We are looking at the book of Proverbs this fall, and wisdom literature (which includes more than just the proverbs). Last weeks sermon condensed into a proverb (non-biblical) “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” (When talking about my family, they used the word: “nut”) And the greek proverbs, also not in the Bible: “Spare the rod, spoil the child.”
This week’s favorite Bible proverb: an honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
Today we are taking a big picture view of Proverbs, and so we read the first seven verses of the book, which serves as an introduction to the book and to the idea of Proverbs:
Proverbs 1:1-17:
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 for attaining wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young--
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance--
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Introduction: What are proverbs?
Proverbs defined: Short sayings based on real life experience that holds truth for everyday living.
The truth of the proverb is broader than the experience.
“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” arises from the experience of gathering eggs in the chicken coop, something most of us don’t do anymore.
But we apply that proverb to investing money, and so it means we should diversify our portfolio. Or it means we should keep our options open for the future.
spotlight (rather specific truth, not a general truth for all situations)
Proverbs are general truths - don’t apply to all situations. (salvation -- put all eggs in one basket . . . in Jesus). It takes wisdom to apply proverbs.
Proverbs are just a part of our speech
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. (so familiar, we just say, “when in Rome”)
Easy come, easy go.
Momilies, sayings, proverbs, passed on from our mothers.
Beggars can’t be choosers.
Don’t throw rocks in a glass house.
Not all nuts are chocolate covered.
If you lie down with dogs, you’ll get up with fleas.
Proverbs are powerful in that they are memorable, slogans, that shape thinking and influence everyday life. There has been research published on how the Nazi’s used proverbs to shape the thinking of people in Germany.
“The common good takes precedence over self-interest”
“Three things make the best couple: same blood, same passion, same age.”
“Obedience is the foundation of all order.”
The power of proverbs can be seen when Proverbs are used in advertising: You deserve a break today. A Diamond is forever. Diamonds are a girls best friend. Some things money can’t buy. For everything else, there’s mastercard.
According to the Bible, what are proverbs good for? According to our text:
2 for attaining wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young--
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
In the information age, we have a lot of facts & knowledge, but not much wisdom.
Wisdom is being able to apply truth to real life. Wisdom is being morally smart, making right moral choices, living right.
In proverbs a fool is a person that isn‘t intellectually dumb, not mental deficient, but moral deficient, a person who is dumb morally.
As we begin this journey through Proverbs, it may help to identify
I. Types of Proverbs
A. Proverbs are related to Social Order -- used to teach young people about how to live life in a good, godly, productive manner. Some proverbs create social order:
1. Prov 10:4 “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.”
2. Jesus used many proverbs in his teaching. Matt 7:3 is about judging other people: "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
B. Other proverbs subvert social order (They challenge the things our culture, this world, teaches us. Jesus was good at this)
a. Prov 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
b. Mark 2:27 “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
c. It is also helpful to understand a little about . . .
C. The Poetry of Proverbs
1. Contrasting: the meaning is in the difference, often has a “but”
a. Prov 10:9 “The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.”
b. Prov 27:6 “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”
2. Comparing - compares two things to make the point “like” “as” “better than”
a. Prov 11:22 “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.”
b. Prov 15:17 “Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.”
3. Complementing - two parallel statements that make the same point, build on each other - “and”
a. Prov 10:18 “He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.”
b. Prov 20:28 “Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure.”
D. Wisdom in Using Proverbs
1. Prov 25:11 “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”
2. the proper use of proverbs at the proper time, applied to the right situation, is precious.
The best way to understand the entire book of proverbs is to see interwoven in this book two women (remember this was written to young men in a culture where women were not educated in such things). Wisdom is personified as a lady, a lady of purity and knowledge and true wisdom. Whereas foolishness, folly, is personified as a tramp, a prostitute, who lures many into her brothel of deception.
So I’ve called these two
II. Lady Wisdom & Madame Folly
Listen to these words from the book of Proverbs. I’ll read the narrator’s part, and I’ve asked two women to play the part of Lady Wisdom and the Dame of Folly. All of what follows are directly from the book of proverbs, some NIV, some from The Message version of the Bible.
(the script for this was read by me and two women)
PASTOR:
Lady Wisdom calls aloud in the street,
she raises her voice in the town center;
in the middle of traffic she cries out,
in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: (Prov 1:20-21)
LADY WISDOM
"Simpletons! How long will you wallow in ignorance?
Cynics! How long will you feed your cynicism?
Idiots! How long will you refuse to learn?
About face! I can revise your life.
Look, I’m ready to pour out my spirit on you;
I’m ready to tell you all I know.
As it is, I’ve called, but you’ve turned a deaf ear;
I’ve reached out to you, but you’ve ignored me.
"Since you laugh at my counsel
and make a joke of my advice,
How can I take you seriously?
I’ll turn the tables and joke about your troubles!
What if the roof falls in,
and your whole life goes to pieces?
What if catastrophe strikes and there’s nothing
to show for your life but rubble and ashes?
You’ll need me then. You’ll call for me, but don’t expect an answer.
No matter how hard you look, you won’t find me.
"Because you hated Knowledge
and had nothing to do with the Fear-of-God,
Because you wouldn’t take my advice
and brushed aside all my offers to train you,
Well, you’ve made your bed-now lie in it;
you wanted your own way-now, how do you like it?
Don’t you see what happens, you simpletons, you idiots?
Carelessness kills; complacency is murder.
First pay attention to me, and then relax.
Now you can take it easy-you’re in good hands." (Proverbs 1:22-33)
PASTOR:
Talk to Wisdom as to a sister.
Treat Insight as your companion.
They’ll be with you to fend off the Temptress-
that smooth-talking, honey-tongued Seductress. (Proverbs 7:4-5)
Watching the mindless crowd stroll by,
I spotted a young man without any sense
Arriving at the corner of the street where she (pointing) lived,
then turning up the path to her house.
It was dusk, the evening coming on,
the darkness thickening into night.
Just then, a woman met him-
she’d been lying in wait for him, dressed to seduce him.
Brazen and brash she was,
restless and roaming, never at home,
Walking the streets, loitering in the mall,
hanging out at every corner in town.
She threw her arms around him and kissed him,
boldly took his arm and said: (Proverbs 7:7-19)
DAME FOLLY:
"I’ve got all the makings for a feast-
today I made my offerings, my vows are all paid,
So now I’ve come to find you,
hoping to catch sight of your face-and here you are!
I’ve spread fresh, clean sheets on my bed,
colorful imported linens.
My bed is aromatic with spices
and exotic fragrances.
Come, let’s drink deep of love until morning,
let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
My husband’s not home; he’s away on business,
and he won’t be back for a month." (Proverbs 7:14-19)
PASTOR:
With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.
All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer stepping into a noose . . .
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life. (Proverbs 7:21-23)
So, friends, listen to me,
Pay attention to what I say.
Don’t fool around with a woman like that;
don’t even stroll through her neighborhood.
Countless are the victims she has brought down;
she’s the death of many a poor soul.
Her house is a highway to hell,
you’ll leave it in a coffin. (Proverbs 7:24-27)
Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice? Proverbs 8:1
LADY WISDOM:
"You-I’m talking to all of you,
everyone out here on the streets!
Listen, you idiots-learn good sense!
You blockheads-shape up!
Don’t miss a word of this-I’m telling you how to live well,
I’m telling you how to live at your best.
My mouth chews and savors and relishes truth-
I can’t stand the taste of evil!
You’ll only hear true and right words from my mouth;
not one syllable will be twisted or skewed.
You’ll recognize this as true-you with open minds;
truth-ready minds will see it at once.
Prefer my life-disciplines over chasing after money,
and God-knowledge over a lucrative career.
For Wisdom is better than all the trappings of wealth;
nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her.
"I am Lady Wisdom, and I live next to Sanity;
Knowledge and Discretion live just down the street.
The Fear-of-God means hating Evil,
whose ways I hate with a passion-
pride and arrogance and crooked talk. . .
I love those who love me;
those who look for me find me.
Wealth and Glory accompany me-
also substantial Honor and a Good Name.
My benefits are worth more than a big salary, even a very big salary;
the returns on me exceed any imaginable bonus. (Proverbs 8:17-21)
"Now then, my sons, listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.
Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not ignore it.
For whoever finds me finds life
and receives favor from the LORD.
But whoever fails to find me harms himself;
all who hate me love death." (Prov 8:31-36)
PASTOR:
Then there’s this other woman, Dame Folly--
brazen, empty-headed, frivolous.
She sits on the front porch
of her house on Main Street,
And as people walk by minding
their own business, calls out: (Proverbs 9:13-15)
DAME FOLLY:
"Are you confused about life, don’t know what’s going on?
Steal off with me, I’ll show you a good time!
No one will ever know-I’ll give you the time of your life." (9:16-17)
PASTOR:
But they don’t know about all the skeletons in her closet,
that all her guests end up in hell. (9:18)
A. This image of a proverbial woman helps us understand the proverbial lady of Proverbs 31 -- the one used to shame all of you women who fall short of perfection. There is no woman, nor has there ever been, nor could there have been in that culture, a woman that matches the idealistic picture in Proverbs 31. It is part of the picture of Lady Wisdom - wed yourself to her and enjoy the goodness of chapter 31.
B. Woven through the entire book of proverbs, and all of the wisdom literature in the Bible, is this theme: who are you going to follow: Lady Wisdom or Madame Folly? Will you travel through life on the highway of wisdom or the highway to hell?
1. There are two responses to proverbs: 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
2. The Bible makes it clear which way you are to choose
3. Proverbs 4:7-8 “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. 8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.”
III. The Wisdom of Jesus
A. Jesus taught about wisdom, challenged people to choose the path of wisdom. One of the things he highlighted is our natural tendency to follow Madame Folly instead of Lady Wisdom.
B. Matt 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
C. Not only did Jesus teach wisdom, but he is wisdom personified. John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Challenge: I call this sermon “2 Luring Women” because they are both enticing. Many many people in our world follow folly and wonder why life is so empty and cruel and meaningless. Proverbs tells us why.
“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.” Proverbs 4:18-19
Don’t be a fool! Choose wisely. The message of the book of Proverbs is so simple: follow wisdom, pursue it, make it a life goal. Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, it grows and takes on life as we follow Jesus. Following Jesus is walking the road of wisdom, doing foolish things, stumbling in sin, making mistakes, falling at times, but making wisdom our life’s pursuit, not chasing the tail of folly.
