Scott LaPierre's Blog: Scott LaPierre | Living God's Way | Pastor, Author, and Speaker, page 29
May 3, 2021
The Need for A Holy Church | Vision Of WCC
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Christian Personal Finance Advice from the Bible
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When the Word of the Lord Was Rare
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There Arose Another Generation Who Did not Know the Lord | From Victory to Defeat
January 25, 2021
The Word of God Is Living and Powerful (Hebrews 4:12) - A Glimpse of Jesus' Wisdom Through Solomon
Hebrews 4:12 says, “The Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Solomon is one of the clearest types of Christ in the Old Testament. Speaking of the whole earth coming to hear Solomon’s wisdom, Jesus said, “The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here” (Matthew 12:42). We receive a wonderful glimpse of his wisdom through Solomon’s.
Hebrews 4:12 says, “The word of god is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.” Solomon is one of the clearest types of Christ in the Old Testament.Receive a FREE copy of Pastor Scott LaPierre’s book, Seven Biblical Insights for Healthy, Joyful, Christ-Centered Marriages .View all Pastor Scott’s books on my Amazon author page.Visit Scott LaPierre’s speaking page for conference and speaking information, including testimonies, endorsements, and contact info.Table of ContentsSermon Lessons for The Word of God Is Living and PowerfulFamily Worship Guide for The Word of God Is Living and PowerfulSermon Notes for The Word of God Is Living and PowerfulLesson one: cling to the sword when you need wisdom.Lesson two: the Word is a sword that cuts to the heart.Lesson three: anyone can approach Jesus’ throne.Sermon Lessons for The Word of God Is Living and PowerfulLesson 1: Cling to ______ __________ when you need wisdom (1 Kings 3:24, Psalm 119:105, Ephesians 6:17, Revelation 19:15, 21; 2 Samuel 23:9-10).Lesson 2: The Word is a sword that ________ to the __________ (1 Kings 3:26; Hebrews 4:12-13; Proverbs 20:5).Lesson 3: Anyone can approach ____________ ______ (1 Kings 3:16; Luke 15:1; Hebrews 4:16).Family Worship Guide for The Word of God Is Living and PowerfulDay 1: Read 1 Kings 3:24, Psalm 119:105, Ephesians 6:17, Revelation 19:15, 21; 2 Samuel 23:9-10, and discuss: In what ways does Solomon serve as a type of Christ? How does God’s Word serve as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path? Why do you think the Word is compared with a sword? Can you think of other types or pictures of the Word in Scripture? How can we become proficient with the Word? Day 2: Read 1 Kings 3:26; Hebrews 4:12-13; Proverbs 20:5, and discuss: Do you think Hebrews 4:12 is referring to Scripture or Jesus Christ? And why? How was Solomon able to look past the women’s words to their hearts? How can this be applied to our counseling and dealing with people? Day 3: Read 1 Kings 3:16; Luke 15:1; Hebrews 4:16, and discuss: Why did God have harlots, of all people, approach Solomon’s throne? What does this teach us? Why can we have confidence to approach the throne? Why does God make mercy and grace available to us in our time of need? What application should this have for our lives? How is Jesus greater than Solomon?Sermon Notes for The Word of God Is Living and PowerfulYou know I like types, and Solomon is one of the clearest types of Christ in the Old Testament.
The glory of the kingdom Solomon rules over prefigures or foreshadows the glory of the kingdom that Jesus rules over.
We are going to be in 1 Kings 3, but briefly look at 1 Kings 10:23.
Jesus said the Old Testament is about Him. As we read these three verses look for Jesus in them…
1 Kings 10:23 Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24 And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. 25 Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.
It looks like the world is worshiping him:
The whole earth seeks his presenceEveryone wants to hear his wisdomAlthough he’s already unimaginable wealthy, people still brings him gifts and offeringsSo although the verses are about Solomon, they prefigure Jesus reigning over his kingdom.
Speaking of the whole earth coming to hear Solomon’s wisdom, Jesus said…
Matthew 12:42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
Jesus condemned the generation in His day by pointing out that His wisdom is greater than Solomon’s, so if the Queen of Sheba wanted to listen to Solomon, how much more should they want to listen to Him?
In this morning’s verses in 1 Kings 3 we’ll see a demonstration of Solomon’s wisdom that prefigures the greater wisdom of Christ.
I’ve told you before that trials are tests, and tests are trials. God gives us wisdom so we can navigate trials, or pass the tests we face.
In our last sermon on the first half of 1 Kings 3 we saw Solomon ask for wisdom and receive it. In this morning’s sermon we will see him apply his new wisdom to pass the test he’s facing.
Look with me at 1 Kings 3:16…
1 Kings 3:16 Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house, and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house. 18 Then on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. And we were alone. There was no one else with us in the house; only we two were in the house. 19 And this woman’s son died in the night, because she lay on him. 20 And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me, while your servant slept, and laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast. 21 When I rose in the morning to nurse my child, behold, he was dead. But when I looked at him closely in the morning, behold, he was not the child that I had borne.” 22 But the other woman said, “No, the living child is mine, and the dead child is yours.” The first said, “No, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine.” Thus they spoke before the king.
They lived in the same brothel with other harlots, became pregnant around the same time, and their lives created messy situations for them…
Without husbands around there were no witnesses to what took place. It was simply one woman’s word against the other which made it seem impossible to resolve. This prevented the situation from being tried in courts the normal way. More than likely this is why it reached Solomon.
So let’s see what Solomon does…
1 Kings 3:23 Then the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son that is alive, and your son is dead’; and the other says, ‘No; but your son is dead, and my son is the living one.’” 24 And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So a sword was brought before the king. 25 And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.”
Although this sounds outrageous to us, there was precedent for something like this in the law…
Exodus 21:35 “When one man’s ox butts another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and share its price, and the dead beast also they shall share…or cut it in half.
So they would hear Solomon and think, “Wow, he’s doing w/ the baby what they would do w/ animals!”
Since this situation seemed unresolvable, Solomon needed wisdom. He set a great example for us when he said, “Bring me a sword.”
And this brings us to Lesson 1…
Lesson one: cling to the sword when you need wisdom.We’ve talked about types many times before. Typically we’re talking about types of Christ, but there are types of other things as well. For example, leprosy and leaven are types – or pictures – of sin.
There are also types – or pictures – of the Word of God…
Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
A lamp is a picture of the Word.
A sword is probably the most common type – or picture – of the Word…
Ephesians 6:17 The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Jesus strikes down His enemies w/ a sword that proceeds from His mouth, …
Revelation 19:15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron…21 The rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse.
He doesn’t literally have a sword coming out of His mouth, but it’s a picture of the Word of God.
When Solomon needed wisdom he looked for a sword and we should do the same.
We shouldn’t expect God to speak to us audibly like He did w/ people before the Word of God was completed. Instead we should expect God to speak to us – or direct us – through His Word.
Generally when we’re trying to figure out what to do in our lives, if we will spend the necessary time in God’s Word we’ll find the wisdom needed to make the right decision.
Let me give you another illustration I like that I hope you’ll take with you…
When one of David’s Mighty Men when was fighting…
2 Samuel 23:9 Among the three mighty men was Eleazar…He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. 10 He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and HIS HAND CLUNG TO THE SWORD. And the Lord brought about a great victory that day.
God was able to bring about a great victory through Eleazar b/c he clung on to his sword so long his hand stuck to it.
This is a great picture of what our relationships to the Word should be like. We aren’t fighting physical battles, but we are fighting spiritual battles and we should cling to the Word of God like Eleazar clung to his sword.
Eleazar – like the rest of David’s Mighty Men knew how to use their swords – or they wouldn’t have been too mighty.
The same thing can be said of us. We won’t be too mighty if we aren’t skilled w/ our swords.
How do we develop this skill?
It takes things:
First, it takes practice. We must spend time reading and studying our Bibles.Second, it takes experience. They used their swords regularly throughout their lives…and it’s the same w/ us. We need to use our Bibles and apply what we read and study. What good is it to know the Bible if we’re not going to follow it?Let’s go back to the account with Solomon.
Of course Solomon had no intention of cutting the child in half. He knew the child’s mother would object. And that’s what happened…
1 Kings 3:26 Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death.” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him.”
There are some evil people and when they suffer they want others to suffer too. If they lose something they want others to lose the same thing.
This mother lost her child and she wanted the other mother to lose hers.
1 Kings 3:27 Then the king answered and said, “Give the living child to the first woman, and by no means put him to death; she is his mother.” 28 And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.
This really makes Solomon look like Jesus who, according to Luke 2:40, was filled with wisdom.
If you write in your Bible circle the words the wisdom of God was in him and write, “1 Corinthians 1:24,” which says Jesus is the wisdom of God.
Let me get you to think about something…
Solomon couldn’t use the women’s words to determine the right thing to do. It was one woman’s words against the other, and they were saying the same thing.
So if he wasn’t going to examine their words what would he examine?
He had to examine their hearts!
This is what he did. After he told the story verse 26 says her heart yearned for her son. He was able to see the heart of this woman for her son.
Briefly look at verse nine. Solomon said he wanted to be able to discern between good and evil, and that’s what his wisdom allowed him to do. He was able to see the good of one mother and the evil of the other.
Solomon asked for a sword and in a sense his story acted like a sword that split these two women and revealed their hearts.
This is very fitting b/c we’re told in the NT that a sword does exactly what Solomon did and exposes the heart.
If you write in your bible you can circle the word sword and write, “Hebrews 4:12-13.”
Then go ahead and turn to these verses. We won’t turn back to 1 Kings 3.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
We could say this is exactly what we saw Solomon do.
Hebrews 4:13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
The main point of these verses is the Word of God is able to look at, or cut to, the heart.
And this brings us to lesson two…
Lesson two: the Word is a sword that cuts to the heart.Solomon demonstrates a good approach to counseling. Try to look past people’s words to their hearts.
Proverbs 20:5 The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Solomon was able to do this – he was able to draw out the truth – b/c he was a man of understanding and wisdom.
This is one more way Solomon looks like Jesus. He did w/ these women what Jesus does w/ us.
Before I explain this, let me briefly share something…
I’m always learning new things as I study God’s Word. Even verses I consider myself familiar with, the more I study them, the more new things I learn.
But it’s not often that I’m studying and am confronted with something that causes me to see a verse – or verses – completely differently.
A few years ago when I studied Hebrews 4:12 this took place. I previously believed the phrase word of God was referring to Scripture and not the personal or divine Word of God, Jesus Christ, which is what most people believe. As I studied the verse I became convinced that it’s about Jesus.
Whenever we come to God’s Word we need to be aware that some of our beliefs could be wrong. None of us are perfect theologians who have it all figured out.
Sometimes we’ll hear things so many times we’ll accept it as fact when it might not be true…which I think is the case w/ this verse.
So I have one request…
Be open to what I share about this verse and consider whether the commonly held vies is wrong.
Here’s why I think it is…
First, notice verse 13 begins with the word And showing it flows from verse 12, or continues the thought from verse 12,and it uses the words Him and His, b/c the author of Hebrews is talking about a Person…versus Scripture itself.
Second, the context – the verses before and after – are about Jesus:
The previous verses are about the greater rest we can have in Christ.Then verse 14 begins with the words 14 Since then we have a great high priest…showing he had been talking about this great high priest in verses 12 and 13…versus Scripture.Third, the end of verse 13 says naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
This is about us being judged, and we are judged AGAINST scripture, but we aren’t judged BY scripture.
Scripture is the standard by which we’re judged, but we don’t stand before Scripture somedayIt’s not Scripture sitting on the Judgment Seat of Christ or on the Great White Throne.Instead, everyone is judged by Christ…
John 5:22 the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son.
The reason we might struggle w/ this referring to Jesus is we generally think of John 1:1 as the place presenting Jesus as the Word of God…
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
But Hebrews also begins by presenting Jesus as the Word of God…
Hebrews 1:1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has SPOKEN TO US BY HIS SON, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
Instead of saying spoken to us THROUGH His Son – as though Jesus is the Messenger – it says BY HIS SON, as though Jesus is the message, or the Word of God.
Also, just to let you know there are many commentators that see this referring to Jesus:
John Owen said, “I judge therefore that it is the Person of Christ who is here spoken of. The attributes [in verse 12] properly belong to [Him], and cannot directly be ascribed to [Scripture].”The Moody Bible Commentary says, “This fits the context…as Jesus, the Word, is living, active, sharp, piercing and thus will judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”Lenski said, “The idea that this refers to the Son, the personal Word, as it does in John 1:1 is advocated by some of the Greek and a number of Latin fathers.”Ellicott said, “Outside the writings of [John’s Gospel where the Word of God is a title for Jesus] there is no passage in the New Testament in which the word of God is as clearly invested with personal attributes as here [in Hebrews].”In other words, there are no places in Scripture that discuss Scripture doing what these verses say. For example…
The end of verse 12 says the Word of God [discerns] the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Who or what does this?
In Revelation 2:23 Jesus said, “I am he who searches mind and heart.”
He does what the verse says.
John 2:24 Jesus…KNEW ALL PEOPLE 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for HE HIMSELF KNEW WHAT WAS IN MAN.
Jesus looks deeply into all of us to see our hearts.
This is exactly what Solomon did with the two harlots.
Now speaking of the harlots, let me get you to think of something…
I doubt this was the first instance of Solomon using the wisdom God gave him. But we don’t know what other feats of wisdom may have preceded or followed this one. We simply know this is the display of Solomon’s wisdom God wanted to highlight for some reason, which makes it important.
The part that’s surprising – or perhaps even shocking – is that it’s an account involving two harlots.
In 1 Kings 3:12 God said to Solomon none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.
Since Solomon is the greatest king in the world – there hadn’t been anyone like him, and there wouldn’t be anyone like him – when two prostitutes approached him he could have told someone below him to settle the issue. In other words, this looked like it’s beneath him.
This shows that Solomon made himself available to everyone, regardless of their status in life. And this is another way Solomon looked like Jesus.
And this brings us to lesson three…
Lesson three: anyone can approach Jesus’ throne.My suspicion is if this was an account of two wealthy, or powerful, or famous, people approaching Solomon it would communicate something unfortunate: that only certain people can approach the king.
Instead, Solomon looks very much like Jesus in that anyone could approach Him…
Luke 15:1 The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
If people don’t draw near to Christ, it’s not b/c the Son wouldn’t let them approach.
When these women approached Solomon he was able to demonstrate his wisdom.
Jesus is greater than Solomon, so look a few verses later in Hebrews 4:16 to see what we receive when we approach Him …
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
When we approach Jesus we are able to receive two things…
We receive mercy.We find grace.The way this is worded is very fitting…
Frist, since we’re sinners, mercy is what we need to receive.
Mercy means not receiving the punishment we deserve.Considering all the sins we’ve committed and the punishment we deserve as a result, there’s nothing we could ever need to receive more than mercy!Second, it says we find grace.
Grace is unmerited favor…Grace is receiving kindness we haven’t earned.This is why it’s worded so perfectly: since we can’t earn grace all we can do is find it!
Jesus said, referring to himself…
Matthew 12:42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
Harlots were able to approach Solomon when they needed help; they were able to go to Solomon during their time of need.
Since Jesus is greater than Solomon, how much more confident should we be going to Christ and how much more should we expect to receive from Him.
January 20, 2021
Christian Marriage Conference Q & A - Northwest Marriage Conference Speakers' Counsel and Advice
This is the Christian marriage conference Q & A (questions and answers) from the 2nd annual Northwest Marriage Conference. The conference is meant to refocus, renew, and restore marriages so they can be biblical and Christ centered.
The NW Marriage Conference is designed to provide couples with tools and information needed to Have a Christlike marriage. This video is of the concluding Christian marriage conference Q & A.Receive a FREE copy of Pastor Scott LaPierre’s book, Seven Biblical Insights for Healthy, Joyful, Christ-Centered Marriages .View all Pastor Scott’s books on my Amazon author page.Visit Scott LaPierre’s speaking page for conference and speaking information, including testimonies, endorsements, and contact info.Christian Marriage Conference Q & A SpeakersAl Ray with Marriage TeamGil and Brenda Stuart with Restored and RemarriedScott and Katie LaPierreMike and Laurie Sheffield from Agape MarriageNorthwest Marriage Conference DescriptionCouples in all stages of their marriage will have the opportunity to learn tools to help navigate the struggles of marriage and improve their relationships at the NW Marriage Conference.
According to Annette Dexter, event coordinator for the marriage conference, after experiences in her own marriage, she felt called to reach out to Paul Van Sickle, operations and community impact director for WAY-FM, to see if organizing the marriage conference would be possible.
Dexter said that when she proposed the idea to Van Sickle about a year ago, the radio station had been looking for ways to host more events locally. In her own marriage, Dexter said that there had been many ups and downs, and that each marriage has its own problems, struggles and difficulties. Yet Dexter said that she had “found God’s grace and love and forgiveness. And the lessons that we’ve learned are not lessons that are just for us.”
The idea behind the NW Marriage Conference, Dexter said, is to provide information and resources “to get people the tools that they need to thrive in their marriages.”
Van Sickle said that the conference will have information and sessions for marriages that may be on the verge of collapse to provide hope and tools to improve the relationship. He also said that for couples whose marriages are going well, the conference will help them enhance their relationship and be prepared with methods of addressing hardship when the marriage does struggle.
The event is designed to be a day to “refocus, renew and restore marriages,” Van Sickle said.
At the conference, attendees will hear from several keynote speakers, as well as have the opportunity to attend two breakout sessions from a selection of six speakers and topics.
The keynote speakers include Mike and Laurie Sheffield from Agape Marriage, who focus on forming Christ-centered marriage relationships. Pastor and author Scott LaPierre of Woodland Christian Church in Woodland, will discuss biblical marriage and how to reflect a Godly love in marriage. Dr. Steve Stephens, a licensed psychologist and author, will round out the keynote speakers on marriage.
Each of the keynote speakers will also present breakout sessions during the day ranging from such topics as communications, parenting and being a better spouse. Event sponsor Thrivent Financial will host a session about marriage and money, and Marriage Team will host a session about conflict resolution in marriage. Finally, the organization Restored and Remarried will provide a session focusing on successful marriage after a divorce.
Dexter noted that the goal of the conference is to offer something for everyone who attends, regardless of their stage in life or marriage condition. Additionally, many of the presenters offer their own seminars and classes, and will feature booths at the event. Thus, Dexter said that there is opportunity for following up on classes and information after the event is over.
According to Dexter, tools to help marriages through hard times are not always easy to find, or are simply not sought until a marriage is in trouble. Van Sickle agreed, and said that so often a focus is placed on premarital counseling but not on help after marriage. The conference is designed to provide a “safe setting” to learn and get help in marriage, Van Sickle said.
The idea for the NW Marriage Conference first formed in February of 2017, Van Sickle said, and was launched last November. He said that the goal is to make the conference an annual event.
Dexter said that the event is open to all, but is open about the fact that “at the heart of it all, Christ is at the center of everything we do.” She hopes that the conference will “arm married couples in the Pacific Northwest with the tools they need to fight for their marriage at all costs.
Van Sickle explained that “people are going to walk away with the ability to understand themselves better, their spouse better, and the tools they need to reconcile both of those things to then move their relationship forward in a positive direction.”
January 14, 2021
Wisdom Is the Principal Thing Therefore Get Wisdom (Proverbs 4:7) - Why Is Wisdom So Important?
“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom,” are the wise father’s words to his son in Proverbs 4:7. As it’s written in some other translations, “The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom.” This verse shows, maybe more than anyplace else in the bible, how important it is to get wisdom. But why is that so important? In the sermon Pastor Scott looks at King Solomon as an example of someone who pursued wisdom above all else. When given one of the greatest offers ever made, Solomon chose wisdom above all else, including honor, fame, riches, and the death of his enemies. Let’s learn what wisdom is, how to obtain, and why we should pursue it so diligently.
“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom,” (Proverbs 4:7). This shows how important wisdom is, but why is it so important?Receive a FREE copy of Pastor Scott LaPierre’s book, Seven Biblical Insights for Healthy, Joyful, Christ-Centered Marriages .View all Pastor Scott’s books on my Amazon author page.Visit Scott LaPierre’s speaking page for conference and speaking information, including testimonies, endorsements, and contact info.Table of ContentsSermon Lessons for Wisdom Is the Principal Thing Therefore Get Wisdom Family Worship Guide for Wisdom Is the Principal Thing Therefore Get Wisdom Sermon Notes for Wisdom Is the Principal Thing Therefore Get WisdomLesson 1: wisdom is discerning what to do.Lesson 2: wisdom is associated with listening.Lesson 3: wisdom is available to the humble.Lesson 4: wisdom is available for serving.Lesson 5: wisdom leads to other blessings.Sermon Lessons for Wisdom Is the Principal Thing Therefore Get Wisdom Lesson 1: Wisdom is discerning ________ ____ ____ (1 Kings 3:9-12). Lesson 2: Wisdom is associated with ___________________ (1 Kings 3:9; Proverbs 1:5, 10:8, 19, 13:3, 17:27-28, 19:20; James 1:19). Lesson 3: Wisdom is available to ______ __________ (1 Kings 3:7). Lesson 4: Wisdom is available for ______________ (James 1:5 cf. James 4:3; 1 Kings 3:7-9). Lesson 5: Wisdom leads to ___________ __________________ (Matthew 6:33; 1 Kings 3:13; Proverbs 3:1-9). Family Worship Guide for Wisdom Is the Principal Thing Therefore Get Wisdom Day 1: Read 1 Kings 3:5-9, Proverbs 1:5, 10:8, 19, 13:3, 17:27-28, 19:20, and James 1:19, and discuss: What would you say if God made you the same offer he made Solomon? God gave Solomon wisdom and knowledge. What are the differences between them? Why are wisdom and discernment almost synonymous? What does wisdom allow us to discern? Look at verses nine and eleven for the answer. Day 2: Read James 1:5, James 4:3, and 1 Kings 3:7-9, and discuss: Why is wisdom associated with listening? Or in other words, why do wise people listen so well? Why is talking too much a sign of foolishness? Share about a time you talked too much, and the way you should have listened better. What is needed to listen better? Day 3: Read Matthew 6:33; 1 Kings 3:13; Proverbs 3:1-9, and discuss: Why is humility needed to obtain wisdom? Why did Solomon ask for wisdom, and what application does this have for us? What is the relationship between 1 Kings 3:13 and Matthew 6:33? What does it mean that that proverbs are generalities versus guarantees? How can it cause problems to misunderstand this?Sermon Notes for Wisdom Is the Principal Thing Therefore Get WisdomThe title of this morning’s sermon is, “Wisdom Is the Principal Thing Therefore Get Wisdom…”
Please open your Bibles to 1 Kings 3.
Let me begin by reminding you of something I’ve shared w/ you before that’s worth repeating…
The Old Testament gives us examples:
Romans 15:4 Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction1 Corinthians 10:6 These things [in the OT] took place as examples for us…11 These things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction.You’ve heard this before, right?
January 13, 2021
If Any of You Lacks Wisdom Let Him Ask of God, Who Gives to All Liberally (James 1:5-8)
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him,” is the command God gives to believers in James 1:5 when they’re going through trials (James 1:2-4). We’ve reached an important point in our series. You could say we’ve been building up to this sermon. I said I wanted to preach on wisdom, and in particular how wisdom helps us navigate through trials, and that’s the topic of this message.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God,” is the command God gives to believers in James 1:5 during trials (James 1:2-4).Receive a FREE copy of Pastor Scott LaPierre’s book, Seven Biblical Insights for Healthy, Joyful, Christ-Centered Marriages .View all Pastor Scott’s books on my Amazon author page.Visit Scott LaPierre’s speaking page for conference and speaking information, including testimonies, endorsements, and contact info.Table of ContentsSermon Lessons for If Any of You Lacks Wisdom Let Him Ask of GodFamily Worship Guide for If Any of You Lacks Wisdom Let Him Ask of GodSermon Notes for If Any of You Lacks Wisdom Let Him Ask of GodLesson 1: wisdom (part 1) is not being “in the signal box.”Lesson 1: wisdom (part 2) allows us to “handle the curves well.”Lesson 2: trials are tests requiring wisdom.Lesson 3: God wants to give us wisdom during trials.Lesson 4: doubting produces unstable lives.Sermon Lessons for If Any of You Lacks Wisdom Let Him Ask of GodLesson 1: Wisdom:(Part I) Is ______ __________ “in the signal box.”(Part II) ____________ ____ to “handle the curves well.” Lesson 2: ____________ are __________ requiring wisdom (James 1:2-4, 12; 1 Peter 1:6-7). Lesson 3: God wants to give us wisdom ____________ ____________ (James 1:5; Romans 11:33). Lesson 4: Doubting produces ________________ __________ (James 1:6-8; Ephesians 4:14).Family Worship Guide for If Any of You Lacks Wisdom Let Him Ask of GodDay 1: Read James 1:2-4, 12; 1 Peter 1:6-7, and discuss: what does it mean that receiving wisdom doesn’t mean being in the signal box? What does it mean that receiving wisdom allows us to handle the curves well? How are trials and tests the same? Day 2: Read James 1:5; Romans 11:33, and discuss: why do we need wisdom during trials? What are some of the blessings we receive from trials? What does it mean that God has incommunicable and communicable attributes? Can you name two of each? Day 3: Read James 1:6-8; Ephesians 4:14, and discuss: why does doubting produce unstable lives? What does success look like to you, and what do you think it looks like to God? How is a doubting person like a wave of the sea? How can we try to prevent doubt? What is the greatest wisdom God wants to give us?Sermon Notes for If Any of You Lacks Wisdom Let Him Ask of GodThe title of this morning’s sermon is, “If Any of You Lacks Wisdom Let Him Ask of God.”
Go ahead and open your Bibles to James 1.
We’ve reached an important point in our series. You could say we’ve been building up to this sermon. I said I wanted to preach on wisdom, and in particular how wisdom helps us navigate through trials, and that’s the topic of this message. The previous sermons laid the foundation for this one.
Let me begin with a story that illustrates why this is so important to me…
When I became a Christian in my early twenties I knew almost nothing about the bible. One of God’s graces was surrounding me with men who had two things in common. First, they knew the bible well. Second, they were happy to answer all my questions. And there were many of them.
One of the influential men in my life at that time was Barry Branaman. I’ve mentioned him a few times before. He would stay up late after the study that took place at his house helping me understand the Bible. He died unexpectedly a few years ago, and I’m thankful for any opportunity to honor his name.
Hebrews 11:4 says Abel speaks even though he is dead and I feel like Barry still speaks even though he’s dead through his investment in me.
Hopefully on this side of heaven we’re all investing in people and we speak through them long after we’re gone.
One other thing Barry did for me, was direct me to a few wonderful Christian books that he knew would be helpful. One of them was Knowing God by J. I. Packer. I’m thankful that I read what this book said about wisdom, because it helped me avoid falling into many of the charismatic pitfalls. In particular, the idea that having wisdom means knowing why God does what He does…which nobody knows, but God.
I’ve alluded to this up to this point. Now I want to give you the illustration from Packer’s book, and I’ll use a lesson to help you remember it…
Lesson 1: wisdom (part 1) is not being “in the signal box.”J.I Packer writes…
If you stand at the end of a platform at [a train] Station, you can watch a constant succession of train movements which, if you are a railway enthusiast, will greatly fascinate you. But you will only be able to form a rough idea of the overall plan in terms of which all these movements are being determined.
In other words, you can watch the trains start, stop, turn, leave the station, enter the station…but have no real idea why they’re doing what they’re doing.
If, however, you are privileged enough to be taken up into the magnificent signal-box [above the station], you will see on the wall a diagram of the entire track layout for miles, with little glowworm lights moving or stationary to show where every train is. At once you will be able to look at the whole situation through the eyes of those who control it: you will see why this train had to [stop], and that one had to be diverted from its [track], and that one had to be parked temporarily. The why of all these movements becomes plain once you can see the overall [picture].
Now, the mistake that is commonly made is to suppose that this is what God does when he bestows wisdom: to suppose that the gift of wisdom [is] a deepened insight into the meaning and purpose of events going on around us; an ability to see why God has done what he has done in a particular case, and what he is going to do next.
In other words, some people think being wise means you know why God does what He does.
People feel that if they were really walking closely to God, so that he could impart wisdom to them freely, then they would find themselves in the signal-box; they would discern the real purpose of everything that happened, and it would be clear every moment how God was making all things work together for good.
This is the end of Packer’s first illustration, explaining what wisdom is NOT.
There are a few big problems with this understanding of wisdom.
First, when people think of wisdom this way, it causes them to try to understand things that God doesn’t expect them to understand. They spend time wondering: “Why did God do this or that, and why didn’t he do this instead.”
Second, sometimes they can think they know why God did what He did…when in fact they have no idea, and when they claim to know, they’re little more than false prophets.
Third, when people can’t understand why God is doing what he’s doing, how do they feel?
Discouraged!
They wonder why God hasn’t revealed it to them:
Maybe they aren’t spiritual enough.Maybe God doesn’t love them enough.Maybe they aren’t mature enough.At the least they’re forced to think they aren’t wise enough to know.
So now that we know what wisdom is not, let’s talk about what it is…
Lesson 1: wisdom (part 2) allows us to “handle the curves well.”Let me briefly dispel something about trials so we can better understand wisdom…
Trials are kind of like temptations in that we tend to think if we’re wise enough or mature enough we won’t experience them.
But you can be the wisest and most mature person and still experience trials and temptations. We know this because the wisest and most mature person still experienced them. Jesus experienced trials and temptations.
So to be clear wisdom doesn’t help us avoid trials.
So what does wisdom do?
There are lots of ways to think of wisdom:
We might say wisdom is the correct application – or use – of knowledge.Or we might say wisdom is making the morally correct decision in any situation…in other words, wisdom is knowing the right thing to do.Or we might say wisdom is godly behavior in difficult situations, or in trial.Or we might say wisdom is practical skill needed to live life to God’s glory.I think these are all good ways to view wisdom.
Let me share Packer’s illustration of wisdom…
If another transportation illustration may be permitted, it is like being taught to drive. What matters is the speed and appropriateness of your reactions to things and the soundness of your judgment. You do not ask yourself why the road should narrow or turn just where it does, nor why that van should be parked where it is, nor why the driver in front should hug the crown of the road so tightly.
In other words, when you drive you don’t try to figure out why there’s a turn or the road goes up or down.
[Instead], you simply try to see and do the right thing in the actual situation that presents itself. The effect of wisdom is [the same]. It enables [us] to do just that in the situations of everyday life.
In other words, wisdom helps us handle the curves of life.
With this in mind look with me at verse 2…
James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
You recognize these verses. They’re some of the most well-known in scripture. I’ve preached on them, and Pastor Nathan preached on them in May. So I’m not going to spend much time on them.
But there is one thing I want you to notice: it says trials test us.
And this brings us to Lesson 2 on your inserts…
Lesson 2: trials are tests requiring wisdom.Briefly look down at verse 12…
James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast UNDER TRIAL, for when he has STOOD THE TEST he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
So he says a trial is a test.
The Greek word for trial in James 1:2 is peirasmos (pr: pie-ross-moss), it occurs 21 times in the NT, and it means: “adversity, affliction, trouble sent by God and SERVING TO TEST or prove one’s character, faith, holiness.”
Trials test us!
The Greek word for test in verse 3 is dokimion (pr: doh-key-me-on) and it means, “that by which something is tried or proved, A TEST.”
This word only occurs in one other place in Scripture and that’s 1 Peter 1:7 where it also says trials are tests.
As I read these verses, consider how similar they are to James 1:2-3…
1 Peter 1:6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various TRIALS, 7 so that the TESTED genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is TESTED by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
So just like James, Peter says trials are tests.
Think about when God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac…
Genesis 22:1 After these things God TESTED Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”.”
This was a test and a difficult trial.
Keep this in mind and to look at verse 5…
James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Sometimes people draw a clean break between verse 4 and verse 5 as though there’s no relationship between them:
They’ll teach on verses 2 to 4, and talk all about trials.They’ll teach on verses 5 to 8 and talk about wisdom.But they won’t discuss the connection between verses 2 to 4 and verses 5 to 8.
We know context is important and when people don’t connect these verses they’re missing something huge…
It’s not as though James was talking about trials and then started talking about wisdom as though they have nothing to do with each other.Instead he started talking about wisdom BECAUSE he was talking about trials…b/c we need wisdom during trials.Let me get you to notice something important …
At the end of verse 4 God says trials will allow us to be perfect and complete, LACKING IN NOTHING.
Then he begins verse 5 by saying…
If any of you LACKS WISDOM, let him ask God
Notice the parallelism?
God says he doesn’t want us lacking anything, but if we do lack wisdom we can ask for it and He’ll give it to us…b/c He doesn’t want us lacking anything.
And this brings us to Lesson 3…
Lesson 3: God wants to give us wisdom during trials.Let me give you a brief theology lesson…
Bible scholars classify God’s attributes in two categories: incommunicable and communicable.
Incommunicable simply means those attributes He does not communicate to us. His:
Immutability – He never changes…we do change.Sovereignty – His power and control over creation…we don’t have power over creation.Omniscience – He knows all…we don’t know all.Omnipresence – He’s everywhere…we’re only in one place.The second group of God’s attributes are called communicable because when God created us, He “communicated” some of them to us. This is what it means to be made in the image of God.
Some of the communicable attributes are:
Freedom – Like God we’re able to make decisions for ourselves; we’re not robotsMercy – Like God we can show mercy toward othersCreativity – Like God we can be creativeFor this morning, wisdom is another communicable attribute.
God is all wise and He gives some of that wisdom.
Consider this verse about how much wisdom God has…
Romans 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
This is all about how much wisdom God has.
He has so much of it he doesn’t need to be stingy with it. He can be generous with it.
So in these verses we see two things that God graciously does w/ trials:
First, as verses 2 to 4 explained, he uses them for our maturity.Second, as verses 5 to 8 explain, he gives us wisdom to handle them well. He doesn’t introduce trials into our lives and then leave us to deal with them alone.God wants trials to drive us to Him. He wants them to cause us to depend on him.
One way trials drive us to God and cause us to depend on him is that we seek wisdom from him. They create a desperation we don’t have otherwise.
The way verse 5 is worded is interesting. It says if any of you lacks wisdom…as though there are some of us who don’t lack wisdom.
That’s not what it means. It means if any of you lacks wisdom…at certain times, and in particular when we’re going through trials.
That’s when we most need wisdom so we can navigate the trial well.
But instead of asking for wisdom what do we typically ask for during trials?
If you’re anything like me, your prayers sound like this:
Lord, please make this trial go away.Father, please end my suffering.God, will you make this stop?We’re supposed to bring all things before the Lord, so I’m not criticizing these prayers. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with praying for God to take away trials.
But one thing we should ask for is wisdom.
When people are going through trials I don’t always know what’s best for them. I don’t know whether the trial should stop or continue or change.
But I know is they need wisdom, so I’ll pray for God to give them wisdom.
James doesn’t just tell us to ask for wisdom…he also tells us how to ask for it. Look at verse six…
James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
Notice this first starts with the word But. James is saying ask, BUT ask in faith…and this brings us to lesson 4…
Lesson 4: doubting produces unstable lives.Hebrews 11:6 communicates a similar truth that when we approach God, we must do so believing…
Hebrews 11:6 without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Whenever we draw near to God – whether to ask for wisdom or anything else – we must do so with faith.
Doubting is strongly condemned because it shows a lack of faith. We might not think of doubting as sin, but it is…
Romans 14:23 Whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
In other words, when we lack faith and doubt we sin.
When this verse talks about doubting it has the idea of doubting God’s willingness to give us wisdom.
It’s someone who thinks God doesn’t want to do what verse 5 says and give wisdom generously.
The comparison is fittingly made to a restless wave in the ocean.
Paul used similar language to describe people who don’t know what they believe theologically…
Ephesians 4:14 We [should] no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
These people hear one thing, so they’re swayed that way, and then they hear something else, so they’re swayed that way.
James says the same thing can happen to people during trials when they ask for wisdom…
One moment they trust God and the next moment they doubt…at times we’ve probably been like this during trials too.
Think of Peter when he was walking on the water and you’ll have a good physical illustration of what this looks like spiritually…
Peter had faith at first. He got out of the boat and started walking on water. Then he saw the wind and the waves and started to doubt.
Matthew 14:31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, WHY DID YOU DOUBT?”
Peter was like a wave of the sea that was driven and tossed. One minute he had faith and the next minute he doubted.
It’s important to read this here, because when can we be most tempted to doubt God?
During trials!
We’re tempted to doubt God’s love us.We’re tempted to doubt God will work things together for good.We’re tempted to doubt that He’ll give us the wisdom we need.James says, “Don’t doubt. When you’re in a trial, ask God for wisdom and have faith that he will answer.”
Look what we should expect if we doubt…
James 1:7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
If we pray to God and ask for wisdom but doubt He’ll give it to us…then we must also expect He won’t give it to us.
The double-minded man can’t figure out what to do; he’s unstable.
This makes so much sense!
If wisdom helps us figure out what to do, then people without wisdom don’t know what to do. They are unstable.
And I want you to notice it doesn’t just say unstable in trials, it says unstable in all his ways.
We need wisdom in all areas of life, and when we don’t have it we are unstable in all ways, or in all areas of life.
We don’t know how to navigate the situations we face.We don’t know how to handle life’s curves.But let me tell you something very encouraging…
This isn’t what God wants for us!
I want you to notice – and I think it’s important – that one of the clear points of these verses is God wants us to have wisdom!
Look at the inviting language. If any of you. Let him ask God. He gives generously. To all. Without reproach. It will be given.
It couldn’t be written in a more encouraging way.
Just think about why it would be the case that God wants us to have wisdom….
He’s for us!
He wants us to handle trials well…He wants us to pass the tests we face…He isn’t looking for our failure…He’s looking for our success.He knows we need wisdom…and He wants to give it to us.
We see this in the Book of Proverbs…
You’ve got a father speaking to his son, and what does the father want to give his son? Wisdom!
Wisdom to handle all of life’s issues.
And the father in Proverbs reveals the heart of our Heavenly Father.
He wants to give us wisdom, and let me close with this…
The greatest wisdom he wants to give us is found in Christ!
1 Corinthians 1:24 Christ [is] the wisdom of God…30 Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God.
Our Heavenly father gave us wisdom in the Person of Jesus Christ and we are to receive it without doubting or being tossed to and fro.
What does this look like?
If it means fully trusting in the sacrifice that Jesus made.
If you have done this you have received the greatest wisdom available, because you have received the gospel.If you haven’t done this, you have made the most foolish decision because you have rejected the gospel and stand condemned before God.Repent of your sins and look to Christ to be saved.
Let’s pray.
January 12, 2021
If You Receive My Words and Treasure My Commands Within You (Proverbs 2:1-10) - Acquiring Wisdom
The father in Proverbs said, “My son, if you receive my words and treasure my commands within you…Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:1, 5). Wisdom’s availability has seemed a little mysterious up to this point. Our first sermon on Job 28 was titled, “Where Is Wisdom?” Job had grown weary of his friends’ counsel. He said:
Job 28:12 “But where shall wisdom be found?Job 28:20 “From where, then, does wisdom come?Wisdom looked hard to find. Then, our next sermon on Proverbs 1:20-33 was titled, “Wisdom Calls Out.” Proverbs 1:20 says, “Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks.” Wisdom is in the most prominent places calling out to everyone passing by. This makes Wisdom look very available.
So the question: “Is wisdom hard to find…or is it available?” Here’s the balance: Wisdom is near and available, but we must work to acquire it. Wisdom calls out to us, but at the same time we must put forth effort to obtain it.
The father in Proverbs said, “My son, if you receive my words and treasure my commands within you…Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:1, 5).Receive a FREE copy of Pastor Scott LaPierre’s book, Seven Biblical Insights for Healthy, Joyful, Christ-Centered Marriages .View all Pastor Scott’s books on my Amazon author page.Visit Scott LaPierre’s speaking page for conference and speaking information, including testimonies, endorsements, and contact info.Table of ContentsSermon Lessons for If You Receive My Words and Treasure My Commands Within You Family Worship Guide for If You Receive My Words and Treasure My Commands Within You Sermon Notes for If You Receive My Words and Treasure My Commands Within YouAcquiring wisdom (lesson 1) involves effort on our part.Acquiring wisdom (lesson 2) must be our daily pursuit.Acquiring wisdom (lesson 3) has vertical benefits.Acquiring wisdom (lesson 4) has horizontal benefits.Sermon Lessons for If You Receive My Words and Treasure My Commands Within You Lesson 1: Acquiring wisdom involves __________ on our part (Pro 2:1-4; Matt 13:44).Lesson 2: Acquiring wisdom must be our __________ pursuit (Pro2:1-5, 9). Lesson 3: Acquiring wisdom has __________ benefits (Pro 2:5-6; Jam 1:5; Heb 1:1; 2 Pet 1:20-21; Pro 2:7-8; Matt 13:13-17). Lesson 4: Acquiring wisdom has __________ benefits (Pro 2:9-10; Pro 4:23; Eze 1:26-27; 1 Cor 1:18). Family Worship Guide for If You Receive My Words and Treasure My Commands Within You Day 1: Read Pro 2:1-5, Matt 13:44, and discuss: Is acquiring wisdom an active pursuit or a passive pursuit? Why do you think this is the case? Why is it important to be attentive when pursuing wisdom? How is pursuing wisdom like searching for hidden treasure? Why should the pursuit of wisdom be something we do daily? Day 2: Read Pro 2:5-6; Jam 1:5, Heb 1:1, 2 Pet 1:20-21, Pro 2:7-8, Matt 13:13-17, and discuss: How does wisdom and the fear of the LORD go hand in hand? How is wisdom something we put effort into getting and it still be a gift from God? What can we turn to that has the wisdom of God? What are some benefits of wisdom that you are needing in your life right now? Day 3: Read Pro 2:9-10; Pro 4:23; Eze 1:26-27; 1 Cor 1:18, and discuss: How does wisdom allow for us to identify good paths in life? Why is it important to have wisdom in our heart? How is having wisdom in the heart like having a heart change? Why is rejecting the Gospel ultimate foolishness? Sermon Notes for If You Receive My Words and Treasure My Commands Within YouThe title of this morning’s sermon is, “Acquiring Wisdom.”
Go ahead and turn to Proverbs 1.
We interrupted our series on wisdom for two weeks, so let me briefly review.
Wisdom’s availability has seemed a little mysterious up to this point. Here’s what I mean…
Our first sermon on Job 28 was titled, “Where Is Wisdom?”
You might remember Job had grown weary of his friends’ counsel. He said:
Job 28:12 “But where shall wisdom be found?Job 28:20 “From where, then, does wisdom come?Job was asking where to find wisdom, which made it seem like it’s hard to find.
Then, our next sermon on Proverbs 1:20-33 was titled, “Wisdom Calls Out.”
Briefly look at Proverbs 1:20…
Proverbs 1:20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
Wisdom cries aloud…raises her voice. She’s in the street, the markets, the entrance of the city gates. She’s in the most prominent places calling out to everyone passing by.
This makes Wisdom look very available.
So the question: “Is wisdom hard to find…or is it available?”
Here’s the balance…
Wisdom is near and available, but we must work to acquire it.Wisdom calls out to us, but at the same time we must put forth effort to obtain it.This is what we’ll see in the following verses. They describe the pursuit of wisdom better than any place in Scripture.
We’re picking up where we left off after our last sermon. We covered the end of Proverbs 1, verses 20-33. This morning we’ll look at Proverbs 2:1-10.
We’ll go through the first four verses pretty quickly, and then talk about the application.
Look at verse 1…
Proverbs 2:1 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,
My words and my commandments are synonymous with wisdom, so the father tells his son to do two things w/ wisdom: receive it and treasure it. Let’s consider both…
First, he tells him to receive it, which is receptiveness to wisdom. Wisdom is of no benefit to those who won’t receive it.
You say, “Well, who won’t receive wisdom?”
Lots of people!
Maybe you’ve spoken to people, shared wisdom w/ them, but they wouldn’t receive it. You could tell they weren’t listening to what you said.
This is one of the characteristics of fools…
As we talked about in the previous sermon, the issue with fools isn’t that they haven’t heard. They aren’t ignorant. The issue is they’ve heard…but they won’t apply what they’ve heard.
Second, he tells his son to treasure wisdom, which is sensitivity to it.
Wisdom is of no benefit to those who don’t recognize its value. You might remember this from our previous sermon…
Job 28:13 Man does not know [wisdom’s] worth.
Gaining wisdom begins with recognizing how valuable it is.
Look at verse 2…
Proverbs 2:2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;
The ear and heart should be captivated by wisdom:
This is all about paying attention. Think about people during sermons:
Some people make their ear attentive and incline their heart by listening intently. They love wisdom and they’re captivated by it.Other people check their watch, wish they could be anywhere else, doing anything else. They don’t love wisdom.I’m sure for the rest of the sermon we’re going to see some serious attentiveness
January 11, 2021
Do not Grieve as Those Who Have no Hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13) | When a Child Is Taken to Heaven - Part II
1 Thessalonians 4:13 says, “Do not grieve as those who have no hope.” Last week a child in our church tragically died. This is the second sermon I preached to encourage the family. Here is Part I: Let the Little Children Come to Me and Do not Hinder Them.
Paul didn’t want Christians to sorrow as others who have no hope, and that’s my hope for my congregation, and especially the parents. In the previous sermon, we didn’t get to talk much about grief because the parents received their children back. This sermon looks at an account with David, and he didn’t receive his child back. This makes the account very instructive for us regarding grief.
“Do not grieve as those who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Last week a child in our church died, and I preached this sermon to encourage them.Receive a FREE copy of Pastor Scott LaPierre’s book, Seven Biblical Insights for Healthy, Joyful, Christ-Centered Marriages .View all Pastor Scott’s books on my Amazon author page.Visit Scott LaPierre’s speaking page for conference and speaking information, including testimonies, endorsements, and contact info.Table of ContentsSermon Lessons for Do not Grieve as Those Who Have no HopeFamily Worship Guide for Do not Grieve as Those Who Have no HopeSermon Notes for Do not Grieve as Those Who Have no HopeLesson 1: people grieve differently.Lesson 2: we must grieve with hope.Lesson 3: believing parents are reunited with believing children they’ve lost.Lesson 4: the hope we have in Christ combats grief.Sermon Lessons for Do not Grieve as Those Who Have no HopeLesson 1: People ____________differently (2 Samuel 12:15-21; Ecclesiastes 3:4; Romans 12:15). Lesson 2: We must grieve ________ ________ (1 Thessalonians 4:13 cf. Ephesians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 4:8-9; John 10:10; 2 Samuel 18:33-19:8). Lesson 3: Believing parents are reunited with _________________ _______________ they’ve lost (2 Samuel 12:21-23 cf. 1 Kings 17:23, 2 Kings 4:36, Luke 7:15). Lesson 4: The hope we have in Christ ______________ __________ (Job 19:25-27; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54). Family Worship Guide for Do not Grieve as Those Who Have no HopeDay 1: Read 2 Samuel 12:15-21; Ecclesiastes 3:4; Romans 12:15, and discuss: how did David grieve? How do other people grieve? Can you describe times you grieved differently at different times in your life, and/or saw others grieving differently than you? How should we respond to people grieving? Day 2: Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13 cf. Ephesians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 4:8-9; John 10:10; 2 Samuel 18:33-19:8 and discuss: who grieves without hope? What is the danger of grieving without hope? What does it mean to despair, or be destroyed? Besides David in 2 Samuel 18, can you think of someone else in scripture who grieved without hope? Why the dramatic change in David’s grief? Day 3: Read Job 19:25-27 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-54, and discuss: where does our hope come from? What evidence is there in the verses that the Redeemer is a Person, vs. a spirit or force? How is Jesus our Redeemer? What are the wonderful truths Job shared about his Redeemer? How could Job say his skin would be destroyed, and that he would see God in his flesh?Sermon Notes for Do not Grieve as Those Who Have no HopePlease open your Bibles to 2 Samuel 12.
After Brandan’s passing, I didn’t feel like I could preach the sermon that I had prepared on wisdom.
I wanted to bring scripture to bear on the situation, which meant looking at accounts of people losing children. It occurs in scripture more often than you might expect, and I believe it’s because it occurs in our lives more often than we might expect. We live in a fallen world, and this is one of the worst realities of it.
Last week we looked at Elijah and Elisha raising two children from the dead.
We didn’t get to talk much about grief because the parents received their children back. This morning we’re going to look at an account with David, and he didn’t receive his child back. This makes the account very instructive for us regarding grief.
Here’s the context…
Last week I told you that when God takes a child, He isn’t punishing the parents. Most of the time that’s the case, such as in Brandan’s passing. Jim and Kris weren’t remotely at fault. They need to do their best to make sure they don’t blame themselves.
But there are times when parents have contributed to their child’s death:
Think of mothers smoking during pregnancy and experiencing a miscarriageThink of fathers driving drunk and getting in an accident that killed a childThis morning’s account with David is an instance of sin contributing to a child’s death. God was punishing him for his adultery and murder.
David hoped that God might be merciful and change His mind, so he committed himself to fasting and praying.
Look at verse 15…
2 Samuel 12:15 Then Nathan went to his house. And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became sick. 16 David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.”
Notice David’s servants were afraid he’d hurt himself. Keep this in mind.
2 Samuel 12:19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” 20 Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”
David’s servants were confused because of the way he grieved, and this brings us to lesson one…
Lesson 1: people grieve differently.Grieving is normal and healthy; therefore, nobody should feel bad about it. God even gives us an entire book in the bible about grieving…
Proverbs is the book about wisdom, Job is the book about suffering, Song of Solomon is the book about romance, and Lamentations is the book about grieving. Many of the psalms are also laments.
Ecclesiastes 3:4 says there is a time to weep, and a time to mourn.
In Romans 12:15 we’re told to weep with those who weep.
We wouldn’t be told to weep w/ people if there was something wrong w/ weeping.
David’s servants couldn’t understand his grieving…or I should say they couldn’t understand why he wasn’t grieving.
People can have the same confusion today when others grieve, or don’t grieve, the way they’d expect.
This happens because we don’t grieve the same, and when we see others grieving differently than the way they would grieve it can confuse us.
Consider this:
When some people are grieving they want to be with others…but other people want to be alone.Some people want to stay busy…but others don’t want to do anything.Some people want to listen to Christian music, others want to read scripture, and others might want to go on a walk.The point is there’s liberty to grieve differently.
Last week I mentioned my brother’s death. I told you I received the news on a Wednesday night. The next day I stayed home, and I think it was the worst of my life. So on Friday I went back to school; I was teaching at that time.
There were two gentlemen I worked with and we used to play racquetball together. They asked me if I wanted to play that Friday night. They knew about my brother, but when I met them at the gym they didn’t say anything…which was perfect…for me. I didn’t want to talk about what happened.
For the next few hours I just played racquetball and it took my mind off everything.
I suspect if anyone looked at me, they wouldn’t have known my brother died two days earlier, because I didn’t look like I was grieving. Maybe some people even would’ve judged me for playing racquetball at that time.
Like with David’s servants people might have said: “What is this thing that you have done? What’s wrong with you?”
Looking back I think returning to work was a good approach. Being with my students was therapeutic and enjoyable. I don’t think I would do anything differently.
My mom, on the other hand, returned to work. A few weeks later she had a breakdown. They had to take her in an ambulance to the hospital.
Then my parents took some time off and drove up to Oregon where they didn’t know anyone and could be alone for a few weeks.
They clearly didn’t grieve enough before returning to work.
I would like to offer three encouragements regarding grieving. I think this applies to all of us since all of us grieve.
First, if you’re one of the people who take the approach I did and stay busy to keep your mind off what happened, or we could even say to avoid dealing with the grief, there is a point at which the grief must be dealt with. It must be processed, accepted, and taken to the Lord and worked through with Him. If this doesn’t happen it can come up in the future and have detrimental consequences.
Second, if you’re one of the people who grieves by withdrawing from different responsibilities—whether school, or work, or relationships—I’ll be the first to say that this is reasonable and people shouldn’t be made to feel bad about this approach.
But with that said, there’s a point at which people must reengage with their responsibilities, not just for those depending on them, but even for themselves. God has created us to work and serve, and withdrawing for too long can become detrimental to the person grieving.
Third, regardless of how we grieve, there’s one thing that must be avoided, and it’s the absence of hope. I say this because this is what scripture says…
1 Thessalonians 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope
So there is a lot of liberty regarding grieving, but we can’t grieve without hope…and this brings us to Lesson 2…
Lesson 2: we must grieve with hope.This makes sense if we understand who those are without hope.
Unbelievers!
Paul used the same language to describe unbelievers elsewhere…
Ephesians 2:12 You were separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, HAVING NO HOPE AND WITHOUT GOD in the world.
So when Paul says not to grieve without hope, he’s saying not to grieve like unbelievers.
Just think about why this is the case…
What hope do unbelievers have when they grieve?
This is all there is to them. When they lose a loved one they believe they’ll never see them again. There is no hope for them.
Share about funeral I conducted for unbelievers.
Besides the fact that grieving without hope is grieving like an unbeliever, is there any other reason we shouldn’t grieve without hope?
Yes there is!
It can lead to despair. Listen to these verses…
2 Corinthians 4:8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but NOT DRIVEN TO DESPAIR;
Perplexed means confused. You might remember last week we talked about this. The Shunammite woman lost her son, and she was confused.
It’s okay to be confused or perplexed, but Paul says we shouldn’t be driven to despair.
What does it mean to despair?
A simple definition is lack hope. Despairing is grieving without hope.
The next verse…
2 Corinthians 4:9a persecuted, but not forsaken;
Paul was suffering and it would be tempting to feel like he was alone. But he said he wasn’t forsaken. While he might have referred to other believers who were with him or praying for him, most importantly he meant the Lord was with him.
When we’re grieving it’s important to remember that we aren’t forsaken. The Lord is with us.
Now listen to this…
2 Corinthians 4:9b struck down, BUT NOT DESTROYED;
And this is why it’s so bad to grieve without hope, or to despair. It can destroy.
What does it mean to be destroyed?
It means to be overtaken with grief and completely consumed by it.
Paul says that no matter how bad things get, we can’t let grief overwhelm us so that it controls us and causes us to harm ourselves or others.
If you look at the end of verse 18, this was David’s servant’s fear w/ him. They said, “He may do himself some harm.”
Jesus said…
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill AND DESTROY.
It’s Satan’s desire for grief to cause us to despair so we are destroyed and prevented from serving our family, friends, and most importantly the Lord.
Even though grief is healthy, the devil gets a victory when he’s able to use grief in this way.
Let me give you an idea what it looks like to be consumed with grief. Turn a few chapters to the right to 2 Samuel 18.
The context is David just received the news that another son of his, Absalom, is dead. Look at verse 33…
2 Samuel 18:33 And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 2 Samuel 19:1 It was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”
Joab was David’s nephew, and his fierce and ruthless general. He’s an ungodly man, but even he recognized David was grieving without hope.
It was appropriate for David to grieve, but his grief took him too far. He was despairing, consumed by it, and neglecting his responsibilities.
2 Samuel 19:2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3 And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. 4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines, 6 because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. 7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.” 8 Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king.
Joab appropriately rebuked David, because he saw how much David had to lose if he didn’t do what we’ve talked about and reengage with his responsibilities.
Why was David was grieving like this?
He knew he wasn’t going to see Absalom again.
Absalom was an evil man. He was an unrepentant murderer and rapist. David knew he was going to hell, which is a horrible thought for any parent.
This could even be why David said, “Would I had died instead of you!” Perhaps David wished Absalom lived longer so he could turn his life around.
Now with this fairly discouraging image in mind, go ahead and turn back to chapter 12 to see something very encouraging.
I want you to notice the strong change that occurred w/ David…
2 Samuel 12:16 David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them.
He goes from this to this…
2 Samuel 12:20 Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate.
David was experiencing terrible grief, but right after that he picked himself up, washed himself off, anointed himself, changed his clothes, and was even able to go into the house of the Lord to worship.
The change was so strong David’s servants asked him about it…
2 Samuel 12:21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”
David’s answer…
2 Samuel 12:22 He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”
What caused the dramatic change in David?
You might be quick to say he was fasting and praying because he wanted the child to live, and when the child died he had no more reason to fast and pray. That’s partly true.
But the real reason is contained in the words I shall go to him.
He knew he would be reunited with his son…and this brings us to Lesson 3…
Lesson 3: believing parents are reunited with believing children they’ve lost.David lost a child and he did exactly what Paul said and grieved as one who HAD hope, b/c he knew he would see this son again.
It would be wrong to think David stopped grieving – just as it would be wrong to think any parents ever stop grieving when they’ve lost a child – but he was comforted knowing he would see the child again.
After my brother passed away I told you I went back to school as I told you. My principal, who was a good friend, called me into his office to see how I was doing. I still remember him telling me, “It is every parent’s greatest nightmare to have to bury their child.”
Jim and Kris had to live this nightmare.
But at the graveside service Kris said…
“We will miss him very much, but we will get to see him later.”
Jim and Kris are grieving, but they’re doing exactly what Paul said and grieving with hope, comforted by the reality that they’ll be reunited w/ Brandan.
As I looked at the accounts of children being raised from the dead, I noticed something in most of them: children were graciously returned to their parents.
1 Kings 17:23 Elijah took the child and…DELIVERED HIM TO HIS MOTHER.2 Kings 4:36 When [the mother] came to [Elisha], he said, “Pick up your son.”Luke 7:15 The dead [child] sat up and began to speak, and Jesus GAVE HIM TO HIS MOTHER.So we repeatedly see deceased children returned to their parents.
In this account with David it looks like David’s son was NOT returned to him.
But he would be!
And this is the hope all believing parents have with their believing children.
Is this going to happen physically in this life?
No. But it is going to happen in the next life.
If there’s one lesson I hope can most encourage you, it’s this one. While I don’t think it eases the pain or loss, I do think it provides great hope.
As I studied these verses this week, here’s what came to mind…
David was comforted at the thought of seeing his son. We can be comforted at the thought of seeing our believing loved ones again.
But how much more comforted should we be at the thought of seeing our Savior?
David had the great hope that he would see his son again, but how much greater is our hope that we’ll see Christ?
Titus 2:13 [We are] waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
This brings us to our last lesson…
Lesson 4: the hope we have in Christ combats grief.Let me show you someone who had this hope during his grief. Please turn to Job 19.
Job had more reason to grieve than anyone in history. We talk about losing a child. He lost all his children…and everything…in one moment.
I want you to see how he encouraged himself. Look at verse 25…
Job 19:25 For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
Job didn’t see his Redeemer as some force or concept. He saw Him as a Person who would stand victoriously on the earth at the end of time.
This thought is where Job found hope. This is how he comforted himself.
Look what else he said…
Job 19:26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
27a Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
Job felt like God hid Himself from him…just like we might be tempted to feel when we’re grieving.
He couldn’t understand why God would treat him the way he was being treated…and we might feel the same way when we’re grieving.
But at the same time, Job had confidence that God wouldn’t stay hidden from him forever.
Notice what else Job said…
My skin will be destroyed
What did Job’s skin look like?
Job 2:7 says he had painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
But he also said, “in my flesh I shall see God.” So which is it…is his skin destroyed or in his flesh does he see God? It’s both! He expected his present, earthly body to be destroyed, but he expected to receive a new glorified body. We read about this last week and Pastor Nathan talked about it at the celebration of life yesterday…
1 Corinthians 15:53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
And notice he said I shall see God.
He knew he would see God in this glorified body.
Look what this thought produced in Job…
Job 19:27b Howmy heart yearns within me!
Despite everything he experienced, this understanding seemed to be almost more than he could handle.
Job was probably experiencing more suffering than anyone has ever experienced, but he was able to have great hope b/c he knew he would see his Redeemer…and this hope combatted his grief.
This is the hope we have.
Yes, we’re excited to see Brandan and other loves ones again, but our hearts should be overflowing at the thought of seeing our Redeemer again, face-to-face, in our glorified bodies.
Let’s pray.
Scott LaPierre | Living God's Way | Pastor, Author, and Speaker
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