James 1:5-8 | BAPTISM SUNDAY

I. We Need Wisdom.

If any of you lacks wisdom

When I Read “If Any of You Lacks Wisdom,” My Hand Goes Up: I Need Wisdom.

What is Wisdom?

We Need to Differentiate Wisdom from Knowledge.

Knowledge: Acquired Facts or Ideas

Wisdom: Discernment Regarding the Practical Matters of Life.

We Must Form a Bridge from the Intellectual to the Practical.

Knowledge Informs the Wise, But Knowledge is Not Wisdom.

In the Information Age, We May Be Tempted to Conflate & Thus Confuse Wisdom with Knowledge.

I am Not Anti-Tech/Anti-Information, (My Brother) But I Don’t Want us to Confuse Wisdom & Knowledge.

Transition: Our Access to Vast Amounts of Information Does Not Take Away Our Need for Wisdom.

II. Where We Go To Get Wisdom?

let him ask God

James Says Let Him Ask Siri? Alexa? Google? No. Ask God.

I Asked Alexa “What is Wisdom.” She Said… “According to Wikipedia...”

To James, Wisdom is a God-Centered Thing.

There are Other Sources of Wisdom: Thinkers/Academics, Bloggers/Social Media, Family, Neighbors, Self.

Why Go to God?

who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Why James Says We Should Go to God:

He Gives Generously. “gives generously” lit. “Giving-God”

He Doesn’t Play Favorites. “to all without reproach”

He Promises to Give Wisdom & He Will Follow-Through. “it will be given him”

Other Reasons Why:

He is Ask-able.

He is All-Knowing.

He is in All Places.

III. How Do We Ask God for Wisdom Without Doubting?

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting

When We Hear the Word “Doubting,” We Hear Something Different Than James.

Intellectual Doubts About God’s Existence.

Experiential Doubt About God’s Goodness.

Keep in Mind, James is Writing to Christians.

James is Referring to Christians who have Divided Loyalty.

“Doubting” Means “to Differentiate” or “dispute with oneself”

They are Christians Who Waver Between Being Loyal to God & Loyal to the World.

IV. Loyalty is Important to the Pursuit of Wisdom.

for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James Calls Out Christians Who Vacillate Between Trusting God, the World & Self.

He Says They Are Like a Wave on the Sea: “Spiritually Seasick.”

James Says Something Confronting: They Can’t Expect to Receive Anything from God.

If I Need WiFi, I Need to Be Connected. I Can’t Expect to Data to Download If I’m Not Connected.

Consistent Connection Matters & So Does Loyalty.

You Can’t Expect a Great Marriage if You Aren’t Loyal to Your Spouse.

You Can’t Expect Wisdom from God if You Aren’t Loyal to Him.

V. Jesus is Worthy of Our Loyalty.

Hard Truth: Jesus Demands Our Complete Loyalty. *PAUSE*

He Says Things Like:

If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26, NLT

So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. Luke 14:33

Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God." And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house." But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9:59-62

When Someone Demands Total Loyalty From Me, I am Immediately Skeptical: “Who Do You Think You Are?” Either a Narcissist, a Fascist, or Jesus??

Jesus’ Demands for Loyalty Once Offended Me.

Now, I Don’t Want to Give My Total Loyalty to Anyone Else. He’s Worthy.

Closing: Baptisms are a Declaration of Loyalty.