Righteousness Over Being Right: A Journey to Wisdom

In this sermon, I was reminded of the importance of righteousness over being right. The speaker referenced the story of Paul speaking to the Stoics and Epicureans, highlighting Paul's approach of understanding their flawed thought processes and using their own beliefs to respectfully address them. He didn't try to convince them of God's existence, but rather pointed out that God is not far from each one of us. The speaker also drew parallels to modern day, suggesting that the altar of the unknown God has taken different forms in our society, such as enlightenment, productivity, and politics.

The sermon also emphasized the importance of wisdom and understanding in our spiritual journey. The speaker suggested that divine wisdom is submission to goodness in its purest form, removing our preferences, certitude, and bias and replacing them with righteousness. The search for divine wisdom is the search for God, and as a result, we are gifted with the favor of a fuller life, a satisfaction of the soul, and a greater understanding of equity, justice, and righteousness.

Key Takeaways:
- Paul's approach to speaking with the Stoics and Epicureans serves as a model for engaging with others about faith, emphasizing understanding and respect over trying to prove one's point. [23:47]
- The altar of the unknown God has taken different forms in modern society, and we can find glimpses of truth in each one. [24:59]
- Divine wisdom is submission to goodness in its purest form, removing our preferences, certitude, and bias and replacing them with righteousness. [16:34]
- The search for divine wisdom is the search for God, and as a result, we are gifted with the favor of a fuller life, a satisfaction of the soul, and a greater understanding of equity, justice, and righteousness. [17:11]
- The parable of the prodigal son serves as a reminder of the importance of forgiveness and the heart of the Father towards us. [18:59]

Main Points from the Sermon:

1. Jesus sought out those who were willing to make a difference, not necessarily those who would be considered prime candidates by today's ministerial standards. These individuals were willing to lay down what they knew to be right to follow the one who was righteous. Righteousness is more than a principle, it is a person, and by following that person, we embody righteousness. [26:19] [26:50]

2. Wisdom is needed in social settings. Wisdom isn't knowledge, wit, pride, or logic. Wisdom doesn't teach us what to think but rather how to think. We are challenged to trust in the wisdom of God and to submit to goodness, to search for understanding, and to engage with a world that needs meaning. [27:28]

3. We often sacrifice kindness, wholeness in relationships, and the opportunity to hear the perspective of another person in order to be right. We need to place value on good things and less value on being right. [28:47] [29:31]

Bible Chapters for the Group to Read:

1. Matthew 4:18-22 - The calling of the first disciples
2. Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trusting in the wisdom of God
3. Philippians 2:1-11 - The importance of humility and considering others above ourselves

Discussion Guide:

Observation Questions:
1. In Matthew 4:18-22, what did the disciples leave behind to follow Jesus?
2. What does Proverbs 3:5-6 say about trusting in our own understanding?
3. How does Philippians 2:1-11 describe the attitude we should have towards others?

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the disciples' response to Jesus' call in Matthew 4:18-22 reflect the sermon's point about righteousness being more than a principle?
2. How does Proverbs 3:5-6 relate to the sermon's point about the importance of wisdom and trusting in God's wisdom?
3. How does Philippians 2:1-11 challenge our tendency to prioritize being right over being kind and valuing relationships?

Application Questions:
1. How can we embody righteousness in our daily lives, following the example of the disciples in Matthew 4:18-22?
2. In what areas of your life do you need to trust more in God's wisdom, as encouraged in Proverbs 3:5-6?
3. How can we apply the teachings in Philippians 2:1-11 to value kindness and relationships more than being right?

Day 1: The Power of Divine Wisdom

Divine wisdom is not just a spiritual force for good, but it's also practical, protecting us from the consequences of our own poor choices. It removes our preference, certitude, and bias and replaces it with righteousness. This wisdom is submission to goodness in its purest form. [15:57]

Proverbs 2:9 - "Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent situation where you could have applied divine wisdom. How would it have changed the outcome?

Day 2: The Search for God

The search for divine wisdom is the search for God. As a result, we are gifted with the favor of a fuller life, a satisfaction of the soul, and we gain a greater understanding of equity, justice, and righteousness. [16:34]

Acts 17:27 - "God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us."

Reflection: How can you actively seek God in your daily life to gain a fuller understanding of His divine wisdom?

Day 3: The Righteousness of God

Righteousness is more than a principle, it is a person. By following Jesus, we embody righteousness. This is the mysterious nature of the Spirit indwelling and out of that, the goodness of God emanates outward. [26:50]

Romans 5:19 - "For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous."

Reflection: How can you embody righteousness in your interactions with others this week?

Day 4: The Sacrifice of Being Right

We often sacrifice kindness, wholeness in relationships, and the opportunity to hear the perspective of another person in order to be right. Reflect on what you sacrifice in order to be right and bring that before God. [28:47]

James 3:17 - "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."

Reflection: What can you do to prioritize kindness and understanding over being right in your interactions this week?

Day 5: The Desire for Significance

Our desire to be right is overshadowed only by our desire to be significant. Every cultural ideal has a shortcoming and just as Paul spoke wisdom into the milieu of Athens, so we too can speak wisdom into our present-day circumstances. [25:43]

1 Peter 2:9 - "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

Reflection: How can you use your desire for significance to bring wisdom and light into your community?

Hey, Mark and Jess here, and we're so glad you're with us today. We hope that you're enjoying this season of hybrid ministry as much as we are. We're so proud to offer both fully in-person and fully online services, and we pray that our online community continues to cheer on and support our in-person gatherings.

We just want to take a quick minute to highlight a few people that have made our online campus so fun and life-giving to be a part of. Before we transitioned back into hybrid ministry, there were some all-star volunteers who volunteered their time with us to help people find and follow Jesus online. People like Elsie and Harry—they would help us greet people in the chat or set up the services on menlo.online.church. It was a joy to be behind the scenes with them, and they said that it provided connection and community to our church and to others. Plus, it was really fun to serve with them.

Yes! So right now, we're currently onboarding volunteers and would love to extend an opportunity to you to serve with our team. All you have to do is click on the link or email online campus at menlo.church.

Yeah, we also just want to say thank you so much for your giving, as it helps us support so many ministries, including our online campus. This means that your financial support directly played a role in reaching over half a million views on YouTube. I know we reached all 50 states and 77 countries—wow! And we've prayed with over 140 people on menlo.online.church. So whether you give regularly or this is your first time, we hope you'll partner with us today so that we can keep offering this kind of support to our community.

So text the number on the screen or visit menlo.church/give to partner with us. Again, we just want to say thank you so much for being here. And now we're going to continue our series, "Life Hacks: A Better Way to Live."

Greetings, friends! It is so good to be with you. My name is Matt Summers, and I'm the South City Campus Pastor here at Menlo Church. Whether you're watching on-site or online, we're so glad that you're with us today. I'm excited for two reasons. The first one being it has been exactly 72 Sundays since my family and I moved from Long Island, New York, to Menlo Park, California. But out of those 72 Sundays, I have experienced only eight in-person gatherings with you all.

Now, suffice to say, it's been a weird year. Many of us did a lot of different things to cope with the changes. We got a dog—his name is Loki—and here he is pictured alongside my wife, Rachelle. We also have three children, but the dog commands a lot more attention in our household now.

In the same way, for example, when you return home from a long vacation and your dog is happy to see you—he's jumping on the furniture, darting around the house, he might even pee a little—that's the sort of feeling I get returning to church. I am excited for it!

And the second reason? I'm turning 38 next week! I will officially be closer to 50 than 25 from that day on. But my 30s were way better than my 20s, and I'm hoping the same for my 40s. You know, I've been told that getting older means you're getting wiser, but if this is true, why am I forgetting things like my birthday, how long I've been married, and my phone number?

As we've talked these last few weeks about what wisdom is, I think I've learned a lot more about what wisdom isn't. Wisdom isn't knowledge because information doesn't always lead to application. Wisdom isn't wit because our words can be destructive. Wisdom isn't pride because our ego can be our downfall. And wisdom isn't logic because logic alone isn't life-giving.

Wisdom doesn't teach us what to think but rather how to think. So for our purposes today, we're going to discuss the moral implications of wisdom, and I'd like to begin with some introspection by asking: What is our motivation for morality? How do we define what is good?

I raise this question because for the longest time, the church held the monopoly on morality, but now we exist in a primarily secular society. The collapse of Christendom has given rise to a new era of human thought, and that is that all religions are fundamentally the same—irrational and, in some cases, dangerous. Regrettably, this isn't without merit; there's a long history of religion being leveraged as a destructive force.

Now we find ourselves in an age that is transcendent-less. Author and atheist Daniel Dennett once said, "You can subtract the transcendent from morality and still have it present in society." He's not wrong. Consequently, there is no deeper meaning; morality is the closest thing we have to religion. So we craft morals to find our meaning. Rational thought exposes our errors; it can tell us what is wrong, but can it tell us what is good?

Morality does not speak to purpose, nuance, form, or finality, and when those go unanswered long enough, we stop asking about them. We pour ourselves into our work or our pastimes or our families, and those occupy just enough space to dilute our curiosity.

Here we are, 2,000 years past the ancient philosophical age. If you have a billion dollars, you can go to space. We've progressed, but what have we lost? And are we any wiser for it?

There is a rabbinical term used to illustrate the many facets of scripture; it's known as "turning the gem." The idea is that if you hold a precious stone up to the light, it will receive that light and refract it directionally. Turn the gem a little more, and it reveals more detail, beauty, and direction. Just as there are many facets to scripture, there are also many facets to wisdom.

Each week, we have discussed and reflected on a unique facet, but as we've been reflecting on what wisdom means, it's just as important to refract it—meaning we take it in to ourselves and project or bend it in the direction we're meant to go.

Our reading for today comes from Proverbs chapter 2: The moral benefits of wisdom.

"My child, if you accept my words and treasure up my commandments within you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; if you indeed cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding; if you seek it like silver and search for it as hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."

So here, the author is giving instruction, as a good parent would to a child, on how to receive wisdom. But this begs more questions than answers: Cry out for insight, raise your voice for understanding, search for it—these are not passive behaviors. They're all actions that require intent. It is as if wisdom is being concealed or hidden from us, and we have to work to find it.

The author goes on to say, "Then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." What does all this mean? That seeking wisdom somehow makes us scared but also smarter?

I've always found the use of the word "fear" in the Bible interesting, especially as it pertains to God. I don't know about you, but when I am frightened or fearful, I don't consider those my wisest moments. I'm more apt to make mistakes or think irrationally or irresponsibly. So how does the fear of God bring us greater knowledge of God?

Former pastor Britt Merrick once said, "To fear God is to revere, respect, honor, extol, and trust Him enough to believe by faith that He is good, sovereign, and present when life is cruel and hard and out of our control. To fear God is to trust Him when everything else around you is saying He cannot be trusted."

This is the mysterious nature of divine wisdom. Our instinct is towards empowerment. If we are losing control, we hold tighter. But divine wisdom says that trust leads to understanding.

And what happens as a result? Verse 6: "For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk blamelessly, guarding the paths of justice and preserving the way of His faithful ones."

I think it's worth noting that the author isn't trying to offer a cosmic insurance policy but rather trying to speak to the merits of living a life in pursuit of divine wisdom. Yes, divine wisdom is spiritual in that there is a power behind it—think of it as a force for good—but it's also sensible. It's practical in that it protects us from the consequences of our own poor choices.

When we begin to understand how these concepts are connected, we begin to understand the fear and favor of the Lord. Divine wisdom is submission to goodness in its purest form. It removes our preference, certitude, and bias and replaces it with righteousness.

Verse 9: "Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity—every good path. For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Prudence will watch over you, and understanding will guard you."

The search for divine wisdom is the search for God, and as a result, we are gifted with the favor of a fuller life, a satisfaction of the soul, and we gain a greater understanding of equity, justice, and righteousness.

I'd like to take a moment to better define righteousness by beginning with a confession: I like to be right. I do. It makes me feel good; it confirms what I already knew to be true. And by default, being right means I'm not wrong.

I've heard it said that children are economically worthless and emotionally priceless, and I've been learning through the arc of parenting that for the first half of it, generally, your dependents perceive you as right all the time. But somewhere along the way, and seemingly overnight, you go from knowing everything to knowing nothing.

Parenting is many things; one of them is being a test on how well you wield authority. Because there are times you will be tempted to exercise your right, and if you're not careful, you may do it poorly.

I am grateful to say that on more than one occasion, I have been on the receiving end of goodness when I did not deserve it. In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus tells us of a father who releases his younger son to his own desires. After that younger son squanders his father's inheritance, he is left feeling exiled, broken, and destitute—in deep shame and regret. He returns to his father, who not only accepts him but runs out to meet and embrace him. It is the most moving part of the story.

The father had every right to deny the son of his love, but he welcomes him back by throwing him a party. But the story doesn't end there. The older son is enraged that his father would forgive his brother's actions and tells him, "I have served you; I've never wronged you; I've done everything right."

But the father is just as tender in his response to the older son. The main point of the parable is to understand the heart of the father towards us. But I have a question that I promise is not a trick question: Did the younger son do everything wrong? Yes. Did the older son do everything right? Also yes.

But where do we find them at the end of our story? The younger son is reconciled to the father even though he was wrong, while the older son chooses exile because he is right.

Wisdom calls out for us to be more than right; it calls for us to be righteous. And yes, there is a difference. Being right insists on our perfection; being righteous accepts our imperfection. Being right is a secular value; being righteous is a sacred one.

Being right requires equality; being righteous represents equity. Being right takes delight in a reprimand; being righteous lifts others from their low place. Being right is a demand; being righteous is an invitation.

Being right means wielding authority; being righteous is submission to authority. Being right is concerned with morality; being righteous is concerned with our mortality. And being right means looking down upon those who are wrong; being righteous means looking up to the one who is good.

Righteousness is the outward manifestation of our inner divine wisdom. Righteousness is morality as God intended because rather than taking the glory in being right, we are living in a way that gives glory to the one who sets things right. This is the goodness of God in our wisdom.

So now that we've discerned morality and defined wisdom, what do we do with it? What role does righteousness have in a world that values being right?

I had lunch recently with one of our elders, and we were comparing and contrasting the early church to today. The book of Acts gives a glimpse into Greco-Roman culture, and there are some striking similarities. Athens was a hub for the most well-known thinkers of the first century—the Stoics and the Epicureans.

If you're my old philosophy professor from college and you're listening right now, please accept my apologies in advance for what I'm about to say because it's an oversimplification of these two groups. But essentially, the Stoics believed that virtue is the only good and that humanity should act accordingly by denying their destructive behaviors. The Epicureans believed that the pleasure of life gave purpose—life is short, so make good friends, drink good wine, and there you will find your virtue.

Both groups pursued wisdom; both groups considered themselves moral; both groups believed they were right. When the Apostle Paul addresses them in Acts chapter 17, he says, "Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, 'To an unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you: The God who made the world and everything in it, He who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is He served by human hands as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor, He made all the nations to inhabit the whole earth, and He allotted the time of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for Him and find Him, though indeed He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being, even as some of your poets have said, for we too are His offspring. Since we are God's offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, He now commands all people everywhere to repent because He has fixed a day on which He will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed, and of this, He has given assurance by raising Him from the dead."

Paul is telling the smartest men in the world about Jesus Christ—that God became a man, died, and was resurrected. I don't care who you are or how convincing you think you sound; that's a hard conversation to have. And predictably, they insult him, but some were curious enough to ask questions.

The brilliance of Paul's approach is this: He understood the flawed nature of their thought. The Stoics stood for truth but without love, and the Epicureans stood for love without truth. He was patient and used their methods to respectfully address them. He didn't attempt to convince them of God's existence; instead, he referenced their own beliefs, art, idols, and ideas, and says He is not far from each one of us.

He was courteous, respectful, honest, and chose to be righteous rather than right. The altar of the unknown god still stands to this day; it's just taken different forms—enlightenment, productivity, politics—and there are glimpses of truth in each one. Each form attempts to manipulate our morals into meaning. We are so desperate for meaning, we'll look for it anywhere.

Our desire to be right is overshadowed only by our desire to be significant because the alternative leaves us racked with doubt. Every cultural ideal has a shortcoming, and just as Paul spoke wisdom into the milieu of Athens, so we too can speak wisdom into our present-day circumstances.

It will require us to listen and ask: What is missing from my cultural and social settings? Where is wisdom needed?

When Jesus began His ministry, He sought out those who were willing to make a difference. Many wouldn't be considered prime candidates by today's ministerial standards, but they were willing to lay down what they knew to be right to follow the one who was righteous.

Being right doesn't require repentance; being righteous does. They left behind their livelihoods and became almost unrecognizable to those who knew them before. They were more than informed; they were transformed.

Righteousness is more than a principle; it is a person. And by following that person, we embody righteousness. This is the mysterious nature of the Spirit indwelling, and out of that, the goodness of God emanates outward, and we bring wisdom to our world.

So as we part ways, let us be challenged to trust in the wisdom of God and comforted in the fear and favor of the Lord—to submit to goodness, to search for understanding, and to be willing to engage with a world that needs meaning.

I'm going to pray for us now, and after that, we'll go through a time of reflection together.

Lord, all wisdom flows from You. Direct our steps today. Turn us from the perishable things at which we grasp. Cast Your light upon us so that our lives may reflect and refract Your purpose. Amen.

Right now, I want to invite you to, as you respond, take a posture of openness, reflection, and surrender—whatever that might look like for you. Maybe you want to close your eyes right now; maybe you want to get on the floor and kneel, or maybe hold your hands out in front of you like this to say, "God, I am open."

Whatever that looks like for you, however you feel comfortable, get into that posture right now, and we're going to ask ourselves a few questions of self-reflection.

So first, take a moment and ask yourself: What do I sacrifice in order to be right? Maybe you sacrifice kindness by using harsh words, maybe wholeness in your relationship by pushing others away with your stubbornness, or maybe you sacrifice the opportunity to hear the perspective of another person by assuming that you know everything you need to.

Whatever that is, bring that to mind before God now.

Now take a moment and ask God to help you to place value on good things and to place less value on being right. So God, help us to value being kind more than being right, to value our relationships being whole more than being right.

Now next, ask yourself: What do I feel I need to prove about myself when I try to prove that I am right?

Now maybe you feel that if you're not right, somehow you're not good. Maybe you feel that your rightness is what makes you worthy of love. Whatever that is, bring that to mind and talk to God about that for a moment.

1. "Wisdom isn't knowledge because information doesn't always lead to application. Wisdom isn't wit because our words can be destructive. Wisdom isn't pride because our ego can be our downfall and wisdom isn't logic because logic alone isn't life-giving. Wisdom doesn't teach us what to think but rather how to think." - 09:55

2. "Being right doesn't require repentance, being righteous does. They left behind their livelihoods and became almost unrecognizable to those who knew them before. They were more than informed, they were transformed. Righteousness is more than a principle, it is a person and by following that person we embody righteousness." - 26:50

3. "Our desire to be right is overshadowed only by our desire to be significant because the alternative leaves us racked with doubt. Every cultural ideal has a shortcoming and just as Paul spoke wisdom into the milieu of Athens, so we too can speak wisdom into our present day circumstances." - 25:43

4. "Rational thought exposes our errors, it can tell us what is wrong but can it tell us what is good? Morality does not speak to purpose, nuance, form or finality and when those go unanswered long enough, we stop asking about them." - 11:40

5. "There is a rabbinical term used to illustrate the many facets of scripture, it's known as turning the gem. The idea is that if you hold a precious stone up to the light, it will receive that light and refract it directionally. Turn the gem a little more and it reveals more detail." - 12:19