Series/Sermon introduction

• Wisdom That Works
• What you really need is wisdom
  • Moment by moment, choice by choice, decision by decision, we are building our worlds. Your life is becoming the life that your choices are making. 
  • Wake up in the morning - Choice to give your morning to the Lord or ignore
  • Go in the kitchen and a family member is there that you need to have a talk with - Choice to lean in or ignore
  • Invitation to go on a business trip that may offer promotions - Go or stay
  • Someone flirts with you at work - reciprocate or leave alone
• You’re here, and what brought you here is your choices.
  • Where you live
  • Where you, and if you, go to school
  • Where you work
  • Who you marry
  • If you save or only spend
• The book of Proverbs is appx 900 sayings that are meant to build wisdom in our lives. 
• Solomon is the most passionate person in the Scriptures about wisdom. He’s after it more than anything else. During this series we will be looking at the major categories of wisdom, but today we are just going to build a case for the one thing you can’t live without.

Passage:

1 Kings 3:3; 5; 7-12 (NLT) — 3 Solomon loved the LORD and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship. 5 That night the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” 7 “Now, O LORD my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! 9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. 11 So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies—12 I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have!

Body:

1. The Crisis of Wisdom
   1. “but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! “
   2. Solomon’s crisis
      1. He was being handed the reins of a new and thriving Kingdom. He was chosen over his brothers, and the pressure was on. 
      2. He saw himself as little - “like a little child”
      3. He saw himself as lost - “doesn’t know his way around”
      4. He saw himself as in over his head - “in the midst of your own chosen people”
      5. Big point - HE SAW HIMSELF IN A CRISIS - This is a good place to start. 
   3. Your crisis 
      1. You also are like a little child
      2. You also are lost, feeling your way through life
      3. You also are in over your head. 
      4. Governor needing wisdom
   4. Right out of the gate, if you don’t see yourself as in need of wisdom, you have a serious problem. 
   5. Folly waits for you! 
      1. Some key indicators of folly:
         1. You don’t value wisdom - “yeah yeah yeah.. Whatever”
         2. You repeat mistakes and refuse to learn
         3. You speak but never listen, air your opinion but never receive
         4. You only trust your own instincts, you live a self-referenced life
         5. You belittle the penalty of sin
2. The Costliness of Wisdom
   1. Wisdom is mentioned several times in the scriptures as being the most important thing.
      1. It’s the most IMPORTANT - Proverbs 4:7–9 (NLT) — 7 Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. 8 If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honor you. 9 She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.”
      2. It’s the most VALUABLE - Proverbs 3:13–15 (NLT) — 13 Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. 14 For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. 15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
      3. It’s the most HELPFUL - Proverbs 8:22;30 (NLT) — 22 “The LORD formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else. 30 I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence.
   2. It has value but it also brings value
      1. Solomon was given riches, fame, a great name, and long life
3. The Clarity of Wisdom
   1. Wisdom is a Perspective
      1. Our viewpoints are super limited. They are crafted by our experiences, short lives, environments, training, etc. You are making the best choices you can possibly make from the vantage point you have. The only problem is your vantage point can be super off! The hiker on the mountain that gets surrounded by fog and can’t see wanders around looking for the path, while the helicopter above can easily see the path. 
      2. Wisdom can offer one solid thing - ELEVATION - It’s a higher perspective. 
      3. My favorite definition of wisdom - “Seeing things from God’s perspective
      4. It’s not just a higher perspective, it’s the PERFECT perspective
         1. God sees all angles, all motives, all potential outcomes, literally everything.
      5. Wisdom is simply getting up where he is and seeing from his perspective. 
      6. Instead of getting mad at an online troll, understand that they are not ok.. Something is wrong there
      7. Instead of getting upset that a friendship drifted apart, maybe God wanted you to move on. 
      8. Instead of being hurt that the person you liked didn’t like you back, maybe it was a bad match! 
   2. Wisdom is a Presence
      1. Lady Wisdom
         1. “Listen as Wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice!” (Proverbs 8:1)
         2. Wisdom isn’t distant—it’s present, calling, relational, and near to those who listen.
      2. Gift from God
         1. “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.” (James 1:5)
         2. “I will give you a wise and understanding heart…” (1 Kings 3:12)
         3. You don’t create wisdom—you receive it from God as a gift.
      3. Lives in Christ and the Spirit
         1. “In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:2b–3 (NLT) — I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. 3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
         2. “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding…” Isaiah 11:2 (NLT) — 2 And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
         3. Jesus is the fullness of wisdom, and the Holy Spirit is the ongoing voice of wisdom in your life.
   3. Wisdom is a Practice
      1. Wisdom is not wisdom until it’s applied! 
      2. If it’s not applied, it’s not complete. 
      3. It helps you to make ACTION! If there is no action, then you don’t have wisdom yet. 
      4. The actions you will notice
         1. Wise judgements - Solomon judged the babies
         2. Wise organization - Filled his courts with 12 governors
         3. Wise creativity - composed 3000 proverbs; 1005 songs
         4. Wise relationships - King Hiram
         5. Wise vision - Build the temple
         6. Wise words - Queen of Sheba
4. The Chase for Wisdom
   1. In order to get wisdom you must
   2. Recognize the crisis – You’re small, under pressure, and don’t know your way.
   3. Start with God – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”*
   4. Ask for it – “If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask.” (James 1:5)
   5. Walk in it – Apply it, step by step. Not just hear it—do it.

Closing:

If you are here and need wisdom, Wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord, meaning you can’t have wisdom unless you start with God. 

The journey begins with God!