INTRO. - ILL.- I love the cute story about some men in a pickup truck who drove into a lumberyard. One of the men walked in the office and said, 'We need some four-by-twos. 'The clerk said, 'You mean two-by-fours, don't you?'
The man said, 'I'll go check,' and went back to the truck. He returned in a minute and said, 'Yeah, I meant two-by-fours.'
'All right. How long do you need them?'
The customer paused for a minute and said, 'I'd better go check.' After awhile, the customer returned to the office and said, 'A long time. We're gonna build a house.'
There is a difference in houses. Our house in Jonesboro, AR, was not a bad house by any means. It was only 12 years old when we purchased it. After we moved into our “new/newer” house we immediately had the inside painted and new carpet installed. The men who installed the carpet said, “Did you know that your wall between the kitchen and living room is off 3 inches from one end to the other?” Wow! No, we didn’t know that. He said, “Most houses are built the same way. It doesn’t make any difference even if they are million dollar houses.”
Basically, he was saying that the builder was not doing good work or his best work. To the naked eye you would never see this difference but if you measured it you could easily see the error.
Why would any builder do that kind of poor work? I don’t know except that they may have been in a hurry to get it done or maybe they just didn’t care and were more interested in getting their money as quickly as possible.
I happen to believe, however, that there are good builders in this world or perhaps better builders. I’m not sure there is any perfectly built house or perfect builders.
This fall I retired and we moved to Cape Girardeau, MO, where we purchased a five-year old house. And we could immediately see a difference in the way this house was built versus our house in Jonesboro, AR. It appeared to be a better built house. The doors shut smoothly and quietly. Even the drawers in the kitchen and bathrooms shut softly. The attention to detail seems to be better in almost every way; outside and inside. We felt that the builder did a good job with our newer house.
There is another builder who never makes a mistake and always does his best in whatever he builds. His name is God. The house that wisdom built is the house that the wisdom of God built and is building. He is continuing to build His wisdom house. Please consider this text from Proverbs 9 God’s wisdom house.
PROP.- The wisdom of God is building a house. Here is that house.
1- The wisdom house invites people in
2- The wisdom house instructs in all ways
3- The wisdom house instills fear of the Lord
I. THE WISDOM HOUSE INVITES PEOPLE IN
1 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. 2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. 3 She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city. 4 "Let all who are simple come in here!" she says to those who lack judgment. 5 "Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.
Most of us are familiar with Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
ILL.- During the World Series in 1957 a writer asked the Milwaukee Braves’ Bob Buhl what he was going to do after it was over. “I’m going to Saginaw to help my father,” said Buhl. “And what does he do?” “Nothing,” replied Buhl. Apparently, Buhl felt like he needed some rest.
Who isn’t weary and burdened in this world? Life has a way of making us weary and burdened and even when life is good at its best. We love this invitation to come to Jesus to receive rest from Him. The words rest, peace, and comfort sound very good to us in this stress-filled world.
But in Proverbs we have a different invitation.
4 "Let all who are simple come in here!" she says to those who lack judgment. 5 "Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.
Let all who are simple come in! Not many of us are willing to admit that we might be somewhat simple and yet we are!
I admit to being simple. I admit to being ignorant and often weak.
I often feel like the apostle Paul who said in I Timothy 1:15 “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” If a person doesn’t admit to being a sinner how can they ever be saved? In God’s world you have to go down before you can ever go up! You have to admit your sinfulness before you can ever be cleansed from your sin.
I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
This text was written to Christians but the principle applies to everyone. If we don’t acknowledge our sins or sinfulness how can we be cleansed and forgiven? These words are echoed by James as well.
James 4:8-10 “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
Let all who are simple come in! That be me! What about you?
James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
We immediately jump for joy when we read this verse because we are told that we can ask God for wisdom and He’ll give it. But something must happen first before we ever ask God for wisdom. What’s that? WE MUST RECOGNIZE OUR LACK OF WISDOM!
That’s similar to this text: Let all who are simple come in! If we don’t recognize that we lack wisdom and that we are somewhat simple then how can we can acquire the wisdom of God?
If we think we are already smart enough on our own why would we even consider asking God for anything?
ILL.- I once knew of a chief of police in a small town who believed totally in himself. He believed that a person should stand on their own two feet and not ask for help from anyone. He apparently thought of himself as a “self-made” man who
didn’t God or anybody else. WRONG!
We all need help from our living, all-powerful, all-wise Creator! And the invitation still stands: LET ALL WHO ARE SIMPLE COME IN! Why not admit your simpleness and go in?
II. THE WISDOM HOUSE INSTRUCTS IN ALL WAYS
6 Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding. 7 "Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. 8 Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. 9 Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.
ILL.- "Michael," a teacher reprimanded the teenager in the hall, "do you mind telling me whose class you're cutting this time?" "Like," the young teen replied, "uh, see, okay, like it's like I really don't like think like that's really important, y'know, like because I'm y'know, like I don't get anything out of it." The teacher smiled and said, “It’s English class, isn’t it?”
Most of us don’t like correction or rebuke whether it’s from a teacher, our parents, our boss, you name it. We just don’t like to be told that we’re wrong about something. We don’t like to be corrected.
In God’s world, however, correction is a must. Rebuke must happen.
II Timothy 4:1-5 “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”
If someone is going to preach God’s Word then rebuke must be a part of that preaching. And it’s actually easier to rebuke in the pulpit than in person! That is, it’s easier to preach a rebuking message from the pulpit than to personally rebuke someone.
Galatians 6:1 “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”
If we are ever going to rebuke a person for their wrongdoing or sin then we must do it “gently.” Why? Because the idea is not to hurt them but to help them. And we generally do more to help a person when we gently correct them. Although nobody ever told my daddy that!! He was not too gentle at correcting when he got out his razor strap or took off his belt! BUT WE MUST BE GENTLE IN OUR REBUKE OR CORRECTING IF WE WANT TO HELP PEOPLE AND RESTORE THEM.
Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still. The wisdom of God instructs us in various ways and at all times in life. We must always be open to God’s wisdom which comes in the home, at work, in the world, from the old, and from the young.
Psalm 85:8-9 “I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—but let them not turn to folly. Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.”
Proverbs 1:5 “Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.”
Proverbs 19:20 “Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.”
III. THE WISDOM HOUSE INSTILLS FEAR OF THE LORD
10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. 12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer."
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
When you begin to fear him who is over you that’s when you begin to get smart!
If children have a good father, it pays to listen to him and fear him in a certain way. I loved my father but I also literally feared him at times and that wasn’t a bad thing! I needed to fear him because I did some dumb things at times.
My dad was a quiet man but I think he lived for his children’s good in this world. He taught us about hard work and honesty by the way he lived. He didn’t give his children much instruction but we learned from him some good things and I always tried to show him great respect.
It’s always smart to fear him who is over you, especially when he is living for your good. That holds true for fathers, bosses, spiritual leaders and most certainly, our God!
I Timothy 4:11-13 “Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.”
There are times when people look down on their preachers but if he is doing a good work and faithfully preaching God’s Word he should be respected and appreciated.
Hebrews 13:7 “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”
Good spiritual leaders (preachers, pastors, elders, deacons) should be respected, appreciated and imitated when they do a good work for the Lord in their churches.
Our greatest respect, fear and appreciation should obviously be for the Lord!
ILL.- When Moses and the people of Israel crossed the Red Sea here is what happened.
Exodus 14:21-22 “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.” And what was the result of the people of Israel being saved by the hand of God?
Exodus 14:31 “And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.” When the people saw the hand of God at work they feared Him. It’s smart to fear Him who can deliver you from slavery; slavery in any form, slavery to sin, slavery to addiction, etc.
The fear of the Lord is beginning of wisdom. When people begin to fear and respect God as God that’s when they begin to get smart.
CONCLUSION--------------------
Matthew 7:24-25 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”
The house that wisdom built is that house that is built on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a house that believes in the Lord Jesus and seeks to do His will in this life. It is a house that puts into practice what Jesus says in His Word.
Are you that wise house?
