Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction - Knowing What to Do
I have heard wisdom defined as applied knowledge
It is something than only comes through experience
That is why experience/wisdom is something that most business owners and hiring managers are looking for and want to pay premium dollar for (usually)
Consider for instance this example from Henry Ford
Automaker Henry Ford asked electrical genius Charlie Steinmetz to build the generators for his factory.
One day the generators ground to a halt, and the repairman could not find the problem.
So Ford called Steinmetz, who tinkered with the machines for a few hours and then threw the switch.
The generators whirred to life — Ford received a bill for $10,000 from Steinmetz.
Flabbergasted, the rather tightfisted car maker inquired why the bill was so high.”
Steinmetz’s reply: For tinkering with the generators, $10 and for knowing where to tinker $9,990.
Ford paid the bill
Consider this fictional example and perhaps this can be applied to your situation
Ralph had worked for his company for almost 15 years and he had always been one of the top salesmen.
But the economy had slowed down to a snail’s pace and no one was placing orders with him anymore.
The pressure was really beginning to mount, and past performance and years of service didn’t count for anything.
The boss called him in and said, “If you don’t get out there and drum up some business in a hurry, I’ll find someone who will”.
So the heat was turned up another notch.
What was Ralph to do?
He was already working harder than he ever had, spending more time on the road, knocking on more doors, but he had very little to show for his efforts, and his deadline was rapidly approaching.
There was one thing he could do.
There were some good sales that he knew were coming in a couple of months, and he could fudge on the paperwork and make it look as if he had already closed them.
That would satisfy the boss for a while until something else came along.
The more he thought about it and the greater the pressure on him, the more he was able to rationalize away the unethical nature of his plan.
And in the end he told his wife that he had even prayed about it and felt that God wanted him to do this to protect his family.
This situation as I said is fictional, but maybe some of you have been or are in situations where the pressure is so great, that like Ralph you are considering to do something that you would never do any other time.
James began his letter on the topic of trials
This portion before us this morning deals with the wisdom and is in the context of trials - although obtaining wisdom can be in or out of trials
James wants us to understand the importance of having wisdom in trials
You see, when pressure mounts on us, the normally clear lines of right and wrong may start to blur
Or as the heat is turned up we dont fully see how to react and respond and walk in a godly way
SLIDE
The greater the pressure the harder it will be to walk in a Christ honoring way
While life wisdom and worldy wisdom come from applied and learned knowledge James wants us to know that there is a greater wisdom available to us
The verses before us this morning will teach us how we obtain this greater wisdom necessary for Christian living in or out of trials
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James 1:5-
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Ask for Wisdom
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James starts off and writes - “If any of you lacks wisdom”
Its funny to me, because James could have said - if any of you breathes oxygen
We all lack wisdom
Knowledge is raw information and wisdom is how to use raw information rightly
Not just worldly wisdom - but Spiritual wisdom
Someone once said that knowledge is the ability to take things apart but wisdom is ability to put things together
SLIDE
Spiritual wisdom helps us put things together spiritually
SLIDE - William MacDonald
Spiritual wisdom is the practical application of our Lord’s teachings to everyday situations
lack is a banking term - literally meaning a shortage or deficiency of wisdom
Part of what James is trying to say here is anyone who acknowledges their lack of wisdom
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The first step in addressing a spiritual need is acknowledging that you have a spiritual need
Why do we have a hard time acknowledging our need of wisdom
James’s time - there were gnostics who claimed to have the answer to everything or the philosophers
In our time today - we dont trust most authority - however we trust the internet, google, youtube, and most book authors - even if they are fictional - but especially if they are how to or self-motivational
Perhaps we don feel we lack wisdom - because we have so much worldly knowledge around us
James writes this in the middle of talking about trials because trials have a way of showing us we lack
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In our time of need we become painfully aware of our shortage of wisdom
We dont have to face life in our own severely lacking wisdom
James not only lets us know and recognize our lack of wisdom he shares with us where we can find the wisdom we lack
If any of you lacks wisdom - let him ask of God
James says that we can ask of God for wisdom
Which makes perfect sense as all wisdom and knowledge come from God
If when the time comes and we realize we lack wisdom we should come before God and tell Him of our ignorance and perplexity of the situation - this should be first
SLIDE - Spurgeon
We are all so ready to go to books, to go to men, to go to ceremonies, to anything except to God… Consequently, the text does not say, ‘Let him ask books’, nor ‘ask priests,’ but ‘let him ask of God’
The text also reads that we should keep on asking of God - this isnt a one time deal
We can ask of God - because of who God is
Our God is a giver - He gives
Notice the text says we ask of God -who gives!
We dont have to buy from God and we dont demand of God, nor earn from God
We come humbly as a beggar asking of God - who gives
God gives to all liberally - freely
some argue for the sense of this word to be unconditionally or graciously
the other sense is abundantly and generously - to which I say yes to both!
I have never read in the Bible about any whom God has held back wisdom from those who asked (genuinely)
I have read this in proverbs though concerning Wisdom
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We wouldnt have proverbs if it werent for Solmon - who was known as the wisest man who ever lived
How did he become so wise?
SLIDE - God asked Him what He should give him
1 Kings 3:4-5
SLIDE - Solomon recognized he lacked wisdom
1 Kings 3:7-8
SLIDE - Solomon asked for wisdom - the Lord gave generously
1 Kings 3:913
God gives without reproach
You wont be offending or insulted for asking
God wont make you feel stupid
He wont scold you
Literally Gods giving is not humiliating
He never resent us for asking of Him
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God gives without reproach - this should give us encouragement to ask of Him OFTEN
It will be given to the one who asks
This is a promise of scripture - one that we should remember — God promises to give wisdom to those who ask!
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