Warnings from a Father and Mother

Good morning! Its great to be in the house of the Lord with you this morning as we continue on in our Proverbs series

Proverbs 6:1–5 NIV

1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, 2 you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth. 3 So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go—to the point of exhaustion— and give your neighbor no rest! 4 Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. 5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

The Debt described here is a special kind of debt. This type of debt is one that provides security for someone else. Meaning, if they can’t pay it you take on the responsibility.

In a modern context this could mean co-signing a loan or giving someone an open line of credit. Our intention may be to help, but…

This can lead to financial ruin or in biblical times even cause you to be sold into slavery.

This type of debt is usually taken on through emotion of wanting to do the right thing or care for a friend. But when it comes to our finances we need some…

1. Wisdom for Debt

One thing we ought to talk more about in the church is stewardship of the things the Lord has given us.

Finances in the church is a touchy subject because some people have twisted the gospel for their own financial gain, but just because a few have used scripture for their own gain doesn’t mean we should avoid it.

This passage warns us against co-signing debt for someone else out of great love and wisdom for us. Proverbs 22:7 “7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.”

So ultimately, we should…

Avoid debt

Steward what the Lord has blessed you with well. avoid unnecessary purchases.

Live within your means

Don’t be unwise in your friendships or attempts to care for people.

If you’re in debt, do your best to get out quickly

This passage tells us to get out quickly. To give our neighbor no rest. To work to the best of our ability to remove our responsibility for this debt.

This will require humility and trust in the lord.

But one of the things that stood out to me is that we need to….

Understand that spiritually Jesus took on this type of debt on the cross

A debt we could not pay, Jesus bore on the cross.

We are warned in scripture to not take on this debt because it can lead to death and strife, but Christ takes on this debt that ultimately leads to life.

The proverb continues to talk about work…

Proverbs 6:6–11 NIV

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! 7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, 8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. 9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 11 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.

2. Wisdom for diligence in work

Solomon uses some humor to call out those who have become lazy, use excuses for why they don’t want to work and calls them to action.

An ant works hard regardless of who is around. Does the work he is supposed to do because that is his role.

We should work hard and do our best

I love that he uses the depiction of an ant. A somewhat lowly creature.

Our attitude around work is often tied to what we enjoy doing and with that we need to be cautious to not become lazy or complacent in the things we are also expected to do.

Our desire to work hard shouldn’t be based upon anything other than our desire to serve the Lord well.

As Christians, we should be setting the standard for honoring the work set before us

Our desire should not be escape

Many of you don’t know this about me, but I worked at McDonalds for the better part of 8 years. I held almost every job at the local level outside of the store manager.

I remember longing for the day that I didn’t have to work those odd hours and coming home smelling like grease. I remember the attitude of “I’m just a worker here and the corporation doesn’t care about me” and this led me to half-hearted working and a poor attitude towards co-workers and customers.

But I was saved during my last year working at one of the stores, and the Lord opened up doors for me to pray and minister to people on my shifts.

My point is you never know why the Lord has placed you somewhere. You never know the doors he is going to open. And You never know who might be watching you as you claim the title “Christian”

So rather than desiring escape….

Rather, my desire should be to work hard where the Lord has placed me

Acts 17:24–28 “24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’”

A student at my previous church loved the Lord deeply, had been saved at camp and was HUNGRY for the Lord. I later found out that he was skipping class at times to go read the bible. Now praise God that he was reading his bible, but I believe the Lord is honored in the ways we work where we has us.

We can glorify God by flipping burgers or owning a company. We can honor God by delivering packages or being a biblical scholar. We can honor the Lord through cleaning toilets or selling insurance.

Our value is not in what we do, but who we are doing it for.

So, I challenge you…

Little by little pursue Christ and avoid procrastination

Maybe this is hitting home for some of you as you sit here today. The point is not to bring upon guilt for what you’ve done, but to challenge you and recenter this area of your life on Christ.

Proverbs 6:12–19 NIV

12 A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, 13 who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers, 14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up conflict. 15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. 16 There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19 a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

3. Wisdom in what the Lord Hates

He hates sin so much that he sent Jesus to die on the cross

The things the Lord hates results in tension in the church

In contrast to the things God hates, pursue;

A humble heart

Philippians 2:3–8 “3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”

A truthful tongue

Titus 2:7–8 “7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”

Hands that serve

Galatians 5:13 “13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

A heart that desires peace

John 14:27 “27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Feet that are quick to run to the Christ

Matthew 11:28 “28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Be a true witness

Proverbs 14:25 “25 A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.”

Seek Unity

Ephesians 4:1–5 “1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;”

Proverbs 6:20–35 NIV

20 My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. 21 Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. 22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. 23 For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life, 24 keeping you from your neighbor’s wife, from the smooth talk of a wayward woman. 25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. 26 For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man’s wife preys on your very life. 27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? 28 Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? 29 So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. 30 People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. 31 Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house. 32 But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself. 33 Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away. 34 For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. 35 He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.

4. Wisdom against debauchery

Debauchery= excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures

Not only does this warn us against such things, but we see a transition from wisdom from the dad to the mom stepping in.

In particular it points out the affects of adultery.

This lifestyle leads to death

Death spiritually without repentance, death of relationships, death of trust, death of security in a relationship

It will always produce pain

But you can always return to Christ