A. The story is told about an angel that appeared at a faculty meeting and told the dean, “In return for your unselfish and exemplary behavior, the Lord will reward you with one of the following: infinite wealth, wisdom, or beauty. Which one will you choose?”
1. Without hesitation, the dean declared: “Give me infinite wisdom!”
2. “Done!” said the angel and then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
3. The faculty members all stared at the dean who stood there surrounded by a faint halo of light.
4. One of the professors broke the silence and said to the dean: “Please say something brilliant.”
5. With the poise of Socrates, the dean said: “I should have taken the money.”
6. I am here to tell you that that was the most foolish thing that dean could have said.
7. Infinite wealth and beauty cannot compare with the power and value of the wisdom of God.
B. I’m so excited to tell you that today’s sermon is the first in a sermon series about God’s wisdom that is found in the book of Proverbs.
1. Throughout this series on the book of Proverbs, we will be learning that there is nothing more valuable than God’s wisdom.
2. Proverbs 16:16 says: Get wisdom—how much better it is than gold! And get understanding—it is preferable to silver.
a. Do you believe that? If God were to appear to you and say: “I will give you this 10 ton pile of gold and silver or I will give you My wisdom,” which would you choose?
b. Although it would be hard to turn down the gold and silver, the more valuable thing is the wisdom of God.
3. That’s what we heard in our scripture reading for today: 13 Happy is a man who finds wisdom and who acquires understanding, 14 for she is more profitable than silver, and her revenue is better than gold. 15 She is more precious than jewels; nothing you desire can equal her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left, riches and honor. 17 Her ways are pleasant, and all her paths, peaceful. 18 She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who hold on to her are happy. (Proverbs 3:13-18)
a. Do you hear the truth that God is revealing through King Solomon?
b. Getting wisdom and understanding leads to happiness.
c. Wisdom and understanding are more profitable and valuable than silver and gold and more precious than jewels.
d. Wisdom and understanding lead to long life, riches, honor and peace.
e. Wisdom is a tree of life that offers happiness.
f. Pretty powerful stuff, wouldn’t you say?
4. King Solomon returned to the same theme in the next chapter: 5 Get wisdom, get understanding; don’t forget or turn away from the words from my mouth. 6 Don’t abandon wisdom, and she will watch over you; love her, and she will guard you. 7 Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom. And whatever else you get, get understanding. 8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you. 9 She will place a garland of favor on your head; she will give you a crown of beauty.” (Proverbs 4:5-9)
a. Are we picking up on the theme? Are we getting the point?
b. God’s wisdom is supreme! God’s wisdom is the most important and valuable thing.
c. It’s something we need to pursue and embrace and never let go of.
d. God’s wisdom will guard us and will exalt us, bringing us honor and favor.
C. Those promises from God about the value and effectiveness of God’s wisdom are true and are backed by God Himself and they are backed by the testimony of those who throughout the centuries have put God’s wisdom into practice and have been blessed because of it.
1. How many of us are interested in learning things that we may never use or need? Not many.
2. But here’s the fantastic thing about learning from the book of Proverbs, we can benefit from it from the moment we read it and learn it.
3. Studying the book of Proverbs is like getting a Ph.D in how to live the best life.
4. The content of Proverbs is as up-to-date as the latest issue of People magazine or Vogue.
5. Here’s a sampling of the subjects that are addressed in Proverbs:
a. What are the consequences of self-indulgence?
b. How can a person avoid moral erosion in an X-rated culture?
c. What effect do my friends have on my character?
d. How should I respond when I’m criticized?
e. Why is pride considered “Public Enemy #1”?
f. What’s the best way to use and invest my money?
g. In what ways can my tongue get me into trouble?
6. Do you think that wisdom about any of these things would be helpful in your life?
D. So, what exactly is the book of Proverbs?
1. It is a book written mostly by King Solomon the 3rd king of Israel.
a. Scholars credit King Solomon with chapters 1-24, and chapters 25-29 are more of Solomon’s proverbs that are called King Hezekiah’s collection, and then the final two chapters are by Agur and King Lemuel.
2. The book of Proverbs unlike any other book of the Bible.
a. Most Bible books come either in the form of narrative, which tells a story, or in a letter filled with teachings from a spiritual leader to a person or a group of believers.
b. Proverbs is a 31 chapter catalog of short, pithy remarks on everything from keeping a lid on your temper to the side effects of too much booze.
c. Unlike most Bible books, a verse you read in Proverbs may address an entirely different topic that the verse before it or after it.
3. Our English word for “proverb” comes from two Latin words which mean “instead of words.”
a. So, a proverb is a sentence of condensed wisdom that is offered in place of a long presentation.
b. A proverb tries to make a point by summarizing a general principle with a vivid illustration, like Proverbs 11:22, which says: Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
1. A longer essay could not drive home the point any better than that proverb as it teaches the truth that “poor character spoils a woman’s attractiveness.”
4. As we work to understand and apply the Proverbs, we have to keep in mind that we can’t interpret Proverbs in the same way we interpret statements of fact or promises.
a. Instead, we must find the general point or broad principle in a proverb without turning it into a rigidly absolute statement or promise.
b. Ancient Hebrew wisdom literature tended to make general statements without worrying about the exceptions and depended on the reader’s common sense to understand the difference.
c. For example, Proverbs 16:3 assures success to those who first commit their plans to God, but committing plans alone to the Lord does not guarantee prosperity.
d. If the plans are foolish plans, then committing them to the Lord doesn’t guarantee their success.
e. Nevertheless, committing our plans to the Lord is always a good thing to do.
5. Another thing we have to keep in mind about the proverbs is that they often include hyperbole, which is a figure of speech that overstates a matter in order to drive home the point.
a. Consider Proverbs 15:25 that says: The Lord tears down the proud man’s house but He keeps the widow’s boundaries intact.
b. The proverb wasn’t trying to say that the minute pride infects you, then the walls of your house will literally collapse.
c. The point of the proverb is that God resists the proud but defends the helpless and humble.
E. So, how did Solomon end up with all of this valuable wisdom? I’m glad you asked.
1. When Solomon was just 15 years old, he inherited the throne of Israel from his father David.
2. A quick glance at his 40 year reign shows a public relations dream come true.
3. Solomon’s reign launched an era of peace and prosperity for Israel.
4. Solomon’s early popularity eclipsed even that of his father, King David.
5. Solomon’s list of achievements reads like a Wikipedia page about a super successful person.
a. He wrote at least 3000 proverbs and 1000 songs.
b. He had a college-level knowledge of botany, zoology, horticulture, architecture, philosophy, and literature.
c. As a result of his diplomacy, Israel’s borders expanded to their greatest geographical area.
d. Residents of nearby nations shook in their sandals at the size of his military stockpile.
e. And his wealth and the opulence of his mansion and lifestyle were unequaled.
6. So, what was the secret to all of his success, power, knowledge and wisdom?
a. 2 Chronicles gives the answer in these words: The Lord his God was with him and made him exceedingly great. (2 Chron. 1:1)
7. Early in Solomon’s reign, while he was still a young man, God appeared to Solomon in a dream at night and said to him: “Ask. What should I give you?” (1 Kgs. 3:5)
a. With great maturity and insight beyond his years, Solomon said: 7 “Lord my God, you have now made your servant king in my father David’s place. Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership. 8 Your servant is among your people you have chosen, a people too many to be numbered or counted. 9 So give your servant a receptive (discerning, NIV) heart to judge your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of yours?” (1 Kgs. 3:7-9)
b. How do you think God responded to Solomon’s request? God was very pleased!
c. The Bible says: 10 Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had requested this. 11 So God said to him, “Because you have requested this and did not ask for long life or riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to administer justice, 12 I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again. 13 In addition, I will give you what you did not ask for: both riches and honor, so that no king will be your equal during your entire life. 14 If you walk in my ways and keep my statutes and commands just as your father David did, I will give you a long life.” (1 Kgs. 3:10-14)
8. Because Solomon asked for wisdom, the thing he needed to serve God’s people, God gave him that and so much more!
a. In the following chapter, 1 Kings 4, we read: 29 God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore. 30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 He was wiser than anyone… His reputation extended to all the surrounding nations… 34 Emissaries of all peoples, sent by every king on earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom. (1 Kgs. 4:29-31, 34)
G. I wish I could tell you that Solomon’s story was a “happily ever after” story, but it wasn’t.
1. We would think that all of Solomon’s blessings and advantages would lead to a great ending, but it didn’t.
2. Question: How could a man so blessed by God with wisdom not find joy and peace all the days of his life?
3. Answer: Although he had the wisdom of God, he didn’t always follow God’s wisdom.
4. This reminds us of an important lesson: there’s a big difference between knowing God’s Word and will and doing God’s Word and will. (let me repeat that)
5. How ironic it is that a man who was so filled with God’s Word and wisdom didn’t put it into practice!
6. How ironic it is that Solomon didn’t follow the advice that he so eloquently wrote about.
H. As Solomon’s life and reign moved through the years, he made one compromise after another.
1. Solomon began doing the very things the Lord God had told him not to do.
a. He became intoxicated with too many gulps of worldly pleasures and pursuits.
b. He started living life according to his own script, instead of God’s.
c. But as he pursued all those things with great abandon…riches, pleasures, projects…he discovered that all of them were meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
d. Solomon chronicled that empty experience in the book of Ecclesiastes.
2. But the worse part of all of Solomon’s sinful ways, was his turning to the worship of idols, rather than remaining faithful in his worship of the one, true God.
a. 1 Kings 11:6 tells us that Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, and unlike his father David, he did not remain loyal to the Lord.
b. Solomon allowed his many foreign wives to turn his heart away to follow other gods.
3. A few verses later we read: 9 The Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 He had commanded him about this, so that he would not follow other gods, but Solomon did not do what the Lord had commanded.
11 Then the Lord said to Solomon, “Since you have done this and did not keep my covenant and my statutes, which I commanded you, I will tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. 12 However, I will not do it during your lifetime for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of your son’s hand. 13 Yet I will not tear the entire kingdom away from him. I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem that I chose.” (1 Kings 11:9-13)
4. Solomon’s life is a story with a great beginning and a sad and tragic end.
a. It’s hard to imagine that a man so blessed by God with wisdom and knowledge could end up acting so foolishly and sinfully.
b. This is a good warning for us to remain vigilant in our walk with God and to be sure to stay on the right path and keep from compromising God’s truths and principles.
c. As I said earlier there’s a difference between knowing what is right and doing what is right.
d. But, before we can do what is right and wise, we have to know what is the right and wise thing to do.
I. The first step in our quest for God’s wisdom is this: we must begin with an acknowledgment that we need God’s wisdom – if we think we are wise enough and if we think we don’t need God’s wisdom, then we will never pursue it.
1. But once we realize that we need God’s wisdom, our next step is to ask God for His wisdom.
a. James wrote: Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)
b. Isn’t that wonderful? God says that if we ask for wisdom, then it will be given to us!
2. The third step in our quest for God’s wisdom is to seek and search for wisdom.
a. In some respects, implied in our asking for wisdom is a commitment to seek and search for wisdom.
b. Solomon explained it this way: 1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 listening closely to wisdom and directing your heart to understanding; 3 furthermore, if you call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding, 4 if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:1-6)
b. In order for us to find and receive God’s wisdom, we have to seek and search for it like it’s the most valuable thing in the world to us – we must become treasure hunters.
J. In 1985, deep-sea divers located the treasure of the sunken Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha.
1. The leader of the expedition, Mel Fisher, and his crew hauled to the surface $400 million worth of gold and silver bars, and emeralds by the quart.
2. Experts estimated the total value of the salvage at $4 Billion – that’s a lot of money now, but $4 Billion had even more buying power in 1985 (40 years ago).
3. We might envy that fortune hunter until we discover the price he had paid for the search.
a. He had been crisscrossing the ocean for 15 frustrating years looking for that sunken ship and had spent $70 million searching during those years.
b. Some of his crew members had gone without pay for six years.
c. And here’s an even more sobering cost: the treasure hunt cost Mel Fisher the lives of his son and daughter who had drowned when their vessel capsized in a storm.
K. How does our commitment for searching for the precious cargo of Proverbs compare with Mel Fisher’s search for the sunken Spanish galleon?
1. I’m afraid that our commitment to seeking God’s wisdom pales in comparison, but I’m sure we won’t have to pay the price that Mel Fisher paid, and yet claiming the riches of Proverbs will cost us a good bit of time and effort.
2. I hope that all of us will make treasure-hunting in Proverbs a lifetime quest.
3. One of the ways that I have tried to mine the riches of Proverbs over the years is to read a chapter of Proverbs each day.
a. It works out perfectly, because there are 31 chapters in Proverbs and most months have 30 or 31 days – one chapter per day.
b. Today’s the 7th of April, so that would mean we would be reading chapter 7.
c. And if for some reason you miss a day, no need to fret over it, you will get back to that chapter when you get to that day next month.
d. Proverbs is so rich and full, that even mining a chapter a day every month of the year, you will never fail to discover something new, rich, and powerful.
4. Also, we tried to share some of Proverbs’ riches with our daughters.
a. For many years, during breakfast, I would share a Proverb for the day and it always came from the chapter of Proverbs that corresponded to the day of the month.
b. Many times the Proverb for the day was the same one each month because it was such a good one and repetition is important, but sometimes I would have a few favorites from each chapter and would alternate the use of them on that day.
5. But let’s never forget that knowing and having God’s wisdom is not helpful unless we use it and put it into practice which is the final step in our quest to be blessed by God’s wisdom.
a. The wisdom of God is of no use to us if we don’t apply it to our lives and obey it.
b. James warned us not to be just hearers of the word, but doers of the word (James 1:22-25).
L. Let’s conclude with the verses we started with today: 13 Happy is a man who finds wisdom and who acquires understanding, 14 for she is more profitable than silver, and her revenue is better than gold. 15 She is more precious than jewels; nothing you desire can equal her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left, riches and honor. 17 Her ways are pleasant, and all her paths, peaceful. 18 She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who hold on to her are happy. (Pr. 3:13-18)
1. Let’s together search for God’s wisdom because it is the most valuable thing in the world, and when we find it and apply it, we will experience wisdom’s pleasant, peaceful paths that lead to life and happiness.
Resources:
• Wise Up: Smart advice from the Book of Proverbs, Terry Powell, Victor Books, 1990.
• Francis Norris, “$400 Million Treasure: A Record Find Off Key West,” Motoring and Sailing, October 1985; and “Spanish Wreck Bursting with Emeralds,” Chicago Tribune, 29 May 1986.
