Learning & Living for the LORD.

Introduction:

Whether you are young or old, you have or will have attended school either in the public system or at home. Since this is a fact, you will all be familiar with what a text book is. Whether it is for math or biology or whatever. The textbook that you would go through would carry within it facts and problems to solve and experiments that you do in mom’s kitchen to make a mess.

The teacher will teach what is in the textbook to the students so they can learn about whatever subject it is.

In the lives of the people of Israel, they did the same thing with this book of Proverbs. This book was like that textbook. So for our message this morning, we are going to look at the importance of learning, that leads to living for the LORD.

So for our message this morning, we are going to look at the importance of learning, that leads to living for the LORD. If you recall from last week, you can have knowledge which is learning without having wisdom. But you can never be wise without having knowledge. Therefore, let us look at these verses and peek into the classroom of students and their teachers.

Point #1 - The Purpose of Proverbs.

Verse 1 reveals for us the content of the book. The proverbs of Solomon. Proverbs are short, easily memorized statements of truth. The purpose of them in being short is that when a situation arises in life and you need to think quickly on your feet, these taught proverbs would be indoctrinated so you could make a wise decision.

For example, (18:13) states “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.” Short and sweet but means alot. What do you think this proverb means to say? Right, how can you answer without knowing the question? So Solomon had more than 3,000 proverbs like this which many are not included in this book.

Maybe for a mental image to remember is that proverbs are like sticky little burrs that you get on your pant legs when you walk in the pasture. These proverbs would stick with you because they are memorable.

As I had mentioned at the end of Job, the book of Proverbs is wisdom literature that serve as guidelines to good living but they are not promises. More often than not applying the wisdom found here will lead to a better life. You could say that your life will proverbly be better.

Now in (2-6) the word “to” or “for” begins most of the verses. A good way of reading these verses is from the beginning in verse 1 you could say “The proverbs of Solomon are given in order to or given for X”. So in (2) we could say “the proverbs of Solomon are given for the reader “in order” to know wisdom and instruction, given in order to understand words of insight. Make sense?

So the book of Solomon’s proverbs are gathered in order to give to the student all that is detailed in (2-6). So to start, Solomon’s proverbs help the student know wisdom. You can have knowledge without wisdom but you cannot have wisdom without knowledge. As this verse states, you cannot know wisdom unless you are instructed or taught. Knowledge is taught from teachers, experience and self study.

So to illustrate this, if knowledge is gasoline, and you put it into a car, that does not make it run without starting it, putting it into gear and applying the throttle. So gas in a car does not necessarily make it go. However, without gas in the tank, the car is not able to move. Knowledge precedes wisdom so get instructed in truth.

Now as (2b) states, understanding of what is taught is needed in order to have insight. This is to mean that the individual that is taught can perceive or comprehend or grasp the proverb. In order to understand, the teacher has a responsibility to be clear in how he/she communicates. Since everyone has a different learning capacity, the teacher finds ways to make knowledge understandable.

In (3), we see that the proverbs are given in order to receive this instruction. While in (4) the proverbs are to be given. So here in these two verses you get the making up of this book from two perspectives. There is the receiver which is the child/student/disciple and you have the giver which is the parent/teacher/disciple maker.

The student/child in (3) has a responsibility to learn these great truths so that he can apply them in wisdom. Proverbs tells us that the student is to listen to it (1:8), accept it (1:3; 19:20; 23:23), love it (12:1), prize it above all money (4:7; 23:23) and not let go of it (4:13). Once these proverbs are taught and treated in the way they are meant to, these are internalized and become part of the very fabric of the student. There is no need to manipulate behaviour but will be like precious fruit that makes a parent proud. The student with good instruction will be able to deal wisely and have a good sense how to deal within the community justice, righteousness and equity.

The student with good instruction will be able to deal wisely and have a good sense how to deal within the community justice, righteousness and equity.

The teacher/parent (4), is to so instruct the simple or gullible to be shrewd or careful. To the youth the teacher has a responsibility to pass on the knowledge of God and how to have discretion in handling matters that pop up in every day life. When Scripture says “youth” this is indicating anyone from infant up to the point that someone who would be considered an elder. So this is referring to spiritual maturity. What the teacher is to pass on is morality to those who lack morals. This is the experienced teaching the inexperienced.

What the teacher is to pass on is morality to those who lack morals. This is the experienced teaching the inexperienced.

The simple and youth have been addressed in the last verse but now in (5) the author moves to another recipient in need of the proverbs. “The wise” are to hear the proverbs and increase in learning. Those who would be considered elders or the spiritually mature in the community of faith are never to stop learning for who can plumb the depths of God’s wisdom.

Have you heard of people who consider themselves to be wise, thinking they do not need to keep studying because they know all the stories already? Consider what the author is saying here. The wise need to keep learning so they can continue teaching with accuracy and soundness. He goes on to say that the wise or discerning mature believer continues to seek out guidance. This is to say that the wise know that counsel is best heeded from others who are wise. This is also why the church is to have a plurality of elders and not just one top dog. That would be unwise.

Lastly in (6), the proverbs of Solomon are given in order to understand proverbs, sayings, words of the wise and their riddles. This is saying that by learning the profound teaching of wisdom literature, the more spiritually mature you become, the better you are able to understand hard sayings or teachings. To make better sense of parables. This is why the disciples struggled with understanding parables because they had not learned or become wise yet.

So to summarize, these verses in (2-6) give us three elements that need noting. First is the purpose of the proverbs which is to know wisdom. Secondly, it gives us who is being addressed to in this book which is the simple, youth and the wise. Lastly, the proverbs are meant for both the child/student and the parent/teacher to take responsibility for what they are called by God to do. No passing of the buck.

This all may sound good and all, but a thought that may be rolling around in your mind is that maybe we don’t feel like putting in the hard work of study, or teaching, or taking the time to correct or spend time giving counsel. We may feel tired at the end of a day to meet someone, we may be too busy, or think that someone else is more qualified. Maybe we think that this is elder work or the dad’s work or the mom’s responsibility. Maybe we think that we have tried and no one listens so we give up. I don’t know about you, but this is the battle of my mind. I struggle as this is hard work. But by the grace of God, he reminds me of my duty as his child. I am nowhere close to having it figured out but I believe the author knows exactly how you and I feel when times are hard so he gives us the motivation to press on in (7).

Point #2 - The Key to Understanding.

When you see me hold up my keys Grace, can one of these keys open the lock on your house so that I can just walk in? Why not? It is because your family has the key, not me.

So in like manner, one cannot enter the house of the LORD’s wisdom unless they have the key which is to fear the One that lives in the house. Only a family member has that key. The person who has no regard for wisdom has no desire to enter the house of the LORD, therefore he has no key. This is the two sides that is played out in Proverbs. In (7) you see that the fear of the LORD in the beginning of knowledge while the fool despises wisdom and instruction.

So in like manner, one cannot enter the house of the LORD’s wisdom unless they have the key which is to fear the One that lives in the house. Only a family member has that key. The person who has no regard for wisdom has no desire to enter the house of the LORD, therefore he has no key. This is the two sides that is played out in Proverbs. In (7) you see that the fear of the LORD in the beginning of knowledge while the fool despises wisdom and instruction.

This verse is the foundation to understanding the book of Proverbs. Without a fear of the Lord, there will be no desire to be wise, to learn, to be instructed, to teach, to seek counsel, to understand hard teachings. To have no fear of the LORD is to be a fool. The root of the fool is pride! A legend in his own mind. Wise in his own eyes.

Before we move on we need to clarify what does fear of the LORD mean? This phrase is not meant to be divided up word by word. If done so it will lose its meaning and intent for the reader. It would be the same as trying to separate into two words butterfly. To know what butter is and what a fly is, would that picture lead you to a beautiful winged multicoloured butterfly? Probably not, and that is why we need to look at the whole.

The fear of the LORD involves both rational (thinking) and non-rational (emotional) aspects at the same time. From a rational position, it is meant as instruction or teaching of the law, commandments, statutes and ordinances. It is basically a teaching on morality, what is right and what is wrong in life situations based on God’s revelation through Moses or Solomon. The non-rational aspect is the emotional response of fear, love and trust. “Fear of the LORD” and “Love of the LORD” are used as synonyms in (; &5)

In we read that the fear of the LORD is found through heartfelt prayer and sincere seeking for wisdom. So we could say that fear of the LORD is like a child to their father. It is a combination of love and trust that dad is your protector and teacher mixed with reverent fear that discipline will come if I disobey. To fear the LORD is living in such a way to honour, respect and love him for who HE is. It is to have a deep and profound sense of awe and wonder for the majesty of God and live according to his desires so as to please him for what he has done for us.

C. Bridges quote: “The fear of the Lord is that affectionate reverence, by which the child of God bends himself humbly & carefully to his Father’s love.”

If there is one thing you take away from today’s message, this is it. The key to understanding knowledge in Solomon’s proverbs is to fear the LORD. (Show key)

Without this key, we cannot enter into wisdom. So how does one gain a key? Is there some kind of work, does someone have to perform some kind of ritual or pay some kind of fee to get the key?

So how does one gain a key? Is there some kind of work, does someone have to perform some kind of ritual or pay some kind of fee to get the key?

Point #3 - The Key is Jesus.

As we talked last week, wisdom comes as a gift from God. And only those who have a personal relationship with God through Jesus receive this gift. Therefore, the key to having “fear of the LORD” begins with Jesus who is our wisdom.

Since Jesus perfectly obeyed his Father, revered his Father, loved his Father and perfectly submitted in all things to his Father, we who believe in Jesus receive all that Jesus has already done. Jesus was instructed by his parents, his teachers in the synagogue and through his temptations. In all areas of his life he always trusted in God. He obeyed in laying down his life at the cross so that sinners who are called by the Father would receive forgiveness and his perfect righteousness.

[6] Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (ESV)

[6] Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (ESV)

Jesus is the only way to be reconciled to God our Creator. Jesus is the only key to fearing the LORD. Since we can only fear the LORD by repenting of sin and believing in Jesus we now have a reverent love of God who saved us. To trust in Christ as your Saviour is the wisest thing anyone can do. To despise his love is the most foolish thing one can do. One choice leads to glory in heaven eternally. The other choice leads to being cast into hell under God’s wrath forever.

For the one who turns to Christ, in response to the love and mercy of God, we now desire to know all we can about God through his word so that we live a full life pleasing to our Father because he first loved us. We hunger to obey the truths found in the bible, and when we fail to obey, we through knowledge of God’s divine mercy repent and seek forgiveness daily. If you have not trusted Christ, what decision will you make. I pray that today you will see your utter need of being saved and believe in Jesus.

Have you found yourself filled with despair, trying to find answers to life’s problems? Have you tried to live a good life and found that it just leaves you feeling utterly hopeless? Wondering what the meaning of your life is? Have you had a hole that cannot seem to be filled no matter how much money you make or toys you buy? Suffering with guilt for your past sins against God wondering if God could ever love you? Look to Jesus who says all who are weary and heavy laden to come to Christ and he will take your burdens and give you rest. No need to run, but to fall on your knees before Jesus and plead for your salvation. He is the key to unlock all eternity to you with a life lived for God. Being wise and glorifying God for his love and mercy.

So one thing that you may be thinking about is how are we to respond if we have have not had this fear of the Lord? What if we have lost our way and have become indifferent or cavalier about our reverence for God? What if we have never feared the Lord? If this is you, the one thing you can do right now is repent and plead with God for mercy. Asking him to forgive you and to help you to see him for who he truly is. The Almighty God who is rich in mercy, abounding in steadfast love who never turns from his child but embraces them saying “Welcome home child! I love you always!”

Application:

Parents. Learn as much as you can so that you can disciple your children in the King’s way. We can complain all we want about how this generation lacks morals and being foolish, but the hard work of turning a generation around begins and is strengthened in the home. You cannot expect the church to do what you are responsible for in parenting in a godly way.

Children. Learn all you can from your parents. Honour and obey them for God promises blessing for your obedience. By hungering for God’s truth, you will grow up making much better decisions. This will lead to you being good followers of Jesus which will in turn help you become good members in society.

SS Teachers. Be diligent in your preparations each week. We all know that life is busy so try to make good use of your time to study so that on Sunday, you are prepared and can show the love of Christ in whatever text you are teaching. This will lead to strong healthy churches that are faithful. Built on the Rock of holy Scripture.

The wise. Never stop learning from God’s word. Be encouraged to press on and seeking God through the Scriptures. Your lifetime of knowledge and experience is vital to the health of this church. Please make yourself available to teach wisdom to each of us in whatever fashion that looks like.

Brothers and sisters, let us be careful to not teach just how to be moral people. Rather, let us teach moral truths that are saturated in the gospel. That because Jesus has forgiven us and given us eternal life, we now have new desires to obey truth and be wise because we love Jesus and want to serve him faithfully.

Conclusion:

Jesus is described as Rabbi or Teacher. He was always teaching and discipling his followers through parables and straight forward truth. In his Great Commission he commanded the church to teach disciples all that he had commanded. For what purpose? So that we would live wisely, discerning what is good and evil. Embracing what is holy and right, while casting off what is profane and corrupt. One way of living leads to life everlasting, while the other leads to death. Only in Jesus can we live in fear of the LORD so let us embrace knowledge set forth in holy Scripture so that we can be wise for the glory of our Heavenly Father!

Benediction:

Confirm Your Calling and Election

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,through the knowledge of him fwho called us to3 his own glory and excellence,4

[2] May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. [3] His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, (,)

Confirm Your Calling and Election

[3] His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, (ESV)