Untitled Sermon (19)

Title: Fatherly advice

Theme: Wisdom is to be treasured as a generational gift.

Text: Proverbs 4

Intro: Father’s Day

Mother’s day Prov 31 à Father’s Day “God as our Father”

4 Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, 2 for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. 3 When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, 4 he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. 5 Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;

love her, and she will guard you. 7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. 8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.

9 She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”

10 Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. 11 I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. 12 When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. 13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.

14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,

and do not walk in the way of the evil. 15 Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. 16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. 19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.

20 My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. 23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 24 Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. 25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. 27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

PRAY

I. Listen to obtain wisdom v1-4, 11, 20

a. The quality of your wisdom, depends on who you listen to

i. Worldly wisdom vs Godly wisdom

1. Wisdom and Folly Wisdom in the OT basically means knowing God, and folly is rejection of God. (Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible)

a. Wisdom is eternal in nature

b. Folly is temporal in nature

c. James 3:13-17 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

d. Now, you see, wisdom is seeing not what is important now but what is important from God’s perspective.

e. The master control of what guides our life, our decisions, our direction, the issues of life.

ii. Worldly wisdom is all around us (Prov 19:3) 3 When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord.

1. Seek how to get ahead

a. Money

b. Fame

c. He who wins with the most toys wins

d. Self-absorbed

e. Immediate gratification

f. No thought for tomorrow

Ecclesiastes 10:12-15 12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness. 14 A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him? 15 The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.

g. 2 Tim 3:1-5 1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

iii. Godly wisdom is revealed to us through scriptures

1. II Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

2. Many wise council Proverbs 15:22 22 Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.

3. Must be godly council Proverbs 16:13 13 Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right.

4. Not choosing what is right, but knowing what is right.

b. Solomon indicates that this wisdom comes in part from his parents v3

i. His son should not listen just because Solomon said it, but because his parents said it as well.

ii. His father David v3a

1. I Chronicles 28:9-10 from David 9 “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. 10 Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.”

2. Ephesians 6:4 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

iii. His mother Bathsheba v3b

iv. Passed on to son and grandson

1. A lasting legacy

2. More important than money, skills, etc. is wisdom and character

3. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

4. It observed as much as taught

c. Godly wisdom needs to be passed on to each new generation.

i. Paul to Timothy about his mother and grandmother 2 Tim 1:5 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

ii. Discipling disciples 2 Timothy 2:2 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

iii. Faith of Abraham Isaac and Jacob

1. 2 Kings 13:23 23 But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor has he cast them from his presence until now.

2. 2 Chronicles 30:6 6 So couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his princes, as the king had commanded, saying, “O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.

d. Solomon Repeats the instruction to listen v11, 20 Foghorn Leghorn “Boy, I say boy, listen up”

e. The teaching of wisdom Needs to happen in the home Duet 6:4-9

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

i. Not something to be passed off to others

1. Church

2. Christian school

3. Christian college

4. Para-church organization

II. Seek Wisdom v5-8

a. Seek godly wisdom v5, v7

b. Get insight v5, 7 (understanding)

i. The idea with these is that seeking, getting wisdom and insight takes work

1. Not passive

2. Pray for it

3. Takes pains to get it

4. Be diligent

ii. The repetition here seems to be to emphasize the importance

Courtship in the pursuit of gaining wisdom

c. Do not forsake wisdom v6

i. She will protect you

d. Prize wisdom v8

i. Just as some prize wealth or fame, wisdom and understanding must be prized.

ii. (illustration of treasure…)???

III. The Reward of Wisdom v9-13

a. A garland and crown v9

i. The image of a marriage feast is given substance with the bestowing of the tradition symbols of union by the bride (wisdom) on her protégé (groom). In this case the marriage symbolism of the crown of splendor (see Is 61:10) could be compared with the fragrant bridal garments in Song of Songs 4:11. 11 Your lips drip nectar, my bride; honey and milk are under your tongue; the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.

b. Steps will not be hampered v12

i. Proverb 3:5-6 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

IV. Protect wisdom v14-19

a. Avoid the path of the wicked v14-15

i. Do not walk in the way of evil v14

1. A contrast to path of life in v12

ii. Do not go into it v15

1. Do not give the devil a foot hold Ephesians 4:27 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.

2. James 4:7 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

3. I Thessalonians 5:22 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

4. Illustration: frog in kettle

iii. Turn from it v16

1. Ephesians 5:11 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

2. Matthew 5:13-16 13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

b. Why? V16-17

i. Wicked Cannot sleep without committing evil v16

1. They desire to make someone stumble

a. We see this with the recent riots-they riot at night, not in daylight

b. Seems most crimes we hear about occur in the night hours

2. Their substance comes from wickedness and violence

c. Light vs darkness v 18-19

i. Righteousness is like a ray of light v18

1. Burn brighter and brighter

ii. The way of wickedness is like darkness v19

1. Darker and darker

2. Easier to stumble in the darkness

iii. Prov 3:23-4 23 Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. 24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

V. Guard Wisdom v21-27

a. Store them v21-22

i. Keep them in your heart v21

1. Psalm 119:1111 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

2. Heart is where the source of life is kept

ii. For they are life v22

1. A life without stumbling

2. A long life v10

3. It is sustaining

b. Be vigilant v23

i. Not a passive pursuit

ii. Requires the attitude of a guard-nothing comes through

1. Guard against what may attacking

a. Put on the whole armor of God Eph 6 6-20

2. Be vigilant for what is good.

c. Guard your life v24-27

i. Guard your Speech v24

1. Crooked speech Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

2. Devious talk Romans 3:10-14 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

3. The tongue expresses the thoughts of the heart Matthew 12:34 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

4. Crude speech Ephesians 5:44 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

ii. Guard your Eyes v25

1. Keep your eyes forward

2. To the author and finisher of our faith

3. Avoid evil looking 2 Peter 2:14 14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!

4. Luke 11:3434 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness.

iii. Feet v26-27

1. Think about where you are going

a. Avoid temptations that can make you stumble

i. 1 Corinthians 10:13 13 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.

ii. James 4:7 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

2. Turn from evil

a. Don’t turn aside from what is right.

b. Proverbs 1:15-16 15 my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, 16 for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.

iv. Things God hates Proverbs 6:16-19 16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, 19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

v. Oh be careful little eyes

Conclusion:

· The pursuit of wisdom is a life long quest, from the cradle to the grave. When we stop pursing wisdom, evil wins. It is an ongoing pursuit.

· Are you pursuing Wisdom or folly?

· Are you valuing Wisdom? How do you show it?

· Are you letting the distractions of life interfere with this pursuit of Wisdom?