Wisdom from Above

James 3:13-18 Wisdom from Above Sunday, September 25, 2022 Pastoral Prayer 1. IMB: (HOE-chee-men) - Thanh, Hao, Phat, and Nam have heard the gospel clearly, but they have not yet placed their faith in Jesus Christ. 2. New Hope Church (Tyler Sterchi) 3. Norman Funderburk- recovering from getting hit in the face with a limb; broken cheek bones. 4. Receiving of the Word Introduction Take a moment and think about who you would say is someone wise in your life? And what makes you say they are wise? Is it because they are super intelligent? Or is it for other reasons....Wisdom is one of those things that we often take for granted or ignore. And yet, wisdom is something we should all cherish and aim for. For wisdom is not a call to the intellectual realm. To use an illustration from my childhood, there is an episode of Full House, a 90's tv show, that follows a widower dad and his 3 daughters who receives help in the raising of the 3 girls by his best friends and his brother-in-law. Anyways, in this episode, Jessie, the brother-in-law is put at odds as his girlfriend is attending some fancy, formal intellectual, black coat, black tie affair and he doesn't want anything to do with it. However, out of jealousy of an old friend of his girlfriends going to be there, he decides to attempt to prepare to be wise at the party to fit in. He tries to use big words, and start conversations that he is no how, no sirie ready to enter. And he sounds like a fool and acts like a jerk in the process as he challenges his girlfriend's old friend to an arm wrestling match. Though funny, too many of us are like Jessie in thinking wisdom is about sounding a certain way and impressing. Wisdom has nothing to do with that, and that is what James is going to turn our attention, as well as our hearts to this morning in James 3:13-18. As we have been making our way through the book of James the last 6 weeks, we have been hit over and over again that James understands that our faith is more than a mere empty word. For he has been teaching us that faith without works, that is without change is an empty faith, that it is no faith at all. James has taught us that our words matter and that our tongues are to be bridled to build up rather than tear down. Why has he gone to all this trouble? Because in the midst of trials, he wants to see these trials work for our good, to sanctify us as the implanted word, that is the word of the gospel is driven deeper and deeper in our hearts to change us. James wants us to be made whole in Christ. For that is what the Christian life is. It is not a mere outward confession with no heart change. True faith is a faith that begins with a heart that is transformed by the implanted word and it works itself outward through our words and actions. Before we read our text, I want to point out that James 3:13-18 has an ABA structure to it. By that, in verse 13 we get a glimpse of what true wisdom is, then in verses 14-16 we step away from true wisdom to look at false wisdom, and then in verses 17-18 we come back to more of what true wisdom is. That will help as you follow along as we read James 3:13-18 together. Main Idea: Wisdom that lacks humility and good conduct is no wisdom at all; true wisdom is pure and peaceful in its conduct. 1. False Wisdom 2. True Wisdom 1. False Wisdom The audience of James, including us today, are being asked, "who is wise and understanding among you (y'all)?" How do we answer this? And while James begins to tell us this when he says, "By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom" there at the end of verse 13, he pauses and makes a quick shift to the opposite of wisdom in verse 14 where he writes... Apparently there are some that would dare say they are wise, but are constantly full of jealousy and selfish ambition in their hearts. This being the opposite as it is compared to those who show their works in the meekness of wisdom.Dr. Robert Plummer defines jealousy in his commentary, saying, "Jealousy is the wicked desire for the abilities, possessions, or status of another."1 Therefore, those who have bitter jealousy in their hearts are jealous of what others have. This most likely being something along the lines of teaching or influence with others. And this jealousy is said to be rooted in their hearts. And yet, for some reason those who are full of bitter jealousy seem to claim that they are wise. Most likely they try and pass their jealousy off as zeal and passion. And yet, when bitter jealousy is rooted in the heart, one becomes blinded to truth and what is righteous. Think back if you had siblings what you would do to your sibling if you were jealous of them? Quarrels, fights, sabotaging them? And this is with your sibling. Does this really sound wise? No, because it is false wisdom. Those who are filled with jealousy in their hearts then are not wise in what is best. They become schemers who attempt to promote their own opinions at the expense of others. This is not true wisdom, as we will see in our second point. This scheming is deceitful and untrue. Bitter jealousy works to undermine the works of others to take their place of prominence. It goes against the meekness, that is the humility we saw of true wisdom in verse 13. For it produces pride and arrogance that are not the characteristics of the wise. But not only is bitter jealousy addressed, so is selfish ambition. It being a close relative of bitter jealousy. For here the labors show that it is of self interest that one schemes and plots to further their own agenda, even within the church. They may even preach the gospel. Consider what Paul writes in Philippians 1:15-17, "Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment." Selfish ambition leads to manipulative actions in the attempt to afflict harm or get one's own way. A common way that selfish ambition is seen in the church today seems to be when someone wants to ensure they get their way, they use phrasing such as "people have been saying." "It's not just my thoughts, but others too." But worse, those driven by bitter jealousy and selfish ambition are tempted to boast in their falseness. And this should not be so. For while they oppose truth, while they deceive they cannot walk in the wisdom that is from above. In fact, we read that this is a wisdom that is the exact opposite of that in verse 15. It says.... Earthly wisdom for James is similar to the phrase wisdom of the world that Paul uses in 1 Corinthians. Two phrases, both referring to the same thing. A wisdom that is not from God, but from our fleshly nature. And this wisdom is further said to not just be from fleshly nature, but from that which is unspiritual and demonic. Selfish ambition and bitter jealousy come not from God, but from Satan. Lest we forget, remember Satan himself is clever and crafty. He is the great deceiver. But his cleverness and craft while great are not to be mistaken as true wisdom. For these are the roots of great evil which we learn of in verse 16, which says... Bitter jealousy and selfish-ambition cause disorder and evil, for again their aim is to ensure their own preferences, their own opinions, their own legacy is advanced. The goal is not truth, but position. Therefore, they will go to whatever means to get there. And in the case of the so-called religious, they will use their religion as the means and justification for these things. Just think back to the religious leaders during Jesus' day. How they used their religious traditions and ways in claiming to be wise and condemning the Son of God. Consider back to Mark 3 and the scribes who came down from Jerusalem and accused Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebub, the prince of demons. They made this foolish false accusation after Jesus had cast out a demon. And their foolishness was then exposed because Jesus asked them how can a house be divided and stand? The Pharisees likewise thought they were wise and accused the disciples of Jesus for being unclean in not keeping with their traditions in the ceremonial hand washing before eating. Yet their foolishness was exposed as they were called out for not keeping what was commanded while keeping their traditions. And this bitter jealousy of Jesus and his large following, their selfish ambition for wanting to be the admired ones lead to them finally accusing Jesus of blasphemy as they seized him and took him to Pilate to be crucified. Jesus was put to death on the cross out bitter jealousy and selfish ambition. Even Pilate recognized this. In Mark 15:10 it says, "For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up." Jealousy and selfish ambition blind from seeing the truth. They hinder from the capability to be wise and to act wisely. They oppose true wisdom from God. Friends, if we are driven by bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, we must stop immediately and repent of such evil. For these actions are not of the wise, but of the foolish. Let us then turn and see the beauty of true wisdom that is from God as we consider our second point this morning. 2. True Wisdom True wisdom is seen in one's good conduct in their works and their meekness of wisdom as we saw in verse 13. And true wisdom is the opposite of that which is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For true wisdom comes not from the flesh or the prince of demons, but from God himself. It is a wisdom that is from above. True wisdom is a gift from God, and therefore must start with God himself. In fact, we know from Proverbs 9:10, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight." True wisdom is not had without a fear of the LORD in recognizing who the LORD is and who we are in comparison to him. The truly wise are meek in wisdom, because they recognize their own unworthiness before the LORD. They realize that wisdom is a gift from the LORD and his generosity. Turn back with me to James 1:5....we read..... Whether we think ourselves wise or realize we aren't, let us continuously ask the LORD for wisdom and understanding. Let us be like the Psalmist in Psalm 119, continuously asking for understanding. Listen to these three verses from the Psalmist in his request: • Psalm 119:27; "Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works." • Psalm 119:34; "Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart." • Psalm 119:73; "Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments." These 3 verses are but a small taste of the meekness we are to have in wisdom and the manner in which we should continuously pray to gain wisdom from the LORD. For wisdom again is shown in the works of ones good conduct. This is picked back up on there in verse 17. It starts, "But the wisdom from above is first pure." James' entire aim has been aimed at showing us what it means to have a pure religion, a pure faith. Therefore it should be no surprise that he says that wisdom is first pure. But what does it mean by this? A wisdom that is pure is a wisdom that is whole. Remember, James has been laboring to teach us what it means to be whole, to be complete in the faith. Look back with me to James 1:2-4, we read.... And it was following this call to wholeness that James first brought up the invitation to ask for wisdom, which he of course now has returned to here in chapter 3. Wisdom that is pure is wisdom that receives with meekness the word of God, that not only hears the words of that word, but then does them. True wisdom is the carrying out of God's word in the already given in the day to day of life. This means that if we are to be truly wise, then we must live out what God has already made known. And while it is already been emphasized that if we lack wisdom that we should pray to God in asking for it, know that our prayer is not absent from the Bible, but goes alongside it. For one cannot grow in wisdom apart from prayer and study of God's word. For Godly wisdom is not about trying to discern the unknowns of the faith, such as end time predicaments or whether or not we should or shouldn't do something in which the Bible seems silent. Godly wisdom is about learning how to apply God's already given and clear word. For instance, turning to the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, we read, "And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." True wisdom from above is aiming to apply this mission to the whole of the Christian life. First, as a disciple, we must seek wisdom to ensure that we are being obedient to all that Christ commanded. And living it out in every area of our lives. For the Christian life isn't intended to be just lived out on Sunday mornings. The faith we profess to have is to affect our home life, our work life, our community life. It is to affect it all. For instance, to be obedient to Christ is to labor to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. To be wise then is to be able to inspect what in our lives is keeping us from this and seeking to put that idol to death in our hearts. Likewise, if the Great Commission, that is the mission of the local church, is about making disciples, then wisdom seeks how can we best leverage our lives to this task. Asking, how can I leverage my family life, my career, my retirement, my extra curricular activities around the task of making disciples. This includes both pre-discipleship in evangelism to equipping newer believers in what it means to follow Christ. This is what it means that wisdom is pure. It is a wisdom that works to make us whole and complete. A wisdom that helps us grow in godliness and faithfulness. A wisdom that leads us to a greater devotion and love for God and obedience to his mission. But not only is true wisdom to be pure, it is to be peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere. The truly wise labor in other words to care well for others. Where false wisdom labors out of selfish ambition, true wisdom we could say labors out of others ambition. Consider the phrases peaceable, gentle, and open to reason with me for a moment. I want to make clear what is meant by these terms. To be peaceable, gentle, and open to reason doesn't mean that we are easily to be persuaded away from true and right doctrine. It does not mean that we are easily swayed to stray from what Scripture clearly teaches. That is not at all what James is teaching us here. To be peaceable, gentle, and open to reason means that to be wise one is a good listener. That is we are quick to hear and slow to anger. To be wise means that to the best of our ability, we labor in conversations and disagreements to be peaceful in the situation. That we aren't the ones who become the antagonist in the conversation. Friend, if you are the one who always becomes hot headed in a debate and to the point of arguing out of anger and simply aiming to win the conversation, you are not peaceable, gentle, and open to reason. You are not acting as one who is wise. Wisdom from above considers the other person and labors for peace with them, even if that means disagreement and hard words said. To be peaceable in wisdom may very well mean confronting a person in sin and wrong doing. It might mean hard words are had to be said. But it is the tone that is peaceable, it is the heart of the Christian to be meek and humble in the giving of those words. As well as hopeful for those words to be received and true peace to come from them. To be peaceable is not a call to ignore the confrontation of sin, but a call to it. For where sin reigns, peace will not. That is, you are not keeping the peace if you are silently sitting there while sin is clearly present and going unaddressed. To be peaceable, address that sin, but in gentleness with the aim of restoring the person in sin. Likewise, true wisdom leads us to be full of mercy and good fruits. This means that those who are truly wise are quick to forgive others, that they are wise in realizing that they too consistently fail and fall short of the glory of the LORD, and they are quick to show that mercy to others as well. The wise person will be full of good fruits of the Spirit in walking in the ways of God. The wise person too is impartial in their judgments. They do not show partiality in favor of one person over another. Brothers, sisters, friends, as we consider this call to true wisdom we surely are drawn even more to the reality of just how inadequate we are in this kind of true wisdom from above. But let us not despair. As we continue to become aware of our own inadequacy, let us look to the one truly wise man in Jesus, the Beloved Son of God. The one who is gentle and lowly and invites us to come and be yoked to him. And let us consider the cross. Though while the cross seems like foolishness to the world, it is through the cross that our Father in heaven has overturned the wisdom of the world to expose its foolishness. For it was on the cross where the innocent suffered for the guilty, where the innocent was pierced for our transgressions, so that the we who were guilty could be declared righteous. Jesus came to make peace, and as he did a harvest of righteousness was sown in all who would put their faith in him. Brothers and sisters in Christ, continue clinging to Jesus for your salvation and your wisdom. And friend, if you have thought yourself wise and not needing of this Jesus, see that you cannot be wise apart from Christ. For while you continue in your sin, while you continue to think yourself wise apart from God, you will be but a fool. See that true wisdom is found in Jesus, the Lamb of God who was slain for us. Let's pray... 1 Plummer, Robert. Expository Commentary. 263. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ James 3:13-18, Page #