TOPIC: UNUSED POWER
Text: James 3:13-18
Introduction:
(ILL. There’s a story about a wealthy man who was terminally ill. The doctor said, "There’s only one thing that will save you. A brain transplant. It’s an experimental operation. And it’s very expensive." The wealthy guy said, "Money is no object. Can you get me a brain?" The doctor said, "We have three available right now. The first one was from a college professor. But it’ll cost you $10,000." The guy said, "Don’t worry. I can pay, it will make me more wiser. What about the second brain?" The doctor said, "It was from a rocket scientist. It’ll cost you $100,000." The man said, "I have the money. And I’d be a lot smarter too. But tell me about the third brain." The doctor said, "The third brain is from a Chicago Bear football player. But it would set you back a million dollars." The man said, "A million dollars? Why so much for his brain?" The doctor said, "It’s never been used.") We too have unused power in us, above us, around us, everywhere, not our brain, but it is called WISDOM!
We always hear the word wisdom; we even like to become wise like Solomon. But what really wisdom is and how wisdom can do to a person?
This morning we will continue to discuss the book of James and our series, “A Life Who Makes a Difference!”. Let’s open our Bible in James 3:13-18 (read). Let us pray first.
v. 13 shows that wisdom is present to anyone, so the question here is not do you have wisdom but what kind of wisdom do you, is it really wisdom or wish-doom? From our text we will see truths about this topic, wisdom and even the power that in it if properly tap the right one and properly use.
1. SOURCE OF WISDOM (v. 15)
I Corinthians 1:18-2:1-16 – wisdom of this world is foolishness to God, but the wisdom from God is foolishness to those who don’t have God in their heart. Genesis 3:6, “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her and he ate it.” She saw the fruit and was thinking to eat it to gain wisdom. If we go back a little bit we can see where this notion came from vs. 4-5, “You will not surely die, the serpent said to the woman. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” From these verses we can see that there are surely two sources of wisdom. God and the devil, heavenly and the earthly wisdom.
A. HEAVENLY WISDOM – come from God – Proverbs 2:6, “For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”. Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Heavenly kingdom comes from God; He is the only source of this kind of wisdom. Now what is this heavenly wisdom? James 1:5 said, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will given to him.” When James said this he is referring on how ones life should live. He is talking about trials, temptation and how to face it. It means that wisdom is not an acquired knowledge from our study, or passing an exam, or having a good career and job, etc. Heavenly wisdom is way of life, attitude, character. Proverbs 1:20-21, “Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech.” Solomon is talking wisdom her as if wisdom is a person calling, crying, shouting, raising her voice in the street, everywhere. So when James said, “If you lack wisdom…” he refers to how we should live according to God’s Word. The context of James letter is about being doer and not juts hearer of God’s Word.
B. EARTHLY WISDOM – on the other side earthly wisdom comes from the prince of this world, the devil (Genesis 3:4-6). It is a wisdom relying on what a man and flesh can do, according to the desire of the flesh, according to the old nature as James mentioned. It is actually foolishness before God. It is living according to mans plan and desire.
C. What is the source of your wisdom? Do you have a heavenly wisdom or earthly one?
2. EXPRESSION OF WISDOM (vv. 13-18)
(ILL. Two factory workers were talking. "I know how to get some time off from work." said the man. "How do you think you will do that?" said the other one. He proceeded to show her...by climbing up to the rafters, and hanging upside down. The boss walked in, saw the worker hanging from the ceiling, and asked him what on earth he was doing? "I’m a light bulb" answered the guy. "I think you need some time off," said the boss. So, the man jumped down and walked out of the factory. The second worker began walking out too. The boss asked her where did she think she was going? "Home. I can’t work in the dark.") Being wise of this world means, nakaisa ka, o kaya nakalusot ka, o kaya nakalamang ka, etc. But is this really what true wisdom is? What is really the expression or demonstrations of true wisdom? (ILL. The Wisest man on earth). (ILL. A judge enters the courtroom, strikes the gavel and says, "Before I begin this trial, I have an announcement to make. The lawyer for the defense has paid me P15, 000 to swing the case his way. The lawyer for the plaintiff has paid me P10, 000 to swing the case her way. In order to make this a fair trial, I am returning P5, 000 to the defense.") We can say that all these are expressions and demonstrations of wisdom but again what wisdom do you demonstrate?
A. HEAVENLY WISDOM – good life & deeds done in humility (ILL. Jesus is the best example of this kind of wisdom – Philippians 2:1-8 (read)).
B. EARTHLY WISDOM – bitter envy & selfish ambition (boasting & denying the truth)
C. Pastor Ed Lapiz in his message about Solomon’s Wise Move, he said that if you were wise you would not make quarrel to your neighbor or someone else, because you will become the loser. Just think that whenever you come across the person you don’t look at him or her, you change way, etc. That is why James wrote here that heavenly wisdom is express by having a good life and deeds done in humility. Take notice that James didn’t say “nice life”. Because being nice means man’s pleaser, doing things in his own way. Compare that to the expression of earthly wisdom, which is bitter envy and selfish ambition. Earthly wisdom is selfish, self-centered, just thinking of oneself interests rather than God and other centered which is the mark of heavenly wisdom. (Note: Jesus said that earthly wisdom is, “Tooth for a tooth, eye for an eye” but Heavenly Wisdom, “Give your other cheek”) Kaya pag may madayang magtitinda sa palengke ng isda at nagtanong ka kung magkano at sinabing P100 sabihin mo, “Ang mura naman! Puwede bang P110 na lang?” at saka mo ibigay ang pera, mapapatanga iyon at ang gagawin hihilingan ka nag lang at ang hiling ay higit sa kalahati o di nakamura ka. Utak lang iyan!
D. How is the expressions, the demonstrations of your wisdom is it God centered and looking for others welfare rather than being selfish or self-centered?
1. FRUIT OF WISDOM (vv. 16, 18, see also James 4:1-3)
A. HEAVENLY WISDOM – order & raise a harvest of righteousness (pure, peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, good fruit, impartial and sincere)
B. EARTHLY WISDOM – disorder & evil practices (unspiritual, of the devil)
C. Solomon discovered when he said in Ecclesiastes 1:12-18; 2:12-16 read.
Conclusion:
Wisdom is more than being wise as the world understand, it is more than knowledge, it is not an ability to answer all the questions in the test paper, or passing an exam, an interview or even having a good career and job, or being popular and powerful, being rich and famous. But true wisdom that comes from God is a way of living, an attitude of the heart. That is why James said that the expressions of heavenly wisdom are “good life” & “deeds done in humility”. It is more than head knowledge but heart knowledge, more than having big head & brain but big heart. That is also why Solomon said that wisdom is calling everywhere, because wisdom is an everyday life according to what God wants you to live your life everyday. If you do this, then heavenly kingdom, true kingdom is in you! Proverbs 4:7, “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” Solomon in Ecclesiastes writes that wisdom of this world is vanity, useless (Ecc. 1:12-18) he is talking here about earthly wisdom because in his conclusion in Ecc. 12:9-14, specially vv. 13-14 he said, “Now all has been heard: here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing whether it is good or evil.”
