdom is Shown Through Good Behavior/Deeds

But That’s Not All

There’s a Very Important Addition that James Tacks on

Wisdom is Practicing Good Behavior “In the Gentleness of Wisdom”

In Order to Be Truly Wise…

You Must Practice 2 Things Simultaneously

They Must Coexist:

Good Works

Gentleness/Humility

One Lexicon Defined “Gentleness” this Way

“Not Being Overly Impressed by a Sense of One’s Self-Importance”

Good Works Combined with Humility = Wisdom

Good Works with Self-Righteousness/Pride is Not Wisdom

Humility Without Good Works is Not Wisdom

Wisdom = Doing What Jesus Teaches/Shows Us to Do…

While Remaining Humble/Unimpressed with Our Self-Importance

True/Heavenly Wisdom is Humbly Doing What is Good/Right

But What About Earthly Wisdom?

James 3:14–16 (NASB95)

14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

The Wisdom that Comes from Earth/Our Natural Fallen State/Demons…

Is Bitter Jealousy and Selfish Ambition

That’s the Kind of Wisdom that Comes from the World…

Because it Suits Our Natural Inclinations

Bitter Jealousy Comes Natural to Us

You Don’t have to Try to Be Bitterly Jealous of Others

Selfishness Comes Natural to Us

You Don’t have to Put Any Effort into Thinking Only About Yourself

Worldly Wisdom is Doing What Comes Naturally to Fallen Humanity

“Go with Your Gut”

“Trust Your Heart”

“Follow Your Instincts”

But You Know What Your Gut, Heart, and Instincts Often Lead You to?

Things like Bitter Jealousy and Selfish Ambition

Wisdom From Above is the Very Opposite:

James 3:17–18 (NASB95)

17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Someone Who has Heavenly Wisdom is:

Pure, Holy, Not Defiled By Sin

Peaceful

Considerate, Tolerant, Not Insisting on One’s Own Rights

Submissive, Compliant, Obedient

Thoroughly Characterized by Mercy/Compassion

Thoroughly Characterized by Good Fruits/Works

Not Judgmental or Doubting

Not Hypocritical But Sincere

Then James Says:

Righteousness is Produced by the Peacemakers

This is What Heavenly Wisdom is All About

It’s About Being Pure Peacemakers

Not a Single Ounce of it Comes Natural to Us

Our Flesh Desires the Very Opposite of All These Things

But in Christ, Our Inner Person/Spirit has Been Transformed

Our Outer Person Desires Worldly Wisdom…

But Our Spirits Desire Heavenly Wisdom

According to James, Heavenly Wisdom Looks like Being…

Humble, Holy, and Peaceful

Jesus is the Embodiment of Heavenly Wisdom

As Followers/Disciples of Jesus…

He is Who We Aspire to Be

So, in Order to Grow in Heavenly Wisdom…

Our Focus Needs to Be Entirely on Jesus

Paul Told the Colossian Christians that…

“In Jesus are Hidden All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge”

Speaking of Jesus, Paul Said:

Colossians 1:28 (NIV)

28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.

In Order to Bring People to Wisdom and Maturity…

The Focus of Paul’s Teaching/Preaching was Jesus

That’s Where Our Focus Must Be Too

This was Paul’s Main Point in His Letter to the Colossians:

Heavenly Wisdom is Focusing Entirely Upon Jesus

Colossians 2:8 (NASB95)

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

We are Not to Be Captives of the Empty Wisdom of the World

Wisdom that Looks Good/Right…

But has Nothing of Spiritual Substance to Offer

We are to Be Captives of King Jesus

Conquered By Him

Led By Him in Triumphal Procession

Killed By Him

Resurrected to New Creation and Eternal Life By Him

Wisdom is Making Jesus Our Life

Colossians 3:17 (NASB95)

17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Every Word and Every Action is in Obedience to Him and for His Glory

That is Wisdom

Invitation

We Need Both Knowledge and Wisdom

We Need to Know the Gospel

And We Need the Wisdom to Live the Gospel

The Gospel is the Good News…

That Through the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus…

Evil, Sin, and Death have Been Defeated…

And God’s Anointed One has Become King

And He’s Going to Return to Rescue Us Through Resurrection to Eternal Life…

And Deal the Final Death Blow to All Evil, Sin, and Death

That’s a Nutshell Knowledge of the Gospel

Wisdom is Responding to that Knowledge in the Proper Way

If Jesus Really is King…

And He Really is Coming Back…

To Enact Justice and Destroy All that is Opposed to Him/His Kingdom…

Then the Wise Response would Be to Join Him/His Kingdom

Pledge Allegiance to King Jesus…

By Repenting of Rebellious Living and Being Baptized

Then Commit Yourself to Living a Life that is Loyal to Him

A Life that is in Imitation of Him

A Life that Honors/Glorifies Him

A Life of Knowledge/Wisdom that’s Found in Him