Wisdom traits to acquire
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Christian Conduct
Christian Conduct
As a Christian we are charged to be “Christ like” hence the name Christian. A term that was derogatory at first (Act11:26) and can be today too. Our mind and our actions should display that we are Christians. May God’s word transform us (Rom12:2) and conform us (Rom8:29) with the traits we find in His Word.
26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
In trying to keep in context let me (summarize Act11:19-26)
The Christians were scattered because of persecution (v.19) and many made their way to the Phoenician area of Antioch.
Many came to believe there and turned to the Lord (v.21)
Good news travels and Barnabas hears it in Jerusalem and sets out to go there but to find Paul, who actually was still called Paul in this passage (vv.22-25)
So the first calling of Christians was disciples who believed and were added to the number during a time it was not popular to be a Jesus follower.
A Jesus follower is one who is being changed, transformed.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Transformed so you may prove you are a Christian by doing God’s will, which is good, acceptable and perfect.
A Jesus follower is not conformed to the world but to the image of Christ
29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
There are many traits in the Bible that we are not to have such as some found in (Eph4:19-28) For us to grasp the traits we are to have, to acquire maybe we should look at the ones we are not to have too.
19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
Sensuality, impurity, greed
22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
Lusts of deceit
Other traits not to have
25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.
Falsehood, anger, stealing.
When you think of conduct what do you think? What does conduct mean?
con·duct (noun) the manner in which a person behaves, especially on a particular occasion or in a particular context.
Our conduct will display our character. Our character will be something that attracts or detours someone from even investigating being a Christian. So our conduct, our character matter!
Acquire: Integrity
Acquire: Integrity
Integrity, we are to be people of integrity, not the worlds integrity but God’s as a disciple of Christ, so let’s look at what the Bible has to say about integrity.
When you think of integrity, what do you think of? What does integrity mean?
in·teg·ri·ty; (noun) 1.the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.2. The state of being whole and undivided.
Integrity, conduct of honesty, conviction, uprightness and being devoted and undivided.
When you think in the bible of people that were of integrity who do you think of?
How about Job? (Job2:3)
3 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.”
God calls Job a man of integrity!
How about integrity displayed (Job2:9; 2Cor1:12)
9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!”
Job’s wife calls him a man of integrity
Hey, interesting fact, the word integrity is not used in the N.T. but it is implied
12 For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.
implied by conduct; conduct that is instructed in the O.T.
Integrity instructed (Pro19:1; Pro10:9; Pro2:7)
1 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.
How about
9 He who walks in integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out.
and
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
So, someone who acquires integrity as a part of their Christian character is one who is not perverse in speech and is a fool. He is one who walks securely; and the Lord is a shield for them. So be one who acquires integrity and displays it in conduct.
Acquire: Obedience
Acquire: Obedience
To acquire or learn obedience either way it is a good trait for the Christian to have. It is by obedience that our faith was brought about (Rom5:19)
19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.
So obedience, what does it mean?
o·be·di·ence (noun) compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another's authority.
Be obedience so as to protect your soul (Pro19:16)
16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of conduct will die.
Obedience protects your soul! So what kind of obedience do we need?
Fear of the Lord is obedient (Pro19:23)
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.
Obedience is ear of the Lord, the reverence because of God’s character and nature that will lead to life. Eternal life that is available to those who walk in integrity and obedience. Knowing, having that assurance that you are untouched by evil.
Now, untouched by evil does not mean not hurt by evil of this fallen world, but unharmed for salvation sake. And that leads us to:
What we are obedient to matters (Rom6:16)
16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
Your choices, you decision, your presentation and your results, it’s personal and it’s eternal.
Obeying the gospel is a must or else (2The1:8; 1Pt4:17)
8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
Now that is really not good to give you a verse that proves what I’m saying, we need to look in context to make sure what God is saying through the inspired writer.
5 This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. 6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,
8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed.
Can you see the importance of obedience, but here is one more
17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
A good quote about obedience to the gospel or obedience itself look at what Thomas a Kempis said.
“Instant obedience is the only kind of obedience there is; delayed obedience is disobedience. Whoever strives to withdraw from obedience, withdraws from grace.”
The person who is a person of integrity, who is walking in obedience has good moral conduct and not just that, but godly conduct too! Conduct that leads to transformation and conformity to Christ.
This leads us to the next trait to acquire
Acquire: Knowledge
Acquire: Knowledge
Proverbs if full of passages that tell us to acquire wisdom and acquire knowledge so that is a good trait to have for our Christian walk.
When you think of knowledge, what do you say the definition is?
knowl·edge (noun) 1. facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. 2. awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.
Acquire knowledge or it is good for you (Pro19:2)
2 Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, And he who hurries his footsteps errs.
Where the passage tells us it is not good to be without knowledge, notice what else it says. So don’t be in a rush, acquiring knowledge is a process.
Acquire knowledge and you will find good (Pro19:8)
8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.
We are to acquire it for it is for our own good and when applied we will find good.
Acquire knowledge, listen for it and do not stray (Pro19:27)
27 Cease listening, my son, to discipline, And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
WARNING, WARNING, WARNING - - - don’t stop seeking, don’t stop listening for when you do you will stray from the words of knowledge, words of truth.
Acquire knowledge, seek it and you will prove to be prudent (Pro18:15)
15 The mind of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
So be prudent be wise, acquire knowledge, acquire and apply
Acquire knowledge: Jesus came to give it to us (Lk1:77)
77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins,
The knowledge Jesus came to give was salvation, salvation by the forgiveness of sins. Then, after there was forgiveness of sins Paul expands and exhorts
Acquire knowledge: was part of Paul’s prayer (Eph1:17)
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.
So that we may know Christ more! For in knowing, in having this knowledge it helps us to grow.
For when we acquire knowledge it helps with unity and maturity of the faith (Eph4:13)
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
Oh wait, again not good to pull just one verse; Paul was speaking of the gifts given to the church that promote and protect the unity of the church. So the those gifts are found here
11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
and finally
16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
What a powerful prayer that is filled with knowledge for application (from Eph4:11-17; Col1:9-10)
Given to equip for the works of service
Given for the building up of the saints
Given for a reason to attain the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God to a mature man.
To a mature man, to the fullness of Christ, sounds like the transformation process and the confirmation of what we are to believe in and apply when we are wise and we acquire knowledge
So what are the results? Look at
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Walking in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him, bearing fruit in every good work!
We need to have the right knowledge though don’t we?
Acquire the right knowledge
Acquire the right knowledge
We can make lots of plans in this life, plans that impact our life and even can the lives of those around us. But know this, the right knowledge, knowledge of the truth will stand in the heart of the Christian.
We can have many planes, but seeks God’s counsel (Pro19:21) and the Lord’s will (Jam4:14-15)
21 Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand.
Let the Lord’s will be done and seek the Lord’s will be done.
14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”
God has given us eyes and ears to use to acquire the right knowledge (Pro20:12)
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The Lord has made both of them.
With the eyes, with the ears given God has made Himself known (Rom1:18-20) and man is without excuse.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Applied knowledge, the right knowledge you will be free (Jn8:31-32)
31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
Finally, the right knowledge of the truth will lead us to eternal life and not facing death (Jn8:51)
51 “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.”
So not only do we want the wisdom traits of integrity, obedience , knowledge and specific knowledge, that of the truth that makes us free, we need to apply it when we acquire it.
(encouragement slide) encouragement/prayer (Exit slide)