Wise

Series Review

Sermon Introduction: Wisdom

Wisdom is knowing how to love God through our words and actions.

e.g. my teen is going through a rebellious streak - how did you deal with this? I’ve run into some debt - how can I get out of it? I’m having health problems - what can I do? We seek wisdom - from those with experience, expertise, from God. or at least we might call it wisdom; I call it seeking solutions

difference between pursuing wisdom v. seeking answers to problems; seeking God v. considering God as an option during a crisis

Pursuing wisdom through…desiring.

how to make this your strongest desire? starts with recognizing that everything we have that matters comes from God being grateful to God

2. Pursuing wisdom through…desiring.

what are your strongest desires? do you have competing desires?

how to make this your strongest desire? starts with recognizing that everything we have that matters comes from God being grateful to God

“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? "We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” vv. 1-2

it started years ago with a desire to see a king - a ruler from heaven; one who would bring salvation;

found it the wrong way - astrology, but pursued the right thing

desire wisdom with all your might. says, "Prize her highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you for your embrace." These are not cheap words. To prize something and to embrace someone are signs of intense desire and love. Wisdom must be valuable for us. We must be willing to sell all in order to buy it: "Seek it like silver, and search for it as for hidden treasure" (). Blessed is the graduate who walks through the commencement line more hungry for wisdom than when he entered school, for he shall be satisfied.

we don’t pursue what we don’t want; we don’t pursue what we don’t think we need; see the need for

pursue wrong desires - instant, short term, temporary gratification

Pursuing wisdom through…leaping

Horoscope craving supernatural (I’m a rooster)- to experience it requires a leap

...blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

wanting evidence - revivals of people receiving with joy the life, death and resurrection of Jesus without seeing

Matthew 16:17 NIV

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.

Suspended disbelief

Matthew

Traveling to foreign country populated with people who hate and fear them

No reason, nothing rational about going there to find a king

Christmas - witnessing a birth that was not a beginning - but worshipping a God who had no beginning, but had taken on flesh

embracing the foolish? may not seek right, but it feels right. God doesn’t always ;make sense, doesn’t give us the whole picture; I can’t prove everything - faith does not require proof - requires a leap; suspend skepticism

embracing the foolish? may not seek right, but it feels right. God doesn’t always ;make sense, doesn’t give us the whole picture; I can’t prove everything - faith does not require proof - requires a leap; suspend skepticism

4. Pursuing wisdom through…risking

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. v.3

Rejection of supernatural leads to lukewarm, unexciting, predictable faith,

herod a crazy man - wise men knew it;

True wisdom leads to risk taking mission.

(ex. church taking dangerous risks) Most churches today have become havens of safety. The programs are predictable. The church buildings have become the primary location for church activities. Why? Because the building provides us with safety and predictability. Jesus said “take up your cross and follow me.” There is nothing predictable and safe about Christian discipleship. Where are the risk takers that used to be the church?