turn to Colossians, Colossians chapter 3. This afternoon, Colossians chapter 3, as we come around the word of God. Let's begin at the verse 16 of the chapter, Colossians chapter 3, the verse 16, and we'll read into the chapter number 4 a few verses. So Colossians chapter 3, and we'll begin reading at the verse number 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever you do in word or deed, All in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men, knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ, but he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done. There is no respect of persons. Masters, give on to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a master in heaven. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving. with all praying for us, also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds, that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak, walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Amen, we'll conclude just at the verse six of chapter four. Let's briefly pray together. Our Father in heaven, we're now before thy word. How thankful we are that we're before the word of God. We're not before some philosophy book. We're not before some, as it were, doctrine conceived. dreamt up by man, but we're before the Word, that unchangeable Word, the Word that liveth and abideth forever, that Word that though heaven and earth pass away, thy Word will never pass away. It is the rock on that is forever settled, dear God, amidst the changing scenes of time. It is that rock undaunted. We bless thee, dear Father, that we can build our lives upon the rock of thy Word. Lord, we pray that our hearts will be, therefore, receptive to Thy Word. We pray that we'll not rebel against Thy Word, cast it behind our back, but Lord, that we will receive with meekness the engrafted Word of God. Send Thy Spirit, fill this preacher with the Holy Ghost and with power, and grant, Lord, not just simply going through a message and getting to the end of it, but Lord, by the end of the message, may we be different, May our lives have been challenged so much so by the Spirit of God that things will be put right in our lives as we come to have our lives conformed to the teaching of Holy Scripture. Answer prayer and help me, I pray. I ask this in and through Jesus' precious name. Amen and amen. I took as my text last Lord's Day the words of the Apostle Paul found over there in Ephesians chapter 5 and the verse 15 where Paul encouraged the Ephesians believers, as children of light, to walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. We considered on that particular occasion the great necessity of walking in such an exact and such a precise manner, a way that aligns itself with the teaching of God's Word because of our enemy and because of our example. In light of that message, I felt then words here in Colossians chapter 4, where the natural follow on from what we considered seven days ago. Writing now to the church in Colossae, God's servant exhorted the saints and the faithful brethren in Christ now to walk in wisdom, as it says in the verse number five, walk in wisdom to them that are without redeeming, the time by this divine directive was initially written to the saints in this particular city the city of colossi this divine directive is one that we would do well to follow in our lives today and so for the remaining moments i want to preach a message that is framed around those words that we find at the head of colossians 4 and the verse number 5 walk in wisdom walk in wisdom. We have thought about many walks that we are to walk in our Christian lives. Today we come to consider this thought, to walk in wisdom. This directive of the apostle Paul in Colossians 4, When you think about it, it really mirrors the sentiments that he has already given to the saints in the city of Ephesus. Over there in Ephesians 5 verse 15, where the saints were encouraged to walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. You see, according to the apostle Paul, those who are wise will walk circumspectly. Preciseness, exactness will characterize the conduct and the behavior of the wise Christian. And so the employment of wisdom will result in a circumspect walk. Or to put it another way, a circumspect walk will be the fruit of the implementation of wisdom in one's life. A circumspect walk will be the fruit of the implementation of wisdom in a person's life. As we consider then this divine directive to walk in wisdom, one should consider in the first place where wisdom begins, where wisdom begins. We are to walk in wisdom. Where does wisdom begin? The concept of wisdom is ancient and is deeply embedded in the cultural history of humanity. The ancient Greeks considered wisdom to be a most important virtue, personified in their goddesses Metis and Athenea. The ancient Romans were just the same. They were a people who valued wisdom, which they believed were personified in their gods Minerva and Pallalus. In the Buddhist tradition, the developing of wisdom is valued, plays a central role in Buddhism, whereas in the Inuit tradition, the developing of wisdom is one of its main teachings. But where does wisdom commence? Where is wisdom to be found? Where does wisdom begin? Well, I read an online article, found it on a website called Psychology Today. It was written by a man by the name of Alex Lickerman. And he asked this question in that particular article. He asked the question, where ultimately does wisdom come from? That's what we're thinking about. Listen to the answer that he gave to that question. I would suggest, he said, that wisdom lives in the same place all ideas do, beneath our conscious awareness. Lickerman went on to say in that same article, wisdom, belief turned into action, isn't something that we create, it's something that we discover in ourselves. It is something in the end that we must activate. There is an interactivation of wisdom according to Lickerman. Wisdom is found, according to this psychologist, wisdom is found within man. And so Lickerman, along with so many others, believes that the source of wisdom is found within us. It'll come and then it's no surprise to you that I As a preacher and as a Bible-believing Christian, fundamentally disagree with liquor man's beliefs. Wisdom does not come from within us. Rather, wisdom comes from outside of us. Because by nature, we are foolish. We are foolish beings. Proverbs 22 and the verse 15, foolishness. is bound in the heart of a child. Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child. By nature, we are foolish. Job chapter 28 asks a very important question. In Job 28 verse 12, we read, but where shall wisdom be found? Well, that's the question that we're asking. And where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of the living. In this world, wisdom is not found according to Scripture in the land of the living. If you cast your eye down to the verse 20 and 21 of that same chapter, Job 28, whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding, seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living? and kept close from the fowls of the air. And so according to Scripture, and according to God, wisdom is not found inside of us, but rather wisdom comes from outside of us. God alone is the source of true wisdom. God is the source of true wisdom. Colossians chapter 2. We're in that book. Look at the verse 3 of Colossians chapter 2, in the verse 3. Let's read from the verse 2. And their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. In his epistle, James, Aware that man and humanity is devoid of true wisdom, he exhorts his readership to seek God for wisdom. Those familiar words, James 1 verse 5, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and abreateth not, and it shall be given him." The psalmist who wrote Psalm 111 brought that Psalm to a conclusion with these words in the verse number 10, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom begins when we start to fear God. Not fearing God in the sense that we're petrified of God, but rather fearing God in the sense that we reverence God, that we reverence Him. Have you ever wondered why there are so many unwise people in the world today? I'm sure you've scratched your head at times and wondered How can people be so unwise? I'll give you the reason why. The reason why there are so many unwise people in the world today is because there is so little fear of God in the world today. That's the reason. Have you ever wondered why even some professing Christians are making so many unwise, unbiblical choices today? Well, the reason is simply because there is no fear of God. there is no fear of God. Fearing God is the beginning of wisdom, and so if you want to walk in wisdom, then begin to fear God. Begin to fear God. Is that not what happened in the life of young Joseph? Whenever that woman appealed to him and to his base desires, his most natural desires, he feared God. How can I do this great wickedness? sin against God, and therefore he walked away. He took himself out of the place of temptation. Wisdom was employed. Why? Because he feared God, and therefore fearing God led to him to make the most wisest of choices with regard to Potiphar's wife. One preacher defined the fear of God in this way, the fear of the Lord is an abiding and reverent sense of the presence of God and of accountableness to Him. Folks, whenever we live our lives with a sense of God's abiding presence, that God is watching all that we do, and God is listening to all that we say, and that someday we'll be accountable to Him for our conduct, for what we said and what we did. This will result in us fearing Him, which will then govern the way by which we will walk. Walking in wisdom will mean that we will walk then according to the Word of God, which is pure wisdom. Pure wisdom is found in God's Word. It is pure wisdom. And so this is where wisdom is to be found. It is to be found in God, and God has, He has, as it were, placed His wisdom into Holy Scripture. He has given us a book of pure wisdom whereby we can live our lives. And so we go to Him, and we go to His Word. And so that is where wisdom begins. But Paul is very specific here whenever he speaks about where this walk of wisdom is to take place. So we want to consider that thought, before whom are we to walk in wisdom? Before whom are we to walk in wisdom? Look again at the text there in verse number five. You see, well, undoubtedly, we are to walk in wisdom before God. That's just, as it were, we take that simply is to be expected of us. We're to walk in wisdom before God, and yes, we are to walk in wisdom before our fellow brethren and sisters in the Church of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul, he identifies a particular grouping of people that we are to walk in wisdom toward. Look at the text. It says, walk in wisdom toward them that are without. The word toward, it simply means before. And so we are to walk in wisdom before them that are without. But who is Paul speaking of when he uses that phrase there, them that are without? Well, simply Paul is referring to those who are without the church. as in the church of the firstborn, those who are unconverted, those who are unsaved, those who have no saving interest in Jesus Christ. We are to walk in wisdom before them, before the ungodly. That's where this walk is to take place. We could walk in wisdom towards our brethren and sisters, but as I've said on so many occasions, that our walking with God goes beyond the four walls of this building. It goes out into the workplace, it goes out into our school, our university, our college, where God will find you in the will of God tomorrow, You are to walk in wisdom to those who are unsaved, ungodly, unregenerate. That's where God would have you to live, in wisdom, or to walk in wisdom. And so he speaks of walking before the ungodly. I made reference to that last week, if you can remember back then, but I'll repeat it for emphasis sake, our lives, are being analyzed by those who are unconverted every day. And we find such people in our homes, and in our places of employment, and in our communities, and in our districts, and in our housing estates. Though unwise for the ungodly to do this, they are forming their opinion about God and his gospel by how we live our lives as Christians. Such discerning people are well able to rehearse our inconsistencies that we have unfortunately become blind to. They are able to decipher between the genuine and between the counterfeit Christian. Their assessment of the credibility of our profession of faith is not based upon what we say, but rather on what we do. I'm sure you've heard this little poem before, but it goes something like this. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are read by more than a few, but the one that is most read and commented on is the gospel according to you. You're writing a gospel, a chapter each day by the things you do and the words you say. Men read what you write, whether faithless or true. Say, what is the gospel according to you? Do men read his truth and his love in your life? Or has yours been too full of malice and strife? Does your life speak of evil or does it ring true? Say, what is the gospel according to you? I wonder, what is the gospel according to me? What conclusion do people come to? By God, that I say that I love and serve when they look into my life. and they analyze my conduct. I remember listening to a preacher many, many years ago, an American preacher at the Easter Convention. And he took the text on that occasion, Matthew 5, 16. And the preacher on that occasion, he said that you could literally paraphrase that particular text in this way. Let your light so shine before men that they might get the right and the proper opinion of God. Let your light so shine before men that they might get the proper opinion of God? Do those within my sphere, your sphere of influence, do they get the proper opinion of God as they live with us, as they study or work alongside us? Do they get the right opinion of God? You know, we need to walk in wisdom toward a non-Christian world. Reverend Alexander McClarnon, speaking about those outside the family of God, he wrote these words. Our life is to a large extent their Bible. They know a great deal more about Christianity as they see it in us than it is revealed in Christ or recorded in scripture. And if as seen in us, it does not strike them as very attractive, small wonder, if they still prefer to remain where they are. May our wise living attract and not repel people to Christ and to his gospel. May it not be said of us concerning others that such was our living, such was our living as professing Christians that we put people off from hearing the gospel. The Reverend William Henry Houghton, he pastored Calvary Baptist Church in New York City and later he would serve as president of Moody Bible Institute until his death in 1948 or 46. When Dr. Houghton became pastor of the Baptist Tabernacle in Atlanta, a man in the city hired a private detective to follow Dr. Houghton and then report back to him with regard to his conduct. After a few weeks, the detective was able to report back to that man that Dr. Howden's life matched his preaching. As a result, the man who hired the detective went and heard him preach, and as a result, he himself became a Christian. That preacher's life matched his lip, and as a result, he won an ear for the gospel. I suppose I would need to say then what it means to walk in wisdom. What does it mean to walk in wisdom? What does such a walk actually look like? What will be the characteristics of such a walk? Well, James in his epistle, he writes about two kinds of wisdom. In his epistle, if you can remember back to our studies in the book of James at our Bible study, he spoke about earthly wisdom, that wisdom that is sensual. Really, that is the wisdom of man. And he places it alongside heavenly wisdom, the wisdom of God. And those who walk in God's wisdom will have a walk that resembles very much the walk that is presented to us over there in James chapter 3. So turn to James chapter 3 because that's where we're going to conclude this message. This morning we want to look at one particular verse, James chapter 3 in the verse number 17. But let's read from the verse 15. This wisdom descendeth not from above, speaking of earthly wisdom, this wisdom where there's bitter anvering and strife This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. From where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." So we're considering what a walk of wisdom looks like. You see, if a person's life is going to be guided by God's wisdom, and we have been reading about godly wisdom or God's wisdom here in James 3, verse 17, then that walk is going to resemble the virtues that James actually speaks here in this particular verse. So let me explain. Since God's wisdom is pure, because we read that, the wisdom that is from above is first pure. Since God's wisdom is pure, then a Christian's wise walk will be pure. A Christian's wise walk, guided by God's wisdom, this heavenly wisdom, this wisdom from above, if this wisdom is pure, it will result, it will, as it were, the outcoming of it, or the outworking of that, will be that a person will walk in purity. There will be a purity of walk, a purity of life. God's wisdom, that wisdom that ought to regulate, govern how we live, is a wisdom that is free from defilement, free from contamination, free from impurity. God's wisdom is pure because it comes from a God, the God, who is holy. And then, thus, when employed by us, it will promote and cultivate purity in the life of the child of God. Show me a person, show me a person who is living by the pure wisdom of God as it's found in Holy Scripture, and I will show you a person who is living in purity. But the other side of the coin is also true. Show me a person living contrary to the Word of God, and I will show you a person who in all likelihood is living in sin. In a handwritten note in the cover of his Bible, John Bunyan, the Puritan, he wrote this particular statement. Either this book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book. Either this book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book. Living your life according to the Word of God will mean that you will live a life of purity, that you will walk in purity, that you'll not walk in sin. habitually, but that you'll walk a life that is marked by holiness, a life that is marked by purity. And surely those without, surely those in Garvackie Avenue, surely those in Hilton Court, surely those living in Mansfield Heights and living in Sparren Heights, expect us to be living lies of purity. Holy lives, holy people. Our lives will not be perfect, but they will be marked by purity. An inward purity that then manifests itself in an outward purity. We'll find ourselves living, walking in purity. That's the first mark. Secondly, since God's wisdom is peaceable, then a Christian's wise walk will be peaceable when earthly wisdom is incorporated in our lives it often brings strife it often brings division it often brings trouble and turmoil within relationships within homes but God's wisdom when applied to situations promotes harmony and love because God's wisdom is non-contentious with regard to those matters that are not fundamental to the faith. One Christian writer put it like this, God's wisdom that is peaceable influences the professor's offer to be at peace among themselves and one another, to cultivate peace in families, among neighbors, and even with enemies. I thought about an example of this in Scripture, maybe not one that would immediately come to your mind, But to avoid an unnecessary diplomatic incident, King Solomon very quickly set about to keep open the communication channels between himself and the King of Tyre, who was a friend of his father David. I suppose a new king coming to the throne, there is always that problem, that tension. Will they be as peaceable with us as their forerunner, the one who came before? And so Solomon, understanding that, decided to keep very quickly the lines of communication open between him, the king of Israel, and the king of Tyre. And thus Solomon, he wrote to Haram, was his name, And he asked him that he would provide the timber that was required and necessary to build the temple that Solomon was about to build, that David was not permitted to build. Haram was delighted with Solomon's request, and he said the following words, "'Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.'" In light of Haram's words, 1 Kings 5 verse 12 reads, God-given wisdom led to peace between two nations that could have been at warfare against each other. God-given wisdom. caused peace to reign between Haram and Solomon. Whenever God's wisdom governs our life's affairs, whenever God's wisdom governs even diplomatic affairs, peace is the outcome. Peace of conscience and peace with others. You see, to be always on the warpath, to be always ready to argue with your own shadow, Evidence is that you're not walking in wisdom. The wise person will seek to live peaceably with all men. Romans 12, 18. The applying of wisdom revealed in Scripture will cause you to attempt by the grace and by the help of God to live peaceably with all men. Thirdly, God's wisdom is gentle. And therefore, the Christian's wise walk will be marked by this virtue of gentleness. The word gentle, it carries the thought of forbearance or moderation. When God's wisdom directs our lives, we will be possessed with a gentleness of spirit, deportment, and of manners. I wonder, are you known for your gentleness? Am I known for my gentleness? Or are you brash? Are you aggressive? Are you an in-your-face type of person? The wisest man who ever lived, the Lord Jesus Christ, was known for his gentleness. Paul will speak of that over there in 2 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 1. He spoke there about the meekness and gentleness of Christ. Did you know that gentleness is one of the marks that a minister is to exhibit in his dealings within a congregation? Let me read to you 2 Timothy 2 verse 24. And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, and patient. The minister should be gentle in his reproving, The minister should be gentle in his administration of discipline. The servant of the Lord must be gentle in their dealings with those who are awkward and those who are argumentative within the work of God. There is to be a gentleness, because that is Christlikeness, the gentleness of Christ, the gentleness of Christ. You know, the ungodly, The ungodly, they experience brashness from so many quarters. Their employers are brash. Their friends can be brash. Their neighbors can be brash. Brethren and sisters, they should not meet such when they come into contact with God's people. God's people ought to be gentle. It is a fruit of the Spirit, gentleness. The fruit of the Spirit is gentleness. And as we walk in wisdom, then we are to exhibit that gentleness in our interaction with those that are still in their sin, to be gentle with them, tender with them, showing kindness towards them. You see, we're to walk gently before those that are without. And then we go on to see there in the verse 17, we're just going through these particular virtues, easy to be entreated. Since God's Word, since God's wisdom is easy to be entreated, then the Christian's wise walk will be easy to be entreated. The Christian who is under the influence of this heavenly wisdom, is not a stubborn, not an unyielding person. They are someone who can be easily entreated or easily persuaded when confronted with the truth. It means that we may be reasonable and self-sacrificing in our attitude towards others. We certainly see this easy entreatedness exhibited, displayed in the life of Abram or Abraham. When the strife arose between Abraham and his herdsmen, He said to Lot one day, let there be no strife, I pray you, between me and you and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we be brethren. And his conduct at that fractious moment, Abraham showed that he was easily entreated, easily entreated. You know, brethren and sisters, there ought to be a reasonableness to our conduct. The ungodly should not leave our company in frustration, muttering beneath their breath and almost pulling out their head, that man, that woman, they're so unreasonable. They shouldn't be leaving and saying, you just can't talk to them. There's no talking sense to them. And it comes to the matters that are non-consequential to the gospel. Of course, whenever you confront a man about his sin, he's not going to embrace you and welcome you and say, what a great person you are. I'm speaking about our day-to-day living, our conduct with one another. Brethren and sisters, we ought to be easily entreated, not so stubborn and stuck in our ways, but that we yield by the grace and by the help of God. Since God's wisdom is, note the next phrase, is full of mercy and good fruits, then the Christian's wise walk will be marked and will be full of mercy and good fruits. You see, godly wisdom is not theoretical, but it is practical. It rolls up its sleeves and takes action. Divine wisdom leads us to practically help others. Was God not most wise when he came into this world? to live and to die for us, wisdom personified in the life of Jesus Christ. It wasn't simply theoretical, but it was practical. Errands of mercy and good fruits or works are undertaken by those who are endued with heaven's wisdom. Peter in 1 Peter 2 verse 12 wrote, having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, among the ungodly, that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. The truth taught by the Apostle Peter here is that our conduct as Christians should be such that after the closest of examination of our works, it will lead them to the conviction that that person is upright and honest, and that the God of the Christian is thereby to be glorified and to be honored by them, even as an ungodly person. Such should be the conduct of our lives. God's wisdom, walking in wisdom, it'll have you going on errands of mercy. It'll have you involved in deeds of kindness and good works, if you're going to walk in heaven's wisdom. It is without partiality, we read there at the end of 17, without partiality. And since God's wisdom is without partiality, then the Christian's wise walk will be marked without Partiality. As I walk in God's wisdom, impartiality will govern my interactions to those who are without. One Bible commentator that I read in this statement, they said, the following wisdom, which is from above, or true religion, makes us impartial in our treatment of others. That is, we're not influenced by regard to dress, rank, or station, but we are disposed to do equal justice to all according to their moral worth and to show kindness to all according to their wants, without partiality. Impartiality will be the person who will walk wisely. I wonder whenever visitors come into this meeting house, are they treated in an impartial way? Are they made to feel as welcome as those who normally come on a weekly basis? Are they treated like everybody else? Or do we take the hump and do we scowl when someone sits in our pew that we normally sit in? How dare they? That's my pew. There's no pews here, folks. No pews. Not your pew, not my pew. Do you scowl? Do you mutter under your breath? Do you ignore then the person? Do you whisper behind their back? Without partiality, walking in this wisdom, And then finally, this walk of wisdom is without hypocrisy. And therefore, my walk should be without hypocrisy. The words without hypocrisy, they're really just one single word within the Greek. It is the word sincere. It's a sincere walk, a sincere wisdom leading to a sincere walk. And therefore, there's no pretense, there's no show, there's no charade, there's no fakeness when it comes to wisdom from above, and therefore, as it guides us, there should be no charade, no pretense, no two talking out of one mouth, as it were, saying one thing to one brother and another thing to another brother. A non-Christian should find it difficult to find any form of hypocrisy within the Christian's life, the one who walks by this wisdom from above. You and I know that hypocritical living does more damage to the cause of Jesus Christ than nearly anything else. But the other side of the coin is also true. Genuine, sincere Christian living does tremendous good for the cause of Jesus Christ. And I encourage you, therefore, to be a sincere Christian, a genuine Christian, one who is desiring to follow God and His Word. Because while those are very ready, those who are without, they're very ready, very ready and willing to point the finger at the hypocrite, they're not so ready to acknowledge the genuineness and the sincerity of those who do live their lives according to the Word of God. I asked myself the question as I prepared the word, am I blind to glaring hypocrisies that are a hindrance to the cause of Christ? Am I blind to them? Because we can become blind to them, brethren and sisters, blind to hypocrisies. We believe in prayer, but we don't come to the prayer meeting. We believe in the gospel, but we don't come to the gospel meeting. We believe in so many things and we become blind to our hypocrisy. We need the Lord to show us them and give us the grace to put them right. A rather pompous looking deacon was endeavoring one day to impress a class of young boys with regard to the importance of Christian living. Why do people call me a Christian, the man asked. After a moment's pause, one youngster said, maybe it's because they don't know you. Maybe it's because they don't know you that they call you a Christian. God forbid that it would ever, that would ever be said of us. But that whenever people know us, that they say, yes, there is a Christian. there is a genuine, sincere Christian. A Christian walking in wisdom is the most convincing of sermons. It is the most convincing of all sermons, a Christian walking in wisdom. Let us preach such sermons every day as we walk in wisdom toward them that are without that they too will come to know Christ, the Savior, the Redeemer, who can save them from their sin. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. May God help me to do that. May God help you to do that. For Christ's sake, amen. Let's bow in prayer together. Our gracious and loving Father, we come before Thee and confess at times we walk foolishly. We walk in our own wisdom, the wisdom of men, and we fail to seek the wisdom of God and matters and how we should live and conduct our lives. We find ourselves making foolish decisions and choices in life. And Lord, we confess that we do great damage to the testimony of Jesus Christ. Toward them that are without, for they're looking within. They look into the church. And what do they see? Oh God, may they see sincerity. May they see impartiality. May they see gentleness. May they see purity. Oh God, may they see all of these virtues and marks that we have considered today in all of our lives from preacher, elders, committee, members, friends, children, teenagers, young people. O God, may they look in and may they see us walking wisely. Save us, Lord, from ourselves and from our own imperfect wisdom. And may we seek the source of all wisdom, God himself, and who has revealed his wisdom to us on the pages of Holy Scripture. And so give us the grace of God and the Spirit of God, Lord, to walk wisely in this world as those, O God, who will one day give an account of our lives and our conduct and our behavior as those who have taken to themselves the name of Jesus Christ. Lord, as we come to the table, Lord, may our hearts be in a state of repentance. Lord, may we turn from our sins, seek cleansing in Jesus' blood, and grant, dear God, wisdom even in this we pray, for we ask these prayers in and through Jesus' name. Amen and amen.