5.2.34 7.16.2017 James 1.5-8 In Search of Wisdom

Once you turn a subject into a "discipline" you make it exclusive and unobtainable.

Once you turn a subject into a "discipline" you make it exclusive and unobtainable.

▾ 1 Entice: Once you turn a subject into a "discipline" you make it exclusive and unobtainable.

Philosophy="love of wisdom."

• 1.1 Philosophy="love of wisdom." They teach it in college. Books are written about it. It's not for me.

They teach it in college.

Books are written about it.

So, People conclude...

It's not for me.

• 1.2 Folks just kind of assume that their are wise people and dull people and you always only have what you are born with.

Folks just kind of assume that there are wise people

and dull people

• 1.3 What a surprise to God and his servant James!

and you always only have what you are born with.

What a surprise to God and his servant James!

• 1.4 Whole OT books were written about what wisdom is and how to get it (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes).

Whole OT books were written about what wisdom is and how to get it...

(Proverbs, Ecclesiastes).

James says just ask!

…and James says just ask!

James 1:5–8 ESV

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

• 3 Expand: You may hear echoes and hints in these words of James. It may feel like deja vu. You will be reminded of words you have heard before and not quite be able to remember from whom or

You may hear echoes and hints in these words of James.

It may feel like deja vu.

You will be reminded of words you have heard before and not quite be able to remember from whom or where.

where. James unashamedly embraces the words of Jesus. He does not need to quote them because we all know their source.

James unashamedly embraces the words of Jesus.

He does not need to quote them because

we all know their source.

• 4 Excite: You can be as wise as you want to be. You can live effectively, passionately and with clarity. You've got to ask. The problem is not that God is not generous, graceful and good. The problem

You can be as wise as you want to be.

is that we don't ask at all or don't ask well. James has a solution: Ask away…Ask in belief, ask with your whole person and you will be amazed at What God can deliver.

You can live effectively, passionately and with clarity.

You've got to ask.

The problem is not that God is not generous, graceful and good.

The problem is that we don't ask at all or don't ask well.

ames has a solution: Ask away…Ask in belief, ask with your whole person and you will be amazed at What God can deliver.

James has a solution:

• 5 Ask poorly…no faith, doubtfully, hedge your bets…and you will create a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Ask away…

Ask in belief,

ask with your whole person and...

you will be amazed at What God can deliver.

Ask poorly…

no faith,

doubtingly,

hedge your bets…

and you will create a self-fulfilling prophecy.

• Explore: God is better at giving life-defining wisdom than we are in asking for it!

God is better at giving life-defining wisdom than we are in asking for it!

Explain: James instructs us to improve our game. If you want to get better at asking God for wisdom….

Explain: James instructs us to improve our game. If you want to get better at asking God for wisdom….

▾ Body of Sermon:

1. Ask Expectantly.

▾ 1 Ask Expectantly.

James 1:5 ESV

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

1.1 Asking is that Simple!

▾ 1.1 It is that Simple!

James draws upon the words of Jesus to remind us that our God desires us to ask from Him what we need…in this case wisdom...

Matthew 7:7–8 ESV

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

1.2 Asking embraces God's Nature.

▾ 1.2 It acknowledges and embraces God's Nature.

• 1.2.1 He gives generously.

1.2.1 He gives generously.

1.2.2 He gives without reproach.

• 1.2.2 He gives without reproach.

1.2.3 He gives responsively.

• 1.2.3 He gives responsively.

Again James echoes the Words of Jesus...

Matthew 7:9–11 ESV

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

▾ 2 Ask Faithfully.

2 Ask Faithfully.

James 1:6 ESV

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

▾ 2.1 Our request for wisdom must be relational…not merely transactional

2.1 Our request for wisdom must be relational…not merely transactional

• 2.1.1 =In faith…

2.1.1 In faith…

• 2.2 Our request for wisdom must be confident & resilient.

2.2 Our request for wisdom must be confident & resilient.

▾ 3 Ask Stably.

3 Ask Stably.

James 1:7–8 ESV

For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

▾ 3.1 That man…

3.1 That man…

• 3.1.1 Faithless

3.1.1 Faithless

• 3.1.2 Aimless

3.1.2 Aimless

• 3.1.3 Should not expect anything.

3.1.3 Should not expect anything.

• 3.2 A double-minded, unstable person needs wisdom, yes-but first they need a relationship with the one who gives wisdom.

3.2 A double-minded, unstable person needs wisdom, yes-

but first they need a relationship with the one who gives wisdom.

Matthew 7:24–27 ESV

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

The Source of Wisdom...

God gladly gives wisdom

• 1 God gladly gives wisdom to those live faithfully, with integrity and purpose; who seek a relationship with Him and trustingly ask for it.

to those live faithfully,

with integrity and purpose;

who seek a relationship with Him and trustingly ask for it.

• 2 First and foremost the quest for wisdom is a quest for God. Maybe your search should begin there. Maybe you don't need a life strategy. Maybe you need a faith strategy.

First and foremost the quest for wisdom is a quest for God.

Maybe your search should begin there.

Maybe you don't need a life strategy. Maybe you need a faith strategy.

▾ 3 God's nature is to respond. Maybe it needs to be in our nature to be

God's nature is to respond. Maybe it needs to be in our nature to be

• 3.1 Seekers...

Seekers...

Askers...

• 3.2 Askers...

Knockers...

Knockers

• 3.3 Trusters…

Trusters…

• 3.4 Faithful.

Believers

• 4 The wise person builds their life upon a relationship with God in Christ Jesus. If you come to Him you will find your search for wisdom ends at the cross and the foundation of your life is a rocky,

The wise person builds their life upon a relationship with God in Christ Jesus.

If you come to Him you will find

your search for wisdom ends at the cross

empty tomb.

empty tomb.

and the foundation of your life is a rocky, empty tomb.