Living In God’s Wisdom, Even When You Don’t Want To

In a small village, there was a man widely regarded as the village fool. He would stand at the market every day, and people would offer him two coins: one was large and made of cheap metal, and the other was tiny but made of gold. Every time, the fool would take the large coin.

One day, a curious boy asked him, “Don’t you know the small coin is worth much more?”

The fool smiled and whispered, “Of course I know. But the day I take the gold coin, they’ll stop offering me money.”

Historical/Cultural Context -

Luke was a physician and a travel companion of the apostle Paul. He wrote the book of Acts. The earliest possible date of Acts is immediately after the events that Luke recorded in, which would have been c. A.D. 62. Acts is addressed to “Theophilus,” about whom nothing more is known. Luke’s broader audience consisted primarily of Gentile Christians like Theophilus who had already “been taught” about Jesus.

Biblical Text -

Acts 15:23–41 NKJV

They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment— it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell. So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. And after they had stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to the apostles. However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there. Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - Listen To God’s Wisdom, Enact God’s Wisdom & Live God’s Wisdom, Even When You Don’t Want To Do It.

Life Point- Listen To God’s Wisdom

Exegetical -

Acts 15:23–29 NLT

This is the letter they took with them: “This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings! “We understand that some men from here have troubled you and upset you with their teaching, but we did not send them! So we decided, having come to complete agreement, to send you official representatives, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are sending Judas and Silas to confirm what we have decided concerning your question. “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.”

Homiletical -

Last week we talked about the sensitivities for those that they were trying to reach the Gospel with and the one moral command given. Because of this, I will not belabor the point here.

But notice that this letter that was sent was wisdom from the Holy Spirit and the church at Jerusalem.

James 3:13–18 NLT

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. 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. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

There are many passages in the Bible which talk about wisdom but none is more poignant then the book of James. This is where the rubber meets the road of Christian Living.

The Bible, God issues a challenge to us today. If we are wise then put your money where mouth is and prove it. How? By living an honorable life before God and man doing good works but not in some arrogant or obnoxious way but in a way that is done in humility. Always giving glory to Jesus Christ.

How can we tell if we are doing the right things in God’s will. The answer is found in the scriptures that follow. Bitterness. Bitter jealousy, selfish ambition in your heart. How do you know if you have these things in your heart. Well what are the words coming out of your mouth. Are you trying to tear down or build up? if you have bitterness it will come out of your mouth.

Matthew 12:34 NKJV

Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Then we are told to not cover up the truth about our bitterness with boasting and lying. Sometimes people come up to me or I call them and they say things like, “Oh I am going to such and such a church now.” You know full well that some of those people aren’t going anywhere and you can usually tell who it is. What happened? Well we are speaking in generalities. Usually someone ticked somebody off and now they are hiding it by saying they are going somewhere else when they aren’t. So now they are lying to cover up their bitterness.

Husbands you know something a little bit about this. Ever ask your wife if she is alright? You get the FINE response and you know good and well she isn’t fine. That’s how the start of bitterness can be for some people. They say they are fine, but behind your back they are giving bitter words about you or your church.

The Bible says that bitterness leads to jealousy and selfishness and that those things aren’t God’s kind of wisdom. He condemns it by stating that these things are earthly, unspiritual, and even demonic.

Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition and all the other things that came before that, you will find disorder and every kind of evil. That’s not hyperbole there folks. That is truth. you will be disordered in your thinking and your understanding. You will sew discord and evil in people’s lives and in the church. Both locally and universally.

But the wisdom that comes from God what does it look like?

Pure, peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. What else is it? Full of mercy, good deeds and shows no favoritism. It is always sincere. A person like this you can take what they say at face value because of their sincerity. They will be doing good works, they will be try to correct in love, they will show mercy and yield to others.

These people do not sew discord, but are peacemakers and will plant seeds of peace. That is the peace that man can have between himself and God. Then that peace overflows into their relationships with others. So they get to reap a harvest of righteousness.

So what kind of wisdom should we seek? The world’s way of doing things? Or God’s way of doing things? Which one will you seek?

What if you find yourself as someone who is bitter and you don’t want to be that way? What should you do? Repent, repent, repent. Get on your knees and pray like James the camel kneed.

Illustration -

In the early 20th century, a group of scientists proposed radical theories about the universe, challenging centuries of established thought. Albert Einstein, amid this upheaval, sought wisdom through collaboration, constantly engaging with others and learning from their insights. His eventual theories didn’t just rely on individual genius but were shaped through conversation and prayerful contemplation of the mysteries of God’s creation. This teaches us that seeking understanding through God’s wisdom often involves listening to others and embracing humility.

Life Point - Enact God’s Wisdom

Exegetical -

Acts 15:30–33 NLT

The messengers went at once to Antioch, where they called a general meeting of the believers and delivered the letter. And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message. Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith. They stayed for a while, and then the believers sent them back to the church in Jerusalem with a blessing of peace.

Homiletical -

So the messengers come to Antioch where all the dissension was happening and they call general meeting. We might call it a business meeting and they read the letter that was full of wisdom to the assembly.

Look what happened when God’s wisdom was shined on the subject. It says there was great joy through the church that day as they read the message.

God’s Word, His wisdom enacted in the life of a believer will bring great joy to yourself and others. But it has to be walked out to be of any use. Don’t be the man who looks in a mirror and sees his flaws and doesn’t fix them.

James 1:22–25 NKJV

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

So Judas (known as Barsabbas) and Silas who are both New Testament prophets stand up and do they condemn them? No they do what a New Testament prophet is supposed to do. They talk at length bringing encouragement and strengthening their faith.

A prophet Biblically is someone who forth tells God’s Word. So every time the Word of God is opened and it is put out there the personal is literally prophesying God’s Word. It does not necessarily mean someone who tells the future. It is someone who speaks God’s Word. Doing so should bring encouragement and should strengthen people’s faith, especially as they face hard times.

These messengers stayed for a bit and then went back with a blessing of peace from the church at Antioch.

We should always try to seek and get God’s wisdom on things and then enact that wisdom and watch peace happen. But they key is to seek. How do we seek? Prayer, sometimes fasting, and study of God’s Word. For His Word is wisdom.

Wisdom isn’t any good unless we do something with it, that is enact on it.

Illustration -

Thomas Edison, who famously failed thousands of times before inventing the light bulb. When asked about his failures, he stated that he has not failed but rather found ten thousand ways that won’t work. This reflects the wisdom of persistence and learning in our failures. Just like Edison, when we face setbacks, God’s wisdom encourages us to persevere and view each obstacle as a stepping stone toward success, illuminating our path forward in faith.

Life Point - Live Wisdom When You Don’t Feel Like it

Exegetical -

Acts 15:36–41 NLT

After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.” Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work. Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care. Then he traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches there.

Homiletical -

Notice here that Barnabas and Paul have a disagreement over whether to take John Mark it was so sharp a disagreement that Barnabas went his way and Paul went his way.

What we know is that later we find Paul, when he was under house arrest, had Mark with him and no one else at one point. So this wasn’ t a knock down drag em out fight, never the two shall meet again kind of thing.

I would say they disagreed and decided to split the work up. Even though Paul was being a bit hard headed here.

Sometimes you will have disagreements it is just the nature of things. What is important is how does wisdom handle those disagreements.

For example I have beloved brother in the Lord whom I care about who I was under for a season. I disagreed with a lot of the ways he was handling some issues that arose in the church. I met with him and he disagreed with me sharply. So I resigned and went somewhere else.

You know to this day we still talk and get along on a social level. I just know that I can’t work with the man. Our personalities clash way too much. He knows that too. But we went our own way, though there was some growing for both of us, God has still blessed us both in our ministries.

Notice what they didn’t do. They didn’t walk away from God’s calling. They didn’t try to split the church. They didn’t bad mouth the other one to a bunch of people. They disagreed and moved on and you know what. That is okay. Our job is to love people as they come in and love people as they go out to spread the Gospel.

Let’s make sure we are walking in the love of God and when disagreements happen, know how to handle them.

If you have been married, then you know disagreement. But it’s about what I call “fighting fair.” Stick to the topic and calmly disagree in a Godly manner and seek God’s wisdom. You know what, God will bless your marriage out of it.

Wisdom is knowing how to disagree in a Godly way.

Illustration -

During the Reformation, Martin Luther and John Calvin had significant theological disagreements. Yet, they managed to respect each other’s positions and upheld a common commitment to seek truth in God’s Word. Their ability to disagree while remaining focused on their shared mission of reforming the church exemplifies a godly way of handling conflict, reminding us that faithfulness to God and His truth should guide our disagreements.

Life Principle– Listen To God’s Wisdom, Enact God’s Wisdom & Live God’s Wisdom, Even When You Don’t Want To Do It.

Call to Action – altar call….