So Many Teachers!

Sermon Notes October 20, 2019 Proverbs 30:24-29 Short Review Review the main points of the morning message. Focus on: The gift of having many teachers of wisdom in life and in creation Some Questions for Discussion: 1. Break the ice in some way (game? Song?). Perhaps with this: do you remember favorite teachers? Can you share any silly things they said, or wise things you they said? 2. Which books do you read, which experts (on life, finances, health, parenting) do you go to for advice? a. Why do you trust their wisdom? b. Have you followed wisdom from ‘experts’ which has proven wrong in your life or that has been proven wrong by others? Any examples? 3. Some people are bothered by the fact that pagan/non-Christian authors are quoted in the Bible (Agur, Lemuel, Proverbs 22:17, 24:23 – “the wise”, Paul’s quotations of Greeks). Does this bother you? a. Does this undercut the authority of the Bible as God’s Word? Why? b. Why do the Scriptures quote non-Christian writers, or (extra-biblical) proverbs about nature (Mt. 16:2,3)? 4. Read Prov. 30:24-28: What lessons on wisdom might you draw from these animals? 5. Go around the room – a. Share something interesting/fascinating/mysterious/beautiful/baffling you have observed in nature: What wisdom (tentatively) could you learn from that? b. Leader – invite others in the group to draw lessons from each example shared. Is there more than one lesson possible? Can we learn deeper wisdom as we discuss and ponder what we see in nature? 6. Here’s some “wise” sayings. Examine them. Compare to Scripture. Are they true? Is there some truth in them? Completely false? a. “God is a circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere.” b. “Grow where you’re planted.” c. “I am beautiful no matter what they say.” d. “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” e. “All religions are the same because they all are based on the golden rule.” f. “All truth is God’s truth.” 7. Give examples of TV shows, Movies, Songs which raise wise questions or lead us to wisdom. 8. What can we do to be hungrier to glean wisdom from everywhere and everything?