Sermon Tone Analysis

Your Attention Please!

The book of Proverbs is useful, meaning that it is applicable.

From the start it demands your attention and gives you the reason why (Pro1:1-7).

The Book of Proverbs is a collection of sayings intended for the listener to be a guide for daily life, in general.

IT is chock full of meaty morsels about wisdom and our passage tonight is to whet the appetite of the reader, regardless of their position in Christ or longevity, maturity in Christ.

Did the prologue grab your attention?

What did you see, what did you notice, what stuck out to you?

The book overall covers a variety of topics, attitudes, relationships, and positions including wealth, poverty and power.

It also covers personal activities, personal life, business life, family life and community life.

In the prologue it challenges us to commit ourselves to obtain wisdom and why.

Before getting to much into the prologue I want to touch on a couple more things.

All scripture is God breathed (2Tim3:16)

Not all scripture has the same purpose, or the same literary form.

All have value and have been brought together by God for man’s knowledge, wisdom, application.

Literary styles and purpose vary as mentioned.

= gives information about God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and how each one plays a part in our redemption.

= Shows, via David, how we should trust God and rest in Him in times of great distress

= Well this is a narrative form used to show how God is faithful and works things out historically and would then too!

Purpose of the Proverbs - To give prudence (v.4)

The purpose is given in (v.4) to give prudence (it goes on to say to who, we will get to that shortly)

The results of the

It is the intention of the writer that all may come to have wisdom and application and the importance of it, as well as the responsibility of passing on the knowledge that leads to wisdom, understanding and application.

The wisdom noted (v.2) and throughout is:

Practical (Exo28:3; Psm107:27)

This includes the idea of common sense, the ability to know, cope, deal with everyday life and it’s issues and challenges

This includes the idea of common sense, the ability to know, cope, deal with everyday life and it’s issues and challenges.

It also can refer to practical occupational skills (see Exo28:3 and Psm107:27)

Intellectual

This is implied in words like understanding and knowledge that you see throughout the Proverbs and throughout the bible.

Moral

Wisdom is moral, meaning because of wisdom you know, or should know, right from wrong.

Know how to apply self-control.

You can see this principle indicated in terms like “right and fair” and “discipline” used in the Proverbs.

In the times of the proverbs, the people were intrigued at riddles and you will find that the proverbs draw the reader in to the mysteries of life.

You will notice terms like “parables” and “riddles”.

Though the biblical writer and biblical wisdom seeks to resolve or at least adjust to the ambiguities of life.

It seeks for people to know the reality that is behind the appearances of things.

And that the believer can know the mysteries that the outsiders cannot.

Remember we need spiritual eyes (Mt13:10-17)

Don’t be a fool!

Don’t be a fool and deny the free gift of wisdom that is offered through the Bible, through the proverbs that are practical (applicable).

Fools despise wisdom, but the proverbs are written so you may know the fear of th e Lord because of what you receive from the proverbs.

While the proverbs are a generalization they do have some exceptions (i.e.

1Pt3:13-14)

So the wisdom that Peter is conveying is do good, keep doing good, if you suffer for the sake of righteousness you are blessed and keep doing good.

Trust God, God has a purpose for everything, even when we don’t know or see the purpose at the time (insert personal illustration; move to Dickens TX)

Proverbs are not to be taken as divine promises or guarantees, but they do with the normal course of events in our lives.

They speak to us how things, in general, work out in the human experience.

Don’t be a fool and try to figure everything out nor deny the importance of the proverbs we find in the Bible.

The prologue to the proverbs have some important terms used along the way that we want to look at

Instruction (vv.2-3);

Understanding (vv.2, 5, 6)

Understanding (vv.2, 5, 6)

Wisdom (v.3); Prudence (v.4); Knowledge (vv.2, 4)

Prudence (v.4)

Knowledge (vv.2, 4)

Discretion (v.4); Learning (v.5); and wise counsel (v.5)

Proverbs: Give instruction (vv.2-3)

Learning (v.5)

and wise counsel (v.5)

To receive instruction, to know instruction would include correction and discipline when and if you were to look at the root word in the Hebrew - it is seen in many times in the proverbs (30 times or more) and it expresses the painful process of garnering wisdom.

Proverbs: Give understanding (vv.2, 5, 6)

This is the ability to look at the heart of an issue, to discern the truth, to discern the choices, the differences at stake and to be able to chose wisely.

Proverbs: Give prudence (v.4)

noun: prudence; plural noun: prudences

the quality of being prudent; cautiousness.

"we need to exercise prudence in such important matters"synonyms:wisdom, judgment, good judgment, common sense, sense, sagacity, shrewdness, advisability

We need to have the virtues listed in (v.3) and put to practice here with prudence in (v.4)

Proverbs: Gives knowledge (vv.2, 4; see Hos2:20; Jer10:14; Jn17:3; 1Jn2:3-4)

I don’t think anyone can say that the bible is not about giving knowledge, it is seen all throughout the bible

then there is good knowledge

and

We come to know Him through knowledge! it appears more than 70 times throughout the proverbs in terms like “fear of the Lord” found in (v.7) - this is knowing and doing what God requires as fervently and consistently as possible.

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Other scriptures referenced in this section: Hos2:20; Jer10:14; Jn17:3; 1Jn2:3-4; Deu32:2; Pro7:21; 2Tim2:2)

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Discretion (v.4)

This is the prudent planning with the appropriate knowledge, instruction, discernment and understanding, as well as instruction.

Learning (v.5; Deu32:2; Pro7:21 and 2Tim2:2)

This is to take grasp of, to take hold of, to embrace the comprehension of the truth so as to be able to teach it to others.

in the negative sense you can look at Pro7:21, but in the positive

Wise Counsel (v.5)

This is simple to get accurate guidance; sound advise/counsel to help stay the right course to obtain the right end result.

Yes, speaking to you

So who are the Proverbs written to?

We can look at the prologue and see.

The simple (v.4)

This is the one who is naive, easily influenced, or easily seduced.

Or in other words who have no root system!

The youngman (v.4)

This is a parallel to the the simple, the one who now has roots, tender roots that are there, but not strong who can be influenced or seduced.

Then there is the other end of the spectrum, the ones who are

The wise and the understanding (v.5)

The ones who have received, know, discern and apply the wisdom they have received.

These are the veterans, the mature, those who have learned to endure.

How about the fools, there is a lot of passages dealing with fools, who are they?

The simple fool, the one who is still reachable and teachable (1:4, 1:22)

The hardened fool, this is the one who is obstinate ( 1:7)

The arrogant fool, this is the scoffer of all attempts at enlightenment (3:34)

The brutish fool; insensible, stupid one (17:21)

Tell me what it’s all about

The subject matter, theme(s) found in Proverbs covers a wide range of topics.