(Proverbs 1:20-23) The Path to a Wiser Year (v.2)

INTRODUCTION:

One of the lost doctrines of the church is the doctrine of wisdom seeking.

it is amazing how little we talk about Wisdom in churches.

In fact,

I contend that the church has often been imbalanced on Christian living because they have lacked wisdom.

For many years,

our churches practiced a modern legalism.

EXPLANATION:

If you follow certain rules,

and do the right practices.

Then you were faithfully living the Christian life.

Colossians 2:20–23 ESV

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

And so rightly many churches have sought a more Biblical balanced approach to Christian living.

Running from cultural rules.

The classic question,

show me the verse for that

>>>> speaks of our desire to avoid cultural legalism.

That is -

Instead of imposing arbitrary and cultural rules,

we ask the question - what verse prohibits me from doing this or that.

Now that sounds more Spiritual.

But may I suggest that is still not the correct answer to legalism.

When we ask - What text prohibits me from doing this or that -

>>>> What we are asking is what law can we follow.

Or more appropriately - how close to foolishness can I get without sinning.

What we have done by asking that question is >>>>>>>>>>>>

to leave a cultural centered law-keeping,

and instead allow us to love simplicity and foolishness -

(so long as it didn’t break the rules. )

which is still legalism

All we did is change what we are legalistic over.

CAVEAT:

Now don’t get me wrong - I am not suggesting we abandon Scripture.

{{{2 Ti 3:16-17 tells us to look to Scripture.}}}

What I am suggesting is that we stop looking for rules,

and we start looking for Wisdom.

Ask the question - What is wise according to Scripture?

And what better place to understand Godly wisdom, even Gospel Wisdom, then to look to the book of Proverbs.

If we are not to keep rules, and we are to practice wisdom - then

What is Godly wisdom?

Now that questions really covers the whole book of proverbs,

but today may we narrow that questions to Proverbs 1:20-23.

Proverbs 1:20–23 ESV

Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.

From this Proverb,

In the New Year,

We ought to listen to the wisdom of God

And from this passage we will recognize 3 important truths about living in Godly Wisdom.

First, We should recognize that

(1) Godly Wisdom is an Issue of Life. (Proverbs 1:20-21)

Many people believe Wisdom is rare,

but is that true?

ILLUSTRATION:

Now I understand why people feel that way.

How many of us have made a fool of our selves,

and then realized afterwards.

And so wisdom seems rare.

But this text teaches us -

Wisdom is not rare,

Wise people are rare.

Wisdom is out there if only we would listen to it.

The greatest obstacle to becoming a Wise and Godly person is our deafness to God’s wisdom.

Observe the great picture here in our text -

Proverbs 1:20–21 ESV

Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

I love the Imagery of this text.

(a) The Imagery Teaches us Wisdom is Life.

Everyday we wake up, we are making a decision whether to listen or ignore Wisdom.

- The text describes Wisdom like a women crying out to the street.

- And then describes wisdom calling out in the open squares.

EXPLANATION:

Where the ESV translates “markets” can refer to a market, but more appropriately describes an "open meeting place".

Like a town square.

- We today don't always think of the significance of a saying something out loud in a town square - because we don't meet in town squares very often.

- We meet in coffee shops or restaurants.

- In the ancient near East many of the legal contract were made in the in a public square. Much of the market sales was done in public squares.

This passage describes the wisdom as a calling out in the public squares.

- The passage then describes wisdom calling out at the entrance to a noisy and bustling street.

ILLUSTRATION:

I think of New York City here where there's hot dog stands and and small vendors and hundreds of people walking by at any given time.

In a day before automobiles most likely the description here would describe a bustling town street with traffic going to and fro.

Alll While Wisdom is crying out to these people who walk by.

– And finally this passage describes wisdom speaking at the entrance of the city gates.

If you understand city gates of the ancient near East, they were often places a meeting in gathering and again market sales.

What is this text teaching us?

That everyone has wisdom speaking out to them.

It is making the point that wisdom is right there before us.

It is making the point that wisdom is not some special knowledge that only the specially trained know.

It is the knowledge that calls out to every single person.

- It cries out to them as they walk down the street.

Or In modern world.

- She is calling out to you while you drive down Parris Island Gateway.

- It calls out to them as you go to the commisary.

- He called out to them as they meet their fellow neighbors and friends.

- He called out to them as their signing the legal contracts.

In other words, in every part of our lives wisdom is shouting out to us to hear it.

So what does this teach us?

That we have a daily need for wisdom.

every day decisions reflect whether we are listening to the wisdom of God or not.

In fact I would suggest that –

(b) The Daily Need for Wisdom Should Point Us to God.

Many people have claimed that they don't believe in God because they can't see God.

>>>> Show me God!

What the text says, especially as we consider all the way down to verse 33.

Is that living life is a moral decision to listen to God or not to listen to God.

All the Living proof we need for the reality of a God is to look to our grocery stores, our streets and roads, and or public gatherings.

The wisdom choices and the consequences of the fool, the scoffer, the simple, and the godly reflect the reality of God.

That is perhaps borrowing from the rest of the section going all the way down until we begin chapter 2.

But what it teaches us is that Godly wisdom is all around us and we are choosing to ignore it or to hear it.

Wisdom and the reality of God is not rare, but found in most everyday decisions.

In fact may I say, based on this text –

(c) Rejection of Wisdom is Ultimately a Rejection of God.

If you want to know why foolish people make such foolish decision -

Realize it's not just a lack of wisdom, but is in fact related to a rejection of God.

Taking this principle farther, we can even say this to degrees referring to the believer.

When a Christian makes a foolish decision,

how often is it not reflected in a heart that is failed to listen to the wisdom of Scripture.

In 2023, may we hear the wisdom of God calling out to us.

2ndly, We should recognize

(2) The Insanity of Rejecting Godly Wisdom. (Proverbs 1:22)

May we begin by considering the three types of people found in verse 22.

>>> These are people who are repeatedly referred to in the book of Proverbs and play an important role in understanding our text this morning.

First let's consider the simple – who are the simple?

The simple are people who are often satisfied with life and not willing to listen to reason.

>>>> They are simple in the sense that they are open-minded.

That is found in the meaning of their title - simple

There rejection of God isn't that they hate God per say, but they lack moral discernment.

These people are too naïve to realize they are bound for destruction. They are simple.

I always thought it was ironic that many who reject God

>>>> treat Christians and though they are naïve and simple.

But who is the one who's truly naïve?

The one who is too naïve to recognize the destruction of sin?

The one who is convinced by unprovable theories that there is no creator who is holy and just?

The text also talks about the scoffer – who is the scoffer?

- The scoffer is a cynical and defiant freethinker.

- They stand ridiculing those who do right hand ironically talk about how their naïve and foolish Christians are.

- They are quick to point out all the hypocrisy and supposing contradictions of Christian;

while ignoring the reality that wisdom reflects God.

While ignoring the reality that creation points us to creator.

While ignoring the reality that wickedness and death in this world point us to a God who judges.

We get frustrated with the simple because they are undiscerning,

but the scoffer is truly the enemy of God.

>>>>These are the ones who mock and attack righteousness and the gospel.

And thirdly the text talks about the fool – who is the fool?

The fool is somebody who has no restraint.

>>> He has no restraint in his words or his choices.

The fool by definition is the one whose mind is closed against the God.

He is one who hates knowledge and hates fearing God because he doesn't get what he wants.

The fool is the self-centered one who only cares about what he can get here and now, and the the end justifies the means.

But wisdom and Proverbs 1:22 shouts out to the simple, the scoffer, and the fool.

Proverbs 1:22 ESV

“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

The question “how long” points us to the insanity of rejecting wisdom.

The

(a) Simple. (Prov 9:6)

(b) Scoffer. (Prov 3:34, Ps 1:1-2)

(c) The Fool. (Prov 1:32, Prov 26:11)

>>>>All reject Wisdom which is symptom of their rejection of God.

They are all people who do not listen to wisdom shouting out to them in their everyday lives.

Now,

Can you identify with the temptation of one of these people?

May I challenge you - How long will you love insanity and hate wisdom?

In 2023, may we mindful of our tendency to stop listening to wisdom

and act like the simple, the scoffer, and the fool.

Thirdly, We Should Recognize

(3) The Value of Listening to Godly Wisdom. (Proverbs 1:23)

Remember, I started out by making the point that wisdom is not rare.

>>> Verse 20 and 21 point us to the fact that wisdom is calling out to us in our every day lives.

So if we are not all wise here today.

ILLUSTRATION:

If we can find wisdom at

at the Walmarts

and the coffee shops

and even in our homes

Then why do so many of us lack wisdom?

The reason that there are so few wise people is not because wisdom is rare.

It is precisely because so few of us listen to wisdom.

That is a great warning for living a wise life in 2023.

>>>>>How few of us listen to wisdom!

Understand, the person who listens to the word of God has far more wisdom than all the world's PhD's combined.

After all,

Doesn't 1 Corinthians 3:19–20 teaches that the world ‘s wisdom is foolish.

Also - 1 Corinthians 1:19 – 20 teaches us that God will destroy the world’s wisdom.

Therefore,

Our text teaches us,

(a) The Value of God’s Reproof.

Proverbs 1:23 ESV

If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.

You want to be wiser in 2023.

To live lives in a way that harness the wisdom of the gospel.

Then start taking seriously how God's word reproves you! 2 Timothy 3: 16-17.

Then start taking seriously the providential hand of God shaping your heart.

Then take seriously your relationship with your fellow Christians – because they're the ones who are supposed to help you conform to the image of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:24 – 25.

In other words, start paying attention to sources of wisdom - the places where God gives us knowledge to sanctify us.

And remember - the key to this is listening.

Listen to the wisdom that is calling upon us.

Again, not rule keeping, but to the wisdom of the Gospel.

Living a wiser year in 2023 then last year must start with listening to reproof.

But remember the promise here in Proverbs 1:23

Proverbs 1:23 ESV

If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.

If you will turn at my reproof, I will send the Holy Spirit, to help you know Wisdom.

We are promised that turning to God will bless with help from the Holy Spirit.

And this is especially true of the Christian.

John 14:16 ESV

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,

Thus -

Just believing in the gospel will make us wiser.

So if you're a unbeliever who is not trusted in Christ and you want to live a wiser life – then start by believing and trusting in Jesus Christ.

So,

We need to recognize the

(b) The Value of the filling of the Holy Spirit for Wisdom. (John 16:8)

And finally, we need to recognize -

(c) The Value of God’s Words. (Ps 18:30)

What is more valuable than to know the Words of God?

What wisdom is wiser than God’s words?

And of course the answer is none.

Psalm 18:30 ESV

This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

And what is amazing about this verse,

is that if we would listen to the rebuke of God -

Then he promises to give you the Holy Spirit and make his words known to you.

Words here is parallel to rebuke and wisdom.

So how do you become wiser?

It starts with listening to the rebuke of God.

- Listening means more than letting it pass through your ears.

More than filling a pew.

- Listening is hearing it and putting it into action.

Consider, The passage emphasizes listening, but text says - If you turn at my reproof.

May we be purposeful in listening and turning at the correction of God’s Wisdom.

CONCLUSION:

So,

What is wisdom?

- May we be careful in what we ask of Scripture and not look for rules.

- May we be mindful to search the Scriptures for Wisdom and careful to avoid simplicity and foolishness.

After-all,

Consider that the Gospel is supposed to make us wise.

Colossians 1:28 ESV

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

A Gospel-centered life is a wisdom learning life.

Christianity is about listening and turning at the wisdom of God.

To often,

we ask and proof text Christian living not in Wisdom,

but with rule keeping.

We say - what text prohibits this or that when what we are really saying is -

- don’t give me wisdom, just give me enough rules to get me by. (We think simply)

- don’t beat me with Scripture (We think as scoffers)

- and, only tell me enough to see how close I can get to sin (We think as fools)

To often we approach the Christian life.

ignoring Wisdom and acting like the simple, the scoffer, and the fool.

Col 2:20-23 warns us against law keeping.

- May we instead, ask the question - what is wise?

- May we be quick to listen to the reproof of God

and turn away from foolishness and simplicity.

In 2023,

- I challenge us to guard hearts from the temptation to ignore the wisdom of God

and

- to live lives that seek to listen and follow Wisdom of God.