Sermon Tone Analysis

Call To Worship Scripture

Sermon Scripture

Last week we briefly touched on 5

Immediately we notice in this mornings text that the topic of wisdom surfaces again in .

In , wisdom is for the one who may be lacking in it, or in needed position of becoming a student of it.

In wisdom is mentioned in light of the responsibility for teachers.

For both of these text, we must have some form of theological teaching of wisdom or rather an understanding of what the Bible means when it says wisdom in order for these text to be appropriately applied.

If you don’t know what is meant by wisdom then how do you know if you are lacking?

If you don’t know what is meant by wisdom or understanding then how do you know who is wise and understanding.

And if

As such, if you would, we need to develop a understanding of a sort of spiritual intellect, that of godly wisdom and understanding with substance.

So for wisdom, lets turn to some Bible Wisdom literature: Proverbs 2:1-15

ATTRIBUTES OF THE STUDENT/DISCIPLE:

INTELECT: Their is first an intellectual submission to learning.

However, in the scripture and that of the Christian life, I am convinced that intellect does not automatically mean “book smart” or cognitive ability as it is often assumed in this world, or treasured and idolized amongst scholars.

Before God, the greatest of intellect can actually be the greatest of fools.

How is this so?

Intellect is the faculty of the mind that comprehends.

It is the part of the human soul which receives by the senses a perception also known as understanding.

A clear intellect receives and entertains the same ideas which another communicates with a clarity and substance.

So if one has intellect and wisdom in the ways of the world then God will use what the world sees as foolish to shame them.

What does the world see as foolish?

The answer is the ways of God.

The way of righteousness.

As this is the case, Christian intellect is different than earthly intellect, because the ideas which the Christian receives and thus communicates as it’s substance in wholly different than those of the world.

This being the case of intellect, necessarily places a choice before intellect which must be made and will thus be determinative of ones personal education.

Intellect is the ability to communicate with clarity and substance those ideas which were recieved from another.

Thus what comes before your own intellect is the substance of the other.

From where did those ideas come from which you gained your understanding or intellect?

Who did you entrust yourself to for learning and for substance of living?

To who was your FAITH placed in?

Church; in all learning, there is a faith being exercised, a faith being grown, rooted and worked out.

There is a understanding a “faith”, a trust, - that says: “what is to be grasped is worthy of being grasped.”

This is demonstrated in Proverbs 2 through two things and results in the physical posture of learning.

1. RECEIVE: grasp onto.................................................instructors words

2. TREASURE: save up, store, hide...............................instructors commands

EAR: when we come to ear as the first physical mark we see that the ear was in the OT a place that was pierced (earings) as a mark of perpetual servantude.

ATTENTIVE: listen/pay attention..................................wisdom

In our text here, the ear is highlighting the act of hearing, and that of hearing wisdom.

In regard to being a servant of God, one will never be such, if their ear is not attentive to Him.

The ear being open in a submissive and trusting manner to the counsel/wisdom which is being given, and thus it is attentive is the instruction here.

Faith is linked to hearing or the act of being attentive which is linked to wisdom and wisdom then circles back to faith.

ATTENTIVE: listen/pay attention..................................wisdom

HEART: The inner being of man and fountain of all that he does.

INCLINING: to stretch forth, stetch down, turn aside.

This is a stretching out of something until it reaches it’s goal.

This can also note a turning aside…which is used in two ways: one is “to visit” and another is “to go off the way”.

Here it is a stretching forth to reach a goal, which means based on the connection to the heart and a proper theology of man: a turning aside from evil and a visiting or resting at the feet of the Lord.

.............................understanding.

seek & search

1. fear of the LORD - this correlates to the sovereignty of God (thus seeking it is faith in the sovereignty of God)

2. knowledge of God - this correlates to the omniscience (all knowing) of God (thus seeking it is faith in the omniscience of God

=

The LORD gives wisdom - skill in righteous living in all living (the ability to apply what is spoken & taught)…God is a good teacher.

How?

From His mouth comes knowledge (that of discernment) and understanding (the acting out or personification of wisdom).

Finally church:

James

Wisdom exercised/demonstrated or wisdom with understanding = deeds internalized and fleshed out that reflect God’s commands

Wisdom exercised/demonstrated = deeds that reflect God’s commands

What was the wisdom, the discernment that was to be chosen and seen?

It was that of the keeping of the commands of God, or that of a understanding of righteous living.

Thus, when says, if anyone is lacking wisdom, it is saying:

If anyone is lacking discernment, skill and the personification of godly living…then let them go to God.

From scripture this going to God looks like:

Receive God’s words

Treasure God’s commands

Pay attention to God’s wisdom (the skill/ability of God)

Incline yourself to understanding (practice as to reach the goal of personifying that of the Master/Instructor)

Seek to know the sovereignty of God

Seek to know the omniscience of God

The LORD will give wisdom

Because the first step in wisdom is the reception of God’s word, James gives his caveat, that wisdom from God ought not to be expected if anyone begins their seeking with doubt.

The only way to know the wisdom of God and thus become skilled in righteous living yourself is to fully trust God.

If trust is not full in this, then you will constantly look for evidence of proper living elsewhere.

:

Now when we get to and see the word wisdom show up again and this time have understanding linked to it, we are better able to follow what is being said.

Who among you is wise and understanding...

Who has gone to the LORD to grow in their lacking?

Who has gone through the seven steps that we just walked through in scripture and come out in an understanding manner?

What does understanding mean, but that of a manner of personifying skill in righteous living as that of the instructor - in a clear and substantial way.

Thus they are if you would of “spiritual intellect”.

This is where it gets interesting.

In the world, intellect is often paraded, and it is earning of great stature and position.

The wise man of the world is often determined by what he has and what position he holds.

Thus, wisdom demonstrated to the world is knowing what to do and doing whatever must be done to get the position, the name and the recognition.

This often results or even has as it’s fuel, jealousy, selfish ambition and arrogance.

As the Holy Spirit through James states, such “wisdom” is not from God, but is in fact threefold in it’s source.

It is:

earthly - on earth or of the fallen world - depraved of God

unspiritual - natural man as that in Adam not that of Christ

demonic - resembling of a demon

This is describing the skill that is being exersiesed, the understanding that is had or lacking, and what is being personified if one is living to obtain want, to opperate by the ambition of their own heart, to celebrate their own achievments rather than recieving and giving attention to the word and commands of God.

On the other hand, true righteous or godly intellect is demonstrated in deed/conduct and behavior/works.

Now, I note that James nor myself is speaking of salvation, but rather of the application of faith demonstrated as a part of a person upon salvation, or rather the process of sanctification or the proving out of whom one truly is or is of (as in a student is of a teacher and a disciple of a certain master/Lord).

I would also have you note that the seven steps that we just saw laid out in scripture begin with receiving the Word of the LORD and end with the understanding that wisdom comes from God.

Thus, even the conduct and works demonstrative of the godly wisdom of one are those which have come from God and not from the natural man.

This wisdom is:

First Pure - the jealousy, selfish ambition and arrogance of your natural man must be done away with.

They have no place in godly wisdom and will obstruct it’s growth within you.

This purity, is a purity of carnality.

If you want Godly wisdom, then you must first stop seeking the carnal.