Pursuing Wisdom

Intro

- Illustration- Adak Island Treasure

o When you are searching for treasure you have to know why you’re doing it, you need to know where to look, and you need to know the obstacles you might face.

- Proverbs 8:11 For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her

- Last week Noah shared from Prov. 2 where it Solomon says, “Seek it (wisdom) like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures.”

- As Christians we must know the importance of pursuing God’s wisdom, where we can find it, and the adversaries that stand in our way.

- Ultimately, the pursuit of wisdom draws us closer to our God and guards us from the corruptive influences of this world and our own sinful nature.

Why Pursue Wisdom?

A. To know what is true (to see the world as it truly is) (10-11)

1. Man has been named from the beginning- he is what he is, we cannot change that just because we don't like it

a. Illustration of kids calling something by the wrong name- it’s cute, but at some point we have to correct them

2. The same goes for every truth- we do not make our own truth

3. God is the author of what is true. who are we to argue with him?

4. To ignore what is true and live in an alternate reality of "my truth" is a headlong dive into foolishness- and the consequences will be real whether we believe them or not

a. Warren Wiersbe "We cooperate with God as we accept the "names" He has given to things: sin is sin; obedience is obedience; truth is truth. If we alter these names, we move into a world of illusion and lose touch with reality. This is where many people are living today."

b. We may have the freedom to make decisions, to call things what we want, to act how we want, but that does not change reality, what is true, and the inevitable consequences of our choices.

5. The more man tries to define what is true the more he runs from wisdom and truth (11)

B. To follow the path God has for us (12)

1. We know nothing good apart from God

2. We know nothing of our future apart from God

3. We pursue wisdom in order to understand what God has revealed to us

a. We must trust him because his way is best

b. Noah gave a great illustration last week of staying on the path - when we get distracted, what brings us back to the path? God's revealed wisdom

C. To finish well (7:1)

1. Precious ointment could be alluding to wealth- a good name is better than great riches

a. This would fit with Solomons words in Prov. 22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.

2. Reputation

a. The name that you build for yourself by the way that you live either smells good to others, or it stinks

3. The day of death is better than the day of birth

a. When I die, my reputation is set, but while I'm still breathing, there is the potential to ruin it

(1) And we have seen this happen over and over

- Transition- now that we know our motivation to pursue wisdom, we must know where to find it

Where do I find wisdom? (2-6)

A. In Death (2)

1. Illustration- facing the reality of death

2. There is Wisdom in thinking on the brevity of life and questions of eternity rather than living foolishly in the pursuit of pleasure

3. Psalm 90:12- So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

4. It brings us face to face with 2 realities

a. How I spend today matters

b. Eternity matters

5. Our culture needs a dose of somber reflection on what truly matters in life

B. In Sorrow (3)

1. If we are pursuing joy and a carefree life at the expense of acknowledging the seriousness of life with pain, grief, injustice, and sorrow, then we are not listening to wisdom

2. Think back to when you learned some of life’s greatest lessons, think back to the moments that God has worked in your heart to grow you and change you. I’ll bet that most of those times were accompanied or even initiated by adversity, trials, or trauma in your life.

3. Pursuing wisdom means acknowledging the painful realities of this life and seeking God’s wisdom and direction to find true joy in the midst of sorrow

C. In Rebuke (5-6)

1. Warnings, corrections, and rebukes from the wise are better than surrounding yourself with people who only tell you what you want to hear

a. Proverbs 27:6 The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.

b. Proverbs 25:12 A wise correction to a receptive ear is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold.

2. None of us like correction- we feel attacked, judged, looked down on- it makes us defensive

a. But it is in rebukes and corrections from wise and righteous (not perfect) people in our lives that we can find wisdom- if we are willing to listen

- Transition- God reveals wisdom to us, but we must be aware of where to find it. sometimes it’s in the most unlikely places, but knowing this can help us see truth in difficult circumstances

What are the adversaries of wisdom? (7-12)

A. Corruption (7)

1. The word oppression used here carries the idea of extortion

2. Bribery is a quick way of getting things done, but the end of it is corruption

3. When we pursue wisdom, we can guarantee that our culture and even our own sinful nature will be battling us the entire way

a. The temptation to conform to the culture

b. The temptation to pursue prosperity and personal gain

4. We cannot give in

a. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit within us

B. Impatience (8)

1. “Better is the end of a thing than it’s beginning”

2. Wisdom does not pursue immediate satisfaction, but looks to the end result

a. The foolish and the proud in spirit are concerned about the now- what can satisfy me today

b. This is why sin is so enticing- it promises immediate gratification

(1) But Satan does everything he can to keep our minds focused on the beginning, not the end

(2) James 1:14-15 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

c. It is always a temptation to pursue what brings satisfaction now, but wisdom looks ahead and realizes the importance of ending well

3. Gal. 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

4. But we cannot do this alone

a. Phil. 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

C. Anger (9)

1. Anger has a way of controlling us

a. It can turn us into different people

b. It clouds our thinking and can cause us do things we would not do if we were thinking clearly

c. Pursuing wisdom requires us to be sober minded, controlling our emotions rather than being controlled by them

2. Prov. 14:17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly

3. Prov. 16:32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city

4. James 1:19-20 “My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.”

D. Discontent (10)

1. Wisdom doesn’t focus on what has been, but rather on making the most of the now

2. We cannot change the past, and we are not guaranteed tomorrow, so what are you doing with today?

a. This alludes back to the reality of death and the importance of using our time wisely

b. Not wasting it stuck in the past

c. The good old days are a combination of a bad memory and a good imagination

3. If we spend our time wishing for different circumstances, we run the risk of missing out on all that God wants to do in and through us in the place he has us now!

Conclusion

- Ultimately, the pursuit of wisdom draws us closer to our God and guards us from the corruptive influences of this world and our own sinful nature.

So What?

- So What is it that keeps you from pursuing godly wisdom?

o Perhaps you simply haven’t placed enough priority on it

§ Understanding the value of wisdom, like a treasure, ought to motivate us to pursue it

o Perhaps you don’t always know where to find it

§ God’s word is the place to start

§ But we cannot miss all the unlikely ways that God shares his wisdom with us

§ We can become so weighed down and discouraged by things not going according to our plan that we miss what God is teaching us and the joy that can come from difficult circumstances in our lives

o Maybe its simply all the distractions that pull us away from pursuing wisdom as we should

§ I’m too busy enjoying life to worry about that right now

§ I can worry about that later

§ I am content pursuing my own way of living

o Maybe it is that we simply don’t have a relationship with God to begin with

§ Apart from God working in our lives and revealing his wisdom to us, we have no hope of understanding truth.

§ The only way we can have that relationship with God is through the person and work of Jesus Christ