An Excellent Woman Series

“AN EXCELLENT WOMAN” Proverbs 31:10-31

FBCF – 5/12/24

Jon Daniels

INTRO – DANGEROUS TERRITORY FOR ME TODAY! A man preaching a sermon about women!

- I’ve had a wonderful Godly woman as a mother for nearly 60 years.

- I’ve had a wonderful Godly woman as a wife for nearly 39 years.

- I’ve had a wonderful Godly woman as a daughter for 34 years.

- I’ve had 2 wonderful Godly women as daughters-in-law – one for 16 years & the other for 5 years.

But I will be the first one to say that none of that makes me an expert in womanhood in any way, shape, or form!

So, we are going to look to the Bible for the guidance we need as we start this new sermon series out of the book of Proverbs – “HomeWork”. 6 weeks – important components of a strong home/family. Start today on Mother’s Day & end on Father’s Day.

EXPLANATION – Proverbs 31:10-31

Want to be clear about something: Talking about an “excellent” woman today, not a “perfect” woman. Don’t want you to feel beat up or weighed down – you’ve got enough on your plates. We are going to raise the bar only as the Scriptures raise the bar, knowing that whatever the Word of God calls us to do – whether as women or as men – the Spirit of God will empower us to accomplish that. We are not going to call women today to make unattainable commitments b/c of unrealistic expectations. But, w/out apology, we are going to call women today to examine their lives in light of the truths of God’s Word & respond in obedience.

2 words to consider here at beginning of this passage:

- “excellent” – power, strength, courage, bravery

o Same word used in Psalm 18:31-32 – “For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God – the God who equipped me w/ STRENGTH & made my way blameless.”

o Same as Psalm 60:12 – “With God we shall do valiantly [we will do mighty things – NLT]; it is He who will tread down our foes.”

- “wife” – Hebrew word can be translated “wife” or “woman”

o AMP – “An excellent woman [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous]”

APPLICATION – Every woman has the potential to be an excellent woman.

2 questions for feedback from women in church:

- When do you feel the strongest in your Christian life?

- When do you feel most vulnerable to Satan’s attacks on your life?

Great response from about 50 women in our church. Will use much of their feedback in the points that I’m going to give you.

So, let’s talk about this imperfect, but excellent woman.

AS A WIFE – v. 10-12 – Most of the women who responded to my callout this week are married. Some responded that they were strong in their Christian life when they were strong in their married life. Some responded that they felt most vulnerable to Satan’s attacks when struggling in marriage. So true!

- Quick word to the men: Do you hear that? She NEEDS you to be strong in YOUR walk w/ the Lord, & she needs you to walk w/ her & encourage her in HER walk w/ the Lord!

God’s plan for marriage is clearly taught in His Word. All the way back to Garden of Eden, God established HIS perfect design for marriage - & that design has not changed!

- Genesis 2:24 – “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto [be joined to; hold fast; cling to] his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

- Jesus reiterated that – Matthew 19:4-5 – “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female,5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?”

This design has not changed one bit!

- He does not allow 2 men to get married to each other, nor does he allow 2 women to get married to each other, no matter what some so-called Christian denominations have decided.

- He does not allow a man to decide that he’s a woman or a woman to decide that she’s a man - & then get married to someone else who may also be deciding that they are going to change their gender.

Your call as an excellent woman & wife is to be who God created you to be as a woman & be committed to your husband. Your call is to be so committed to the Lord & to your husband that his heart trusts in you completely. Your call as an excellent wife is to bring good things into his life – comforting him, encouraging him, not hindering or harming him but helping him.