Competing Calls
Proverbs 8-9
SCRIPTURE READING: Proverbs 9:1-6
INTRODUCTION:
Have you ever gone shopping across the border in Mexico? I remember one particular time. I was walking through the “tiendas” (shopping district) in Monterrey, Mexico. On every side “hawkers” were standing at the doors of the shops, trying to lure me away from a competitor and into their shop. I thought one “hawker” had the best line of all. He said, “Hey, senior, come inside my store, We got good junk.” I thought, “I’ll bet that’s the truth!”
Along that same line, Chapter 9 of Proverbs gives us a picture of two women calling out to the people in the streets. In this case, the women are inviting them to come into their houses. Like the hawkers in Monterrey, each woman is calling out an advertisement of what they have to offer.
In Proverbs the Call to Wisdom and the competing Call to Folly represent two competing “world views.” These two “world views” have been calling out to mankind ever since the garden of Eden, and they are still calling today. Both ways claim to be the right way.
· One way appeals to the mind- the way of wisdom. The other way appeals to the senses – the way of folly.
· One way believes in TRUTH – God’s Truth; the other way believes that everyone should create their own truth, whatever that may be.
· One way believes that God’s laws are the path of life; the other way believes God’s laws are harsh and old-fashioned and pointless.
Proverbs 8:1-3 describes the call of wisdom: Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud… This lady is giving THE CALL OF THE WISE.
1. The Call of the Wise Proverbs 9:1-6
Look in Proverbs 9:1-6 and notice some telling details about this invitation from the Woman of Wisdom:
· She invites you into a strong house supported by 7 pillars. The foundation of this house is found in Proverbs 9:10: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
It’s more popular now days to dwell on the LOVE of God than the FEAR of God. But a proper fear is an appropriate response to the Judge of the Universe. Hebrews 4:13 says Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Have you ever started to do something you knew was wrong --- something where no one would know? But then you stopped and changed your mind because you felt someone looking over your shoulder … and you knew that someone was God… That’s the value of proper fear of the LORD.
· She has taken the time and trouble to prepare a banquet. In other words, she’s ready for company. "Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.” The meal is prepared and waiting on the table.
· She has sent out her maids to invite people because she doesn’t want anyone to miss the invitation. After all, it’s a matter of life and death.
And wisdom is still a matter of life and death. That’s why we don’t ever want to have a “one-man-show” in the church. . In II Timothy 2:2 Paul instructs the young preacher, Timothy: “The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others”
Godly wisdom needs to be preached from our pulpit. Wisdom is taught in our Bible Classes and Pueblo groups. But that’s not enough. If everyone is going to have a chance to hear the call of God, all of us need to echo the call to wisdom in our daily lives. Then the people you come in contact with … at work or school or even at the grocery store … can hear the call. God’s wisdom is not a secret to be hoarded. Wisdom is meant to be shared with anyone and everyone, anywhere and everywhere.
Why is it so important for us to take the CALL OF THE WISE outside the church walls? Because another invitation is going out into the streets every day. We’ll call it the CALL OF THE WILD.
2. The Call of the Wild Proverbs 9:13-19
Look at the description of the Woman of Folly: The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way. "Let all who are simple come in here!" she says to those who lack judgment. "Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!" But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave. Proverbs 9:13-18
A lot of people have trouble telling the difference between the CALL OF THE WISE and the CALL OF THE WILD. There’s a good reason for that. The Woman of Folly takes some pains to look as much like the Woman of Wisdom as she can.
· Both women are calling out to the simple-minded
· Both women call from the highest point of the city (the place where they can be heard by the most people)
· Each woman gives an invitation to enter her house and enjoy a wonderful banquet.
But for all the surface similarities, there are some important differences. The differences are noticeable enough that no one has any real excuse for confusing the two. Watch out for these telltale signs that the call you are hearing is NOT the CALL OF THE WISE.
· First of all, the Woman of Folly is loud In fact, her behavior is obnoxious. She’s enamored with the sound of her own voice. She has a total lack of humility.
· She is without discipline. When you hear an invitation from someone, look to their lives before you follow their call.
Specifically, look to see if their life shows discipline in areas like:
o Finances
o Personal health and hygiene
o Approach to responsibilities
o Relationships
· She is without knowledge. That is to say, she is without any REAL knowledge because she rejects any REAL truth. In fact, she has a disdain for knowledge. This is the person who will never admit when they are wrong. It’s bad enough not to know, but it’s a real tragedy when a person doesn’t even know that they don’t know!
· She calls out to those “who go straight on their way” trying to lure them away from a straight path. This is a telltale sign of false teachers and cults. Their most common target is the Christian young person who is headed the right way but may not know enough to recognize the danger of a detour.
· She values secrecy. According to her "Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!" Beware of anyone who wants you to keep secrets about what is really going on, whether it’s in a relationship or in an organization. If you’re hearing the CALL OF THE WISE, it will be an open and honest call. The CALL of Folly always means deceit and secrecy.
The Woman of Folly leaves out one little detail about her guests. She fails to mention that all her guests are DEAD. Verse 18 says: But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave. Now there’s a picture for you. You sit down at the table in front of all that delicious stolen food and water. You ask the guy next to you to pass the stolen mashed potatoes and then you notice he’s a rotting corpse. Steven Spielberg could have fun with that scene.
In the end, everyone will find themselves seated at an eternal banquet. When you enter eternity, will you be seated at the Table with CHRIST or at a table with CORPSES?
Jesus Christ is Wisdom Personified. And HE has issued a call to every person in the world.
3. The Call of Christ Luke 14:15-23
Jesus is the fulfillment of every Proverb about wisdom. The CALL OF CHRIST is the CALL TO WISDOM. You see, ultimate wisdom is not found in a concept but in a person. Look at how Jesus fulfills all the promise of the Woman of Wisdom:
· Like the Woman of Wisdom in Proverbs, Jesus invites you into His House. Look at this beautiful promise Jesus made just before his death: John 14:2-3 In my father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
· Like the Woman, Jesus invites you to a great banquet. This week the Pueblo groups will be reading the Parable of the Great Banquet in Luke 14.
· That Parable shows that, like the Woman in Proverbs, Jesus has sent his Servants to invite everyone to come to the banquet. In fact, the Servants are commanded to go into the streets and alleys of the town to bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. Luke 14:21
· Jesus has prepared the bread and wine of this feast at great personal cost. At the Last Supper, Jesus explained to his apostles: This is my body, broken for you. Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and offered it to them saying, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:26-27 Every week when we share the Lord’s Supper, we are getting an earthly foretaste of that coming banquet.
CONCLUSION:
There are two invitations offered to each us. Wisdom and Folly still call in the streets. One way ends in LIFE, and the other in DEATH. Every person will attend one of two banquets: If you answer the CALL of the WISE you will enjoy an eternal Banquet with Christ. But the CALL of the WILD will end up in the Banquet of CORPSES.
Christ is inviting you to come to His house and enjoy the bounty of His banquet. But make no mistake. His invitation requires action. C.S. Lewis wrote, “When you have to make a choice an don’t make it, that in itself is a choice.”
John Oxenham put it this way in a poem:
To every man there opens up
A way, and ways, and a way.
And some men climb the high way,
And some men grope below,
And in between on the misty flats
The rest drift to and fro.
And to every man there opens up
A high way and a low
And every man must decide
Which way his soul shall go
