Get Wisdom - Proverbs 2 & 4

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Hymn of Preparation #

†CALL TO WORSHIP based on Isaiah 57:15

Elder Steven Hoffer

Minister: Who may approach the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy?

Congregation: He dwells not only in the high and holy place, but also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit.

Minister: Why does he dwell with us?

Congregation: To revive the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite.

Minister: Then come, all who are humble and contrite, and be revived. Let us worship God!

Congregation: We come to worship the Lord who dwells with his people.

†PRAYER OF ADORATION AND INVOCATION

†OPENING PSALM OF PRAISE #1B

“How Blest the Man”

†CONFESSION OF SIN AND ASSURANCE OF PARDON

based on 1 John 1:8; Isa. 1:18

Elder Steven Hoffer

Minister: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Let us confess our sins to the Lord our God.

Congregation: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws. We have left undone those things we ought to have done, and we have done those things we ought not to have done. Have mercy upon us, O God. Spare those who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent, according to your promises - declared to us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Grant, O merciful Father, for his sake, that we may live godly, righteous, and self-controlled lives, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

Minister: Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Christians, your sins are forgiven.

Congregation: Thanks be to God!

CONTINUAL READING OF SCRIPTURE Ephesians 1:15-23

THE OFFERING OF TITHES AND OUR GIFTS

PASTORAL PRAYER & THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

†HYMN OF PREPARATION #212

“Come, Thou Almighty King”

SERMON Proverbs 4:7 // Get Wisdom

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

Blessed Lord, who caused all Holy scripture to be written for our learning; grant that we may in such a way hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of your holy word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our savior Jesus Christ.

TEXT Proverbs 4:7

Proverbs 4:7 ESV

7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.

AFTER SCRIPTURE

Every word of God is perfect, let his people bless his Holy name.

INTRO

If somehow you were forced to choose: wisdom or success — which would you take?

If forced to choose: wisdom or money — what would you take?

If you get a chance to choose, choose wisdom.

If you get a chance to choose between knowing the latest celebrity gossip, the happenings of distant squabbles, the rambling of talking heads, or the relentless marketing of the new and the novel or choosing wisdom — choose wisdom.

If you get a chance to get a raise, but the alternative is wisdom — choose wisdom.

If the opportunity comes to choose wisdom or a scholarship — choose wisdom.

This is what wisdom in faith looks like: loving what God loves and knowing that choosing Him will never result in loss.

The Chief Thing — Proverbs 4:7

Proverbs 4 teaches us to get wisdom before all else.

“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.” (Proverbs 4:7, ESV)

In all your pursuits are you thinking wisdom above all else? Is it wisdom underneath that you are running after?

FORMATION — WHERE YOU ARE HEADED IS WHERE YOU WILL LAND

Wisdom has to do with formation. It is the critical guidance now that will for where you end up, who you eventually become and are becoming. All of us would say that we want to end up wise, happy, blessed, without regret, steady, diligent, we want to have been useful and a builder of strong and lasting things. But not all of us will understand the cost of building, or the long obedience in the same direction that it takes to build. Not all of us understand that it is the small decisions today, the small steps chosen in wisdom and in faith, that make the difference in that trajectory. God calls us to be wise. God calls us to feel the weight and importance of seeking wisdom.

No one goes to hell for being stupid.

You fall into judgment not because of lack of education, but because of pride, foolishness, hardheartedness, and double-mindedness.

Two Paths — Proverbs 4

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.” (Proverbs 4:18–19, ESV)

Way of wisdom → light, progress, stability. Way of the wicked → darkness, stumbling, blindness.

The Wise Path: WAYS TO PURSUE — HOW WISDOM IS OBTAINED

(Proverbs 2; James 1)

How do we get after it?

A. THE REQUIRED POSTURE OF HUMILITY & NEED

Hebrews describes the Word of God as a double-edged sword that pierces the division of soul and spirit — a sword that goes deep, to the core of a man.

But we do not want that. We do not want to know ourselves. We do not want to be exposed.

We cringe at being exposed — even at not knowing something.

Think of not knowing a word in conversation, yet pretending you do. You cannot imagine the embarrassment of being out of the loop.

A wise man looks in the mirror and sees a fool. A fool looks in the mirror and sees a wise man.

How do we know the difference? We look to the Scriptures.

Wisdom in seeing yourself rightly in the story.

It’s helpful sometimes to think about yourself as a character in a story. This is why Bible stories are so instructive. We are used to thinking of ourselves as the hero, or as the misunderstood. We have the right motives. We are the coolest, if only everyone else knew why we acted and did the things that we do.

But wisdom knows how to see itself in the story. Wisdom has the scripture as the standard. And here, it can be as if we are looking at ourselves as a character on the page. It turns out, we are often the timid character, the character with the secret sin, the character that comes into the room on the page and blathers and complains. The character, that if you were reading this book, you would want their scene to end because they are lazy, always talking about themselves, are not brave, or do not support and bring out the best in the other characters.

Proverbs teaches us to seek out Insight — Meaning, being able to see, to have sight on the inside.

The humble man embrace being exposed and being corrected.

We sing hymns here that expose his heart.

When enemies speak ill against us, Scripture often speaks far worse about us.

But we have Christ. We have the Mediator. We have Wisdom.

We aren’t worn down by seeing this, we are lifted up in Christ. We are rightly aligned and attuned to what has happened in the gospel.

B. RECEIVE

Proverbs 2:1–2 — “My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments within you…” Proverbs 4:4–5 — “Let your heart hold fast my words… Get wisdom; get insight…”

Not advice — commandments. Wisdom obeys.

Think about the way that we often seek out sympathy over counsel.

Often we want someone to hear our story — to sympathize.

But the moment Scripture begins to correct us, the moment that the person we are talking to charges us to repent or challenges what it is that we are believing, our heart hardens.

We like to gather opinions at times to gain sympathy or to avoid the hard edges of real authority. But the wise seek out that authority. They want correction. They can receive it and embrace it.

Or, think about advice and the way we evaluate truth.

The one who says, “I’m just expressing my opinion,” seems humble. The one who speaks God’s Word seems prideful.

But the opposite is true.

The opinion-giver trusts himself. The Scripture-speaker submits to a higher authority.

It is not prideful to call others up to the scriptures. It is not prideful to submit yourself to them. It is not prideful to preach them. It is not prideful to engage the culture with the word of God. Just as it is not humble to keep silent. To hold the gospel as a private opinion. Wisdom loves and embraces the truth

C. THINK

Proverbs 4:20–22 — “Be attentive to my words… keep them within your heart.” Psalm 1:1–3 — Meditates day and night Psalm 119:97 — “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

Apply the heart.

To guard the heart is to guard what you value most — where you feel secure, where you seek satisfaction.

Proverbs is like strong drink — it must be sipped and savored, not gulped and rushed past. It takes time and meditation.

Reading less, perhaps, but being obedient. James compares the man who hears God’s word but doesn’t do it as a fool.

Turning the scriptures into prayers. (negative and positive — example: The Lord is My Shepherd)

We must think and not be a fool about our companions. We aren’t always talking about just your friends, but we are also talking about ideas. Thinking about theological liberalism and the kind of school that you will go to and the kind of books that you read and the kind of music that you listened to. Don’t be a simple thing about the way it shapes foundational ideas and culture. Culture is upstream from worship

Engaging the world and asking:

Is it true? Is it right? What is it shaping?

Deep engagement — not passive living.

D. CRY OUT

Proverbs 2:3 — Call out for insight James 1:5 — Ask God, who gives generously Matthew 7:7–8 — Ask, seek, knock

Ask God — He gives generously. Seek teachers. Seek wise counsel.

There is a way that we can do this, though, that is fooling ourselves.

Listen to this from James 1:

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:2–8, ESV)

The context is about various trials that produce steadfastness. If we ask God for wisdom, the kind of wisdom that would bring joy in a trial, but we ask without faith, then we are a double-minded man. A man of two minds. We have the trial, but we don’t want the joy of the trial or the wisdom to get through the trial. The trial, in other words, was a good thing, producing good fruit. The wise man asks for help here and for wisdom. But the fool just usually wants it to be over, that’s it. Just make things easier.

We’ve been watching a bit of the olympics lately. And this would be like if you tried out and applied to be on a top-tier team at this level of competition and got in and then said. “This is amazing; I hope it isn’t hard.”

You’re missing the point. The point is that it is hard.

The wise cry out for wisdom. They are seeking it.

E. SEEK LIKE TREASURE

Proverbs 2:4–5 — Seek it like silver Proverbs 4:7 — Get wisdom

Matthew 13:44 — Treasure hidden in a field Philippians 3:8 — Count all loss for Christ

The wise man sells everything for the treasure — because the treasure is Christ.

Diligence. Effort is part of faith. Wisdom is hard — but worth everything.

The wise hunger to learn. The fool despises knowledge.

APPLICATION

How do we pursue wisdom practically?

We must give ourselves over to opportunities for wisdom.

In the church — sometimes when we avoid prayer, fellowship, men’s or women’s gatherings — what are we saying?

Sometimes there are real reasons we cannot attend.

But sometimes we think, “I do not need it.”

Yet that is where the wise grow — in humility, in learning, in shared life.

Path of fools: MARKS OF FOOLISHNESS

A. Pride & Hardness

Proverbs 1:7 — Fools despise wisdom Proverbs 12:15 — A fool is right in his own eyes

Excuses instead of repentance. Want forgiveness without forgiving.

Yes, I know it was wrong, but…. This is the way of the fool. They don’t care what God says about it. I don’t care what the scripture says about it. There’s always a reason to explain. There’s always a point of view. There’s always a perspective and never humility and learning and repentance

Always explanation. Never repentance.

B. Venting the Heart

Proverbs 12:16 — Vexation known at once Proverbs 15:2 — Mouth pours out folly Proverbs 29:11 — A fool vents fully

The fool gives a complete account of his heart. Do not do this. When there’s a conflict, they usually start by. Let me explain. Let me complain. Let me just spew how I feel the fool gives full vent to his heart.

In conflict: “Let me explain.” “Let me complain.” “Let me tell you how I feel.”

Application

A lot of times the foolish minds go to this idea: They hurt me and I am kind and I am a Christian so I will not hurt them back in the same way that they hurt me, but I will at least explain to them relentlessly how they hurt me I will explain to them what they did wrong.

Speaking feelings as truth.

But we are called to speak God’s truth, not merely our feelings.

C. Rejecting Counsel

Want sympathy — not correction.

Proverbs 1:24–25 — Refused wisdom’s call

Your feelings could be a blessing from God. They can be a good alert system that something needs care or attention or further thoughts, but they are not an infallible guide.

This is especially true for women and girls who can be prone to manipulation by media and sympathy and compassion, and can be prone to be manipulators, organizing what they know is forceful and effective. We must be governed by the word of God.

D. Companions of Folly

Proverbs 1:10–19 — Enticed by sinners Proverbs 4:14–17 — Do not walk in wickedness

Not just friends — but ideas, books, schools, influences.

Theology shapes culture. Culture flows into worship.

E. Time Waste & Attention Drift

Unexamined scrolling. Panic, lust, marketing shaping the soul.

Time Audit Questions

Does this make me more settled? More grateful? More rooted? Will it matter later?

MARKS OF THE WISE

Teachable. Hungry to grow. Humble. Guarded heart. Governed by Scripture. Fear God — not man. Love wisdom. Continue learning. Willing to be corrected. Seek growth in community.

Church Application

Wisdom sees through to what the core of an issue is. Remember, I said that insight is to be able to see inside. But not just of ourselves. We are able to see the truth inside to the world that God gave us.

Our marriages. Families. Friends. Our time.

As Jesus told those who didn’t understand the sabbath. Man wasn’t made for the Sabbath, but sabbath for man.

Sabbath

Wisdom redefines rest: worship, alignment, restoration.

Giving

Wisdom resists: “I’ll give when I have more.”

Speech

Submitting to God’s Word is humility.

Emotions

Good servants — bad masters.

Companions & Ideas

Guard theology, culture, and influence.

CONCLUSION — CHRIST, OUR WISDOM

How do you dial in when seeking wisdom?

To give an even tighter frame to what you are pursuing, where do we go?

We go to Christ. You pursue wisdom. You get wisdom, but pursuing Christ.

And Christ is always present. Which means that wisdom is always present.

For you, the opportunity to be wise is always before you.

Maybe you do not know what is ahead — two weeks, two years, how to restore a marriage, which path to take.

But you do know what is in front of you.

What decision is at your feet? Where are you delaying obedience? Where are you shaped by fear?

Even when you cannot see the outcome, you can trust wisdom — because it leads rightly.

Why?

Because Christ is before you.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV)

Wisdom is always present.

In hobbies. Finances. Family. Downtime. Scrolling. Thinking.

If you get the chance to choose, and you do, choose wisdom. In all of your doing get wisdom.

†HYMN OF RESPONSE #416

“Your Hand, O God, Has Guided”

THE MINISTRY OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

Minister: Lift up your hearts!

Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord.

Minister: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

Congregation: It is right for us to give thanks and praise!

THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION Mark 14:22-25

Hear Jesus' words as he offers the supper to his disciples:

And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

CONFESSION OF FAITH Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A’s 75, 80

Minister: Christians, what do you believe about these words?

Congregation: By these words our Lord commands all believers to eat this broken bread and to drink this cup in true faith and in the confident hope of his return in glory.

In this supper God declares to us that our sins have been completely forgiven through the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which he himself finished on the cross once for all. He also declares to us that the Holy Spirit grafts us into Christ, who with his very body is now in heaven at the right hand of the Father, where he wants us to worship him.

Minister: Let us worship him together. Be seated.

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE

Proverbs tells us the chief thing is wisdom — get wisdom.

And where is wisdom found? Not in ourselves. Not in our instincts. Not in our feelings. Wisdom is found in a person — Jesus Christ.

Scripture says that in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And here at this Table, wisdom is not merely taught — wisdom is given. Christ gives Himself to His people.

This Table calls the humble, not the proud. The teachable, not the self-satisfied. Those who know they need wisdom, mercy, and cleansing — come.

This table welcomes all who belong to Christ through repentance, faith, baptism, and continuing union with his Church. If you do not repent of your sin, you must not come. If you do not trust in Christ alone, you must not come. But if you confess your sin and rest in him, come: "O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him."

Those who are explaining instead of repenting — stop, and turn. Those who are drifting — return. Those who are weary of their own foolishness — come and receive life.

Here Christ meets you in the present moment. Not tomorrow. Not when you figure everything out. Now. The opportunity to be wise is right here — to trust Him, to repent, to receive, to rest, to follow.

Come, not because you are wise, but because Christ is your wisdom. Come and receive Him.

Let's pray.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING Minister: Lord, our God, send your Holy Spirit so that this bread and cup may be for us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we and all your saints be united with Christ and remain faithful in hope and love. Gather your whole Church, O Lord, into the glory of your kingdom. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

DISTRIBUTION OF THE ELEMENTS [Ask elders to distribute the trays]

Does everyone have what they need?

SHARING OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

As the Lord Jesus has commanded us, take, eat and drink, remember, believe, and proclaim.

†OUR RESPONSE #567

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise him, all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

†BENEDICTION: GOD’S BLESSING FOR HIS PEOPLE

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of God’s son, Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God almighty, the father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit remain with you always. Phil. 4:7.

Grace Notes Reflection

“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.” (Proverbs 4:7, ESV)

In every pursuit, let wisdom be the foundation.

Wisdom is formation more than mere information. It is the daily guidance that shapes our trajectory, determining who we are becoming. The small decisions today—the steps taken in faith and obedience—build the steady, fruitful life we long for: useful, diligent, blessed, and builders of lasting things.

Proverbs 4 presents two paths: The path of the righteous shines brighter and brighter like the light of dawn (Proverbs 4:18), while the way of the wicked plunges into deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble (v. 19). No one stumbles into judgment down the foolish road from mere ignorance; it is pride, foolishness, hard-heartedness, and double-mindedness that lead there.

So how do we pursue this wisdom? The sermon lays out clear ways, rooted in humility and faith-driven action:

Embrace humility and exposure. Stop pretending we know it all. Look in the mirror of Scripture and see ourselves rightly—not as the hero of our own story, but often as the timid, complaining, or foolish character. The wise welcome this correction, even when it stings, because we have Christ as our Mediator.

Receive the Word as commandment, not optional advice. Treasure it; hold it fast. We often crave sympathy over counsel, but the wise seek authority, embrace repentance, and submit to God's truth rather than our own opinions.

Think and meditate deeply. Guard the heart by attending to God's words day and night. Turn Scripture into prayer, savor it slowly, examine companions (friends, ideas, media, culture), and ask: Is this true? Right? Shaping me toward godliness?

Cry out in faith. Ask God generously (James 1:5), seek wise counsel, but ask without doubting—especially in trials, where wisdom produces steadfast joy rather than mere escape.

Seek it like treasure. Sell everything for it, as one would for hidden treasure in a field or for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ (Matthew 13:44; Philippians 3:8). Diligence and hunger mark the wise; laziness and despising knowledge mark the fool.

This week, pause and audit: Where are you choosing lesser things over wisdom? In scrolling, conversations, decisions about time or companions, responses to conflict—ask: Does this make me more settled? More grateful? More rooted? Will it matter later? What small step of obedience is right in front of you?

Start where you stand. You don't need perfect conditions; wisdom is always present because Christ is always present. He has become for us wisdom from God—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30).