Sunday Sermon
WHY DOES THE CHURCH AND INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIANS NEED GODLY WISDOM?
Date: January 20, 2008
Speaker: Pastor Gerry Gregoire
Scriptural Reference: Proverbs 3:13-18
Listen to Audio Sermon

PROVERBS 3:13-18
13Happy (blessed, fortunate, enviable) is the man who finds skillful and godly Wisdom, and the man who gets understanding [drawing it forth from God's Word and life's experiences],
14For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver, and the profit of it better than fine gold.
15Skillful and godly Wisdom is more precious than rubies; and nothing you can wish for is to be compared to her.
16Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand are riches and honor.
17Her ways are highways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18She is a tree of life to those who lay hold on her; and happy (blessed, fortunate, to be envied) is everyone who holds her fast.

IT BECOMES QUITE OBVIOUS AFTER READING THAT SCRIPTURE THAT THIS TYPE OF WISDOM IS NECESSARY IN THE CHURCH AND IN EVERY INDIVIDUAL’S LIFE.

AS WE ENTER THE NEW YEAR WE NEED TO KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF GODLY WISDOM AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IT AND WORLDLY WISDOM.

THE OPENING SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT INDIVIDUALS THAT POSSES THIS TYPE OF WISDOM ARE BLESSED AND WILL HAVE UNDERSTANDING. THAT IT’S BETTER THAN WORLDLY STUFF SUCH AS SILVER AND GOLD. ALSO THAT NOTHING THAT WE COULD WISH FOR CAN BE COMPARED WITH IT. IT HOLDS LENGTH OF DAYS IN IT’S RIGHT HAND AND RICHES AND HONOR IN IT’S LEFT HAND. PLEASANTNESS AND PEACE. IT SHOULD BE HELD ONTO AND ENVIED BY ALL.

PATIENCE IS SO OFTEN MISSING IN CHRISTIAN CHARACTER, YET LOOK WHAT PROVERB 19:11 SAYS: –
11Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense.

RESTRAINING ANGER AND OVERLOOKING TRANSGRESSION SOUNDS LIKE PATIENCE TO ME.

LOOK AT WHAT PROVERB 24:5 SAYS: –
5A wise man is strong and is better than a strong man, and a man of knowledge increases and strengthens his power;

WISDOM CAN MAKE YOU STRONG AND BETTER THAN A STRONG MAN.

LOOK AT PROVERB 24:14 –
14So shall you know skillful and godly Wisdom to be thus to your life; if you find it, then shall there be a future and a reward, and your hope and expectation shall not be cut off.

IT WILL GIVE YOU HOPE AND EXPECTATION.

LUKE 2:52 –
52And Jesus increased in wisdom (in broad and full understanding) and in stature and years, and in favor with God and man.

OUR SAVIOR GREW IN PHYSICAL SIZE BUT ALSO GREW IN WISDOM. SO MUCH SO THAT HE WAS ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THE WISE MEN OF THE DAY WHEN HE WAS ONLY 12.
WISDOM BRINGS THE FAVOR OF GOD.

PROVERB 28:6
26He who leans on, trusts in, and is confident of his own mind and heart is a [self-confident] fool, but he who walks in skillful and godly Wisdom shall be delivered.

WE ARE SAYING THAT THERE IS SAFETY IN GODLY WISDOM THAT WILL DELIVER YOU FROM ANY SITUATION.

MOST PEOPLE ARE SO USE TO THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD BECAUSE IT MAKES MORE SENSE THAN GODLY WISDOM. WITH GOD’S WISDOM, YOU HAVE GOT TO GIVE TO GET AND YOU HAVE GOT TO DIE TO LIVE. YOU MUST ALSO LOVE YOUR ENEMIES AND FOLLOW A LEADER THAT DIED A TRAGIC DEATH ON THE CROSS AND ALL OF HIS FOLLOWERS DIED GRUESOME DEATHS. AND DON’T FORGET THE FACT THAT WHEN YOUR WEAK YOU ARE STRONG. THE WORLD DOES NOT LOOK AT THINGS THAT WAY BUT WE ASSOCIATE WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE A WORLDLY WISDOM AND IF WE ARE NOT CAREFUL WE CAN START BELIEVING LIKE THEY DO.

LOOK WHAT PAUL TELLS THE CORINTHIANS IN 1 COR 1:19-25
19For it is written, I will baffle and render useless and destroy the learning of the learned and the philosophy of the philosophers and the cleverness of the clever and the discernment of the discerning; I will frustrate and nullify [them] and bring [them] to nothing.
20Where is the wise man (the philosopher)? Where is the scribe (the scholar)? Where is the investigator (the logician, the debater) of this present time and age? Has not God shown up the nonsense and the folly of this world's wisdom?
21For when the world with all its earthly wisdom failed to perceive and recognize and know God by means of its own philosophy, God in His wisdom was pleased through the foolishness of preaching [salvation, procured by Christ and to be had through Him], to save those who believed (who clung to and trusted in and relied on Him).
22For while Jews [demandingly] ask for signs and miracles and Greeks pursue philosophy and wisdom,
23We preach Christ (the Messiah) crucified, [preaching which] to the Jews is a scandal and an offensive stumbling block [that springs a snare or trap], and to the Gentiles it is absurd and utterly unphilosophical nonsense.
24But to those who are called, whether Jew or Greek (Gentile), Christ [is] the Power of God and the Wisdom of God.
25[This is] because the foolish thing [that has its source in] God is wiser than men, and the weak thing [that springs] from God is stronger than men.

GOD IS IN THE BUSINESS OF DESTROYING ALL THE WISDOM OF MAN WITH WHAT APPEARS TO BE FOOLISHNESS.

PROVERB 8:11 TELLS US —
11For skillful and godly Wisdom is better than rubies or pearls, and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it

ANYTHING YOU CAN DESIRE WILL NEVER BE AS IMPORTANT AND AS GREAT AS GOD’S WISDOM.

LOOK AT JAMES 3:17 –
17But the wisdom from above is first of all pure (undefiled); then it is peace-loving, courteous (considerate, gentle). [It is willing to] yield to reason, full of compassion and good fruits; it is wholehearted and straightforward, impartial and unfeigned (free from doubts, wavering, and insincerity).

JAMES IS TELLING US WHERE IT COMES FROM AND WHAT WISDOM IS, HE SAYS IT’S PURE, PEACE-LOVING, COURTEOUS, YIELDS TO REASON, FULL OF COMPASSION AND GOOD FRUITS ALONG WITH OTHER GREAT THINGS. AND IT’S FROM HEAVEN.

REALLY, IT SEEMS TO BE EVERYTHING THAT MANKIND IS LACKING IN THIS GENERATION AND EVEN IN MANY LIVES IN THE CHURCH. MY QUESTION IS IF YOU ARE LACKING THESE THINGS HOW CAN YOU BE AN EFFECTIVE CHRISTIAN? THEY SEEM TO BE LACKING IN MANY PEOPLE AND GOD STILL HAS A MASSIVE JOB MAKING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY NEED HIS WISDOM.

NOW, WISDOM IS NOT KNOWLEDGE, BUT IT IS KNOWING WHAT TO DO WITH THE KNOWLEDGE YOU HAVE AND IT TELLS US WHAT KNOWLEDGE YOU NEED TO HAVE. BY THE WAY, THAT KNOWLEDGE WE NEED TO HAVE IS IN GOD’S WORD. DO YOU REMEMBER WWJD? THAT IS STILL VALID TODAY BY THE WAY.

WE NEED GOD’S WISDOM IN OUR HOMES WITH OUR FAMILIES. DO YOU KNOW WHY? IT’S BECAUSE STRONG CHURCHES ARE MADE UP OF STRONG FAMILIES. MOST HUSBANDS AND WIVES DON’T PRAY TOGETHER. IN SOME FAMILIES ONLY ONE PARENT IS SAVED AND GOING TO CHURCH.. THE DEVIL KNOWS THAT STRONG FAMILIES MAKE STRONG CHURCHES AND THAT IS WHY WE HAVE SO MANY BROKEN FAMILIES. THE DEVIL HATES FAMILIES.

HUSBANDS, DO YOU REALLY LOVE YOUR WIVES? I MEAN REALLY LOVE YOUR WIVES. AND WIVES ARE YOU REALLY SUBMITTING YOURSELVES TO YOUR HUSBANDS? JUST THINK ABOUT THOSE QUESTIONS FOR A FEW SECONDS.

LOOK AT EPHESIANS 5:25 –
25Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

ARE HUSBANDS WILLING TO GIVE THEMSELVES FOR THEIR WIVES AS CHRIST GAVE HIS LIFE FOR THE CHURCH? THE DIVORCE RATE TELLS ME NO! EVEN IN THE CHURCH, THIS RATE IS GOING UP EVERYDAY. THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT GODLY WISDOM IS NOT BEING PRACTICED IN THE HOME AND MAYBE NOT EVEN ASKED FOR FROM GOD.

IT’S THE SAME FOR WIVES. LOOK AT EPHESIANS 5:22 –
22Wives, be subject (be submissive and adapt yourselves) to your own husbands as [a service] to the Lord.
WIVES ARE NOT BEING SUBMISSIVE TO THEIR HUSBANDS AS UNTO THE LORD. COMMON NOW, LET’S GET REAL

WELL PASTOR, YOU MIGHT SAY, HOW DO WE GET THIS WISDOM? GOOD QUESTION AND I”M GLAD YOU ASKED.

LOOK AT JAMES 1:5 –
5If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.

JAMES MAKES IT SOUND SIMPLE, JUST ASK GOD FOR IT!

HOWEVER, IN VERSE 6-7 HE LAYS DOWN THE GROUNDWORK.
6Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. 7For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord,

NO WAVERING (NOT WISHY-WASHY) NO DOUBT OR HESITATION. BECAUSE IF YOU DO WAVER YOUR NOT GOING TO GET A THING FROM GOD.
AND THERE LIES THE PROBLEM. PEOPLE DON’T OPERATE IN LOVE AND WE KNOW THAT FAITH WORKS BY LOVE.

GAL 5:6
6For [if we are] in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love.

IF YOU GET WISDOM BY FAITH AND LOVE IS NOT A PART OF YOUR LIFE, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET WISDOM. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

NOW, I USED MARRIAGE AS AN EXAMPLE BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE CAN IDENTIFY WITH IT. BUT GODLY WISDOM NEEDS TO COME INTO PLAY IN ALL AREAS OF YOUR LIFE. I.E. DEALING WITH CHILDREN, ATTITUDES AT WORK AND WITH ALL PEOPLE IN GENERAL. HOW WE DISPENSE OUR FINANCES. EVERY CHOICE OR DISCISION YOU MAKE NEEDS TO HAVE GOD’S WISDOM ATTACHED TO IT. WE READ GOD’S WISDOM AND IT SAYS BRING ALL YOUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS INTO MY STOREHOUSE AND RIGHT AWAY WE BECOME DEFENSIVE WITH WORLDLY WISDOM AND SAY SOMETHING LIKE THIS, “ IF I GIVE 10 PERCENT THAN I ONLY HAVE 90 PERCENT LEFT. HOW AM I GOING TO PAY MY BILLS?”

ALL, NOW GET THIS, ALL OF GOD’S WORD IS WISDOM. BUT IT DOESN’T REGISTER WHEN WE READ IT WITH A CARNAL MIND AND THAT’S WHAT MANY PEOPLE DO A GOOD PART OF THE TIME. I THINK WE HAVE BECOME AFRAID TO ASK GOD FOR HIS ADVISE BECAUSE WE ARE SURE HE WANTS TO HURT US OR ROB US BLIND.

WHAT KIND OF A PERSON ASKS GOD FOR HIS WISDOM?

LOOK AT 1 KINGS 3:3-4 —
3Solomon loved the Lord, walking [at first] in the statutes and practices of David his father, only he sacrificed and burned incense in the high places. 4The king went to Gibeon [near Jerusalem, where stood the tabernacle and the bronze altar] to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. One thousand burnt offerings Solomon offered on that altar.

THE TYPE OF MAN WAS SOLOMON WHO LOVED THE LORD, KEPT HIS COMMANDMENTS AND GAVE GOD MANY OFFERINGS. HE CONTINUALLY CULTIVATED HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS GOD AND OUR GOD. HE WAS A MAN THAT WAS GOD FOCUSED AND SET ON PLEASING HIS LORD.

LOOK AT WHAT GOD DID IN 1 KINGS 3:5-9 –
5In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. And God said, Ask what I shall give you. 6Solomon said, You have shown to Your servant David my father great mercy and loving-kindness, according as he walked before You in faithfulness, righteousness, and uprightness of heart with You; and You have kept for him this great kindness and steadfast love, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne this day.
7Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of David my father, and I am but a lad [in wisdom and experience]; I know not how to go out (begin) or come in (finish).
8Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people who cannot be counted for multitude.
9So give Your servant an understanding mind and a hearing heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and bad. For who is able to judge and rule this Your great people?

GOD WAS SO PLEASED WITH WHAT SOLOMON WAS ASKING FOR HE WENT A STEP FURTHER:

LOOK AT VERSE 10-14
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11God said to him, Because you have asked this and have not asked for long life or for riches, nor for the lives of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to recognize what is just and right, 12Behold, I have done as you asked. I have given you a wise, discerning mind, so that no one before you was your equal, nor shall any arise after you equal to you. 13I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings equal to you all your days. 14And if you will go My way, keep My statutes and My commandments as your father David did, then I will lengthen your days.

BESIDES WISDOM, HE GETS RICHES AND HONOR ALSO. HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT IF YOU KEEP GOING MY WAY THIS WILL BE FOREVER. ALL THIS BECAUSE HE HAD ASKED GOD FOR HIS WISDOM.
THAT IS WHAT GOD WANTS TO DO FOR YOU IF YOU ASK HIM SINCERELY FOR HIS WISDOM IN YOUR LIFE. HE WAS EVEN PROMISED A LONGER LIFE. YOU CAN’T BEAT THAT!

MANY IN THE CHURCH TODAY ARE NOT DOING WHAT SOLOMON FIRST DID. MANY ARE NOT FRIENDS WITH GOD, THEY GIVE HIM FEW OFFERINGS AND THEY ARE NOT CULTIVATING A GODLY RELATIONSHIP ON A DAILY BASIS. SO NOW, IF WE ASK GOD FOR WISDOM AND DON’T HAVE LOVE IN OUR LIVES AND WE CONTINUE TO WALK IN THE WAYS OF THE WORLD, WE WILL NOT GET OUR REQUEST FOR WISDOM.

LOOK AT 1KINGS 11:1-10 –
1BUT KING Solomon [defiantly] loved many foreign women--the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites. 2They were of the very nations of whom the Lord said to the Israelites, You shall not mingle with them, neither shall they mingle with you, for surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods. Yet Solomon clung to these in love.
3He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines, and his wives turned away his heart from God. 4For when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not perfect (complete and whole) with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.
5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abominable idol of the Ammonites! 6Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as David his father did.
7Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abominable idol of Moab, on the hill opposite Jerusalem, and for Molech the abominable idol of the Ammonites. 8And he did so for all of his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
9And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord, the God of Israel, Who had appeared to him twice, 10And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods, but he did not do what the Lord commanded.

SOLOMON’S END CAME WHEN HE GOT HIS EYES OFF OF GOD AND UNTO WORLDLY THINGS. HE STARTED TO WALK IN WORLDLY WISDOM. HE WAS CAUGHT UP WITH FLESHLY PLEASURES AND PHYSICAL SATISFACTION AND EVENTUALLY HE WOULD LOSE ALL THAT HE HAD, YET, BECAUSE OF HIS FATHER, DAVID, GREATNESS HE WOULD CONTINUE TO REIGN AND HIS SON WOULD LOSE PART OF THE KINGDOM. MAN, GOD IS SO GOOD! THE CHURCH NEEDS TO GET IT’S EYES OFF OF THE WORLD’S WISDOM AND BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAVING THE WISDOM OF GOD WILL BRING INTO OUR INDIVIDUAL LIVES AND THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH. SUCCESS IN 2008 IS VERY DEPENDENT ON THAT ACT.

THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE, MUCH OF MAN’S WISDOM AND GOD’S WISDOM ARE DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED. WHAT WONDERFUL BENEFITS ACCOMPANY GOD’S WISDOM, WISDOM THAT IS OURS FOR THE ASKING, BELIEVING, AND OUR OBEDIENCE: UNDERSTANDING THE FEAR OF THE LORD AND FINDING THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, PROTECTION, UNDERSTANDING, BEING SAVED FROM THE WAYS OF WICKED MEN, LONG LIFE, RICHES, HONOR, PEACE, PATIENCE, GREAT POWER, AND FUTURE HOPE WILL NOT BE CUT OFF. THE PERSON WHO WOULD BE TRULY WISE SEEKS GOD’S WISDOM WITH ALL HIS HEART.