|
Knowing God Study -
Lesson 11
Ý Chapter 9: God Only WiseToday’s theme: The wisdom of God is wisdom indeed! Scriptural background: Romans 11:33 "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all your getting, get understanding." Proverbs 4:7 Quotes for the week "Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom." Thomas Jefferson. "It requires wisdom to understand wisdom: the music is nothing if the audience is deaf." Walter Lippman. "Wisdom has its root in goodness, not goodness its root in wisdom." Ralph Waldo Emerson. Be very slow to believe that you are wiser than all others; it is a fatal but common error. Where one has been saved by a true estimation of another's weakness, thousands have been destroyed by false appreciation of their own strength;" and "There is the difference between happiness and wisdom, that he that thinks himself the happiest man really is so; but he that thinks himself the wisest is generally the greatest fool." Charles C. Colton (English author and clergyman; 1780-1832). Concern: That we will not recognize that to be truly wise we must seek the wisdom of God, wisdom that only He can provide1 How do you define wisdom? Use a practical, but in your own words, definition.
2 Explain the difference between wisdom and understanding in your own words. Why is this difference significant?
Interacting With The TextGoal: To apprehend the wisdom of God for our own, but not by following the route of Adam and Eve. We know that if God is truly wise then we can find comfort in His counsel and instruction. God's wisdom is at the root of our ability to accept his decrees and follow His directions for our lives. "And to man He said, `Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.'" Job 28:28 1 Why, according to Packer, would God be considered truly wise?
2 Why, according to Packer, do many people have a problem recognizing God's wisdom? Have you had that problem? Explain.
3 What lesson did God succeed in teaching Abraham that was the basis of his becoming a wise man? How is that lesson important to you?
4 How are wisdom and the real events in our lives often intertwined? Think of the examples of Jacob and Joseph that Packer uses and how they relate to you.
5 Why is the story of Joseph so important to understanding how God's wisdom is to be trusted? Can you think of a specific example of how this specific Biblical example applies in a practical way to your own life? Explain.
6 Beginning on page 97 Packer gives us New Testament examples of God's wisdom in action in the lives of His saints. Using these as examples explain how you see God's wisdom in action in your life today. These should be different from the Joseph example in question 5.
7 Why are these biblical models or examples of God's wisdom in action important to us as Christians today, two to three thousand years after they happened? With that in mind, how are your own examples of God's wisdom working in your life important to your fellow travelers, your fellow believers?
What To Do NextRead Chapter Ten; God’s Wisdom and Ours. Consider the difference between the two and then, since we are made in the image of God, why there is a difference. Then following Packer’s lead and think about what we must learn to change our wisdom into God’s wisdom. Goal: To begin trusting our lives and daily decisions to God’s wisdom. Learning from Biblical figures such as Joseph and Paul, we too should strive to see and trust the wisdom of God in every situation in life, just as they did. This week I want you to take some time each night to review the course of your day, evaluating your progress and growth. [top] |