Instructing For Wisdom

Outline

Big Idea: A Father’s job is the instruct and guide their children to the great Father in Heaven.

Instruct them to value and cherish instruction - Proverbs 2:1-5.

Instruct them of the source of knowledge and wisdom - Proverbs 2:6-8.

Instruct them in the blessings of wisdom - Proverbs 2:9-15.

Instruct them against dangers of the “forbidden woman” - Proverbs 2:16-19.

Instruct them about blessings of righteousness - Proverbs 2:20-22.

Introduction

Monologue - A Father’s Day Poem (Sort of)

Video

Big Idea: A Father’s job is the instruct and guide their children to the great Father in Heaven.

This is a job fraught with challenges, questions, uncertainties, and work!

BUT, it is a most rewarding job when you see your children seeking after Christ and loving him with their whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.

And the good news is, we are not left without a user manual.

The Word guides and equips us

Today, as we consider the Father’s role on Father’s Day, look with me at Proverbs 2.

In this Proverb, we challenged with instructing our children in the way of wisdom such that they are led to God in Heaven.

Again, I am going to address Fathers, but in truth, these challenges are for mothers, and even grandparents. But since, it is Father’s day, I will reference dads, men…but all take heed. :)

Body

Big Idea: A Father’s job is the instruct and guide their children to the great Father in Heaven.

Instruct them to value and cherish instruction - Proverbs 2:1-5.

Proverbs 2:1–5 ESV

1 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, 2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Truth is, we are living in a world of fools.

Sin makes one foolish.

Fools, in the book of Proverbs (a major theme of the book - fools vs wise) are people so out of touch with reality that they make life miserable on everyone else.

Fools like simplicity. They scoff at knowledge and wisdom.

Fools follow the passions of the flesh, making them king.

Fools love ignorance - it’s easier; it’s freeing.

Understand…Being a fool, being foolish is more than just naivety, they love it. It is a choice.

Consider Proverbs 1:20-22.

Proverbs 1:20–22 ESV

20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: 22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

Fools do not like wisdom and knowledge. They scoff at it. They prefer ignorance because it gives them license to do what they want.

As followers of God, we are called to wisdom, not foolish.

The Proverbs exist as a guide to get us there.

A Proverb is a poetic, terse, vivid thought provoking saying that conveys a world of truth in a few words.

Throughout this book of Proverbs then, we have wisdom, truth. We have a call to turn away from FOOLISHNESS, from being a fool to being wise instead.

Here, in the opening verses of chapter 2, we have a father’s admonishment to his son, a heavenly father’s admonishment to us, to BE WISE, to pay attention to knowledge and wisdom.

IF….

You receive my words

You make your ear attentive to wisdom

You incline your heart to understanding

You call for insight

You raise your voice for understanding

You seek for like silver

You search for it like hidden treasure

THEN…

You will understand the fear of the Lord

You will find the knowledge of God

Understand…

Knowledge WITH comprehension.

Not just a a HEARING knowledge and truth BUT comprehending it, knowing what it means, knowing how it is to be applied, knowing the implications of it.

Fear…

BOTH TERROR and AWE (reverence)

Will Find

Will be able to locate, acquire, and discern knowledge

Knowledge

Facts

Truth

Solomon is telling his reader, IF YOU HEAR listen, seek for, you will find the knowledge and understanding that will lead to knowing and comprehending what it means to FEAR THE LORD

IF we set ourselves DILIGENTLY and PASSIONATELY to finding knowledge and wisdom, GOD WILL GIVE IT TO US SO THAT we learn to fear the Lord.

To fear the Lord means to stand in awe of him, to revere, to respect, to honor, to value, to worship Him.

It means to stand in awe and terror of his holiness, his righteousness, his wrath, his justice.

It is to walk the tension between his Holy transcendence and His intimate imminence.

Application: Father’s, one of our roles, probably our KEY role, is to instruct our children in the fear of the Lord. We are to instruct them about WHO God is, HOW to love Him, and what it is to FEAR him.

More important than making them independent, productive members of society…

More important than teaching them to be respectful and courteous…

More important than teaching them to follow their dreams…

More important than believing they can do anything they desire…

More important than just surviving the child raising years until they leave home…

IS TO TEACH THEM LOVE, HONOR, AND FEAR GOD.

Dad’s, granddad’s…

We NEED to instruct our children to DESIRE knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge of God. Wisdom of God.

We need to instruct our children HOW to find such knowledge and wisdom.

We need to instruct our children to pursue it, desire, and live out of the knowledge and wisdom that God supplies…out of our love for and devotion to God.

To do this, we need to….

Instruct them of the source of knowledge and wisdom - Proverbs 2:6-8.

Proverbs 2:6–8 ESV

6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.

Lord - YAHWEH

YAHWEH gives wisdom

From HIS mouth comes knowledge and understanding

There is a statement that goes something like, “All truth is God’s truth.” The point is…ALL TRUTH finds its origin in God, even if it comes from a source in this life that would deny the very reality of God.

James 1:5.

James 1:5 ESV

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Not only IS HE THE SOURCE OF ALL knowledge and wisdom…HE OFFERS IT FREELY.

His word is the primary source of truth that we can discern his will and leading.

Of course, the Spirit will lead and guide as well, but his leading and guiding would NEVER contradict the word of God, for God would not contradict himself.

While the word IS TRUTH, it is, however, not the ONLY source of truth. It is just the premier source. The bibles does not contain ALL THE TRUTH THERE IS EVER TO DISCOVER, but the WORD IS TRUE, and is the TRUTH we ought to weighing all else by.

Application: Father’s, our role is to teach, model, and instruct our children to find truth AT THE SOURCE…God.

We should be teaching our children to be wary and cautious of wordly wisdom and advice.

Scripture SHOULD BE our primary source of counsel and advice. It should be where we turn FIRST.

We should be teaching, instructing, and modeling a trust in, dependence upon, and love for TRUTH…truth that begins with the inspired word of God.

2 Timothy 3:16-17.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

ALL scripture…

Comes from God

AND IT is profitable (ALL scripture is) for teaching, reproof, correction, and training.

SO THAT, we may be complete.

ALL scripture is totally sufficient to help us grow into maturity and completeness.

Do we trust it?

Does our dependency, usage, and passion for it reveal that we believe it?

Do we turn it over and over again, showing our children that it is THE source of truth we must turn to for all things?

Fathers (parents) if you are going to instruct your children to VALUE wisdom and knowledge…if you are going to instruct them as the SOURCE of that knowledge and wisdom…YOU MUST BE LIVING IT.

You cannot impart, what you do not have.

You cannot lead, where you have never gone.

You cannot teach, what you do not know.

THUS, you must be going there, living it, and coming to know the blessings of knowledge and wisdom, so that you may instruct your children in it.

Instruct them in the blessings of wisdom - Proverbs 2:9-15.

Proverbs 2:9–15 ESV

9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; 10 for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; 11 discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, 12 delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.

When you know the fear of God….

Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and equity…and every good path.

Wisdom will come into your heart, knowledge will be pleasant to your soul

When you fear God, you WILL DESIRE wisdom, it will be precious to you. The way of the fool will no longer appeal.

BECAUSE when you love and fear God, your relationship with him changes you.

See, here is the thing church…ALL relationships change us. We change ANY TIME we enter into a close relationship with others.

The same is no less true with God. When we fear him, love him, seek him, we will be changed by him and we will come to love and desire wisdom, truth, knowledge.

Discretion (which comes from wisdom and knowledge) will watch over you, guard you.

Discretion - having or showing discernment or good judgment in conduct and especially in speech (Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 1996).

With knowledge, and wisdom, comes the ability to make careful and good decisions. That ability acts like a shield, protecting and guarding you from making mistakes.

This discretion will deliver you from the way of evil

It will guard you and keep you away from evil men, for you will be able to recognize them more easily and avoid their traps

When you are wise, when you have the knowledge of God, when you trust and fear God, you will be guarded by a discerning heart that seeks to AVOID the danger before ever getting entangled in it.

Application: Fathers, we need to teach our children the BENEFITS that a wise and discerning mind brings, the shield that it is, the protection that is creates.

Wisdom and the fear of God will expose the depravity of evil AND the terrible consequences of it.

Wisdom and the fear of God will therefore REJECT the ways of evil men and will pursue the righteous path, in fear of God.

Fools LOVE ignorance, because they can pursue the passions of the flesh with less restraint, guilt, remorse. They live in the moment, for the momentary pleasure heedless of the consequences. And they prefer it that way. Knowledge and wisdom would only ruin the pleasure they seek to run after.

Wisdom guards you and protects you from the evil path, from the dangerous and destructive paths.

Wisdom protects you from the “forbidden woman.”

Instruct them against dangers of the “forbidden woman” - Proverbs 2:16-19.

Proverbs 2:16–19 ESV

16 So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words, 17 who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed; 19 none who go to her come back, nor do they regain the paths of life.

Throughout Proverbs, sin is portrayed as the “forbidden woman” as the “adulterous woman” the “promiscuous woman.”

And certainly, that is a sin in view.

But it is broader than that.

Any sin that entices us, temps us away from God into sin, sexual or otherwise, fits.

What is so troubling about this is this…

This forbidden woman is ACTIVELY seeking to draw us into sin.

This is not a, caught in sin by accident sort of thing…if that even is a thing..

This forbidden woman is ACTIVELY seeking to entice him into sin.

And is this not the world we live in? Putting this purely in the context of enticing men to sin in the sexual realm, is that not EXACTLY what our world is seeking to do? Are there not people and influences who ARE seeking to draw you into their sinful paths of wickedness and who do not care about truth or righteousness?

And all you have to do is broaden your view to realize that is not just in the sexual realm that this is true.

Romans 1 is ALL true.

Romans 1:18-32.

Romans 1:18–32 ESV

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Not only do men DO THEM. They GIVE HEARTY approval to all who practice it with them.

THIS IS THE LIFE AND PATH OF THE FOOL.

The fool who rejects wisdom and knowledge, who choose the path of flesh and self instead. THIS IS THE PATH OF OF THE FORBIDDEN WOMAN.

This is the danger of rejecting wisdom and knowledge, of rejecting the fear of God.

Application: Fathers, we must warn and instruct our children about the dangers of rejecting wisdom and knowledge, of rejecting the fear of God and running after the forbidden woman instead.

We must warn about the little compromises that give her a foot in the door.

We must warn about the micro compromises that desensitize us to influence of her enticements.

We must warn about the justifications that ignore the danger signs.

We must warn about the consequences, the devastation, the wrath of God that will come if they choose to reject the fear of God and the wisdom of God in their lives.

Those who follow the forbidden woman and her smooth, seductive words…

will forsake the companion of their youth, will forget their covenant with God

Will go down to death

Will not come back, will not regain the path of life.

This is a tough statement. It uses an ALL inclusive. NONE who go to her, come back. They do not regain the path of life.

Understand this…there is a difference between yielding the lust of the flesh and temporarily pursuing those passions, of even being deceived into following it and what we see happening here.

Here is one who consciously and knowingly REJECTS the fear of God, REJECTS wisdom and knowledge IN ORDER to pursue the forbidden woman.

A FOOL is ONE CONSCIOUSLY.

A fool is one who knows better, but does it anyway.

This is what the writer of Hebrews when he says (Hebrews 6:1-6)

Hebrews 6:1–6 ESV

1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

When one, WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING of their decision, rejections God, to pursue their fleshly passions….they do so willfully and often do not come back.

What this is speaking of is one who knowingly and willfully pursue the forbidden woman. They cannot be rescued or brought back unless they repent and come back willingly. And one who does so with FULL knowledge and understanding, has made up their mind and may never return.

Point is, when you know better and do it anyway, you do so willingly, not out of deception or ignorance. THAT is a tough place to come back from…if one ever does.

And again, this is MORE than a willful lapse of judgement and the occasional stumble into the passions of the flesh. This is a conscious decision to abandon one thing and pursue another.

Fathers, we must warn our children about the danger of of the forbidden woman and of casting away God in favor of running after sin.

And finally, we must instruct them about the blessings of righteousness.

Instruct them about blessings of righteousness - Proverbs 2:20-22.

Proverbs 2:20–22 ESV

20 So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it, 22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

If you fear God, if you seek after wisdom and knowledge, if you learn to love, value and appreciate it, THEN, you will walk in the way of good and keep the paths of righteousness.

Listen, doing right is not always easy or trouble free. HOWEVER, doing right SAVES you from the devastation and the compounding hurt of sin.

Doing right SAVES you from the wrath of God, the judgment of God, the discipline of God, the disappointment of God.

If you fear God, if you seek after wisdom and knowledge, if you learn to love, value and appreciate it, THEN, you will inhabit the land, you will remain in the land…

In other words, you will enjoy the peace, prosperity, and presence of God…a blessing that cannot be matched. Ever.

Doing right MAY cost more now, it MAY bring pain and hurt, it MAY be challenging now…but in the end, those who fear God, who desire wisdom, who submit themselves to it, WILL be blessed and those who don’t…well…won’t.

Conclusion

Big Idea: A Father’s job is the instruct and guide their children to the great Father in Heaven.

Instruct them to value and cherish instruction - Proverbs 2:1-5.

Instruct them of the source of knowledge and wisdom - Proverbs 2:6-8.

Instruct them in the blessings of wisdom - Proverbs 2:9-15.

Instruct them against dangers of the “forbidden woman” - Proverbs 2:16-19.

Instruct them about blessings of righteousness - Proverbs 2:20-22.

Fathers, as we are ever growing together to become more like Jesus for the glory of God, may we take this responsibility and commitment seriously for the glory of God!

Application

How do we instruct/encourage our children to value instruction?

We model it. We actively do so IN OUR LIVES and let them see it.

We have a regular time of formal instruction (family worship/devos)

We keep alert for and take advantage of teachable moments

We must be learning and growing so that we can pass on the truths we are learning.

What specific things have you done that you have found helpful or affective?

Family worship

Why is it important to acknowledge that “All truth is God’s truth?”

If anything outside of God was the origin of truth, it would call into question the reality of Gods authority, control, and sovereignty over all things. At the very least it would mean someone/something else was equal to God…and we know there is not.

How do we instruct our children that the source of all wisdom is found in God?

We rely upon the Word as the primary source of teaching, instructing.

We teach the commands and principles of the word

We unashamedly do so.

We live and model our dependency upon it in our day to day life and we teach our children how to do so when they have to make decisions.

We teach them how to go back to the word, to God, to guide their decisions.

What blessings come with wisdom?

Protection from sin

Protection from the evil path

Protection from the consequences of sin. If we never stray into sin, we will never have to to deal with the fall out of sin.

Wisdom is like a hedge, a fence, a boundary protecting us from danger and harm.

We learn to do things the right way.

We experience the blessing of things going well OR at the very least, a lack of guilt and shame, knowing we did all we could to live rightly regardless of what others have done.

How does wisdom guard and protect you?

It help us know how to live and act rightly and thus avoid the negative consequences of poor decisions.

It helps us discern error and helps prevent us from going there in the first place.

Wisdom helps us spot error and foolishness more easily.

What dangers does the “forbidden woman” pose?

Taking us way from our first love, taking us way from God and our covenant relationship with him

Luring us into sin and fleshly pursuits that will put us at odds with God.

Luring us to reject wisdom and knowledge.

Following her will leave a wake of destruction in its path

Relationships will be destroyed.

How can we instruct about the dangers of the “forbidden woman” most effectively?

Be in the word, sharing it, teaching it often

Share personal experiences

Surround our children with Godly people and Godly influences which will reinforce what we are teaching.

Shield and guard, adding barriers to keep away while we seek to train and guide them in the ways that are right.

What are the blessings of righteousness?

Intimacy with God

Eternal rewards

Healthier relationships

Less collateral damage

No guilt and shame, no regret

Peace

What is challenging about following the path of righteousness?

The flesh, the world, and the adversary stand against us

Ignorance and naivety

Peer pressure/fear of man

The fleshly desires

Spiritual immaturity

Isolation