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. https://youtu.be/bysPjRta4LU "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). Table of ContentsFamily 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. Family Worship Guide for If Any of You Lacks Wisdom Let Him Ask of God Day 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 God The 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