Two Invitations (Proverbs 1:8-33)

So this is the second sermon out of profit. I preached that a Proverbs last year and we saw last time if you remember I don't usually remember what someone preaches the last week much less than a year ago. But if your memory is that great we saw last time that the father Solomon encourages his son the prince to pursue lady wisdom that they really there's these two ladies these two women that are being distinguished in the Book of Proverbs lady wisdom and Dame Folly. And Solomon is telling his son the prince pursue lady wisdom and run from warned against the dangers of following them fall. In fact, we see Lady wisdom mentioned in chapter 3 and 4 and 8 and 9 and we see Dame fawley mentioned in five and six and nine and there's this contrast About two ways to live and wisdom this idea of wisdom in the Book of Proverbs Solomon argues. If you're wise it brings you life and riches and honor and if you're foolish it brings you poverty and shame and ultimately death. To pursue Dame Folly is a highway to the Grave. It's a broad path Solomon says in the Book of Proverbs in and I mentioned last week by application or last year by application. This book is not a quick fix. We don't become wise immediately. It's multiple exposures over time. I remember getting a little book when I was a new dad called Proverbs for parenting and all the author did was arrange the Proverbs in such a way by category so that you would have wisdom in parenting your children. And for many years was specially with the first two children anytime. There was a discipline that had to happen along with the punishment was instruction to say this is what the Bible teaches this is, you know, you use your words as weapons you were angry and you fought and verbally were mean to your sibling in this is what Proverbs says happens if your you use your words as weapons, this is what Proverbs says if you steal if you lie, if you run with Wicked people over and over in man, it was helpful. I think it instructed me more than my children probably as I was reading this. But this is this is ultimately God's wisdom. Now there's two invitations and it it makes sense that in Proverbs Chapter 1 Solomon wood in woods start the Proverbs as a whole with this instruction to his son and basically telling him there's two pads to live two ways to walk and two invitations. I'm going to read versus 8233 in chapter 1. In fact, this is usually where a lot of people don't preach the first three chapters of Proverbs because if you're able to kind of see the advancement of thought and then once you get into chapter 4 until Chapter 30, it seems that a collection an assortment and there's no way to outline it. So if I do this every year, I have a couple years before I have to handle that problem. So is that let me start in verse 8 hear my son your father's instruction and forsake. Not your mother's teaching. But they are graceful Garland for your head and pendants for your neck. My son if Sinners and Tyson, you do not consent if they say come with us. Let us lie in wait for blood let us ambushed the innocent without reason like she'll let us swallow them alive and whole like those who go down to the pit. We shall find all precious Goods. We shall fill our houses with plunder throw in your lot among us. We will all have one purse. My son do not walk in the way with them hold back your foot from their pads for their feet run to evil and they make haste to shed blood for in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird. But these men lie in wait for their own blood they set an ambush for their own lives such as the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust game. It takes away the life of its possessors wisdom cries aloud in the streets 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 are simple ones? Will you love being simple? How long will scoffers Delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge, if you turn it in my reproof behold, I will pour out my spirit to you. I will make my words known to you because I have called and you refuse to listen. Have stretched out my hand and no one is heated because you ignored all my counseling would have none of my reproof. I will also laugh at your Calamity. I will mock winter strikes you when terror strikes you like a storm in your Calamity comes like a whirlwind then distress and anguish come up on you then they will call upon me, but I will not answer they will seek me diligently but will not find me because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord would have none of my Council and despised all my reproof. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way and have their fill of their own devices for the simpler killed by their turning away and the complacency of fools destroys them. But whoever listens to me will dwell securely and will be at ease without dread of disaster. Little hard to outline this it's not like a normal letter that we we see like Paul writing to the Ephesians. But if you see these words listen here the first call the first invitation is is the foolish the Wicked the evil saying come follow us and will make you rich. All we have to do is lie in Ambush take advantage of people steal their money and it'll be ours. But then you have lady wisdom calling allowed wisdom calling louder than the voices in the street who are calling out saying listen to me if you don't listen there's consequences, but if you do listen, there's great reward. And so there's these two invitations versus 8219 is an invitation to Folly. I find it fascinating that verses 8 and 9 what we see is it foolishness fawley goes against the Council of parents? Verses 8-9 in the Ten Commandments. One of the Ten Commandments is honor your father and your mother.

Wisdom begins at home and both mothers and fathers have a crucial role in training their children. It's interesting The Book of Proverbs the phrase my son that used to your is used 10 times in the first nine chapters impacted marks out all of the major sections of wisdom's appeal.

Our culture would say don't listen to your parents. Listen to us we have the wisdom to give you. We have the wisdom to make you influential to make you successful to make you happy social media is like the city streets here that Solomon is describing their crying aloud saying, hey follow us and will give you your heart's desires. And don't worry if you take advantage of people. Don't worry if you steal their goods. It's no big deal because you'll be rich you'll be happy.

Think about this young people your friends. You're your classmates. If you're in school the world's entertainment industry tries to compete for your attention as a primary influence of wisdom. And a major goal of Solomon in this book is to teach a young man or woman for that matter how to assume the responsibilities of adult life. You want a book on how to become an adult read The Book of Proverbs. If you're an adult and don't know how to be an adult read The Book of Proverbs.

He says that if you listen to your father's instruction and forsake, not your mother's teaching. They become a Garland they become pendants. Isn't it interesting Garland and pendants? That's jewelry that it's things to make us look attractive. And so was Solomon is saying is that the father through wisdom makes us attractive after all he made us for his glory and he gets us there through wisdom God's wisdom is beautiful an impressive. I've been having an ongoing conversation with some of my Seminary students about a Theology of beauty. There's been a couple good books written about it. We don't necessarily think about the Theology of beauty.

Then I had the opportunity to go to the Louvre in Paris France this summer when I visited my daughter and it's incredible. These are the most beautiful paintings in the world. And we had a little bit of a discussion about what makes these more beautiful than others wasn't a super long discussion, but it was really centered around the Mona Lisa. What's the big deal around the moment? Why is it in the room by itself? You know with all this security. I mean, there's other paintings on the walls around the room, but it's in the middle by itself considered by many to be the most beautiful painting in the world.

It's not merely that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. A Theology of beauty would say God is what is the definition of beauty God is most excellent. God is most beautiful. And so those things that correspond to the beauty of God are what we esteem beautiful. And history has proven that to be so.

These this Garland this pendants that he's talking about what a picture of wisdom that it's almost like when you take wisdom upon yourself and you you you you walk in wisdom. You become a more attractive person.

I think is why Paul in Romans 13 says put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He uses that language of clothing to put on it's not merely to no longer be naked. It's putting on the the proper clothing. You didn't make no provision for the flesh to gratify his desires. Why because you put on the wisdom of Christ and you're walking in his way when you walk in his way and put him on there is no provision for the flesh for foolishness for sinful desire. But back to this invitation of folly versus 10 to 14. It's an enticement from ungodly companions. What is the wicked do in these verses my son of Sinners? And Tyson? You see the wicked makes an attractive the wicked makes in enticing? They make it look like it's not ugly, but beautiful. And yet it's not beautiful. In the short-term sure, send brings pleasure. But in the long run it brings shame and regret and Death In this passage. Send tries to succeed By ignoring reality these evil companion say hey, let's get on the road and murder people and take their stuff and we'll bury them and nobody will know and we'll get rich. What we have enough stories and poems and movies to tell us that that story never ends. Well.

Hear these Wicked are promoting violence and have no regard for human life verse 19 expanded Beyond violence to everyone who is greedy for unjust gain. What an interesting summary the greed is for game that is unjust. quick get rich quick schemes Now we know it in our culture because of even if we're not Christians, even if we haven't been taught by the Bible we know because of the laws that stealing is wrong murder is wrong their punishments for it. I think of you know, the wild west of cryptocurrency, for example, the last few years. There's been this, you know, I've dabbled in it a little bit because I have a pastor friend who started a crypto company and I've kind of now that I've dabbled in it a little bit. I've been paying attention and you know what happens? It's a wild west and how many of these crypto CEOs are going to prison because they've been stealing money from people lying about their product. Unjust gain greedy for it.

There's nothing new Under the Sun Solomon says in Ecclesiastes and even with the new ways of getting unjust gain, it's not like it doesn't harm people. It does exactly what these verses are saying if swallows the victims alive. That's what they want to be. They want to be like she'll like the pit. whether it's bullies at school the old story of ganging up on another kid tormenting him or her to the point of despair. Not that it doesn't happen physically anymore. It happens through online shaming. Computer hackers stealing people's identity and money Wall Street insiders exploiting the system for their own selfish gain political Good Ol Boys neglecting their constituents in taking care of each other in passing criminal laws racist treating others as non person two don't count who can be disposed of political candidates defrauding voters. Neighbors who need bad things to be true of someone else in order to justify themselves gossiping that person's reputation to death. a faction splitting a church

Like gang initiation excitement first money and a community. That's what the gang is offering. That's the positives. They don't talk about the negatives. You're Criminal. And if you live by the sword you die by the sword according to scripture.

Now wisdom here says this is foolishness my son and think about the context Solomon is a king his son. The prince is growing into a man and he says to his son you're going to be tempted in this way to defraud people and think about is a prince. He wouldn't have any Authority that would punish him if he decided to become a highway robber, he's a prince who's going to punish him. He could become an evil dictator a cruel Taskmaster and nobody would stop him. Because he's going to be the king. And who's going to stop the king? So Solomon says oh this is a real temptation to you my son to become a tyrant when you're King, but the end is death. Don't follow that path. Know what's interesting about this these criminals this gang as it were that offers this community. It's really counterfeit Community because they lie in wait for their own blood Verse 18. They set an ambush for their own lives. You probably know the famous short story that's written about a group of Thieves who stole a bag of money and they said they were going to split it three ways. And then pretty soon the greed of the thieves is too much and two of them killed the other one and then there's two left. We're going to split it fifty-fifty and then they kill each other and then no one's left to keep the money and the short story is very famous. And it's probably built right upon this same idea. They actually are setting an ambush for their own lives.

Folly is ultimately self-destructive. That's what Solomon is saying. Verse 17 in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird what a picture the bird does not see any connection between the net and what's scattered on it. He just sees food that is free for the taking and in the process. He's trapped and killed in the same way. This gang of robbers cannot see the connection between their acts of robbery in the faith and entrap some there ambushing themselves. What Paul says in 1st Corinthians 15 do not be deceived Bad Company corrupts good morals.

But Solomon doesn't stop there. It's not just a warning. He positively gives an invitation to wisdom verse 20 is through the end of the chapter the call of wisdom wisdom cries aloud in the street in the market. She raises her voice at the head of the noisy streets. She cries out at the entrance of the city Gates she speaks. Wisdom, what is wisdom? Well wisdom is knowledge lived out. It's one thing to know what's right and wrong but your wise when you actually live it out.

I know lots of people who have lots of knowledge. I would school with people I got phds with people who had lots of knowledge. Sometimes people with lots of knowledge of the most foolish people in the world. They don't have any Street smarts, right? That's what we call it Street smarts. Well Ray ortlund and his commentary says wisdom is the skilled expertise and competence that understands how life really works how to achieve successful in even beautiful results. And of course we started in verse 8, but verse 7 says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge fools despise wisdom and instruction the fear of the Lord to continue a humble and faithful submission to the Lord that compels us to Hattieville turn away from it to bring with it a reward better than any Earthly Treasures, which is a love for God and knowledge of God a long life confidence contentment protection. Anything interesting in verses 20 and 21 when wisdom is crying allowed in the street. She's raising her voice in The Market at the head of the noisy streets. She cries out and at the entrance of the city Gates she speaks Solomon's picturing the Royal City. Is it worth and he's telling his son as you go into The City Gate in the market is there in the marketplace is loud. You ever been to a City Market? You know you in the malls all the the the stores have doors where they have enclosures and the noises subdivided but when you go into a Market Square, that's just a big giant a storm is like the swap meet right? It's like going to the flea market and everybody's crying out. Hey, come by my stuff. Don't go over there. Come here. Don't go buy it over there that tables got garbage. Come here.

There's this raucous loud noise and wisdom is speaking above the noise. And not in the middle of the market, but at the entrance to the city gate in this picture. See wisdom is demanding here wisdom is insistent here wisdom is speaking louder than the words of the marketplace. She's not keeping her message secret. She wants the widest possible hearing her voice is loud even shrill and piercing because of the urgency of her appeal. The noise of this world tries to drown out the voice of wisdom. And we have it in. Our pockets are cell phones the social media the bombardment of information crying out for attention. And now we have short videos that just will have to watch a little Snippets for 5 or 10 seconds, but will watch him for four hours just keep scrolling up and watching the short videos or it's amazing. Isn't it that the The Cry of our attention is for all of the world to just say come listen to me like a Market Square come buy what I'm selling come listen to what I have to offer. But wisdom is demanding and says I'm speaking above all of that clamaran noise and saying if you want real life. If you want joy and contentment, you must listen to me.

But wisdom is as dangerous as well. I find it remarkable that what wisdom does as Solomon personifies lady wisdom. Here is she says She rebuked those who are foolish how long those simple ones will you love being simple the word simple is those who are committed neither to good or evil but not devoted to wisdom. So people who are believing that ignorance is bliss vulnerable to subduction by Madame Folly lady folly. wisdom says how long will you love being simple verse 22 how long will scoffers Delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge scoffers the free-thinking cynics who mock head God and sin and judgments hardened against any reproof. Listen says how long you going to act that way? Fools, the one who rejects wisdom so occupied with the things of the world that the things of God are of no concern.

What is the cure wisdom says if you turn at my reproof verse 23, I will pour out my spirit. The only cure is to repent. The turn by James one says if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given to him.

Much of my counseling when I meet 2 to talk to people. When I talked to them they want wisdom. Nobody who meets with me who wants the council says, you know what I really don't want any wisdom. I just I just want you to approve what I'm doing. That's not usually what happens. But wisdom is demanding. Wisdom says you have to change what you're doing. You have to apply the knowledge you have and stop pursuing the foolishness intern and pursue the wise.

And wisdom here has the last laugh. Isn't it? Incredible verses 26 to 28 those who were mocking become the object of wisdom's mockery. Wisdom laughs when disaster strikes the fools they turn away when the foolish call to her. And Bruce 27 gives the insurance the disaster is going to come to the pool like a storm Terrors going to come Calamity like a whirlwind distress and anguish verses 31 and 32. They shall eat the fruit of their way. They will have their fill of their own devices.

They reap what they sow.

So what is wisdom like? Wisdom is like a fire it can burn but fire also purifies. Foolishness on the other hand is more dangerous because it's like a poison. There's no. Fying. There's just an infecting and making worse.

Wisdom than even though it's demanding and even though it's dangerous. It's our only safety verses 32 and 33. The simple are killed by their turning away and the complacency of fools destroys them. But whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease without dread of disaster that think again about the picture Solomon's telling his son don't be simple-minded don't decide it ignorance is bliss and I'm not going to learn I'm not going to study. I'm just going to go with the flow. You're going to turn away from wisdom. It's going to destroy you and then he has a new category complacency of fools the full issue do despise wisdom who then become complacent. I think Solomon knew what he was talking about. He wrote another book called Ecclesiastes where he tried everything under the sun to find happiness while it was money 6s power sex drugs all of it. He tried. And he said it's all chasing the wind striving after the wind your try to catch the wind.

Doesn't happen. You were a little kid and you try to catch that leaf blown by the wind. I just alluded you just kept you just kept chasing it. The foolish attempt to catch the wind is is the picture in Solomon is telling his son this not from someone who doesn't know. But someone who tried it all and knows from experience, it's a dead end. My son. Don't pursue it. It's a vanity of vanities is foolishness.

And it is interesting to me hear that Solomon as the father of this young adult Prince. What is he doing? He's pleading with him.

He's pleading with him. This isn't a young child that he can spank and discipline and corrected have go the other way. This is a young son who's a prince who he's saying? I'm trying to give you wisdom and plead with you. Don't chase after what the world wants what the world offers what the world desires because it's in destruction that invitation is an invitation to the Grave instead. Listen to the invitation of wisdom those she's demanding though. She's dangerous. She is our only safety. She's actually what makes us beautiful in adorns us like a Garland around the head or earrings on the ears. pendants for the neck She's our only safety. Now the voice of wisdom of course is personified here as a woman. But we know because he says verse 33 whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease and throughout the Book of Proverbs that the voice of wisdom is really the voice of God.

God's wisdom is personified as this wise woman for the prince to pursue you could think of it this way? Young son who's a prince? You're going to marry somebody. Are you going to marry Lady wisdom ordained Folly? Who's going to be your princess? Who's going to be your queen? Who are you going to tie yourself to for the rest of life as you live and Rule and Reign Over The Kingdom as a king you going to be tied and married to wisdom or foolishness. What a picture because every young man. I know that's one of his consuming concerns is who is he going to marry? What kind of woman is he going to follow and chase after? Is that true man? That's true. And so Solomon says to his son. This is the kind of woman you want. What a picture.

And Isaiah, it's pictured a little bit differently, Isaiah chapter 1 verses 18 to 20. God says come now. Let us reason together says the Lord though your sins are like Scarlet. They will be white as snow know, they are red like Crimson they shall become like wool if you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. But if you refuse and ribelle, you shall be eaten by the sword for the mouth of the Lord has spoken what an invitation in Isaiah come let us reason together. God just come let's talk it out. Let's have some reasonable dialogue about what will bring forgiveness. And it begins in Isaiah chapter one. And what is the solution to the sin problem of Israel in the book of Isaiah? The servant who's going to come the Messiah who's going to make everything right reaches its high point in chapter 52 and 53 the servants going to suffer be pierced for our transgressions going to be bruised for our iniquities. The weight of the world is going to fall upon Him upon his shoulders by his stripes. We are healed. And he shall see his offspring and be satisfied.

What an incredible Prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ Jesus Christ, we just celebrated. This Advent season is the word made flesh in the father. You remember what he said twice. At the baptism of Jesus. He said this is my beloved Son. With whom I am. Well pleased listen to him the God of all wisdom who says listen to me come reason with me now at the Incarnation of Jesus at his baptism at the start of his public Ministry says, this is my beloved Son in whom I am. Well pleased. Who are you going to listen to listen to him? Why because he's wisdom and at the Transfiguration when Peter and James and John were on the mountain and they saw the glory of Jesus and the father speaks from heaven and he says, this is my son My Chosen One listen to him.

What an incredible reality we heard it in 1st Corinthians chapter 1? The Greeks find Jesus in the cross to be a stumbling block. The Greeks think it to be foolishness. But to us who are being saved Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. And his wisdom is greater than the wisdom of the world. There's an old hymn that says wealth and honor I distain Earthly Comforts Lord or vain these can never satisfy. Give me Christ or else I die. That's the reality. It without Jesus. Our life is vain as much comfort as we find in this world that never satisfied.

Mental health problems depression anxiety all of these are on the rise. It can be overwhelming reading the statistics.

this Young Generation gen Z that many of you in this rumor in You're faced with this reality in the world's has listened to me and I'll give you peace and joy and take your anxiety away and take your depression away. And then you just got to do this or that or the other thing and chase after this and it never satisfies.

God says come to Jesus.

He's the wisdom of God, and he's the power of God. You know what? The Bible also says about him and Isaiah. Usually it's quoted at Christmas time. I think we quoted it at least once Isaiah 96 his name Shall be Called wonderful counselor. Mighty God Everlasting father Prince of Peace. I want to focus on that first title wonderful counselor He is a Wonder of a counselor. He gives wonderful advice. He gives the best advice he gives advice that when you hear it you Marvel you wonder you go why haven't I heard this before this solves all my problems.

What the world says it's stupid. It's foolish. It's moronic. Those are the Greek words in the Hebrew words to speak about that kind of wisdom. The foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

He's a genius. He's a wonderful counselor for all times and all cultures and he freely offers us his unique wisdom. Do you remember at the end of The Sermon on the Mount? Matthew 7:24 you remember the illustration? About everyone who hears these words of mine and does them that's wisdom. Not just hearing them. That's knowledge. But doing them is wisdom. Will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock. You know that picture. I mean we teach it in the song and Sunday school. I'm not going to sing it for you. Now my voice isn't that great the wise man built his house upon the rock everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And when the winds come storms of life that house that's built on the sand great will be its fall but the house built upon the rock will stand firm. In fact, Jesus is interesting in The Sermon on the Mount when you read it, you see over and over these two ways to live these two invitations throughout it the wide road that leads to destruction the narrow road that leads to life. These two ways to live. Jesus is echoing the same idea as Solomon why because he is the greater Solomon. He's the one who came and brought us not only the wisdom from God but he is the wisdom of God. He brought us himself. He's not merely a messenger of wisdom. He is the all-wise god the second person of the trinity.

Becky starts The Sermon on the Mount with blessed blessed all of the the the Beatitudes we call them. The word blessed makarios in Greek. It means happy. So he starts his sermon with do you want to be happy?

Do you want to be happy and I know that the illogically we want to distinguish between happiness and joy, I've heard this my whole life happiness is fleeting Joy is eternal happiness comes and goes Joy's even in the midst of Sorrow will in the Bible happiness and joy are not that far separated makarios blessed happy. The life things are the way they ought to be that gives you a sense of happiness is the idea behind it. Human flourishing to put it another way. Do you want your life to flourish?

Jesus says follow me. Listen to me. Do what I command. And what is the wisdom of God rooted in it? I mean, what is what is the command to do? Will the command is to believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ? That's why Paul will turn over to 1st Corinthians chapter 1 in closing.

He says Verse 18 the word of the Cross is folly to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved. It is the power of God.

The cross is the power of God and the wisdom of God. He goes down into verse. 30 because of him you are in Christ Jesus who became to us wisdom from God but not only wisdom also righteousness we have right standing before God we're able to stand in the presence of the holy God sanctification. We're being made. Holy set apart to God becoming like God and Redemption. We've been purchased out of the domain of Darkness. We've been transferred into the kingdom of his beloved Son and then it goes into chapter 2 and says when I came to you Brothers, I did not come forth claiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom fried decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified and I was with you and weakness and in fear and much trembling and my speech and my message we're not implausible words of wisdom, but in the demonstration of the spirit and power so that your faith Might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. So there's these two invitations. Do you want to listen to the wisdom of men or do you want to listen to the power of God, which is the message of Christ the cross Jesus died for our sins so that we might be forgiven. He was raised for our justification that when we believe upon him. We are saved and delivered and brought into a new kingdom and we have a new Father in heaven and he is the one in James who gives generously to anybody who lacks wisdom.

Jesus is our priest and our Prophet we talk about it all the time, but in the Book of Proverbs we encounter Jesus as our Mentor as our counselor. as the wise Savior who gives us the best advice? You want to get good advice? Listen to Jesus? this year Listen to him and there's no other way to listen to him then to be in his word because in his word is where he speaks.

Father thank you for this time. Thank you for our savior. Who is wisdom?

I think about my own life.

And the friends I had growing up.

And I look at where their lives turned out. many of them made a wreck of their lives because they listen to the wisdom of the world.

And by your grace you saved me.

You open my eyes to see Jesus for who he really is that he is your wisdom. He's your power and I've been following him for 40 years.

And I Echo the words of Paul if I'm going to boast. I'm going to boast in the Lord Jesus because it's not me it's him.

I pray for our church pray for these men and women these young men and women, especially I think of the new parents in the parents-to-be. I think of the college-age those in their 20s who are being bombarded by the marketplace of the worlds called to them to say follow me and I'll make you rich and I'll make you happy and it's all an empty pipe dream.

Father would you give them a hunger for your word and for you that would grant them wisdom in Jesus?

Not just knowledge about him but a life lived out in obedience to him.

that's our Great Commission to go into the world and make disciples baptizing them teaching them to obey everything that the Lord Jesus commanded.

Father would you give us wisdom in this year? wisdom for tomorrow wisdom for today wisdom in our relationships with our friends with our mates with with our children with those in our community. Give us a timely word spoken may we not only have wisdom you impart wisdom to others your wisdom. And as we do so to one another may we be a group of councillors that encourage one another that's stir one another up to love and good deeds.

May you fill the rest of our service with your spirit May Christ be glorified in Jesus name. Amen.