Untitled Sermon (9)

Can You Hear Me Now. Prov. 8:22-31

the prologue to Proverbs reads this way: For learning about wisdom and instructions. For understanding words of insight for gaining instruction in wise dealings, righteousness, justice and equity. To teach shrewdness to the simple, knowledge and prudence to the young -let the wise also hear and gain in learning, and the discerning acquire skill to understand a proverb and figure the words of the wise and the riddles.

for the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

this segment of today’s message is taken from Prov. 8:22-31

Proverbs 8:22–31 ASV 1901

Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth; While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world. When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep, When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong, When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth; Then I was by him, as a master workman; And I was daily his delight, Rejoicing always before him, Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men.

Wisdom’s part in creation.

I have inserted the word LORD where Jehovah is placed and reads it this way; the LORD created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago. Before earth, water, mountains, hills, earth or fields I WAS THERE!

When he assigned he sea it’s limits, when he marked the foundations of the earth, rejoicing before him always…I WAS THERE.

WISDOM ASKED -CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW.

I LIKE TO BROWSE FACEBOOK PERIODICALLY-AND JUST RECENTLY AFTER READING THE MORNING’S NONSENSE-AND BIRTHDAYS-I STOPPED AND ASKED MYSELF…CAN WE HEAR OURSELVES WHEN WE SPEAK?

I KNOW I AM GUILTY OF LOGGING IN AND REACTING TO SOME OF THE FOOLISH REMARKS MADE BY EITHER WAVING A HAND OR PLACE AN EMOJIE-WITH A SAD OR HAPPY FACE.

I KNOW THOSE OF US BORN IN THE EARLY FORTIES-HAVE A MUCH DIFFERENT APPRECIATION FOR WHAT WE CALL -THE GOOD OLE DAYS.

THIS SUNDAY-MY LECTIONARY PROMPTED ME TO PREACH ON THE WISDOM LITERATURE-PROVERBS.

YOU’RE PROBABLY SAYING TO YOURSELF-WHAT DOES WISDOM HAVE TO DO WITH THE SUBJECT-CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW.

WELL-LET’S SEE-SOMEONE ONCE SAID THAT A CRUCIAL PART OF WISDOM IS THE ABILITY TO SEE WHAT IS COMING BEFORE IT ARRIVES.

FOR EXAMPLE-MUHAMMAD ALI -WAS KNOWN AS THE GREATEST-THE BOXING LEGEND AND GENIUS OF MY TIME- ALI HAD SOME VERY WISE SAYING: “FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY, STING LIKE A BEE”

HE GRACEFULLY DANCE AROUND THE RING…OF MADISON SQUARE GARDENS ON FEB 24, 1964 AND EARNED AN IMPRESSIVE UPSET AGAINST SONNY LISTON THE REIGNING HEAVYWEAIGHT CHAMPION -WITH AN UPSET IN THE 6TH SOUND KNOCKOUT.

GOING ON FROM THERE TO A MATCH AGAINST FLOYD PATTERSON. ALI TRAINED, RELIGIOUSLY-HE LOVED HIS CRAFT-BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY HE LOVED GOD.

I HEARD HIM SAY, “SERVICE TO OTHERS IS THE RENT YOU PAY FOR YOUR ROOM HERE ON EARTH” !

WISDOM-ESTABLISHES HER ACTIVE PRESENT AT GOD’S WORK OF CREATION

FURTHER ON, IN GOD’S ECONOMY-ALL THINGS INCLUDING HUMAN KIND AND THEIR VARIOUS ACTIVITIES HAVE THEIR PROPER PLACE---AND LIMITS!

LIMITS---BOUNDARIES---I ASK YOU TO LOOK BACK AT THE DAYS OF YOUR YOUTH-

AND REMEMBER HOW BOUNDARIES —WERE RESPECTED.

PEOPLE JUST KNEW

PEOPLE KNEW THE DANGERS OF STEPPING OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE KNOW -IS THE GREY AREA.

AND NO ONE TOOK THAT LESSON FOR GRANTED

BOUNDARIES-WERE TAUGHT TO US IN PRIMARY SCHOOL.

WE STARTED THE DAY WITH—KNOWING THREE IMPORTANT RULES OF LIFE

HOME, CHURCH AND SCHOOL.

WE LEARNED THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

THE LORD’S PRAYER

AND THE GOLDEN RULE.

I LIVED IN A COMMUNITY WHERE WE HAD-PARKS AND RECREATION, AND A TERRIFIC—9FT SWIMMING POOL. WE LEARNED TO RESPECT THE DEEP WATER IF WE COULDN’T SWIM…THE LIFE GUARD KEPT WATCH—HE KNEW THE ONES AND GUARDED THAT POOL WITH HIS LIFE.

BOUNDARIES-YOU MAY RECALL ME TALKING ABOUT TODD DOING THE IRON MAN TRIATHALON. THE RULES WERE TO SWIM IN THE OCEAN WHERE SHARK -LIVE PLAY AND EAT, FOR 26 MILES, BICYCLE ON AN UNKNOWN -TRAIL IN PENSACOLA FLORIDA -WHERE SNAKES LIVE, PLAY AND EAT, AND THEN —RUN 26 MILES IN THAT SAME KINE OF TERRAIN. FLORIDA KNOWN FOR IT’S HUMONGOUS SHARK—SHARK SO BIG THAT LEAVE THE SWAMP AND ARE CAUGHT ON FILM RUNNING ACROSS —LAND…CAN YOU HEAR ME KNOW.

WISDOM —BOUNDARIES…HERE THE BOOK OF PROVERBS -A BOOK OF FAMILIAR SAYINGS-ACCREDITED TO KING SOLOMON -IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN 1,000 YEARS BEFORE THE BIBLE WAS CONSTRUCTED BY MANY, WISE MEN-INCLUDING MEN LIKE SOCRATES AND SHAKESPEARE.

PROVERBIAL WISDOM MUST BE BORN IN MINDS-IT DEALS SOMETIMES WITH ONLY ONE ASPECT OF TRUTH…ONE PROVERB THEREFORE IS OFTEN IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO ANOTHER…AND YET EACH MAY BE EQUALLY TRUE.

SOLOMON TELLS US TO ANSWER A FOOL ACCORDING TO HIS FOLLY, LEST HE BE WISE IN HIS OWN CONCEIT AND HE ALSO TELLS US TO ANSWER NOT A FOOL ACCORDING TO HIS FOLLY. LEST THERE ALSO BE LIKE UNTO HIM.

PROVERBIAL LORE-WAS COMPILED 1,000 YEARS BEFORE THE CHRISTIAN ERA.

IF YOU CAN RECALL —BENJAMIN FRANKLIN’S -POOR RICHARDS ALMANAC, SAYINGS FOR EXAMPLE-A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE, OR DON’T PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE...

SAYING THAT NONE OF OUR CHILDREN -PAY ANY ATTENTION TO.

I ATTRIBUTE THAT TO THE CRAZINESS THAT HAPPENED IN THEIR UPBRINGING WHERE WE ALLOWED THEM TO PLAY WITH —GAME BOARDS-AND GADGETS THAT ULTIMATELY REMOVED THEM FROM KNOWING THESE WHIMSICAL SAYINGS.

INSTEAD TODAY —WISDOM SAYINGS-FOLK LORE-IS REPLACED WITH THE FEAR OF RANDOM SHOOTINGS, SOME KIDS FORGOT BOUNDARIES…MY SON PLAYED A GAME CALLED DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS. LITTLE DID I KNOW THE DANGER THAT THAT GAME CAUSED CERTAIN KIDS —WHO KNEW NO BOUNDARIES.

A CHILD WHO PLAYED THE GAME WITH TODD FROM CMU-WHILE HE WAS IN DUQUESNE HIS FIRST YEAR-MOVED HIS MAN TO THE SCHENLEY PARK-HID IN A CAVE AND WASN’T HOME BY DARK -FOR SEVERAL DAYS. WHEN THEY WENT LOOKING FOR HIM…THERE HE WAS DEHYDRATED, SHIVERING AND FRIGHTENED OUT OF HIS MIND. BOUNDARIES!

WAY BACK IN PRIMARY SCHOOL -MY PRINCIPAL, DR. WATERS WALKED THE HALLS OF THE SCHOOL CARRYING A BIG STICK…NO ONE EVER QUESTIONED HIS PHILOSOPHY. THERE WAS NO NEED FOR A GUARD, OR LOCKING DOWN THE SCHOOLS AS THERE IS TODAY. DR WATERS WAS THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND NO ONE-NO ONE WALKED THOSE HALLS -WITHOUT PERMISSION.

SPEAK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG STICK. THAT SUCCESS IS LIKELY TO RESULT WHEN YOU TAKE A NICER APPROACH…EVEN WHEN EVERYONE INVOLVED KNOWS THAT YOU HAVE A MORE FORCEFUL OPTION AT YOUR DISPOSAL.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT -USED THE BIG STICK DIPLOMACY. HE BELIEVED IN ACTING JUSTLY TOWARD OTHER NATIONS, NEVER TO BLUFF—AND TO STRIKE ONLY WHEN PREPARED TO STRIKE HARD AND TO BE WILLING TO ALLOW THE ADVERSARY TO SAVE FACE IN DEFEAT.

KNOWING BOUNDARIES—KEPT ME OUT OF HURT, HARM AND DANGER.

HOW ABOUT YOU?

I PRAISE GOD —FOR HIS INFINITE MERCY AND HER WISDOM...

THANKFULLY—I DO NOT CARRY THE SCARS OF YESTERDAY’S CHILDHOOD..NOR HARBOR ANY WOUNDS FROM THE PAST.

I BELIEVE THAT BEING TAUGHT GODLY PRINCIPLES...

RECITING THE LORD’S PRAYER-LEARNING THE APOSTLES CREED,

SALUTING THE FLAG AND SAYING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE—FOSTERED GOOD CITIZENRY…THESE NUGGETS OF WISDOM --BEGAN AT HOME,

ENCOURAGED THROUGH FAITH -AT CHURCH AND CEMENTED IN MY TRAINING AT SCHOOL.

THE VERIZON SLOGAN…CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW.... IS PRICELESS.

PERHAPS WHAT WE NEED NOW —IS TO TURN THE VOLUME UP!

PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON RESPECTING EACH OTHER, LET THAT DESIGNATE IN HOW IMPORTANT--- IT IS TO RESPECT THE PROPERTY OF OTHERS

AND THOUGH THAT LIST SEEMS ALL ENCOMPASSING—IT ISN’T—FOR WISDOM’S MESSAGE…IS PLANTED IN THE MINDS OF THOSE WHO CHOOSE---CHOOSE RIGHT OVER WRONG.. GOOD OVER BAD.

BAD KIDS--GOT THE SAME LESSON—GOOD KIDS GOT...THE PRINCIPLES OFFICE —

FORGET THE BOUNDARIES…MEET THE PRINCIPAL.

WHAT IS HAPPENING—IS INSANE.

TURN UP THE VOLUME. THAT YOUR VOICES CAN BE HEARD…

TAKE WISDOM BY THE HAND—LET HER LEAD YOU—WHO KNOWS BETTER THAN SHE…THAT BEFORE- THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH WAS FORMED—BEFORE THE EARTH, MOON AND STARS…SHE WAS...FOR WISDOM HAS ONE FOOT FIRMLY PLANTED ON EARTH…AND THE OTHER IN HEAVEN.

CALL ON HER---SHE’S EAGER TO HELP...

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED—IN ALL MY VAST YEARS....MAN BORN OF WOMEN HAVE BUT A FEW YEARS…

BUT MAN BORN OF THE HOLY SPIRIT…WISDOM’S SPIRIT—WILL HAVE LIFE…AND WILL HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY…AMEN.