Garwood Presbyterian Church

341 Spruce Avenue, Garwood, New Jersey 07027

Phone: 908-789-0360

Christ, the Wisdom of God

Scriptures: I Corinthians 1:18-31 and James 3:13-18

Introduction: Wisdom is not what we know, but how we live our life.

Key Question: How did Christ, our example, demonstrate the wisdom of God while He was on earth?

  1. He Did Not Fight Back
    1. When arrested, verbally and physically abused, and when on the cross.
    2. And Jesus tells us, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.", Luke 6:27-28.
    3. We look weak, but it takes great strength.
    4. Do you have that strength? Pray for it. Make a commitment to not fight back.
  2. He Did Not Demand His Rights
    1. Jesus did not go to the Temple, into the Holy of Holies, sit on the Mercy Seat, and demand to be worshipped like He could have.
    2. Don't let your rights be taken away from you by people in weakness and fear. Rather, voluntarily give them away in strength and by your choice to God, especially your right to justice.
    3. Have you done this, or are you fighting for your rights?
  3. He Was Humble
    1. Mat. 11:29, "I am gentle and humble in heart." Philippians 2 "he humbled himself" and "made himself nothing".
    2. Humbleness opens the door between us and God so we can receive from Him. "God ... gives grace to the humble.", James 4:6 and I Peter 5:5.
    3. Humbleness lets the other person be more important than us.
    4. Are you practicing humility?
  4. He Gave and Served
    1. Jesus said that He "did not come to be served, but to serve", Mat. 20:28, and He went to the people and taught, healed, and helped them. He also washed the disciples feet, and said that He had given us an ex-ample. (John 13:1-17) Do you? How? Jesus gave Himself on the cross. How are you giving yourself?
    2. Giving depowers the deadness of selfishness.
    3. It enables us to love, to "Do unto others as we would have them do unto us." (Mat. 7:12, Luke 6:31). And love brings us the life of God, I John 4:7,12,16.
  5. He Was Wise Through His Words
    1. Isaiah 50:4 says of Jesus, "The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary." Do you? Do you say it?
    2. Proverbs 25:11, "A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." Or are you careless with your words?
    3. Jesus spoke "words of life" (John 6:63,68) which are recorded for us in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Do you know them?
    4. Jesus is the Word of God, and the Bible says "Listen to Him!"
  6. He Did God's Will
    1. Jesus said, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work." (John 4:34). He prayed, "Not my will, but thine be done." (Luke 22:42).
    2. When we do God's will, in harmony with His plan: 1) We receive the most from Him. 2) Become the per-son He wants us to be. 3) And do the most with our life.
    3. Or do you feel that "I've got to be me!"? Most people do their own thing, and then wonder why they are unhappy.
    4. Doing God's will is being wise.
  7. He Forgave
    1. While on the cross, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing." (Luke 23:34), while He was also forgiving you and me. Jesus also forgave constantly, every day, as a way of life.
    2. We show wisdom, the wisdom of God, when we forgive.
    3. Because forgiveness stops violence - within and without.
      1. It stops: arguments, fights, spats, and vengeance.
      2. It stops: inner turmoil, anger, and discontent.
    4. Because forgiveness makes us a peacemaker, and "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God." (Mat. 5:9)
    5. Because "Forgive, and you will be forgiven.", Luke 6:37. And "Be merciful, and you will receive mercy.", Mat. 5:7.
    6. Do you wisely make a habit of forgiving?
  8. He Was a Gentle Person
    1. It was said of Jesus, "A bruised reed he will not break.", Mat. 12:20.
    2. People say, "Be tough or they'll take advantage of you!"
    3. But Jesus says, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.", Mat. 5:5.
    4. Gentleness gets more done than harshness.
      1. Not only in the world.
      2. But also within a person.
    5. Are you a gentle person?
  9. He Did Not Use All His Power
    1. "Speak softly and carry a big stick."
    2. We see how big a stick Jesus had through the Transfiguration.
    3. The world's wisdom says, "Intimidate! Use your power!"
    4. But God's wisdom says:
      1. Leave room for the Holy Spirit to produce conviction.
      2. Leave room for self-responsibility to develop.
      3. Leave room for the other person to grow.
    5. Do you use your power to get what you want, or do you let the other person grow?
  10. He Did Not Judge People by Their Outward Appearance
    1. Isaiah 11:3, "He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears", and many times in Matthew and Luke it says, "Jesus knew their thoughts.", and Mark 2:8 says, "Jesus knew in his spirit what they were thinking in their hearts.", and John 2:24 says, "he knew all people".
    2. The world judges by: i) your clothes and your hair, ii) whether you are tall or short, iii) handsome or pretty, or homely and plain, iv) whether you're my color, like me, or one of those "others".
    3. How do you judge? If we judge by the outward, we miss the heart.
    4. I Samuel 16:7 says, "People look at the outward appearance" - but if we want to be like God - "the Lord looks at the heart."
  11. He Perceived and Prophesied the Future
    1. Jesus could because He knew both people and God.
    2. Do you turn to horoscopes or the psychic hot line, or other ungodly sources? Or do you turn to the God who knows the future?
    3. Do you speak up and warn? Or do you stay silent?
    4. With God's wisdom we can discern the times, and then speak of the way of escape for people to go.
  12. He Prayed
    1. Jesus prayed for hours, even all night (Luke 6:12), and He prayed with loud cries and with tears (Hebrews 5:7). How do you pray?
    2. Jesus said, "I am not alone." & "I and the Father are one." (John 8:16 & 10:30) How close are you to God?
    3. The wise Christian spends much time with God in prayer.

Conclusion: What we've seen this evening is how Christ has shown us the wisdom of God through how He lived. We can thank God that we have His example. Now - how do you need to live more wisely with your life?

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