Wisdom in the Spirit.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Good morning. Welcome to Village Church. My name is Steve. If this is your first time [0:04] here I’m one of the pastors here. If you have your Bibles go ahead and open them up to John [0:09] 16 13 and maybe hold your thumb there and flip over also to Proverbs chapter 1 verse [0:15] 7. But before we get into that a little bit of family business. This week if you’ve given [0:22] over like the past six months you should have received an email about our financial [0:29] status about you know the reports on money spent money taken in. We’re totally transparent

[0:35] where that’s concerned. That’s why we send that out. But attached to that was also a [0:40] little bit about the building that we’ve been looking at for the past few weeks. Also if [0:44] you didn’t get an email and you have been giving that means that we don’t have your [0:48] email address. So if you would like to get those please maybe fill out a connection [0:55] card giving us your email address. Email info at Village Church at VillageMidlothian.org [1:02] and give us your email address. But we certainly want to get that to everyone. But if you

[1:07] didn’t get an email this week that means we don’t have your email address or possibly [1:11] we have it wrong. So please get that into us. Now on the building if you hopefully you [1:16] took some time to read that document or if you’re like I am sometimes you just said [1:20] oh that’s good let’s file that away somewhere. I don’t I don’t I don’t really want to worry [1:24] about that but I please go on there please open that please read that thoroughly as [1:29] a church. We want you to have all this information and we want to hear from you what you think

[1:34] about this. As leadership we have been we’ve spent more than a year looking for a more [1:41] permanent property as a church. We love Tomahawk Creek Middle School. We love the fact that [1:45] County allows us to pay them to meet here. You’ll get that later. But we as a church [1:54] we believe that it will further our impact in this community if we have a permanent [1:59] space we’ve been praying we’ve been looking we’ve got had real estate agents looking [2:04] for us. We’ve been calling numbers just nothing has made sense financially and location wise

[2:13] until about two months ago church building on Genito Road came up for lease. We’ve been [2:19] in negotiations with the church that’s leasing that property out. We’ve come to a financial [2:24] agreement as we showed in that letter. But the building itself has some obstacles to [2:33] overcome needs a little bit of renovation but I want to let you know why financially [2:37] fifty thousand dollars sounds like a lot. Why it’s really better than other spaces [2:43] all the other spaces we’ve been looking at have been warehouse type situations. It takes

[2:47] a fairly large room to hold the around one hundred and fifty people that meet here every [2:51] week. You can’t just fit that in about a thousand square feet. So it takes a large space the [2:56] larger the space the more into warehouse territory you move into and when they build warehouses [3:00] they typically don’t put HVAC in it. They typically don’t put air conditioning. So then [3:07] you have the option. Well we can try to make everybody convinced that suffering for Jesus [3:11] is the way in the summer. Sweat it out. We’re going to do some workouts get you good and

[3:16] sweaty help us get all healthier and then in the winter everyone wear a coat and some [3:20] gloves. We don’t want to do that. We don’t believe that would be the most strategic way [3:25] to reach the community. Nobody wants that. But to put HVAC into a warehouse type space [3:32] starts at six figures. It is a very expensive venture. What we found in this property is [3:38] a property that already has all of that is already set up for a sanctuary for us to [3:43] go in and renovate a little bit of space. We’re going to be adding some modular space

[3:48] to have a very significant size children’s ministry. And in all it’s going to cost estimate [3:56] give or take the best estimate we’ve been able to come to is on fifty thousand dollars [4:01] is around fifty grand. We can take care of that to a certain extent. If you got the [4:08] financial document you know what I’m talking about. We do need to raise some money for [4:13] this to happen. And next week I just want to go ahead and let the cat out of the bag. [4:17] Next week we’re going to be taking up an offering just to gauge where we’re going to be where

[4:22] that’s concerned. We’re going to try to raise around fifty thousand dollars as a church. [4:26] We believe that’s totally feasible. Now I understand that everybody’s in tough spots [4:31] financially whether it be irresponsibility or whether it just be that you live in Midlothian. [4:38] You don’t have a million bucks on you. I understand that. Now I’m going to ask you and the leadership [4:44] as a church making me be the guy that does this I guess you could say I’m going to ask [4:48] you guys to make some sacrifices. But here’s why I think it’s worth it. Here’s why I think

[4:53] it’s going to be worth maybe not going out to lunch maybe maybe taking a couple of dinners [4:57] where you just eat at home maybe just finding some margin in your life giving over part [5:02] of your savings. Here’s why I think it’s worth it’s for the same reason that I thought it [5:07] was worth me doing everything I could to go to East Asia to reach people with the gospel. [5:12] We believe that as a church moving to this property we’re asking about 150 people to make sacrifices [5:19] so that a thousand people can be reached later. We’ve done a great job as a church of being used

[5:25] by God to reach people in this community with the gospel here at Tomahawk Creek. We as leadership [5:31] believe we’ve kind of exhausted this space. We truly believe that the next level of God’s [5:38] move is going to be in this building on Genito Road and I’m going to ask 150 people to make a [5:44] sacrifice financially so that we can reach a thousand people later. And we believe that God [5:50] has given us a ten talent if you know I’m talking about Jesus gave the parable of the talents I [5:55] believe that we are a ten talent church. I believe God has has and is assembling people with amazing

[6:01] gifts and I truly believe that he wants us to reach this area. He wants us to continue and plant more [6:10] churches in the Richmond area and beyond because that’s our heart. This isn’t the end. We don’t want [6:16] to build a mega church in one building. We want to plant many churches over various areas reaching [6:22] the entire city of Richmond, the entire state of Virginia, and the entire world with the gospel of [6:28] Jesus Christ and we truly believe that this is the next step in that process. So what I’m going to ask [6:35] you to do is I’m going to ask you to spend this week praying. I’m going to ask you to spend this

[6:40] week going to the Lord and asking him what he would have you do and use great wisdom in what you [6:47] give towards this process. Next week’s not going to be the end all. We’ll take money later than that [6:52] as well. We’re not going to do all the renovations at once so there’s time. You can save up. [6:57] But we believe this and so as a pastor I’m going to ask you to join me in believing this. Now if [7:07] you have questions, ask. If you have thoughts, let us know. We’re not in this running a ship by [7:17] ourselves. I’m not the one. Nate’s not the one. James isn’t the one. Nobody in leadership that’s

[7:22] making these decisions. We’re not the ones that are totally in this. We know as a church we’re [7:27] doing this and I believe we can do it debt-free. I truly believe we can do this absolutely debt-free [7:34] as a church and that’s my prayer. That’s our goal and we’re moving with this but please come talk [7:41] to us about this. If you have concerns, if you have a lot of reservations, let us know. Because [7:46] we’re in this together. We’re the church. We’re not just a couple of dudes. We’re the church, [7:52] the body of Christ and we’re in this together to reach this area with the gospel. That’s our goal.

[7:59] That’s what we want to do and that’s why we’re taking these steps. Let’s get into wisdom of the [8:05] Spirit. It’s a great week in my opinion to talk about this. I believe God has really moved us in [8:12] this direction as a church. We planned these series way out. We were planning this about a [8:18] year ago to do this right now and it just so happens that this week we finally started hearing [8:23] from different contractors and different companies about how much money it was going to cost to [8:28] renovate this building and it just so happens to fall in the week where we’re talking about wisdom

[8:32] and the Spirit and I know that you trust the leadership hopefully that we are using wisdom [8:38] as we make the decisions that we make as elders but how do you as a person that’s trying to live [8:45] for the gospel that’s trying to make it through this world where do you find wisdom [8:52] the scripture has tons to say about wisdom in every area I would go as far as to say if you [8:59] really study the word it has more to say about wisdom than anything else because everything [9:04] in the scriptures is about the wisdom of God this infinite creator God who uses absolute wisdom in

[9:13] moving the world in such a way as to bring himself ultimate glory but as people we have to [9:20] make decisions in our lives and so this week what I want to talk about is I want to talk about the [9:26] foundation upon which all of the decisions in your life biblically need to flow out of and next week [9:33] what I want to talk about is those decisions I want to get really specific next week and say how [9:38] do you make the tough decisions in life I mean when you think about who you’re going to marry [9:43] when you think about where you’re going to go to college when you think about buying a house

[9:46] when you think when you think about a career and having children and in everything there are so [9:52] many decisions that you have to make day in and day out that are hard decisions to make [9:59] where do you go for that where does that kind of wisdom flow out of well we’re going to see that [10:06] in the scriptures today the foundation upon which those decisions start and the next week [10:10] where do those decisions really happen in our lives if you look at john chapter 16 verse 13 [10:15] we’ve referenced this verse a few times over the past few weeks but here’s what Jesus says

[10:19] he says when the spirit of truth comes he will guide you into all the truth for he will not speak [10:24] on his own authority but whatever he hears he will speak and he will declare to you the things [10:29] that are to come so we know that the spirit is this guide that’s one of the terms in scripture [10:35] that he gives us for that is that he’s the guide so he is going to push us this way or that way in [10:41] our lives and Jesus says he’s literally he is truth and he’s going to guide us into his truth [10:49] that truth is the very foundation upon which any wisdom that you are going to have

[10:56] in your life where God is concerned will begin it’s going to be a move of the holy spirit in [11:04] your life to get you into what Jesus has said because notice he says that the holy spirit is [11:10] not going to guide you somewhere new the holy spirit is not going to guide you somewhere other [11:18] than where Jesus already is but the spirit is going to bring us into where Jesus is what Jesus [11:26] has done and what he would have us to do with our lives as we’re going to make disciples that is [11:32] the move of the spirit in your life as people as human beings we do not naturally drift towards

[11:43] wisdom it’s not our default mode our default mode is actually the other way [11:51] we naturally drift towards that which is foolishness

[11:56] that’s what the gospel is it’s the reality that we are not okay it’s the reality that we are not [12:05] wise if we were on our own if naturally I would make decisions that would bring glory to God by [12:13] myself apart from him and I would not need the work of the spirit in my life but because I do [12:19] not naturally drift towards the things of God I am desperately in need of the spirit of my life [12:24] of a guide in my life so that I will do that which brings God glory and that’s the work of [12:30] the spirit that’s why God gives us his spirit so that we can then proactively in partnership with

[12:36] God begin to make decisions he’s not saying right here the holy spirit’s just going to do it don’t [12:42] worry about it now this is about redemption this is about restoration this is about the spirit coming [12:49] in and the spirit being in communion with my life and me making decisions as I’m growing in [12:55] my relationship with God that bring me closer and closer in that relationship with God where I’m [13:01] learning more about him where I’m more in worship of him and I’m doing more in him because in John [13:07] 14 17 he doesn’t want to have a relationship where he’s here and I’m here John 14 17 says that God is

[13:12] in us through the power of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit that that’s how close that every [13:18] decision that I make in my life every move of where I’m seeking wisdom is completely connected [13:24] to the life of God in me there are no decisions too small where God is not involved in everything [13:31] and you say well how simple everything that I do is spiritual there are no unspiritual things in my [13:39] life and you’re like well they seem unspiritual right those are the things you need to repent of [13:44] all right that which seems unspiritual get rid of it

[13:51] now what you have to understand is that wisdom begins with a right relationship with God [13:57] wisdom begins with a right relationship with God what we saw in John chapter 16 13 what sometimes [14:02] we do is we have this tendency to say okay so all I have to worry about is that which Jesus said so [14:07] we become what are commonly referred to as red letter Christians so if I only look at that which [14:13] Jesus said well then I’ll be very wise there’s a problem with that Jesus didn’t just say the red [14:18] letter stuff Jesus said it all all right if he is the creator God then Jesus wrote the whole Bible

[14:24] guys not just that part so what we have to understand is that wisdom is all that God has [14:31] revealed through all time and in the gospel my right relationship with God flows down into two [14:37] areas the first one is that wisdom begins with understanding ultimate authority wisdom begins with [14:44] understanding ultimate authority in Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7 this is from the source from [14:50] which the rest of this is going to flow what we see here is that there’s this book that Solomon [14:54] under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit where God moved through him to write a letter to his son

[14:58] about wisdom this is where he starts he says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge [15:03] fools despise wisdom and instruction you understand about the book of Proverbs is that the [15:07] term knowledge and wisdom in Hebrew mean exactly the same thing in this book they’re not different [15:14] this is not about you know just factual knowledge two plus two equals four it’s involved but it’s [15:19] more than that it’s a knowledge about who God is in light of who I am what he has revealed by what [15:26] he has done in light of what I am doing with my life that is knowledge and he says the very beginning

[15:31] of it is understanding the ultimate authority of God now there’s been some moves maybe in your [15:39] life you’re like well you know when he says fear the Lord he doesn’t mean fear fear he means like [15:44] you know you just think he’s really tough you respect him no fear means fear right there there [15:51] there should be a pretty good amount of dread in you in one sense in one of God’s attributes and [15:57] what do you mean well in Luke chapter 12 verse 4 Jesus is talking to the Pharisees and the [16:02] disciples and he’s talking about the fear of someone killing him and I’ve referenced this a

[16:05] couple of times because it’s one of those verses like okay that’s who God is where Jesus says don’t [16:11] fear him who can kill your body and then do nothing I’ll tell you who to fear fear him who after he [16:15] kills your body he can damn your soul fear him you like he reiterates he’s like fear him [16:19] okay we should in light of who God is

[16:29] because of our sin His absolute holiness His absolute righteousness His absolute perfection [16:35] that should serve as a mirror into the dark places of my soul where I know I am sinful [16:43] I know I do foolishness I know that I’m not as right as God is and I should come face to [16:51] face with that and I should be fearful of Him wisdom comes from a source of understanding [16:59] ultimate authority that it is in God’s hands it’s not like your first grade teacher who slapped [17:07] you on the hand with a ruler that’s not the type of authority I’m talking about it’s the type of

[17:13] ruler over the entire universe I mean folks He spoke it into existence that’s power I’ve never [17:18] spoken anything into existence I’ve tried I’ve tried to use the force all right you know you [17:24] have to you’ve sat there and tried to move something nothing happened I thought one time [17:29] it did but it was the wind it doesn’t work guys but God can speak there’s the most complex thing [17:36] in the world there’s an atom and He forces it all together and He speaks animals into existence [17:43] He speaks trees into existence and then He forms humanity God can do that He’s also

[17:51] in scripture referred to as the judge of the just and the wicked

[18:00] and wisdom also begins with an understanding though of ultimate love [18:07] and I think that’s some of our problem we’re very polar because of our tendency to drift into [18:14] strange places we either view God as the dreaded grim reaper and we’re scared to death or we view [18:25] Him as one without authority and He’s some He’s just very graceful very loving very nice never [18:31] says a cross word to anyone and He’s just this dainty hippie Jesus peace and love guys hey put [18:40] those rocks down love but in His ultimate authority He killed His own son

[18:54] in love so that He wouldn’t have to kill us okay so in His authority you have to understand to be [19:03] wise you have to grasp His amazing love what would drive the most supreme being the eternal [19:12] one no beginning no end no one will ever thwart Him no one will ever confuse Him no one will ever [19:20] beat Him in the back of the book guess what He wins that’s ultimate authority and He looks on me [19:27] and I can barely do anything I’m useless if he’s and says I’m dead I mean it doesn’t get much [19:34] worse than who I am and in His authority He chose based on who He is to love me to the point where

[19:44] He says son sacrifice yourself for Him and God the Son eternal being totally connected with God the [19:51] says I love them so much that’s what I will do and He gives Himself and He takes my sin and He dies for me

[20:03] so we must in our wisdom we must get past the point where we are absolutely crippled to do [20:10] anything out of fear that He will kill us for doing it wrong and we must also get past the point [20:16] of viewing Him as a weak being who He’s done everything for us so why do anything [20:22] if He’s just gonna love me in spite of anything then I’ll just sit here do whatever I want make [20:28] some bank build a 401k retire go get some shells on the seashore and I’ll just do whatever I want [20:34] because God’s gonna love me regardless so have a good have a good life God because I’m secure in

[20:39] salvation and I’ll have a good one too by the way that’s not secure

[20:48] it’s a wasted life and that’s not gospel

[20:52] let’s understand that wisdom is found where God’s authority and His love meet

[20:59] that’s where wisdom’s found wisdom is found in understanding that He has made absolute demands [21:05] and those have not gone away but in spite in spite of my absolute disobedience He loves me [21:11] He forgives me and He says now you may obey me I will give you the power to obey that’s what the [21:19] Spirit is guiding us into it’s guiding us into the privilege and ability to actually obey God [21:25] the privilege and capability to be in relationship with God and the wisdom to understand how great [21:32] that is that is the source of true wisdom wisdom then leads to a right posture toward God

[21:42] wisdom leads to a right posture towards God if you’ve ever spent any time with with with kids [21:48] between the ages of 12 and 35 adolescence goes really high now so I don’t know when it’s going [21:56] to stop if he’s living in your basement I’m sorry telling to move out it’s the most loving [22:00] thing you can do mom but but there’s this this key there’s one question when I was a youth [22:05] pastor I was in youth ministry for about eight years and I taught it in schools and I would [22:10] always how do I know God’s will for my life how do I know that because quite often what we’re

[22:17] doing is is we’re looking for this little dot the bullseye and in that dot is is is the spouse God [22:24] wants me to have is the job that God wants me to have it’s it’s you know how God wants me to spend [22:30] my money it’s it’s a scrambled eggs he wants me to eat for breakfast tomorrow or maybe he wants [22:34] me to eat oatmeal I don’t know there’s this little dot and if you find it you’re one of the lucky [22:42] ones if you miss it you’re damned for eternity good luck and oftentimes that’s how God’s will [22:50] is understood in our life you know you’re like I’m looking for the one the one and if I miss her

[23:00] what’s gonna happen there here’s the problem with the way that we look for God’s will [23:05] and I think the analogy of the church is very helpful here because in the book of Ephesians [23:10] and we went over that if you miss a podcast go listen to him it describes the way that God [23:14] is building his church and it describes the way construction work takes place and it’s that a [23:19] foundation is built and then you know that foundation has a cornerstone which all the [23:24] weight’s going to be distributed on until they even it out and then on top of that God’s building

[23:27] his church he’s got you know the floor of the apostles and then the walls and and the roof [23:32] it’s going to eventually come when God totally brings his kingdom into view and then we are in [23:38] the book of Ephesians in the church and we are the wall builders we’re the ones that pushing his [23:43] gospel into more and more lives well when you’re thinking about wisdom I want you to think about it [23:47] in that light and when you begin with wisdom and you’re like okay I got to find God’s will for my [23:51] life if you’re a follower of Jesus and even people who aren’t following Jesus want to use

[23:55] that same terminology but you’re trying to build walls with no foundation

[24:03] God’s starting point for your life is not your spouse God’s starting point for your life is not [24:11] your career it’s not the house you’re going to live in it’s not the car you’re going to drive [24:15] it’s not the clothes you’re going to wear it’s not the kids you’re going to have it’s not your [24:19] career it’s not sports it’s not any of those things so when you begin to look for wisdom and [24:24] your starting point are things of this world

[24:32] folks I don’t know any other way to say it than this you will not find wisdom in that reasoning [24:37] you won’t find it you may find a spouse you may find a career you may find money you may find all [24:45] sorts of things in this life but you will not find wisdom the book of Proverbs presents wisdom [24:52] is crying out in the streets it’s available it’s there but it’s in Jesus the foundation on top of [25:02] which wisdom is built is not having a posture towards things that will end when you die [25:10] when I die I won’t have a house when I die I won’t have a career when I die I won’t be

[25:18] you know with my wife in the grave I’ll be dead wisdom begins with that which is in the kingdom [25:27] of God the absolute glory of God over all that exists that is where wisdom begins it’s [25:39] if you begin looking for wisdom just in the ins and outs of every day that focuses on you [25:45] you will be left with you as God and you may spend your life totally disappointed because [25:52] you don’t understand why you’re not growing in your relationship with God and the reason [25:57] you’re not growing in your relationship with God is because you’re too consumed with the relationship

[26:00] with you you’re furthering your kingdom in this world wisdom begins with a right relationship [26:09] toward God he’s the ultimate power he’s the ultimate authority look at James chapter one [26:17] verse five James chapter one verse five says that if any of you lacks wisdom let him ask God who [26:24] gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given

[26:30] what’s the source of wisdom God where does the beginning of wisdom start understanding who God [26:37] is and fear of him where does wisdom go towards God look in Proverbs chapter 14 verse 12 real [26:45] quick and we’ll keep moving there is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of [26:51] death you understand the just how ferocious that text is all right when you are building the [27:01] wisdom of your life you are going to begin to make some very hard decisions and ultimately our [27:07] bent is toward making our experience in this life as comfortable as possible it’s kind of like when

[27:13] you’re booking a flight and you want that exit row you don’t really care about the responsibility [27:17] saving everyone’s life you just want the leg room you’re just like there’s another six inches [27:22] on that row and bro that’s comfort that’s good what frankly that’s how we look at life [27:30] we want the exit row of life we want it to be a little more comfortable a little more leg room [27:35] I got three bedrooms what do they have four you know I what if

[27:44] you’re setting up a life that seems to make sense just outside of faith in Jesus Christ [27:57] you need to heed the words of Proverbs chapter 14 12

[28:01] that when everything that you’re building your life on all of the wisdom that you’re using for [28:07] this world seems right in humanistic terms

[28:15] are you following Jesus

[28:19] are you following Jesus I make no indictments on you I just ask you to ask that question [28:25] because when I ask that question to myself sometimes beginning of wisdom is the fear of [28:32] God I’m like wow I need to make some changes

[28:37] are you using wisdom that’s in the faith of God look at first Corinthians chapter 1 verse 27 [28:46] but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise [28:49] God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong [28:54] do you ever consider the reality of that verse that sometimes and oftentimes if we’re really [29:00] to get biblical which is ultimately why we’re here right I mean if we’re not biblical why are [29:05] we even here let’s go play golf but uh someone should teach me I don’t know how but God often

[29:13] is going to use that which looks like absolute and utter foolishness in this life to confound [29:18] or shame those who think that they’re wise so his values aren’t going to always typically measure [29:27] up with the values of this world notice the way that Jesus determined success he was born [29:34] to a carpenter not in a hospital not in a nice hotel room he’s born in a barn got a good start [29:42] you know he’s born in a trough okay seems like he’s gonna have a lot of dignity as he grows up he’s [29:47] the son of a carpenter so he does manual labor his entire life and then he starts a ministry and

[29:52] three years into his ministry it all falls apart and he’s dead

[29:58] in the eyes of the world Jesus was a massive failure

[30:04] I mean when you plant a church you’re like okay what’s our 20-year plan Jesus had a three and a [30:11] half year plan when he started his ministry and then it ended in death now you and I know he [30:20] was born and raised from the dead but the world doesn’t so when the world looks at Jesus when it [30:24] looks at it under the lens of human wisdom it does not seem that successful what about all the [30:28] apostles well after they believed in Jesus did rise from the dead they gave him absolutely [30:33] everything totally transformed their lives wimpiest dudes you’ve ever met become these

[30:37] hulkamaniacs and they hulk up on everybody but guess what within 30 years they’re mostly dead too

[30:46] over the past 2000 years thousands maybe even higher than that thousands have been killed [30:55] because of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ

[31:00] countless missionaries have gone into lands where people did not know the name of Jesus [31:07] contracted diseases that we do not have here or where they were going from and they died only [31:13] reaching a few with the gospel because they contracted a disease

[31:20] if your child was making the type of decision where they were taking that type of risk for [31:23] the gospel would you call it foolishness

[31:28] friend what are you measuring foolishness by because God does not measure it by that God would [31:32] say these are absolute raging successes and when they entered his kingdom he said well done that [31:36] good and faithful servant that’s the difference between wisdom and foolishness is understanding [31:40] that this life is not the end that when I die or when he returns whichever comes first I will [31:46] stand face to face before him and I want to stand face to face before him and say God I gave you my all

[31:55] oftentimes that which is wisdom to God is absolute foolishness to the world because we trust a [32:00] savior that willingly gave over his life and he sacrificed all that there was and when people [32:05] were thinking about following him in Luke chapter 9 he looks at him and he says count the cost the [32:10] foxes have holes the birds of the air have nests to lay their heads in but the son of man he [32:13] doesn’t have a house he has nowhere to lay his head at night following him is not glorious in [32:21] this world but it’s glorious in his kingdom I have 70 years here but I have an eternity there

[32:28] which one’s your stock in because that’s a source of wisdom

[32:37] sometimes I have to ask myself the question and frankly folks I’m just going to be very blunt with [32:41] you and this isn’t an indictment on you because I have a nice bed to sleep in at night but I look [32:45] at my life and I say as am I more concerned about my coelipoastopedic than I am people [32:49] coming to faith in Jesus Christ am I using my life to further the gospel [32:59] because that is where wisdom begins

[33:08] finally wisdom builds a life toward the kingdom of God so this [33:14] wisdom begins with this right relationship with God where we have him in us because of the work [33:19] of Jesus it then postures my life towards him and then I begin to move in really unison in a this [33:28] rhythm with his kingdom so the series has a progression to it we begin with understanding [33:34] that God has given us gifts and abilities to invest into his kingdom he’s given us a relationship [33:39] with him so that we can come to him with our concerns we can come to him in relationship

[33:44] we can beg him we can beseech him we can use all these terms and we we can go to him in prayer we [33:51] can ask him for things he will give us a feast when we ask for a fish and it will transform us [33:56] we trust in his answers we do all of those things but folks our prayers have to result in action

[34:10] heard an analogy that a man joined a gym fitness center six months later he goes to the manager [34:19] that fitness center and he says I want I want to end my contract and they’re like what do you [34:25] mean he says I actually I want my money back he’s like this this does not work you know what are [34:29] you talking about and he said I’ve been a member here for six months and I have actually gained [34:34] 20 pounds of fat he says sir well let me let me check the computer and he goes and checks the [34:42] computer he says sir you you haven’t been here since you joined he says yeah I try to come but

[34:49] I usually end up going to the donut shop next door eating a dozen but I thought being a member [34:54] here would would really help me lose some weight it may sound silly but I think sometimes that’s [35:01] how we look at our Christian lives if we signed up it’s going to change everything [35:09] I asked God to do some things in my life to help me with some bad habits but I keep walking in them [35:15] and I keep walking in them [35:18] folks wisdom does not sit still wisdom moves with God

[35:24] wisdom urges you to make decisions to further the gospel in your life and the lives of others [35:31] wisdom does not move you to just sit there hoping someone else will obey the call of God [35:38] in Galatians chapter 2 verse 20 says that I’m crucified with Christ [35:44] there’s no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me and the life I now live I live in I live in [35:51] the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God did you catch that the life I now live in the flesh [35:56] I live by faith in the Son of God so what Paul’s writing there is he’s saying that once I come to

[36:04] life’s not about me life’s not about my kingdom life’s not about wisdom that will build me into [36:11] a comfortable life I never have to worry about anything I never have to struggle I never have [36:16] to make any hard decisions life is about Jesus furthering his purposes furthering his cause

[36:28] that’s what life is about and we know that but what are we doing

[36:36] James chapter 4 verse 17 says very well and we’ll talk about this again next week but it says [36:41] to him who knows the good that he needs to do and he doesn’t do it to him it is a sin [36:46] I probably just gave you the Steve version by the way because I didn’t look at the screen [36:50] I should probably do that okay good I got it mostly right

[36:57] it’s a sin if you know what to do and I don’t think the problem with wisdom [37:01] is that we don’t know what to do the problem with wisdom is we choose foolishness

[37:15] and wisdom always leads towards Jesus always always

[37:24] look at Romans chapter 12 verse 2 Romans chapter 12 verse 2 and here’s what we’ll read [37:29] say do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind [37:36] that by testing you may discern look at this what is the will of God what is good [37:43] and acceptable and perfect wisdom always changes our minds always always

[37:58] there’s a way to look at Romans chapter 12 verse 2 and see that it’s by the [38:02] renewal of our minds and so we’re trying to say okay I got to change my mind do you understand [38:08] that the term there is not an active term where you change your mind the actual term there is [38:15] that someone else is changing your mind what the renewal of your mind is it is the spirit coming [38:25] into your life you looking at what God has said is his wisdom and you change because God is [38:33] actively moving you God is actively changing you you are enjoying a relationship with God and you

[38:40] are giving him your all and you are saying that which looks wise in this world is not as good as [38:46] that which looks wise in the kingdom of God I will risk it all for his kingdom [38:50] and wisdom always furthers the gospel always if you want to know if you’re wise

[39:05] ask a very hard question how are the decisions that I am making in my life [39:10] furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ

[39:17] I want to tell you a story and then I’ll close it’s in the book of John it’s one of the hardest [39:23] sayings I think Jesus gives it’s one that we explain away one that we’re like what does it [39:27] mean but maybe he means I don’t know this guy he’s just referred to as a rich young ruler [39:34] comes to Jesus and he says it says Jesus rabbi good teacher of course Jesus like nobody’s good [39:41] God bro and he says I’ve done everything that the law commands done it all went to a want us

[39:53] memorized all the scriptures I do daily quiet times I pray give money to the church I do it all

[40:02] what else do I need to do to enter in the kingdom of God

[40:07] Jesus looks at him he says the hardest thing you could possibly say to an American [40:10] I believe that God wasn’t American by the way they weren’t around then

[40:16] Jesus looks at him and he says I’ll tell you what you need to do [40:20] sell all of your possessions and follow me

[40:24] scripture says that the man walked away completely sad it’s the terminology he’s broken up

[40:34] because Jesus knew what had a stranglehold on his life

[40:45] friends are you following Jesus are you doing a lot of good things hoping that it earns you some [40:52] equity with Jesus that’s foolishness because the gospel says you got no equity it’s all in Jesus

[41:02] but here’s my question for you what if Jesus posed that same question to you or I [41:09] sell everything that you have risk it all follow me [41:18] because that is the type of question that shakes me to my core

[41:25] if you see something that is clearly biblical yet you wait for someone else to do it [41:31] or convince yourself that that’s not what you need to do what is your reasoning behind it [41:40] is it biblical

[41:44] whatever it is it’s not the wisdom of the kingdom of God [41:51] God is ready for you his wisdom is at the cross of Jesus he used that which looked so unwise to [41:59] give true wisdom because our wisdom was headed straight to hell

[42:06] and he calls us into this glorious existence where we say yes Lord I will follow you make me wise [42:19] and so before I can get to all these other things in life and we’ll get to them next week [42:26] we’ve got to deal with the core of our souls because all that other stuff’s worthless if you [42:32] don’t have the foundation of Jesus guiding your decisions

[42:40] and I ask you today to take inventory as the band comes up I ask you to take inventory of [42:46] your life and I want you to know whether or not your life reveals a follower of Jesus

[43:01] if you are not using the wisdom of scripture my question for you this morning is do you know God

[43:10] do you know his authority do you know his love is it guiding your life

[43:20] Jesus said that good trees bear good fruit and bad trees bear bad fruit [43:25] good trees don’t bear bad fruit and bad trees don’t bear good fruit friends what’s the fruit [43:30] of your life looking like is it looking like Jesus’s fruit or is it looking like something [43:34] that’s only going to benefit you till you die

[43:38] my greatest fear is that you’ll slip into eternity without knowing him

[43:43] I want you to know him because he’s good he may call you to do some wild things he may call you [43:50] to take risks that your friends won’t understand but he’s good but he’s great and he’s holy [43:59] and more than that he’s God

[44:05] shows us it all through the sacrifice of his son Jesus Christ so that we could enter into a [44:10] relationship with him where Jesus’s body was broken where his blood was shed so that we would not [44:16] have to live in dread of coming face to face with God but so that we can look at his ultimate [44:21] authority we can understand his power and we can then say but he loves us anyway

[44:29] he’s got his feast waiting for you the life of Jesus proclaim it to one another this week [44:35] and then also proclaim to each other that I will begin the hard process of repentance in my life [44:42] if you don’t know him I’d love to talk to you and then today you can reflect on communion [44:49] for the first time where it has real meaning I’ll be up here there’ll be those in the back [44:56] there’s communion up here there’s communion back there let’s worship Jesus when you’re ready