Worthy: Wealth & Wisdom
Notes
Transcript
I. If you could ask for anything, what would you ask for???
...
With Christmas coming, maybe people have been asking you what you want? Maybe you’ve been the one asking for things!
Joke: 3 guys on deserted island find genie bottle, 3 wishes, 2 take me off the island...last one I want my friends back!
Seeing as the theme is joy, I’ve got another one for you that my kids were telling this last week about the Wise Men bring their gifts to Jesus, they’re like:
“we’ve got gold and frankincense, but wait there’s Myrrh!”
II. Wealth...people seek it...not so much with wisdom...although most people think themselves wise...
Wealth is connected to status...it’s visible...it’s “valuable”
Wisdom isn’t quite as tangible
In Revelation 5 it tells us that Jesus, the lamb of God and the lion of Judah, is worthy of all: power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!
Today we’re going to talk a bit more about Wealth and Wisdom.
Many people seek wealth and some people seek wisdom...few people see or have both!
How do you get it?
“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."
Benjamin Franklin and John Clarke thought that that proverb had all it takes…
Is there more to it? It turns out that the Bible has a LOT to say about Wealth AND Wisdom!
It takes me back to the end of King David’s reign and the beginning of the reign of his son Solomon:
III. 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 and 2 Chronicles 1:6-12 - Read Together
1 Chronicles 29:10-16 (David’s final prayer and doxology)
10 David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,
“Praise be to you, Lord,
the God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
12 Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
13 Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.
14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 15 We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. 16 Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.
2 Chronicles 1:6-12
6 Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord in the tent of meeting and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.
7 That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
8 Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. 9 Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
11 God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”
Observations about Wealth and Wisdom
Very similar doxology to what is found in other parts of the Bible and specifically there is a tremendous similarity with Revelation 5.
David’s perspective at the end of his life:
Shortness of this life...GOD is eternal
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Wealth and honor come from you;
Everything we have comes from you!
Everything belong to you!
Even though he is king he says:
you are the ruler of all things.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
Solomon is told: “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
He asked for Wisdom and Knowledge instead of all of the other things he could have asked for and God said that because He chose wisdom he gets MORE! Wealth, honor, etc.
Solomon later writes in Proverbs 4:5-7
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
Interpretation:
What do you think these things mean?
How should this shape our view about wealth?
How should this shape our view about wealth?
How should this shape our view about God and our relationship to Him?
All Wisdom Belongs to God (Jude 1:25, Rom 16:27, Isaiah 40)
God is called the only Wise God - Jude 1:25, Rom 16:27
Promise of the Messiah:
Isaiah 11:1-2 Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.
Isaiah 9:6 ...For to us a child is born...And he will be called Wonderful Counselor…
Jesus is called “the Wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16)
James 3:17-18
All Wealth Belongs to God (Psalms 24:1; 50:10–11, 104:24, 112:3)
Earthly Wealth Spoils and Fades (Luke 16, Matthew 6, Ecclesiastes 1:13, 17; 2:3)
Wisdom from Above leads us to understand that Earthly wealth and pleasure is fading and unfulfilling…
Ecc 1:13, 17, 2:3 - it was by wisdom that he sought out anything his eyes desired (2:10) and discovered that all earthly wealth is vanity.
Job 28:12-19 - all of the earthy wealth cannot buy you wisdom/heavenly wisdom.
Eternal Wealth Never Spoils or Fades (1 Peter 1:3-5, Luke 16:11, Matthew 6:19-21)
1 Peter 1:3-5 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”
Eternal/True riches - Lk 16:11
Mt 6:19-20-21 - where your treasure is…
Solomon and Job both concluded that God and Eternal Wealth is what really matters.
IV. Application: The Rich Young Ruler (Mk 10:17-27) : There is an idea that there are off limits a no touch zone within this guys life. Riches is what he wants to hang on to. He didn’t want the eternal inheritance because he already had an earthly inheritance that he wanted to hang on to. - connects to materialism prevalent in the World and Church today.
Call to be Wise & Understanding:
James 3:13-18 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
We CAN Ask!
We are invited and challenged to ask for anything according to the will of God (his Designs, Desires, and Decrees)...in the name of Jesus and He said He would do it!
Ephesians 1:17–19a I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
There is an Eternal inheritance we receive when we enter eternity, there is an inheritance NOW in His people, and the Holy Spirit is given to us as a seal guaranteeing the inheritance (Eph 1:13-14).
V. WORTHY
Invitation:
ASK for Wisdom from Above…
ASK for a revelation of HIS Will!
Challenge:
Right view of material things and wealth….
Honor God with your wealth…
Live generous lives with the wealth that has been entrusted to you…
Be generous in good works…
Jesus IS the source of wisdom and wealth and
He is also worthy of receiving all of our wisdom and wealth in a response of worship and service!
PRAYER
