WEBVTT 00:00:15.800 --> 00:00:19.199 I love how we begin our service together. 00:00:19.199 --> 00:00:21.932 Declaring how great God is. 00:00:21.932 --> 00:00:26.765 You know, it gets our attention off ourselves, which I need. 00:00:26.765 --> 00:00:29.666 I mean, it's too easy to go inward. 00:00:29.666 --> 00:00:38.466 Even though we're proclaiming though how great he is, there's often a gap between understanding who he is and living it out. 00:00:38.466 --> 00:00:43.932 There's a gap, often between knowledge and wisdom. 00:00:44.033 --> 00:00:50.232 We see that in every layer of life, it's plagued humanity for our entire existence. 00:00:50.232 --> 00:00:58.899 For instance, our government will declare that by age 18 you have enough knowledge to be responsible of yourself. 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:04.500 But our government also recognizes that no one should serve as president till at least 30. Right? 00:01:04.500 --> 00:01:08.566 Because there's a gap between knowledge and wisdom. 00:01:08.865 --> 00:01:14.900 Part of what we hope to do is to bridge that gap in the coming months. 00:01:14.900 --> 00:01:20.533 We are going to enter into today a study of the Book of Proverbs. 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:29.566 Now, Proverbs is often referred to as the Book of Wisdom, full of wisdom and insight. 00:01:29.665 --> 00:01:34.033 How do we not just have knowledge of who God is? 00:01:34.233 --> 00:01:36.832 But there's there's more to that in living now. 00:01:36.832 --> 00:01:43.066 Not just understanding, but really having the wisdom to live out what it means to follow him. 00:01:44.599 --> 00:01:47.200 That's what the Book of Proverbs is about. 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:54.000 How do we live out the day to day life, of knowing knowledge of who he is, but living it out? 00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:56.599 Now here's one reality of wisdom. 00:01:56.599 --> 00:02:00.433 And we're going to struggle with this a lot today. 00:02:00.433 --> 00:02:02.865 Wisdom is not easy to gain. 00:02:05.233 --> 00:02:11.966 In fact, you may have often heard the phrase people need some common sense, all right. 00:02:11.966 --> 00:02:17.832 But the reality is common sense is far too uncommon anymore. 00:02:17.900 --> 00:02:19.932 It's not common. 00:02:19.932 --> 00:02:22.332 And here's something we're going to hit over and over again today. 00:02:22.332 --> 00:02:32.400 The reality is, if you want wisdom or we would say uncommon wisdom, it's going to take an uncommon effort. 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:35.400 Wisdom doesn't come easily. 00:02:35.532 --> 00:02:37.466 It doesn't come naturally. 00:02:37.466 --> 00:02:39.165 It has to be fought for. 00:02:39.165 --> 00:02:41.366 Many people want the easy way out. 00:02:41.366 --> 00:02:43.466 I just want things. Give it to me. 00:02:43.466 --> 00:02:57.532 But wisdom only comes through hard, hard fought effort often. There's no quick fix when it comes to gaining wisdom, but there is a book all about it that we're going to look at today. 00:02:57.532 --> 00:02:59.366 We're going to be in Proverbs chapter one. 00:02:59.366 --> 00:03:03.699 And if you have a church Bible, those are Bibles we have out in the Connection Corner. 00:03:03.699 --> 00:03:08.332 If you don't have a Bible we're going to read eventually most of chapter one today. 00:03:08.332 --> 00:03:11.199 So you're going to want to be able to follow along in a copy of the Bible. 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:19.932 You can slip out any time and grab one of those because we want you turning in God's Word, looking there, reading it. 00:03:19.966 --> 00:03:34.099 As we journey on the path of trying to figure out what wisdom is, we're going to see three things today in chapter one, one key point, and one key point in that passage that is driving home to the nature of wisdom. 00:03:34.099 --> 00:03:43.133 You're also going to see two paths to wisdom, and then we're going to see three different people addressed in chapter one. 00:03:43.133 --> 00:03:50.832 One key point, two Paths to wisdom and three people addressed as we are trying to discern what is wisdom. 00:03:50.832 --> 00:03:55.366 Now let's start by just reading the first few verses of chapter one. 00:03:55.366 --> 00:03:57.800 And if you don't have a church Bible, don't know the page number. 00:03:57.800 --> 00:04:01.466 Proverbs generally lands in the middle of your Bible. 00:04:01.466 --> 00:04:03.500 Roughly there. It's next to Psalms. 00:04:03.500 --> 00:04:06.133 If you get in that area, you'll be able to find it. 00:04:06.133 --> 00:04:12.500 We're going to read from Proverbs chapter one, verse one through seven. 00:04:12.932 --> 00:04:35.833 The Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, King of Israel, to know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction and wise dealing and righteousness, justice and equity, to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth. 00:04:35.932 --> 00:04:51.533 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. 00:04:52.233 --> 00:04:57.833 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. 00:04:57.833 --> 00:05:01.500 Fools despise wisdom and instruction. 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:11.966 Here we have in the first seven verses of Proverbs, basically an introduction to the book of Proverbs. 00:05:11.966 --> 00:05:17.065 This sets the tone for the entire book, much like if you've read Psalms. 00:05:17.065 --> 00:05:23.466 Psalm one really launches the direction of the entire book of Psalms. 00:05:23.466 --> 00:05:31.100 Blessed are those who stand not in the counsel of wicked, or walk in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat in scoffers, but their delight is in the law of the Lord. 00:05:31.100 --> 00:05:32.833 And on his law they meditate day and night. 00:05:32.833 --> 00:05:35.500 They're like a tree planted by streams of flowing water. 00:05:35.500 --> 00:05:39.833 They bear fruit in season, but the wicked are not so. 00:05:39.833 --> 00:05:41.632 They're like a chaff that the wind blows away. 00:05:41.632 --> 00:05:45.699 You see this contrast between the wicked and the righteous who root themselves in God's Word. 00:05:45.699 --> 00:05:54.000 And that theme comes up all over and over again through the book of Psalms here in Proverbs, you see right out of the gate we're going to talk about wisdom. 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:56.432 How do you get wisdom? 00:05:56.432 --> 00:06:00.665 But we also see here the author struggling with how to define it. 00:06:00.665 --> 00:06:03.665 In fact, how do you define wisdom? 00:06:04.432 --> 00:06:07.065 And it's really challenging. 00:06:07.065 --> 00:06:09.833 There's not just one simple answer. 00:06:09.833 --> 00:06:13.365 Someone asks you what, how would you define wisdom? 00:06:13.365 --> 00:06:15.899 I mean, you you're going to mention a lot of different things. 00:06:15.899 --> 00:06:27.300 But much like Paul did with love when he was trying to define love in First Corinthians 13, he spent half the time talking about what it’s not to try to figure out what it is. 00:06:27.300 --> 00:06:31.333 You try to put a simple definition on love - it's hard because it's complex. 00:06:31.333 --> 00:06:33.432 There's a lot of layers to it. 00:06:33.432 --> 00:06:34.333 Wisdom similar. 00:06:35.365 --> 00:06:36.165 I've heard one guy. 00:06:36.165 --> 00:06:37.800 I think this is a helpful definition. 00:06:37.800 --> 00:06:48.432 I've heard one guy say godly skill for everyday living, but that still doesn't fully encompass everything about wisdom. 00:06:48.432 --> 00:06:51.300 And I tell you what's even harder. 00:06:51.300 --> 00:06:56.033 Maybe you could try to define it, but how do you get it? 00:06:56.233 --> 00:06:59.300 That's the challenge we're going to wrestle with here. Now. 00:06:59.300 --> 00:07:05.100 Why a proverb though, to convey ideas about wisdom? 00:07:05.800 --> 00:07:07.000 You see what I mean by this? 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:08.466 Why use Proverbs? 00:07:08.466 --> 00:07:16.100 We understand what a proverb is even in English literature, and this is important to understand about the Bible. 00:07:16.100 --> 00:07:18.833 The Bible is made up of a bunch of different types of writings. 00:07:18.833 --> 00:07:38.533 Much like if you wanted to tell someone that you love them, maybe someone you favored and hadn't yet expressed that to them and were hoping they would receive it, well, you might write them a little note, fold up a tiny paper hoping they find it in their pocket later when they're far away from you, so that you're not embarrassed if they don't feel the same way. 00:07:38.533 --> 00:07:44.000 You might write them a song, sing it to the world to celebrate your love for them. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:45.865 You might write a poem. 00:07:45.865 --> 00:07:50.399 You might write a story telling of your future together and what it would look like. 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:54.600 You might take a spreadsheet and outline all the ways you've budgeted money aside to love on them. 00:07:54.600 --> 00:07:57.033 I know my accountants are getting excited right now. 00:07:57.033 --> 00:07:58.000 I didn't know I could do that. 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:00.632 Oh yeah, that speaks love for sure. 00:08:00.632 --> 00:08:06.165 You might do a research project on the history of love, and look at all the key relationships over the course of history. 00:08:06.165 --> 00:08:11.165 You might interview people who've been married over 50 years and compile in bullet points all their key sayings. 00:08:11.165 --> 00:08:15.632 You see, there's a lot of different ways that you could express your love to someone. 00:08:16.600 --> 00:08:25.065 And when it comes to Scripture, there's a lot of different ways that Scripture communicates to us. There’s stories, there's parables, there's lists. 00:08:25.065 --> 00:08:28.065 There's also poems, songs. 00:08:28.899 --> 00:08:31.000 There's proverbs. 00:08:31.000 --> 00:08:39.200 Proverbs are just witty sayings that kind of get your attention in a slightly different way. 00:08:39.765 --> 00:08:50.299 I think, Tim Keller said it well when he defined proverbs, or not defined, but gave it some description of what a proverb is just in general. 00:08:50.365 --> 00:08:58.332 He said, if Scripture is a medicine cabinet, the Psalms would be the ointment of the medicine cabinet. 00:08:58.332 --> 00:09:02.466 Those would be the one that soothe and console. 00:09:02.466 --> 00:09:06.666 But he said, the proverbs are more like the smelling salts. 00:09:06.666 --> 00:09:11.799 They're meant to shock you, to catch you off guard, to wake you up, to grab your attention. 00:09:13.332 --> 00:09:14.365 That happens in our culture. 00:09:14.365 --> 00:09:21.533 I think if you can think of people who have witty sayings that stick with you, you hear them once. Mark Twain is often known for this. 00:09:21.533 --> 00:09:26.033 When I heard him talk about the Bible and his view on... 00:09:26.033 --> 00:09:27.633 well, I didn't hear him talk about it, he’s long gone. 00:09:27.633 --> 00:09:34.133 When I read about him talking about the Bible, they asked him, what do you think of the Bible? 00:09:34.133 --> 00:09:39.033 He said, well, let me tell you, it's not the parts of the Bible I don't understand that bother me. 00:09:39.033 --> 00:09:42.600 It's the parts I do understand that bother me. 00:09:42.666 --> 00:09:44.332 Yeah. Love your neighbor as yourself. 00:09:44.332 --> 00:09:50.299 All the parts that are the challenging parts of the Bible are the parts that are really clear and hard to live out. 00:09:50.299 --> 00:09:56.365 Hearing him say that, that's a witty way of piecing that together, of the challenge we face, of following Scripture. 00:09:56.365 --> 00:09:58.066 There's other things like that we have. 00:09:58.066 --> 00:10:05.765 You'll you'll often hear people try to reduce everything down to something very contrasting, like, hey, there's two types of people. 00:10:05.765 --> 00:10:08.865 And of course, anytime you say that, you immediately go, no, there's not. 00:10:08.865 --> 00:10:10.332 There's more than two types of people. 00:10:10.332 --> 00:10:12.432 But the point is to draw out a contrast. 00:10:12.432 --> 00:10:14.932 You'll hear him say something like, there's two types of people. 00:10:14.932 --> 00:10:17.666 Those who love dogs and those who hate cats, right? 00:10:17.666 --> 00:10:20.566 That's one approach that'll come around. 00:10:20.566 --> 00:10:22.033 You'll get it here in a little bit. 00:10:22.033 --> 00:10:27.732 There's two types of people those who can count, those who can't, and those who don't care. 00:10:27.732 --> 00:10:30.166 You'll get that one later today, too. 00:10:30.166 --> 00:10:30.832 Here's another one. 00:10:30.832 --> 00:10:31.799 There's two types of people. 00:10:31.799 --> 00:10:36.299 Those who have read Lord of the Rings and those who are sinning. 00:10:36.299 --> 00:10:40.232 Or some would say those who are normal, right, whatever. Love Lord of the Rings. 00:10:40.232 --> 00:10:43.700 And then here's one I think probably a marriage counselor came up with. 00:10:43.700 --> 00:10:49.299 There are two types of people in this world, and they always marry each other. 00:10:49.332 --> 00:10:59.799 It's often true- opposites attract, though we don't hear those two types of people statements or proverbs and put them on the same level as the Constitution of the United States. 00:11:00.832 --> 00:11:07.365 You understand those are meant to achieve something, to wake you up, to get you thinking, to provide a contrast. 00:11:07.365 --> 00:11:14.666 In fact, that word proverb at its root means contrast, comparison. 00:11:15.566 --> 00:11:17.600 That's often what happens. 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:21.232 I'll give you a good example of this from the Proverbs. 00:11:21.232 --> 00:11:26.166 Chapter 11 verse 22 says, like a gold ring in a pig's snout. 00:11:27.533 --> 00:11:34.865 I mean, there's your starting contrast, a gold ring in a pig's snout, something beautiful and valuable in the nose of a pig. 00:11:34.865 --> 00:11:36.765 You immediately go, those don't go together. 00:11:36.765 --> 00:11:39.765 Those shouldn't be near one another. 00:11:39.899 --> 00:11:45.765 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion. 00:11:47.299 --> 00:11:48.765 Those shouldn't go together. 00:11:48.765 --> 00:11:52.365 Instead, you should have beauty and wisdom together. 00:11:52.365 --> 00:11:55.966 Although that seems increasingly uncommon in this world. 00:11:56.932 --> 00:12:04.533 But the proverbs are meant to kind of poke you a little bit to make you have to pause and think to see the comparison. 00:12:04.899 --> 00:12:09.832 Yet the proverbs, at the same time aren't absolute promises about how the world works. 00:12:09.832 --> 00:12:14.666 They're more of general principles of of how the world works in general. 00:12:14.832 --> 00:12:15.799 A good example of that. 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:17.399 I'll give you another one here. 00:12:17.399 --> 00:12:29.133 6 - train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. 00:12:29.232 --> 00:12:35.899 How many people have grown up in church, raised their children in church, and their children do not follow? 00:12:35.899 --> 00:12:37.666 Some of you have had that case. 00:12:37.666 --> 00:12:42.732 Some of you have been that case and you understand it's not an absolute law. 00:12:44.100 --> 00:12:49.633 And by the way, side note, there's a lot of times we think we are raising him in the Lord just because we brought him there. 00:12:49.633 --> 00:12:53.399 But yet maybe the rest of our life isn't reflecting following the Lord. 00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:56.399 So it's a complex thing. 00:12:56.832 --> 00:12:59.966 But the proverbs aren't meant to lay down an absolute law. 00:12:59.966 --> 00:13:06.899 It's meant to force you to think, examine your own heart, to draw out your heart. 00:13:07.166 --> 00:13:08.865 Here's a quote from Derek Kidner. 00:13:08.865 --> 00:13:10.566 He's a Bible commentator. 00:13:10.566 --> 00:13:11.265 He says it this way. 00:13:11.265 --> 00:13:14.832 Here's his attempt to talk about what a proverb is. 00:13:14.832 --> 00:13:17.066 Go ahead and put that quote on screen. 00:13:17.066 --> 00:13:19.299 A proverb should provoke thought. 00:13:19.299 --> 00:13:31.365 It should get under one's skin by thrusts of wit, paradox, common sense and symbolism instead of the preacher's tactic of frontal assault. 00:13:31.365 --> 00:13:36.100 Now, he didn't have to criticize preachers, by trying to point out what a proverb is. 00:13:36.100 --> 00:13:36.966 Thank you, Mr. Kidner. 00:13:36.966 --> 00:13:38.000 Take that off the screen. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:49.765 But the point is, Proverbs act a little differently than a lot of Scripture to try to drive into the heart, to try to just get you thinking a little more than normal. 00:13:49.765 --> 00:13:51.600 That's part of the role of Proverbs. 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:56.832 And Proverbs are particularly helpful when we're trying to drive towards what is wisdom. 00:13:56.832 --> 00:13:58.365 How do I get wisdom? 00:14:00.732 --> 00:14:05.299 Now, these first seven verses that we read are wrestling with this, and we're going to look at this. 00:14:05.299 --> 00:14:09.265 We're going to look at some of the key words in those first few verses. 00:14:09.265 --> 00:14:19.133 We can't look at them all, but there's probably somewhere around a dozen or more words that are all trying to describe what wisdom is, and our effort to find wisdom. 00:14:19.133 --> 00:14:20.466 We're going to look at a few of those words. 00:14:20.466 --> 00:14:25.365 And by the way, as I'm unpacking these, I'm leaning heavily on a book by Tim Keller. 00:14:25.365 --> 00:14:26.899 And I'd recommend this to everyone. 00:14:26.899 --> 00:14:28.799 The picture of this book will be on the screen. 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:32.232 It's a daily devotion on the Proverbs he wrote with his wife, Cathy. 00:14:32.232 --> 00:14:37.332 It's a great resource, one page a day about a portion of Proverbs. Get a copy. 00:14:37.332 --> 00:14:41.000 I'll probably reference it quite a bit over the coming weeks. 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:44.600 It's a great daily drip of proverbs in your life. 00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:49.633 I'm leaning on parts of that book as we talk about each of these opening words here. 00:14:49.633 --> 00:14:52.533 You'll see some of those descriptors in that book as well. 00:14:52.533 --> 00:14:54.732 And in the opening section in particular. 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:59.000 But here's a few of those words. 00:14:59.232 --> 00:15:03.932 As the writer of Proverbs seeks to wrestle with, how do we define wisdom? 00:15:03.932 --> 00:15:05.033 How do we gain wisdom? 00:15:05.033 --> 00:15:05.765 What does it mean? 00:15:05.765 --> 00:15:09.432 Let's look at a few of these words and describe these. 00:15:09.432 --> 00:15:13.633 Look at verse two to know wisdom and instruction. 00:15:14.299 --> 00:15:14.732 All right. 00:15:14.732 --> 00:15:23.000 That word instruction underneath that is the idea of training with strong accountability. 00:15:23.365 --> 00:15:28.932 And now we've all been there where you decide I need to get better in an area. 00:15:28.932 --> 00:15:30.265 I need more training. 00:15:30.265 --> 00:15:32.200 I need to do more work on this. 00:15:32.200 --> 00:15:37.265 Maybe it's an instrument, maybe it's an area, a sport or fitness or a job skill. 00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:42.700 And we all have experienced this where you start out with gusto, but then the effort tapers off a little bit. 00:15:43.865 --> 00:15:46.633 But strong accountability instruction. 00:15:46.633 --> 00:15:54.033 It points to this idea of someone standing over you, keeping you moving forward when you don't want to keep going. 00:15:54.033 --> 00:15:57.799 Imagine the Olympic athlete that is never produced overnight. 00:15:57.799 --> 00:16:07.600 The day after the Olympics ends I’ve got four years till the next one, and every moment, every piece of food I eat, every workout, every minute of sleep, it all matters. 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:09.765 It all adds up. 00:16:09.765 --> 00:16:16.799 And if you don't have a coach standing on top of you, for most of them, there's going to be moments where you just are done. 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:21.265 This has that picture of keep going, keep pressing in when you want to give up. 00:16:21.265 --> 00:16:24.399 It's not just I heard a little bit about it and now I'm good to go. 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:32.932 No, it's it's more of the idea of discipline, staying engaged, staying focused, continuing to drive in even when I don't feel like. 00:16:32.932 --> 00:16:34.799 And we've all all been there. 00:16:36.865 --> 00:16:38.000 That's some of it. 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:40.932 Underneath the nature of wisdom, it's not attained easily. 00:16:40.932 --> 00:16:42.200 We got to keep pressing in. 00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:43.600 Instruction is like that. 00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:47.232 The type of instruction he's describing here. 00:16:47.232 --> 00:16:49.166 Next look in verse two. 00:16:49.166 --> 00:16:55.865 The next line to know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, words of insight. 00:16:55.865 --> 00:16:59.832 Another word we might use to describe that is discernment. 00:16:59.832 --> 00:17:08.566 And when you have discernment around something, you can see subtle shades of meaning and and differences expressed in it. 00:17:08.700 --> 00:17:17.165 If you've never had coffee before the first time you drink it, all you taste is hot bitterness and like burning in your mouth. 00:17:17.165 --> 00:17:17.500 It doesn't. 00:17:17.500 --> 00:17:29.165 You don't really understand the nuances in flavor that might occur between a cup of Kroger's finest and some you might roast yourself and grind yourself and brew at home. 00:17:29.165 --> 00:17:35.000 And those who have drank coffee for a long time can see those subtle differences at times. 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:36.900 So you pick pick your favorite thing. 00:17:37.932 --> 00:17:45.333 You know, Tim Keller talked about how his wife adores ballet, and they go there and she sees the finest differences in movement and appreciates the subtleties. 00:17:45.333 --> 00:17:47.465 And he's just like, wow, dancing. 00:17:47.465 --> 00:17:49.932 That's great. 00:17:49.932 --> 00:17:52.932 Discernment comes over time. 00:17:53.365 --> 00:17:54.400 It comes through love. 00:17:54.400 --> 00:17:56.599 It comes through study over time. 00:17:56.599 --> 00:18:00.932 And by the way, the same is true of our lives spiritually. 00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:05.833 There's things over time that you grow more discerning in as you grow spiritually. 00:18:05.833 --> 00:18:10.200 There's things you become more aware of, of what's really going on behind the scenes. 00:18:10.200 --> 00:18:24.333 On the surface, one thing seems to appear to be happening, but you realize with spiritual discernment there's something else going on you more easily, readily see where there's evil and good and where which is at play. 00:18:24.333 --> 00:18:28.000 But this happens over time, and it's something you want to see. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:31.333 And someone who's becoming wise is discernment. 00:18:31.333 --> 00:18:39.232 Now look at verse four to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth. 00:18:39.232 --> 00:18:43.133 So two words here that we want to draw out that are elements. 00:18:43.133 --> 00:18:47.799 And we can even say facets of wisdom, prudence and discretion. 00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:53.732 I think words we would often use to describe both of those are tact and timing. 00:18:54.700 --> 00:18:58.432 Both of those are really important when it comes to expressing wisdom. 00:18:58.432 --> 00:19:06.566 You can know the right thing to say, but said untactfully does not land well. 00:19:06.566 --> 00:19:18.133 You could be 100% right and it be completely rejected when it's not phrased in a kind way, when it's not phrased with wisdom. 00:19:18.266 --> 00:19:19.799 Same is true of timing. 00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:26.665 You can have the exact right thing to say, and you can even say it perfectly, and you say it at the wrong time. 00:19:26.665 --> 00:19:29.232 And not only is it rejected, you're despised. 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:40.333 I may think of someone I think it's probably a common example of this is you don't standing over the hospital bed of a loved one who is passing away in this very moment. 00:19:40.333 --> 00:19:45.500 You don't say to someone, well, God's going to work all this together for good, for his glory. Praise his name. 00:19:45.500 --> 00:19:49.099 Usually that's not the time to start quoting Romans eight to them. 00:19:49.099 --> 00:19:51.400 And by the way, Romans is absolutely true. 00:19:51.400 --> 00:19:55.000 Romans eight, that verse God works all things together for good according to his glory. 00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:58.133 Those who love him absolutely true. 00:19:58.133 --> 00:20:02.400 But the timing of that, that may not be the best timing to deliver it. 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:03.365 You see the difference here? 00:20:03.365 --> 00:20:13.400 We got to understand the importance of prudence, of tact, of timing. Part of that comes with wisdom over time. 00:20:13.400 --> 00:20:17.633 That is a display of wisdom that comes over time. 00:20:18.432 --> 00:20:24.365 In fact, there's a great example of this in the book of Proverbs, chapter 27 verse 14. 00:20:24.599 --> 00:20:34.365 Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice rising early in the morning will be counted as cursing right? 00:20:34.365 --> 00:20:35.932 You're like, please can you keep it down? 00:20:35.932 --> 00:20:37.000 I'm still waking up. 00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:40.865 I haven't had enough Kroger special yet to get woke up. 00:20:40.865 --> 00:20:44.232 Please use some tact, some timing. 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:46.700 All right. 00:20:46.700 --> 00:20:47.799 Prudence, discretion. 00:20:47.799 --> 00:20:50.232 Now look at verse five. 00:20:50.232 --> 00:20:55.400 Let the wise hear and increase in learning. 00:20:55.665 --> 00:20:58.333 And the one who understands obtain guidance. 00:20:58.333 --> 00:21:01.865 The word here we're focusing on is learning. And I love that. 00:21:01.865 --> 00:21:05.965 The address here is to the wise keep learning. 00:21:05.965 --> 00:21:13.900 Learning behind that word is more the idea of extensive in depth study, not just a superficial view of something. 00:21:13.900 --> 00:21:22.865 We all have base knowledge on various topics, but learning means I'm going to strive for more, deeper knowledge, not just a surface level understanding. 00:21:25.032 --> 00:21:34.932 I heard a theologian once say when asked about a topic, and he really didn't have an opinion on it, and someone said, come on, you're one of the smartest guys I know. 00:21:34.932 --> 00:21:38.532 Clearly you have an opinion, you have something to say about this. 00:21:38.532 --> 00:21:40.400 And here, here's what he said. 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:50.833 I try not to state a strong opinion on a topic until I've read at least five really good books on the subject. 00:21:51.566 --> 00:21:57.465 Okay, well, I just watched a 30 second video on it, and I'm an expert personally, that's how most of us roll. 00:21:57.465 --> 00:21:58.165 Hey, have you heard of this? 00:21:58.165 --> 00:21:59.232 I know all about it. 00:21:59.232 --> 00:22:02.500 When you saw two videos on YouTube about it. 00:22:02.500 --> 00:22:07.333 No, learning says, I'm going to be careful. 00:22:07.333 --> 00:22:09.400 I'm going to approach this delicately. 00:22:09.400 --> 00:22:16.965 I'm not going to rush to judgment and speak with absolute defiance and defensiveness about this topic. 00:22:16.965 --> 00:22:22.799 Because of the little bit, I know I'm going to keep striving to go deeper, to learn more. 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:25.566 I'm not going to be satisfied with just a little bit. 00:22:27.032 --> 00:22:28.032 Learning. 00:22:28.032 --> 00:22:34.599 You can see as these words pile up, my wisdom is not easily gained. 00:22:34.865 --> 00:22:35.365 It's not. 00:22:35.365 --> 00:22:36.833 There's no quick fix. 00:22:36.833 --> 00:22:38.833 There's no easy way to get wise. 00:22:38.833 --> 00:22:40.932 It doesn't just somehow happen. 00:22:40.932 --> 00:22:43.566 It's got to be hard fought for. 00:22:43.566 --> 00:22:52.932 Each of these words require sacrifices of ourselves to move towards wisdom, and that's only a portion of it. 00:22:53.665 --> 00:22:56.465 Now here's the key thing to remember. 00:22:56.465 --> 00:23:14.799 As hard as it is to struggle with each of these words, we talked about, and you can make great progress in your learning, in your tact, in your timing, in your discretion, in your discernment and still not be wise without verse seven. 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:19.633 And verse seven is the one key point today in terms of growing in wisdom. 00:23:19.633 --> 00:23:22.133 It is the entryway into wisdom. 00:23:22.133 --> 00:23:23.465 Let's look at verse seven again. 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:29.700 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. 00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:33.500 Fools despise wisdom and instruction. 00:23:34.333 --> 00:23:41.032 If you want to have true knowledge, if you want to have true wisdom, it starts with the fear of the Lord. 00:23:41.900 --> 00:23:45.965 Keller said it this way about this being the anchor point of wisdom. 00:23:45.965 --> 00:23:51.133 He said, the fear of the Lord is to wisdom, much like the alphabet is to reading. 00:23:51.932 --> 00:23:58.932 Or speaking of another famous author, the fear of the Lord is the wardrobe door into Narnia. 00:23:58.932 --> 00:24:02.232 It's the entryway into true wisdom. 00:24:02.232 --> 00:24:03.299 It's the beginning place. 00:24:03.299 --> 00:24:06.200 That's why it's here at the very beginning of the book. 00:24:06.200 --> 00:24:15.133 You can know a lot about how the world works, and you may have worldly wisdom, but if you want true wisdom, it starts with the fear of the Lord. 00:24:15.133 --> 00:24:16.599 That's the place to begin. 00:24:18.665 --> 00:24:20.232 And look, by fear. 00:24:20.232 --> 00:24:21.732 There's a lot of different ways to take that. 00:24:21.732 --> 00:24:32.232 I think many of us, if you've been around church for a while, you have some sense of we're not talking about cowering before God in fear of him striking you down in death and judgment at any moment. 00:24:32.232 --> 00:24:43.633 Of course, we should fear his power, but also there is more of a reverential awe that delights in how great he is. 00:24:44.465 --> 00:24:50.266 Not cowering in fear, worried about what he might do to me. 00:24:50.266 --> 00:24:52.400 But it's an awe. 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:55.400 It's a joy delighting in how great he is. 00:24:55.932 --> 00:25:20.099 It's a willing submission to how amazing he is, and finding my greatest joy in life in that when I order my life under his, everything else is ordered rightly and that fear, that healthy fear, that acknowledgment, that reverence, that respect, something else that's hard to define in one phrase. 00:25:20.099 --> 00:25:26.000 We got to use a dozen different phrases to try to define what does it mean to fear the Lord? 00:25:26.566 --> 00:25:29.465 Part of what it means is saying, I'm submitting my life to you. 00:25:29.465 --> 00:25:31.333 You know what's best, I don't. 00:25:31.333 --> 00:25:33.365 I'm going to follow your path, not mine. 00:25:33.365 --> 00:25:35.532 That's where I'll find true joy in life. 00:25:35.532 --> 00:25:37.500 That is the beginning of wisdom. 00:25:37.500 --> 00:25:42.066 And when I go my own way, I'm stepping away from wisdom. 00:25:43.032 --> 00:25:44.799 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:45.833 That's the first key point. 00:25:45.833 --> 00:25:47.566 That's the one key point today. 00:25:47.566 --> 00:25:50.599 If you get anything else about wisdom, is to start with the fear of the Lord. 00:25:50.599 --> 00:25:56.099 Now we're also going to look at two paths, but I'm going to first look at the three people addressed in here. 00:25:56.099 --> 00:25:58.133 We have one key point the fear of the Lord. 00:25:58.133 --> 00:25:59.200 Pursue the fear of the Lord. 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:02.500 If you want to know wisdom, fear him, respect him, know him, know his word. 00:26:04.032 --> 00:26:10.766 But notice he addresses, when it comes to doling out wisdom in the Book of Proverbs, he addresses three audiences here. 00:26:10.766 --> 00:26:22.032 So if you look back in the first couple of verses here, he addresses first the simple in verse four, to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth. 00:26:22.032 --> 00:26:26.532 Simple and youth seem to be used interchangeably. 00:26:26.532 --> 00:26:36.200 Before we talk about the simple, though, I want to mention, you know, the book of Proverbs is often spoken of, and I've done this myself as written by Solomon. 00:26:36.200 --> 00:26:38.333 That's partly true. 00:26:38.333 --> 00:26:45.365 But also there are other authors listed in the book of Proverbs I'm going to put on the screen just a chart that shows some of this. 00:26:45.365 --> 00:26:47.365 I grabbed this out of a commentary. 00:26:47.365 --> 00:26:51.232 I don't remember which one now, but I can find it if you if you need. 00:26:51.232 --> 00:26:55.865 But this shows some of the structure of the book of Proverbs, how it's broken up. 00:26:55.865 --> 00:27:03.165 Chapter one one through seven is really an introduction, and then chapter one through the rest of chapter nine are one big section addressing sons. 00:27:03.566 --> 00:27:05.833 Then we get into chapter 20, 22, 24. 00:27:05.833 --> 00:27:09.032 But you look at the bold words on here, you'll see listed in Scripture 00:27:09.032 --> 00:27:15.400 Solomon, sayings of the wise, just, general wise people. 00:27:15.400 --> 00:27:20.833 And we know from First Kings that Solomon spent a lot of time collecting proverbs and songs. 00:27:20.833 --> 00:27:25.400 So he had a rich wealth of, they said, 3000 proverbs memorized that is ready. 00:27:25.400 --> 00:27:29.032 Also, Hezekiah collected some of Solomon's proverbs. 00:27:29.032 --> 00:27:31.633 There's a guy named Agur, and Lemuel. 00:27:31.633 --> 00:27:34.599 Each of these different people contributed to the Book of Proverbs. 00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:39.400 It's listed right in there. By the way, Proverbs lends its nature to that. 00:27:39.400 --> 00:27:47.232 Anytime you come across a list of sayings, it's often collected from various people leaning on the wisdom of many. 00:27:48.932 --> 00:27:56.665 And so when he comes back to addressing the audience, I'm talking to you, the simple, the youth. 00:27:56.665 --> 00:27:59.566 You need the collective wisdom of the ages. 00:27:59.566 --> 00:28:03.165 We all do, but especially the young. 00:28:03.766 --> 00:28:08.766 Another word that it could be the simple could be translated as immature. 00:28:09.932 --> 00:28:13.000 And look, that's not putting down anybody who's young. 00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:21.000 I mean, I look back on myself at various ages and I would say simple minded, naive, young, immature. 00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:23.165 That's just part of growing. 00:28:23.165 --> 00:28:25.900 That just comes with time. 00:28:25.900 --> 00:28:33.432 Again, even our government acknowledges that I can drive at 16, but they're not going to let me rent a car till I'm 25. 00:28:33.432 --> 00:28:38.865 You see, there's still this gap between knowledge, experience and and wisdom. 00:28:39.833 --> 00:28:42.099 So he's addressing the simple, the young. 00:28:42.099 --> 00:28:45.932 Of course they need wisdom, but notice who else he addresses. 00:28:45.932 --> 00:28:46.932 We've already read this verse. 00:28:46.932 --> 00:28:48.032 Verse five. 00:28:48.032 --> 00:28:51.432 Let the wise hear and increase in learning. 00:28:53.299 --> 00:29:00.799 When I read this, you know the best person to teach to is someone who's already wise and hungry for more. 00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:03.799 They're the most likely to receive it. 00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:10.432 If you think you already have everything figured out, you're you're not going to be open to learning. 00:29:11.232 --> 00:29:13.232 So he says the wise. 00:29:13.232 --> 00:29:14.266 In fact, I love this verse. 00:29:14.266 --> 00:29:16.732 I think it's a nine. Chapter nine. 00:29:16.732 --> 00:29:17.232 Yes. 00:29:17.232 --> 00:29:23.232 Chapter nine, verse nine, instruct the wise person and they will be wiser still. 00:29:24.333 --> 00:29:25.400 You've experienced this. 00:29:25.400 --> 00:29:27.266 The teachable person who's wise. 00:29:27.266 --> 00:29:28.633 They want to know more. 00:29:28.633 --> 00:29:31.165 They want to keep growing. 00:29:31.165 --> 00:29:32.833 They want to improve and increase. 00:29:32.833 --> 00:29:36.500 They don't feel like they ever have it all figured out. 00:29:36.500 --> 00:29:38.266 They're still open. 00:29:38.266 --> 00:29:44.432 That's why our theme word out in the lobby for the year is grow, grow into oaks of righteousness. 00:29:44.432 --> 00:29:46.500 We want to be a church that is growing. 00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:48.165 None of us have it all figured out. 00:29:48.165 --> 00:29:50.799 No matter how mature in the faith you are. 00:29:50.799 --> 00:29:52.232 We're still growing. 00:29:52.232 --> 00:29:55.200 We're still learning, still hungry for God's Word. 00:29:56.766 --> 00:30:09.299 One of the one of the elders this morning said to me, I have read proverbs for almost every day of my life as a Christian, and every time I open it, there's something there. 00:30:09.299 --> 00:30:18.133 I've never thought there's always a nugget, always growing, always learning, always improving. 00:30:18.932 --> 00:30:22.099 That's why we offer this Wednesday night. 00:30:22.099 --> 00:30:26.799 We're kicking off a new round of dgroups, which stands for Discipleship Groups. 00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:32.465 It's a series of classes we offer based on various topics to help people grow. We do. 00:30:32.465 --> 00:30:36.599 We have a class going on marriage this session that my parents are teaching. 00:30:36.599 --> 00:30:38.066 We have a session for women. 00:30:38.066 --> 00:30:49.365 They're going through the book of Luke looking at the book of Luke this session, we always have a worldview or an apologetics class- that one specifically talking about the gospel this session, what is a true gospel? 00:30:49.365 --> 00:30:52.432 What are many of the fake gospels that are out there? 00:30:52.432 --> 00:30:56.099 And then I'll be teaching a class on church history, on the Reformation 00:30:56.099 --> 00:30:59.099 30. 00:30:59.365 --> 00:31:06.732 Part of why we do that is because we want to acknowledge the great people who have gone before us, the sacrifices they have made. 00:31:06.732 --> 00:31:11.566 We want to learn from their wisdom, not try to reinvent it on our own. 00:31:11.566 --> 00:31:15.566 30, and those classes are spread throughout the church. 00:31:16.833 --> 00:31:22.932 One thing you can do, if you want to gain wisdom before then, come at five or up till six. 00:31:22.932 --> 00:31:34.965 We have a meal on Wednesday nights and look one of the best parts of that is just sitting down with someone you don't know, who has more wisdom than you, and just talking with them and just hanging out. 00:31:34.965 --> 00:31:39.465 So much wisdom is gained in that very informal moment. 00:31:39.932 --> 00:31:41.032 That's from 5 to 6. 00:31:41.032 --> 00:31:44.165 Long as you have your food by 6, hang out and eat as long as you want. 00:31:44.165 --> 00:31:47.532 30 and we have stuff for students and kids as well. 00:31:47.532 --> 00:31:51.599 Wednesday night's great, and if none of those dgroups seemed interesting to you, just come for the meal. 00:31:51.599 --> 00:31:55.200 Come enjoy, hang out, gain wisdom, sharpen one another in fellowship. 00:31:55.200 --> 00:31:59.400 But the point being, the wise, when instructed, will become wiser still. 00:31:59.400 --> 00:32:01.099 He talks to the simple, to the youth. 00:32:01.099 --> 00:32:02.200 He talks to the wise. 00:32:02.200 --> 00:32:11.133 But then, and this is going to carry us through chapter nine, the main audience of this front part of the book of Proverbs is right here in verse eight. 00:32:12.400 --> 00:32:26.000 He says, hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. 00:32:27.099 --> 00:32:35.000 The audience of these first nine chapters of the Book of Proverbs is a son, a child. 00:32:35.000 --> 00:32:37.299 We could even say a daughter. 00:32:37.299 --> 00:32:45.232 I mean, because look here in verse 20, wisdom is going to be called She- that doesn't mean that men don't have any wisdom. 00:32:45.232 --> 00:32:48.532 I don't think. Don't answer, don't respond to that. 00:32:48.532 --> 00:32:52.566 But you see, wisdom is spoken of as she he addresses my son. 00:32:52.566 --> 00:32:54.700 We can all gain from that. 00:32:54.700 --> 00:32:58.200 But every parent knows I want my child to grow in wisdom. 00:32:58.200 --> 00:33:02.232 I want them to grow up and live a life that honors God. 00:33:02.232 --> 00:33:06.865 I want them to know what Scripture says about how to live their lives. 00:33:08.133 --> 00:33:11.333 It takes nine chapters in particular to focus right in on that. 00:33:11.333 --> 00:33:12.799 My son, listen to me. 00:33:12.799 --> 00:33:13.732 Listen to your mother. 00:33:13.732 --> 00:33:14.833 Listen to both of us. 00:33:14.833 --> 00:33:17.766 We're going to do our best to pass on wisdom to you. 00:33:17.766 --> 00:33:19.532 Soak it up. Take it in. 00:33:19.532 --> 00:33:31.200 If you want to live a life that honors God, if you want to live a life of joy and delight and not take the hard path because you can gain a lot of wisdom through experience. 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:32.599 One guy I heard said, I hope I don't. 00:33:32.599 --> 00:33:48.633 This quotes kind of a little awkward the way it comes out, but it goes something like this-- experience isn't the best teacher in life, but it is the only school a fool will attend. 00:33:49.732 --> 00:33:54.000 Yes, experience will teach you some things and there are some things that can only be learned. 00:33:54.000 --> 00:33:57.299 That's a little bit of a proverb that can only be learned through experience. 00:33:57.299 --> 00:34:02.266 But in general, if you only learn through experience, it's going to be a rough life. 00:34:02.266 --> 00:34:07.232 I also want to learn from others who have done it the wrong way before me, so I don't have to repeat their mistakes. 00:34:09.065 --> 00:34:10.432 My son. 00:34:10.432 --> 00:34:11.833 Listen. 00:34:11.833 --> 00:34:17.565 Soak in the wisdom of others who have gone before you. Son, please listen. 00:34:17.565 --> 00:34:20.565 Don't just blaze your own trail. 00:34:21.300 --> 00:34:24.099 Follow God's way. 00:34:24.099 --> 00:34:31.465 So he addresses these three people in the book of Proverbs, and here's what he says to his son. 00:34:31.465 --> 00:34:37.932 And here's the two paths that the book of Proverbs is going to contrast all throughout. 00:34:37.932 --> 00:34:41.599 This is the big idea that the book of Proverbs is drawing at. 00:34:41.599 --> 00:34:43.565 fear the Lord. 00:34:43.565 --> 00:34:45.166 Three people addressed. 00:34:45.166 --> 00:34:48.166 But there are two paths you can take. 00:34:48.432 --> 00:34:51.132 In fact, you'll see this in these subject headings. 00:34:51.132 --> 00:34:54.032 The rest of chapter one will give us this contrast. 00:34:54.032 --> 00:35:02.333 If you look at verse eight right above, it is from verse eight through 19 as the enticement of sinners, the way of the fool. 00:35:02.333 --> 00:35:08.500 Your book, your subject heading may say something else, like following the foolish. 00:35:08.500 --> 00:35:11.132 That's one path to follow. 00:35:11.132 --> 00:35:13.632 The way of the wicked, the way of sinners, the way of foolish. 00:35:13.632 --> 00:35:15.965 The other path starts in verse 20. 00:35:15.965 --> 00:35:21.365 You look at the title over that it might say the way of wisdom or the call of wisdom, the path of wisdom. 00:35:21.365 --> 00:35:26.132 This is the contrast that the whole book of Proverbs is drawing out all throughout. 00:35:26.132 --> 00:35:28.032 You can go the way of the sinner. 00:35:28.032 --> 00:35:31.032 You can go the way of wisdom. 00:35:32.365 --> 00:35:35.333 This is a contrast we see all throughout Scripture. 00:35:35.333 --> 00:35:42.465 Jesus. Wide is the way that many go, but narrow is the gate to follow me. 00:35:42.465 --> 00:35:44.333 Narrow is the path. 00:35:44.333 --> 00:35:46.465 There are sheep and there are goats. 00:35:46.465 --> 00:35:49.500 He calls disciples to follow him and many don't. 00:35:50.632 --> 00:35:51.766 Deny yourself. 00:35:51.766 --> 00:35:53.065 Take up your cross daily. 00:35:53.065 --> 00:35:55.465 Follow me. 00:35:55.465 --> 00:35:57.599 All throughout Scripture you see this contrast. 00:35:57.599 --> 00:35:58.833 There's an easy way to go. 00:35:58.833 --> 00:36:00.333 It's wide a lot. Do it. 00:36:00.333 --> 00:36:04.233 And then there's a hard way that follows the call of wisdom. 00:36:04.233 --> 00:36:10.065 Let's look at those two paths and some of the realities of each pathway. 00:36:11.132 --> 00:36:15.199 hear, my son, your father's instruction. Forsake not your mother's teaching. 00:36:15.199 --> 00:36:19.800 They are a graceful garland for your head and a pendant for your neck. 00:36:19.800 --> 00:36:25.632 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. 00:36:25.800 --> 00:36:29.365 If they say, come with us, let us lie in wait for blood. 00:36:29.365 --> 00:36:32.365 Let us ambush the innocent without reason. 00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:38.365 Like Sheol, let us swallow them alive and whole like those who go down to the pit. 00:36:38.365 --> 00:36:40.965 We shall find all precious goods. 00:36:40.965 --> 00:36:43.032 We shall fill our house with plunder. 00:36:44.932 --> 00:36:49.166 You know the sinner, the foolish, the simple, the naive. 00:36:49.166 --> 00:36:53.500 They always want the easy way and are easily duped. 00:36:53.500 --> 00:36:55.532 That there is an easy way. 00:36:55.532 --> 00:36:57.465 Oh, you want to get rich quick? 00:36:57.465 --> 00:37:03.000 Let's just go lay by the roadside and people will just leave stuff there for us. 00:37:03.000 --> 00:37:05.833 Actually, we're going to take it from them. 00:37:05.833 --> 00:37:07.365 That's the easy way. 00:37:07.365 --> 00:37:12.032 That's what the naive, that's what the foolish, that's what the wicked want to do. 00:37:12.032 --> 00:37:15.532 And if it is hard, they don't want any part of it. 00:37:15.532 --> 00:37:16.833 I want a quick fix. 00:37:16.833 --> 00:37:19.833 I want it now or forget it. 00:37:21.432 --> 00:37:23.833 And the reality is where this often leads. 00:37:23.833 --> 00:37:29.900 Look at the next verse, verse 14, throw in your lot among us and we will all have one purse. 00:37:31.166 --> 00:37:34.166 Yeah, the naive fall for that for sure. 00:37:34.465 --> 00:37:38.800 Oh, you mean if I go with you to commit this crime, we'll all share in it equally. 00:37:38.800 --> 00:37:51.132 No, no, what we mean is we'll leave you in a place where you're the one that takes all the blame, and we get off with everything good. 00:37:52.233 --> 00:37:55.132 If you're naive, you don't understand that this is how the world works. 00:37:55.132 --> 00:38:01.132 You don't understand that every attempt on the internet to take your money is at the heart of it. 00:38:01.132 --> 00:38:04.132 This idea, a quick fix. 00:38:04.333 --> 00:38:07.032 Here, just do what we say in three easy steps. 00:38:07.032 --> 00:38:08.599 You'll lose all this weight. 00:38:08.599 --> 00:38:09.733 You'll have all this money. 00:38:09.733 --> 00:38:12.733 Life will be perfect. 00:38:12.932 --> 00:38:14.699 This is the way of the wicked. 00:38:14.699 --> 00:38:15.865 The way of the sinner. 00:38:15.865 --> 00:38:18.699 The promise of the quick fix, the short term. 00:38:18.699 --> 00:38:21.333 Now contrast that with the call of wisdom. 00:38:23.565 --> 00:38:24.400 Verse 20. 00:38:24.400 --> 00:38:30.132 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice. 00:38:30.132 --> 00:38:33.032 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out. 00:38:33.032 --> 00:38:36.365 At the entrance of the city gates she speaks. 00:38:36.365 --> 00:38:39.733 How long Oh, simple ones will you love being simple? 00:38:39.733 --> 00:38:45.432 How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? 00:38:45.532 --> 00:38:55.300 What I love about this picture is that wisdom, even if you're pursuing the path of the wicked, of the sinner, wisdom is there crying out. 00:38:55.300 --> 00:39:00.432 Now, my ears may be closed to it, but wisdom is there. 00:39:00.432 --> 00:39:02.333 Wisdom is there for all. 00:39:02.333 --> 00:39:04.400 All we gotta do is listen. 00:39:04.400 --> 00:39:05.565 Open our ears. 00:39:05.565 --> 00:39:07.766 Want to hear Wisdom. 00:39:07.766 --> 00:39:08.865 It's crying out. 00:39:08.865 --> 00:39:11.599 She's crying out. Saying follow me. 00:39:11.599 --> 00:39:14.599 Don't keep going down the path you're going down. 00:39:14.599 --> 00:39:15.965 And let me just plead with you here. 00:39:15.965 --> 00:39:25.000 If you're going down a path of wickedness of evil following the sinners, look, in any instant you can turn. 00:39:25.632 --> 00:39:31.900 In any moment you can stop going down that path and go towards wisdom. 00:39:31.900 --> 00:39:35.400 You don't have to keep continuing down that path. 00:39:35.400 --> 00:39:39.032 There's nothing that is forcing you to continue to go away from God. 00:39:39.032 --> 00:39:43.333 Today can be the day where you turn and make a complete 180 in your life. 00:39:43.333 --> 00:39:47.932 Instantly, and move towards Christ and move towards wisdom. 00:39:47.932 --> 00:39:51.432 Today can be the day you don't have to stay stuck in old patterns. 00:39:51.432 --> 00:39:55.465 You don't have to keep going down the route your family always did. 00:39:55.465 --> 00:39:56.900 Listen, Wisdom is calling. 00:39:56.900 --> 00:39:58.565 Listen. 00:39:58.565 --> 00:40:01.565 Let your ears be open. 00:40:04.166 --> 00:40:06.733 But many don't want to hear wisdom. 00:40:06.733 --> 00:40:08.932 In fact, wisdom says this to the foolish. 00:40:08.932 --> 00:40:14.432 How long will you continue to delight in scoffing and hate knowledge? 00:40:16.333 --> 00:40:19.132 That's one thing I've noticed about the fool. 00:40:19.132 --> 00:40:25.233 The fool can't stand the idea that someone might know more than them about anything. 00:40:25.233 --> 00:40:26.900 They have to pretend to know it all. 00:40:26.900 --> 00:40:37.932 They have to lash out against any good idea or tear it down, because they can't stand the idea that there may be knowledge out there that they hadn't already thought of. 00:40:37.932 --> 00:40:42.666 But wisdom says, come to me, follow me. 00:40:42.666 --> 00:40:59.500 In fact, the last thing to point out about the Book of Proverbs that will help us journey because Proverbs was written long ago, it’s in the Old Testament, but all of the book of Proverbs, even though Christ is not mentioned in the Book of Proverbs, it's all pointing forward to him. 00:40:59.500 --> 00:41:01.565 It's all pointing us towards who he is. 00:41:02.800 --> 00:41:07.932 And we know this because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. 00:41:07.932 --> 00:41:13.333 And where do you find the fullest expression of the fear of the Lord? 00:41:13.333 --> 00:41:15.065 It's in Jesus. 00:41:15.065 --> 00:41:21.865 It's in the step he took to die on our behalf, to be raised again on our behalf. 00:41:23.233 --> 00:41:24.833 Now, here's what this book hints at. 00:41:24.833 --> 00:41:25.800 What's really interesting. 00:41:25.800 --> 00:41:26.833 He's resurrected. 00:41:26.833 --> 00:41:29.599 What does he leave behind for us? 00:41:29.599 --> 00:41:30.733 The Holy Spirit. 00:41:30.733 --> 00:41:31.865 Look here. 00:41:31.865 --> 00:41:34.865 What's mentioned, what wisdom says. 00:41:36.465 --> 00:41:39.833 And pointing forward to a day when Christ comes. 00:41:39.833 --> 00:41:49.632 Verse 23-- if you turn at my reproof, turn away from the way of the wicked, turn towards me. Here's what will happen. 00:41:49.632 --> 00:41:52.432 I will pour out my spirit to you. 00:41:52.432 --> 00:41:54.699 I will make my words known to you. 00:41:56.166 --> 00:42:02.032 If you want to walk in the way of wisdom, if you want to follow the path of wisdom, we need the Holy Spirit within us. 00:42:02.032 --> 00:42:06.099 And the promise is, if you turn to Christ, he will put His Spirit within you. 00:42:06.099 --> 00:42:08.599 And this is the promise that was given in Jeremiah. 00:42:08.599 --> 00:42:10.699 He will make your heart new. 00:42:10.699 --> 00:42:13.699 He will put his words within your heart. 00:42:15.166 --> 00:42:29.099 And there's no greater joy when it comes to walking in wisdom than to know that Jesus Christ loves me, died for me, and now the Holy Spirit guides me. 00:42:29.833 --> 00:42:31.965 You can have that today. 00:42:31.965 --> 00:42:33.865 You can have that at any moment. 00:42:33.865 --> 00:42:37.333 I'm going to be down front after we wrap up the service. 00:42:37.333 --> 00:42:38.132 After I pray. 00:42:38.132 --> 00:42:41.833 I'd love to talk with you about what it means to submit your life to Christ. 00:42:41.833 --> 00:42:45.032 You saw a picture of young Abel doing that this morning. 00:42:45.032 --> 00:42:46.632 What a beautiful picture. 00:42:46.632 --> 00:42:51.532 My prayer for any young kid who comes to know Christ is that they would walk faithfully with him for a lifetime. 00:42:52.699 --> 00:42:54.333 The path of wisdom. 00:42:54.333 --> 00:42:56.632 Thank you Jesus, for that powerful example. 00:42:56.632 --> 00:42:59.099 Let's pray. 00:42:59.099 --> 00:43:00.965 God, we thank you for the book of Proverbs. 00:43:00.965 --> 00:43:07.532 I'm looking forward to digging in to what you have to say about wisdom in the coming weeks. 00:43:08.565 --> 00:43:11.565 May you give us ears to hear. 00:43:12.865 --> 00:43:19.565 May we listen to the call of Lady Wisdom and abandon the path of the wicked. 00:43:21.000 --> 00:43:30.000 Jesus, I would pray specifically for those who have not committed their lives to following you, that you would stir right now. 00:43:31.632 --> 00:43:36.900 Right now, this would be the day where the choice is made. 00:43:36.900 --> 00:43:39.099 There are two paths. 00:43:39.099 --> 00:43:40.365 The choice is made today. 00:43:40.365 --> 00:43:42.699 I'm not going to continue down the path of the wicked. 00:43:42.699 --> 00:43:50.166 I'm going to pursue the path of righteousness, justice, equity, wisdom, and that path is in Christ. 00:43:53.400 --> 00:43:59.432 Thank you, Jesus, that we could come and hear from your word and learn about you. 00:43:59.432 --> 00:44:01.266 We love you. Amen.