A Faith That Works (10)
James • Sermon • Submitted
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· 3 viewsWho is wise among you? The question James asks of all who would be teachers/leaders. What is wisdom? Is it education? Knowledge? Degrees? No. Wisdom is God's Word and Will revealed in the life of the believer. A Faith That Works reveals Godly Wisdom through our works.
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Imagine what it must have been like for Solomon...
— He was successor to his father’s throne…
— How do you ever “fill the shoes” of the man who subdued Israel’s enemies… A man after God’s own heart?
— Solomon had already made an alliance with Egypt… finished his palace… the wall… and the Temple… Yet he was still concerned that he was “only a Child”, and thus was ill-equipped to rule…
7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.
8 And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted.
— Solomon said this to God, when God appeared to him in Gideon and told him He would bless him with whatever he asked… How would you respond if God offered you a “blank check”?
Look at what Solomon asked for:
9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?”
For Solomon, Godly wisdom — the wisdom to lead God’s people — the wisdom to discern right from wrong according to God — was of infinite value!
— What is of infinite value to you?
2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ himself,
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
1 Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind to see if there are any who are wise, who seek after God.
James tells us that — A Faith That Works is “done with gentleness born of wisdom.”
James 3:13 (NRSV)
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.
But… What is wisdom?
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.
James uses 2 words here: “sophos” and “epistemon”…
— “Sophos” (Wisdom) “refers to the knowledge of … God.”
— “Epistemon” (understanding) “refers to putting the knowledge to work”
In other words, wisdom = “knowledge of” and understanding = application.
“Knowledge is knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing when to say it.” — unknown
“Knowledge enables us to take things apart, but wisdom enables us to put things together and relate God’s truth to life.” — Weirsbe
James asks us:
James 3:13 (NRSV)
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.
Why would James ask this?!
— Think about it… If I asked, “Who here is wise? Stand up.” What would you do? Would you stand up?
James is still dealing with those among the church who desired to be teachers — to be leaders — who wanted to be seen as “wise” — They were filled with selfish ambition…
So James tells them:
— Who is wise among you?
— Who among you is understanding?
(I love this!)
Then ‘let him prove it’… “Let him give practical proof from his life and conduct in the meekness which proceeds from and is the true mark of wisdom” — Mayer
Barclay syas: “Let him show by the loveliness of his behavior that all he does is done with gentleness.” — Barclay
A Faith That Works Reveals Wisdom Through Our Works.
We need wisdom to live the Christian Life!
One pastor said: “Life is hard, but it’s harder when you are foolish!”
— The problem we face is that we don’t always know how to get the wisdom we need.
Why? Why don’t we know where to turn? Why don’t we know where to find wisdom?
— Pride —
When we are lost… when we are unsure what to do… we most often turn to the world — to our family, our friends, or to those we deem to be wise…
James 3:13 (NRSV)
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.
James says: “What is true wisdom? It’s not education! It’s not something man does… It is a gift from God!”
It is what God does FOR man!
5 If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.
The NLT says:
5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
I Love it! “Ask our generous God and He will give it to you.”
That’s good news!
— We have the ultimate source for Wisdom! Amen?
So… Why don’t we turn to it?
— It requires humility
— It requires that we lay down our Pride… our world… our education… and admit that we NEED God!
Let me tell you:
— The Christian Life is not lived through worldly wisdom…
— Salvation is not gained through works…
It is gained through a humble and changed heart and spirit, that reveals our place as Children of God!
20 and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
5 If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.
If you lack… If you need… “ASK GOD!”
6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
— One of the greatest gifts God has given us is His Word!
But… We have to turn to it.
16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
You see… That’s the problem… Scripture is our greatest gift, but it is also the “least used”!
When faced with decisions… with struggles… we most often turn to our own “wisdom”… or to the world for answers… instead of God!
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.
Weirsbe tells us: “The believer has 3 enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil” — Weirsbe
“Man’s wisdom comes from reason, while God’s wisdom comes from revelation. Man’s worldly wisdom will come to nothing...”
19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
“… While God’s wisdom will endure forever.” — William Weirsbe
Look at 3:13(b) again:
James 3:13 (NRSV)
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.
Jesus uses the same word for “meek” (gentleness) in:
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Meekness”… “gentleness”… does not mean weakness — it means “power under control.”
2 Timothy 2:24–25 (NRSV)
24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient,
25 correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth,
Wisdom is not just about speaking accurately, but speaking gently.
True Wisdom is a Life controlled by Divine Wisdom…
— worldly wisdom is the opposite of that!
14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
Having envy (jealousy) and strife (arguing and fighting) means having ill-feelings toward others.
— It means being proud and judgmental (we can even do that while PRETENDING to be “holy”)
— We can even do that in prayer… (praying for God to “deal with them” instead of for God to “Bless them”)
James tells us not to do that… Not to deny the truth… (about ourselves!)
Unwise people tend to be…
suspicious and given to rivalry
focused on themselves… They’ll do whatever it takes to be #1… to be the center of attention… They always need their “egos” stroked!
James tells us “Don’t lie to yourselves!”
— Worldly wisdom is arrogant and refuses to acknowledge wrongdoing or inadequacy…
— It’s always someone else’s fault!
When we engage in that kind of wisdom, we deceive ourselves!
— That is not true wisdom!
James tells us that:
15 Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.
Look at what Paul says happens when we engage in “worldly wisdom”:
22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools;
You see… the more successful and highly educated we become, the more out of step with God we can become… because we can begin to think that we are smarter than God…
… and then we lie to ourselves to justify our behavior.
James says, “That is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic!”
The result is destruction!
16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.
“Disorder” means “disharmony, antagonism, and instability.”
— It is a loss of unity and love.
When James says that it results in “wickedness of every kind,” he means it!
“When worldly wisdom reigns, there is no restraint on evil.” — Pastor David Owens
The world says: “If it feels good, then it must be good… so do it!”
James says, “Beware!”
16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.
Where there is envy and strife, there is evil!
— Cain’s jealousy and anger led him to murder and exile…
— Saul’s jealousy and anger led him to hunt David and eventually to his destruction…
True wisdom brings life!!!!
— to us… and to those around us…
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.
18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
In one verse, James gives us 8 characteristics of true wisdom.
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.
True wisdom is pure.
The Greek word is “hagnos” it means “without defect”… “freedom from defilement, without contamination, clean.”
It means “purity of motive”
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
When our hearts are pure, we will see God.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.
Purity puts us out of step with the world… and that SHOULD be “OK!”
True wisdom is peace-loving.
“Eiremikos” has a very special meaning, which is difficult to put into English — “right relationships between individuals AND between individuals and God”
In other words, it is both horizontal and vertical…
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Not all people are this way…
some don’t want to get along with others…
they’d rather fight then talk…
rather yell then listen…
are agents of destruction, rather than agents of healing and reconciliation.
True wisdom is gentle.
The Greek is hard to explain… it means non-combative, non-quarrelsome, not easily annoyed…
It is how God deals with us!
and why Paul tells us:
32 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.
10 He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
God is patient and fair… merciful and gentle with us, so… we MUST be patient and fair… merciful and gentle with others.
True wisdom is obedient.
Matthew Arnold descrbed it as: “Sweet reasonableness”
the Greek combines two words to mean “easily pursuaded”
That doesn’t mean a “pushover”
it means not being “stubborn and obstinate”
True wisdom is obedient to God.
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Abraham is an example…
An obedient person is a person of conviction… (in line with his faith)
True wisdom is merciful.
1 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone.
means speaking evil of NOONE!
It means showing compassion even for those who suffer because of problems they bring on themselves.
it is easy to have compassion for someone who suffers through no fault of their own…
Mercy is revealed in practical help for ALL people we encounter.
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?
True wisdom has good fruits.
Wisdom produces the fruit of change in our lives.
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.
These should show daily in our lives… wisdom pursues them!
True wisdom is without partiality.
In other words: “it is unwavering”
True wisdom stands on God’s Word… regardless of circumstances.
It constantly applies God’s Word to life.
21 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I warn you to keep these instructions without prejudice, doing nothing on the basis of partiality.
Treat ALL people the same.
When we “err” — and we will — we MUST “err” on the side of Grace and Mercy!
It means to live and teach by the truth at all times!
True wisdom is without hypocrisy.
Without pretense… with sincerity
it means “not playing a part.”
“Hypocrite” is the Greek word for “actor”
hypocrites pretend to be something they are not.
(let me tell you) There is a difference between “falling short” and “continued disobedience to God”…
a lot of people are continually disobedient, while pretending not to be.
hypocrisy is pretense.
True wisdom is honest and sincere.
18 Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.
True wisdom is — a life that does what it says!
There is a reward for allowing True Wisdom to grow in our lives and reign in our hearts.... AND THAT IS RIGHTEOUSNESS!!!
18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
Paul tells us:
7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow.
8 If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit.
We reap what we sow.
What is it that we are sowing into our lives?!
A Faith That Works Applies Wisdom To Life.
How wise are you?
Do you rely on Godly Wisdom, or worldly wisdom?
5 Get wisdom; get insight: do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever else you get, get insight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head a fair garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”
10 Hear, my child, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.
11 I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12 When you walk, your step will not be hampered; and if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.
What is it that you need to let go of to gain the wisdom of God?
— Now is the time!