Wisdom Incarnate Lesson 1

Overview

Wisdom Incarnate: Christ as the Wisdom of God

Wisdom is a broad concept in Scripture. It can describe practical skill for living well, but it also points to God's own knowledge and creative power. Proverbs 9:10 anchors the whole conversation: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight." Who is the Holy One but Christ Himself? Paul makes the connection explicit when he writes that Christ Jesus "became for us wisdom from God" 1 Corinthians 1:30. Divine wisdom, then, is not an abstract idea or a free-floating theory—it is grounded in the second person of the Trinity, the God-man through whom the Father reveals Himself.

James helps us recognize true wisdom by its character: "The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy" James 3:17–18. This is christological wisdom—wisdom shaped by the life of Christ and the life we have in Him. It originates with the Father, is mediated through the Son, and is offered through the Son's gracious invitation. In Matthew 11:25–30, Jesus thanks the Father for hiding these things from the wise and revealing them to infants, declares that no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him, and then calls the weary to take His yoke and learn from Him. Knowing God depends on the Father's initiative, comes through the Son, and calls for a response of faith.

God's wisdom is counterintuitive—even offensive—to human reason. The cross stands at the center: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" 1 Corinthians 1:18–25. The incarnation of God, His death on a cross, His bodily resurrection, the sending of His Spirit, and the promise of His return are not what worldly wisdom would invent or accept. Some of the most brilliant minds of every age stumble over the gospel precisely because Christ crucified cannot be grasped by ordinary human sense. The Father reveals it supernaturally, by His Spirit, through His Son. Jesus is not "Plan B" for our salvation; He is with the Father from the beginning of creation, and through Him the Father has chosen to reveal Himself.

This has pastoral weight for the church today. The wisdom of the world has steadily seeped into the church at large, and we are tempted to make God's unchanging Word fit our shifting cultural assumptions—carrying around a "big but" after "I know what the Bible says." Faithfulness means refusing that compromise. Everything we receive from God is a blessing meant to be shared, so as His people we keep asking two questions: What does it mean for me to follow Christ in this time and place? And what does it mean for us together to be His church in the world? The answer always points back to the same person—Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God, through whom we know the Father, are saved, and are sent.

Transcript

Good morning. 7s

We are going to start a new adult education series or topic today and we'll get into that 10s

in just a second. 19s

But first, let's pray. 20s

Lord Jesus, we thank you so much. 21s

We thank you for entering into creation, for living the life that we could not. 24s

We cannot live and cannot live under the law and for dying the death that we so rightly 29s

deserve and yet out of your love, you died that death for us. 36s

And we thank you, Lord, for rising to new life, for being the first of the resurrected. 41s

And we thank you so much for the triumph that we have in you over death. 47s

Lord, we thank you that we have the promise that you will indeed come again to gather 53s

us to yourself for all eternity. 57s

Lord, we ask that you would use this time of study together that we would know you better 60s

and adore you all the more because of who you are for us and in our lives. 66s

This we lift to you in the holy name of Jesus Christ, amen. 72s

Okay. 77s

So, I was trying to remember why I wanted to teach on wisdom. 78s

I couldn't remember. 84s

I'm sure it was a brilliant thought when I first came up with it, but I am not so wise. 86s

So, thank you. 92s

Wisdom in general, it's a very broad concept. 96s

It's a broad word. 100s

Embedical thought, wisdom has a really wide range of meaning. 102s

It can be the practical skills and the intellect that people acquire to live successfully. 106s

That's generally what we think of not only in the biblical concept, but we think of that 113s

in our own day and age. 118s

That those who are wise have a lot of knowledge. 120s

Those who are wise have big, deep thoughts about life and the things in life. 125s

But in scripture, wisdom also refers to God's knowledge and creative power. 133s

In some places, wisdom itself is personified. 141s

In this study, we are not going to spend time on the personification of wisdom that we 146s

find in Proverbs. 153s

But we are going to start with Proverbs with one of the Proverbs and what it says with 155s

wisdom in Proverbs 9 verse 10, it says, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 163s

And the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. 169s

So, what we're studying in this adult ed series is really that relationship between 175s

wisdom and Jesus Christ. 180s

If you would, oh no, I have it written here. 184s

So, you don't need to open to first Corinthians because we're going to open to James in just 187s

a few minutes here. 190s

But in, in first Corinthians, Paul says, he says, he is the source of your life in Christ 191s

Jesus who became for us wisdom from God. 198s

So he is saying that Christ Jesus became for us wisdom from God. 203s

We are going to over the course of this study. 211s

We're going to look at wisdom in creation. 214s

We're going to understand wisdom in the context of the Jewish people, particularly in that 216s

second temple period. 223s

So in that time when Christ had come. 225s

And we're going to look at the fulfillment of divine wisdom that Jesus is as the word incarnate. 229s

There are a lot of unhealthy habits and unhealthy beliefs that have made their way into the 238s

church, not into this church, but into the church at large. 246s

And so to keep that steady and faithful call that we have as a Christian people, we want 251s

to be faithful and we want to seek the wisdom of God in Jesus Christ. 261s

So we'll continually be looking at Christ as the incarnate word of God as God's wisdom for us. 269s

So throughout this study, we're going to keep asking ourselves, what does it mean for me to 280s

follow Christ in my life in this time and in this place? 286s

And what does it mean for us today to be his church in the world? 291s

Remember everything that we receive from God, we receive as a blessing for our lives. 296s

We also receive it as a blessing for our lives that we then are called to go and share. 305s

Our last adult ed series was on mission and all about how we are called missionaries of Christ. 312s

And this, we're going to keep going in that context. 320s

Everything that we have in our lives is used to the glory and honor of God. 324s

And we are called always to go forth and share that good news. 333s

And so the same is in that in wisdom, what does it mean for our place in this world at this time? 339s

And what does it mean for us as his church in this world? 348s

Today, we're going to start working through divine wisdom. 353s

So if you could, please open to James. 357s

So this is in the new testament. 361s

It has passed all of the Paul letters or all the letters from Paul. 363s

And then you're going to hit Hebrews. 368s

It's the first book right after Hebrews. 370s

So we're going to open up to James chapter three. 373s

And we're going to look at verses 17 and 18. 380s

James chapter three verses 17 through 18. 386s

Where James writes, the wisdom from above is first pure, 393s

then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, 398s

without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. 404s

And a harvest of righteousness is sewn in peace for those who make peace. 408s

This wisdom is truly a crystallological wisdom. 415s

It is that divine wisdom. 420s

It's what we find throughout scripture, confessing that life of Christ and confessing the life 423s

that we have in Christ. 430s

So wisdom in Christ is not just this abstract idea or theory. 433s

It is grounded in the second person of the Trinity. 440s

It is grounded in Jesus Christ, the person, God, man, Jesus Christ, 444s

through whom God reveals Himself. 450s

Some of our discussions are going to seem a little abstract or they're kind of going to 454s

make our minds go wait a second. 460s

Let's work through this. 463s

So we're going to work through it to the best of our ability and we know that God is going to lead us 465s

because He leads us in all truth. 472s

So philosophical wisdom is abstract. 476s

Have any of you taken a philosophy course ever? 481s

Maybe kind of sort of one. 485s

Yes, I have. 487s

Okay, who has ever done any philosophy in God? 489s

Philosophy and the abstractness of philosophy is a lot. 495s

And what's really interesting and I find this comes up a good bit. 502s

The greatest abstract thinkers of our time or of the ages still can't 507s

wrap their brains around God, around the Trinity and around what we hold so dear. 517s

So worldly philosophy is very, very abstract. 529s

God's wisdom in Christ is not abstract. 534s

God's wisdom in Christ is particular. 541s

It's historical. 544s

It's counterintuitive to human reason. 546s

God's wisdom in Christ gives us the incarnation, the physical birth of God man. 550s

God made man. 561s

It gives us the death upon a cross. 562s

God's wisdom in Christ gives us that triumphant resurrection. 566s

God's wisdom in Christ gives us the sending of His spirit to us. 572s

God's wisdom in Christ is the promise of His glorious return and recreation of the world. 578s

Scripture tells us that not only is wisdom in God or God's wisdom, 587s

it is counterintuitive to human wisdom and human reason, but not only is it counterintuitive, 591s

it's offensive. 598s

It's offensive. 599s

What we know and what God reveals to us about himself in the person of Jesus Christ, 601s

the second person of the Trinity, it is offensive to those to whom the truth has not been yet revealed. 608s

There's a great story in the sermon today. 620s

I'm not going to ruin it. 622s

Don't worry, but just remember this. 623s

It is downright offensive. 628s

Let's go to Matthew 11. 631s

Matthew 11. 634s

Yeah, just making sure I didn't skip something. 644s

Okay, so Matthew 11, it begins with Jesus. 647s

He's gone into the cities. 651s

He's preached and the people in the cities have rejected him. 653s

They've rejected John the Baptist. 658s

Remember John had gone forth and he had preached the forgiveness of sins or a baptism for the 661s

forgiveness of sins. 666s

And Jesus had taught that there would be severe judgment for those who have rejected him. 668s

For those who have rejected what he has brought forth. 676s

So if we look beginning at verse 25, we're going to look 25, so chapter 11 of Matthew 25 through 30, 681s

where it begins at that time, Jesus said, 691s

I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise 694s

and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 700s

Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 704s

All things have been handed over to me by my Father and no one knows the Son except the Father 708s

and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 714s

Come to me all that you are all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will 722s

give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart 728s

and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. 734s

So we see a structure that is formed in these verses. 743s

We see Jesus praying regarding wisdom from the Father knowing that God's wisdom depends on the 748s

Father's initiative. So looking at 25 and 26, Jesus is praying, I thank you, Father, Lord of 756s

heaven and earth, because you've hidden these things. So he has hidden his truth, he has hidden truth 763s

from the wise and intelligent of this world and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, 771s

for such was your gracious will. It is the Father's will that truth is revealed to those whom he 778s

called. We talk about this in that that salvation is not our choice but that we are chosen by God 789s

himself for salvation and it is he who reveals truth to us. So that is God's wisdom revealed to us 798s

initiated by God himself. Then we have the claim of wisdom that is mediated through the sun in 809s

verse 27. All things have been handed over to me. This is Jesus speaking by my Father and no one 820s

knows the sun except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the 828s

Son chooses to reveal to reveal him. So this wisdom the wisdom of God for us is mediated by the Son. 834s

We know the Father because we know the Son. The Son shows us the Father because only the Son knows 844s

the Father. This is kind of that. We work through this. So we know that the wisdom is given to us 854s

through Son. We are called to know the Father, to know God through Jesus the Son and then we have 863s

that invitation by Jesus, that invitation of wisdom that is offered by the Son where He says come to me. 872s

All you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon 883s

you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls 890s

for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. We are learning from Him. We are learning in His wisdom 896s

and we know that when as we are invited to take His yoke upon ourselves to yoke ourselves to Him, 905s

some will respond in faith. Some will respond in faith and others will reject God's wisdom. 915s

So Jesus in the beginning of chapter 11, he had gone out, he had preached to the cities, 926s

he was rejected. He has that lament of, you know, whoa, whoa, you know, how I long to gather you as a 933s

hen gathers her brood under her wings and we see this lament because there are people who are 942s

invited into the wisdom of God into knowing Him who rejected it. So understanding the 951s

Christological wisdom is understanding that wisdom concerns what the Father is doing in and through 964s

the Son. It originates with the Father and it focuses on the Son. We know in scripture that everything 970s

points to Christ. Scripture all points to Christ which means that in God's wisdom, 979s

He chose to reveal Himself in Christ so that we may know Him. It is counterintuitive and we're 991s

going to get to this in just a second here but we can't grasp through normal human sense who God 999s

is. We can't grasp through normal human sense what the power and wisdom of God is but the Father 1008s

reveals it to us supernaturally. He reveals it to us in and through His Son Jesus and as He sends His 1019s

Spirit forth to lead us to all matters of truth. And so we trust that the Lord is leading us 1028s

in His wisdom. We trust that the Lord is showing us who He is in the person of Jesus Christ. 1037s

So let's go to first Corinthians chapter 1. First Corinthians is right after Romans. So you have 1046s

the Bocca of Acts, you have Romans and then we get to first Corinthians. First Corinthians chapter 1056s

1 and we're going to read through verses 18 through 25, 18 through 25, where Paul under the 1063s

inspiration of the Holy Spirit says for the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are 1075s

but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written I will destroy the wisdom of 1082s

the wise and the discernment of the discerning I will port. Where is the one who is wise? Where is 1089s

the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 1095s

For since in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom God decided through the 1102s

foolishness of our proclamation to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire 1108s

wisdom but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles 1115s

but to those who are the called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1122s

For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. 1129s

So Paul is connecting wisdom and power with the identity of Jesus Christ. God hides the things 1137s

of the kingdom. He hides the things of his business from the wise of this world. He hides it from the 1146s

unbelieving and the unrepentant and he hands over all things to Christ. Christ in his unique 1155s

relationship with the Father reveals the truth through his spirit according to his will. 1165s

I think we all have met people who are wise in this world, who are intelligent, 1177s

beyond belief, blow our mind smart and yet find God, foolishly. Find the faith that we hold so 1185s

dear to be silly or non-inconsequential. And so how do we, as a people, as the church going back 1201s

to our questions that we'll look at throughout this? Where are my questions? Oh, here we are. 1217s

Okay, so how do we, as the church, what does that mean for us in the world today? 1224s

Because the wisdom of the world has seeped into the church at large. And so we have that 1232s

battle that we are called to as missionaries to stand firm and to stand steady. 1241s

I've had interesting conversations with people in the past where they have asked, 1250s

well, now it seems to be that X, Y, or Z is OK. Is that because God's word has it changed a little 1261s

bit? No, it's unchanging. It's unchanging. My, well, I'm not going to say who? Someone I know, 1271s

that you all don't know. He said, well, I know what the Bible says about blank, but that's a big 1280s

but to be carrying around. It's the wisdom of this world that we're trying to hold onto. It's the 1293s

wisdom of this world that we're trying to make fit into God's word, but it doesn't. It doesn't. 1301s

The wisdom of this world cannot grasp or understand what we have in and through God's word, 1313s

especially in and through God's word incarnate that is Jesus Christ, the second person of the 1324s

Trinity. So we are going to, oh, no, wait, oh my gosh, I'm now, I don't have, I have the analog clock 1331s

and I'm like screwing up the minutes and the hours. I shouldn't see, I'm not wise. We're good on time. 1343s

We are way out of sync with my watch. No, we're not. I'm sorry. Oh my gosh. So, 1355s

anyway, so what we're doing in this series is we're really looking at, at the wisdom that God 1367s

gives us in his person, in the person of Jesus Christ. We know that God is at all time father, 1373s

son, and holy spirit. We know that God at all times is other than us, but is holy and holy, 1382s

holy, completely holy. And we know that his wisdom knows no bounds. We know that he is all mighty 1392s

knowing, almighty sovereign. He sits upon his throne and he guides us. We know that he is 1399s

unending. We know that he is unchanging. The only way that we can come to know God himself 1407s

is through the person of Jesus Christ. And we will see as we continue that the person of Jesus 1416s

Christ, Jesus is with the father at the beginning of creation. Jesus in the wisdom of God is not 1424s

plan B for our salvation. Jesus in the wisdom of God is how we know how we are called to live, 1434s

how we know we are called to be saved, and how we know we are called to share the wisdom of God. 1447s

I think it's really interesting that Proverbs, you know, Old Testament says the fear of the Lord 1458s

is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. Who is the Holy One, 1465s

but Christ himself? We are continually pointed to Christ in God's wisdom because it is through Christ 1475s

that we know Him. It is through Christ that we are saved. It is through Christ that we are called 1483s

to go and share His love with others. 1489s