Wisdom from above
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Intro:
Intro:
I am so glad you are here tonight. My prayer is that we will dive into God’s word tonight and learn some amazing truths that will help us understand who God is and how we should live our life.
James is a letter written to Jewish house churches that offers very practical wisdom as we live out our faith.
Last week, we looked at 3:1-12 and the importance of taming our tongue and using our words to bless others and not tear others down.
I pray that you have had an opportunity to bless someone and encourage someone at school as you have started back.
Tonight, we are going to look at the source of wisdom.
James contrasts two types of wisdom and the difference between the two.
Let’s read 13-18
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Wisdom and Understanding lead to action and obedience. V. 13
James begins this section of the letter by asking “who is wise and understanding among you?
This is a great introduction to his idea and the topic of what he is about to speak on. A good way to explain it is that he is calling those that believe they have wisdom and insight to step forward so he can analyze them and give them truth to them concerning wisdom.
Those that may have considered themselves wise may have been taught a lesson through what Paul says’ next.
“By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.”
This teaching points back to some of the ideas James has already taught.
Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
James 2:14
It’s very clear to us that a Christian life will have works that are evident. This is an idea we see all throughout Scripture.
Specifically in James, we see time and time again that a life that strives to honor God and pursues wisdom from God will have works that prove that.
Another way to phrase v. 13 is “If you claim to be wise and understanding, prove that by your works in the meekness of wisdom.”
What does meekness of wisdom mean?
So meekness is another word for humility. Meekness was not sought after during this time because it was looked at as weekness, but Jesus not only modeled a life of meekness but taught that it was something Christians should strive for.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
The opposite of meekness is a life that seeks to promote self and our own agenda in our own strength.
We have to battle the temptation to think highly of ourselves or to glorify ourselves. Instead, we are called to live a life of humility and that’s when Christ can work in and through us.
But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
As we pursue a life of meekness, we pursue a life of gentleness and putting others first and ourselves last.
I’ve heard it said before that “Nice guys finish last.” I think we live in a culture that promotes self-advancement and walking over others in order to promote ourselves, but God’s plan for wisdom is different.
Those that have true wisdom will have actions and fruit in their life that is lived out in humility.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
It will be evident in our lives’ that our wisdom comes from above when we live a life trusting in God rather than ourselves.
James gives us a picture of a life that seeks earthy wisdom in V. 14-16
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
Earthly wisdom leads to chaos. V. 14-16
James touches on the negative outcomes of earthly wisdom: Jealousy and selfish ambition.
idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
These are works of the flesh and come from a sinful heart.
We know that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. All of us in this room was born with s sin nature and if we don’t die to ourself, and walk in the spirit, we will live lives’ that are displeasing to God.
We deceive ourselves when our lives’ reflect that of earthly wisdom.
Envy and selfish ambition are the exact opposite of humility.
It’s interesting because the word envy has two meanings: Positive and negative.
Positive: When is describes God as Jealous and this refers to Him demanding people to serve him alone and turning away from worshipping other Gods
Negative: a desire to possess things that are not really ours.
James is pointing to the fact that when we are envious of others, our lives’ will model sinful actions to get what others have no matter what the cost.
Have you ever had something stolen from you?
Story of laptop bag getting stolen.
Early on in ministry, it was a Wednesday and I took Katherine’s wedding ring to the mall to be cleaned at my lunch break.
It was in November so it was close to Christmas and while I was in the mall, someone stole my laptop bag from my vehicle. The bag had my Macbook pro, ipad, but the worst thing was a Bible that I had for years. It was so broke in, you could role it up and put it in your back pocket, my prayer journal and a few other things.
I was mad that someone took something that was so valuable to me. I was even able to track it down to the area it was stolen but the police said they couldn’t do a search unless they knew exactly which apartment it was in.
I think about that and think about how our fallen human nature causes us to want to steal in order to get something we want and that all stems from a selfish motive.
On a smaller scale, maybe you’ve cheated on a test or someone in your class has cheated on a test to get a better grade.
That stems from selfish ambition and is the attempt to promote self no matter what the cost.
There are so many warnings in Scripture to die to ourselves because if we give into what we want all the time, we will live a life of sin and destruction.
James goes as far to say that if you live a life of jealousy and selfish ambition to not even claim you know the Lord.
Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”
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Our only source of boasting comes from the Lord. What I mean by that is that he deserves all the glory and honor.
If we are not submitting our life to him, we are living a life that leads to works of sin.
James teaching is very harsh here because he wants the readers to understand the seriousness of living a life of false wisdom.
He says that jealousy and selfish ambition not only are earthly but are demonic also.
V. 16. Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
I think he is referring specifically to the church and how when people have hidden agendas and live selfish lives’, disorder will come.
When it comes to our friendships with others I think a good verse for us to understand is
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Jesus’ heart is that his believers will show selfless love toward one another just like the selfless love he showed to us.
He took on death and a cruel cross in order that we would be forgiven. We should have a mentality of putting others first in friendships instead of putting ourselves first.
When we put ourselves first, James is clear that there will be disorder.
When we put others first, we will reflect the glory of God.
Let’s look at the fruit of wisdom from above in V. 17-18.
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
God desires of life of peacemaking. V 17-18
The opposite of earthy wisdom is heavenly wisdom and those that those that put their trust and hope in the Lord will live lives’ of peace instead of lives’ of disorder.
The world is full of those that seek to walk all over others to promote themselves. Living as Chritians and walking in the light, we will live lives’ where we seek to promote peace and kindness to a world that is opposite of that.
This might mean that we get made fun of or we don’t get the promotion we want or the popularity we want, but at the end of the day living a life that seeks wisdom from above will help us live lives’ that point to Christ.
I think looking at the list in V. 17, we see an accurate description of who Jesus is:
Pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy, producing good fruits, impartial and sincere.
Those things do not come naturally from within us, they come from a life that walks in the spirit and does not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Seeking wisdom from above is coming to a knowledge of our sin and repenting of that sin and pursuing to be more like Jesus every single day.
We will have a much more fruitful and meaningful life when we pursue the things God wants us to pursue.
That’s why James says in v. 18 that those who live in such a way will produce a harvest of righteousness.”
Those who seek to make peace and not division will experience amazing fruit.
I think we can evaluate our lives’ and when we seek wisdom from above rather than wisdom from ourselves, we create an amazing opporutnity for fruit to grow.
Think about your best friend. More than likley are your best friend because you have made sacrifices for them and maybe they have made sacrifices for you.
My best friend came to town this past weekend and we have been friends for close to 10 years now.
We joke around and call each other bestie.
One of the reasons we are such good friends is because we both have made sacrifices for each other and my best friend would do anything for me if I asked. I hope he thinks the same about time.
I told you guys this my first Wednesday here, but my prayer and desire for WIldwood Students is to be a family where you can come and feel like you belong and feel loved.
Will there be arguments and conflict? Of course there will be, but ultimately, a family learns how to strive for peace and get over things.
Once we learn to serve one another and outdo another in showing love, we will produce a harvest of fruit and look like the church is supposed to look like.