A. Robert Ingersoll, who lived from 1833 to 1899, was nicknamed “The Great Agnostic.”
1. On one occasion, Ingersoll, after delivering one of his addresses in defense of agnosticism, pulled out his watch and said, “According to the Bible, God has struck men to death for blasphemy. I will blaspheme Him and give Him five minutes to strike me dead and damn my soul.”
a. There was a period of perfect silence while one minute went by.
b. Two minutes passed and people began to get nervous.
c. At three minutes, a woman fainted.
d. At four minutes, Ingersoll curled his lip.
e. At five minutes, he snapped shut his watch, put it in his pocket and said: “You see, there is no God, or He would have taken me at my word.”
2. In response to the story, one man said: “And did the American gentleman think he could exhaust the patience of God in five minutes?”
3. God is so much greater and more powerful than anyone, and God will not allow anyone to force His hand or paint Him in a corner.
B. One of the saddest statements in the Bible about a person’s position in life is the statement: “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Ps. 36:1; Romans 3:18)
1. And I’m afraid that this is where our society is today.
2. During my lifetime, our society has gone from being one with a moral, spiritual foundation that included a healthy fear of God, to a society with no sense of God and no clear sense of right and wrong.
3. Our society has raised an entire generation without a consciousness of God and therefore a generation without a conscience.
4. The late Chuck Colson said: “Without ultimate justice, people’s sense of moral obligation dissolves; social bonds are broken. People who have no fear of God soon have no fear of man, and no respect for human laws and authority.”
C. “Don’t you fear God?” is a great question.
1. It’s a question that I don’t think we hear much anymore.
2. But fear of God is an important aspect of understanding of who God is and what God does.
D. In The Chronicles of Narnia, which is an allegory by C.S. Lewis, the author has two girls, Susan and Lucy, getting ready to meet Aslan the lion, who represents Christ.
1. Two talking animals, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, prepare the children for the encounter.
2. “Ooh,” said Susan, “I thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”
3. “That you will, dearie.” said Mrs. Beaver. “And make no mistake, if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knee’s knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”
4. “Then isn’t he safe?” asked Lucy.
5. “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? Of course, he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the king, I tell you!”
E. Our God is a God of love and justice; a God of grace and wrath, and sometimes I think we need to hear Him roar to remind us of His holiness and power.
1. Oswald Chambers wrote: “The remarkable thing about fearing God, is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.”
F. Today’s sermon is the second in our new sermon series “God’s Wisdom: More Valuable Than Gold.”
1. In last week’s sermon, we started by declaring that there is nothing more valuable than the wisdom of God – it is more valuable than gold and silver and jewels.
2. God’s wisdom is something that we need and something that God wants us to have.
3. But in order to have God’s wisdom, we need to realize we need it and then ask for it.
4. After we ask for it, we need to search for it like buried treasure, and then once we find it and receive it, we must put it into practice.
5. God gave Solomon, the third king of Israel, greater wisdom than anyone else on earth, but Solomon failed to apply God’s wisdom in his own daily life, which led to moral and spiritual failure.
G. Today, as we continue our pursuit of God’s wisdom, which is the most valuable thing in the world, we begin our pursuit with a the most important truth that is the foundation of God’s wisdom: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
1. Let’s begin by looking at the first seven verses of Proverbs 1:
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 For learning wisdom and discipline; for understanding insightful sayings;
3 for receiving prudent instruction in righteousness, justice, and integrity;
4 for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man -
5 let a wise person listen and increase learning, and let a discerning person obtain guidance—
6 for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.
2. I love the purpose and promise that comes through acquiring the wisdom of God.
a. Solomon says that the wisdom of God leads to a life of discipline, righteousness and integrity.
b. God’s wisdom gives us knowledge and shrewdness, discretion and guidance.
c. In other words, by learning the wisdom of God, we learn the art of skillful living, we gain mental alertness, moral insight, and maturity.
d. When we have and know how to use God’s wisdom, we don’t have to remain naïve or gullible, and don’t have to keep making the same dumb mistakes, over and over again.
H. We all want to sign up for that right?
1. We all want to be wise and disciplined and shrewd, and we don’t want to be naïve, gullible or foolish, right?
2. So, how do we begin? Where do we begin?
3. The answer is found in verse 7: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.
4. Solomon said the same thing in Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
I. Let’s explore the second part of verse 7, before we explore the first part.
1. Solomon said that “fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
2. There are five different types of fools in the book of Proverbs conveyed by five different Hebrew words.
a. There is the stupid or gullible fool; there is the stubborn fool who is dull and inactive, there is the mocking fool who is blind and deaf to spiritual matters; there is the committed fool (nabal) who is wicked and vile; and there is unreasonable, arrogant fool who despises instruction and won’t listen to anyone’s advice.
3. It is this last kind of fool that is mentioned here in verse 7.
a. This kind of fool is so arrogant that they don’t know that they don’t know.
b. This kind of fool says, “I know what I’m doing and I don’t need anyone to teach me anything.”
c. But in reality, they don’t know and they need instruction.
4. As we all know, one of the most annoying types of people is the “know-it-all” person - the person who has a dogmatic opinion about everything, and doesn’t appreciate other opinions or correction.
a. That kind of person is labeled a fool in the book of Proverbs.
J. In contrast to this kind of fool is the person who knows they are not wise and who knows that God is most wise of all.
1. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
2. The Hebrew word for fear can have three meanings: It can mean terror, it can mean respect, and it can mean reverence (worship).
3. I don’t believe that God wants us to live in dread or terror of the Lord, because that would make it difficult to have a loving and trusting relationship with God.
4. To fear the Lord is to respect God for who He is – it is understanding that God is God and you and I are not God.
5. To fear of the Lord is to bow our knee before Almighty God and acknowledge that He made everything and everyone, and is sovereign over it all and must be obeyed.
6. Respect and reverence for God is where knowledge begins, it is where knowledge continues, and it is where all knowledge ends.
7. The starting point for true wisdom is: the fear of the finite in the presence of the Infinite, the fear of the sinful in the presence of the Holy, fear of the foolish in the presence of the All-knowing, All-wise God.
K. The need to fear the Lord is a truth that runs throughout the Bible.
1. Exodus 20:20: “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.”
2. Leviticus 19:14: “You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.”
3. Psalm 128:1: “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways.”
4. Ecclesiastes 3:14: “I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.”
5. Ecclesiastes 12:13: “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”
6. Jeremiah 2:19: “…Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the Lord your God; the fear of me is not in you, declares the Lord God of hosts.”
7. 2 Corinthians 7:1: So then, dear friends, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
8. Ephesians 5:21: Submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.
9. From all these verses, we can see that fearing the Lord plays in important role in our relationship with God and in our relationships with each other.
L. The Book of Proverbs lists a number of practical benefits that result from living in the fear of the Lord.
1. Let me point our attention to three of them.
M. The first is what we might call “consecration” – which means to dedicate or be devoted.
1. One of the best ways to stay away from sin is to fear God.
2. Proverbs 3:7: “Fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”
3. Proverbs 8:13 says it stronger: “The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.”
4. And Proverbs 16:6 tells us when we tremble before God, we’ll move away from sin: “By the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.”
5. If we are serious about following God in holiness, then focus on fearing God will be helpful.
6. Let’s again look at 2 Corinthians 7:1: So then, dear friends, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
7. Fearing God is having the continual awareness that our loving heavenly Father is watching and evaluating everything we think, say and do.
8. Someone wrote: “To fear God is to love Him so that His frown would be your greatest dread and His smile would be your greatest delight.” (Colin Smith)
N. A second thing that results from fearing the Lord is confidence.
1. Proverbs 14:26: “In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.”
2. Speaking of children, we’re called to bring them up in the fear of the Lord according to Psalm 34:11: “Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”
3. Job 4:6 asks, “Is not your fear of God your confidence…?”
4. When we know that we are walking in the fear of the Lord, then we can know that we are walking with God and walking according to God’s principles and promises.
5. This gives us confidence and assurance and shelter.
O. The third thing that results from fearing the Lord is contentment.
1. Contentment can be a difficult thing to develop, but the fear of the Lord can assist us.
2. Proverbs 15:16: “Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it.”
3. Fearing God also helps us to not be jealous of what others have.
4. Proverbs 23:17: “Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.”
5. Proverbs 19:23: “The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied.”
6. I like this quote: “Only when awe of God rules your heart will you be able to keep the pleasures of the material world in their proper place.” (Paul David Tripp)
7. And so, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge and it leads us towards consecration, confidence and contentment.
P. I would like to end this sermon with a challenge to action for all of us.
1. The basic challenge is the same, but the application of it will be different depending on our age and our responsibilities in our lives.
2. The basic challenge is that all of us have a healthy fear of the Lord that puts everything else in our lives into proper perspective and puts everything into its proper place.
Q. I would like to start with a challenge to our young people.
1. You are at such an important time and place in your lives – because you are young, you’re expected to be inexperienced and expected to be in need of teaching and training.
2. Youth is not a time to think you know-it-all and don’t need someone to show you the way.
3. But the choices you make at an early age about what you are going to learn and who you are going to learn from is so important.
4. We will see in our study of Proverbs that learning from the wise leads to being wise and how hanging with and listening to fools leads to foolishness.
5. One of the important things that Solomon said in conclusion of all the things he learned is: Remember your creator in the days of your youth (Eccl. 12:1).
6. And since the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge, start there.
7. Start with a healthy respect and reverence for your Creator, who is the one who had the wisdom and power to create everything and who is the one who has the power to sustain it all.
8. Put God’s Word and Wisdom into your heart and mind and allow it to guide and direct you.
9. God’s Word and Wisdom will lead to wellbeing and will protect you from disaster and heartache.
10. I’m so glad I started following the Lord when I was young! It has blessed me throughout my life.
R. Next, allow me to challenge our parents and grandparents.
1. Our job is to fear God and keep His commandments and to show our children and grandchildren how to do the same.
2. Our kids and grandkids are smart, and they can see through hypocrisy.
3. Saying to them: “Do as I say, not as I do,” won’t work very well.
4. And if we say that we value God and His word, but it’s obvious to them that we don’t put God first and don’t do what the Bible says, then there will be little reason for them to make the things of God a priority.
5. I’m not saying that we have to be perfect in order for our spiritual life to have impact on our kids and grandkids, but I am saying that there needs to be some consistency and congruity, and when we fall short, we need to own up to it quickly and try to make a course correction immediately.
S. Next, allow me to challenge all disciples of Jesus, especially the members of our church family.
1. Let me challenge us to take seriously our need to walk faithfully before the Lord with the proper reverence and respect.
2. Let me challenge us to take seriously our calling as disciples of Jesus.
3. Being followers of Jesus and members of the body of Christ isn’t just a minor addition to our lives, like joining the YMCA or the Rotary Club.
4. Being a follower of Jesus isn’t something we do with some of our time, rather it is who we are and what we are through and through.
5. When we fear the Lord and follow after our Lord, then we take seriously that there are right ways to think, right ways to speak, and right ways to act, and that to think, speak or act otherwise is not acceptable.
6. When we fear the Lord and follow after our Lord, then we want nothing more than to please the Lord by putting Him first and serving Him with our time, talents, and treasure.
7. And as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:11, because we fear the Lord, we do our best to persuade others to believe in Jesus and obey His commands.
8. We know and understand that everyone will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and will end up in either heaven or hell, and we don’t want anyone to be lost in hell.
9. You’ve probably seen the ads on TV that Ronald Reagan Jr. (son of former President Reagan) is in where he talks about being a proud atheist and that he is not afraid of hell.
a. People like Robert Ingersol and Ronald Reagan Jr might make fun of God and say they are not afraid of God or of hell, but they can say that because they don’t believe God exists.
10. But we who believe, know that God exists and we know that God must not be toyed with – God is good, but He is also fierce – like Aslan, the lion – He is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29) that should not be played with.
T. Lastly, allow me to make a special challenge to the men of our congregation.
1. When God created us male and female and put us into families and church families, God created order and established positions of leadership.
2. According to God’s sovereign wisdom and design, He has created men to be the heads and leaders of the home and the church.
3. Husbands are supposed the be the heads and servant leaders of their wives and children.
4. Men are supposed to step into their leadership roles in the church as elders and deacons and evangelists.
5. We thank God for our godly mothers and godly wives and godly servants in the church – thankfully our women have often been the ones most consistently and faithfully living in the fear of the Lord, and we hope they will continue to do so.
6. But I want to challenge our men to be sure to be living consistently and faithfully in the fear of the Lord.
7. I pray that God will enable us men to be the spiritual leaders of our homes and of our church.
8. We need more of our men to step into teaching roles in both our adult and children’s classes.
9. We need more of our men to step into serving roles in our children and youth ministries – including Trail Life.
10. We need more of our men to prepare themselves to qualify to be evangelists, elders and deacons.
11. We need more of our men to serve in all kinds of ways – in transportation, facilities, outreach ministries, leading bible studies with new Christians and those who are searching, etc.
U. Where does this challenge begin for our youth, for our parents and grandparents, or our women and our men?
1. It begins with the proper fear of the Lord.
2. It begins with the proper awe and respect and obedience to our all-wise and loving God.
3. And everything else builds on and proceeds from that solid and healthy foundation.
4. There is a God and He is worthy of all of our love and devotion, respect and obedience.
5. This is the only path to true wisdom and abundant life.
6. For God and God’s wisdom are more valuable than gold.
Resources:
• Proverbs 1 – The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Knowledge, Tom Shepard
• Diary of a Wise Old Man, Ray Pritchard
• How to Be a Wise Guy, Brian Bill
