James is really going to challenge us. We sow seeds of peace when we decide not to argue politics 24 hours a day. III. “Life is hard. 2. It is a law, inasmuch as it prescribes a particular form of character and course of conduct with authority and sanctions; and it is a law of liberty, inasmuch as the only adequate obedience to it is one which is perfectly free, voluntary and cheerful. The Greek word translated “peaceable” speaks to our attitude in times of conflict. That very day I talked with Chris Fabry on Moody Radio about the hidden sin of envy. WHAT SPIRITUAL WISDOM IS, as it is an internal grace, or inward disposition of the mind, respecting Divine things; a man's duty, the salvation of his soul, and the glory of God. If we sow discord, we reap a harvest of hatred. is sincere.”. The train of thought is carried on. Not less appropriately is it designated a wisdom that cometh from above. (1) He is not rigid and inflexible about things that really don’t matter. Earthly Wisdom (3:13-18) INTRODUCTION 1. The wisdom that is from above is gentle; "a bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench." It is not violent in its maintenance of its own convictions; it is not stubborn, unwilling to hear what may be said on the other side. Holy Trinity. It is not impatient when contradicted; or, if any misunderstanding arises, it is pacific rather than rigorous, complacent rather than censorious. Subscribe to the weekly sermon from Keep Believing Ministries. The heavenly wisdom is impartial. These plants, though not now indigenous in human nature, may, when transplanted, and watched, and watered, grow there, and bear substantial fruit. In respect of his demeanor towards his fellow-men. You discover this aspect of wisdom when you are under the gun, when tempers are short, when you are worn out, when the demands of life overwhelm you, and when you seem to be swimming in a pool of hungry piranhas. ITS GENTLENESS. bearing the seed for sowing, Sometimes you see a baseball umpire who has an unusual strike zone. 2. It is unwavering, without [self-righteous] hypocrisy [and self-serving guile]. It is not a wider door of mercy that we want, but a larger liberty to sin. James 3:17, ESV: "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere." Envy leads to bitterness that hardens into malice that becomes a jaundice of the soul. It begins with listening more and talking less. A persuadable person holds deep convictions without feeling the need to parade them or to constantly argue about them. Introduction: There was once an elderly woman who suffered chronically from a painful illness. However, it is an application of "wisdom from above" that drives these demands. It does not respect persons. That’s all you have to do. He will maintain them, but always on grounds of reason, not of passion. It is easy to be entreated or persuaded to put up with affronts, to condescend to men of low estate, and not mind high things. He yields to no force that is not reasonable, as he employs no agency that is not reasonable. About This Expository Sermon Outline Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. The sagacious brute shrank back, lay down, refused, and gave many unmistakable indications that he would be too glad to eat, but he saw clearly it was all a pretence it was too good for him, and never intended for him — and if he should attempt to taste it, the dish could be snatched away, while he would perhaps receive a blow for daring to take the offer in earnest. Revealed truth — the wisdom that is from above — is "WITHOUT PARTIALITY, AND WITHOUT HYPOCRISY." THE RESULT OF TINS WISDOM (ver. The Problem of Partiality (James 2:1-13) Teachers Beware! In relation to the world around. It is "without hypocrisy." If someone hurts your family, you make sure to teach them a lesson. The Church, too, must learn to copy more closely the impartiality of her Head. The Christians he is writing to are struggling and their struggles have led them to be tempted to even question God's presence, care, and activity in their lives. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). James 3:13-4:12 New International Version (NIV) Two Kinds of Wisdom. It is without partiality; without partiality to themselves, esteeming others better than themselves; and to others, showing no respect of persons. The Mediator's proposal for peace with God is —. Thirty years is a long time in any church. Let no disciple of Christ either think himself excused, or permit himself to be discouraged from doing good, because his talents and opportunities are few. James 3 Commentary, One of over 110 Bible commentaries freely available, this 12 volume, chapter by chapter commentary of 4,800 sermon outlines and 24,000 homiletic references 16), but the fruit of the heavenly wisdom consists in "righteousness." He and his wife shared a story of a church discipline case that involved marital unfaithfulness. James 3:17-18 Wisdom from Above; James 4:1-3 Worldly Prayer; James 4:4-6 Friendly with the World; James 4:7-10 Getting Right with God; James 4:11-12 Judge Not; James 4:13-17 The Self-Sufficient Christian; James 5:1-3 Rich and Wicked; James 5:4-6 The Cry Heard by God; James 5:7-8 Be Patient, Brethren, part 1 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Is easy to be entreated. ... Weekly sermon email Subscribe for free. It is pure; pure as contrasted with error in principle; pure as contrasted with impurity and uncleanness in moral affection. Without hypocrisy. He has just celebrated thirty years with his congregation. Then bless others. 2. But if you need the world’s approval, you are already out of step with God and the door of wisdom is closed to you. But while I willingly confess that more gnarled natures must endure more pain in the process of being made meek and gentle, I hesitate to own that, in the end, these Christians remain ordinarily more harsh and ungainly than others. 2. In origin it is "from above." It is without hypocrisy to God and man, not making a show of what they have not, and intend not to do: as it is a grace, it has a close connection with faith unfeigned, with a hope that is without hypocrisy, and with love which is without dissimulation. Revealed truth—the wisdom that is from above—is "first pure, then peaceable." Mark the emphatic word here. Yes, its origin is celestial; for without the teaching of the Holy Spirit its high lessons cannot be learned. (1) No partiality for persons. Mercy sees a need and then meets that need. The excellency and attractiveness of the true wisdom. WHEREIN THIS WISDOM PRACTICALLY SHOWS ITSELF. True spiritual wisdom is no other than the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, which God commands to shine in the hearts of men. Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. James 3:17-18 – July 15, 2017. False peace, and false charity, and false liberalism are an abomination to God. So in moral and spiritual beings their purity is a sign of the Divine energy which is working in and through them, keeping their thoughts holy and their lives sinless. In all practical matters, though not in matters of principle—in other words, in all matters of convenience rather than conscience—he is flexible. It insists not on studious etiquette, nor on carefully adjusted and elaborately expressed acknowledgments. 3. is impartial.”. We sow seeds by loving our enemies and doing good to them. mut. Gentleness is not weak, and is not the product of weakness. This is its substance, its nature. Can you listen kindly to someone who holds another position? "Easy to be entreated" — readily persuaded, compliant. And it is equally unprejudiced with reference to the modes of usefulness, means and ways of doing good, being largely free from that narrow-mindedness which is so common in these respects, and which forces itself on our view in so many quarters. It is "then peaceable." This quality may be easier to see if we flip it around. It is "full of mercy and good fruits." James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. This spiritual wisdom shows itself in a becoming walk and conversation. Make his paths straight." Missionaries in distant lands sow seeds of love as they share Christ with others. At the funeral one of his friends said something like this: “I knew him for fifty years, and he was the same honest man at the end as he was at the beginning.” It’s hard to think of a finer compliment. What better way to be heard as a believer than to be a teacher of the gospel? James 3:17-18 (17) But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. TO suffer wrong to pass uncondemned is impossible to her, for she is first pure. These two constitute a pair; they are connected by a link of peculiar significance and power. Remember that verse 17 says this wisdom is “from above.” That means you can’t work it up by trying hard. It means that if he has made an error he will not keep wandering on because he is unwilling to retrace his steps. What a difference it makes to walk a mile in their shoes. If someone hits you, you hit back twice as hard. James has already (3:14-16) warned us about a kind of “wisdom” that is earthly, unspiritual and devilish. He maintains his opinions, not because they are his opinions, but because he has formed them reasonably, and must maintain them reasonably and not passionately. I love that phrase: “Ask our generous God.” That’s good news for all of us. That’s better, isn’t it? When your heart is pure, you will see God. Either attribute is in itself precious; and there is an additional interest in the union of the two. . All times and all circumstances will not bear all things. She returns a blessing for a curse, a smile for an insult, good for evil, and with a heart overflowing with benevolence she gives water and bread to her enemies. James – Chapter 3 Good Wisdom June 21, 2020 James 3:16-18 NIV For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. — refusing the great salvation, because it is so great that they cannot believe it is really intended to be given free to the unworthy. ii) A wise man has convictions, but his convictions are about the Word of God. AS the word which we have translated "reasonable" indicates the condition of the wise man's soul when he is striving to convince others, so this "persuadable" seems to indicate the posture of his soul when others are striving to convince him. Without hypocrisy. THE BOOK OF JAMES A Series of Messages preached at Bethel Baptist Church Simcoe, ON (Mid-week services) Fall of 1996 Also Preached at MIBC on April 5/98 First Ever Evening Service Two Types of Wisdom Text: James 3:13-18 Introduction: No one can live without wisdom. LCMS Sermons - Pastor James F. Wright Sermon on Matthew 3:3. ISA 58:8-11 Then shall light come forth as the morning sun, and your health spring forth speedily: and righteousness shall be before you you, and the glory of the LORD shall be behind you. It is pure in itself and in its effects; productive of purity of heart, life, and conversation. It does not encourage the forgiven to continue in sin. Sign up to join over 20,000 subscribers receiving our weekly sermon email. But surely, even in doctrinal matters, we are to be peaceable with a view to purity, as well as pure for the sake of peace. Oct 18, 2009. sermon. "Peaceable." SHOW THE IMMEDIATE PRACTICAL POWER AND INFLUENCE OF THIS DIVINE WISDOM WHEN THUS RECEIVED BY ANY MAN IN HIS SOUL. Spiritual wisdom, in particular, is a right knowledge of a man's self; no man that is wise in his own eyes, and prudent in his own sight, knows himself; "there is more hope of a fool than of such.". It is prudence, discretion, knowledge reduced to practice, and employed in the use of such means as are most suitable to accomplish the desired end (Proverbs 3:19, 20; Proverbs 8:12). The opposite of depravity and corruption. 17.) How do we know it when we see it? The true, the heavenly, is disposed to peace, it follows after, it delights in peace. Matthew 5:9 In respect of his demeanor towards his fellow-men. 2. Fear in the conscience of the guilty, after passing through various degrees of intensity and forms of manifestation, ever tends to culminate in the question, "Shall I give the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" 4. (18) Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. . A pure conscience keeps a calm breast, and disposes the soul to seek and keep peace with others. Kristen Foley My guess is that most of us here this morning are familiar with the … ", 3. But it doesn’t have to be that way, “Wisdom that comes from heaven is . But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. If we hope to do anything useful in this world, we need God’s wisdom. It corresponds to the "meekness of wisdom" spoken of in a preceding verse. Lord, deliver me from feeling like I always need to defend myself. The text has been edited and condensed by IHCC staff for use as a Bible Study aid. The character of the true wisdom, which (in contrast to Jam 3:15) is designated as ἡ ἄνωθεν σοφία] comp. "He that believeth shall not make haste." Can you disagree agreeably? But they are not the same. “Wisdom that comes from heaven . Read verse in New International Version God could not put more mercy in His covenant, for all His mercy is in it already. In respect of a man himself. This is the opposite of that characteristic of the false wisdom which the apostle had been speaking of, namely, "envying and strife." Yes; such is His longsuffering condescension. Just as works showed us what kind of faith we have (James 2), so also works show what kind of wisdom we have. Righteousness is conformity to the will of God, and largely taken, as it is here, embraces the discharge of all the duties we owe directly to Him, as well as those we are bound to perform toward our fellow-creatures. David Platt. 2. Without hypocrisy: — truly offered to each. Wisdom is suasive because she is compassionate. 4. 2. In relation to God. Men that have no false and wicked purposes cannot break the peace. Earlier this week I spent a few hot hours power washing the deck in our backyard. It is like the blessed Author of it. Maybe he gives the pitcher a few extra inches on the outside of the plate, so pitches that might normally be called balls are called strikes. We are so much accustomed to partiality and hypocrisy in human affairs, that it becomes difficult to lodge in our minds the conception of an off, r entirely equal, and an announcement absolutely true. Sign up for our emails and use it to grow in your faith as well as to encourage others. So he will hear what others have to say. It is unwavering, without [self-righteous] hypocrisy [and self-serving guile]. This is a sermon on James 3:13-18. "Equipping and encouraging people to keep believing in Jesus", Copyright © 2020 Keep Believing Ministries. The character of Jesus Christ our Model in our endeavors after it. The wisdom that is from above is easy to be entreated; nay, more, He tenderly entreats you — "Come unto Me, all ye That labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.". ITS PEACEABLENESS. 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