Sermon Tone Analysis

Opening Illustration

During a golf game at an exclusive golf course in Florida, 1936 , Joseph P. Kennedy was asked “So Joe what are you doing with yourself these days?”

Without taking his eyes off the ball he replied “My work is my boys”

Joseph P. Kennedy had a dream, a far reaching vision for his family - that all 4 sons would become president of the USA and reshape America

First son - Joe Jr was tragically killed in WW 2 ; Second son John was 35th president of America and was assassinated in 1963; Third son Bobby, was gunned down in a LA hotel running for president; Fourth son Ted, is an influential member of the US senate - he has led the charge to legalise marriage of homosexuals

1936 Joe Kennedy had everything and was worth millions, according to biographers, when everyone else was going under in the depression days Joe made his fortune bootlegging whisky

He was one of the most powerful men in America - owned major film studios and would become the US ambassador to England

Joe built lavish homes and a fabulously wealthy dynasty, he went to church and gave generously to the church , he seemed to be a morally upright man, but when the storms came the house came crashing down

A Supreme Court justice referred to him as the most evil man that he had ever known and a man without morals - one of his biographers called his book “The Sins of the Fathers” and the other “Seeds of Destruction”

His sons were confused about truth and morality and it is little wonder

One biographer recalls an innocent 12 yr old JFK who discovered his moral dad in the passionate embrace of another woman - he tried to kill himself throwing himself into the sea - no wonder he was confused about the truth

What is your goal for your children ?

What are you working for right now?

What do you want to be remembered for ?

What might be the title of your biography ?

It’s good to have a focus - goal - a plan

There’s a general principle in Proverbs .. what is the goal of FAMILY ?

To make sure that CHILDREN are the focus and heart of the family?

To raise SUCCESSFUL KIDS? … WELL ADJUSTED KIDS?

Kid’s that won’t embarrass us?

Kid’s that will make us look good?

.. one of the hardest to get a handle on .. tools not rules .. no promises

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Let’s take a look

Husbands and Wives Growing in WISDOM Towards One Another

This is another tough topic … everyone of us is part of a FAMILY .. God’s design for our world is to live in families .. in community.

It’s a FALLEN WORLD so we don’t start life of INNOCENCE.

We start with a BIAS.

SELF-CENTREDNESS .. sin .. disobedience.

So it’s not a blank slate we are writing on.

Therefore your family might bring PAINFUL MEMORIES .. it might be DYSFUNCTIONAL .. ABUSIVE parents .. UNLOVING .. EMOTIONALLY DISCONNECTED there might be sad and serious dislocations .. might be stuffed up!

For some family is SAFE .. LOVING .. SUPPORTIVE .. their memories are happy ..kids feel well adjusted .. confident .. which is great!

The question that resonates in the book of Proverbs .. indeed the Bible .. is this.

Is the family GOD CENTRED .. to sharpen that .. are we people who FEAR GOD .. are we focused on Christ and living for HIS GLORY?

Are we seeking HIS wisdom to remain in a firm relationship with God.

This takes intentional and determined effort and the assurance that the Spirit of God is with us as we prayerfully live our lives.

This morning we need to be brief .. it’s a huge topic.. so we are doing more overview than getting into too much detail.

We’ll also interact with the NT .. in particular

OK .. .. this is a poem in praise of the ideal woman .. the good wife .. and she models VIRTUE

10 A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

She is worth far more than rubies.

11 Her husband has full confidence in her

and lacks nothing of value.

10 A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

11 Her husband has full confidence in her

and lacks nothing of value.

12 She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

12 She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

Wife of NOBLE CHARACTER .. or EXCELLENT WIFE = woman of strength LXX .. a MANLY woman/wife … the emphasis is being strong.

How? Well it gets exhausting!

This poem goes on to say that she works hard, she makes money, she is kind to the poor, she is fearless about the future, she enhances her husband’s reputation, she speaks with wisdom—all this and more.

And in her strength she is not competing with her husband.

She is not going through an identity crisis over sexual politics.

She is beyond that.

She is giving herself away to her family and her community with wholehearted selflessness.

Read the rest of the poem.

She is industrious .. she has WISDOM 26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

26 She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She has high standards, and she sticks to them.

She’s a keeper “An excellent wife who can find?

She is far more precious than jewels.”ESV

There are struggles and pressures living in the real world and she seeks to step up the challenge.

Her husband trusts her and feels honoured to be her husband and her kids think she’s cool.

28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”

her husband also, and he praises her:

29 “Many women do noble things,

Now if you’re a mum .. or a mum to be .. you might be feeling a little vulnerable right now .. bit deflated?

Overwhelmed?

Maybe not feeling THAT strong .. don’t have THAT sort of impact on your husband.

but you surpass them all.”

True.

No woman could live up to this standard!

The function of this chapter in Proverbs needs to be unpacked in the context of LADY WISDOM .. later in the series we’ll come back to this

But DON’T MISS the next verse 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Y’see .. you might not know one end of a sewing machine from the other .. your family aren’t going to be praise you for the clothes you turn out!

Maybe you can’t bench press 120kg

You might well feel intimidated buying and selling stuff on Gumtree let alone selling real estate.

You might hate cooking .. hate gardening, who wants a vineyard anyway?! Rather just go straight to the bottle shop

And you might not be a HEAD TURNER .. a lot of work has to go into the morning ritual to make yourself presentable .. you might not like what you see in the mirror, and can I say there is ONE thing as a Christian woman you are .. you are CHERISHED and LOVED and ACCEPTED by the Father Himself.

As a CHRISTIAN WOMAN .. WIFE you don’t have to PROVE anything .. you are right with God because of the cross .. Jesus who died in your place has made you perfect .. and in truely knowing that you are a woman who FEARS God .. who seeks to please and honour the God who loves you .. who seeks to SERVE you family and others .. however imperfectly .. the one thing you strain to do is to walk with Christ .. grow is GODLINESS .. in HOLINESS .. in CHRISTLIKENESS .. working and growing at the ways that you can love your husband and your children .. and if a wife to be .. work at being a woman of God .. you can do that!

The Holy Spirit is committed to that for you.

Jesus prays for you as you do that

Friends we have to fight the world and the society that dictates terms to us .. so much is made of our BEAUTY .. our IMAGE .. fashion .. it’s thick eyebrows remember girls .. it being a woman who stands up for herself .. shows these blokes what she is made of .. a world that fast defines ourselves by our sexuality .. a world that is impressed by being a career woman / super mum / fulfilled and happy in her own skin … and good between the sheets .. so much of what is promoted by a feminism agenda

What does a godly woman want to do who fears Christ?

Who puts Him first.

gives guidance on family matters .

Look at vv.21ff

Everyone of us has a responsibility to act toward each other lovingly, gently, meekly - looking to be other - person – centred

What Paul draws out now is a series of practical applications of that principle

NB there’s a strange thing in our NIV Bibles .. they’ve put the wives and husbands heading between verse 21 and 22. which breaks the flow.