Bible Message/Preaching : Heavenly Wisdom
And the Lord said, "To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like?"They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying: We played the flute for you, And you did not dance114; We mourned 115 to you, And you did not weep.' "For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, He has a demon118 .' "The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' "But wisdom is justified by all her children122." (Luke 7:31-35) (Parallel Mt 11:16-19)
Context – John the Baptist send to assure, he was not completely sure– Lk 7 v28 – 30
"For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. (Lk 7:28-30)
Jas 3:13-16 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
Explanation – v31-34 w.r.t. Jas 3:13-16 114sn ‘We played....’ mind nothing that is serious, but are as full of play as they can hold. children of this generation were making the complaint (see vv. 33-34) that others were not playing the game according to the way they played the music. John and Jesus did not follow “their tune.” Jesus’ complaint was that this generation wanted things their way, not God’s. 115tn The verb eqrhnhsamen refers to the loud wailing and lamenting used to mourn the dead in public in 1st century Jewish culture. 118sn John the Baptist was too separatist and ascetic for some, and so he was accused of not being directed by God, but by a demon. Neither were they happy with Jesus (the Son of Man), even though he was the opposite of John and associated freely with people like tax collectors and sinners. Either way, God’s messengers were subject to complaint. 121tn Or “shown to be right.” This is the same verb translated “acknowledged… justice” in v. 29, with a similar sense – including the notion of response. Wisdom’s children are those who respond to God through John and Jesus. 122tn Or “by all those who follow her” (cf. CEV, NLT). Note that the parallel in Matt 11:19 reads “by her deeds.”
Lk 7:35 - "But wisdom is justified by all her children."
Proverbs = 1 of the Books of Wisdom – 31 chapters – Read 1 per day & meditate!
Prov 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. Prov 3:5-7 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. Prov 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Prov 9:1 Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars;
Jas 3:17-18 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Gentle: PROV 25:15 By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded, And a gentle tongue breaks a bone. 2 TIM 2:24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,
Mercy & Good fruits: PROV 12:12 The wicked covet the catch of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields fruit. MT 7:16-19 "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Partiality: JAS 2:9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. EXO 23:3 "You shall not show partiality to a poor man in his dispute. Reason - DEUT 10:17 "For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.
Hypocrisy: PROV 11:9 The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. JOB 13:16 He also shall be my salvation, For a hypocrite could not come before Him.
Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom! - explanation v 18,19 Eph 1: 17-21 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
Delivered 22 Jan 2009
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