The Harvest of Righteousness
The importance of living your life based on the wisdom of God.
George Wright
Jul 21, 2019 39m
In this sermon Pastor George Wright teaches us the importance of living your life based on the wisdom of God rather than on the wisdom of the world. He explains wisdom from above, from God, is full of the fruits and brings a harvest of righteousness. In contrast, following the wisdom of the world will lead to chaos. Video recorded at Columbia, South Carolina.
TranscriptionmessageRegarding Grammar:
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
George Wright: 00:00 Hey, let me encourage you to grab your Bible, and we're going to jump right into James chapter 3. If you're new to Bible study, or perhaps you don't have a Bible with you, we want you to know there's Bibles all over the room and we would encourage you to grab a copy of the word of God. Whether it's on your phone, or from the pew in front of you, or the Bible you have a with you, so that you can see for yourself what the word of God is saying. Please don't just take our word for it. Please read for yourself what the word of God says. James is near the end of the New Testament, right near the end of the story.
George Wright: 00:34 This is a very important letter written to the church, that teaches the church how we should now live in light of the good news of the gospel. When the gospel is the foundation for your life, the word of God shows us that our life will begin to change. It's not that we tried to change so that we can earn the love of God. It's not that we behave a certain way so that we can be worthy of God's love. No, in the grace of God, we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. And when that salvation comes into our life, it begins to change us from the inside out, and that's what James talks about all throughout this letter.
George Wright: 01:15 In chapter 3 specifically, it talks about the power of our words, the power of the tongue. And that the things that we say, are actually an expression of what is going on in our heart, our words matter. And then as we come to the end of chapter three, our focus for today, we see that the word of God is showing us that there there are two types of wisdom. There is a wisdom that comes down from above, and there is a wisdom that is normal from below, from the world. And the scripture is asking us to consider, where are you looking to find wisdom? What is your perspective as it relates to wisdom? How are you forming your decisions? How are you living your life, based based on wisdom of God, or wisdom of the world?
George Wright: 02:09 James chapter 3, let me invite you if you're willing and able to stand with me, and I'll begin in verse 13 and I'll read through verse 18, the end of the chapter, James chapter 3. All around the room we stand so that we can be reminded that the word of God is our authority, and it is the foundation for the life of a follower of Jesus Christ. The foundation of what God says is right and good and true. James 3:13, "Who is wise and who is understanding among you? By his good conduct, let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy, or selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. For this is not the wisdom that comes down above, but is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." This morning we are navigating what is a harvest of righteousness, through the wisdom from above.
George Wright: 03:41 Would you pray with me as we consider God's word together? Father, as we now come before you, and as we turn our attention to your word, it is my prayer that your Holy spirit would move among us in our hearts and our minds to invite us to see with greater clarity the incredible love and grace that you have made available to us through Jesus Christ. I pray, Lord, that you would have your way among us this day, use your word to speak life and truth and wisdom into our lives that we would not be the same, as a result of that which you say. We commit this time to you, in the name of Jesus' I pray. Amen. You may be seated. Thank you for standing.
George Wright: 04:28 Just forgive me for a second. When I was away I just, things got backed up. I got a lot of emails and stuff to catch up on, a lot of text messages from Frank Shimkus. No, you cannot fill the baptismal with Jello. Let's see what else, oh my gosh, so much to do, golly, it's crazy. Who would ask that? Billy Judge is such an idiot. Oh my God.
George Wright: 05:29 Sorry about that. Hey, how many would agree that our cell phones so often distract us from the things going on around us? Would you disagree with that? Anybody? Yeah. Okay, some people are applauding for that. And those of you who are applauding are like, well, it's not a problem for me, it's a problem for my spouse or for my significant other, right? Yeah, you're so frustrated with how distracted they are. Here's the reality, I was doing some research on this this week. It's hilarious when you stop and realize how distracted we have become as a culture because of our devices. Recent surveys and research has shown, that the average American, listen to this, the average American touches their cell phone over 2,100 times a day. That's an obsession, right? I mean, that's a lot of touches to our cell phone. Over 50% of all smartphone users say they check their cell phone within five minutes of waking up in the morning. Over 50% of all smartphone users say they regularly check their cell phone in the middle of the night. I mean, we're never away from these things, right? And because we are always connected, we are always distracted.
George Wright: 06:44 There was a pretty funny research project that was done out of Chicago just recently, where they hung a bunch of money in a tree just above the headline of people walking on a sidewalk. Okay? Just down a busy street in Chicago. And they found that 94% of the people who are on their cell phone never saw the money that was hanging just above their head. They didn't even see it, weren't even aware of it. In fact, if you want to see some really funny videos on YouTube, all you have to type in is texting and walking., that's all you have to type in, and you'll see videos. I did this week, it's amazing. People falling off of steps on their cell phone, people walking into fountains in the middle of a shopping mall on their cell phone, people walking into closed doors on their cell phone, like we literally can't see what's happening around us because we're always looking down. There's this new category for injuries that are happening as a result of texting and walking. In fact, it's been shown over the last year that there's close to 11,000 injuries that have happened because of texting and walking, it's hazardous to our health. But here's the good news, that the national safety council released this set of guidelines that can help you and I prevent injuries by texting and walking. So I want to give you this list, it's incredibly helpful. This is groundbreaking information, you may want to get out a pen and write these four things down. The national safety council says, if you don't want to get hurt while texting and walking, number one, don't text and walk. That's the first, I'm not kidding, like that is the number one thing on the list from the national safety council. Here's how to prevent injuries while using a cell phone. Number two, if you have to text and walk, move out of the way of other people, and stop walking to text. This is groundbreaking, right? I hope you're taking good notes, that's why we gave you that worship guide with blank space, you're going to really need it. Number three, this is important, don't the street while texting. That can be really bad and number four, always be aware of your surroundings while using the phone. Does this not sound like a list of safety guidelines for our class of preschoolers? Right? It's hilarious, but this is where we are, we're always looking down. We miss out on all the things that are happening around us. We need to look up, right?
George Wright: 09:23 James chapter 3, is this incredible passage that is asking us to stop and consider where are we looking? Where are we looking to try and find wisdom for the way we live our lives, what we believe, the decisions we make, the thoughts that we have. Where are our eyes going? Are we always looking down at what's happening right here, right in front of our face, right around us. Or are we stopping to intentionally look up to the wisdom that comes down from above? I love what the Psalmist writes. Psalm 121, you may be familiar with this psalm, it's a great psalm. Verses 1 and 2, it says, "I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber."
George Wright: 10:31 And so as we step into James chapter 3 this morning, we see this comparison between those who are constantly looking down at what is called the wisdom of the world, and those who are looking up to the wisdom of God that comes down from above. Are we being distracted by the wisdom of the world, or are we looking up to the wisdom of God, to the God who graciously gives wisdom to those who seek him? Look back at verse 13, James chapter 3, we see this question, "Who is wise and who is understanding among you? By his good conduct, let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom." What is the scripture saying here? As the scripture begins to talk about the wisdom of God, the wisdom that comes down from above. This scripture says a life that is that living in the wisdom of God, we'll be a life that reveals the wisdom of God through the way that person lives, through the works of their life, through their good conduct that is rooted and grounded in the meekness of wisdom. What is the meekness of wisdom? That's kind of a strange term for us today, the meekness wisdom. This could also be translated the gentleness of wisdom. And in the original Greek context, this was a term that was used to describe a strength that was harnessed, and brought under control. A strength that had been wild and out of control, that was harnessed and brought under control for a specific purpose or good work. It was a term that they use to describe a wild stallion who had been broken for the use of its owner, it had been restrained so that its energy and its strength was used for a good purpose. The meekness of wisdom believes and trusts that God is sovereign, that God is in control, and that the wisdom and the strength that he provides is a gift to be used for his glory and for his purpose. You see, this is a term of surrender, it's a term of submission. Believing that there is a greater power that comes from God, and a greater purpose that comes from walking with God, from following God. Jesus used the term meekness in The Sermon on the Mount, the beatitudes at the beginning of Matthew 5 verse 5 Jesus says this, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Jesus is saying here that those who acknowledge their need for God in their brokenness, those who recognize that it is his wisdom that we are desperately in need of, it is his strength that has been given to us as a gift to be used for his glory. Those are the ones who will be blessed by God, and used greatly for his purpose. The meekness of wisdom.
George Wright: 13:52 But then as we go back to James 3, there's this comparison, this contrast. The scripture begins to show us about another type of wisdom, a wisdom of the world. A wisdom that comes from always looking down, instead of looking up to the wisdom that comes from above. Look at verse 14 of James 3, it says, "But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but it is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic." That's some strong words. I love what John MacArthur writes in his commentary on James about these verses, we'll put this on the screen, this is so helpful. He says, "Those who live lives that are based on, and motivated by, human ungodly wisdom are inevitably self-centered. Living in a world in which their own personal ideas, desires, and standards are the measure of everything. Whatever and whoever serves those ends is considered good and friendly, but whatever or whoever threatens those ends, is considered bad and an enemy. Those who are engulfed in self-serving, worldly, wisdom resent anyone or anything that comes between them and their own objectives." Isn't that a powerful statement, isn't that what we so often see playing out in the world around us? Is that what describes our life? Anyone, or anything, that comes between us and our objectives, our personal desires, that thing or that person is to be resented and attacked passionately. Isn't that we see play outs in the culture at large.
George Wright: 16:05 I'll never forget a counseling appointment that I had when I was just several years into ministry as a new pastor. A couple came into my office, and their marriage was really in a bad spot. And this was really, I think, a last ditch effort by the husband is trying to see if the marriage could be salvaged. And I'm listening to them tell their story. and the bottom line was the husband had been a workaholic, and he'd really neglected his wife for many years. And the wife had just been fed up, and she began to look around elsewhere and she connected with an old boyfriend on the internet, and was ready to leave to go with this other guy cause that's where she thought she was going to be happy. She was done. The husband was a wreck, and she was done. And she just, she was at the end of her rope, she didn't care. As I listen to them telling their story for a little while, and few minutes into the conversation I just said, can we stop for a second, and can we just consider what the word of God might have to say about this? I'll never forget this, this lady got so angry, like her hands begin to shake, and she said to me, I don't care what the word of God says, because I know that God wants me to be happy. I'm going to do whatever it takes to be happy. Okay, not a whole lot else I can say in this conversation, if that's going to be the posture.
George Wright: 17:37 And as I've thought about that over the years, again, this has been years ago, I replay that conversation from time to time in my head, and I think you know, many people in the church are really not that different. We may not say it that aggressively. We may not be so bold as to declare, I don't care what the word of God says, because all I care about is my happiness. But isn't that the way so many of us are living our lives? I've decided what's going to make me happy. I've decided what I want. I've decided what is my personal preference. I've decided what is the objective for me to find happiness in this life, and if the word of God interferes with that, well, I just don't care what the word of God says, I'm going to do my thing. Isn't that what we see again playing out all over our culture today, that anyone or anything that gets in the way of what we want becomes an enemy to be attacked? Does that describe the way you live? Does that describe the way you view the word of God? Here's the reality for each and every one of us, please do not miss this. The word of God will be a threat to every single one of us in our selfish ambition, and in our personal preferences and objectives, because the word of God confronts our selfish ambition and confronts our personal preferences to show us what God says is best. And that's hard. That's really, really hard. And we must decide, do we believe that God knows better than us, or are we the God of our personal happiness? These are challenging questions to ask, but the reality is the word of God confronts us not to attack our happiness. But to guide us in the wisdom of God to find what will truly invite us into joy and happiness. What the Bible calls the blessed life, that is not built on circumstance, it's not built on selfishness, it's not built on egotistical ambition, it is built on the love and grace of God that has been revealed to us through the gift of Jesus Christ. So the question becomes, will we received the wisdom from above that invites us to change in the power of God's love and grace, or will we follow the wisdom of the world seeking to change God, or ignore him all together in an attempt to get what we want?
George Wright: 20:51 Because more and more we are living in a day and time where truth and wisdom is being defined by personal preferences and desires. In fact, many in our culture are rejecting absolute truth altogether in the name of tolerance and personal preference, and our culture is beginning to applaud those who write their own definition of what is right and good and true, while violently and aggressively rejecting and even attacking what God says is right and good and true. So what do we do? How do we respond? How do we navigate these changing cultural tides in the wisdom of God versus the wisdom of the world, as the world more and more applauds itself and its own wisdom, and rejects what is called the wisdom of God?
George Wright: 21:51 As part of our time away, Megan and I had the privilege of attending a summit that was put on by the Alliance for Defending Freedom. This summit was all about religious freedom and religious liberty, and part of the focus of this summit was the changing laws and regulations around the issues of gender ideology and sexuality. And the conversation was to how should the church respond? How should the church react in a way that is Christ like, but at the same time stands up for the wisdom of God, and stands up for the religious freedom that we hold so dear. And I'll tell you, it was very sobering. Some of the conversations were incredibly sobering, because there's no question our culture is changing so rapidly and promoting a wisdom that is in clear conflict with the wisdom of God. It's very sobering. But at the same time, I want you to know, I left those discussions incredibly encouraged. Because I was reminded time and time again that God has given his church this incredible opportunity for such a time as this to stand out as a light in the midst of the darkness, living as an example of the beautiful good news of the gospel, that is the redemption that God provided to us through Jesus Christ, which is our only hope. What a privilege to live today, now, in this time. We get to be the church. We get to be the voice. We get to be the picture of the hope that the world is longing for. A light shining in the darkness. So the question is, will we be a picture of the loving grace of Jesus Christ? Will we decide to bow down to the wisdom of man? Will we succumb to the cultural pressure? Will we cave in, and call good, what God clearly calls sin. It's a question many are wrestling with. Will we buy into the lies that are earthly, and unspiritual, and as the scripture says, demonic. A tool of the enemy of God is to seek to convince us to normalize, and call good, what God calls sin. Will we believe that lie, or will we stand in the wisdom of God, and stand out as a voice of hope, a voice of redemption, a voice of healing in the midst of a lost and broken world?
George Wright: 25:11 Scripture shows us what will happen if we follow the wisdom of the world. James 3:16, it's important to see this. Scripture says, "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice." It doesn't say there might be, it says there will be. The only possible outcome for following the wisdom of the world is disorder, confusion, and every vile practice becoming normalized and called good. That's what we're seeing at play. So what do we do? What do we do when the cultural pressure is so great? What do we do when the voices who disagree are so hostile? What do we do when those who are following the wisdom of the world, are so incredibly passionate and standing in opposition to what God says is right and good and true? Look at James 3 verse 17, this is such a beautiful picture of how to live in the wisdom of God in a culture that is more and more hostile to the wisdom of God. It says this, "The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere." Do you know what the scripture is doing is here? The scripture is pointing us to the source, and the wisdom from above, the scripture is pointing us to Jesus.
George Wright: 27:09 I'm going to turn your attention real quickly before we go back to James 3, to Colossians chapter 2, where the apostle Paul is talking to a group of believers. He's talking to a group of people in the church, and he says this about them, this is his prayer for them. He says, that their hearts, Colossians 2, verse two, "That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding, and the knowledge of God's mystery. (Listen to this.) Which is Christ, in whom, are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Do you want to know how to live in the wisdom of God in today's culture? Look to Jesus. Do you want to know how to live and the wisdom that comes down from above, in the face of those who are incredibly opposed to the wisdom of God? Look to Jesus. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Look up, the scripture is saying, lift up your eyes, and see what Jesus Christ has done for you personally. Look to the gospel, and see the grace and mercy of God that has been poured out on your life. And the scripture says, when you look to Jesus, and you build your life on Jesus, when your heart is rooted and grounded in the good news of the gospel, this will be the fruit of your life. The wisdom of God will be yours, and it will be full of purity, and peace, and gentleness, open to reason. It will be full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. This is the fruit of a life that is grounded in the gospel, the fruit of a life that is not consumed with the ways of the world, but as captivated by the wisdom of God. This is the fruit of a life that falls on our face in repentance, knowing that the grace of God is sufficient to cover our sin, my personal sin, and to forgive me of my selfish ambition. This is the fruit of a life that has tasted and seen that the Lord is good, that his ways and his wisdom are truly the best for my life. And this is the fruit of a life that knows with great clarity and conviction, that we are nothing more than beggars in desperate need of the bread of life.
George Wright: 29:56 The fruit that comes when we acknowledge our desperate need for God's grace, and recognize that God's grace has been given to us not only as the gift that invites us into salvation in Christ. But that God's grace has been given to us to sustain us, and to make us more and more like Christ, so that we can point to the hope that we have found in the good news of what Jesus Christ has done. It is finished, it is accomplished at the cross of Jesus Chris, may our eyes be fixed on him. The way you walk in the wisdom that comes down from above, is you follow in the footsteps of Jesus, look up, and see what Christ has done. The scripture tells us in verse 18, and if this is the way our life is described, and the fruit of the gospel is realized in us, "That a harvest of righteousness." I love this, "A harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." How do you interact with the world that disagrees with you? Do you try to fight the wisdom of the world, with the wisdom of the world? Do you try to stand against the wisdom of the world, by using the strategies of the wisdom of the world? Do you look at the wisdom of God in anger and agitation and aggravation? Do you look at the wisdom of God with an aggressive posture, to fight like crazy, to destroy those who disagree? Or do you look at the wisdom of the world, the heart of Jesus, the fruit of the gospel that is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. The way we have peace with God is to know Jesus. The harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
George Wright: 32:32 So here's the question that we close with. Is your life producing a harvest of righteousness? Are you sowing peace through the good news of the gospel, through the fruit of the gospel? James 3:17 is given to the life of one who follows Jesus in faith, or are you sowing seeds in the wisdom of the world? Perhaps you're here today and you simply need to stop and ask God for his wisdom. James opens this great book of the Bible, chapter 1 verse 5 by saying, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach." Maybe today you simply need to ask God for wisdom, you need to look up. Or perhaps you're here today and you need to repent of what has been selfish ambition for a personal objective, and it's taken you away from the wisdom of God. Maybe today you need to repent, and turn to the wisdom of God. To repent means to turn from one thing, to something else altogether. Perhaps today you need to turn from your selfish ambition, to the wisdom of God. Maybe today you need to evaluate where you're looking to find wisdom. Are you one of that over 50% of smartphone users who picks up your phone within five minutes of waking up every morning? Perhaps you need to turn somewhere else first, perhaps to God's wisdom. Are you someone who evaluates, or follows, wisdom that you read about on your news feed or watch on cable news, or are you seeking to follow the wisdom that comes from above? Maybe some today need to evaluate where you're turning to find wisdom? And perhaps there are some among us today who have never experienced the wisdom of God in a real and personal way, because you've never stepped out on faith to trust your life to Jesus Christ as your Lord and your savior. Perhaps today is the day that some of you step into the wisdom of God for the first time, by beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ. We'd love to invite you into that great gift. Evaluate your heart, evaluate where your eyes are drifting, where your gaze is going, and ask, am I following the wisdom of the world or am I walking in the wisdom that comes down from above? If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach.
George Wright: 36:08 Let's pray as we close our time together. Father God, we acknowledged today, that the culture that we live in, and the journey that we are navigating right now is is increasingly difficult to understand, to make sense of, there is confusion. There are so many issues that are brought before us every single day that we're trying to navigate in wisdom, and yet there are different voices fighting for our attention, claiming to be the source of wisdom. And so Lord, I pray that you would give your people, your church, the faith to believe that your wisdom really is right and good and true. I pray, Lord God, that you would give us the faith to stand confidently in this day, in this time, for such a time as this, as a light of the gospel in a dark world where wisdom is so desperately needed. And Lord, where we have drifted away, where we have become more like the wisdom of the world than the wisdom that comes down from above. I do pray that you would forgive us, and I do pray that you would give us the faith to repent, to turn to you. Trusting that your way is best, and your way is good, and your way ultimately is for your glory and for our joy. Give us the faith to believe, to lift up our eyes, and to see where our help comes from. The maker of heaven and earth, the giver of all wisdom and knowledge. I pray now for those who are here among us, those who perhaps are joining us online who have never experienced the wisdom of God in a personal way, because they've never had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the very source of wisdom. I pray, Lord, that today they would recognize their need for the gift of grace, and their need for the gift of salvation, that comes through Christ alone. And I pray that today would be the day, that they would step out on faith and say, Jesus, I am ready to follow you. I'm ready to trust my life to you. I'm asking you to forgive me of my sin, to give me the gift of new life, to give me the gift of wisdom that comes down from above, I am trusting my life to you. Oh, how we praise you, oh, how we thank you, for the gift of salvation that comes to those who believe in faith. Give us the faith to follow in your footsteps. It's in Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Recorded in Columbia, South Carolina.
George Wright: 00:34 This is a very important letter written to the church, that teaches the church how we should now live in light of the good news of the gospel. When the gospel is the foundation for your life, the word of God shows us that our life will begin to change. It's not that we tried to change so that we can earn the love of God. It's not that we behave a certain way so that we can be worthy of God's love. No, in the grace of God, we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. And when that salvation comes into our life, it begins to change us from the inside out, and that's what James talks about all throughout this letter.
George Wright: 01:15 In chapter 3 specifically, it talks about the power of our words, the power of the tongue. And that the things that we say, are actually an expression of what is going on in our heart, our words matter. And then as we come to the end of chapter three, our focus for today, we see that the word of God is showing us that there there are two types of wisdom. There is a wisdom that comes down from above, and there is a wisdom that is normal from below, from the world. And the scripture is asking us to consider, where are you looking to find wisdom? What is your perspective as it relates to wisdom? How are you forming your decisions? How are you living your life, based based on wisdom of God, or wisdom of the world?
George Wright: 02:09 James chapter 3, let me invite you if you're willing and able to stand with me, and I'll begin in verse 13 and I'll read through verse 18, the end of the chapter, James chapter 3. All around the room we stand so that we can be reminded that the word of God is our authority, and it is the foundation for the life of a follower of Jesus Christ. The foundation of what God says is right and good and true. James 3:13, "Who is wise and who is understanding among you? By his good conduct, let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy, or selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. For this is not the wisdom that comes down above, but is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." This morning we are navigating what is a harvest of righteousness, through the wisdom from above.
George Wright: 03:41 Would you pray with me as we consider God's word together? Father, as we now come before you, and as we turn our attention to your word, it is my prayer that your Holy spirit would move among us in our hearts and our minds to invite us to see with greater clarity the incredible love and grace that you have made available to us through Jesus Christ. I pray, Lord, that you would have your way among us this day, use your word to speak life and truth and wisdom into our lives that we would not be the same, as a result of that which you say. We commit this time to you, in the name of Jesus' I pray. Amen. You may be seated. Thank you for standing.
George Wright: 04:28 Just forgive me for a second. When I was away I just, things got backed up. I got a lot of emails and stuff to catch up on, a lot of text messages from Frank Shimkus. No, you cannot fill the baptismal with Jello. Let's see what else, oh my gosh, so much to do, golly, it's crazy. Who would ask that? Billy Judge is such an idiot. Oh my God.
George Wright: 05:29 Sorry about that. Hey, how many would agree that our cell phones so often distract us from the things going on around us? Would you disagree with that? Anybody? Yeah. Okay, some people are applauding for that. And those of you who are applauding are like, well, it's not a problem for me, it's a problem for my spouse or for my significant other, right? Yeah, you're so frustrated with how distracted they are. Here's the reality, I was doing some research on this this week. It's hilarious when you stop and realize how distracted we have become as a culture because of our devices. Recent surveys and research has shown, that the average American, listen to this, the average American touches their cell phone over 2,100 times a day. That's an obsession, right? I mean, that's a lot of touches to our cell phone. Over 50% of all smartphone users say they check their cell phone within five minutes of waking up in the morning. Over 50% of all smartphone users say they regularly check their cell phone in the middle of the night. I mean, we're never away from these things, right? And because we are always connected, we are always distracted.
George Wright: 06:44 There was a pretty funny research project that was done out of Chicago just recently, where they hung a bunch of money in a tree just above the headline of people walking on a sidewalk. Okay? Just down a busy street in Chicago. And they found that 94% of the people who are on their cell phone never saw the money that was hanging just above their head. They didn't even see it, weren't even aware of it. In fact, if you want to see some really funny videos on YouTube, all you have to type in is texting and walking., that's all you have to type in, and you'll see videos. I did this week, it's amazing. People falling off of steps on their cell phone, people walking into fountains in the middle of a shopping mall on their cell phone, people walking into closed doors on their cell phone, like we literally can't see what's happening around us because we're always looking down. There's this new category for injuries that are happening as a result of texting and walking. In fact, it's been shown over the last year that there's close to 11,000 injuries that have happened because of texting and walking, it's hazardous to our health. But here's the good news, that the national safety council released this set of guidelines that can help you and I prevent injuries by texting and walking. So I want to give you this list, it's incredibly helpful. This is groundbreaking information, you may want to get out a pen and write these four things down. The national safety council says, if you don't want to get hurt while texting and walking, number one, don't text and walk. That's the first, I'm not kidding, like that is the number one thing on the list from the national safety council. Here's how to prevent injuries while using a cell phone. Number two, if you have to text and walk, move out of the way of other people, and stop walking to text. This is groundbreaking, right? I hope you're taking good notes, that's why we gave you that worship guide with blank space, you're going to really need it. Number three, this is important, don't the street while texting. That can be really bad and number four, always be aware of your surroundings while using the phone. Does this not sound like a list of safety guidelines for our class of preschoolers? Right? It's hilarious, but this is where we are, we're always looking down. We miss out on all the things that are happening around us. We need to look up, right?
George Wright: 09:23 James chapter 3, is this incredible passage that is asking us to stop and consider where are we looking? Where are we looking to try and find wisdom for the way we live our lives, what we believe, the decisions we make, the thoughts that we have. Where are our eyes going? Are we always looking down at what's happening right here, right in front of our face, right around us. Or are we stopping to intentionally look up to the wisdom that comes down from above? I love what the Psalmist writes. Psalm 121, you may be familiar with this psalm, it's a great psalm. Verses 1 and 2, it says, "I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber."
George Wright: 10:31 And so as we step into James chapter 3 this morning, we see this comparison between those who are constantly looking down at what is called the wisdom of the world, and those who are looking up to the wisdom of God that comes down from above. Are we being distracted by the wisdom of the world, or are we looking up to the wisdom of God, to the God who graciously gives wisdom to those who seek him? Look back at verse 13, James chapter 3, we see this question, "Who is wise and who is understanding among you? By his good conduct, let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom." What is the scripture saying here? As the scripture begins to talk about the wisdom of God, the wisdom that comes down from above. This scripture says a life that is that living in the wisdom of God, we'll be a life that reveals the wisdom of God through the way that person lives, through the works of their life, through their good conduct that is rooted and grounded in the meekness of wisdom. What is the meekness of wisdom? That's kind of a strange term for us today, the meekness wisdom. This could also be translated the gentleness of wisdom. And in the original Greek context, this was a term that was used to describe a strength that was harnessed, and brought under control. A strength that had been wild and out of control, that was harnessed and brought under control for a specific purpose or good work. It was a term that they use to describe a wild stallion who had been broken for the use of its owner, it had been restrained so that its energy and its strength was used for a good purpose. The meekness of wisdom believes and trusts that God is sovereign, that God is in control, and that the wisdom and the strength that he provides is a gift to be used for his glory and for his purpose. You see, this is a term of surrender, it's a term of submission. Believing that there is a greater power that comes from God, and a greater purpose that comes from walking with God, from following God. Jesus used the term meekness in The Sermon on the Mount, the beatitudes at the beginning of Matthew 5 verse 5 Jesus says this, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Jesus is saying here that those who acknowledge their need for God in their brokenness, those who recognize that it is his wisdom that we are desperately in need of, it is his strength that has been given to us as a gift to be used for his glory. Those are the ones who will be blessed by God, and used greatly for his purpose. The meekness of wisdom.
George Wright: 13:52 But then as we go back to James 3, there's this comparison, this contrast. The scripture begins to show us about another type of wisdom, a wisdom of the world. A wisdom that comes from always looking down, instead of looking up to the wisdom that comes from above. Look at verse 14 of James 3, it says, "But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but it is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic." That's some strong words. I love what John MacArthur writes in his commentary on James about these verses, we'll put this on the screen, this is so helpful. He says, "Those who live lives that are based on, and motivated by, human ungodly wisdom are inevitably self-centered. Living in a world in which their own personal ideas, desires, and standards are the measure of everything. Whatever and whoever serves those ends is considered good and friendly, but whatever or whoever threatens those ends, is considered bad and an enemy. Those who are engulfed in self-serving, worldly, wisdom resent anyone or anything that comes between them and their own objectives." Isn't that a powerful statement, isn't that what we so often see playing out in the world around us? Is that what describes our life? Anyone, or anything, that comes between us and our objectives, our personal desires, that thing or that person is to be resented and attacked passionately. Isn't that we see play outs in the culture at large.
George Wright: 16:05 I'll never forget a counseling appointment that I had when I was just several years into ministry as a new pastor. A couple came into my office, and their marriage was really in a bad spot. And this was really, I think, a last ditch effort by the husband is trying to see if the marriage could be salvaged. And I'm listening to them tell their story. and the bottom line was the husband had been a workaholic, and he'd really neglected his wife for many years. And the wife had just been fed up, and she began to look around elsewhere and she connected with an old boyfriend on the internet, and was ready to leave to go with this other guy cause that's where she thought she was going to be happy. She was done. The husband was a wreck, and she was done. And she just, she was at the end of her rope, she didn't care. As I listen to them telling their story for a little while, and few minutes into the conversation I just said, can we stop for a second, and can we just consider what the word of God might have to say about this? I'll never forget this, this lady got so angry, like her hands begin to shake, and she said to me, I don't care what the word of God says, because I know that God wants me to be happy. I'm going to do whatever it takes to be happy. Okay, not a whole lot else I can say in this conversation, if that's going to be the posture.
George Wright: 17:37 And as I've thought about that over the years, again, this has been years ago, I replay that conversation from time to time in my head, and I think you know, many people in the church are really not that different. We may not say it that aggressively. We may not be so bold as to declare, I don't care what the word of God says, because all I care about is my happiness. But isn't that the way so many of us are living our lives? I've decided what's going to make me happy. I've decided what I want. I've decided what is my personal preference. I've decided what is the objective for me to find happiness in this life, and if the word of God interferes with that, well, I just don't care what the word of God says, I'm going to do my thing. Isn't that what we see again playing out all over our culture today, that anyone or anything that gets in the way of what we want becomes an enemy to be attacked? Does that describe the way you live? Does that describe the way you view the word of God? Here's the reality for each and every one of us, please do not miss this. The word of God will be a threat to every single one of us in our selfish ambition, and in our personal preferences and objectives, because the word of God confronts our selfish ambition and confronts our personal preferences to show us what God says is best. And that's hard. That's really, really hard. And we must decide, do we believe that God knows better than us, or are we the God of our personal happiness? These are challenging questions to ask, but the reality is the word of God confronts us not to attack our happiness. But to guide us in the wisdom of God to find what will truly invite us into joy and happiness. What the Bible calls the blessed life, that is not built on circumstance, it's not built on selfishness, it's not built on egotistical ambition, it is built on the love and grace of God that has been revealed to us through the gift of Jesus Christ. So the question becomes, will we received the wisdom from above that invites us to change in the power of God's love and grace, or will we follow the wisdom of the world seeking to change God, or ignore him all together in an attempt to get what we want?
George Wright: 20:51 Because more and more we are living in a day and time where truth and wisdom is being defined by personal preferences and desires. In fact, many in our culture are rejecting absolute truth altogether in the name of tolerance and personal preference, and our culture is beginning to applaud those who write their own definition of what is right and good and true, while violently and aggressively rejecting and even attacking what God says is right and good and true. So what do we do? How do we respond? How do we navigate these changing cultural tides in the wisdom of God versus the wisdom of the world, as the world more and more applauds itself and its own wisdom, and rejects what is called the wisdom of God?
George Wright: 21:51 As part of our time away, Megan and I had the privilege of attending a summit that was put on by the Alliance for Defending Freedom. This summit was all about religious freedom and religious liberty, and part of the focus of this summit was the changing laws and regulations around the issues of gender ideology and sexuality. And the conversation was to how should the church respond? How should the church react in a way that is Christ like, but at the same time stands up for the wisdom of God, and stands up for the religious freedom that we hold so dear. And I'll tell you, it was very sobering. Some of the conversations were incredibly sobering, because there's no question our culture is changing so rapidly and promoting a wisdom that is in clear conflict with the wisdom of God. It's very sobering. But at the same time, I want you to know, I left those discussions incredibly encouraged. Because I was reminded time and time again that God has given his church this incredible opportunity for such a time as this to stand out as a light in the midst of the darkness, living as an example of the beautiful good news of the gospel, that is the redemption that God provided to us through Jesus Christ, which is our only hope. What a privilege to live today, now, in this time. We get to be the church. We get to be the voice. We get to be the picture of the hope that the world is longing for. A light shining in the darkness. So the question is, will we be a picture of the loving grace of Jesus Christ? Will we decide to bow down to the wisdom of man? Will we succumb to the cultural pressure? Will we cave in, and call good, what God clearly calls sin. It's a question many are wrestling with. Will we buy into the lies that are earthly, and unspiritual, and as the scripture says, demonic. A tool of the enemy of God is to seek to convince us to normalize, and call good, what God calls sin. Will we believe that lie, or will we stand in the wisdom of God, and stand out as a voice of hope, a voice of redemption, a voice of healing in the midst of a lost and broken world?
George Wright: 25:11 Scripture shows us what will happen if we follow the wisdom of the world. James 3:16, it's important to see this. Scripture says, "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice." It doesn't say there might be, it says there will be. The only possible outcome for following the wisdom of the world is disorder, confusion, and every vile practice becoming normalized and called good. That's what we're seeing at play. So what do we do? What do we do when the cultural pressure is so great? What do we do when the voices who disagree are so hostile? What do we do when those who are following the wisdom of the world, are so incredibly passionate and standing in opposition to what God says is right and good and true? Look at James 3 verse 17, this is such a beautiful picture of how to live in the wisdom of God in a culture that is more and more hostile to the wisdom of God. It says this, "The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere." Do you know what the scripture is doing is here? The scripture is pointing us to the source, and the wisdom from above, the scripture is pointing us to Jesus.
George Wright: 27:09 I'm going to turn your attention real quickly before we go back to James 3, to Colossians chapter 2, where the apostle Paul is talking to a group of believers. He's talking to a group of people in the church, and he says this about them, this is his prayer for them. He says, that their hearts, Colossians 2, verse two, "That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding, and the knowledge of God's mystery. (Listen to this.) Which is Christ, in whom, are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Do you want to know how to live in the wisdom of God in today's culture? Look to Jesus. Do you want to know how to live and the wisdom that comes down from above, in the face of those who are incredibly opposed to the wisdom of God? Look to Jesus. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Look up, the scripture is saying, lift up your eyes, and see what Jesus Christ has done for you personally. Look to the gospel, and see the grace and mercy of God that has been poured out on your life. And the scripture says, when you look to Jesus, and you build your life on Jesus, when your heart is rooted and grounded in the good news of the gospel, this will be the fruit of your life. The wisdom of God will be yours, and it will be full of purity, and peace, and gentleness, open to reason. It will be full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. This is the fruit of a life that is grounded in the gospel, the fruit of a life that is not consumed with the ways of the world, but as captivated by the wisdom of God. This is the fruit of a life that falls on our face in repentance, knowing that the grace of God is sufficient to cover our sin, my personal sin, and to forgive me of my selfish ambition. This is the fruit of a life that has tasted and seen that the Lord is good, that his ways and his wisdom are truly the best for my life. And this is the fruit of a life that knows with great clarity and conviction, that we are nothing more than beggars in desperate need of the bread of life.
George Wright: 29:56 The fruit that comes when we acknowledge our desperate need for God's grace, and recognize that God's grace has been given to us not only as the gift that invites us into salvation in Christ. But that God's grace has been given to us to sustain us, and to make us more and more like Christ, so that we can point to the hope that we have found in the good news of what Jesus Christ has done. It is finished, it is accomplished at the cross of Jesus Chris, may our eyes be fixed on him. The way you walk in the wisdom that comes down from above, is you follow in the footsteps of Jesus, look up, and see what Christ has done. The scripture tells us in verse 18, and if this is the way our life is described, and the fruit of the gospel is realized in us, "That a harvest of righteousness." I love this, "A harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." How do you interact with the world that disagrees with you? Do you try to fight the wisdom of the world, with the wisdom of the world? Do you try to stand against the wisdom of the world, by using the strategies of the wisdom of the world? Do you look at the wisdom of God in anger and agitation and aggravation? Do you look at the wisdom of God with an aggressive posture, to fight like crazy, to destroy those who disagree? Or do you look at the wisdom of the world, the heart of Jesus, the fruit of the gospel that is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. The way we have peace with God is to know Jesus. The harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
George Wright: 32:32 So here's the question that we close with. Is your life producing a harvest of righteousness? Are you sowing peace through the good news of the gospel, through the fruit of the gospel? James 3:17 is given to the life of one who follows Jesus in faith, or are you sowing seeds in the wisdom of the world? Perhaps you're here today and you simply need to stop and ask God for his wisdom. James opens this great book of the Bible, chapter 1 verse 5 by saying, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach." Maybe today you simply need to ask God for wisdom, you need to look up. Or perhaps you're here today and you need to repent of what has been selfish ambition for a personal objective, and it's taken you away from the wisdom of God. Maybe today you need to repent, and turn to the wisdom of God. To repent means to turn from one thing, to something else altogether. Perhaps today you need to turn from your selfish ambition, to the wisdom of God. Maybe today you need to evaluate where you're looking to find wisdom. Are you one of that over 50% of smartphone users who picks up your phone within five minutes of waking up every morning? Perhaps you need to turn somewhere else first, perhaps to God's wisdom. Are you someone who evaluates, or follows, wisdom that you read about on your news feed or watch on cable news, or are you seeking to follow the wisdom that comes from above? Maybe some today need to evaluate where you're turning to find wisdom? And perhaps there are some among us today who have never experienced the wisdom of God in a real and personal way, because you've never stepped out on faith to trust your life to Jesus Christ as your Lord and your savior. Perhaps today is the day that some of you step into the wisdom of God for the first time, by beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ. We'd love to invite you into that great gift. Evaluate your heart, evaluate where your eyes are drifting, where your gaze is going, and ask, am I following the wisdom of the world or am I walking in the wisdom that comes down from above? If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach.
George Wright: 36:08 Let's pray as we close our time together. Father God, we acknowledged today, that the culture that we live in, and the journey that we are navigating right now is is increasingly difficult to understand, to make sense of, there is confusion. There are so many issues that are brought before us every single day that we're trying to navigate in wisdom, and yet there are different voices fighting for our attention, claiming to be the source of wisdom. And so Lord, I pray that you would give your people, your church, the faith to believe that your wisdom really is right and good and true. I pray, Lord God, that you would give us the faith to stand confidently in this day, in this time, for such a time as this, as a light of the gospel in a dark world where wisdom is so desperately needed. And Lord, where we have drifted away, where we have become more like the wisdom of the world than the wisdom that comes down from above. I do pray that you would forgive us, and I do pray that you would give us the faith to repent, to turn to you. Trusting that your way is best, and your way is good, and your way ultimately is for your glory and for our joy. Give us the faith to believe, to lift up our eyes, and to see where our help comes from. The maker of heaven and earth, the giver of all wisdom and knowledge. I pray now for those who are here among us, those who perhaps are joining us online who have never experienced the wisdom of God in a personal way, because they've never had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the very source of wisdom. I pray, Lord, that today they would recognize their need for the gift of grace, and their need for the gift of salvation, that comes through Christ alone. And I pray that today would be the day, that they would step out on faith and say, Jesus, I am ready to follow you. I'm ready to trust my life to you. I'm asking you to forgive me of my sin, to give me the gift of new life, to give me the gift of wisdom that comes down from above, I am trusting my life to you. Oh, how we praise you, oh, how we thank you, for the gift of salvation that comes to those who believe in faith. Give us the faith to follow in your footsteps. It's in Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Recorded in Columbia, South Carolina.
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