Marks of a Wise Man

Intro

Text - Matthew 7.24-27

Matthew 7:24–27 NKJV

24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

Ecclesiastes 4:13 NKJV

13 Better a poor and wise youth Than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.

Title - Marks of a Wise Man

Background

Characteristics of today’s young people

pleasure

self-centered

focused on present enjoyment

extravagant

does not save or invest

consumerism

temporal things

The youths today are giving up the more important things for the sake immediate pleasure

moral values

integrity/honesty

thrift

Christ’s parable

It is a parable about “two builders”

the wise and the foolish builders

It is also a parable about preparing for the future

the foolish is not concerneds with his future

the wise looks ahead and builds a house that can withstand upcoming storms

The key to a secure future is a solid foundation

start building your future today [previous sermon]

the foundation of a secure future is wise actions today

wise actions are actions based on what isa truly valuable in life

Solomon’s book of Proverbs was addressed to his “son”

“my son” was mentioned 23 times

his single message for his son was “to be wise”

Proverbs 1:1–7 NKJV

1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity; 4 To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion— 5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 1:8–9 NKJV

8 My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; 9 For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck.

Proverbs 1:20–33 NKJV

20 Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares. 21 She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words: 22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge. 23 Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. 24 Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, 25 Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, 27 When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. 28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the Lord, 30 They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke. 31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies. 32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

What are the “marks” of a wise man/woman

mark - distinction, something that sets one apart

Values the counsel of elders

Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, did not value the counsel of the elders

1 Kings 12:6 NKJV

6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived, and he said, “How do you advise me to answer these people?”

1 Kings 12:12–14 NKJV

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had directed, saying, “Come back to me the third day.” 13 Then the king answered the people roughly, and rejected the advice which the elders had given him; 14 and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!”

Why value the counsel of elders

because they have more experience than you have

because they have gone through pain and troubles

because the things that you are enjoying in the present were built on the backs of your elders

Values integrity more than gain

Integrity - honesty; sincerity; singleness of purpose

Proverbs 10:9 NKJV

9 He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known.

Proverbs 11:3 NKJV

3 The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.

Integrity has sacrifice

Proverbs 28:6 NKJV

6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

Proverbs 20:7 NKJV

7 The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.

Values work more than leisure

Note - Entertainment is top grosser in business today

sports have become big business

entertainment is now big business

entrepreneurs are banking on people’s love of computer games

Today’s youths have a perverted understanding of the purpose of life, and the value of real work.

Proverbs 6:6–11 NKJV

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. 9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep— 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.

Values truth more than hearsay

Youths are more interested in chismis/hearsay -

partly because they are entertaining

partly because they do not want to work hard on finding the truth

partly because they are not willing to be confronted by the truth!

Buy the truth

Proverbs 23:23 NKJV

23 Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.

Proverbs 18:15 NKJV

15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

Values people more than stuff

Youths today are willing to lose friends and family for the sake of money, popularity and self- fulfillment

Values the future more than the present

Conclusion

Being wise in life means securing one’s future by insuring that life is well-founded on the things that have real value.

Pursuing the things that have real value leads the person to acknowledging the most important thing in life - God

Proverbs 2:1–9 NKJV

1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, 2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; 3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; 8 He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity and every good path.

Proverbs 9:9–12 NKJV

9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you. 12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.”

Isaiah 33:6 NKJV

6 Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation; The fear of the Lord is His treasure.

There is a more important reason why you should look forward to the future more than today - your eternity with God.