Proverbs 30:1-9
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 13 viewsNotes
Transcript
Any question?
forget not his benefits
Any question?
forget not his benefits
We are coming to Agur’s prayer.
We don’t know much about Agur. He is the son of Jakeh.
Solomon wrote much of the proverbs but here these are not Solomon’s words.
These are words from Agur.
This prayer gives us understanding of what it means to be truly thankful.
This is the godly man’s prayer.
We find in this text counter cultural ideas.
Counter cultural understanding.
The world is centered around self and self promotion.
Agur’s prayer centers around humility.
The world looks for wisdom in many places. In Agur’s prayer, we see it is found only in the word of God.
The world centers itself accumulating as much as possible in this life. Agur’s prayer centers his desires around doing the will of God.
So this evening the first thing we must see is this—
Thankfulness begins with Humility. (1-3)
The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out. Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
Agur here in verse 1-3 confessing some things.
He confesses his weariness.
He confesses his weakness.
his lack of understanding.
He confesses his lack of wisdom.
All of this is a confession of the truth and his need for the Lord.
What is humility?
Humility is rightly understanding yourself in light of who God is.
True wisdom must then know who God is and it must know who we are.
Agur sees God high and so he views himself rightly as a humble man.
This is who we are.
When we consider who God is in all his grander, it show us how lowly we are.
And we know this is the foundation of Agur’s humility because of what he says in verse 4.
Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know!
Agur’s questions here are rhetorical. Meaning they are asked while knowing the apparent answer.
Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name?
Who is he referencing? He is referencing God.
God is the one who ascends and descends.
God gathers the wind in His fist.
God wraps up the waters.
God establishes the ends of the earth.
God is the great creator of the earth.
He holds it all in his hands.
But then those final questions are interesting aren’t they?
What is his name? And What is his son’s name?
Agur here longs to know the name of God and the name of His son.
On this side of the cross, we know the name and the Son’s name.
His name is Yahweh, and his son’s name is Jesus Christ.
Think about how Jesus is the answer to all of Agur’s questions here.
Let’s take them one by one—
English Standard Version Chapter 30
Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
Jesus said
No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
He is referring to himself.
English Standard Version Chapter 30
Who has gathered the wind in his fists?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?
Was it not Jesus who calmed the winds and the waves with his voice as he said peace be still.
English Standard Version Chapter 30
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Agur’s humility through his humilty sees how great God is.
When we do that, and when we see Christ we will be thankful.
But where do we find Christ?
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
We find Christ in His word.
Thankfulness, begins with humility.
Thankfulness trusts in God’s word.
Look at verses 5-6
Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
This book is where we find God.
This book is where we know what we ought to believe and what duty God’s requires of us.
The Bible is not human specualtion.
It is God’s word.
We know this is the word of God.
It is a unified story even though it is written by 40 different authors over the centuries and yet it is cohesive.
The Bible record fulfilled prophecies.
Thousands of fulfilled prophecies.
The Bible is truthful and it has the power of transformation.
Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
When the spirit of God accompanies his word, sinners are saved and the sants are sanctified.
We can look to his word.
Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
His word is true.
God shields us through his word.
The only proper response to His word is faith and repentance.
I have read this many times before, but this is a preamble found in every Gideon Bible—
THE BIBLE contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.
It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter. Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.
CHRIST is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end.
It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.
Beloved that is beautiful.
If every word is true-
We must humbly receive God’s word.
We don’t come to the word as a critic or an editor.
We come to the word humbly listening. Hearing the very words of God.
secondly— We must submit to it in faith.
Now some things are hard to understand in the Bible.
And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
Peter says some of what Paul says is hard to understand.
If you have read much of what Paul says— Amen? Right?
But faith and trust says even though I don’t understand it
We embrace the hard truths. These words are not up for debate.
thirdly— if the word is true— we must declare its truth.
We don’t apologize for it.
We don’t even have to defend it—
Charles SPurgeon said this—
“A great many learned men are defending the gospel; no doubt it is a very proper and right thing to do, yet I always notice that, when there are most books of that kind, it is because the gospel itself is not being preached. Suppose a number of persons were to take it into their heads that they had to defend a lion, a full-grown king of beasts! There he is in the cage, and here come all the soldiers of the army to fight for him. Well, I should suggest to them, if they would not object, and feel that it was humbling to them, that they should kindly stand back, and open the door, and let the lion out! I believe that would be the best way of defending him, for he would take care of himself; and the best “apology” for the gospel is to let the gospel out. Never mind about defending Deuteronomy or the whole of the Pentateuch; preach Jesus Christ and him crucified. Let the Lion out, and see who will dare to approach him. The Lion of the tribe of Judah will soon drive away all his adversaries.”
We don’t have to defend it- Just let the lion out.
That is what we are to do—
WHat are we not to do?
Look at verse 6.
Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
This is something that false teachers do, but its not only false teachers.
At times we as beleivers add to God’s word.
And you say how?
I’m glad you asked.
Sometime we command where God has not commanded.
We have our own Laws. we have our preferences.
We can’t speak where God hasn’t.
That is what the Pharisees did right? They added to the Law.
We add to God’s word when we credit God with what he hasn’t said.
“God told me…”
When God told me replaces the Bible says is shifts authority from God’s unchangeable word to our subjective feelings in the moment.
We add to God’s word when we change God’s definition to fit our culture.
We can’t change the biblical definition.
Agur says here
Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
If that is the truth then we have to proclaim it, but we must never add to it.
We can be thankful for this.
Thankfulness is rooted in the truths of Scripture.
We have seen thankfulness begins with humility.
It is rooted in God’s word.
Thirdly and finally tonight— listen to Agur’s prayer where he prays out of thankfulness for God to grant him contentment in Christ.
Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
How many of y’all have prayed “Lord please don’t make me rich?”
What are you praying for?
What do you pray for before you die?
Do you pray for worldly success?
Do you pray for accumulation of stuff?
Or do you pray like Agur.
Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,
Why does he pray this way?
Because he desires to please God.
lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
If I am rich, I may forget you.
If I am poor, I may be tempted to steal and profane your name.
Beloved this is what thankfulness looks like.
It’s simple to understand, but its not so simple to carry out is it?
Thankfulness begins with Humility.
Thankfulness is rooted in God’s word.
Thankfulness desires to live a life of holiness before God.
