Decisions: Wisdom & God's Character

Introduction

Wisdom: review.

There is an order to the world. Order to recipes. Follow the directions.

Proverbs 9:10–12 NLT

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.

If we want to be wise, we need to look to the character of God.

What does verse 10 say? Fear of the Lord, and Knowledge of the Holy One are the basis for making wise decisions.

Fear of the Lord = not terror. It’s somewhere between literal fear and respect. It’s like my lawn mower.

Fear of the Lord = Worshipful devotion to God. AKA the better you follow God, the more wise you will be. The better you know him, the better decisions you make.

Why? b/c you’ll better understand how to follow him. The OT describes God as slow to anger, compassionate, but not allowing sin to go unpunished. Over and over again, God is seen to advocate for the poor and the down and out. & God judges those who sin in this way.

Ask yourself: Is this gracious, compassionate, just? Is it holy?

What does the passage say the results of wisdom (or not having wisdom) are? Why do you think that’s the case?

What is God like? What are some characteristics of God?

How can you grow in your knowledge of God?

Jesus is the Wisdom of God

I want to look at another verse:

1 Corinthians 1:26–30 NLT

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.

1 Cor 1:26-

At the end there, it makes this amazing statement: God made Jesus to BE WISDOM. wise decisions = Jesus. This makes sense:

Here’s what John says: Jesus shows us what God is like. (My dad)

this is important because it’s different from the world. Wisdom of God =/ Wisdom of the world.

Why? b/c of the cross. The perfect cross of mercy and justice.

We should make decisions in light of the cross.

How does Jesus help us see what God is like?

What are some ways in which God’s wisdom is different from the wisdom of the world?

How can the cross help you make decisions?