Proverbs Series #2 CHCC: 01-18-04
Along Straight Paths
Proverbs 3-4
SCRIPTURE READING: Proverbs 4:5-11
INTRODUCTION:
I grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona. The city was carefully planned from it’s founding. Because of that the streets are all laid out in a grid. It’s easy to find your way from one place to another. When we moved to San Antonio, someone warned us that is NOT the way San Antonio is laid out. They said the streets must have been plotted by a drunk guy riding an even drunker horse. We’ve been here almost 20 years, so I don’t give it much thought any more … until I try to give directions to someone else!
The verses __________________________ read today show us that God wants to plot out your life in a way that makes sense. He promises,
I will guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. Proverbs 4:11 When God gives your life DIRECTION, He makes the way straight.
1. Direction Proverbs 3
Listen to the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 7: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14
Notice that the Wide Way leads to Destruction, but the Narrow Way leads to Life. Try visualizing it this way. Think of two funnels. One has the narrow end toward you. The other has the broad end toward you.
The narrow choice seems constrictive at first, but if you enter that way, it gets better and better. The further you go along that path, the broader it gets, and the more freedom you enjoy.
On the other hand, you can easily enter the funnel at the broad end. It seems open and free and full of options. But as you walk along that path, the walls start closing in. Your options constrict and get tighter and tighter until you had no choices left and nowhere left to turn.
That is a good way to visualize the difference between the broad and narrow way. The narrow way may feel like a tight squeeze. It is restrictive and very explicit. In fact, the door is only as broad as ONE MAN. Jesus called himself the door. He told us that “No one comes to the Father except through me.” There is only one way, and that way is Jesus Christ.
Some people decide the way is too narrow. They want more options. So they choose a wide path that makes claims like these: All roads lead to God. Truth can be found anywhere you look. Follow the path that feels right to YOU. It reminds me of a song that was popular back in the 60’s: Many the paths, leading us all to ONE GOD!
Well, there are many ways, but only the narrow way leads us to the One True God. All other ways lead to the same place: Destruction.
One of the most well known passages of Proverbs is found in vs.5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him , and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 This is a powerful promise, but if we want it to be true in our lives, we need to ask: What does it mean to acknowledge God in all we do? Proverbs 3 gives us some answers.
· Learn God’s truth Proverbs 3:1-4
Verse 1 says: My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart … Proverbs 3:1
It isn’t enough to carry the Bible in our hands, we must let the Holy Spirit write it on our hearts so that the word becomes a part of us. I’ve seen people’s lives changed when they get serious about studying God’s word. I’ve seen the transforming power of God’s word my own life, and in so many others. I know that _________________ is a person who has given himself to the study of God’s word, so I’ve asked him to share with you this morning.
(Testimony by _______________________________________________________)
Knowing what God requires is the starting point, but it is not enough.
· Obey God’s will (vs.5-8)
Proverbs 3:7 says: Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. Proverbs 3:7 God cannot direct your path if you refuse to follow His directions. We must trust him with all our heart and obey him in all our ways. God’s will is not revealed to the curious, but to the serious.
The next step in trusting God may surprise you. If we’re going to acknowledge God, we need to learn to SHARE GOD’S BLESSINGS:
· Share God’s blessings (vs.9-10)
Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10
Everything comes from God. Everything belongs to God. If we trust God with all our heart, we’ll trust God with all our money. We don’t give our tithes and offerings as payment for God’s blessings. R.G. LeTourneau used to say, “If you give because it pays, it won’t pay.” Instead, we give to God out of an overflow of faith and obedience. And when we do, He pours out an overflow of blessings.
If you thought that was a hard one, listen to the next step:
· Submit to God’s discipline (vs. 11-12)
My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. Proverbs 3:11-12
Godly discipline is part of God’s plan for every one of us. It’s the only way we can grow to maturity. If you are a parent you understand that discipline is not the same as punishment. Loving discipline hurts. But the gain is worth the pain. No matter how much this experience may “hurt” us, it will never harm us because God always disciplines us in love.
Besides giving us DIRECTION, God also promises PROTECTION. Chapter 4 gives a beautiful picture of God’s Protection for those who give themselves to Wisdom.
2. Protection Proverbs 4:6
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Proverbs 4:6
Chapter 2 vs. 8 gives a similar promise: “For He guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.” Proverbs 2:8
Notice that the promise is provisional: We get Divine Protection IF we seek Wisdom. The rest of Chapter 4 tells some of the ways God will Protect us. First, He will keep us FROM STUMBLING:
· From stumbling (vs. 12, 18-19)
When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you
will not stumble. Proverbs 4:12
A few mornings ago, I walked out the back door. It was about 6:00 a.m. so the sun wasn’t up … and we’re in a new house so I’m not quite used to where the steps end. The end result was, I stumbled. (That kind of startled me, but it REALLY startled the cat I was carrying … when I suddenly threw him across the deck!) The point is, it was dark and I didn’t even see what had made me stumble. That’s what verses 18-19 are talking about:
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
The wicked man’s path is so dark he can’t even see what tripped him up when he falls. Since the light never comes on, he keeps tripping on the same unseen snare. He just keeps making the same stupid mistakes over and over again.
But the path of the righteous is like the first ray of daylight after a dark night. And if you give yourself to Wisdom, the way gets clearer and brighter every morning.
· From sickness (vs. 22)
Verse 22 says this about God’s words of Wisdom: … for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. Proverbs 4:22
Proverbs 3:8 gives a similar promise: This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Proverbs 3:8 (…Talk about a cure for Osteoporosis!)
Give yourself to Wisdom and you will benefit both spiritually and physically. So many of our ailments and injuries are caused by our own foolishness and sin.
When you choose the Narrow Way and walk the Straight Path, you will gain tremendous benefits. God will walk beside you and keep you from SWERVING off the path of life. Let’s close today by reading the beautiful way Proverbs describes this walk:
· From swerving (vs. 27)
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. Proverbs 4:23-27
I like to keep that picture in my mind.
…a young man walking the Wisdom Way
… with the words of wisdom firmly in his mind,
…guarding his heart against perversity and corruption,
…with his eyes looking straight ahead,
…walking on level and firm paths,
…and not swerving to the right or left.
CONCLUSION:
Wisdom invites every traveler to take Her path. She is honest in her appeal. Her way is not easy or broad. The Way of Wisdom doesn’t seem to have as many options at first. However, those who follow the Wisdom Way find the surprising bonuses of DIRECTION and PROTECTION. The path becomes broader and brighter every day. And that makes all the difference
The Road Not Taken
Robert Frost (1874–1963) 1920
TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; 5
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same, 10
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back. 15
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
