Wisdom
--- Epiphany Matthew 2:1-12; Isaiah 60:1-6; Eph. 3:1-12
Wisdom-how do we get it? What do we do with it? This sounds like the five w’s does it not? We would say wisdom comes from God. He is the who. The wise men or magi as they are called came from the east , perhaps Persia or Mesopotamia. They had to make a journey to find wisdom. We would say getting wisdom is not so easy either. It starts with spiritual knowledge . “ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Prov. 1:7 Ecclesiastes reminds us that “ much study is a weariness of the flesh.” 12:12 The conclusion of the whole matter is “ Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
How do we get it? I Corinithians tells us that “ in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God..” 1:21 People have their own ideas of what happiness and success looks like. But the ways of the world are not wise according to the Apostle. “ it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” “ no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption.” 1:29
The first step of wisdom is to admit we do not have it. We must ask God and come as the wise men did. They waited, watched and went to the manger. They followed the star “ which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.” Matthew 2:9 The where is the fact it is not in us. We must admit we have a need for the wisdom that can come from the Son and His Word. Without that we are still looking for happiness. Happiness does not come in the packages we are putting it in necessarily , the neat bows and shiny ribbons of Christmas….
When God speaks to us through His Son and His Spirit in His Word we listen and we obey. “ Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” 2:1 They were following the right light . You and I have many different paths we can take and many are saying, “come follow this.” Satan himself comes as an angel of light . 2 Corinthians 11:14. The serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty. 2 Cor. 11:3 But we know in our hearts that God’s true light is as the Apostle John reminds us “ the true light, which lights every man that comes into the world.” 1:9 The child is the true light and without His wisdom and direction we are following something else.
When is the right time to follow? There is never a wrong time to take up the cause of Jesus and His Church, His body. Sometimes as Christians we can be deceived into going in so many directions that we forget what we are doing.
Where should we go ? We should follow the Star that leads to Christ , for He has the words of eternal life. What should we do when we find Him? “ And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down , and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts.” Mt. 2:11 By our worship we are doing what God has asked for.
Now what are we going to bring Him---the baby? I love the Christmas carol, “ In the Bleak Mid winter “ In the Bleak Midwinter" is a Christmas carol based on a poem by the English poet Christina Rossetti written before 1872 in response to a request from the magazine Scribner's Monthly for a Christmas poem.[1] It was published posthumously in Rossetti's Poetic Works in 1904 and became a Christmas carol after it appeared in The English Hymnal in 1906 with a setting by Holst.
Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother1
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.
5. What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.
What can I give Him? I can give Him my time, my talent, and my treasure. True wisdom comes from God in the practice of our faith in His house, here in the Church. What a wonderful privilege it is to sit at His feet to hear His Word among His people in this place.
“ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14
Wisdom-how do we get it? What do we do with it? This sounds like the five w’s does it not? We would say wisdom comes from God. He is the who. The wise men or magi as they are called came from the east , perhaps Persia or Mesopotamia. They had to make a journey to find wisdom. We would say getting wisdom is not so easy either. It starts with spiritual knowledge . “ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Prov. 1:7 Ecclesiastes reminds us that “ much study is a weariness of the flesh.” 12:12 The conclusion of the whole matter is “ Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
How do we get it? I Corinithians tells us that “ in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God..” 1:21 People have their own ideas of what happiness and success looks like. But the ways of the world are not wise according to the Apostle. “ it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” “ no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption.” 1:29
The first step of wisdom is to admit we do not have it. We must ask God and come as the wise men did. They waited, watched and went to the manger. They followed the star “ which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.” Matthew 2:9 The where is the fact it is not in us. We must admit we have a need for the wisdom that can come from the Son and His Word. Without that we are still looking for happiness. Happiness does not come in the packages we are putting it in necessarily , the neat bows and shiny ribbons of Christmas….
When God speaks to us through His Son and His Spirit in His Word we listen and we obey. “ Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” 2:1 They were following the right light . You and I have many different paths we can take and many are saying, “come follow this.” Satan himself comes as an angel of light . 2 Corinthians 11:14. The serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty. 2 Cor. 11:3 But we know in our hearts that God’s true light is as the Apostle John reminds us “ the true light, which lights every man that comes into the world.” 1:9 The child is the true light and without His wisdom and direction we are following something else.
When is the right time to follow? There is never a wrong time to take up the cause of Jesus and His Church, His body. Sometimes as Christians we can be deceived into going in so many directions that we forget what we are doing.
Where should we go ? We should follow the Star that leads to Christ , for He has the words of eternal life. What should we do when we find Him? “ And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down , and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts.” Mt. 2:11 By our worship we are doing what God has asked for.
Now what are we going to bring Him---the baby? I love the Christmas carol, “ In the Bleak Mid winter “ In the Bleak Midwinter" is a Christmas carol based on a poem by the English poet Christina Rossetti written before 1872 in response to a request from the magazine Scribner's Monthly for a Christmas poem.[1] It was published posthumously in Rossetti's Poetic Works in 1904 and became a Christmas carol after it appeared in The English Hymnal in 1906 with a setting by Holst.
Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother1
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.
5. What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.
What can I give Him? I can give Him my time, my talent, and my treasure. True wisdom comes from God in the practice of our faith in His house, here in the Church. What a wonderful privilege it is to sit at His feet to hear His Word among His people in this place.
“ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14
Comments
Post a Comment