Benefit of Wisdom

Scripture - Proverbs 2:1-8

Proverbs 2:1–8 KJV 1900

1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, And hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, And liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, And searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, And preserveth the way of his saints.

Introduction

Have you ever had someone try to sell you something? What’s the typical pattern a salesperson uses? First, they tell you all the amazing benefits of their service or product. “Our miracle product…

…will lower cholesterol…” …will help you burn fat and lose weight…” …will keep your information safe and secure…” …will give you better gas mileage…” …will make you happy and content…”

And then once you’re convinced they show you the price tag…

“For only four payments of $999.99…” “If you only eat Subway for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day…” “If you sign up for our monthly never-ending subscription-based service…” “Your monthly car payment can be as low as…” “If you sign your life and soul over we will…”

The typical pattern is—here’s the benefits and then here’s how you get them. Today, I want to reverse that pattern. First, I want to tell you how to get wisdom, and then I want to tell you its benefits. This is the pattern our passage takes and I like it because when I finally tell you the benefits of wisdom you’ll be able to weigh in your own mind if it’s worth it. So first…

Wisdom is “skill for living”, living God’s way instead of our own way. Once again the father-figure in Proverbs is teaching his son (who we can all put ourselves in the place of) how to get wisdom. He tells him four ways to get wisdom (not four different ways). You should do them all if you want to get wisdom.

Sermon Points

1. BELIEF IN GOD’S WORD (V1)

The father-figure says, “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you…” The author Solomon is talking about a father’s words found in the book of Proverbs, but he’s also talking about God’s whole Word, the Hebrew Scriptures (what we call the Old Testament today). The word for commands (mitsvah) can also mean the laws God gave his people Israel (Gen 26:5; Exod 26:28). So it’s like Solomon or the father-figure is saying, “My son, if you want wisdom, believe in God’s Word.”

Each one of us comes to a turning point in our lives where we have to decide the final rule for our lives. Is it going to be God’s unchanging perfect words and commands that although they are hard we know they are good, true, and best? Or are we going to choose our own feelings and intuitions and desires and what the world says is best? God’s Word offers us a firm-foundation for our lives, a foundation that won’t let us down. But if we choose anything else we’re choosing something that might say one thing today and a different thing tomorrow. Eggs are good for you. Eggs are bad for you. Drink coffee. Coffee is bad for you. Drink more milk. Drink soy milk. Drink almond milk.

How many issues can you think of where 10-20 years ago everyone said one things and now today people say just the opposite? That is shifting sands, that’s stormy waters.

James 1:5–8 KJV 1900

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

I want to build my life on the rock of God’s Word that never changes.

First, we get wisdom by believing in God’s Word.

2. MEMORIZATION OF GOD’S WORD (V1)

We’re still in verse one. What does it mean to “store up” something? Did any of you prepare for Y2K? So kids, a long time ago everyone was worried that when the clocks on our computers turned from December 31st 1999 to January 1st 2000 there was going to be a computer meltdown that would cause food shortages and financial errors—the apocalypse. So to prepare people stored up canned food, powdered food, dried food, and water and drinks that wouldn’t go bad. Our family bought powdered peach drink. So by golly if the world failed we were still going to have our powdered peach drink. And when Y2K came and no one but Blockbuster video had problems we still had our peach drink and it tasted good.

We “stored up” to avert disaster. Likewise, God calls us to “store up” his Word within us to avert disaster in our lives. How do we do that? By memorizing the Bible. This is one of the reasons we have “The Word For You Today” daily devotional at RCCC. We want to encourage each other to “store up” God’s Word in our own hearts because God uses it to strengthen us, give us hope, and teach us how to live. Put it on your mirror or in your Bible, somewhere you will see it and memorize it. Memorize other verses too, one’s that will remind you of hope and God’s love and promises.

Second, we get wisdom by memorizing God’s Word.

3. ACCEPTANCE OF GOD’S WORD (V2)

Proverbs 2:2 says to turn our ears to wisdom and apply our hearts to understanding. Do you ever get in a disagreement and the person you’re fighting with says, “You’re not listening to me!” Sometimes that’s true. One person is not paying attention because they’re too busy talking or thinking. But usually that means “You’re not agreeing with me.” Proverbs 2 is saying to get wisdom we need to hear it with our ears and accept it with our hearts and agree to it with our lives. We need to open ourselves up and let God’s Words and ways sink deep into who we are. In Hebrew culture the heart was the core of a person, their true identity. We don’t want God’s Word to go in one ear and out the other, but go in through the ear, through the mind, and down deep into our heart. When I prepare sermons that’s one of the things I think about. I want God’s Word to affect me first but then I want it to affect you all too. We don’t want to just sit here and hear without listing or agreeing.

Third, we get wisdom by accepting God’s Word.

4. ASK GOD FOR IT (PRAYER) (V3-4)

This is perhaps the simplest way to get wisdom, ask God for it. Verse 3 tells us to “if thou criest after knowledge, And liftest up thy voice for understanding”. If you want wisdom, pray that God will give you some. Sometimes prayer is the only step we take. We ask God for wisdom but we don’t try to memorize and understand his Word. Prayer goes hand and hand with God’s Word. It’s like peanut butter and jelly or eggs and bacon or your favorite meal. God’s Word and prayer together make a delicious wisdom platter. If you want wisdom, ask God for it. When you and I pray for wisdom it’s not only that we would make the right choice (it is that) but it’s also praying that God would make us into the kind of people who would make the right choice. It’s praying God would develop our character so we choose with integrity and discernment.

So how do we get wisdom? First, by believing in God’s Word. Second, by memorizing God’s Word. Third, by accepting God’s Word, and fourth, by asking God for wisdom through prayer. Now I’ve told you how to get wisdom, but what are the benefits of wisdom? What makes it worth doing all those things? What makes it worth signing up?

THE BENEFITS OF WISDOM:

The point of these things is not just to do them for the sake of doing them, but for the sake of something greater. Did you ever watch those old Mastercard commercials? A man and woman walk into a gas station. As the gas station attendant rings up their purchases he says:

chips: $3 frozen beverage: $2 gas: $31 starting a new life together: priceless…

So what’s the priceless things we are seeking by pursuing wisdom? God himself.

KNOWING GOD (V5-6)

Verse 5 says if we seek wisdom, “then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” The fear of the Lord is believing that God’s “threats are real and his promises are true”. Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the grave shows us that God’s threats are real—that if we don’t deal with our sins he will put us to death—but that his promises are real—that if we put our faith and trust in him he will forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. It’s as we come to understand who God is through Christ Jesus that we begin to actually know God.

Do you want to know about God or know God? You might know a lot of things about your favorite celebrity or professional sports athlete, you might know what movies they’re in or their batting average, but that doesn’t mean you know them. There’s a simple test for if you know them. Do they know you? If I were to walk up to Denzel Washington or Magic Johnson and if I were to name drop your name what would they say? “Oh yeah. I know him!” Or more likely… “Who?”

Come with me one step further. If I were to walk up to God and to name drop your name what would he say? “Oh yes, I know her. I love her very much.” Or “Who?” We seek wisdom because we’re seeking God. We want to know him. But the next verse tells us this is only possible by God’s grace.

Proverbs 2:6 KJV 1900

6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

We can only know God if God wants to know us. We can only acquire wisdom if God wants to give it to us. It’s both an “as we seek” and an “as he gives” kind of exchange. We seek to obey and know God and God gives us a relationship with him. Or put it in the reverse. God gives us a relationship with him and so we obey and know God.

What’s the priceless benefit of wisdom? Knowing God himself.

The benefits just keep growing out of this. If you know God you’re part of the family and God protects you.

Proverbs 2:7–8 KJV 1900

7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, And preserveth the way of his saints.

Closing

Life is not about being the best or the worst, winning or losing. It’s not about how much money we can make or where we’re going to spend our retirement. Life is not about any of the things the world is in a mad dash to obtain today.

Life is about building and nourishing our relationship with God. It is about devoting our entire life to being obedient to God.

Life is about understanding that God wants our full attention. Not just a hour on Sunday. Not just for a Bible Study during the week. God want to be the object of our whole existence.

If we want to master the challenges that life WILL throw at us as we go about our daily living, we must first understand the truths that are found only in the Word of God.

Wisdom comes to us through diligent searching of the scriptures and by being obedient to God. No other way.

I need Thee ev'ry hour, Most gracious Lord; No tender voice like Thine Can peace afford.

I need Thee ev'ry hour; Stay Thou nearby; Temptations lose their pow'r When Thou art nigh.

I need Thee ev'ry hour, Most Holy One; O make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.

Refrain

I need Thee, O I need Thee; Ev'ry hour I need Thee; O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee.

What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry Ev'rything to God in prayer! Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Ev'rything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged, Take it to the Lord in prayer: Can we find a friend so faithful Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our ev'ry weakness, Take it to the Lord in prayer.