Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Introduction

Introduction

I desire that our church is characterized by “intentionally intrusive community.”

I love this phrase, and yet allow me to point out that synonyms for intrusive are words such as invasive, meddling, and pushy.

I suppose if you were to word the phrase with any of those synonyms, I might feel a little less positive about it.

Yet, I continue in my opinion that I want this for our church.

Let me read the greater context for this quote from Paul Tripps book “Dangerous Calling.”

Paul Tripp.

I have now come to understand that I need others in my life.

I now know that I need to commit myself to living in intentionally intrusive, Christ-centered, grace-driven, redemptive community.

I now know it’s my job to seek this community out, to invite people to interrupt my private conversation, and to say things to me that I couldn’t or wouldn’t say to myself.[1]

I truly long for that.

I want it personally, and I want it for each of you.

It is this point that we find in .

Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.

8 Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

11 For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.

12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

( ESV).

And yet, before we can get to chapter 9, we need to do a little bit of an overview of the preceding few chapters.

Overview of 6-8

Chapter 6.

A couple of weeks ago we took a look at and the warning against sexual immorality.

In so doing, we connected many of those points in chapter 5 to those same points in chapter 6.

The second half of chapter 6 once again discusses the idea of sexual immorality and most of it was part of our discussion a couple of weeks ago.

Chapter 7. At the beginning of our study in Proverbs, we considered a path.

A naïve young man stood at the fork in the road and was confronted with a decision.

He could choose to follow woman wisdom and possess life, or he could follow woman folly and eventually be destroyed.

In chapter 2 and in chapter 5, we discussed woman folly and the techniques she employs to lure in the naïve and foolish man.

In those two messages, most of chapter 7 was discussed.

Chapter 7 is the longest section in Proverbs concerning a warning against the adulteress, woman folly.

Chapter 8.

This lengthy discussion about woman folly in chapter 7 is followed by a lengthy description of woman wisdom in chapter 8.

We discussed much of this as well in the previous chapters, but let’s take a few moments to be refreshed by a quick overview of chapter 8.

Woman Wisdom pleads for us to follow her because she knows that Woman Folly is lurking around the corner.

(FCF) We tend to wander around and get snatched up by cunning and evil temptations, so Wisdom places herself in all the public places to draw us to herself first.

The Setting to Wisdom

Wisdom is available (8:1-2).

“Does not wisdom call?

Does not understanding raise her voice?”

( ESV).

Wisdom is publicly proclaimed (8:2-3).

“On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; 3 beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: 4 “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. 5 O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense” ( ESV).

Her proclamation is bold (8:2-3).

Solomon uses phrases such as “top of the heights . . .

she takes her stand” or “at the entrance of the city she cries aloud.”

This is greatly contrasted to the foolish woman.

“She sits at the door of her house; she takes a seat on the highest places of the town” ( ESV Cf. ).

Lady Wisdom is active and aggressive, like a merchant who would be attempting to sell their goods in the market place.

She is not simply waiting for passers-by, she is the aggressor.

Her proclamation is made at a key moment (8:3).

“beside the way, where the paths meet . . .

beside the gates, at the opening to the city.”

Note the places where she makes her proclamation.

While Wisdom obviously desires to impact travelers along the path, we find her at the crux of the path.

She meets them where the decision needs to be made, not necessarily at a point where the decision has already been made.

Remember that in Proverbs once a decision is made one’s character and consequences are established.

Wisdom, therefore, finds it necessary to plead with people prior to or at the point of the decision.

Her proclamation is made to all those in need (8:4-5).

“To you, O men, my cry is to the children of man” ( ESV).

The first “men” in this passage is directed at each individual person.

[2] It’s a different word than that used for “man” just a phrase later.

The second word for “man” in this verse refers to all mankind as a group.

The New Living Translation offers a helpful perspective.

“I call to you, to all of you!

I raise my voice to all people” ( NLT).

While the proclamation is directed at all men, it is even more specifically directed to the naïve and the fool ().

The naïve refers to the “immature or simple one who is open to all kinds of enticement, not having developed a discriminating judgment as to what is right or wrong.”[3]

The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament as well informs us that foolishness refers “not to mental deficiency, but to a propensity to make wrong choices.”[4]

Therefore, the naïve make poor decisions because they don’t know better due to lack of knowledge or experience.

On the other hand, the fool makes poor decisions even though he could know better and has had experiences that would point him in a different direction.

Wisdom’s Credentials

Wisdom’s Character (8:6-11).

(1) She is honest and straightforward ().

(2) She is worth more than any material treasure ()

Wisdom’s References (8:12-14).

(1) Prudence refers to craftiness and skillfulness.

While it can carry a negative connotation (such as the serpent was crafty in the garden), it often is used in the positive sense.

“The prudent one does not vaunt his knowledge (), ignores an insult (), acts with knowledge () . .

.” (2) Knowledge refers to the ability to distinguish between good and evil, usually gained through experience.

(3) Discretion can as well be used in a negative sense, but often in Proverbs, especially when it is linked to knowledge and prudence, it is considered to be positive.

Discretion, in the context of wisdom, is the ability to look ahead and think through how certain decisions and responses would work out.

Wisdom’s Previous Experience (8:15-31).

(1) Wisdom has directed world leaders ().

(2) Wisdom has rewarded all who follow her ().

(3) Wisdom was a primary participant in the Creation ().

Chapter 9 Context

Purpose Statement.

We reveal ourselves as wise or foolish by how we respond to correction and rebuke.

The natural man abhors correction and will lash out when it is offered.

Both Wisdom and Folly extend their invitation.

The first 6 verses of chapter 9 outline the proclamation of woman wisdom whereas the last 6 verses outline the proclamation of woman folly.

(1) Wisdom’s invitation (9:1-6).

Woman wisdom is industrious.

She is seen in the midst of extravagant preparation for those who will come to her.

Her proclamation is public.

She’s not hiding anything.