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Got Wisdom - 01-13-2006

Once upon a time there were Two brothers. One brother studied hard through High School, the other did not. One brother went to Harvard. The other spent a semester here and there at junior college. One eventually became a professor or Russia Litterature, the other ended up working in construction.

Which one is wise? The older one, right?

One day the two brother's father had died and he willed them undeveloped property along the beach. They both decided to build beach houses. The Professor built a large beautiful house that lead almost right up to the shore line. The other brother saw a an area that was extremenly rocky and he built a small but secure house.

Well, I am sure that you know what happens. A huricane comes. Winds, Water, flying debris.
Whose house is left?

I've been doing a lot of reading recently about Wisdom. What is wisdom? What does it mean to be wise? What is true wisdom? How can I gain wisdom?

It all started off one morning readin the begining of 1st Corrinthians. "the word of the cross is folly to those who are perrishing, but to us who are being saved it is the Power of GOD!"

It's funny. I pray for wisdom a lot, and I am not sure if I really understand what I am asking for (Sure, I may hit the James 1 stuff, but not yet). I want wisdom on what car to buy, what to name our daughter, how to do my job effectivly. But isn't this wisdom, just worldly wisdom. God's wisdom is so much higher, and so much different then ours. "Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?"

I started cross refference this idea of wisdom, that's when I thought about the house on the Rock parable (see modern version above). and I thought about Proverbs "Fear of the LORD is the beginind of wisdom." Then Eclesiasties "even (worldly) wisdom is meaning less, a chassing after the wind (My paraphrase - Move over Eugene Peterson). and James 3: The wisdom that is from above is first pure, the peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, ipartial and sincere.

But it all comes back to 1 Corintintians. God's ways seem foolish to men, especially when it comes to the cross.

It really does seem like the dumbest thing. God, the creator of the Universe, came down from heaven and became a man. That's a dumb idea in it'w own right. Why? Why would God want to? Why woud God need to? The answer is even dumber- He came to earth, lived as a human, so that he coudl die on the cross. So God came to earth. Became fully human just to die. That sounds dumb. So why would he do that? He did it because he knew that only a perfect sacrifice could free us from the punishment of Sin. But why a sacrifice? Well, That's the system that God set up? Why? Why not something easier on him, so he would not have to com and die? (I could get all theological up in here, but I'll save it for another day) It does seem life a foolish thing. Really foolish, But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise (1 Cor.)

So, God's ideas and ways can be foolish to us, but he has reasons. Reasons we will never fully understand until we see it all unfold from Glory.

OK, I am running long, and I am wondering if anyone will even read this. It's a sermon in the making. Look out world.

Let me just leave you with the passage that started it all.

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God
18For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."
20Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

posted by Dave A Reiss @ 8:12 AM