Growing in Wisdom
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 5 viewsNotes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Proverbs 2 and 3
Proverbs 2 and 3
Good morning everyone I am glad that I can be here with you all today to share with you from these two chapters of Proverbs. I know there is a lot of text here and I am going to do my best to get through it all and give you the main points.
1 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, 2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,
The first thing we need to notice is that God is addressing the us as His children. He is saying My son My daughter. He is inviting us in as a part of His family. As our Father He is attempting to give us wisdom and is appealing to us as our beloved heavenly Father. It is important to note that not all people are God’s children only those that are born again. We are all God’s creation but not all His children.
We also need to take a brief step back and look at Proverbs 1:32
32 For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them;
Notice what the author says that it complacency that destroys a fool. Ray Ortlund had a good quote about this.
Proverbs—Wisdom that Works Chapter 5: How We Can Grow (2:1–22)
You do not need to hate Jesus to waste your life. You only need to be okay with how you are.
But maybe you aren’t ok with where you are spiritually. Maybe you desire more. Here now is the solution to this dilemma. The three ifs from verses 1-4
1 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, 2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,
If you receive My Words and treasure up my commandments.
If you call out for insight and understanding.
If you seek it (Wisdom) like silver and hidden treasure.
Now typically we think of If/Then statements. And this is the case here. If you do all of this you can expect something. Before I get into the thens I want to make a small point that this is not works based salvation.
We cannot earn our salvation but we must desire Him and desire our salvation more than anything else. We must reach out to God for forgiveness, mercy, and wisdom. We don’t earn it or deserve it but we do reach for it.
Why does God say 3x that we need to receive His wisdom and insight? Because our default is to be complacent fools slowly dying a content and happy life. God is inviting us to go against the culture, our nature, and the world and to come to Him. He alone is the source of wisdom.
We have to want Him. We have to desire the relationship. We have to put in the work to go against the status quo of ourselves and seek the one that can truly satisfy. If we desire Him and seek His wisdom let us see what will happen.
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 in integrity, 8 guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.
If you desire and seek God then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find His knowledge. The wisdom comes from God’s mouth and that is the Bible. Knowing the Bible is key to growing in the Lord. He gives us sound wisdom for those who walk in integrity and is a shield for them. He watches over us.
There is another “then.”
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; 10 for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; 11 discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you,
This is the second thing that happens we desire and seek after the wisdom that is from God. We will understand how to live righteously. We will understand justice, what is right, and how to pick the good path. Wisdom will come into our hearts because we have a new heart in Christ. The more we grow in Him and His wisdom the more our hearts are made like His. The more that His wisdom and knowledge show themselves in our lives the more discretion will watch over us. His understanding will guard us. When something seems off the understanding and wisdom we have learned from the Word will help us to make a wise choice.
These next two sections give us two examples to watch out for in our life. Notice how the Proverb flows. It starts with how if we seek wisdom from God then we will be given that wisdom. It further says that God will give us the wisdom we sought in our hearts transforming us from the inside out. As we are transformed discretion and understanding will guard us and not our discretion or the world’s understand but God’s perfect wisdom.
12 delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.
The first type of person to watch out for are men of perverted speech. Such men do not walk in God’s ways they walk in darkness. They love to do evil and love evil itself. They follow crooked paths which turn away from God’s path. The first thing that is mentioned here is a person who has perverted speech. Our words are a window into the heart.
45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
What does perverted speech look like?
Cursing
Dirty/Crude Jokes
Using good words in bad ways.
Not every perverted speech is cursing and bad words sometimes it is gossip in the form of sharing prayer requests. Watch the person and notice if the words they say are used to build up or tear down. Avoid those who always tear down. A person who has the Spirit of God in them and is growing in His wisdom will find something off putting by the words. Evaluate the words being said and see if the person speaking them is an evil man like the one mentioned here in verse 12.
16 So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words, 17 who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed; 19 none who go to her come back, nor do they regain the paths of life.
The next type of person to avoid is the forbidden woman. This is an adulteress. This goes both ways so ladies be on the look out for a man who is a forbidden man. This is a person who is trying to destroy your integrity. Two things to point out , first verse 19 says none who go to her come back.
Ravi Zacharias once said, “‘Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.’”
The great irony here is that Ravi’s sin has completely destroyed his reputation and the entire ministry that was built around him. His sin cost him for more than he could ever imagine. He was the evil man who used good words.
The second is that we should watch for people who smooth words like this. It starts with a little flirting or a compliment that could be taken a different way. I am reminded of the old Casting Crowns song Slow Fade. In it we see a husband and wife fighting because he had an affair. The music video then begins to reverse and we see how it got to that point with the husband and this other woman. It started with a look and then a “harmless” touch. Before too long he was pulling off his wedding ring to sleep with another woman on a business trip. Finally, it ends when his daughter now back before the nefarious trip happens asks him to stay back and he wisely says yes. The chorus says, “it’s a slow fade when you give yourself away.” So it is my friends it is a slow fade that leads to destruction.
Flee from sexual sin my friends. And for those of you who are saying but I am not even married Pastor Dave I need to share a few things. The first is this in Matthew 5:28
28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Christ is very clear that simply looking at a woman with lust is adultery. Our world is filled with sexual temptations all around them. Flee from the adulteress with her smooth words. The second is this anyone who is not your husband or your wife is someone that should be treated as a brother or sister in Christ. Your girlfriend is not your wife. Your boyfriend is not your husband. Your fiancee is not your spouse. Do not treat them as such.
Watch her words they will be sweet poison offering you pleasure but giving only death. God’s wisdom will help you to see the folly in them and to turn to Him instead.
20 So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it, 22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.
The last two sections of this proverb were warning but the author does not leave us there. Instead he tells us what to turn from. Flee from evil men and forbidden women but what do we run to? We turn to the path of the righteous. We walk in the way of the good. The NASB says the way of the good men. The implication is that our brothers and sisters walk on this path. It is the path that leads to God. Even better than being with our family is that we are in the land and inhabit it. We are with Christ and He is with us.
Proverbs—Wisdom that Works You Can Be Protected in This World
A tsunami of sin is slamming us in our world today, and all of us are suffering under it.
Sin is all around us. Some because of our choices and some because of the fallen nature of our world. Yet while we are surrounded by an ocean of sin there is a place for us where the righteous live with the Lord. Like being at sea for many days and seeing off on the horizon a paradise where the King of the land waves to us and welcomes us home. Where He tells us that He can supply all of our needs and then some. This land has no wicked or treacherous people on it for it is His land and you are welcome. The invitation is there but sadly many in this analogy choose to stay out at sea to their demise which will you choose? Life or death? Wisdom or foolishness?
1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. 3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.
We see here in this chapter that God once again calls us to hear His commandments. He offers us long days of life and peace. He also implores us to have love and faithfulness around our necks and written on our hearts. This chapter is filled with Godly wisdom to help us grow and be more like Him but will we listen?
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
This section is one of great importance. God is calling us to trust in Him and Him alone. I imagine if I asked you do you trust God many would say yes. Yet, how many of us live that out. How many of us trust that God is going to take care of us and use for His glory. How many of us carry around a weight of anxiety and worry because we are trusting in ourselves to fix everything; to take care of everything; and to solve every challenge. Do you trust Him in your school work? Do you trust Him in your relationships? Do you consider how to glorify Him in your life? He will make our paths straight and offers to us the best road to take.
In verse 7 He tells us to not be wise in our own eyes. Too often we are wise in our own eyes and we do not consider or even disregard what God tells us. We think our society as beyond the truth that is found in God’s Word. We have not surpassed the Bible. A wise person knows they are not wise but instead trust in God’s wisdom. They turn away from evil because they know that His ways are best and that His way does not involve evil.
As we have looked at some more broad applications now we are going to see some specific ways that we can grow in wisdom.
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.
The first way we can show wisdom is by giving back to God from the first of our giving. The firstfruits would have been the first part of the harvest. By giving that to God you showed faith that He would take care of you. Trust was shown to be in God not in the harvest. For us today I would tell you to determine a percentage of the money that you earn to be given back to God off the gross of your income. I do not think that 10 percent is the rule for everyone but it can be a good guideline.
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
This section tells us that at times God disciplines us. He does not do this out of a desire to evil but rather because He loves us. Just like loving parents discipline their children to help them become more like Christ when they mess up so God perfectly disciplines us when we sin and fall short of His glory.
13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, 14 for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. 15 She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.
This next section is bookended by the word “blessed.” Wisdom is available to all who search for it. It is not something available to only a few but is freely given to all who look for it. Wisdom is better than silver or gold and has a higher profit. The ROR when we invest in wisdom beats gold or silver. If you desire money you might get it but it does not lead to the tree of life that mentioned in verse 18. All the gold in the world means nothing when your life is at stake.
There was a show I watched many years ago. Two brothers are out in CA during the gold rush panning (mimic) for gold. One day they find a golden nugget twice the size of a football. They secretly hide it in their sack and get it back to their camp where the one man’s wife tells em to get rid of it because it will only cause trouble. The brothers are so excited about their good fortune, finally their luck turned around. Then they argue because one wants to split it 50/50 and the other does not. They fight even shooting at each other. Finally one kills the other and begins going down river with the large golden rock in his backpack. He stands up in the canoe to look in the water for his brother that he drowned and he falls in. The backpack is so heavy and strapped tightly that he is unable to remove it and also drowns.
Pursuing money over wisdom will lead to death maybe not in the way that show I saw did but it will not save you and ultimately will not satisfy you.
19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; 20 by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.
God in His wisdom created our world, the universe, and everything. He not only created it but sustains it. He keeps gravity in place, keeps the natural laws working, and without Him and His wisdom we would be lost.
21 My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22 and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. 23 Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. 24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, 26 for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.
Here we are told that wisdom and discretion from the Lord will keep us from danger. Christ is by our side throughout our days keeping us from the snares in the world.
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
This last section wraps up with how we should treat our neighbors. The author tells us to do good where we can. We can’t solve every problem but the Church is able to help out a great deal. I read a book a few years back called How Christianity Changed the World and it highlighted the many ways that Christians have helped make a difference in this world. We continue to do so today and each of us can in our own neighborhoods and in our circles of influence.
Each day we have opportunities to shine Christ’s light into the world and flavor the world with the salt we have received from Him. We are also told to do it today. Don’t wait for tomorrow do it now.
29 Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you. 30 Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.
For those who live near us let us speak about them as friends. Work on ways to build trust between neighbors. Find ways to strengthen bonds in your neighborhood.
31 Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways, 32 for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence. 33 The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. 34 Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor. 35 The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.
Sadly violent men often seem popular and powerful from the outside. The Lord cautions us to not try and be like him. He is an abomination to the Lord. Instead we are to be upright. This proverb ends with reminding us that the wise, those in Christ will inherit honor and the fool will be disgraced. The wise in Christ will be with Him forever the fool will be apart from Christ forever.
Application:
As we get ready to wrap up I want to give you three quick applications from these two chapters.
God’s Word is the source of wisdom. Take time this week to read Proverbs 17-24 one chapter each day.
Write down one nugget of truth/wisdom to reflect on each day.
Find a way to be blessing to a neighbor today. It could be picking up some flowers on your way home. It could be writing a note thanking them for being good neighbors and telling them you are praying for them.
Prayer