The Benefits of Obedience

Introduction|

Attention:

How many of you tonight want to “find favor with both God and people and earn a good reputation?” Everyone wants to have a good reputation with others and God. I recently read an article by a secular Psychologist on the importance of a good reputation. He writes: “Building a good reputation requires effort, patience, and time. Destroying a good reputation only takes a single moment. The secret to building a good reputation [is]... .becom[ing] a person who deserves one. [It] take[s] consistent action that embodies the characteristics you want others to associate with you.” In our time together this evening, I want to show you from God’s word how you can “find favor with both God and people and earn a good reputation” (, NLT).

Background:

Background:

Solomon is encouraging his son to pursue wisdom by pursuing the Lord. One of the critical aspects of seeking wisdom is learning to live out the principles and precepts of Scripture.

Need Element:

Everyone wants to “find favor with both God and people and earn a good reputation” (, NLT). If you wish for this desire to become a reality, it is going to take dedication and diligence on your part. Tonight, God is going to teach us how we can make this desire and reality.

Textual Idea:

Solomon urges his son to keep his instruction and identify with his teaching to experience favor and insight in the eyes of man and God

Big Idea:

God provides insight and favor to those who keep and identify with His Word.

Interrogative:

How does God provide favor and insight?

Transition:

Let’s stand as we pay honor to God and His Word!

Outline|

I. We can experience favor and insight in the eyes of God and man by keeping God’s word (vv. 1-2)

Explanation:

Solomon says to his son: “forget not my law” (). The word forget (תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח ) suggests ignoring something or losing the sight of the significance of something. In the context of the verse, it is losing sight of the importance of Solomon’s instruction or direction (תּוֹרָתִ֣י ). Instead of failing to remember his teaching, Solomon begs his son to observe or practice his commandments. Solomon says: “but let thine heart keep my commandments” (). In Hebrew thought, the heart was the locus of the inner man or the seat of his emotion and volition. Thus, Solomon urges his son to make a choice to observe his commandments (יִצֹּ֥ר : yitōl, third person, masculine, singular, jussive, active). He also provides the motivation for his son: 1) it will provide prosperity and 2) it will provide peace. The phrase for length of days and long life are idiomatic.

As one writer points out, The idiom “length of days” refers to a prolonged life and “years of life” signifies a long time full of life, a life worth living (T. T. Perowne, Proverbs, 51).

As we consider Solomon’s instruction to his son, we also recognize God’s instruction to us. As our heavenly father, God reminds us to not forsake his law but to observe/keep his commandments for they will provide us with prosperity and peace. When this takes place, we will “win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man” (, NIV).

Illustration:

Thousands of people each year visit the Winchester Mansion in San Jose, California. This massive structure was built by Sarah Winchester, the widow of the gun company owner. For thirty-eight years, from 1884 until her death in 1922, the house was under constant construction. Teams of carpenters, masons, and other workers were employed around the clock. Various stories have been told about the reason for this unusual practice. Most center on Mrs. Winchester’s belief that she either was haunted or would be haunted by the ghosts of those killed by her husband’s weapons unless she kept building her house. Others claim that she thought she would not die as long as the building continued. Whatever the reason, she continued ordering more renovations and construction as long as she lived. There are more than 10,000 windows in the Winchester Mansion, doorways, and stairs that lead to blank walls, and some 160 rooms in total. It is estimated that she spent more than $70,000,000 in today’s money on largely pointless construction—all in a desperate search for peace that was ultimately doomed to fail. Many people today are seeking peace through equally fruitless means. They turn to pleasure, drugs, alcohol, immorality, wealth, and other dead-end avenues. Like the staircases that lead nowhere in the Winchester Mansion, pursuing such paths will never bring peace. Instead, we find peace when we follow the way that God has given us in His Word. Those who keep the law of God in their hearts and obey it in their actions add peace to their lives. Rather than seeking peace as an end, we should try to follow Christ. When we do, we will find that peace comes as a side effect that we receive from Him.

Argumentation:

There are many reasons why we may obey someone, including God. You can abide by God because you have to—fear. You can comply with God because you get something out of it—Reward. You can obey God because you love Him. When you have an overwhelming love for Christ, you obey his word out of love and adoration. However, when you follow him, you also receive the blessings of obedience.

God told his people: “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success” ().

Application:

Let me ask you an important question: are you living in obedience to God’s word?

As God’s children, God reminds us to obey his instruction and commandments. The word of God should guide and govern every area of your life! When we are living in obedience, God promises to help us experience prosperity and peace based upon the promise of His word (). If you want to experience insight and understanding in your life, you must make a daily commitment to obey His word!

Transition:

When we are obeying the Word, we will experience favor and insight in the eyes of God and man. However, this leads us to our second observation.

II. We can experience favor and insight in the eyes of God and man by identifying with God’s word (vv. 3-4)

Explanation:

Next, we notice that Solomon instructs his son not to abandon two essential truths. The word forsake carries the idea of abandoning something. He says: “let not mercy and truth forsake thee” (). The word mercy gives the idea of loyal love kindness that is based upon a prior relationship. However, he also uses the term truth which describes faithfulness. Solomon says to his son: “Do not let truth and mercy leave you” (, NET). Instead, you must: “bind them upon thy neck and write them upon the table of thine heart” (). Before you head to the local bible book store and buy a neckless with a Bible verse on it, you need to have an understanding of Hebrew thought. The word bind carries the idea of fastening an object with a rope. In the mind of an ancient Hebrew, the neck represented the “very life of the person.” The word write means to record something in a written method or manner. The table of the heart represented the impressionability of the heart and mind. Thus, love and faithfulness were “to become part of the student’s heart and life.” As our heavenly father, God reminds to make his steadfast love and faithfulness apart of our identity. We ought to have God’s love and faithfulness memorized in our heart, mind, and soul. As godly love and faithfulness become our identity, others will begin to “recognize [our] competence and intelligence. . . [as a] wise individual.”

Illustration:

Everyone ought to have their Social Security Number memorized for convenience. Our SSN is connected to our job, bank account, phone company, IRS, Car Payment, etc. As a matter of fact, our identity is our SSN. If we have committed our SSN to memory, you should also commit ourselves to memorize God’s Word, which relays our spiritual identity in Christ.

Argumentation:

You and I should memorize God’s word because it enables us to live victories over sin.

The Psalmist says: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” ().

Application:

I want you to consider this question: Is my identity based upon fact or feeling?

As a born-again child of God, the love and faithfulness of Christ ought to define your life. When you committed your life to Christ, he became your identity—a follower of Christ. Thus, the love and truth of Christ ought to be a defining attribute of your life—your actions, your attitude, your speech, etc.

Transition:

Transition:

reminds us that by keeping God’s word and identifying with God word, every believer can experience insight and favor in the eyes of others and God.

Conclusion/Application|

Visualization:

As a follower of Christ, your life ought to be guided and governed by the Word of God. When you seek to live a lifestyle of obedience to God’s word, God’s Word begins to transform every aspect of your life. As you find to know Christ through His Word, you begin to gain wisdom and insight from His word. In due time, godly wisdom takes up residence in your heart. When this takes place, it begins to change how you live your life. This fact leads to experiencing favor and insight in the eyes of others and God.

Action:

This passage invites us to experience the benefits of wisdom—favor, and insight in the eyes of others and God. However, it takes dedication and diligence to God’s Word. You will never experience favor and insight in the eyes of others and God without obeying His Word. You will never experience favor and insight in the eyes of others and God without identifying your life with God’s Word. Tonight, God wants you to commit yourself to be an obedient follower that finds his or her identity in Christ’s mercy and truth.

Appeal:

As we close tonight, I want to urge you to make two commitments. First, I want to invite you to recommit yourself to be an obedient follower of Christ that tries to obey God’s word to the best of your ability. Last, I want to invite you to find your identity in Christ’s mercy and truth as revealed in his Scripture.