INTRODUCTION
- Week 14 of Core 52 begins a new mini-series entitled Hidden Hope.
- The entire Bible is about Jesus.
- Sometimes, He sits on the surface of the page.
- Other times, Jesus hides between the lines.
- This four-week series explores hidden gems that shine brightest when Jesus is brought to light.
- Today, we begin our series in the book of Proverbs.
- Like Psalms, Proverbs is a book of poetry.
- But Psalms was a book of songs, a book of worship.
- Proverbs is a book of wisdom, a collection of wise sayings and truisms applicable to life.
- Proverbs was written by Solomon, the son of David, heir to his throne and the third king of Israel.
- He has the reputation of being the wisest man ever to live, and for good reason.
- God offered Solomon a blank check, "Ask what I shall give you," God asked Solomon in 2 Chronicles 1.
- Solomon could have asked for anything he wanted: wealth, power, fame, anything.
- What Solomon asked for was wisdom.
- In 2 Chronicles 1:10 Solomon says, "Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great."
- 1 Kings 4:29 tells us that "God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore."
- The Book of Proverbs comes out of that wealth of wisdom and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
- Proverbs itself is a master class in wisdom. It tells us how the principles of wisdom can lead to success and mastery in all the major arenas of life, such as personal relationships, business, family life, and community life.
- Solomon opens his course on wisdom by telling us what the true source of wisdom is.
- Our core verse today, Proverbs 1:7, serves not just as an introduction to the book of Proverbs but also to all the Bible poetry books.
- The thought in Proverbs 1:7 is repeated two more times in Proverbs, as well as in Psalms and the Book of Job.
- This is why all the books of poetry in the Bible are together, sometimes called "wisdom literature."
- Commentators often refer to verse 7 as the "motto" of the book.
- A motto is a sentence or phrase adopted to represent the character and substance of a book.
- The thought expressed in verse 7 appears also in 9:10 and 15:33. See also Psa 111:10 and Job 28:28.
- Let's see what God has to say to us concerning the subject of wisdom today.
Proverbs 1:7 (NET 2nd ed.)
7 Fearing the LORD is the beginning of discernment, but fools have despised wisdom and moral instruction.
SERMON
I. The fear of the Lord?
- I put a question mark at the end of this point because the thought seems counterintuitive.
- Isn't God a God of love who wants us to feel warm and fuzzy?
- Yes, to the first part of the question, not necessarily to the second part.
- Why does Solomon tell us that wisdom springs from the fear of God?
- We tend to see fear as a bad thing.
- We dismiss fear as a weakness.
- We don't want to be fearful.
- We try and avoid that ever-tightening knot in the pit of our stomach.
- We want to be fearless.
- We are hard-wired for fear.
- God created us with a healthy sense of fear.
- The problem, like everything else, is that sin has twisted this healthy fear into something harmful and destructive.
- Simply put, we too often fear the wrong things.
- Fear is good when we respond with a fight, flight or freeze response to a genuinely life-threatening situation, but what about when we are overcome by fear of something merely unfamiliar or uncomfortable?
- Fight or flight is not a healthy response then, but that is still what we often do.
- So what does Solomon mean when he speaks of fearing the Lord?
- The fear of the Lord is one of the most repeated phrases in Proverbs.
- 1:29;2:5;9:10;10:27;14:26-27;15:16;15:33;16:6;19:23;22:4;23:17.
- There will be a quiz on that!
- When we think of fearing something, we think of terror.
- For example, if a bear comes running at us, our fear is that we will be caught and become a meal for the bear.
- Maybe you were scared of the dark like I was when I was a child.
- Fear of death troubles many folks.
- The word we translate as FEAR can mean that type of fear; however, context gives insight as to what the word means.
- In our context, the word denotes more of a meaning of reverence.
- The word speaks of a profound respect for someone or something, often a deity, conceived as fear.
- In the book of Proverbs, fear of the Lord relates to faith in God that seeks understanding.
- In Proverbs 1:7, it is crucial to understand that the fear of the Lord is not about living in constant dread or terror of God; Instead, it is about cultivating a deep reverence, awe, and respect for God.
- When we talk about the fear of the Lord, we acknowledge God's greatness, holiness, and sovereignty.
- It involves recognizing His majesty and authority over all creation.
- This reverence stems from a profound understanding of who God is and a realization of our place as His creations.
- This fear is not a paralyzing emotion that drives us away from God but rather a motivating force that draws us closer to Him.
- It compels us to live in a manner that honors Him, to seek His wisdom and guidance in all things, and to align our hearts with His will.
- When we approach God with the fear of the Lord, we come before Him with humility, recognizing our dependence on Him and our need for His guidance.
- This reverence serves as the foundation for a close and intimate relationship with God, allowing us to profoundly experience His love, grace, and mercy.
- You will never properly experience God'sGod's love if you don't also fear Him.
- That might sound counterintuitive at first. It is true that 1 John 4:18 says, "Perfect love casts out fear."
- But that passage is about an unholy fear, the fear that comes when we fear other things more than we fear God.
- It's the irrational, phobia kind of fear.
- The Bible also talks about a holy fear and a godly love working hand in hand.
- Love and fear aren't on opposite ends of the spectrum.
- They can work together.
- Fearing God makes you fearless.
- The fear of God keeps all of our other fears at bay.
- When fearing God is at the top of your fear list, all your other fears fall into place.
- I find it interesting that of all the times the Bible tells us to fear the LORD, the most often repeated command is "Fear not," or "Do not be afraid."
- Some 70 times, we are commanded not to be afraid.
- When you fear God, you will fear nothing else.
- Do you realize that most of our struggles with fear come from the fact that we fear the wrong things?
- Our fear priorities are all messed up.
- Overcoming fear isn't about not fearing the wrong things but learning to fear the right thing.
- When you realize God is bigger than everything else you're afraid of, there's nothing to be afraid of anymore.
- Fearing God makes you fearless.
- Fearing God fosters holiness.
- It inspires obedience.
- When we fear someone, do we obey them?
- What do you do when you see a police car in your rearview mirror?
- Chances are, you don't wave or speed up.
- Most of us instinctively hit our brakes.
- You double-check your speedometer.
- You make sure you are obeying the speed limit.
- Fear inspires obedience.
- I know some of you are objecting, saying, "But shouldn't we obey God because we love Him, not because we fear him."
- Yes, ultimately, as we grow in our faith, love becomes the prime mover, but remember, fear and love work together.
- They are partners.
- Being motivated by fear doesn't exclude being motivated by love.
- This is something married people understand quite well, assuming you actually love your husband or wife.
- There are many things I do for my wife that I'd rather not do, but I do them anyway because I love her.
- Let's look at the passage again.
Proverbs 1:7 (NET 2nd ed.)
7 Fearing the LORD is the beginning of discernment, but fools have despised wisdom and moral instruction.
II. The beginning of wisdom.
- Let's begin by defining wisdom.
- Wisdom is more than knowing something; it is knowing how to apply what you know in life.
- The Hebrew word used here has to do with insight and understanding.
- The word used for wisdom means wisdom, skill, and shrewdness.
- The Bible dictionary defines it as "the ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding."
- Biblical wisdom should not be confused with education or intelligence.
- In fact, you could have a very high IQ yet still be a fool.
- The focus here is on the practical use of knowledge.
- Biblical wisdom is knowing what to do with what you know.
- The word BEGINNING in our passage can be translated as "essence" or "chief part."
- In what way is the fear of the Lord the beginning of knowledge?
- The prerequisite to gaining wisdom is the fear of the Lord.
- Why is the fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom?
- Since God is the creator and sustainer of all things, it makes sense that He is the beginning of all wisdom!
- In our exploration of wisdom, we come to understand that the fear of the Lord is the cornerstone upon which true wisdom and knowledge are built.
- Without a deep reverence and awe for God, our pursuit of wisdom is incomplete and lacking in substance.
- When we acknowledge the fear of the Lord as the foundation of wisdom, we recognize that our understanding and insight come from Him.
- Through this reverence for God, we gain the perspective needed to navigate life's challenges with discernment and grace.
- Without a proper reverence for God, our wisdom is limited to human understanding and fallible perspectives.
- True wisdom comes from seeking God first in all things, allowing His truth to illuminate our path and guide our decisions.
- By prioritizing our relationship with God and approaching Him with humility and reverence, we position ourselves to receive His wisdom and understanding.
- As we seek His guidance in prayer, study His Word, and walk in obedience to His will, we open ourselves up to a life of wisdom that surpasses human intellect.
- Let's look at the passage one last time.
Proverbs 1:7 (NET 2nd ed.)
7 Fearing the LORD is the beginning of discernment, but fools have despised wisdom and moral instruction.
III. The folly of failing to embrace wisdom and instruction.
- We make so many mistakes in life when we either seek wisdom in the wrong place or fail to embrace it.
- First, as we have said earlier, we need to seek God for wisdom.
- If we seek wisdom from God, He will deliver!
James 1:5 (NET 2nd ed.)
5 But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.
- It is one thing to seek wisdom; it is another to embrace it or fool it.
- In the NET2, the word is translated as DESPISED; this word denotes to look at with contempt.
- So why would I look at wisdom with contempt?
- One reason might be that following the wise path is difficult or will keep me from doing what I want to do.
- Maybe my pride will not let me admit that my ways and thoughts are not the best ways.
- A definition of a fool is one who lacks good judgment.
- When we fail to embrace wisdom and instruction, we set ourselves up to lack good judgment.
- As parents, our children depend on us teaching, and showing them wisdom.
- Parents who let their children who lack wisdom and experience in life will be setting their children up to live a foolish life.
CONCLUSION
- Where do you go for wisdom?
- If you want true wisdom, you will go to God for it.
- His wisdom is found in the Bible.
- Wisdom is the correct application of knowledge, so if you lack knowledge, you will lack wisdom.
- As you grow in God's Word, your knowledge will increase. As your knowledge increases, God, through prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit, will increase your wisdom.
- Spending time in prayer and study of the Word will help keep one from making poor choices in life.
- To make good choices in life, we also need to be humble enough to accept instructions and trust God enough to know that following His wisdom will not cheat us.
