Beginning with Wisdom

ATTENTION FUTURE ME SEE OUTREACH DOCUMENTS FOR THIS SERIES

Announcements

Diapers drive, casseroles, tax statements, burgers

Call to Worship

Say: Let us now begin to worship the Father the Son, the Holy Spirit, Our Call to worship Comes to us from

Heth ( dear future me, this is the next letter typed 4/6)

Psalm 119:57–64 NKJV

57 You are my portion, O Lord; I have said that I would keep Your words. 58 I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; Be merciful to me according to Your word. 59 I thought about my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies. 60 I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments. 61 The cords of the wicked have bound me, But I have not forgotten Your law. 62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, Because of Your righteous judgments. 63 I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts. 64 The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy; Teach me Your statutes.

Introduction

Today we begin a brand-new series that I believe can have an incredible impact on the lives of each person here today. There has never been a greater need for a series like this than now, because far too many people are living day in and day out by making foolish decisions without thinking about them. It is not that our world is unintelligent; quite the opposite. Most people I know are highly educated and bright, but those kinds of “smarts” are different than what we are addressing in this series. We are not talking about book smarts; we are talking about street smarts. Common sense that can come from God.

Our world is bankrupt in wisdom, and without it, we will experience the pain of unnecessary mistakes. God desires for us to live in line with the way He has created the world to work. He wants us to live a full and blessed life, but those intentions are greatly threatened when we live carelessly.

The Text

Proverbs 1:1–7 NKJV

1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity; 4 To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion— 5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Sermon: 

Today we are going to be looking at the fountian, the source of knowldge and wisdom.

Story: 

Tell a funny story that introduces a foolish decision that may have been different  had wisdom been involved.

Morning and Evening Evening, June 18

The heart of the believer is Christ’s garden. He bought it with his precious blood, and he enters it and claims it as his own. A garden implies separation. It is not the open common; it is not a wilderness; it is walled around, or hedged in. Would that we could see the wall of separation between the church and the world made broader and stronger. It makes one sad to hear Christians saying, “Well, there is no harm in this; there is no harm in that,” thus getting as near to the world as possible. Grace is at a low ebb in that soul which can even raise the question of how far it may go in worldly conformity. A garden is a place of beauty, it far surpasses the wild uncultivated lands. The genuine Christian must seek to be more excellent in his life than the best moralist, because Christ’s garden ought to produce the best flowers in all the world. Even the best is poor compared with Christ’s deservings; let us not put him off with withering and dwarf plants. The rarest, richest, choicest lilies and roses ought to bloom in the place which Jesus calls his own. The garden is a place of growth. The saints are not to remain undeveloped, always mere buds and blossoms. We should grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Growth should be rapid where Jesus is the Husbandman, and the Holy Spirit the dew from above. A garden is a place of retirement. So the Lord Jesus Christ would have us reserve our souls as a place in which he can manifest himself, as he doth not unto the world. O that Christians were more retired, that they kept their hearts more closely shut up for Christ! We often worry and trouble ourselves, like Martha, with much serving, so that we have not the room for Christ that Mary had, and do not sit at his feet as we should. The Lord grant the sweet showers of his grace to water his garden this day.

 I am afraid I have just described the way some of us have chosen to live our lives. We make decisions without much thought. We are so concerned with the immediate, we forget to think about the consequences. We surround ourselves with people who  convince us wrong is right and right is wrong. We over‐estimate our ability to say, “No.” I believe with all that is in me that if we are going to make the most of the life God has  given to us, we are going to have to exercise wisdom.  

POINT #1 – WISDOM IS NOT OPTIONAL 

God has created us to experience the fullness of life. He wants us to live a life that makes a difference and that has deep meaning. If we are honest, that is what most of us  want for ourselves too. But there is a fundamental truth that we all need to understand. God may have a will for our lives, but so do we, and that is a place of friction.  

In the Old Testament, there are five books known as the Books of Wisdom: Job, Ecclesiastes, Psalms, Song of Solomon and Proverbs. These are all considered writings that communicate insights and understandings about how the world works and how we are to live in light of their truths. Much like modern day philosophical writings, they address everything from the problem of evil to mundane activities like navigating friendships or handling money. The uniqueness of the biblical accounts, however, is that the writers insisted that God was the source of all wisdom. Aside from Him, the world is utterly lost.  

In the Hebrew understanding Wisdom is something you get. It is a practical skill.

Exodus 31:6 NKJV

6 “ and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you:

God Gave them the skill and the knowledge, he can give you the same.

The book of Proverbs actually begins with this very idea.  

READ Proverbs 1:7 

Proverbs 1:7 ESV

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

For any person to develop street smarts, to be marked by deep knowledge or to exercise true wisdom, they must first have a “fear” of God. This introduces a bit of a quandary. Most people have a hard time with the thought of fearing God. Many would say, “But I thought God was loving,” or, “I have always been told God is kind.” He certainly is those things, but He is also all powerful and just.  

STORY: 

In some ways, as a father, I want my children to fear me as well. Not in the sense that I would hurt them or threaten them. Rather, I want them to recognize my authority so  that I am able to tell them to avoid the hot stove and they do, or warn them to steer clear of speeding when they first get their license and they obey. They respect my  instruction and trust that I love them.  

This is where wisdom begins: the fear of the Lord. Some translations read “knowledge  begins with respect for the Lord.”  

A fear of God is the right understanding of our position before Him and His position before us. He is the God of the universe, and we are one of seven billion people on the earth. He is immortal and we are mortal. He is all-powerful and we are restricted. He is  all-knowing and we are limited. When we begin here, with a deep honor and reverence for God, we perhaps begin to make different decisions than we might otherwise make. If I know God is in charge, I will be more mindful of my sinful actions. If I know God is in control, I will be more eager to obey His word.  

When we fear God, we also live in awe and wonder of who He is. We begin to live more and more in line with God’s intention for the world when we recognize how beautiful  His design is. Wisdom will lead us to generous living because it is a part of God’s design. Wisdom will lead us to faithful living because it is a part of God’s intention. Wisdom will  lead us to honest living because it is a part of God’s purpose for our lives. It certainly does not ensure a flawless or easy life, but it does increase the potential of experiencing  a full life in Christ.  

POINT #2  WISDOM IS THE MOST VALUABLE THING WE CAN OWN 

I don’t really own many truly valuable things. Sure, I have some electronics that are costly and a vehicle in my driveway, but that is about it.

   STORY: 

Tell a story about something that has immense value. Whatever you mention, 

compare it to the value of having wisdom. 

Part of being a pastor is going to the hospital. I actually like hospital visits. Now I don’t want any of you in the hospital, but I like ministering to people there and praying with the staff. The hospital is the quickest way for me to know what you treasure. Health is a fleeting thing. these bodies of ours are failing because of sin. We are forgiven, but aging and death are the enemy created by the fall of man into sin.

A man or women in the hospital has less guard up then when out. Your health is valuable, and you should take care of it, God only gives you one body and you’re to steward it well. It’s obvious by how much money goes into helping people, that it’s important.

We must must seek it along with everything else.

The author of the book of Proverbs knows the value of street smarts and wisdom. He  expresses it in a very powerful way.  

READ Proverbs 3:14‐24 

Proverbs 3:14–24 NLT

14 For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. 15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. 16 She offers you long life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. 17 She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying. 18 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly. 19 By wisdom the Lord founded the earth; by understanding he created the heavens. 20 By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth, and the dew settles beneath the night sky. 21 My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, 22 for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. 23 They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble. 24 You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly.

   The author compares wisdom to some of the most valuable metals and stones in the world. Most people would do anything to line their pockets with silver, gold, rubies, or jewels, but most people won’t lift a finger to be filled with godly wisdom and knowledge. What if we have exerted so much energy and time and attention for things that in the end don’t really matter? What if all along we should have been striving to live in awe and wonder of God and allow the wisdom that comes from viewing Him in this way to lead us in our day-to-day decision making? It’s like gold. It’s like silver. It’s like rubies.

POINT #3 – HUMILITY IS THE KEY TO HAVING WISDOM

The hard work that goes into mining for such a valuable item as wisdom is developing a humble spirit. It is being willing to acknowledge that we are wrong.

An old Spanish proverb says, “A wise man changes his mind, a fool never will.”

The telltale sign of a humble person is when they are willing to admit they are wrong. In biblical terms, this is called repentance. There is something powerful that happens when we are willing to repent of our old ways of living and turn to live in line with God’s way of living. We become new people. We begin to look more and more like Jesus Christ.

The book of Proverbs speaks of this as a way of finding mercy and grace as well.

READ Proverbs 28:13 

Proverbs 28:13 ESV

13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Wisdom begins with a fear of the Lord. In order for us to fully experience any other way of wisdom during this series, we must first repent. We must confess the ways we have gotten it wrong and renounce our sin. This is the way to the life God wants for us.

Illustration: Give an illustration of getting lost and by humility being found.

It is like putting a destination into our GPS or phone and driving the way we are instructed. We may find along the way that we miss a turn or take an exit before we should. When this happens, we will be informed of our mistake and given new directions to get us back on track. The fool will argue with the GPS or turn off the phone. The result is a constant wandering with no ending in sight. Rather, if we are wise, when we find that we have gone astray, in light of our awe and reverence for God, we obey the new instructions and repent so that we might find the right route once again.

And we are not alone in our pursuit of wisdom—we have Jesus who understands our temptations and sufferings. No matter how foolishly we have lived in the past, we can come before Him and ask for forgiveness, and be accepted and redeemed and given a chance to start over.

So today, I want to invite you to practice wisdom. Begin here. Stand before God in humility and with awe and wonder. Confess your sinful and selfish ways. Repent and choose to follow God all your days.

PRAY

Benediction

Say: As we close our service of worship dear brother and sister please stand for our benediction and receive by faith this blessing from God

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 ESV

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.