Wisdom Realized.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Welcome to the village. This is your first time my name is Steve and I am so thankful that you’re here [0:06] If you weren’t it would be awkward [0:08] Cuz there’ll be no one in the crowd and I’d be up here talking to myself [0:11] So thanks for coming if you have your Bibles turn them to James chapter 3. That’s where we’ll be [0:17] We’re gonna be starting in verse 13 if you’ve been with us for the past few weeks [0:21] We’ve been going through the book of James and James has been

[0:24] Unpacking for us what a life that is built on a foundation of the gospel actually looks like in [0:32] This text he’s gonna begin with an interesting question [0:36] He just asks simply who among you has wisdom and [0:42] understanding [0:42] He asks this question and it kind of brings to light a great deal of the Old Testament [0:48] In the Old Testament there was this author

[0:51] And he writes these few books that are called the wisdom literature of Scripture and in those we kind of find some [0:58] Advice on how to be wise and how to live a wise life [1:01] He writes one book when he’s a young guy getting married and that book is all about [1:06] Marriage and the ins and outs of what it looks like and then he writes another book in Proverbs after [1:11] after he has children and [1:13] Advice from a father to a son and then he writes a third book called the book of Ecclesiastes

[1:18] And Ecclesiastes is written as he’s at the end of his life

[1:24] Reflecting on [1:25] How he actually lived how he actually used his life and in one section. He gives us this interesting [1:33] analogy and kind of makes you think imagine getting to the end of your life and [1:39] looking back on [1:41] Your life and saying I’ve wasted it

[1:45] I’m filled with regret [1:48] I’m filled with just looking at everything I’ve accomplished. I’m surrounded by all these accomplishments and they’re all worthless and [1:55] Everything that I’ve done. It seems like it’s all been done in vain and [2:02] In chapter 4 verse 4 he actually just gets so specific and he says I’m looking in my life [2:07] and I see people all around me who have worked and [2:12] Struggled to the bone and have toiled their entire life

[2:17] Out of envy [2:20] For what their neighbor has and they’ve built their life and they’ve got all these [2:26] Possessions and they’ve got these grand houses and they’ve got all this stuff [2:32] But they’ve done it [2:36] Because they just wanted to be better than their neighbor [2:40] And he says it’s like they’ve been chasing the wind

[2:46] And think about that think about how that actually breaks down imagine because today it’s a little wind out there [2:51] You went outside and tried to chase it and catch the wind. Can you do that? [2:57] well doesn’t take a [2:59] High school graduate to figure this one out. No [3:02] You can’t [3:04] So what is he saying there?

[3:07] He’s saying [3:08] You’re wasting your life [3:11] He’s saying you can get to the end of your life [3:14] You can be old you can be near death and you can look back and you can come to a point [3:21] When you see everything that you’ve done

[3:27] And just be filled with grief because at the end of the day you just realize I’ve wasted it

[3:34] I’ve wasted my life [3:36] And so what James is talking about in verses 13 through 18 of chapter 3 [3:42] He’s talking about the fact that wisdom [3:47] its base value is the [3:52] understanding of [3:54] Knowing how to live your life in such a way that it is not wasted

[4:02] Because I’ll be [4:04] Quite honest with you when you look around and you look at pop culture and you look at everything that people are living their lives [4:11] for I [4:12] Can’t help but think that many of us and many people that we see will be a lot like [4:17] Solomon and we’ll say I look all around me and I see nothing but people who are chasing after the wind [4:23] I’ll be really honest with you. I don’t want to be one of those people and I don’t think anyone does

[4:30] I don’t think anyone sets out in their you know teens are in their 20s because really [4:36] Until you know you finish school. You just are doing that and then you’re like, okay now I’m gonna start living my life [4:43] That’s how it was when I graduated college. I was like, okay now I’ve got to make some decisions [4:49] But nobody starts out and says, you know what I’m gonna do [4:51] I’m gonna live my life and I’m gonna waste it as much as I possibly can nobody starts that way [4:57] But I think a lot of us in that way and it’s because

[5:02] Well, we make mistakes mistakes equal regrets and so what James is gonna do this morning is he’s going to literally unpack and he’s [5:10] Going to be specific and he’s going to look at us in the face as he’s been doing for the past three chapters in his

[5:17] Uncompromising and brutally blunt way and he’s going to say if you don’t do this, guess what? [5:23] You’re gonna waste your life and you’re a fool and [5:26] It’s not gonna be comfortable and it’s not comfortable for me either [5:30] So let’s be uncomfortable together for a few minutes. All right, so join me in James chapter 3 and we’ll just begin reading

[5:39] Verse 13 he says who is wise and

[5:44] Understanding among you [5:47] He starts out with this question jumping right off of the past few verses where he’s been spelling out [5:53] How to use your speech in such a way that it furthers the gospel of Jesus Christ [5:58] He says that if you can control your tongue [6:01] Which is typically useful in speaking he says if you can control that [6:07] It’s like you’re controlling the rudder of a ship wherever it steers is where the ship goes

[6:13] And so he says if you use your tongue for good [6:18] Then you are a wise person [6:21] Able to control your entire body and we saw last week where he comes to a point where he says the only way to [6:28] Use your mouth for any good is if it is saturated with the gospel of Jesus Christ [6:35] Saturated within our marriages with the gospel in our childhood development with the gospel and our friendship with the gospel and [6:45] Then he jumps off of that and he says okay

[6:49] Who among you has wisdom and understanding?

[6:56] and so he’s gotten us and it’s really interesting the way that James writes it’s kind of [7:00] Tough on us because he gets us to the point where it’s like I have said some really stupid things [7:05] I mean, I’m married so that’s just a given I have said some really stupid things and I have done some really stupid things [7:12] And I’ve said most of them the wife [7:14] All right, and then he says okay now who among you has wisdom and so immediately most of us are like, okay, I’m out

[7:25] But inevitably in any crowd and we all know them

[7:31] me I [7:32] Do because there’s someone gonna be here today that’s gonna say well, I still think I have wisdom [7:37] And so over the next few verses is gonna disqualify the rest of us [7:41] But then he’s actually going to spell out what wisdom actually looks like so in the end of verse 13. He says [7:48] Okay, who is wise and understanding among you and then the hands go up and he says okay [7:53] By your conduct your good conduct rather let him show his works in the meekness

[8:02] Of wisdom [8:04] What exactly does that mean? [8:07] What is he saying when he says okay if you are wise then show it by your [8:13] Conduct and that makes sense to us because a wise person will not do unwise things [8:20] When you do unwise things [8:21] It’s a pretty good indicator that you’re not wise

[8:24] But then he follows that up show it by his conduct

[8:31] with [8:32] meekness [8:33] Why would he throw a word like meekness in there to describe what wisdom looks like [8:41] Meekness in the scriptures Jesus talks about in the parable [8:45] Excuse me in the Sermon on the Mount meekness is this quiet spirit. It’s this unstated [8:51] humility that does not put yourself

[8:56] Forward but rather has a quiet spirit about oneself for the advancement of others [9:03] To go in front of you and [9:06] What James is doing is he’s saying in that type of attitude do you find wisdom? [9:14] And of course he answers yes [9:16] And that’s a problem for me [9:18] Because I’m not quiet

[9:20] My spirit is loud and so am I unwise [9:25] Most of you would agree. Yes [9:29] But is there any hope for Steve among us [9:33] I hope there is I hope we can give me some hope this morning and James does give us hope [9:38] because the reason that wisdom and understanding show forth this conduct of meekness and [9:45] Understanding is because the one that is wise James is going to reveal to us

[9:51] understands one key component that [9:54] Wisdom is not something that wells up from within you and we all know it’s not something that wells up from within me [10:03] Wisdom is something rather that because of the gospel is something that comes to us from an outside source

[10:13] Wisdom comes only from God [10:18] Wisdom does not start with me because if it started with me then I’m gonna put forth to you that it would be absolutely [10:26] Impossible to have any meekness [10:30] Because anything that comes from within me [10:33] I don’t need to be meek about [10:36] What am I gonna be? I’m gonna be proud

[10:40] It’s for me [10:42] Therefore I’m proud of it [10:45] But let’s go further. What how does he further this he says in verse 14? [10:49] But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts [10:54] Do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes from [11:01] Above

[11:04] This excuse me

[11:07] Then excuse me, I lost my place. Let me find it again. All right. This is not the wisdom that comes from above but is earthly [11:15] unspiritual and demonic [11:17] All right, so he starts with earthly then he goes on spiritual and then finally he’s like well [11:23] It’s just from the depths of hell guys [11:25] There’s no good to be found in it. It is absolutely demonic [11:30] So he starts the entire book of James remember he’s built on this foundation of the gospel

[11:36] He says do you want to know how to suffer? Well? [11:39] Do you want to suffer with joy counted all joy brothers when you go into? [11:44] trials and then he tells us is the only way that this can possibly happen is through the [11:49] implanted word of God God an external source doing something inside of us to [11:56] Transform us so that rather than going into suffering and say well if that all there is that’s good in this life is from this earth [12:04] Then suffering is pretty bad

[12:06] But if there is more than just what happens here, and there is something above [12:11] God which is the analogy above is always used for God because we’re below him in more ways than one [12:17] There’s more than I can go into suffering and suffer for the gospel for the advancement of that which connects me with God [12:27] So if all wisdom finds its source with God then how can I? [12:34] possibly have any form of selfish ambition or [12:39] pride about wisdom when it does not come from within me and all that comes from within me is

[12:46] earthly [12:47] unspiritual and [12:49] ultimately demonic [12:51] All that you can have in that case is meekness [12:57] Because it’s very humbling to realize that you are unwise [13:04] left to your own

[13:07] In the book of James and well the entire scripture as a whole screams this out to us left to our own [13:14] We are unwise [13:16] But let’s go back to that first question that James asks us who among you [13:22] Is wise and has understanding?

[13:26] The people that were reading this in the first century [13:30] Immediately knew where James was coming from when he said this [13:34] He was coming from Proverbs chapter 1 in Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7

[13:41] James writes excuse me Solomon who we referenced earlier writes this the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but notice this fools [13:50] despise wisdom and [13:52] instruction and [13:53] A few verses later starting in verse 20 [13:57] Solomon writes this [13:59] Wisdom cries aloud in the street in the markets

[14:03] She raises her voice and this is one of those verses if you were raised in a Christian home [14:08] Your parents would come whenever you made a bad decision your parents would look at you and say what’s wrong with you [14:13] Don’t you know wisdom’s crying in the street? It’s just right there. It’s obvious, isn’t it? Make good decisions, and I’m like [14:19] Yeah, I don’t know. It’s not that obvious. I made a bad one. So clearly it wasn’t

[14:24] In verse 21 he says it gets even more abundant [14:28] He says at the head of the noisy streets she cries out at the entrance of the city gates [14:33] She speaks how long those simple ones will you love being simple? [14:38] How long will scoffers delight and their scoffing and fools hate knowledge if you turn at my reproof? [14:44] In other words, he’s saying wisdom’s crying in the streets that word reproof isn’t when we use every day [14:49] In other words wisdom is crying in the streets and is saying you’re going in the wrong direction

[14:53] Turn around that’s reproof [14:56] If you turn at my reproof behold, I will pour out my spirit to you [15:01] I will make my words known to you because I have called and you refused to listen listen have stretched out my hand [15:07] And no one has heeded because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof [15:13] And then look at this. I will also laugh at your calamity [15:17] I will mock when terror strikes you when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind

[15:24] When distress and anguish come upon you then they will call upon me, but I will not answer

[15:36] So Solomon at the very beginning of a letter to his son about how to live wisely [15:41] Tells him wisdom is not a secret. It is abundantly clear [15:47] But if you do not listen to it [15:51] When you ultimately live an unwise life and you get to the end and you say but I’ve wasted it

[16:00] You cannot go back and undo the decisions that you made that led you to there and [16:08] Ultimately, he’s giving us what in theology is called an eschatological reality or a future [16:14] Afterlife reality saying that if at the end when it’s all over and you are in the judgment before God [16:22] Understand that then hope is gone [16:27] But then look he finishes [16:30] Says then they will call upon me, but I will not answer they will diligently seek but will not find me

[16:39] because they [16:41] hated [16:42] knowledge [16:44] And look at this and did not choose the fear

[16:54] Now [16:56] That’s what James was saying [16:58] Saying who among you is wise and understanding if that’s true [17:03] You will reveal it by your conduct and with meekness from [17:08] wisdom [17:09] Then he says

[17:10] Understand the reason that you have this humble meekness among you is [17:15] Because the wisdom is not of this world, but rather it is from above [17:21] Now then we go back where James was clearly referring to in the Proverbs [17:27] Wisdom cries aloud in the streets [17:30] I put forth to you this morning that Proverbs one is not just this attitude of you’re gonna make some good decisions that are [17:36] Really affect you well, and then you’re gonna make some bad decisions if you make too many well you’re screwed okay

[17:42] That’s not simply where he’s going I’m gonna put forth you that this is a bit of prophecy [17:46] Okay, think about it this way [17:48] What has God done? [17:52] That has revealed himself to all of creation [17:56] What also has God done that he clearly states? [18:00] This is a revelation of myself to the world what has God done to make himself clear to all of mankind so that

[18:10] Mankind will not be damned and be separated from God and ultimately under his wrath [18:18] The gospel [18:23] How has God screamed to us in the streets Jesus [18:28] So where does wisdom start if we go back to James chapter 1 verse 7 put that up on the screen again [18:35] James chapter 1 in verse 7 [18:41] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge

[18:46] See what the gospel says it says that we are all sinners [18:49] We have all rebelled against God and ultimately deserve to face his wrath [18:55] Okay [18:56] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge I constantly get this question what comes first the fear of the Lord or knowledge

[19:03] The fear of the Lord [19:04] It’s not grammatically incorrect [19:07] That is a chronological statement. Why does the fear of the Lord come before knowledge?

[19:12] Because you only fear God when you’re transformed by his spirit you receive wisdom from an outside source [19:19] It starts with the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and we’re transformed [19:24] Through him and then we’re given knowledge through the Holy Spirit to live a life that is not wasted [19:31] But rather to live a life that is abundantly useful for

[19:38] The gospel [19:41] Say all that to get to point to wisdom is not of this world

[19:49] Wisdom does not come from here clearly James says something [19:54] I’m just gonna expound on it for a moment. He says wisdom is from above [19:59] When you are steeped in sin [20:02] Okay, are you wise? [20:06] No [20:07] No

[20:08] You’re sinful [20:10] You are the one who is not listening to wisdom that is crying in the streets [20:16] So what is it that has to bring you wisdom it is God and he does that [20:22] Through the gospel and if he does that through the gospel [20:28] Then is wisdom something that is to be found in this world outside of God no [20:37] And you’re like, okay, I get it. So what’s your point? My point is this

[20:42] Wisdom is frequently looked at as the ability to make good decisions that will further your life in a better way [20:50] So here’s what we do [20:51] We take God’s laws of [20:55] general logic [20:57] Okay, and I would say all things that are true are God’s [21:02] Okay, if I step in front of a bus that is going 45 miles per hour and

[21:10] That bus hits me did I make a wise decision?

[21:16] No, I [21:18] Made a foolish decision and where do I get that type of? [21:23] understanding I [21:24] Would say ultimately it’s God because that’s how God [21:29] Defined and created the universe to work [21:33] Okay, but here’s what we do

[21:36] The way that God defined and created the world to work [21:41] We benefit on many times if you are shrewd in business [21:47] If you are smart in the way the economy works and you invest

[21:55] Wisely [21:56] What happens will you make money? [22:01] How do you then use that money typically [22:05] Well, we use it to buy things we use it to buy houses we use it to buy cars [22:10] We use it to buy vacation homes. We use it for all sorts of things [22:14] But ultimately where did the knowledge to do that come from?

[22:20] It came from God because that’s how he created the universe to work [22:23] God ultimately created business to work the way business does [22:28] So when you do something really good in business and make a windfall [22:33] Amount of money from it God is not saying man. How did he figure that one out? [22:39] What a brilliant guy [22:40] No, God is in heaven saying that’s how I created the world to work. He just figured it out

[22:49] But ultimately is [22:52] That person wise apart from God you can use God’s laws of logic and [23:01] Get to the end of your life [23:03] And I’ve wasted it [23:06] You can use God’s laws of just how the world works to benefit yourself [23:12] And then at the end of your life, you can look back and say I’ve wasted it

[23:17] When you are confronted with the truth of God [23:22] Because what you have done is you have taken what was a good thing [23:28] Wisdom of how God’s creation works, then you have made it a corrupt thing [23:34] By using it to further your kingdom rather than further his kingdom [23:40] And what does James call that look back to the text?

[23:46] James says but if you have bitter jealousy and we’re like, well, I’m not jealous [23:51] but he doesn’t see he doesn’t just get the jealous people he then says and [23:56] selfish [23:57] Ambition in your hearts James goes to the root of why you do [24:05] absolutely everything that you do and he just clearly says if you use this world to [24:12] further yourself and your kingdom and your

[24:16] Comfort and your leisure and you just buy lots of pretty things and you build all this wealth and you just have better stuff [24:23] than everybody else has then you are

[24:28] Foolish foolish to the point where it is demonic

[24:33] You said well that’s that’s tough yeah it is

[24:43] And it’s what Solomon was talking about when he said I see people at the end of their lives [24:49] And they just have nothing where God is concerned and they chased

[24:58] them [24:59] So, where is the hope [25:02] Where’s the hope [25:05] Because quite frankly, I’ll be honest I’m not judging you I’m judging Steve right now a [25:13] Great deal of my life [25:16] By this definition has been spent chasing after

[25:22] And [25:24] Because I’m incriminated well, I’ll just go ahead and incriminate you I [25:31] Believe and I’m not gonna make you admit it. I believe that much of your life as well has been spent chasing

[25:42] He said no no no [25:44] It hasn’t because all that the things that I’ve done I’ve done for my family [25:50] So I have good kids and man they make good grades and I’ve protected them and it’s my wife [25:55] I’ve protected her I’ve built a good family and I’ve done all these things so that I can just have a good family a pretty [26:01] Family, and we’re all protected and I have something to leave them at the end

[26:08] And I ask you where’s God in that

[26:14] Where’s God

[26:19] If it’s not for him that’s wasted

[26:24] Even if it’s for something and that I would see as a father I’d see it’s admirable [26:32] It’s wasted

[26:35] It’s what Jesus talks about in the book of Matthew when he says don’t store up for yourselves treasures on this earth [26:44] Where moth and rust corrupt store up for yourself treasures in heaven, which is eternal

[26:53] You see none of us really want to get to this base level I hope this doesn’t offend you it will [26:58] Whenever whenever pastor says I hope this doesn’t offend you get ready. All right, cuz that means 90% of the people are gonna be offended [27:05] All right [27:08] And I’ll just use my son I’m going to die [27:12] Because my body is corrupt with sin and it is fading and I realized that this morning at 6 a.m [27:19] When I couldn’t get out of bed

[27:23] So is my son

[27:28] Moth and rust are gonna corrupt him just like they’ve corrupted dad [27:33] And he’s gonna die too

[27:37] So if I live my life to simply further him

[27:43] I’ve wasted it [27:46] I’m chasing after

[27:50] So some of you [27:53] Did you like that dramatic pause? Oh, this is some of you [27:57] Are saying whoa. Okay, so we need to quit our jobs leave our kids [28:03] What?

[28:06] No [28:06] Remember, what is the gospel about? [28:09] redemption [28:10] How do we redeem our jobs? How do we redeem our families? Because I’ll be honest if you leave your kids. I’m not leaving mine [28:16] All right [28:18] How do we redeem that?

[28:20] Here’s how number one [28:22] the wise then [28:25] boast only in the gospel [28:27] The wise do not find their ultimate fulfillment in things of this world because remember [28:33] Wisdom begins in a foundation of the gospel [28:38] James has been building this foundation for three chapters now. He says faithful that works is dead

[28:44] And what he’s saying here, he’s reiterating that that fact wisdom without works is stupid [28:52] It’s pointless what kind of works gospel works, let’s go a little further

[28:58] In verse 15 he reiterates again [29:01] He says this is not the wisdom that comes from above but is earthly [29:04] Unspiritual and demonic when it is about furthering you over others that you can get in front of other people [29:10] Go to a little league game and you will see fathers exhibiting this go to a soccer game and you will see fathers and mothers [29:18] exhibiting this all right where you know your kids better than that kid my son didn’t make all-stars [29:25] But he did I hate that kid I’m gonna kill I

[29:29] Mean it’s brutal all right, and I say that as a former little leaguer [29:34] It happens all right, so what does he say he says for where jealousy and selfish? [29:40] Ambition exists. I love how James says something and then he explains it. It’s beautiful [29:46] All right [29:47] He says for where jealousy and selfish ambition exists there will be disorder and every vile practice [29:54] But the wisdom from above is pure then peaceable

[29:58] gentle open to reason full of mercy and good fruits impartial and sincere and a harvest of [30:05] righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace and [30:11] That’s where we get a little in the danger zone because this almost looks like chicken soup for the soul [30:17] It’s almost like okay, so to get this kind of attitude [30:21] Let’s all sit together and sing kumbaya for a few moments [30:25] Just be peaceful

[30:27] Center yourself all right I [30:30] Think we can do better than that so let’s do better than that this morning all right [30:34] So how do we get from this place where it’s just like compete kill? [30:39] You know I got to have more than my neighbor does he’s got a boat. Well. I got a speedboat [30:43] He’s got a fast boat. Well. I got to get a charter boat [30:45] I don’t know anything about boats that was like a terrible example to use on the fly

[30:49] Because I don’t even know what half the boats are called, and I I don’t know what happened right there a blacked out [30:54] But how do we get where we stop competing with our neighbors all right? [31:00] When you when you speak in front of people it just happens all right you just choose bad metaphors on the fly all right [31:05] How do we get there well James is telling us all right when he says where jealousy and selfish ambition? [31:13] Exists there is disorder and every vile practice [31:18] Okay, so clearly God did not

[31:21] Create us to live with this bitter jealousy inside of us of others for any reason [31:27] And he did not create us to live with selfish ambition [31:31] So let’s think beneath that what did God then create us for [31:39] Well if we go all the way back to the very beginning in Genesis chapter 1 [31:44] What did God tempt Eve with that led to her downfall he said [31:51] You will not surely die if you eat of the fruit of that tree

[31:56] But you will rather be like God with wisdom and understanding

[32:08] So the very thing that James is telling us we should want is the very thing [32:14] Satan tempted us with from the very beginning, but his has a different spin on it, and what’s that spin?

[32:23] Not that I exist for the glory of God through wisdom and understanding [32:29] But I can be just like him and I can have his power and I can be at his level and James kind of [32:38] mixed that one when he says wisdom is from [32:42] above and [32:44] Neakness says I am below [32:46] So somehow we need to get to the point where we are not post fall

[32:53] But rather we are pre fall where we are no longer attempting to be the captain of our own ship [33:00] We are no longer in competition with God [33:04] Which means we’re no longer in competition with others [33:08] Because when you’re accepted by God [33:11] I mean clearly there isn’t any better type of acceptance once I’m accepted by God [33:16] It’s like oh my neighbors except as well doesn’t matter to me anymore. I’ve got God

[33:19] So the competition is over the jealousy is gone the selfish ambition [33:25] There’s no higher than acceptance with God so my ambition is fulfilled in God [33:31] So how do I get back there Romans 5? [33:36] Chapter 11 says it beautifully it says it like this [33:40] Paul is just kind of expounding on the gospel and he says more than that [33:44] We also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ

[33:50] Through whom we have now received [33:53] Reconciliation do you know what reconciliation is reconciliation is when your relationship is on the outs [34:00] There is an offense that takes place God is offended by our sin and we are offended because he wants us to be humble before him [34:08] so we’re on the outs and [34:10] He has a way to get back to him, and we say I don’t like that way. I won’t be obedient [34:15] My glory is better than your glory and God then in love rather than condemning us sends

[34:22] Jesus who takes our sin onto himself like we saying in in Christ alone a little earlier [34:28] And he dies for our sin and now the barrier of sin is gone and through that [34:36] God brings us back into right relationship with [34:40] Himself and Paul writes we rejoice in this reconciliation

[34:47] We boast only in the gospel [34:52] Because in the gospel we find what life was created to be lived for [34:59] It was created to be lived for the glory of God because what does Jesus say in the Garden of Gethsemane? [35:05] He says if there’s any other way let this cup pass for me, but then he follows it up not my will but

[35:13] thine [35:14] He’s saying I’m living [35:17] the glory of God and [35:19] Through what the Son of God does for us we can live for the glory of God [35:28] We can rejoice in the gospel and when you have tasted of the [35:33] Satisfaction that only the gospel has to give there’s nothing better

[35:40] Because what we pursue in this life is inevitably what we will boast in [35:47] If you pursue riches, what will you boast in riches if you pursue a beautiful family that has no problems [35:56] What will you boast in a beautiful family where there are no problems? [36:00] Even though that one does not exist that picture on the mantle that was just you on a good day. All right

[36:07] If you chase after athletic achievement, what will you boast in what about academic success? What will you boast in I? [36:15] Name it if you chase it that is what you will boast in [36:19] So the gospel then is what God has designed us to boast in [36:28] Which means when we have wisdom what is understanding in the gospel? [36:34] Understanding is a conduct that is lived for the gospel. What then is meekness? [36:39] It is the humility to say I am a sinner I am wretched

[36:43] But God loves me so much that he sent his son and has transformed me through his son [36:48] And what does that create it creates a life where you pursue to redeem every part? [36:55] Through the gospel because you’re boasting in the gospel. So what does business exist for business exists for you to boast in the gospel [37:02] What do your children exist for your children exist for you to boast in the gospel? [37:06] That’s why when you come to the gospel you don’t just quit your job [37:11] All right. Now there are some immoral things you probably have to quit if it’s your job, but that’s why you can redeem that

[37:19] If God has gifted you with shrewd business since redeem it use it for the gospel if [37:27] You’re a mother [37:28] Redeem your motherhood for the gospel and raise your children with [37:33] Wisdom in the gospel so that they will live for the gospel [37:38] The last thing I want is for my son to grow up and be smart and wise and know how to use the Bible for his [37:46] game

[37:47] Because then he’ll be just this good Christian boy. I [37:53] Don’t want my son to be just a good Christian boy [37:56] I want him to be a godly man who will risk it all for the gospel [38:01] There’s a difference there one’s religious and religion is demonic and the other loves Jesus

[38:14] Proverbs chapter 9 verse 10

[38:19] He restates what he said in chapter 1 it’s very interesting does it differently though [38:24] he says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and [38:31] Knowledge of the Holy One is insight

[38:36] Constantly over and over again [38:39] Solomon draws us back and he says if you want wisdom you must go deeper into [38:47] God [38:49] Insight is this interesting thing where you don’t just know about something you know all the ins and outs of something

[39:01] And if you want that you must have this knowledge of the Holy One [39:06] And you can only gain in the gospel because in the gospel we find out that [39:13] What we’ve been striving for we are incapable of but God in his mercy [39:18] Gives us anyway

[39:25] Worldly wisdom though is [39:28] Only the ability to further yourself

[39:34] See the thing about worldly wisdom

[39:38] Is that it never satisfies

[39:42] It was Rockefeller who once said when someone asked on me he was a multi multi millionaire [39:49] One of the richest men in the nation at that time [39:53] He said somebody came to him like you’re so rich [39:55] Yet you still work like 12 hours a day [39:59] Is that how much money is gonna be enough and his response just one more dollar

[40:11] You know your kids I’ve got I’ve got one

[40:18] Even at this stage I’m already preparing myself for the inevitable that my son will disappoint me [40:26] Maybe not as a whole [40:30] But there’s gonna come a day when he’s gonna make a decision and I’m gonna be disappointed I

[40:39] Think every parent of any adult child has had that moment [40:44] I know mine did over and over and over again

[40:50] and [40:51] Still do

[40:54] But [40:55] What if all my hopes and dreams are wrapped up in him

[41:00] Can’t be satisfied with that disappointment there

[41:05] What if your satisfaction and your wisdoms wrapped up in your job and the economy tanks and

[41:12] Business goes under [41:15] Laid off or you’re not perfect and you make one mistake and [41:22] Your boss fires you [41:25] Or you love health and you’re an athlete and you just I’m healthy and then

[41:32] Sins grip on this world wages in his death you get sick

[41:43] There is no [41:46] wisdom [41:48] Basing your life on anything in this world

[41:54] List of only comes from above but here’s the thing [41:58] When it comes from above [42:00] Meekness it gives us this attitude of submission [42:05] And nobody likes that [42:08] Nobody doesn’t want to submit to something greater than them [42:11] So it’s like this grueling submission and it’s painful and it’s uncomfortable

[42:15] But here’s the amazing thing about the gospel is the amazing thing is it’s not a grueling submission because it’s better

[42:23] It’s eternally satisfying [42:26] He’s the same [42:28] He never fails [42:29] He’s the Holy One [42:32] He has knowledge. He has understanding. He has wisdom. He’s God [42:37] There’s no greater thing you can say about anyone than to say he’s God

[42:44] That’s like the greatest compliment you could ever pay anyone unless you’re a Christian and then you’re like no I’m not [42:49] but because you’re supposed to say that but [42:53] He’s God by very nature [42:58] He can’t disappoint

[43:01] And so when you have him [43:04] You have everything [43:06] You have wisdom you have insight you have knowledge [43:12] You have hope that this is not all there is [43:19] But then here’s the big key [43:25] The ability

[43:27] to live in that type of wisdom [43:31] To base your life on that type of wisdom to live with that type of hope [43:39] That is [43:42] understanding

[43:45] And what happens when you have that type of understanding

[43:50] You boast [43:53] in him and you live [43:57] To show him to everyone [44:01] You use everything in your life to show him to others [44:08] Because you have been reconciled and brought into [44:13] relationship with the creator of

[44:17] everything that we have the source of [44:21] knowledge of everything that ever was and then in [44:26] boasting in the gospel you rejoice and [44:32] find delight in [44:34] Reconciliation [44:36] Because you see the gospel is that thing that brings you into relationship with God

[44:40] But here’s the interesting thing notice towards the end of the text and then we’ll close he says

[44:47] In verse 17 he says wisdom from above is pure

[44:52] peaceable [44:53] gentle open to reason full of mercy and good fruits impartial and [44:59] Sincere so it’s legit. It’s not fake. It’s real [45:03] But then he says his interesting things he says [45:06] Full of mercy and good fruits [45:09] Is that just stuff that comes to me or is that stuff that comes out of me and then he says?

[45:15] Impartial and sincere he closes with this he says and a harvest of righteousness is sown in [45:23] peace [45:24] Okay, what is the harvest of righteousness? [45:28] It’s Jesus the only righteous one that has ever lived [45:32] And so he sows this harvest of righteousness [45:36] I love how the scriptures always go back to these

[45:39] Analogies where Jesus is standing before a field with the disciples and he says look guys [45:43] The field is ripe for harvest, but the laborers are few go get my harvest

[45:49] James says what God is doing in the gospel is he’s sowing a harvest of righteousness to make peace [45:56] But notice what he says it’s sown in peace by those who make [46:03] peace [46:05] It’s interesting [46:06] This idea that we have if you’ve been in church peacemakers [46:10] But what kind of peace is he talking about is he talking about national peace?

[46:15] You know is he talking about? [46:17] Peace between me and my buddies is he talking about peace at work is he talking about kind of peace [46:22] Is he talking about and I would say ultimately yes, God is going to bring all those types of peace [46:27] He’s promised in the future that all things will be peaceful for those who believe

[46:37] Here’s what Jesus does in reconciliation [46:41] He makes peace between us and God through the work of Jesus [46:47] But notice that it says it doesn’t stop there, and I love this he says by those

[46:56] How do you not waste your life

[47:00] How do you live for the gospel is it a static

[47:06] Stagnant thing where you just sit and you understand and you get it, and it’s like I’m good. I’ve got the gospel [47:12] And I’m just gonna go live my life [47:15] There’s an intentionality here [47:17] You don’t just rejoice in your reconciliation [47:22] You rejoice in the reconciliation of [47:26] others as well

[47:29] And this has two ways working itself out [47:34] The first way is that peace with God [47:37] Second Corinthians chapter 5 verses 18 and 19 say it this way all this is from God who through Christ [47:45] reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of [47:50] Reconciliation that is in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself [47:54] Not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation

[48:08] So we live [48:10] To take the message that news remember James also said in chapter 1 [48:15] He says don’t just be hearers of the word but doers of the word

[48:21] Wisdom’s crying out in the streets [48:23] What is it it’s news that you hear if you believe the gospel you heard it at some point didn’t you? [48:31] because it’s wisdom crying out in the streets and [48:35] then [48:36] Secondly it works its way out [48:39] Because now you can live for that reconciliation

[48:43] showing that reconciliation in the church and in your relationships [48:49] See where does God find justice for my son the cross [48:54] Yes

[48:57] But see most of you you want to be messengers of reconciliation, but you’re full of that bitter jealousy

[49:05] You’re full of strife you don’t like people I get it I don’t either

[49:13] How do you get over that [49:15] How do I get over that? [49:17] It’s in this realization that God doesn’t just find justice for my sin on the cross he finds justice for the sin of others on the cross

[49:26] So the hurts that I struggle with or I don’t rejoice in the reconciliation of others I [49:33] Find justice for sins done against me the same place God does [49:37] in the cross [49:39] That’s why I don’t need to be vengeful. I don’t need to seek revenge

[49:46] Because God killed his son for all our sins

[49:53] See next week is gonna jump right off this idea so miss that

[50:01] Rejoice in your reconciliation

[50:06] Live [50:07] And when I say live I don’t just mean a hobby on the weekends [50:11] I mean literally this is the foundation of what your life exists for live [50:17] For the reconciliation of others

[50:24] Is that

[50:27] Is wisdom that is how you get to the end of your life and say I didn’t waste it I [50:38] Did waste