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[Music] well good evening welcome to the house of the Lord I'd ask you to turn your Bibles please to Psalm Psalm 149 we've read Psalm 148 to see this morning so I'll read the next one Psalm 149 for our call to worship praise to God for His salvation and judgment praise the Lord sing to the Lord a new song and his praise in the Assembly of the saints let Israel rejoice in their maker let the children of Zion be joyful in their king let them praise His name with the dance let them sing praises to him with the timbrel and harp for the Lord takes pleasure in his people he will beautify the humble with salvation let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud in their beds let the high praises of God be in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hand to execute vengeance on the nation's and punishments on the people's to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron to execute that on them the written judgment this honor of all his saints praise the Lord Amen will please turn with me in your hem books or your read hymnal to the to the first first hymn which I'm sorry yeah no it's a him it's the the him knowing this Psalm one Psalm chapter one Alaska Stan [Music] be seated well let's go to God in prayer commitments that time to him our gracious and our loving Heavenly Father we come into your holy presence this evening through your son the Lord Jesus Christ we are grateful Father for the fact that we can come before such a holy God we can come to make our petitions to make our requests known to you and father you are God who does bend your ear to the prayers of his people how we praise you this night father that you have saved us from our sins we praise you that you have redeemed us that we are part of the elect that father knew through no good of our own we find we find that we are safe in Christ and how we praise you for that position that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ this night well we thank you that nothing can remove us from from the from the the bosom of the Father we praise you that those whom Christ has has died to save our will know for all of eternity the blessedness of being in Christ how grateful we are Father for having saved us and for putting out put into our our hearts a song even this night cause us Lord was one voice to worship you and to to seek you to see you as the the king who is high and lifted up who is holy who is over all this earth and father we pray that you would be pleased to to to bless our time here this evening cause the Lord Jesus Christ to be made known here from this pulpit this night through the preached word and through them through the the scripture that is read through the through the the Psalms and the and the the the hymns that are sung that are offered up to you may you Father be glorified in all these things and and receive our praise and our worship for your most worthy of it all Lord we pray that you would be pleased to to forgive us of all of our sins even this night father this day we know that that brushed precious blood if your son the Lord Jesus Christ does avail and it is open to all who common how we praise you for that that there is a freshness even even this night in that precious blood of Christ we pray Lord that as we gather together this night that you would be well pleased to to to to Tabernacle here amongst us we do pray Lord we thank you that so that those who are ill can be with us even this evening as well and we just pray for those who cannot be with us we pray that you administer to them and cause healing to come to them may they know your your help and your aid and your a refreshment from a good night's rest then and we do pray Lord your blessing to be upon all who are not well we thank you for eating to everyone in this congregation who are with with children we we do pray Lord that you would be pleased to bless those little ones in the womb and cause them to to be ready for that day when when they shall be born and that they would be born well and healthy we pray Lord your blessing upon mother and father that she would cause them to to raise these children raise their children to fear you and we know Lord that truly salvation is of the Lord and so we commit each one into your hands and pray Lord that you would be pleased to do a work of Grace and the lives of the little ones here and in our congregation the lives of young people young adults that father we that we might to know if a truth that that you that said that there are individuals here in this place who have heard the gospel have responded to it we do pray for that that work that heart work that only you can do where we ask your blessing to be upon the the the persecuted church this night as well Lord we know that we meet in freedom we meet in such in such ease as it as it were yet there is as we reminded this morning there is a there is a concerted effort against the truth and that's a that has always been such and Lord how we pray that even this this day and age in the 21st 21st century that father you'd be pleased to continue to to to bless those who who hold the truth who are in churches in persecuting countries who who have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and are attached to churches and and yet those churches those individuals are under attack by the enemy Lord we pray that you would protect them and minister to them cause them to not to not fear man but rather to fear you we pray Lord that they would be that they would have have courage and fresh courage each and every day to live out their Christian lives and those who those who are seeking to to live obedient to you how we pray father that they would find much grace from day to day they have been counted worthy to suffer for the gospel and so Lord we pray that you would give grace where that grace is needed now on a daily basis we pray it would not always be so we pray there would be a fear of got across the lands that father that those who are persecutors they would see it one day they will fall into the hands of an angry god who will judge them and now we pray that you would in your in your wrath that you would remember mercy we do pray across our across our land and around the world and so Lord we just pray that you would be pleased to to be lifted up this this night by our voices and singing and and by our worship we pray that you would be well pleased to receive all the praise and all the honor that is due your name and some Jesus precious name we pray amen well please turn with me in your hymn books the larger hymnal to him number 535 535 Alaska stand please [Music] [Music] a please turn lifting your Bibles to Joel Joel chapter 2 as we consider it can continue our consecutive reading through the Old Testament jewel chapter 2 beginning of verse one blow the trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm in my holy mountain let all the inhabitants of the land tremble from the day of the Lord is coming for is at hand a day of darkness and gloominess a day of clouds and thick darkness like the morning clouds spread over the mountains a people come great and strong the like of whom has never been nor will ever be any such after them ever for many successive generation even for many successive generations a fire devours before them and behind them a flame burns the land is like the Garden of Eden before them and behind them a desolate wilderness surely nothing shall escape them their appearance is like the appearance of horses and like Swift steeds so they run were they noise like chariots over mountains they leap like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble like as strong people set in battle array before them the people arrive in pain all faces are drained of color they run like mighty men they climb the wall like men of war everyone marches in formation and they do not break ranks they do not push one another even one marches in his own column though they lunge between the weapons they are not cut down they run to and fro in the city they run on the wall they climb into the houses they enter the windows like a thief the earth quakes before them the heavens tremble the sun and moon grow dark and the stars diminish their brightness the Lord gives voice before his army for his camp is very great for strong as the one who executes his word for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible who can endure it now therefore says the Lord turned to me with all your heart with fasting with weeping and with mourning so r and your heart and not your garments return to the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and great of kindness and he relents from doing harm who knows if he will turn and relent and leave a blessing behind him a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God blow the trumpet in Zion consecrate a fast call a sacred assembly gather the people sank sanctify the congregation assemble the elders gathered the children in nursing babes let the bridegroom go out from his chamber and the bride from her dressing room let the priests who minister to the Lord weep between the porch and the altar let them say spare your people o Lord and do not give your heritage to reproach that the nation's should rule over them why should they say among the peoples where is their God then the Lord will be zealous for his land and pity his people the Lord will answer and say to his people behold I will send you grain a new wine oil and you will be satisfied by them I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations but I will remove far from you the northern army and will drive him away into a barren and desolate land with his face toward the eastern sea and with his back toward the western sea his stench will come up and his foul odor will rise because he has done monstrous things fear not o land be glad and rejoice for the Lord has done marvelous things do not be afraid you beasts of the field for the open pastures are springing up and the tree bears its fruit the fig tree and the vine yield their strength be glad then you children of Zion and rejoice in the Lord your God for he has given you the former range faithfully and he will cause the rain to come down to for you the former rain and the latter rain in the first month the threshing floors shall be full of wheat and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil so I will restore to you the years the swarming locust has eaten the crawling locusts the consuming locusts and the chewing locusts my great army which I sent among you excuse me you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God who has dealt wondrously with you and my people shall never be put to shame then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel I am the Lord your God and there is no other my people shall never be put the and it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh your sons and your daughters shall prophesy your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions and also on my man's servants and on my maid servants I will pour out my spirit in those days and I will show the wonders in the heavens and the earth blood and fire and pillars of smoke the Sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord and it shall come to pass that whoever calls in the name of the Lord shall be saved for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance as the Lord has said among the remnant who the Lord calls amen truly we do serve a great God whom and certainly we we look back in hindsight to this day that that was spoken of in in acts of what a wondrous wondrous thing that that glorious gospel the Lord Jesus Christ did come Christ did come in the New Testament that one that was promised here and God truly is faithful to his promises faithful to to the grace that that he has showered upon us and we are evidence of that grace even here tonight well let's pray our gracious that our loving Heavenly Father how we praise you for the Lord Jesus Christ that that precious Savior who has come to save all who had us in him all who would hear that message in believe in the forgiveness of sins through that precious blood of your son the Lord Jesus Christ thank you that although Christ was spoken of here so many years before he came yet father you are faithful to that covenant to those covenant promises and the Lord Jesus Christ did come and we looking back upon that that event 2,000 years ago can rejoice that the Lord Jesus Christ did die upon that cross he was resurrected as you reminded this morning in the preaching and what a wonderful wonderful evidence of your grace that you would shine upon us that we have a vested interest that we have an interest in the things of Christ to be here this night and Lord we look forward to the Word of God being built being opened up in a few minutes and we pray that you would be well pleased so add your blessing to that word father we pray to give unction and help an aid to our pastor as he brings the word blessing we do pray as we would pray also for Mike for Patrick over in Surrey as he will be bringing the word very shortly as well we pray Lord that he too might might know that help and that aid from your Holy Spirit that you'd be pleased to bless the Word of God as it as it shines forth may make me that may the grace of our Lord and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be evidenced in in in all that is preached all it is said and we just thank you for the salvation is ours through crisis and his precious name we pray amen well please turn with me in your books to him number 547 547 I'll ask you to stand [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to James chapter 3 James chapter 3 our focus tonight is on the two kinds of wisdom James sets forth in verses 13 to 18 I do want to begin reading in verse 1 just to set the larger context last week we considered verses 1 to 12 where James deals with the tongue you'll note that James is most practical with reference to the various issues that he is addressing he is dealing with professing people of God the bulk of chapter 2 is taken up with the issue of saving faith James says if you have faith but you do not have works that gives evidence that the faith you have is not saving so he is concerned that those who profess faith in Christ live accordingly in this section dealing with wisdom is the same but beginning in verse 1 of chapter 3 my brethren let not many of you become teachers knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment for we all stumble in many things if anyone does not stumble in word he is a perfect man able also to bridle the whole body indeed we put bits in horses mouths that they may obey us and we turn their whole body look also it ships although they are so large and driven by fierce winds they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires even so the tongue is a little member in both great things see how great a forest a little fire Kindles and the tongue is a fire a world of iniquity the tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature and it is set on fire by hell for every kind of beasts and bird of reptile and creature of the sea is tamed and has been tamed by mankind but no man can tame the tongue it is an unruly evil full of deadly poison with it we bless our God and Father and with it we curse men been made in the summer similitude of God out of the same mouth proceeded blessing and cursing my brethren these things ought not to be so does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening kennefa a fig tree my brethren bare olives or a grapevine bare figs the snow spring yields both salt water and fresh who is wise and understanding among you let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom but if you have bitter envy and self seeking in your hearts do not boast and lie against the truth this wisdom does not descend from above but is earthly sensual demonic for where envy and self seeking exists confusion and every evil thing are there 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 now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace amen will let us pray our Father in Heaven we thank you for the written word we thank you for the fact that you have not left us on our own in this world a world filled with lies and deceit thank you for the sure word of God thank you for both the old and the New Testaments we acknowledge that they are God breathed and profitable for doctrine for for instruction for reproof instruction all those things that the Apostle sets forth may thoroughly furnished us unto every good work and may help us to contemplate this passage of Scripture and to operate according to heavens wisdom and not else do forgive us for our sins and our transgression do forgive us for our unrighteousness and fill us now with the Holy Spirit and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well as I said James is cataloging the two kinds of wisdom in this particular passage he highlights the vices associated with demonic wisdom and he highlights the virtues associated with godly wisdom but what is wisdom I think Webster's 1828 gives us a good definition the right use or exercise of null the choice of laudible ends and of the best means to accomplish that and again this is Webster's 1828 I'm not sure if Webster's 2018 would have this definition but number five in the 1828 version says in Scripture theology wisdom is true religion godliness piety the knowledge and fear of God and sincere and uniform obedience to his command commands this is the wisdom which is from above so again I'm not sure if the 2018 version of Webster's would indicate that but certainly that original work temp demonstrates the knowledge of James chapter 3 that that noah webster manifests and defines his word by well i want to look at first of all the demonstration of wisdom in verse 13 and then secondly the description of the two kinds of wisdom in verses 14 to 18 but notice that james introduces this block of teaching with rhetorical question he asks very clearly in verse 13 who is wise and understanding among you remember he is addressing those who claim to have faith in James 2:14 - 26 he's addressing those who want to be teachers in James 3 verse 1 here he is dealing with practical matters concerning wisdom and in many respects he sounds like the Prophet Hosea Hosea ends his prophecy this way who is wise let him understand these things who is prudent let him know them for the ways of the Lord are right the righteous walked in them but transgressors stumble in them and so I think the connection is this as the tongue expresses what is in the heart so does the wisdom by which we operate in other words if we are that kind of person that is characterized by those vices than we are operating according to demonic wisdom but if we are humble if we are godly if we are engaged in good works then it's evidence that our hearts are right before the Lord God all I think the anthesis primarily in verses 13 to 18 is on piece piece is going to come up again in chapter 4 with reference to dissensions and problems and fights and all that sort of thing in the life of the church I think the primary emphasis in this section is on peace but the means by which the people of God achieve peace is that wisdom that comes from above now note how he answers his rhetorical question who is wise and understanding among you let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom the same verb is employed here as was in 2:18 let him show let him demonstrate in other words wisdom is not seen by the degrees that you have hanging on your wall wisdom is not seen by the the books that you have read wisdom is not seen by the the intellectual accomplishments that you have sought out now all those things are good not suggesting that you hide your head in the sand and never read a book never look at facts never collect data never try to inform yourself I'm not suggesting that but for James this practical theologian the rub comes when we live according to the wisdom that we say that we have and it's very intriguing he says let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom evidence of wisdom is not in the collection of data but in the demonstration of a godly life filled with good conduct that is done in the meekness of wisdom as well we notice that this has connection to our lord's teach in fact much of what we find here in verses 13 to 18 is related to it at least somewhat loosely connected to the Beatitudes in Matthew chapter 5 in Matthew chapter 5 our Lord Jesus says blessed are the meek James here says that we need to engage in the meekness of wisdom Jesus says blessed are the merciful james says that those who operate according to godly wisdom are full of mercy Jesus says those who hunger blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness James ends this section with the fruit of righteousness in verse 18 and then as well Jesus says blessed are the pure in heart and when James comes to define that wisdom from above he says it is first pure so there's a lot of connection between what James speaks of here and the Beatitudes as given by our Lord Jesus in Matthew chapter 5 so once again James demonstrates not only is familiarity with the Old Testament but obviously with the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ but he does say with reference to this manifestation of wit of wisdom the meekness of wisdom now meekness is the opposite of Pride and I think that if we look at this passage clearly James tells us that within the church we're not to be proud people we're not to be ambitious people we're not to be self seeking people we're not to be people that are filled with envy with reference to others accomplishments and a bitterness when they outshine us the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is to be characterized by meekness blessed are the meek Jesus says Jesus describes himself as meek in Matthew chapter 11 verse 29 the Apostle Paul appeals to the Corinthians based on the meekness and gentleness of our Lord Jesus Christ if we are proud we are contrary to our Lord Jesus if we are proud we are enemies of the living and the true God Paul or James rather is going to highlight that in the following section God resists the proud but God gives grace to the humble that ought to be the pursuit of every believing heart is humility and a pursuit by which we make gains when we are killing pride I've said it many times and I'll probably say it again but when we pursue humility we will most likely be proud of that we will tell others I'm working on my humility the best way to cultivate humility is by killing pride the best way to cultivate that neatness of spirit is to be putting to death the deeds of the body the best way to cultivate what James envisions envisions here for the people of God is to be with God an enemy of your own pride so James defines for us or rather says how genuine wisdom is manifested it is through meekness it is through humility proverbs 11:2 says when pride Dawn's then comes shame but with the humble is wisdom and one more observation before we leave this point when he says let him show by good conduct now I hope that we wouldn't even need to qualify this but the idea is not sounding the trumpet and telling everybody that you're engaging in humility sounding a trumpet and telling everybody that you're engaging in good conduct let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to God don't call attention to yourself when you're engaged in that rather may this be the manner of your life so that when persons witness it they give glory to God Thomas Manton has this helpful observation it is one thing to do works that may be seen and another to do them that they might be seen it's a subtle small distinction but it's one we ought to take to heart it's one thing to do these good works that they may be seen by man it's another thing to do them that they might be or that we are inviting them or that that is the end game we want to do this so that men will see us and give glory to us that's not what's in James's mind let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom now let's look at the description of the two kinds of wisdom in verses 14 and 2:18 there is a demonic wisdom and there is a heavenly wisdom and I'll say this for our dear brother James he does not pull any punches whatsoever he is not trying to make his hearers feel good bye just sort of softly peddling to them various thoughts that they might want to reckon with no he says that the tongue is set on fire by hell he says that this wisdom is owing to that which is earthy earthy that which is sensual and that which is demonic you see we need to appreciate that when we operate with pride when we operate with self-seeking when we operate with self ambition when we are engaged in the sorts of things that James condemns here that has connection to the devil and to hell it has connection to those things which are contrary to God it has connection to those things which are in opposition to God and that ought not to be with those who profess faith in our Lord Jesus Christ notice the vices associated with this demonic wisdom in verse 14 but if you have bitter envy and self seeking in your hearts now the word translated here as Envy is basically the word zeal and in some context zeal is used positively it's good to have a godly zeal so the word and of itself doesn't lean toward a negative or a positive it's the context that dictates but the fact that James describes it as bitter zeal Envy is a great translation bitter Envy what is Envy the difference between envy and jealousy is simply this if I am jealous of you I simply want what you have if I am envious of you I not only want what you have but I don't want you to have it that's just diabolical isn't it I mean jealousy isn't great I'm not suggesting go out and be jealous that's fine but if I just want your car I got a deal with God with reference to covetousness and tenth commandment issues but if I want your car but I really don't want you to have your car that just sort of descends the scale in terms of lawlessness or or wickedness it's an evil thing someone's probably thinking about the illustration I've often used when I was a young lad I went fishing and Oregon and my cousin caught a lot of fish and he had him on his stringer and I caught no fish my cousin walked away for a little time i undid the stringer and I let the fish go I didn't want him to have that I'm sorry I hate to reveal that to you about myself I hate to show the the heart that is Jim Butler but that's an illustration of envy not only did I not want not only did I want to have caught fish but I didn't want him to have caught fish and it's too bad cuz he was a wonderful fellow I'm sure he still is a wonderful fellow haven't talked to him for a little while here but that's Envy it's not wanting people to have good things contrary to Paul isn't it rejoice with those who rejoice weep with those who weep that's the ethics of the kingdom not somebody walks into the prayer meeting it says praise God for me brethren I got a raise and somebody sitting there says well I didn't get raised and I don't want him to have a raise he doesn't deserve a raise he's a terrible guy I don't like him Envy is wicked and this is what James is saying now the fact that James is having to deal with this in the context of the local church the fact that the Apostle Paul deals with similar issues in the local church tells us this isn't an out-there problem this isn't just something that the that plagues the world now we know they're self-seeking and there's ambition and their selfishness and pride a lack of humility and meekness and in a presence of envy out in the world James is dealing with us James is dealing with a church why is it necessary for Paul to tell us to rejoice with those who rejoice because we're wretched because we're terrible because we are the kind of people that think wow I didn't get it he shouldn't get it either that's what James wants to put the kibosh on the zeal here is used negatively it is bitter it evidence is the negative meaning one dictionary defines it this way intense negative feelings over another's achievements or success Envy Thomas Manton says Envy is an eager desire of our own Fame and a maligning of that which others have and you know what goes hand-in-hand with bitter Envy is this self seeking in your heart this selfish ambition isn't it don't they correlate together I don't want them to have it but I want it I don't want them to prosper but I want to prosper I don't want them to advance but I want to advance these are two two peas in a pod wherever there is this bitter Envy there's going to be a soft seeking a selfish ambition this desire to be up over others and James says no and I think that's what he means at the end of verse 14 this is an exhortation if you have bitter envy if you have self-seeking in your hearts note the end of verse 14 do not boast and lie against the truth in other words if your life is characterized by envy and selfishness don't claim to have the wisdom that is from above just like in 214 to 26 if you don't help brethren if you don't engage in good works if you don't manifest to others love and kindness and affection then don't say you have saving faith because saving faith always produces that sort of a thing remember James is not teaching faith plus words he's not teaching an amalgamation in order to be saved James is treating the subject those who have saving faith this is how they ought to be living and if they are not living that way they have no reason to conclude that they have saving faith and I think that's the thrust of the end of verse 14 in this particular section do not boast and lie against the truth if you have this bitter Envy if you have this self seeking if you have this selfish ambition don't tell people you're a believer don't tell people you operate according to God's wisdom don't tell people that you are the kind of person that the Lord Jesus has secured by his death and resurrection and yet this is the way that I'm going to live now notice he highlights the origin of this wisdom in verse 15 this wisdom does not descend from above now above is that realm where God is above is that realm according to John James 1:17 where God the Father is the one in whom there is no variation no shadow of turning he is the one who gives every good and perfect gift that's the above in view here and James says the kind of wisdom characterized by bitter Envy and self seeking is not from above he says this is earthly sensual or natural and demonic no it should be obvious the contrast here it is not connected to God it is not originating in from above it rather has its tap roots and everything that is opposed to God Most High I think Douglas mu brings out the meaning well he says in some this false wisdom which does not lead to good works in humility is characterized by the world the flesh and the devil in each of these ways it is the direct antithesis of the wisdom that comes from above heavenly in nature spiritual in essence and divine in origin so we see the characteristics or rather vices associated with this wisdom the origin of this wisdom now note the result of this wisdom in verse 16 you didn't get asked positive effects on the church when people are engaged in bitter envy and selfish ambition getting churches are filled with peace love and unity when people that visit those churches or attend those churches are characterized this way you show or look at a church where there is the kinds of things that James mentions in verse 16 and it's a result of those things that are imbibed in verse 14 notice in verse 16 for we're envy and self seeking exists confusion and every evil thing are there now the presence of this wisdom that has its origin in all will ultimately plague the people of God it will affect the Church of Jesus Christ if you want to ruin the church here is a great remedy or a great prescription and I'm speaking sarcastically be bitter and viewers and full of selfish ambition and self seeking now probably there's a whole host of things we'd like to change in the church there's probably a whole host of things we'd like to change in one another there's probably a whole host of things we'd like to change and people we love that are closest to us you know why that's ultimately not our job our job is to manage ourselves something I think that is absolutely lacking in modern society today is self-government if you have a people that can do that you won't need you know the massive federal bureaucracies that you have out there you have people functioning in terms of self-government or dare I say self-control it's that intriguing that in Galatians 5 self-control my ability to control myself is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that beautiful what happens if somebody doesn't have self-control we might conclude they don't have the Holy Spirit because when the Holy Spirit takes up residence and in a heart guess what he does to that perset he gives them the ability to manage themselves he gives them the ability to control themselves he gives them the ability to engage in a righteous self govern man a lot of problems would be avoided if young children were taught self-government self-control those things that have gone by the wayside we want everybody else to control us we want everybody else to manage us we want everybody else to help us that's not everybody else's job it's your job embrace it run with it delight in God with it ask the spirit to sow sow permeate you that you will be able to govern yourself notice what James says is the result of those who come into the church with envy and self seeking it confusion and every evil thing so we want peace in the church don't we look at first Corinthians 14 for just a moment now the focus of the Apostle in first Corinthians 14 is different he's dealing with the exercise of spiritual gifts in the context of the church but he does make two observations concerning God and I think that this applies not only to the exercise of the spiritual gifts visa vie 1st Corinthians 14 but the exercise of biblical church relations or biblical churchmen ship or the way that we conduct ourselves in the house of God notice in 1st Corinthians 4 14 verse 33 for God is not the author of confusion but of peace you see when you enter into a church and it's confused I'm not talking doctrinally though that's certainly a part of it I'm talking about practically where people get along with each other well there is this that the depressants of this bitter Envy there is this self-seeking Ness there is this self ambition there is this pride in arrogance that doesn't come from God he's not the author of confusion God is about peace is indeed God is about tranquility God is about leading us beside still waters God is about stabilizing his people not promoting in them this chaos and confusion and then notice in verse 40 again in the context of the exercise of spiritual gifts but I don't think Paul would say well when it comes to everything else don't pay attention to verse 40 let all things be done decently and in order you see what ought to mark the church is decency orderliness in peace not confusion but we're persons in barbed is demonic wisdom where they are filled with this Envy this bitter Envy we're self seeking and self ambition dominates them the result is is confusion and every evil thing that is what we need to be on guard against the presence of disorder on confusion and chaos in the church is not attributable to the wisdom which comes from God but it's demonic it is demonic you know church meetings where everybody's freaking out and flipping out it might be a good question for somebody to stand up and say what kind of wisdom are we operating accordingly according to you here what's happen to us how is it that that ambition how is it that self seeking how is it that bitter Envy has brooch breached the walls of the kingdom of God and has taken root in our midst now know the description of heavenly wisdom note the origin verse 17 he starts with origin same structure we've got origin characteristics and results same thing with the demonic wisdom and with the heavenly wisdom the origin of this wisdom is that is the wisdom that is from above is from God he is the one who gives every good and perfect gift and he is the one who gives wisdom to those who ask as I said last week with James 3:1 212 it's it's descriptive of how bad the tongue is it's not prescriptive on how to fix the time that that's absent in James 3:1 to 12 he doesn't tell you okay here's the problem with the tongue here's five easy tips on how to fix the talk that's not what he does he basically just tells us how bad it is and I think he's doing the same thing here with reference to this wisdom he is not telling us how to get this heavenly wisdom he's not telling us how to resist this demonic wisdom he's just telling us it is this is the way it is there are these two kinds or types of wisdom and if you do this you are owing to that and if you do this you are owing to that but James has already dealt with the issue of how we obtain wisdom how does the believer obtain wisdom did he go to the local university and get a PhD in philosophy he can do that philosophy simply means the love of wisdom that's a good pursuit the way to wisdom according to James 1:5 is to ask God if any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach James already settled the issue on how to get it this is just a description of is notice it is first pure I mean if hell's wisdom is dark and wicked and evil and bad then heavens is pure notice he says it is peaceable it is peaceable if demonic wisdom produces confusion heavenly wisdom produces peace turn over to Ephesians 4 for just a moment to see this emphasis on peace peace and unity is what the Apostles enjoin upon the churches not confusion self-seeking bitter Envy and the like notice in Ephesians chapter 4 beginning in verse 1 I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called with all lowliness and gentleness with long-suffering bearing with one another in love endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace there is one body and one spirit just as you were called in one hope of your calling one Lord one faith one baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all so you see the Apostles argument because of God the fact that he is one one spirit one Lord one God and Father triune to be sure we ought to pursue a unity in the body Paul says endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of what peace this is what causes the church to thrive and to flourish you see when there is this chaos and when there is this confusion and when there is this bitter Envy and this selfishness or pride on the parts of on the part of people people coming into that they can they can feel it they can see it they can sense it have you ever went to somebody's house and they just fried fish and they hadn't had the windows open you know what they just did don't you that you know they just fried fish or you've gone to somebody else's house and they haven't changed the litter box for a while you you know that there's a disparity happening with reference to their feet management you just know this right well person's walking into churches were this kind of confusion is right they know it it's palpable you can feel it you can taste it you can see it you can touch it and if you're a discerning believe you're gonna run for the hills you're gonna try and find a church where such things are not present but notice prior to verse three endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Paul actually tells us how we are to do that their words how do we endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace how do I as a member of the free grace Baptist Church endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace well look at the preceding verses walk worthy of the calling with which you are called verse two with all lowliness and gentleness how do I endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace by being lowly and gentle not high-minded not proud and not bitter harsh and austere with long-suffering you mean patience I have to have patience in order to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace breadth and patience is crucial in any sort of society I mean I'm sure you've recognized this at home we need patience to deal with one another and not flip out and you know yell at each other we need patience within the context of the local church we need to do what Paul says here bearing with one another in love you see if we don't have those ingredients we will not endeavor to keep the unity the Spirit in the bond of peace thomas Manton made this observation he said true wisdom as it is careful not to offend Christ by a sin so not to offend the Brethren by a scandal as it will not sin against faith by error so not against love by schism by faith we are united to Christ by charity one to another it is careful that neither band be broken and then he comments on those who just seemingly don't want peace I mean you you may have met such people and if your parents and you have a few kids and you're raising them up and this seems to be that one firebrand that thanks to stir things up Lester's you know something going on some sort of degree of excitement that person's just not happy well those guys find their way into the church now it might be just juvenile mischief and sort of funny when they're little kids but when they become adults and they can't embrace peace they can be really obnoxious and detrimental to the context of Christ's sheep Manton makes this observation on the part of those who don't who are not peaceable he says well then they are far from true wisdom that love to live in the fire there are those kinds but they're not happy unless somebody else isn't happy they're not happy unless there's contention this for some reason it's a self-identification thing for that they've always got to be fighting someone if that's you stop fighting I mean just chill out I wonder what these guys would think about Facebook or Twitter I mean these what do they call them tweet storms that that men that confessed the same confession are constantly lambasting one another on social media you guys believe the same things why would you do that well we're fighting for the truth no you just seem to be fighting you just got this lack of peace go run and play in the snow do something other than these sorts of things but listen to Manta well then they are far from true wisdom that love to live in the fire that cherish contentions and they rile the waters that they may fish in them that increase the differences and add oil to the flame that they may promote here is their private interests more often than not if persons were honest a lot of these protects euler's or not for the health and benefit in the glory of Christchurch but their own private interests you know what there's a good place for your private interests and it's not in the church now if your private interests happen to align with God's interest and praise the Lord but if you just are not a peaceable human being you're gonna be a miserable miserable addition to any church or family that you happen to be found among and then he says it's it's it's gentle this peace that is from above it's it's gentle gentle hope its gentle doesn't yell at you it doesn't scream at you brethren there's a sense where we have to remember that the best of men are men at best we ought to imbibe more the ethic of God the Father isn't godliness being like God again not essentially we don't participate in the divine essence we don't become deity but godliness me he's being conformed to God you know how God looks upon our fellows he looks upon them as dust he knows that they are but dust he knows that they are weak and he pities them imagine if we actually imitated the father with reference to that approach to dealing with others again famous lexicon says not insisting on every right of letter of law or custom it is yielding gentle kind courteous tolerant Thomas mantid said austerity is the note of folly wise Christians in weighing in action always cast in the allowance of human frailty that really struck me it probably wouldn't have twenty years ago but as you get older you start to think wow maybe Manton did know a whole lot more than I did I texted my brother the other day I said thank you for giving me Manta and he sure knows James and I said thank you for giving me Gill he sure knows everything I mean that's just John Gill John Gill wrote a commentary on the entirety the Bible and then he says now that I finished that I'm gonna write a systematic theology but Manton makes this observation and I think it's beautiful wise Christians in weighing in action always cast in the allowance of human frailty now I don't think Manton is suggesting and I certainly don't think James is suggesting that we let people get away with sin but I think what they are saying is that we need to contemplate that we're dealing with the sons of God who are not perfect frailty still affects us and gentleness will take that into consideration and then fourthly he says it's willing to yield if hell's wisdom is characterized by envy and selfish ambition heavens is characterized by a willingness to yield to brethren now I think we need to make sure that we understand this James is not saying that we are to will be willing to yield on the doctrine of the Trinity were not to be willing to yield on the doctrine of justification by faith alone we're not to be willing to yield when it comes to the cardinal truths of the Christian faith we are however be willing to yield when it comes to something that is not relative to a theological principle or truth and something that doesn't have ethical connotations in terms of you know we're not willing to yield if my brother says you know I just love to to commit adultery well you know that's great good for you I hope hope it works out well that's not the willingness to yield there's a whole lot of issues that come up among God's people where there's this lack of a willingness to yield we always have to be right we always have to get our way we always have to come out ahead everybody has to see the wisdom of what we're saying and that's not good that's not healthy that's not going to prosper the Church of the Lord Jesus moo says what is meant is not a weak credulous gullibility but a willing deference to others when unalterable theological or moral principles are not involved a good reminder if it's justification by faith we're not to maintain peace we're not to seek unity we're to define or argue would exegete would it were to confess and those who oppose ought not to be allowed among us but when it comes to the preferences that each of us have with reference to the Christian life your preferences don't have to become everybody else's laws Charles Hodge was right that there's a pope in every man's bosom there is a pope in every man's bosom and what he meant by that is that the desire to lord things over our brethren is rampant again not willing to yield when it comes to justification but willing to yield when it comes to those things that are yield a bowl that we can't back down from that we can exercise gentleness in that we can agree to disagree with our brethren if everything always has to be your way on things not necessarily connected the cardinal Christian truth or the practice of ethics your wisdom may be owing more to hell than it is to heaven but this is what James says gentle willing to yield then he says full of mercy full of mercy remember that's how he says it's described here or this is one of the means by which he says that Heaven's wisdom is recognizable it is full of mercy and good fruits full of mercy and good fruits then he says without partiality this is an intriguing words got two dictionary definitions and both probably fit this particular context it means pertaining to not being judgmental or divisive non judgmental not divisive or impartial so the without partiality see where the New King James gets that it's correct without partialities already condemned partiality in Chapter two my brethren if you hold the faith in Jesus do not be partial to those who come in among you but as well it means pertaining to not being uncertain or unwavering so an idea might be that it's partiality but this certainty now the reason why I think this fits in the context is because of James what if something James condemns in Chapter one and then again in Chapter four he doesn't use the word but he condemns it in Chapter three with reference to the tongue double mindedness this is a problem that James is combating through and through he doesn't want the people of God to be double minded people you know operate according to Heaven's wisdom you are to operate according to those things which God says are good and you're not supposed to be double minded you're not supposed to be wavering you're not supposed to be tossed to and fro and the last description of the last virtue associated with wisdom from on high is without hypocrisy and again pretty obvious pretty common something that we should appreciate now he ends this by giving the result of this wisdom in verse 18 now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace now it's a difficult statement it's a bit of a difficult thing to understand but here's what I think he means I don't think he's talking about in the eschaton in heaven he's talking about the church the effects of demonic wisdom produce confusion and self-seeking in the context of the church the effects of Heaven's wisdom in the context of the people of God is such that the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace other words those who are peacemakers in the context of the local church which is in evidence or a fruit of this wisdom which is from on I will reap righteousness instead of confusion and envy and every evil thing they'll be righteousness within the context of Christ's churches so we see with reference to James's teaching the contrast between the two wisdoms they differ in origin one is earthly natural and demonic the other is from above secondly they differ in their characteristics the one is characterized by envy selfish ambition the other by purity peaceable nacelles willingness to yield mercy good works without partiality and without hypocrisy and they differ in their results one produces confusion and every evil thing the other righteousness as a result of peace that is given by the wisdom that we operate according to the Brethren I think that if we ask the question now what kind of wisdom do I operate by it's pretty easy to tell which is the one James wants us to operate by if the sorts of things that he condemns here are true of us praise God there is forgiveness with him if you Lord should mark iniquities O Lord who could stand but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared in brethren when you come to passages like these be honest I mean don't say well you know I'm glad so-and-so's here because I think they got a problem with bitter Envy and selfishness and all that sort of thing and you know so and so it's really proud there again I'm glad he's gotten a good dose of examine your own heart so these things true of you are these things indicative of you somebody were to come to you and say wow I got a promotion I got a I'm gonna raise my wife gave me a kiss everything's great would you say I don't want you to have that at least internally I don't want you to enjoy those sorts of things well you got connections to hell and James says you need to repent as well we see the Blessed effect that this kind of wisdom produces or promotes in the context of the churches this is the larger context James is dealing with in this particular side check its division its dissension in his issue in the church and James is addressing the various things by which those things are fostered and promoted the time is a big one you get a lot of unguarded undisciplined tongues in the context of the local church and what happens it rips it apart that little member sets on fire an entire forest as well this wisdom this wisdom by which we operate if it's demonic we will affect the church in a negative way if it's demonic will affect our families in a negative way if it's demonic we'll have an effect upon ourselves in a negative way if this demonic wisdom is continue to be imbibed within the context of society it will affect it it will hurt it this is not a good thing brethren let us confess our sins to God let us ask God for the forgiveness of sins and let us pray to him to give us the spirit so that we may imbibe the sorts of things that our care turistic of heaven's wisdom so that we may imbibe the kind of wisdom that is pure peaceable gentle willing to yield full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisy pick the one that you chow are challenged by the most and pray to God to help you I really have a tough time being pure with my my thoughts in terms of my brethren and I don't mean sexually I mean with reference to the sorts of things James is dealing with or maybe I really have a tough time being willing to yield god help me to be a willing to yield err along side the people of God Lord I'm really struggling with this peaceable attitude god help me to get a hold on that and to seek to promote peace and gentleness I mean come on I mean how many people are genuinely gentle today I mean you meet them and it's encouraging isn't it Wow that person's very gentle the rest of us are like bulls in China shops you know just doing what we got to do brethren we need to pray to God that this kind of wisdom would be present in our own hearts and in our own lives and the good news is if anyone lacks it let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach and if you are not a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ the wisdom you operate according to is demonic wisdom the wisdom you operate according to is that which is characterized by the Apostle here as being absolutely wicked and vile and evil and the only way to break free of that demonic wisdom is to come to the cross the only way to break free of that hold by Satan on you is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to look to the one who said just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so also must the Son of Man be lifted up but everyone who looks to him everyone who believes in Him will have everlasting life and it's from that vantage point having come to Christ having been washed from our sins having received that righteousness that is his it is on from that vantage point that we now come into contact with this heavenly wisdom and we ask God and he supplies it to us so that we can function as decent human beings in our various relationships well let us close in a word of Prayer father we thank you for the word of God we thank you for this section we thank you for the clarity of it and how it is hard-hitting and I pray that we would examine our own hearts before passage like this that we would seek wisdom from on high that you would help us to cultivate these virtues in our own hearts and lies by the power of the Holy Spirit and to resist those things that are associated with demonic wisdom go with us this week help us to glorify you help us to be faithful witnesses to our faithful Lord and help us to gather together again to bring glory and praise and honor unto you and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well let's close by standing and singing the doxology together that can be found in your Trinity hymnal on page Roman numeral 16 doxology [Music] now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete and every good work to do his will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever amen well please be seated