Sermon Tone Analysis

I am starting a new series once again / called, “The Path Traveled.”

I believe it’s a question we all want the answer to: How to get from where you are to where you want to be / were going to look at what happens when you are off course / getting help along the way / other topics / but today we will begin with very simple thought / Your Direction Determines your Destination

All of us have dreams / goals / places in life they want to be / so we are going to dive into WOG / for some direction / wisdom

The books of Proverbs and its surrounding books—Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon—are books Scholars call “Wisdom Literature.”

Having intelligence means you know things / Having wisdom means you know what to do in various situations / So you can be smart without being wise / Wisdom literature was written to make us wise / to help us know what to do in specific situations

Proverbs 7:7–27 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense.

He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.

Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.

(She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home; now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)

She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said: “Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.

So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!

I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt.

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.

Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!

My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.

He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.”

With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.

All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.

Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.

Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.

Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.

Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.

I. Basic Lessons About Paths

A. The road you’re on determines where you’ll end up

1. That’s true, isn’t it?

/ Yes?

This is not rocket science....

If we get in a vehicle / head south out of Bloomfield on 550 / eventually, I will end up in Albuquerque

a. Whatever road, whatever highway, whatever path I’m on will determine where I end up.

I can WANT to end up somewhere else / I can pack my beach towel / my sunscreen, with every hope that I can spend a week in Cabo, but if I head south on 550 / I’ll end up in Albuquerque, not in Baja / We all know that very well, don’t we?

B. Your direction, not your intention, determines your destination

1.

As obvious as that is in the world of geography / when it comes to the rest of our lives / same principle applies

a. Whether it be our family life / our financial life / our marriage or dating life / the way we raise our kids / our physical fitness/ professional life

i.

This same principle applies / In every area of life / my direction / not my intention / determines where I will end up

2. How many times have you been in a conversation with someone who is describing how their life got shipwrecked...

Their marriage blew up / kids grew up rebellious or resentful?

Students who didn’t get the grades they were hoping for / didn’t make the team they were hoping for / And as they’re describing what led up to their failure / you just thought to yourself / “Well, didn’t you see that coming?”

C. Road you are on determines where you will end up is so much a part of life / that it trumps almost everything else that you’ve got going for you

1.

You can have the best of intentions / still end up in the worst of situations

You’ve probably heard saying / “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”

a.