Survival of the Wisest

Micha Tamaela - Wattimena
James 3:13-18

TWO KINDS OF WISDOM

13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter and envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

A. MOTIVATION - to seek wisdom. Being wise isn't about being educated.

1. Survival - people need to stay alive
2. Getting ahead - with books, attending seminars
3. Comfort

Is this the only thing that motivates you to seek wisdom?

Wisdom stems from faith, not Faith stems from wisdom - James

For others, if wisdom doesn't fit the situation, they switch to another faith. Everything is wisdom base.
For Christians, we need faith first, and then wisdom comes along.
Hold on to your faith then you can search for wisdom.

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Proverbs 2:6

B. TWO KINDS OF WISDOM

1. Bad Wisdom
   14 But if you harbor bitter and envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
   Motivated by the devil, envy - how can I?
   16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
   Eq. Cane and Abel - Cane killed Abel out of envy
   To compete isn't evil, but how you compete will determine that.

2. Good Wisdom
   17 But the wisdom comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
   

It's wise when I stop fooling around - means you need to be pure. Are you being deceitful
"Wisdom is pure"

It' when I don't aggravate people - an annoying person aggravates others. Is being right, being conflicted?
"Wisdom is peace-loving"

It's wise when I don't undermine others' feelings - do you boss people around?
"Wisdom is considerate"

It's wise when I value other people's opinion
"Wisdom is submissive"

It's wise when I give what others don't deserve
"Wisdom is full of mercy and good fruit"

It's wise when I show no favoritism
"Wisdom is impartial"

It's wise when I'm not faking
"Wisdom is being sincere"
If you want to do good, don't fake it!

C. WISDOM MUST BEAR FRUIT
"Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here's what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It's the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts." James 3:13 The Message.

Our wisdom isn't just about the knowledge, but need to bear fruit.

"Stupid is, as stupid does" -Forrest Gump.
Stupid is not about the head. It's about the heart, intentions, motivations.

No Favoritism

Lew Belcourt
James 2:1-13


I. DON'T SHOW FAVORITISM

• God Is No Respecter of Person
  1 Samuel 16:1-7
  The one God chooses, even was outside -David, guarding the sheep.
  Jesse even forgot about David. But God didn't.

• Jesus Was No Respecter of Persons
  They (enemies) sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "We know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of GOd in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are." Matt 22:16
  Jesus hangout with the one who is not consider -slave, prostitute, etc.
  

• Paul Was No Respecter of Persons
  You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:26-29.
  When you come to the cross, everything is level there.
  

II. WHAT IS YOUR MEASURING ROD?

We have seen from the passages above that God's measuring rod is different then man's

Man's Measuring Rod

• Appearance
• Achievements
• Possessions
• Athleticism

God's Measuring Rod

• Faithfulness - faithful in small things, God will in trust you in big things.
• Character - A good name / integrity is better then riches
• Love - inclined to love someone
• Forgiveness - the Lord's prayer.

God's measure goes beyond the grave, into eternity.

Christian love is not just the Golden Rule; Christian Love means treating others the way God has treated me.

It is:
an act of will, not emotion
motive : to glorify God
means : power of the Spirit within


III. TREATING OTHERS AS EQUALS

• IES Mission : Love God, Love Others, Reach The World.
  Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of the, an expert in the law, tested Him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
  Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. ANd the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:34-40
  
  How do we love others? We treat them equally.
  Jesus redefine the word "neighbor" : ALL, not just Jew.
  
  James 2:8 quotes Leviticus 19:8, which is quoted in Matthew 22:39.
  Loving Others is a main IES mission.

• IES Core Value : Acceptability
  We welcomes everybody just as they are - everyone is welcome at IES. Any style of clothing, etc.
  

• God Sees Everyone's Potential For Glory
  We need to see people through God's eyes. He doesn't see us in our sinful past - He sees us in our glorious future.

We can't look down to the unbelievers. We must adjust our glasses, like on how God sees them, then they can have a better chance.

CONCLUSION

2931 "You Called Me Brother"

Tolstoy, the great Russian writer, was passing along a street one day when a begger stopped him and pleaded for alms. The great Russian searched through his pockets for a coin, but finding none he regretfully said, "Please don't be angry with me, my brother, but I have nothing with me. If I did I would gladly give it to you."
The begger's face flamed up, and he said, "You have given me more than I asked for. You have called me brother."
-Evangelistic Illustration

1. In your Life Group: minister to the ones who are not lovely
2. In your daily Life : humble yourself and don't play favorities
3. In your personal life : use God's measuring rod, not man's, and see the glorious potential in each person's life.

Intentional Legacy

Lew Belcourt
Father's Day

2 Timothy 2:1-2
You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

I. GENERATIONAL LEGACY IS AN OLD TESTAMENT PATTERN

a. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - the Patriarch
Exodus 3:13-15
The God of Old Testimont, is a God of Generations.

b. Cursing to the Fourth Generation
Sometimes God curses not only for the father but until the 4th generations.
Exodus 20:5

c. Blessings to a Thousand Generations

Israel 40 generations.

Deuteronomy 7:9

II. PAUL'S LEGACY

a. Timothy was a 3rd generation Christian
Act 16:1 ; 2 Tim 1:3;5 - note the clear role of women in passing on the faith, from Lois to Eunice to Timothy.

b. Paul wanted Timothy to leave a legacy of faith.
He understand that God's intention to leave a legacy of faith.

2 Tim 2:2 ; Paul > Timothy > Reliable Men > Others - 4 generations who will teach others.

Legacy process:

• entrust - entrusting something : faith
• reliable (people) - God is raising up reliable people
• others - don't forget that we're meant to live intentionally, be intentional about the future.

III. LEAVE YOUR LEGACY

a. What is your legacy? (intentional... write it down)
to share the gospel cross cultural

b. To whom are you entrusting your legacy? (children, business partners, etc.)
Be intentional about the future.

c. How will they pass it on to others? (generational intentional)
Writing? Video? Fund trust?

Forgot!

Mark Mc.Clendon

The thing that you have done or been done, the consequences isn't clear for you. Either wise you won't do what you've done.

Every heart demand justice.
Mercy will judge over triumph.

John 5:19
Entire ministry of Jesus is about Father reaching out for His children.
Every thing is out of the passion of the Father.

Jesus - the good guy, makes me escape form hell, to enter heaven.
The Father - fire, righteous, so unhappy with our sin.




God primarily relate to us at the heart level.




Romans 10:10
Your heart is what you believe.
You believe with your heart.
You are living what's a heart believe.

God will respond to the passion of your heart. So, what's IN your heart?
God's heart is drawn like a magnet to the seeker.

You don't have to understand God to seek Him. It's the other way around.

1 John 3:1
Lavished - a gift that's so abundant that we don't deserved.
... and that's what we are!

Gal 4:5-6 - The full right of sons.
Because you are sons!

Rom 12:2 - be transformed.
God wants us to be transformed, and believe you need to be transformed.
God's desire for us to love nothing less than transformed.

Fathers wants children to be greater than what they are.

2 Cor 3:18
The only thing that can transform us to be Christ like is with the Spirit of God (this is God's goal). He wants us to be amazing.

How do we get there?
Jer 29:13 ; 2 Cor 3:16; - heart fully committed to Him. God's love is perfected manifested into us

1. Seek with all our heart
2. Make Him our life style
3. Never give up in Him
4. The Path of freedom is listed along the way, many only steps in victory

Faith Under Pressure

Pt. Dave Kenney

James 1:1-12 (MSG)
the very first book (surat) written by James, the brother of Jesus. Written specifically to people.

Endurance When You Need It

James, a servant/slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations; Greetings. James 1:1 (NIV)
No one wants to be a slave, cos there's no freedom, but he represent himself as slave, not Jesus' brother.

Cos slave:
It speaks of absolute obedience
It speaks of absolute humility
It speaks of absolute loyalty - you do whatever the Master told you.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

endurance = perseverance..

Testing and Trials Produce Endurance

True Liberation

Pt. Dave Kenney
Eph. 5:21-33

First
18 The Lord God said, "IT's not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."
But for Adam no suitable helper is found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man.
23 The man said,
"This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called 'woman',
for she was taken out of man."
24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."
Genesis 2:18, 20b-24

It is not good for man to be alone. - only one time God said, "it's not good"

Woman complete man. - the help "me". The reason why God make woman is because man needed help.

A man's most important relationship is with his wife.
She's so closer to him, then they become one.
Man usually define themselves by what they do.

Priorities shifted once you get married.

Second.
Ephesians 5:21-23

In Christian marriage, both husband and wife submit to each other.
v.21 wife submit to the husband's leadership,
husband love and submit to put their wife's first.

Men and their behavior and priorities is the major subject of this passage.
Telling the husband on how to lead and how to love and respect their wife.

Thirdly.
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listenning to what He said. 40 B ut Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it willn ot be taken away from her." Luke 10:38-42

(usually many uses this phrase to explain about the balance between worshiping God and serve other people)

The phrase "sat at someone's feet", in that day and culture, meant being their disciple.
Mary was being Jesus' disciple.
Jesus accepting Mary as His disciple, even He stopped Martha from separating Mary from Him. Jesus accept Mary equally.
Act 22:3 - Paul's story

If culture >< Bible , to go totally with the Bible!

Cross Roads in Life

Ian Hadfield
Ascension Day
Act 1:1-11

DEPARTING

1. What would it be like (physically)? v.1,3
You wouldn't want to missed it.
Imagine!

2. But he's gone. v.9
That's why we need to imagine how is it like.

3. How do you feel? When He disappear into the clouds..

Grief v.9

Disappointed v.9 - it's a normal response.

Curiosity v.6-9

• what's heaven like?
• when will He come again?
• what difference that the Holy Spirit makes?

Excitement v.9-11

• The Power is to use as a witness
• we are there as evidence.

Nothing

4. It is for the best v.4-5, 8.
We wouldn't have any power if he didn't go to heaven. But with Jesus in us, we are His representatives.
The Holy Spirit came and stays! Cos Jesus' left.

I Thessalonians 4:15-18
Act 2:32-36

Ascension is when God, the Lord of universe hands over His power / authority to Jesus.

I Pet 3:22 - nothing happens out of His control.

We are on His side, side of victory.
We JUST need to want IT.

CROSS OVER

Act 9:1-7

Paul/Saul was in his intersection of life when he meet Jesus.
Where am I, in our cross roads experience?

"I'd rather failed in a course that ultimately succeed, then succeed in a course that will ultimately failed." - John Wesley.

Even Jesus has a cross road experience.
He were on a cross road, then on to the cross.

Bible is a story full of cross roads:
Jacob vs the angel - hold on to God, don't let Him go, and claim your blessings.

Rev. 13:8
As you thought about it: We are already saved up front.
In the intersection, we need to decide, otherwise we will lost in the process.

Wherever you are in your cross roads journey, Jesus will be with you. He has a plan for you. Even when all hope seems lost.
Jesus will step in the intersection.

Cross Road Journeys, make it with Jesus!
Let this be your cross over!