Proverbs (2)

Transition: Today we are jumping into the next passage of Proverbs 1:8-19. The truth we discover in this portion of Holy Scripture is summarized in 13:20. The key points to notice as we move through this text is first the appeal for wisdom. There is great value in gaining wisdom. Secondly, we will see the admonition to avoid the temptation from others to gain the greedy reward of unjust gain. The big point that will unpack from this passage is… (Read text)

Main Point

Wisdom will gain life. Greed will gain death.

Transition: See this truth unfold from God’s word...

The Appeal

The appeal of wisdom comes through the father is verse 8 and 9. (read)

Hear my son your fathers instruction (explain)

Listen and receive the words from your father about how things should be done.

Do not forsake your mothers teaching (explain)

Do not leave behind the instruction from your mother.

Why?? (Verse 9) Because this wisdom will bring you good life.

Garland of grace- a wreath of favor over your life.

Pendants around your neck- a necklace of precious jewelry around your life. It’s like grandmothers pearls.

Point: There is great value in gaining wisdom. When you adhere to the wisdom offered from your father and mother, you will be favored and gain a good life.

Some application questions...

Am I a father or mother who possesses wisdom? Am I making myself available to offer instruction? When have I asked dad or mom for advice?

The Admonition

The admonition of wisdom is observed in verses 10-19.

The warning is presented in verse 10.

Beware of the deceptive temptation from those who do not fear God. Do not give in to them. This applies to all situations but as we will discover it especially applies to the enticement of greedy gain.

In verses 11-14 the admonition goes on to explain the deceptive way in which temptation will come.

The allurement will come with an invitation to join the gang. The temptation will have the thrill of violence. Much like a riotous mob. The temptation will be laced with easy profit and a false since of shared community.

Story: Once upon a time there was a husband and wife lured into the temptation of greed gain. It started out small enough. A miscalculation on taxes, an undercharge at the store. Before long the tip toe into unjust gain lead them to justify their greed by looking to all the other families around them who were thriving and accumulating wealth. Over time their hearts became numb to the greedy intentions. It was normal to fill up their lives with making money, all under the guise of high cost to live in today’s world. After years of traveling down this highway the family started to implode. The kids had toys, travel teams, and fun vacations, but they didn't have dad and mom. Dad and mom had full schedules and notoriety in their community for being hard workers, but they couldn't seem to get ahead. They started experiencing the cost of living too high. They were paying the price of living for unjust gain. By the time they sat down to talk with their pastor they were on the verge of divorce, their kids were ungrateful, and they were clueless that the sinful desire for greedy gain had lead them to this crashing moment. Death was on the horizon and they were blinded by greed.

In verse 15-18 the admonition reveals the ultimate consequence of joining with sinners .

There may be an immediate rush of thrilling excitement from having your pockets filled with bloody money, however, that rush will soon wear off and turn into death.

Verse 15 restates the warning of verse 10. (read) However, notice the layer of wisdom that is added. Do not walk in the way with them, and hold back your foot from their path. The point is that when you step a toe toward trail of temptation, you will soon find yourself traveling the highway of sin. And that highway will eventually end in a deathly crash.

Psalm 1:1-2 says…

Psalm 1:1–2 ESV

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

d. Verse 16 reveals the true motive of this temptation. (read) This gang of sinners are quick to do wrong and they have a murderous intent. and the consequence for their haste is revealed in...

e. verse 17-18 Verse 17 offers one of these riddles that Solomon alluded to in verse 6. (read) The point is that even though this gang of sinners are setting traps for unjust gain, they are actually trapping themselves and will spill their own blood.

f. Story: In his book titled, “Counterfeit god,’s” Tim Keller refers to a story about a French money manager who lost 1.4 billion dollars of his clients money in Bernard Madoff’s get rich quick scheme. His body was found in his apartment. He had taken his own life by slitting his wrists. His greed turned into bloody death.

4. Verse 19 concludes this first discussion between father and son by warning that the ultimate end for everyone who is greedy for unjust gain is death.

Transition: There are many applications that I pray the Holy Spirit is making to our hearts this morning. Please yield to His working but also consider this as we begin to conclude our time of teaching, next week your gong to want to talk about those applications when you get together in your groups. …

Conclusion: We should be well aware of the self destructive nature of greed. I Timothy 6:10 tells us that…

1 Timothy 6:10 ESV

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Listen to what Jesus had to say in His sermon from Matthew 6:19-34

Matthew 6:19–34 ESV

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Wisdom produces life. Greed produces death. The garland of grace that comes from listening to this admonition, presses us to think about eternity. To think about the kingdom of Heaven. To think about Christ. He alone provides the righteousness we need to be free from the sin of greed, and seek the kingdom of God. He alone can adorn our neck with a precious pearl of immeasurable wealth. He alone can grant us the freedom from sin so that we would not yield the temptation for unjust gain. Rather, that we would be wise like Jesus teaches in the parable of the dishonest manager in Luke 16, to use unrighteous wealth, temporary wealth as a means of investment and stewardship for eternity.

Question: Are we trusting Christ to lead us away from this temptation of temporary unjust greed and to deliver us from evil?