Sermon Tone Analysis
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ME: Intro
Think of your ideal role model for a moment.
You have that role model in mind?
What is it about that person that makes them a role model to you?
Is it their virtue?
Their wisdom?
Their strength?
Perhaps their work ethic,
Or their character?
Generally, these are the factors that form our role models.
In Proverbs 31, we are introduced to a role model.
She is described by commentators as the ideal woman,
A woman of valor,
A symbol of wisdom,
The wife and mother of excellence.
And she is presented in the most skillfully poetic way that we as English speakers totally miss out on.
Proverbs 31:10-31 is an acrostic poem in Hebrew,
Instructing us with a Word on Womanhood,
By extolling the virtues of a woman who exemplifies wisdom,
Both practically and spiritually.
This means each verse starts with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Slide
It would be like a poem in English saying:
An awesome wife, who can find her?
Blessed women can be trusted by their husbands.
Caring women do good all their life.
Diligent workers are skilled with their hands,
And so on.
Therefore, the order of the verses are not organized logically,
But alphabetically to help memorize this coherent and artful description of a wise woman.
We could say it is the Hebrew ABCs of biblical womanhood.
A woman who, through her trust in the Lord,
Distinguishes herself as a role model.
The first 9 chapters of Proverbs described the virtues of wisdom symbolically as a woman,
Our passage this morning celebrates Lady Wisdom as a real flesh and blood woman.
This woman is a Jesus woman.
And the standard she sets reflects the standard of Jesus, perfect wisdom.
But this standard is not ultimately within our reach.
When we try to be perfect in our own strength,
The only result is frustration and discouragement.
However, when we confess our imperfect nature,
And depend on the perfect wisdom of Christ,
Like the woman of Proverbs 31,
We grow in the direction and likeness of this standard of perfect wisdom.
This means, the reach of this woman’s example is not limited to marriage or motherhood.
This passage gives a Word on Womanhood,
But all of us can learn from the example of this wise woman.
This is not an exhaustive description of biblical womanhood,
But it is a comprehensive characterization of biblical womanhood.
Slide
So, our outline for this Word on Womanhood is...
Biblical Wife and Mother (Proverbs 31:10-12, 23, 28)
Biblical Worker (Proverbs 31:13-19)
Biblical Character (Proverbs 31:20-22, 24-27, 29-31)
This biblical woman is an example of practical wisdom, but her greatest example is her relationship with Christ.
WE: Biblical Wife and Mother (vs.
10-12, 23, 28)
Slide
So, let us first consider the example of being a biblical wife and mother in vs. 10-12, 23, and 28.
This poem opens by asking who can find an excellent wife?
This is not suggesting that a biblical wife is an impossible dream,
Rather it affirms that she does exist, but she is like a rare, hidden treasure.
When a biblical woman is married she is an excellent wife.
This idea of being an excellent wife implies a sense of virtue or noble character.
Other translations describe her as competent, strong, and wealthy;
Traits that are displayed by her example throughout this chapter.
So, when a man marries a precious woman like this,
Proverbs says he is blessed.
Because she is a treasure worth for more than jewels.
Speaking of a man who marries a biblical woman, vs. 11 says his heart,
That is, who he is at his core,
Safely trusts in her.
He has no doubts, no concerns.
He is fully confident in her.
It is interesting,
This is the only place in the Bible where trusting anything but God is described as good.
So, in this case,
It says if you are married to a biblical wife,
You can trust her because she is godly,
And you have no lack of gain,
Because the families state of affairs reflects the shrewdness of a biblical wife.
As we will see throughout this passage,
A biblical woman knows what her family needs and sees that they have it,
Vs. 12 continues this idea,
Saying she does her husband good.
So, a biblical wife rewards her husband’s trust in her with good.
Slide
Earlier, Proverbs 18:22 stated:
The assumption here in ch.
18 is that she is like the wise wife described in ch. 31.
Now, I do want to make a note here,
Marriage is certainly a good thing from God.
It is a full-person commitment to another person for life.
From as early as the second chapter of the Bible,
Where marriage was instituted by God,
All the way to the final chapter of the Bible,
Where we are married to Christ, our bridegroom,
There are many good things said about marriage.
From stories of marriages to parameters for marriages,
And marriage as a metaphor.
The Bible describes marriage as a mutual love between a man and a woman.
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