Proverbs #1

Northside Church

Proverbs Intro and BBQ Sunday

6/27/21

Jamey Mills

NORTHSIDE… it is so good to be back and to be with you all. I was here physically last week…

I spent 14 days traveling in and around Moab Utah… and then rode all the way home on forestry roads and trails… over 2000 miles and just under 11K ft in elevation at our highest point… living off the back of my motorcycle.

Such an incredible trip… one of the hardest and most incredible things I have ever been a part of.

Parts of the world I am fairly sure only people who go on the trans american trail see.

Riding that far off road is hard, living off the back of a motorcycle… is hard. My hands are still tingling… But I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Maybe not today… but give me a few weeks to recover…

But even more so… I was blown away by the beauty of the world we live in.

Show some pictures…

One of my favorite places… was coming out of Utah… through one of the canyons… the rock formations… surrounding you…. It honestly felt like star wars… and it got me to thinking… that the greatest of human minds… the greatest imagery that humanity tries to invite is at best inspired by God… and at the same time… cannot compare with what He’s made.

Today we are starting a new series that I’ve been looking forward to for a whole on a book of the OT called proverbs… a proverb is an often short but powerful statement that bears great applicable truth…

And the major theme in the book of proverbs is wisdom....

King Solomon… the son of King David… often gets credit for the book of proverbs…. He for sure wrote some of them… but most scholars believe these are a collection of His proverbs as well as proverbs of others that he may have collected from others.

This is pretty astounding stuff… as King David was dying… it says he gave his charge…

What charge did King David leave for his son Solomon?

his marching orders to Solomon (1 kings 2) which was basically… I am dying… take courage… be a man… and follow my example in following hard after God… obey Him… DADS… parents… grandparents… that is a charge for you to leave your kids and grandchildren. You want to leave a legacy that matters… there it is.

David tells his son… the life and real freedom that God desires for him, for you, and for me… is found there.

Just a little later on in 1 Kings 3… it says that Solomon up to this point took his fathers charge seriously… he loved the Lord and followed Him… and it says that the Lord came to him in a dream one night and said… ask for whatever it is that you want… and I will give it to you.

Incredible… what would you ask for? Money, fame, influence, health, long life…

This may have been the greatest moment of Solomon’s life… listen to this.

1 Kings 3:7–10 NLT

“Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom.

1 Kings 3:7–10 (NLT)

7 “Now, O LORD my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! 9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom.

Not more power, money, authority, women… not better looks or health… nothing to do with masks

Solomon said… I am like a child… I don’t know… I don’t have what it takes on my own…

He asked for wisdom… not some man made attempt at wisdom… not wisdom to win the voters over… but the wisdom to know where real wisdom comes from… and the courage to walk in it.

Solomon could have asked for anything… but that is what he wanted… and so much of what we read in Proverbs is the result of his desire for godly wisdom.

And ya know… that is something I just don’t hear all that much.

People… looking at the crazy world we live in… looking at all that's going on around us… with open hearts and hands coming before the Lord and admitting… THIS IS BIGGER than me.

And that…

More than I want a boat… more than I want a house… more than I want money… more than I want popularity… more than I want invited to a BBQ… more than I want smoked meats…

LORD… give me the wisdom to see my need for you… give me godly wisdom to face life and all it brings… to know what's right and what's not… so that I can lead myself and those around me well and toward you.

Do you desire godly wisdom…

Solomon say wisdom brings life, freedom, health, healing, direction, purpose, peace and more…

Solomon says it… brings life… freedom… health… healing… direction… peace…

He says it honors and blesses your parents… and leads to good and beautiful things in your life.

There is a wisdom that comes from above that cannot be duplicated by the invitation of man.

Do you want it? Do you long for it? So you see the value in it?

There are things… ideologis… that are dressed up like wisdom that are completely… totally… bankrupt and empty.

Do you long for real life giving and freedom finding wisdom?

If so… pray about it… ask for it… take it to Him continually… ask for a hunger for it… and… ACT ON IT

I love how Prov. starts…

Proverbs 1:1–7 NLT

These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles. Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Proverbs 1:1–7 (NLT)

These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel.

2 Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline,

to help them understand the insights of the wise.

3 Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,

to help them do what is right, just, and fair.

4 These proverbs will give insight to the simple, (like me)

knowledge and discernment to the young.

5 Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.

Let those with understanding receive guidance

6 by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,

the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

There is a wisdom that comes from above that is greater than any invention of man…

I don’t live it out perfectly… but I do want you to know that not only do I believe that… God has been gracious enough… that I can honestly tell you I have seen it… It is 100% true.

I hope it sounds good…

Hope to see you next week.

Communion:

Closing and instructions