WEBVTT 00:00:09.300 --> 00:00:17.632 You know, ending the time of worship with that, that little refrain just... 00:00:17.733 --> 00:00:23.899 it made me think about how rarely I really pause and consider how much God really loves me. 00:00:23.899 --> 00:00:34.066 And I don't mean that in a self-centered way, but I think too often we get caught up in how much is wrong in this world, is wrong in our lives. 00:00:34.066 --> 00:00:38.365 We, we get beat down with self-incrimination. 00:00:39.299 --> 00:00:47.633 But to take time to just ponder how much he really, deeply loves you. 00:00:48.365 --> 00:00:49.732 Amen. 00:00:49.732 --> 00:00:52.732 How often do you do that during the week? 00:00:53.100 --> 00:00:57.265 It's not where my mind goes first. 00:00:57.332 --> 00:00:59.033 Thank you, Isaac, for leading us in that. 00:00:59.033 --> 00:01:03.265 That is a rich way to start our time together. 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:15.132 Because what we're all seeking, and it's the reason why we're going through the book of Proverbs, is wisdom. 00:01:15.132 --> 00:01:17.733 Wisdom for life. 00:01:17.733 --> 00:01:21.000 This world is full of ideas, many of them empty. 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:24.000 Where do we find true wisdom? 00:01:24.766 --> 00:01:26.365 The path to wisdom. 00:01:27.900 --> 00:01:47.700 I remember back in my young college days seeking wisdom on the college campus, which may not be the best place to find it, but when you're walking across campus, there are paths that are already paved for you to follow to get to class. 00:01:47.700 --> 00:01:53.099 But occasionally you come across an intersection where there's this other path. 00:01:53.099 --> 00:01:56.332 There's this path through the grass that has been well-worn. 00:01:56.332 --> 00:02:00.865 And you always know when you come to that spot, that's the path you want to take. 00:02:00.865 --> 00:02:02.700 That's the one that's going to be the shortest. 00:02:02.700 --> 00:02:08.699 Because the guys who laid down the pavement, they didn't know exactly where everyone would walk. 00:02:08.699 --> 00:02:10.133 They were taking their best guess. 00:02:10.133 --> 00:02:22.133 But when you see that well-worn, well trodden, man-made, path created, over step, over step, over step, over time-- you know that's going to be the shortest route. 00:02:22.133 --> 00:02:24.133 That's going to be the truest route. 00:02:25.300 --> 00:02:29.066 How do we find those true paths? 00:02:29.099 --> 00:02:32.099 How do we find those paths of wisdom? 00:02:32.665 --> 00:02:34.966 That's what we're looking at in the book of Proverbs. 00:02:34.966 --> 00:02:40.233 We've been going through a series on the Book of Proverbs, and today we're going to be in chapter four. 00:02:40.233 --> 00:02:47.233 And what we're going to see here is three ways to find this path of wisdom. 00:02:47.400 --> 00:02:49.099 We're going to see a path well worn. 00:02:49.099 --> 00:02:52.133 You want to look for a path well worn. 00:02:52.133 --> 00:02:58.599 You want to find a path well chosen and then a path well endured. 00:02:58.932 --> 00:03:05.633 We're going to see those three ways to find a path of wisdom, which is the big message of the whole book of Proverbs. 00:03:05.633 --> 00:03:08.500 We're going to see that in particular in Proverbs chapter four today. 00:03:08.500 --> 00:03:12.066 So if you have a Bible, turn to Proverbs chapter four. 00:03:12.066 --> 00:03:17.032 If you have a church Bible that will be on page 496, the page number should be on the screen. 00:03:19.099 --> 00:03:22.400 And if you don't have a Bible, we have copies of the Bible in the lobby. 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:25.099 Slip out any time, grab a copy. That's for you to keep. 00:03:25.099 --> 00:03:29.866 We want you to have a copy of God's Word and to be in God's Word. 00:03:29.866 --> 00:03:34.265 We're going to start by reading just the first four verses of chapter four. 00:03:34.265 --> 00:03:37.000 As we begin to unpack the path of wisdom. 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:40.000 Proverbs four verse one. 00:03:40.599 --> 00:03:52.099 Hear, O sons, a father's instruction, be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts. 00:03:52.199 --> 00:03:54.932 Do not forsake my teaching. 00:03:54.932 --> 00:04:07.832 When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, let your heart hold fast my words. 00:04:07.832 --> 00:04:11.099 Keep my commandments, and live. 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:25.132 What we see in these first nine chapters of the Book of Proverbs, and we've pointed this out a few times, but we're going to keep pointing it out over and over again is a series of instructions from a father to a son. 00:04:25.132 --> 00:04:29.699 You see this phrase my son or O sons, over and over again. 00:04:29.699 --> 00:04:34.266 It's somewhere around the range of 15 different times from chapter one through chapter nine. 00:04:34.266 --> 00:04:39.300 My son, my son, my son, a father pleading with his son, giving him instruction. 00:04:39.300 --> 00:04:47.033 In fact, a couple of weeks ago when I taught chapter two, that was the theme of chapter two, the father pleading, you got to get wisdom. 00:04:47.033 --> 00:04:49.500 Whatever you do, find wisdom. 00:04:49.500 --> 00:04:51.600 Make it your highest priority. 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:57.966 Last week we saw more as Colby walked us through chapter three, we saw more warnings what to avoid, what to watch out for. 00:04:57.966 --> 00:05:04.300 This week we're going to see three instructions as this is why I have three main points in this passage. 00:05:04.300 --> 00:05:06.100 You see, my son three times. 00:05:06.100 --> 00:05:08.300 Verse one, verse ten, verse 20. 00:05:08.300 --> 00:05:14.233 He gives three different mini messages to his son about how to find a path of wisdom. 00:05:15.699 --> 00:05:18.600 But notice how he starts. 00:05:18.600 --> 00:05:21.600 He doesn't start with his own wisdom. 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:23.699 What he appeals to first is tradition. 00:05:23.699 --> 00:05:29.365 He says in verse three, when I was a son with my father, verse four, he taught me. 00:05:31.233 --> 00:05:36.733 So the father starts by saying, I'm going to pass on wisdom to you that was given to me. 00:05:36.733 --> 00:05:52.199 As I was studying for this, I ran across a section in the ESV Study Bible, which is a great tool if you don't have a copy of that is a really helpful Bible that has lots of helpful study notes, and whoever wrote that section of study moats, ...study notes... 00:05:52.533 --> 00:05:54.000 moats might be appropriate. 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:59.966 In fact, maybe we should have paused and studied Noah's Ark today given everything else that's going on. 00:05:59.966 --> 00:06:01.733 Get some pointers to how to survive. 00:06:01.733 --> 00:06:12.000 But study notes in the ESV Study Bible, he said there's three ways that this was wise for the father to appeal to his father when teaching his son. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:17.132 One reason is that this gives him a moment to identify with his son. 00:06:18.632 --> 00:06:28.533 It's just a small way to say I actually was young once too, which whoever actually thinks their parents were ever young once? 00:06:28.533 --> 00:06:30.899 That is so hard to comprehend. 00:06:30.899 --> 00:06:31.966 You can't imagine that. 00:06:31.966 --> 00:06:34.899 I remember my dad sharing with me once. 00:06:34.899 --> 00:06:45.199 Probably I was after college and he shared about how when he felt God's call in his life to become an attorney, I think he was in the 12-, 14- year old range-- very young. 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:47.333 And I thought, wait a second, you were that young? 00:06:47.333 --> 00:06:50.100 Oh, hold on, what? How was that? 00:06:50.100 --> 00:06:53.500 And you also wrestled with this decision of what am I going to do with my life? 00:06:53.500 --> 00:06:57.699 And you were appealing to God, like, you did all that too? 00:06:57.699 --> 00:07:00.000 How is that possible? 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:07.333 We were just in Phoenix this last week, visiting our oldest son, who's about to graduate college, and he's in that stage too, what am I going to do with my life? 00:07:07.333 --> 00:07:09.000 This decision is looming. 00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:12.466 It feels like if I don't make it right, the whole world is going to fall apart. 00:07:12.466 --> 00:07:14.632 Everything else in life is determined by this moment. 00:07:14.632 --> 00:07:15.766 We've, you've been there. 00:07:15.766 --> 00:07:19.500 You know what that feels like if you have gone through that stage. 00:07:19.500 --> 00:07:22.266 And so we're able to say, hey, we've been there too. 00:07:22.266 --> 00:07:24.600 Here's the decisions I faced at the end of college. 00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:26.565 Here's some of what I was trying to decide. 00:07:26.565 --> 00:07:27.932 Here's how I was praying. 00:07:27.932 --> 00:07:29.100 Here's what I heard from God. 00:07:29.100 --> 00:07:31.466 Here's some of how he directed me. 00:07:31.466 --> 00:07:32.165 I've been there. 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:36.899 It's hard to believe. I've been your age once. 00:07:36.899 --> 00:07:37.966 I've wrestled with it. 00:07:37.966 --> 00:07:40.966 And by the way, my dad did too. 00:07:40.966 --> 00:07:43.966 And he passed on wisdom to me. 00:07:45.300 --> 00:07:46.865 He shows humility in this. 00:07:46.865 --> 00:07:51.132 He's appealing to the reality that I've been there too. 00:07:52.432 --> 00:07:54.600 So he identifies with him. 00:07:54.600 --> 00:08:01.033 The second thing he does, though, he is he implies that I'm not just giving to you my own wisdom. 00:08:01.033 --> 00:08:06.300 This didn't start with me, which shows humility on the father's part. 00:08:06.300 --> 00:08:14.533 It also shows wisdom because a lot of times, second hand wisdom is a lot easier to receive than first hand wisdom. 00:08:15.300 --> 00:08:16.432 It's not as offensive. 00:08:16.432 --> 00:08:18.233 I don't feel like my dad's preaching at me. 00:08:18.233 --> 00:08:21.632 He's sharing with me something that someone else shared with him. 00:08:21.632 --> 00:08:23.399 If I disagree, I'm not attacking him. 00:08:23.399 --> 00:08:25.399 We're talking about someone else. 00:08:27.065 --> 00:08:31.065 But it also shows that the father is teachable. 00:08:31.899 --> 00:08:34.765 I had to seek instruction. 00:08:34.765 --> 00:08:35.899 This was given to me. 00:08:35.899 --> 00:08:38.899 Now I'm going to pass it on to you. 00:08:39.466 --> 00:08:51.832 The third thing that the writer of the ESV Study Bible said that happens here is he's also giving the son the picture of a godly legacy. 00:08:52.566 --> 00:09:01.799 So when he is saying to his son, my father passed this to me, I'm passing it on to you. He's also saying, this is something that you can be a part of. 00:09:01.799 --> 00:09:06.232 This is something that is a heritage that you can hand on as well. 00:09:06.232 --> 00:09:10.600 This is something that you get to be a part of that's bigger than you. 00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:17.365 You get to hand this on to the next generation, which is if we're gathering wisdom, that's what we want to do. 00:09:17.365 --> 00:09:19.133 We're not just soaking it up for ourselves. 00:09:19.133 --> 00:09:21.299 I want to pass it on to the next generation. 00:09:21.299 --> 00:09:35.832 I want to continue that legacy of wisdom for generation after generation, because so many have been handed the opposite, so many have seen others go before them and not practice wisdom. 00:09:36.432 --> 00:09:38.200 We want to do the opposite. 00:09:38.200 --> 00:09:39.899 We want to hand it off. 00:09:39.899 --> 00:09:48.899 And so the father, by appealing to his father and to his son’s grandfather, shows much wisdom. 00:09:49.033 --> 00:09:54.000 What he's going to show him here is a path well-worn. 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:56.133 This is that first path of wisdom. 00:09:56.133 --> 00:09:58.100 How do we find the path of wisdom? 00:09:58.100 --> 00:10:00.500 Look for a path well-worn. 00:10:00.500 --> 00:10:07.399 In fact, what he appeals to here is tradition, which you can get hung up in tradition. 00:10:07.399 --> 00:10:09.732 You can...tradition can hold you back. 00:10:09.732 --> 00:10:15.966 But also we want to make sure we're leaning on the wisdom of others who have gone before us. 00:10:15.966 --> 00:10:17.365 If you've read much C.S. 00:10:17.365 --> 00:10:24.399 Lewis, you've heard him use this phrase or read him use this phrase chronological snobbery, which is a mouthful. 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:29.700 But what it means is we tend to think because we're newest, because we're alive, we're the best. 00:10:30.666 --> 00:10:32.666 We've thought of it all. 00:10:32.666 --> 00:10:33.299 We're here. 00:10:33.299 --> 00:10:36.899 We're new, old people, dead and gone, have nothing to offer us. 00:10:36.899 --> 00:10:38.200 They're in the past. 00:10:38.200 --> 00:10:39.899 They're useless. 00:10:39.899 --> 00:10:44.666 Chronological snobbery is newer is always better. 00:10:44.666 --> 00:10:46.365 But there's great wisdom in looking at tradition. 00:10:46.365 --> 00:10:49.399 I love this quote we're going to put on the screen by Chesterton. 00:10:49.399 --> 00:10:57.232 He was a writer in the 1800s or so, British writer, and he had this to say about tradition, how tradition pulls in to help with the past. 00:10:57.232 --> 00:10:58.500 Go ahead and put that on the screen. 00:10:58.500 --> 00:11:06.732 Tradition means giving a vote to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. 00:11:06.732 --> 00:11:08.666 It is the democracy of the dead. 00:11:08.666 --> 00:11:19.832 Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy or ruling class of those who merely happen to be walking about. 00:11:22.365 --> 00:11:29.966 By appealing to the past, by appealing to the wisdom of those who have gone before us, we're saying we're not only going to just lean on who happens to be here today. 00:11:29.966 --> 00:11:32.000 We're going to listen to those who have gone before us. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:36.899 We're going to seek wisdom that is beyond just this momentary slice of time. 00:11:37.765 --> 00:11:40.666 And so the father is saying, look for the well-worn paths. 00:11:40.666 --> 00:11:43.666 Look for those who have gone before you. 00:11:44.299 --> 00:11:49.033 And, by the way, do it with a sense of urgency. 00:11:49.133 --> 00:11:51.332 Do it with a hunger for wisdom. 00:11:51.332 --> 00:11:53.000 This next few verses point this out. 00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:55.533 Look at verse five. 00:11:55.533 --> 00:11:58.533 Get wisdom, get insight. 00:11:58.932 --> 00:11:59.932 Do not forget. 00:11:59.932 --> 00:12:02.033 Do not turn away from the words of my mouth. 00:12:02.033 --> 00:12:03.865 Do not forsake her. 00:12:03.865 --> 00:12:09.299 The word the using the pronoun her refers to lady Wisdom, which we saw in chapter one. 00:12:09.299 --> 00:12:10.732 We'll see you again in chapters eight. 00:12:11.732 --> 00:12:13.232 Do not forsake her. 00:12:13.232 --> 00:12:15.432 She will keep you. Love her. 00:12:15.432 --> 00:12:18.000 She will guard you. 00:12:20.533 --> 00:12:23.399 get wisdom. 00:12:23.399 --> 00:12:27.633 And whatever you do, whatever you get, get insight. 00:12:27.633 --> 00:12:30.799 Notice the beginning of verse five starts with get wisdom, get insight. 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:34.200 The end of verse seven ends with get wisdom, get insight. 00:12:34.200 --> 00:12:43.399 That word get is often used and translated as the word buy, purchase, invest. 00:12:43.566 --> 00:12:46.265 You know, verse seven sometimes can be rather confusing. 00:12:46.265 --> 00:12:49.265 The beginning of wisdom is get wisdom. 00:12:49.332 --> 00:12:53.365 Seems kind of redundant, seems kind of obvious. 00:12:53.633 --> 00:12:56.566 But you know how this works. 00:12:56.566 --> 00:13:01.000 True wisdom takes time to marinate and make sense. 00:13:01.100 --> 00:13:06.232 And at the beginning, when you first hear something, a lot of times it doesn't make sense. 00:13:06.232 --> 00:13:08.166 You've just got to kind of take it by faith. 00:13:08.166 --> 00:13:16.966 You've got to absorb it and try to understand it. But over time, it becomes wisdom. 00:13:16.966 --> 00:13:27.000 Your eyes open up to what that insight meant, but the starting point is first, to seek it, to hunger for it, to want it. 00:13:27.700 --> 00:13:42.865 In fact, this phrase in verse seven where it says whatever you get, some have translated that some other way to look at that is above all else, at all cost, is another way to say that whatever it takes, get wisdom. 00:13:44.500 --> 00:13:50.299 When I read that, I was reminded of the pearl of great price or the treasure in the field. 00:13:50.299 --> 00:14:00.432 The pictures of the Kingdom in Matthew 13, you remember there's this moment where a guy finds a treasure that had been hidden in a field, been buried in a field. He finds it. 00:14:00.432 --> 00:14:01.500 What does he do? 00:14:01.500 --> 00:14:10.600 He covers it up and he goes and sells everything he has-- and it adds this phrase in--out of joy. 00:14:10.666 --> 00:14:15.332 He sells everything he has out of joy, so that he might buy that field and have that treasure. 00:14:15.332 --> 00:14:21.500 Do we have that kind of hunger for wisdom, that kind of deep sense of urgency at all costs? 00:14:21.500 --> 00:14:24.500 Above all else, I got to have wisdom. 00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:28.600 That's what this is talking about. 00:14:28.966 --> 00:14:33.966 And, you know, I got to confess there are seasons where I don't have that kind of hunger for wisdom. 00:14:33.966 --> 00:14:36.966 But there's other seasons. 00:14:37.466 --> 00:14:38.633 Where I'm desperate. 00:14:38.633 --> 00:14:40.832 God, would you speak? 00:14:40.832 --> 00:14:43.832 Would you direct? 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:52.332 As I mentioned, we were in Phoenix this last week visiting our oldest son, who's in college there at Grand Canyon University. 00:14:52.332 --> 00:14:53.966 And he was in class one day. 00:14:53.966 --> 00:14:56.832 So the family, the rest of the family, we went out on a hike. 00:14:56.832 --> 00:14:59.500 There's this place near the zoo there called a hole in the rock. 00:14:59.500 --> 00:15:06.000 And you take this short trail up to a hole in a rock to see it, climb around it. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:13.865 And there's there's the well-worn path, which they have many signs encouraging you to stay on those well-worn paths and inevitably, that doesn't always happen. 00:15:13.865 --> 00:15:25.832 Sometimes we stray from that to climb around the rocks, and we're going on this one section and it starts to get a little steeper and a little less surefooted than I thought it would be as we progress. 00:15:25.832 --> 00:15:29.700 And I'm standing there kind of trying to decide, do I go forward or backward at this point? 00:15:29.700 --> 00:15:31.200 I'm not sure if I can go forward. 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:35.633 I'm not sure if I can go backward without sliding all the way down to the bottom of the hole in the rock. 00:15:35.633 --> 00:15:42.000 So standing there trying to debate what to do, and then all of a sudden I hear a voice, a guy says, hey, are you a pastor? 00:15:43.500 --> 00:15:47.500 And I thought, what am I doing that makes it look like I'm a pastor right now? 00:15:47.500 --> 00:15:48.765 Is the fact do I look nervous? 00:15:48.765 --> 00:15:50.365 Do I look scared, do I look unsure? 00:15:50.365 --> 00:15:51.299 Maybe I look confident. 00:15:51.299 --> 00:15:52.966 Maybe I look very confident. 00:15:52.966 --> 00:15:56.700 Well, I just had a shirt on that said worship on it, so I had the word worship on it. 00:15:56.700 --> 00:15:57.633 Seems like I see your shirt. 00:15:57.633 --> 00:16:00.066 Are you a pastor? Yep, yes I am. 00:16:00.066 --> 00:16:01.332 Can you give me a hand, by the way? 00:16:01.332 --> 00:16:02.633 Here, help me up. 00:16:02.633 --> 00:16:04.633 And I said, why do you ask? 00:16:04.633 --> 00:16:06.100 He said, well, I'm a youth pastor. 00:16:06.100 --> 00:16:07.265 I work down the road. 00:16:07.265 --> 00:16:09.000 I'm a young guy in ministry. 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:13.799 And I'm just wondering, since you obviously are a few years ahead of me-- What do you mean by that? 00:16:13.799 --> 00:16:20.100 I don't understand -- do you have any wisdom for me? 00:16:20.332 --> 00:16:33.700 Is there anything you can share with me to help me make sure I'm going the right direction in ministry, to make sure that I'm doing what God would have to make the most of my time in ministry. 00:16:35.100 --> 00:16:37.700 And I said, how long do you have? 00:16:37.700 --> 00:16:38.666 My family's waiting. 00:16:38.666 --> 00:16:40.533 He was fortunate. 00:16:40.533 --> 00:16:44.700 I said, a couple of quick things about focusing on theology in the languages if you're doing study. 00:16:44.700 --> 00:16:47.832 But then I said, look, but here's what's going to matter. 00:16:47.832 --> 00:17:04.400 Get around people that you want to be like, who are pursuing wisdom, who are godly, who are pursuing Christ, do whatever it takes to get around them, and they're going to shape you and influence in you in so many ways. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:09.599 Get around them, pursue them, get wisdom. 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:10.865 That's the picture here. 00:17:10.865 --> 00:17:13.700 Do whatever it takes to get wisdom, to get around others. 00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:18.000 When you see someone else who's wise, do what it takes to get around them. 00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:25.700 They are going to shape you and influence you, and they're going to show you a path well worn. 00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:29.932 Now, what happens when you do that is there are rewards that come from that. 00:17:29.932 --> 00:17:38.799 And I love that the father focuses on that in this message is not just, hey, take my advice so I will feel good about myself. 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:43.400 No, no, no, he is saying to his son, this will benefit you. 00:17:43.400 --> 00:17:47.099 Here's the reward to you for following a path of wisdom. 00:17:47.099 --> 00:17:49.732 Look at verse eight and nine. 00:17:49.732 --> 00:17:51.932 If you get wisdom, if you follow it, here's what will happen. 00:17:51.932 --> 00:17:55.200 Prize her highly and she will exalt you. 00:17:55.766 --> 00:18:01.365 She will honor you if you embrace her, she will place on your head a graceful garland. 00:18:01.365 --> 00:18:04.200 She will bestow on you a beautiful crown. 00:18:04.200 --> 00:18:05.400 Look back at verse six. 00:18:05.400 --> 00:18:06.833 There's more instruction there. 00:18:06.833 --> 00:18:07.965 Do not forsake her. 00:18:07.965 --> 00:18:10.400 She will keep you. Love her. 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:11.633 She will guard you. 00:18:12.633 --> 00:18:18.200 If you want a life that is as full as it can possibly be. 00:18:18.232 --> 00:18:20.532 Here's what you do, son. 00:18:20.532 --> 00:18:28.500 You pursue wisdom. When you do that, she will guard you, protect you, give you a graceful garland, bestow on you a beautiful crown. 00:18:28.500 --> 00:18:32.932 That's where you will experience life to its fullest. 00:18:34.532 --> 00:18:38.432 You know he does something wise here in verse six. 00:18:39.266 --> 00:18:43.200 Because there's something that happens in relationships where this is true as well. 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:48.833 Sometimes we can feel like, look, I've, I've acquired wisdom and I'm not doing anything wrong. 00:18:48.833 --> 00:18:53.333 So why isn't God giving me all of this that you have listed here? 00:18:53.333 --> 00:18:55.500 Well, verse six says this. 00:18:55.500 --> 00:18:56.333 He helps us see this. 00:18:56.333 --> 00:18:59.333 Do not forsake her and she will keep you. 00:18:59.532 --> 00:19:03.500 Yes, there's a reality of where we should not forsake wisdom. 00:19:03.500 --> 00:19:06.633 And in relationships you need to make sure not to do the wrong things. 00:19:08.333 --> 00:19:12.432 One way you might say this look, hey, I've never cheated on you. 00:19:12.465 --> 00:19:15.599 If you're in a romantic relationship, aren't we good? 00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:16.599 I've never cheated on you. 00:19:16.599 --> 00:19:18.032 Well, that's great. 00:19:18.032 --> 00:19:19.333 That's a good starting place. 00:19:19.333 --> 00:19:23.299 But also, don't just not do the wrong things. 00:19:23.532 --> 00:19:26.532 Love her and she will guard you. 00:19:26.633 --> 00:19:28.266 Don't just avoid the wrong things. 00:19:28.266 --> 00:19:30.599 Also pursue love. 00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:32.865 And when you love someone. 00:19:32.865 --> 00:19:38.299 And part of the reason we went to Phoenix was to meet my son and his girlfriend, who we had not met. 00:19:38.299 --> 00:19:44.965 And when there is a new love, there's an excitement, there's an urgency, there's a closeness. 00:19:47.299 --> 00:19:50.099 That's not just, hey, I'm going to avoid doing the wrong things. 00:19:50.099 --> 00:19:54.266 I'm going to go out of my way to make sure you're first in everything. 00:19:55.500 --> 00:19:58.299 This is the kind of approach we have to wisdom. 00:19:58.299 --> 00:20:07.066 Do not forsake her, love her, go after her and she will ... man, she will bring reward to your life. 00:20:08.099 --> 00:20:14.165 So the first approach to finding wisdom find a path well worn. 00:20:14.165 --> 00:20:16.133 Seek out those who have gone before you. 00:20:16.133 --> 00:20:16.865 Learn from them. 00:20:16.865 --> 00:20:18.665 Don't try to figure it all out on yourself. 00:20:18.665 --> 00:20:19.932 Find a path well-worn. 00:20:19.932 --> 00:20:27.932 Now, the second encouragement he gives to finding a path of wisdom to his son here is in this next group of verses, look at verse ten. 00:20:27.932 --> 00:20:30.932 Hear, my son, accept my words. 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:35.000 The years of your life may be many. 00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:37.365 I have taught you the way of wisdom. 00:20:37.365 --> 00:20:40.500 I have led you in the paths of uprightness. 00:20:40.500 --> 00:20:42.532 When you walk, your step will not be hampered. 00:20:42.532 --> 00:20:44.665 If you run, you will not stumble. 00:20:44.665 --> 00:20:45.900 Keep hold of instruction. 00:20:45.900 --> 00:20:47.266 Do not let go. Guard her. 00:20:47.266 --> 00:20:48.165 She is your life. 00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:53.032 Do not enter the path of the wicked. 00:20:53.165 --> 00:20:57.400 Here in verses ten through 14 you see... 00:20:58.266 --> 00:21:04.032 And the second way to pursue wisdom is to make sure you are choosing a path of wisdom. 00:21:04.032 --> 00:21:10.633 Because there is always there are always two paths to pursue and you want here. 00:21:10.633 --> 00:21:15.165 In fact, this is our second point in the message a path well chosen. 00:21:15.165 --> 00:21:22.500 You constantly have a choice before you about which path you're going to go down, always before you. 00:21:22.500 --> 00:21:24.599 This is the theme of the whole book of Proverbs. 00:21:24.599 --> 00:21:29.266 There's two paths you can choose, which is it going to be? 00:21:29.266 --> 00:21:37.965 We need a path well chosen, which is a moment by moment, day by day activity. 00:21:37.965 --> 00:21:39.400 Look at verse 13. 00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:41.700 Keep hold of instruction. 00:21:41.700 --> 00:21:43.299 Do not let go. 00:21:43.299 --> 00:21:44.400 Guard her. 00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:45.432 She is your life. 00:21:45.432 --> 00:21:48.000 These verbs here are very active. 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:48.599 Keep it. 00:21:49.799 --> 00:21:51.599 That's day by day. 00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:53.133 That's hour by hour. 00:21:53.133 --> 00:21:56.133 Sometimes minute by minute. 00:21:56.133 --> 00:21:58.365 That I've got to keep pursuing wisdom. 00:21:58.365 --> 00:21:59.900 Grasp on to her. 00:21:59.900 --> 00:22:01.865 Not let go. 00:22:01.865 --> 00:22:04.700 Very active. 00:22:04.700 --> 00:22:07.700 This isn't just a one time decision. 00:22:09.365 --> 00:22:11.766 It’s a day by day by day [decision]. 00:22:11.766 --> 00:22:18.066 Going on the theme of romantic love again, your marriage isn't just a wedding day. 00:22:18.665 --> 00:22:20.333 It's not just a one time decision. 00:22:20.333 --> 00:22:23.732 That's the easiest day of your married life. 00:22:23.732 --> 00:22:25.799 That's when you look the best. 00:22:25.799 --> 00:22:28.700 When all your friends are there clapping. 00:22:28.700 --> 00:22:34.500 That is the beginning of a day by day, moment by moment, hour by hour decision to love. 00:22:34.500 --> 00:22:38.299 Continue to love one another well and with wisdom. 00:22:38.299 --> 00:22:44.400 You got to keep choosing that path over and over and over again. 00:22:44.400 --> 00:22:46.766 Because the reality is there's two paths before us. 00:22:48.165 --> 00:22:52.566 And so he warns his son of the path of the evil way. 00:22:53.066 --> 00:22:56.066 Look at verse 14. 00:22:56.099 --> 00:22:59.099 Do not enter the path of the wicked. 00:23:00.099 --> 00:23:02.266 Do not walk in the way of the evil. 00:23:02.266 --> 00:23:04.266 Avoid it. 00:23:04.266 --> 00:23:06.099 Do not go into it. 00:23:06.099 --> 00:23:07.200 Turn away from it. 00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:08.833 Pass on. 00:23:08.833 --> 00:23:15.000 For they-- meaning the evil persons-- they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong. 00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:18.799 They are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. 00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:24.000 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. 00:23:24.665 --> 00:23:27.932 Here's the picture of the evil person here. 00:23:28.766 --> 00:23:32.066 Their favorite meal is to do evil. 00:23:32.732 --> 00:23:38.799 They relish it like a fine wine and a luxurious dinner. 00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:41.799 They lay awake at night. 00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:43.599 This is the picture here. 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:44.232 They're restless. 00:23:44.232 --> 00:23:47.799 They can't sleep because what they're doing is they're plotting evil. 00:23:47.799 --> 00:23:53.833 They can't wait to get up and to do something evil. 00:23:54.766 --> 00:24:01.900 I heard a story from a guy, Tom Skinner, and he was an evangelist, 6o’s and 70’s in particular. 00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:08.566 But before he was an evangelist, he was a gang leader in Harlem in New York City. 00:24:09.500 --> 00:24:19.432 And he recounts in the story of his conversion, he recounts when he was plotting this huge, huge gang war. 00:24:19.932 --> 00:24:22.932 It was going to involve the five main gangs in that area. 00:24:22.932 --> 00:24:24.200 Here he was. 00:24:24.200 --> 00:24:27.633 This wasn't just, hey, if we have to defend our territory, we will. 00:24:27.633 --> 00:24:35.865 No, no, no, I am actively plotting what I know will be destruction, death, harm. 00:24:35.865 --> 00:24:38.333 And it will involve as many people as possible. 00:24:38.333 --> 00:24:44.732 And I'm up late at night and I'm relishing in the planning of it day after day after day. And he loved it. 00:24:46.465 --> 00:24:51.299 And God spoke to him, changed his direction in that moment. 00:24:51.299 --> 00:24:55.400 But before that, loved it. 00:24:55.400 --> 00:24:57.432 Don't go down that path. 00:24:57.432 --> 00:24:59.900 Avoid that path. 00:24:59.900 --> 00:25:02.266 Look at the contrast. 00:25:02.266 --> 00:25:03.766 Don't choose that path. 00:25:03.766 --> 00:25:14.599 Verse 18 is the path you want to choose, but the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. 00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:17.000 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness. 00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:18.599 They don't know over what they stumble. 00:25:18.599 --> 00:25:23.900 They're blind to the very things in front of them that will injure them. 00:25:23.900 --> 00:25:31.032 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that shines brighter and brighter till full day. 00:25:31.032 --> 00:25:34.032 Here's what that means. 00:25:34.432 --> 00:25:39.532 The early morning light starts with just a glimmer, and wisdom is that way. 00:25:39.532 --> 00:25:40.665 Starts with just a glimmer. 00:25:40.665 --> 00:25:46.599 I'm not sure what this means, but I know that this guy that I admire believes this and follows this. 00:25:46.599 --> 00:25:48.799 There's wisdom there. I don't get it yet. 00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:57.000 There's a glimmer, but over time it grows and it grows brighter, and it grows brighter until it's at its fullest at the middle of the day. 00:25:57.000 --> 00:25:59.766 The light of wisdom is like that. 00:25:59.766 --> 00:26:13.365 If it continues to shed more light on the subject, whereas the evil person wants to confuse, misdirect, make it hard to understand, cause confusion, difficulty, stumbling. 00:26:15.965 --> 00:26:22.700 I don't know about you, but I want to be the person who is the one passing on the increasing light to others. 00:26:23.965 --> 00:26:31.000 I mean, you've spent time around the people who are the takers, who are the ones that want darkness. 00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:36.432 Let's be the people who are the givers shining light into people's lives. 00:26:36.432 --> 00:26:37.500 Which do you want to be? 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:41.133 I want to be the life giver. 00:26:41.133 --> 00:26:42.432 That's what I want to be known as. 00:26:42.432 --> 00:26:45.932 Someone who's giving life to others, not taking. 00:26:45.932 --> 00:26:48.700 That's a moment by moment, day by day decision. 00:26:48.700 --> 00:26:54.000 And of course, in any given day, we'll take some life, whether we mean to or not. 00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:56.500 I'm selfish. 00:26:56.500 --> 00:26:58.500 I make poor choices. 00:26:58.500 --> 00:27:04.766 But I hope over time, as we pursue wisdom, that this church is known as a life giving church. 00:27:04.766 --> 00:27:05.965 That's my prayer. 00:27:05.965 --> 00:27:07.900 And I think it is in a lot of ways. 00:27:07.900 --> 00:27:17.400 We're not perfect, but I hope we're spreading light all throughout this area, through our neighbors, through our family, through our loved ones, even through our enemies. 00:27:17.400 --> 00:27:20.965 They see something is different about them. 00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:23.200 So we want a path well worn. 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:26.400 if you want to know wisdom, follow a path well-worn. 00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:28.465 Also choose wisely. 00:27:28.465 --> 00:27:29.532 You got a daily choice. 00:27:29.532 --> 00:27:30.833 What path are you going to follow? 00:27:33.633 --> 00:27:39.400 And now lastly, we're going to see and hear a final instruction to his sons, a path well endured. 00:27:40.032 --> 00:27:41.266 You want to know wisdom? 00:27:41.266 --> 00:27:42.932 Stay on the path. 00:27:42.932 --> 00:27:46.532 It's a path well endured, a path well persevered. 00:27:46.532 --> 00:27:50.099 And we're going to see in verses 20 through 27 how he emphasizes this. 00:27:50.099 --> 00:27:56.833 In fact, as I read through this, what I want you to take note of is all the different parts of the body that are mentioned. 00:27:56.833 --> 00:28:03.066 This is just a a full inventory of the body, and it's involvement in following the path. 00:28:03.400 --> 00:28:09.299 Just note each of these as I read verse 20-- my son, be attentive to my words. 00:28:09.299 --> 00:28:12.099 Incline your ear to my sayings. 00:28:12.099 --> 00:28:14.665 Let them not escape your sight. 00:28:14.665 --> 00:28:21.500 Keep them within your heart, for they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. 00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:27.000 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:31.932 Put away from you crooked speech, put devious talk far from you. 00:28:32.900 --> 00:28:35.165 Let your eyes look directly forward. 00:28:35.165 --> 00:28:47.932 Let your gaze-- the literal wording there is your eyelids, implying a squinting of focus-- let your gaze be straight before you ponder the path of your feet. 00:28:48.833 --> 00:28:51.665 Then all your ways will be sure. 00:28:51.665 --> 00:28:54.000 Do not swerve to the right or to the left. 00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:57.000 Turn your foot away from evil. 00:28:57.365 --> 00:28:59.500 All the parts of the body being mentioned. 00:28:59.500 --> 00:29:07.099 The picture here is the emphasis is to endure well toward wisdom is a whole body effort. 00:29:07.099 --> 00:29:09.665 This takes complete commitment. 00:29:09.665 --> 00:29:14.000 It's not just a side item you pursue here and there. 00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:17.000 It takes your entire person. 00:29:17.432 --> 00:29:22.500 And some see in this a division between the interior life and the exterior life. 00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:35.465 If you look at verse 23, keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life-- that would be the center of the will, the center of the emotions, the center of your decision making. 00:29:35.465 --> 00:29:38.333 Be mindful of what shapes your heart. 00:29:38.333 --> 00:29:41.333 Be mindful of what influences it. 00:29:41.700 --> 00:29:46.766 The internal will drive the external, but also the external drives the internal. 00:29:46.766 --> 00:29:52.299 That's why he mentions the other parts of the body the external elements, the eyes, the speech, the feet. 00:29:54.365 --> 00:30:01.465 What you look at, in fact, the gateway to the heart are the eyes and the ears. 00:30:01.465 --> 00:30:04.066 What you look at feeds your heart. 00:30:04.066 --> 00:30:09.532 What you listen to feeds your heart. 00:30:09.532 --> 00:30:12.465 I like to, for exercise, I like to mountain bike. 00:30:12.465 --> 00:30:23.400 And one of the things you learn early on in mountain biking is don't look at the place you don't want to go, because your bike will follow your eyes. 00:30:23.900 --> 00:30:29.532 So if you're going down a trail and you see a gigantic rock or root, don't stare at it. 00:30:29.633 --> 00:30:32.165 Stare at the smooth path. 00:30:32.165 --> 00:30:33.833 Otherwise you're hitting that rock. 00:30:33.833 --> 00:30:35.133 You're hitting that root. 00:30:35.133 --> 00:30:39.400 You're looking at it because you don't want to hit it, but you need to look away. 00:30:39.400 --> 00:30:45.333 You need to look at the place you want to go because your bike will follow. 00:30:45.333 --> 00:30:48.932 In fact, your feet will follow your eyes. 00:30:49.200 --> 00:30:51.799 And by the way, it works both ways. 00:30:51.799 --> 00:30:55.232 Your eyes will follow your feet where your feet are pointed. 00:30:55.232 --> 00:30:57.833 Make sure you're not swerving to the right or to the left. 00:30:57.833 --> 00:31:04.333 You're following the path of wisdom, which requires endurance, which requires effort. 00:31:04.965 --> 00:31:15.066 It requires a care for and a love for the heart that ultimately only comes through dependance on Christ. 00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:20.099 It only comes through him changing your heart. 00:31:21.532 --> 00:31:32.400 The home we stayed in while we were in Phoenix was of a guy who's a business owner there, very influential in his church, the church we attended when we lived there, 20 years ago now. 00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:35.400 We moved there to attend seminary. 00:31:35.700 --> 00:31:43.200 But recently he had what most would consider a very difficult medical event. 00:31:44.365 --> 00:31:45.665 They were ten hours from home. 00:31:45.665 --> 00:31:55.200 They had driven up to Utah to vacation with some family, and he had been feeling pains in his chest for weeks, ignoring it like manly men do. 00:31:55.200 --> 00:31:56.400 Right? 00:31:56.400 --> 00:31:57.365 I'm kidding. 00:31:57.365 --> 00:31:57.932 Right? 00:31:57.932 --> 00:32:00.299 No, listen to that. 00:32:00.299 --> 00:32:00.900 I'll be okay. 00:32:00.900 --> 00:32:02.200 It's no big deal. 00:32:02.200 --> 00:32:03.299 I can't breathe, really. 00:32:03.299 --> 00:32:05.400 But it's okay. 00:32:05.400 --> 00:32:06.165 And he's there. 00:32:06.165 --> 00:32:09.165 And his stepson is a surgeon. 00:32:09.732 --> 00:32:11.232 He's an orthopedic surgeon. 00:32:11.232 --> 00:32:13.066 And he goes, this is not okay. 00:32:13.066 --> 00:32:14.400 You need to go to the hospital. 00:32:14.400 --> 00:32:15.900 I'm planning on it when I get back home. 00:32:15.900 --> 00:32:18.333 You need to go now. 00:32:18.333 --> 00:32:19.532 Now! Don't wait. 00:32:19.532 --> 00:32:21.165 Go now. 00:32:21.165 --> 00:32:23.099 And so they go to the hospital. 00:32:23.099 --> 00:32:29.200 He's in Salt Lake City, ten hours from home, and they say, oh, if you want to make it, we're operating today. 00:32:31.400 --> 00:32:32.566 Full blockage everywhere. 00:32:32.566 --> 00:32:36.532 I don't remember all the statistics, but it wasn't good. 00:32:36.532 --> 00:32:39.532 Not how he expected to spend his vacation. 00:32:40.465 --> 00:32:43.965 Away from family, ten hours from home. 00:32:43.965 --> 00:32:47.700 He has to convalesce there for many weeks. 00:32:48.732 --> 00:32:56.700 But he said, John here was my comfort through all that time. 00:32:56.700 --> 00:33:06.599 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life was one of many scriptures that came to mind when I was down. 00:33:06.900 --> 00:33:11.532 God brought scripture after scripture, after scripture to mind. 00:33:12.566 --> 00:33:16.900 And he said, do you want to know why those verses came to mind? 00:33:17.965 --> 00:33:21.865 It's because I had hidden them in my heart years ago. 00:33:21.865 --> 00:33:26.133 And here was his plea, and I was like, I'm all... 00:33:26.133 --> 00:33:29.000 I wasn't in the room, I'm hearing this second hand from Julie, we're all ears. 00:33:29.000 --> 00:33:32.500 You tell us, because you are a man of immense wisdom. 00:33:32.500 --> 00:33:33.766 You tell us what was the key. 00:33:35.732 --> 00:33:40.133 If you wait until tragedy to start memorizing scripture, it's too late. 00:33:40.133 --> 00:33:47.465 Hide God's Word in your heart when times are good so that he'll bring them to mind when times are hard and that will be your comfort. 00:33:47.465 --> 00:33:50.465 Keep your heart with all vigilance. 00:33:50.799 --> 00:33:53.066 Keep your heart. 00:33:53.066 --> 00:34:00.165 I don't know what you have ahead of you this week, but inevitably all of us have something that wants to steal our heart. 00:34:00.165 --> 00:34:06.365 All of us have something that wants to fill our heart up with the wrong things. 00:34:06.532 --> 00:34:09.500 How are you going to keep your heart this week? 00:34:09.500 --> 00:34:24.599 Well, let me just beg you this week to find a way to fight for your heart, to fight for what you look at, to be things that fill up the heart for what you listen to that would draw you closer to Christ. 00:34:24.599 --> 00:34:26.699 In fact, I'm going to close in prayer. 00:34:26.699 --> 00:34:37.132 And as I pray, I just want you to pray and ask God if there is anything ahead of me this week that will stain my heart and draw me away from you. 00:34:37.132 --> 00:34:40.733 God, would you just reveal that to each of us now? 00:34:41.532 --> 00:34:44.500 Would you expose that? 00:34:44.500 --> 00:34:50.065 Maybe it's something we've been planning for and plotting and desiring and it's actually quite evil. 00:34:50.065 --> 00:34:53.666 Or maybe it's something we thought was good. 00:34:54.465 --> 00:34:58.900 But has become an idol in our lives, and it's pulling us away from you. 00:34:58.900 --> 00:35:01.900 Would you expose that right now? 00:35:02.500 --> 00:35:09.565 My prayer is this week for each of us we would meditate on 00:35:09.565 --> 00:35:11.900 23. 00:35:11.900 --> 00:35:16.432 Keep your heart with all vigilance. 00:35:19.865 --> 00:35:22.865 Pursue wisdom. 00:35:23.132 --> 00:35:24.599 Seek after wisdom. 00:35:24.599 --> 00:35:30.500 Hunger for wisdom like a treasure hidden in a field. 00:35:30.800 --> 00:35:31.833 Jesus, we love you. 00:35:31.833 --> 00:35:36.900 Would you give us the strength this week to fight for our hearts? 00:35:37.766 --> 00:35:46.333 Would your Holy Spirit speak to us, convict us of sin, expose sin in our lives? 00:35:47.400 --> 00:35:54.500 But in the midst of the conviction, give us the strength to turn to you in grace. 00:35:54.500 --> 00:35:59.699 Turn to your love and depend on you. 00:35:59.965 --> 00:36:03.266 Thank you, Jesus, for how you've worked in our lives. 00:36:03.266 --> 00:36:06.166 We love you. Amen.