Two Invitations
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· 8 viewsWisdom invites you in the fellowship of life, while Folly invites you in the fellowship of death. Which invitation will you choose?
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Introduction:
Today we conclude the introductory chapters of Proverbs before we look at the Proverbs thematically. We have already noted that our choices matter and will affect how we live. The Proverbs were given to help us live skillful lives in the fear of God.
The proverbs teach us as we will see in the coming weeks what fearing God looks like practically in everyday life in how we use our speech, how we use our time, what type of spouse we should pursue, how we should spend our money, how we should work and various other practical matters that get down to the nitty gritty.
Solomon, a father, instructs his son with very practical down to earth instructions so that he can live a blessed and fruitful life.
We have seen how we should avoid the path of the wicked, we should avoid the immoral woman and immoral sex, how we must avoid stupid agreements that can get ourselves into debt, sloth and laziness by looking at the ant, and the hate the things that the Lord hates like pride, arrogance, lying tongue, murder, and division. Today we come to , which concludes the prologue of this book.
One pastor entitled his sermon on “Decision Time” because this chapter calls you to make a decision regarding what type of life you live by either either wisdom or folly. You will be either growing in wisdom or growing in foolishness. You will either be closer to Christ or growing colder to Christ.
Chapter nine summarizes the contents of the previous eight chapters and calls us to make a decision: will you choose wisdom’s invitation that leads to life? Or will you choose folly’s invitation to death? Your response will determine whether you will walk in the fellowship of life or the fellowship of death.
Let’s read .
Scripture Reading:
Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
She has sent out her young women to call
from the highest places in the town,
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
To him who lacks sense she says,
“Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”
Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.
If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it.
The woman Folly is loud;
she is seductive and knows nothing.
She sits at the door of her house;
she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,
calling to those who pass by,
who are going straight on their way,
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
And to him who lacks sense she says,
“Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
But he does not know that the dead are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
I. Wisdom Invites You in the Fellowship of Life (vv. 1-12)
I. Wisdom Invites You in the Fellowship of Life (vv. 1-12)
Notice where wisdom dwells.
A. Wisdom’s Dwelling (vv. 1-2)
Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
Proverbs
Wisdom’s house is a magnificent building. The building is a massive because it has seven pillars. We can think of the Temple in Jerusalem or think about the ancient temples of Greece that housed the Greek deities. The number seven is often a symbol of perfection. Wisdom has plenty of spaces and plenty of room for all to come in.
The point is that wisdom dwells where God dwells. It is in the place of the temple. It is the place where God is worshipped.
In the NT, the church is called the pillar of truth.
if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
If you want to be where wisdom is, be where God is. Where is God? But in the preaching of His Word and the fellowship of his people.
Wisdom is found in the Temple where the Law was preached, but also in the Temple which is God’s people governed by God’s Word in the NT.
Christian: If you want to fellowship with wisdom, you fellowship where God is: In His Word, with His people, led by His Spirit. Commit to a local church where you can grow in wisdom through expositional preaching.
so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
You want to grow in wisdom, commit to a church and commit to learning in a church.
The Harvest Crusade is coming up at Anaheim Stadium. Often people who make a profession of faith, the next step for them is to commit to a local church. We have that opportunity to invite them to our fellowship. Pray for that. If you want more details about that, you can talk to me about how to get involved.
Wisdom dwells where God dwells, but also wants to fellowship with us.
B. Wisdom’s Fellowship
She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
Wisdom has prepared a meal for us. When I was in the Philippines visiting our missionaries, before I left we had a big meal and going away party. In the Philippines, if you want to throw a nice party and a feast, what do you do? You get a pig, slaughter it, and roast it. Tita Lilia bought the fattest pig, and in 6am in the morning, they slaughtered that thing. And they roasted it and put it on the table for all to eat for 30 pastors and workers.
We can say wisdom invites you to eat. She has prepared the pig (not for the Jew). She has prepared the steak. She invites you to fellowship with her.
How to Read Proverbs The Choice
To further understand this rich image, we need to consider more closely the ancient Near Eastern notion that to dine with someone is to enter into a deep and intimate relationship with that person.
Food was a sign of fellowship in the ancient world. It was a sign of friendship. Look at the people you eat with potluck, you tend to eat with your friends don’t you? You eat with people who have common interests.
We can say that as Christians, we have been invited to the feast/banquet of God. We don’t have to have money. We don’t have to have it all together. We just need to respond to the invitation.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
John
Look at the people you eat with potluck, you tend to eat with your friends don’t you? You eat with people who have common interests.
Salvation is pictured as a feast. We live as we feed on the true bread of life, our Christ. By faith, we receive his sacrifice. And by faith, we receive his benefits.
Church—Isn’t this what communion symbolizes? It is a salvation feast! It is a spiritual feast by which we remember what we have been delivered from, the provision for our salvation, the lamb of God, and God’s promise to bring us to our eternal home! It is a sign of fellowship with Christ and it is a sign of our fellowship with one another. This is why Christians are only allowed to take the meal because we have been united to Christ and united to one another by covenant.
C. Wisdom’s Invitation
She has sent out her young women to call
from the highest places in the town,
How to Read Proverbs Who Are They, Really?
Indeed, the Hebrew text stresses that her house is at the highest point of the city. Here we need to transport ourselves back into the world of the original text, where we discover that the building on the high point of the city is the temple.
How to Read Proverbs Who Are They, Really?
The location of her house makes clear that Woman Wisdom stands for God. She is a poetic personification of God’s wisdom and represents God, as a part for the whole (synecdoche).
Christian—God has invited you through the prophets, through the apostles, through the pastors, through the teachers, through the Sunday School teachers, through the VBS teachers, through a believing family member. The invitation has been sent to fellowship in the Son of God and fellowship in life!
that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
Christian—If you have received the invitation to life, you are now a messenger to give this same invitation to others. You must call others to come to the feast! Come to the fellowship! Come and find life! The gospel is the wedding invitation. We are to invite others to the wedding party.
Excuse Christian—Do you make excuses for coming to Christ? Coming to Church?
When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”
Luke 14:15
Sadly, some people make excuses and they will face eternal consequences for rejecting the invitation.
Who does she call?
D. Wisdom’s Audience
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
To him who lacks sense she says,
“Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
To him who lacks sense she says,
“Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
To him who lacks sense she says,
Proverbs
The invitation is not to the wise, or to the worthy, but it is to the simple. The gullible. The inexperienced. The person who lacks spiritual discernment. The person who does not think about his actions. The person who lacks sense. Fools can’t discern from what is right and what is wrong. It is for all people, whether young or old, whether 6 years or 60 years old. It is for all who will receive it.
I love that the gospel is simple enough for a child to understand, yet deep enough for a theologian to study for a lifetime.
God has revealed his wisdom to us in Christ. And it is basic enough for VBS children to grasp, and yet far more profound and deep for the most seasoned saint. Amazing.
E. Wisdom’s Announcement
“Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
“Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”
Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Come is another word for believe! Receive! Trust! Have Faith! Be Satisfied! Worship!
“Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
“Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
Revelation
Non—Christian—It is not DO! It is not get more money! Get Spiritual! Be Worthy! It is come! receive! believe! eat! drink!
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
But in coming, there is also a leaving.
Repentance
Leave your simple ways, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”
Here is the OT way of saying repent. Repentance means you are going to stop listening to yourself and start listening to God. Repentance means you are going to stop living life for yourself and start living for God. Repentance here means you will stop walking your own way, and start walking in God’s Ways.
Non-Christian—Christianity is not do or get better, it is a call to come. It is a call to find life. But in coming, you must leave some things behind. You must lose your life, to find your life. But if you try to save your life, you will lose it.
Wisdom wants to abundantly enrich your life. Wisdom must begin with humility. Or as one church father said, “The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works.”
If you are going to come, you must humble yourself before God almighty. And ask him to forgive you and grant you wisdom from above that only comes through the Word of God revealed and the Word of God incarnate revealed in the Scriptures. Will you come before its too late?
How you respond will determine if you are willing to receive wisdom (vv. 7-9)
How you respond will determine if you are willing to receive wisdom (vv. 7-9)
Look at who fools respond to wisdom.
Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
Proverbs 9:
Proud people always give some sort of justification or excuse. They will never admit they are wrong, they will not say they are sorry, or they will not humble themselves to receive correction.
A scoffer is one who mocks at the the things of God. The scoffer says, “There is no God” or “That stuff is made up” or “that’s a fairy tale” or “the bible is outdated and has nothing to say to us modern people.”
A scoffer does not like to be reproved;
he will not go to the wise.
To wicked person will even verbally or physically abuse you if you correct him because he thinks he is right and there is no one to correct him. He will hate you if you reprove him.
Christian—Part of what it means to be a humble person is to be a person who is willing to receive rebuke. Do you receive rebuke like a scoffer? Do you hate rebuke? Do you run away from it? Do you excuse yourself and shift the blame to someone else when someone corrects you? When is the last time you got rebuked or corrected?
Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
Proverbs 22:
Church—If we want to be a growing and healthy church, we must welcome the rebuke of others. We must go beyond the surface and actually be willing to say some hard things if we want to grow. And its ok if we get rebuked because all of us our still being sanctified. We don’t have it all together. Our church covenant says:
“to faithfully admonish one another as occasion require; to not neglect to meet together as we see the Day drawing near.”
If you have only friends that tell you how great you are, never tell you you are wrong, they might not be a true friend. A true friend is willing to say some hard things in your life. Who is that person who is willing to correct you? If you are married, it is your spouse. If you have kids, sometimes kids can offer words of correction. If you are church member, a fellow brother or sister can point something out.
We have service review where we offer constructive criticism over what takes place Sunday morning.
As elders, we were planning this past week. And Tito Nelson gave me some ways I can grow as a pastor and I too gave him feedback too. We want to have a culture of teaching, but also one of correction, because correction is also part of discipleship and teaching.
Don’t hate correction; it is good for your soul. Even to those who are critical of you, don’t quickly dismiss it because there might be some truth to what they say.
I don’t like rebuke and correction as well, but I know I am not glorified yet and I am still in the process of sanctification. I still have a lot of growing as a Christian, husband, father, and pastor.
And I hope you have that same attitude. I still need to grow as a Christian. Some Christians don’t grow because they think they have mastered God and theology.
And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
Notice How Wise people respond (vv. 9-10)
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
The necessary ingredient in wisdom is humility. Proud people cannot grow in wisdom because they don’t think they need it or they think they are wise themselves. Wise people will always want to grow, and therefore wise people admit they don’t know everything. Proud people think they know it all or they are beyond reproof.
The necessary ingredient in wisdom is humility. Proud people cannot grow in wisdom because they don’t think they need it or they think they are wise themselves. Wise understand that they still need to continue to learn and grow.
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
P
Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
than he who flatters with his tongue.
Proverbs 27:
How can we grow in humility?
D. Wisdom’s Goal (v. 10)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Wisdom’s ultimate purpose is to teach you the Fear of the Lord. It is the beginning or the first priority or the fundamental principle or essential source. This is different than secular wisdom because biblical wisdom is all about living a God-fearing and God-centered life. John Calvin, in his introduction to his famous book the Institutes says
“Nearly all wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves”
What Calvin means is that when we get a true grasp of the knowledge of God, we will say to God, “depart from me I am a sinful man” or “I am a man of unclean lips”. When we truly see the God of light, we will see how dark and sinful and flawed and foolish we are. And then God can work in us.
It is to grow in knowledge of the Holy One. The One who is separate and distinct from us and not like us. When you grow in true knowledge of who God is, you will have an accurate picture of yourself: a sinner who deserves nothing except the judgment of God. And when you see that you deserve nothing but the judgment of God, and yet God in his mercy as rescued you from his judgment, you will be humble enough to receive Christ and receive wisdom.
“Have mercy upon me a sinner”
“Blessed are the poor in spirit”
In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.
The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and humility comes before honor.
The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
is riches and honor and life.
Non-Christian—You become a Christian by not realizing how great you are, but recognizing how great God is. When you see God truly, you don’t give yourself a pat on the back. You begin to fear, but also see the amazing love of God because you realize you don’t deserve His love. Let us be careful of skewing the message of the gospel that we are so awesome and loved that God was willing to die for us, that we forget that it was in fact that God was so awesome and loving and we were so flawed corrupt that he would even die for sinners, that makes God’s love amazing.
Aspiring Leader—If you want to be an aspiring leader in church, whether elder or deacon, or one who leads others, ask yourself: Am I humble? Am I open to correction? Am I teachable? Leaders need to be humble if they are going to lead others. Jesus taught us that true greatness is not in those who lord it over others, but in those who are willing to be humble and serve.
Christian—Are you growing in knowledge of God? Or has your faith become stagnant? Are you still learning as you come to hear the Word? Whether it is in small group, or a sunday school, or Sunday service, or in a one on one discipling relationship? We must always be learning as disciples of Christ. Never think you have mastered theology because if you are truly seeking God, you will want theology to mastered you. Read a book on Theology. Learn through the catechisms of church history.
Pray for humility. Pray for awe. Pray you would see more wonderful things in God’s law.
E. Wisdom’s Reward (vv. 11-12)
For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.
If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it.
For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.
The quality of life will be enriched. This is a general saying in some circumstances, but definitely true in the next life. Your life will be enriched not only here if you truly embrace wisdom, not only here, but in the life to come.
If God was so loving, Why does God send people to Hell?
If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it.
People assume God sends innocent people to Hell. There is not an innocent person in Hell. No one in Hell can say it was God’s fault. The person who is in Hell is the person who is responsible for his own actions.
No one in Hell can say it was God’s fault. The person who is in Hell is the person who is responsible for his own actions.
A man can't be taken to hell, or sent to hell: you can only get there on your own steam--C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis
The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
You have been given a choice. You can either follow wisdom, which leads to life, You can fellowship with wisdom who offers you meat and wine. You can fellowship with wisdom because her invitation is all and her blessings are abundant. Or you can choose the path of death...
II. Folly Invites You in the Fellowship of Death (vv. 13-18)
II. Folly Invites You in the Fellowship of Death (vv. 13-18)
Just like wisdom, folly is like another woman who invites. She invites to another meal. She invites to another path. But as we will see, her path is the path of the dead. There are some places you just don’t go in life and there are some people who you must avoid.
In different countries around the world, there are many places called the Red Light District. The Red Light Districts are places known for prostitution and sexual immorality. Its called the red light district because there are flashing red lights that appeals to men and women to engage in illicit sex and prostitution.
I picture Folly being in this place standing in a door with bright red lights saying come to me and let us have our fill of illicit love and sex in the morning.
Some people fail to realize that although they engage in sexual immorality with these prostitutes, some have contracted HIV/AIDs by some of these women and have ruin their lives. Folly is the woman who invites you and seduces and allures you to death.
And folly represents sin.
A. Folly’s Character
In contrast to the virtue and the humility found in wisdom, this woman is loud, seductive, and knows nothing.
The woman Folly is loud;
she is seductive and knows nothing.
Loud means unruly and rowdy. In other words, she is rebellious. She does not submit to God or wisdom. She thinks she knows everything.
The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1–15 (1) The Pretentious Hostess (9:13–15)
As the noble wife of 31:10–31 epitomizes wisdom, the unrestrained wife of the prologue embodies folly. Totally gullible (petayyût “gullibility”; see 1:4) glosses the idiom “she is gullibility” (cf. “I was delights” in 8:30). She lacks any will or resolve to leave her ignorance and complacency to do what is right (see 1:32). And (û) introduces an interrelated and overlapping corollary to being gullible: “does not know anything” (bal-yādeʿâ mâ).
She is seductive. We already saw this in and 7. She seduces with words. Yet the foolish man embraces her and yet find out that she stings in the end and her taste is bitter as wormwood.
She knows nothing. This means she lacks discernment and the consequences of our action. She gives no thought to the choices she makes or the consequences that follows.
Sin is rebellious, seductive, spiritually stupid and insane.
B. Folly’s Fellowship
She sits at the door of her house;
she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,
She has a counterfeit wisdom. She too is sitting at the door of her house, meaning she is lazy. She takes her place in the highest place of the towns. She may represent the idols of the world, which are also in the “high places”. In the OT, the high places was where Baal was worshipped.
C. Folly’s Invitation
calling to those who pass by,
who are going straight on their way,
Proverbs
In our world, there are competing voices that call for your attention. Whether it is through entertainment, politics, false religion, deceptive philosophies, just listening to your own self, folly calls you to turn away from God’s ways and listen to her. She also calls loudly and therefore you must make a choice.
D. Folly’s Counterfeit Meal
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
And to him who lacks sense she says,
Notice, she says the same exact thing as wisdom in verse four. Yet notice the difference in her meal:
“Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
Stolen water is a euphemism for immoral sex as we saw in . tells us to be satisfied with the wife of our youth and drink from our own cistern referring to sexual intimacy within marriage. Yet Folly says to drink from a forbidden well and she calls it sweet when it is pleasurable for the moment, yet delivers a lifetime of pain and punishment.
Folly offers bread in secret. In other words, she builds her life and her meal on stolen water and stolen bread. She thrives in sin. She eats in the dark while wisdom eats in the light.
Wisdom offers you bread and wine, while Folly offers you stolen bread and stolen water. Only a fool would want the cheaper when God offers you a banquet. Only a fool would want the scraps and leftovers when God offers you a buffet.
Sin is going to the stolen bread and water when you can have the steak and wine God offers instead.
E. Folly’s Goal
But he does not know that the dead are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1–15 (2) Folly’s Invitation (9:16–17)
People prove themselves wise by persevering in the right path when tested (see Matt. 13:1–9)
Yet while sin may be pleasurable for the moment, she will lead you to the place of death. She will lead you to the place of corpses. The word sheol is the OT word for a place of judgment and place of dead.
The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1–15 (2) Folly’s Invitation (9:16–17)
Water (mayim; see 5:15) is an incomplete metaphor for sexual pleasure.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And we know in the NT, where folly ultimately leads: Hell.
Summary:
You see, there are only two choices in life. There is no third way. Either you will build your life on wisdom and fellowship with her, or you will build your life on folly and fellowship with her.
We know that the pesonification of wisdom points ultimately to the embodiment of wisdom which is a person: the Lord Jesus Christ.
You will either build your life on Christ, and have fellowship with him, or you build your life on sin and satan and fellowship with Him.
You will either build your life on His Words, which lead to eternal life, you you will build your life on Satan’s words which will lead you to eternal death.
We know that the personification of wisdom ultimately points to a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the wisdom and the power of God.
We have chosen to the path of fools at one point of life, but Jesus always choose wisdom over folly. And Jesus, the wisest person who ever lived, gave his life for fools, so that he can make us wise.
Jesus gave his life for those who were going down the path of death, so that we can no longer go down that path and turn to Him so we can follow the path of life.
And Jesus invites us to the his wedding feast where there will be life and joy forevermore as we walk in the light. The question is who will you choose? Will you choose to follow Christ and his ways? Or will you choose to follow sin and death and your own way?
Two invitations have been sent.
Two meals have been prepared.
Two fellowships are offered.
Two ways are laid out.
The question is, will you receive the invitation of wisdom? Or the invitation of death?
Will you eat with wisdom where there is a rich banquet of the finest meat and the finest wine? Or will you eat with folly with stolen bread and stolen water?
Will you walk in the way of life by following Jesus? Or will you walk in the way of death by following Satan?
Your choice matters now. And it will matter for eternity.
Wise people choose Christ while fools reject Him. I plead with you to follow and choose God.
Conclusion:
Biblical wisdom is a matter of life and death. One writer sums it up this way:
Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament Chapters 1–9
The lesson is obvious: to reject Wisdom is to accept Folly. There is no middle ground. “He that is not with Me is against Me,” said Jesus. “No man can serve two masters,” and nobody can live without having some master. We either follow Wisdom or Folly, Christ or sin.
Joshua said:
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Elijah said:
And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.
Jesus said:
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,
You are either all in with Jesus or you are not. There is no middle or third way. Go all in with wisdom by going all in with Christ. Lose your life of foolishness and sin and find your life in wisdom and in Christ.
