Sermon Tone Analysis

Wisdom in Ministry

Key Verse: “Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom.

And in all your getting, get understanding.”

Proverbs 4:7 NKJV

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to help the disciple see the importance of wisdom in ensuring a successful ministry.

What would you choose?

Success in ministry is not guaranteed.

Many begin and eventually fail.

Most people in ministry feel under-qualified and under-prepared.

Solomon felt this way when as a young man he became king.

At the beginning of his reign, King Solomon went to worship at the house of the LORD.

There God appeared to him in a dream.

2 Chronicles 1:6–7 (NKJV) “And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the Lord, which was at the tabernacle of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

7 On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, ‘Ask!

What shall I give you?”

As Israel’s new king, God offered Solomon anything he wanted.

If God offered you anything you wanted, which one of the following would you choose?

_____ Leisure

_____ Fame

_____ Peace

_____ Wisdom

_____ Prestige

_____ Happiness

_____ Wealth

_____ Knowledge

_____ Money

_____ Popularity

_____ Health

_____ Understanding

_____ Achievement

_____ Favor

_____ Long Life

_____ Discernment

_____ Security

_____ Love

_____ Influence

_____ Friends

_____ Protection

_____ Position

_____ Power

_____ Restoration

King Solomon chose WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE.

2 Chronicles 1:9–10 (NKJV) “Now, O Lord God, let Your promise to David my father be established, for You have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.

10 Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?”

2 Chronicles 1:11–12 (NKJV) “Then God said to Solomon: ‘Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life—but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king—12 wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like.”

Wisdom: The Wise Choice

Wisdom is the ability to make right choices.

Wisdom is the ability to respond in the right way.

Wisdom involves more than knowledge.

Wisdom is the ability to properly use knowledge to make decisions now that will be deemed wise in the future.

Wisdom is embracing God’s principles as universal, binding, and non-optional.

Wisdom is the ability to see and respond to things from God’s perspective.

Wisdom is the ability to see things from the perspective of eternity rather than from the perspective of time.

Wisdom guides, sustains, protects, and delivers.

Without wisdom, we make foolish decisions and render ourselves fools.

Without wisdom, even good things such as love, become distorted, defiled, dominating, and destructive.

Wisdom, therefore, is the wise choice.

With wisdom, God will give us every other GOOD and GODLY thing we could need or desire.

Wisdom is the fountain head of every other spiritual and natural blessing from God.

Proverbs 8:12–21 (NKJV) “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion.

13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.

14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength.

15 By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice.

16 By me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.

17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.

18 Riches and honor are with me, enduring riches and righteousness.

19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, and my revenue than choice silver.

20 I traverse the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice, 21 that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, that I may fill their treasuries.”

Obtaining wisdom must become a PRIORITY in life.

Proverbs 4:7–12 (NKJV) “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom.

And in all your getting, get understanding.

8 Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor, when you embrace her. 9 She will place on your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory she will deliver to you.” 10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many.

11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.

12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble.”

Wisdom is more VALUABLE than any earthly treasure or desire.

Proverbs 3:13–18 (NKJV) “Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; 14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold.

15 She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.

16 Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor.

17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.”

Proverbs 8:11 (NKJV) “For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.”

Wisdom is given by GOD.

Ecclesiastes 7:23 (NKJV) “All this I have proved by wisdom.

I said, ‘I will be wise’; but it was far from me.”

Proverbs 2:6 (NKJV) “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding;”

The FEAR of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.

Wisdom begins when we realize that problems are linked to violations of God’s principles.

Proverbs 9:10 (NKJV) “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Proverbs 14:12 (NKJV) “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”

Proverbs 15:33 (NKJV) “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility.”

Proverbs 3:7 (NKJV) “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil.”

According to Proverbs 2:15, we obtain the fear of the LORD by:

TREASURING God’s commandments.

Inclining our EARS to wisdom.

Inclining our HEARTS to understanding.

CRYING OUT for discernment.

Lifting our VOICE for understanding.

Seek wisdom as SILVER and hidden TREASURE.

God STORES up wisdom from those who are right in His sight.

Proverbs 2:7 (NKJV) “He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly.”