Proverbs (8)
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Hear, my son, and accept my words,
that the years of your life may be many.
1. The poetic conversation begins again with an appeal to the son to pay attention and receive what is being said. Why? So that you will have a long life.
2. Solomon is simply repeating his opening conversation, and again referring to the law of God that offers promise of long life to those who honor their father and mother.
Transition: In verse 11, we discover the theme of this conversation. He says...
I have taught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
He is telling his son that he has been taught the way, the manner, the road of wisdom. And that he has been led (guided) in the paths, firm track of uprightness.
His point: Son, I've taught you and guided you down the highways and back roads of wisdom. I've taught you and modeled for you what it means to live with wisdom ad uprightness.
Transition: Why have I done this for you son?? Verse 12 begins to answer this question.
When you walk, your step will not be hampered,
and if you run, you will not stumble.
When you walk you will not be hindered, cramped. So if you decide to run you will not be unsteady or stagger.
Story: I think I've told you before about my track running days. I was staggering...
Point: I've taught you and shown you how to live with uprightness and wisdom. You can be confident that when you face the various races of life you are conditioned and ready. Which is exactly why we have been spending time in Proverbs. So that we might learn wisdom and be ready to walk and run without cramping up or staggering through life.
Transition: Notice, however, the need for continued toning and training. He goes on to offer instruction about Wisdom's pathway in verse 13…
Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;
guard her, for she is your life.
Hold a firm grip to the rope of wisdom’s warnings. Protect her because she is your life.
The image I have in mind concerning this verse is a person dangling off the side of a mile high cliff. If you let go , it is certain death. If you hang on you will live. Holding on to wisdom is that important. It really is a matter of life and death.
How are we going t grip the rope of wisdom? (Get out a rope) How are we going to stay in shape in order to sustain the grip on wisdom? Turn your Bibles to I Tim. and look at a few verses about spiritual exercise.
I Timothy 4:6-8
If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
Transition: For an athlete in training there are certain things they do, and there are certain things that they refrain from doing. So it is holding firm the rope of wisdom, or running the pathway of wisdom. Notice what it says in 4:14…
Do not enter the path of the wicked,
and do not walk in the way of the evil.
Perhaps you have been taking a hike somewhere and come across a sign like this??
2. Do not enter the path of the wicked… Do not walk in the way of evil.
3. Point: This is much the same instruction given from David in Psalm 1:1-2
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.
Transition: There is a progression of temptation. Do not even enter, because upon entering you will be walking, then standing then sitting. Now this progression is a metaphor of our lives. Solomon goes on in verse 15 to explain further...
Avoid it; do not go on it;
turn away from it and pass on.
The idea is, to steer clear of evil. Go out of your way to avoid the path of the wicked.
This brings to mind a question that is often asked when considering areas of purity. We ask, “How far is too far?” How far can I go in this business deal before it’s sinful? How long can I be offended before it’s bitterness? How far can I go in this conversation before it’s gossip? How far can I stretch the truth before it’s a lie? How much physical connection can I have with my girlfriend or boyfriend before it’s lust? How far can I bend the rules before it’s cheating? How much can I look at images, picture, or other human beings before its adultery? How far can I treat my parents with contempt before it’s dishonoring? How much can I desire my neighbors new truck before i’ts coveting? How much can I disobey the civil authorities ordain by God before it’s anarchy?
Frankly, this question sadly reveals the idolatry of our hearts. We are more concerned about how much of my flesh I can feed rather than how can I most bring God glory. How close I can get to edge of the cliff without falling over.
The pathway of wisdom, which begins with the fear of the Lord, tells us to turn away from wickedness and pass on.
This is the Biblical doctrine of repentance. When the Lord changes our mind about our sin, and we turn to Him and away form the cliff. When our hearts and attitudes are redirected by God and we take more pleasure in Him and His glory than we do in feeding the sinful passions of our flesh.
When have I gone out of my way to refrain from fulfilling my own glory and surrendered to the fear and glory of God? Friends, that's just the beginning of having Godly wisdom....
Transition: Why is repentance such an important part of those who belong to Christ? At least one reason is what Solomon goes on to reveal in verse 16 & 17. (read both)
For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
For they eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
The condition of wicked. Notice, what keeps wicked people up at night is the desire to do wrong, the lust to cause someone to stumble. Their nourishment and sustenance is to do wickedness and promote violence.
This description of the wicked reminds me of what is recorded in Romans 1:28-32
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Is this really how how you want your life to be characterized? No? Then do not enter the path of the wicked, and remain on Wisdom’s Pathway.
Transition: In verse 18 we discover the great contrast between the path of wicked and the righteous. Which gives us further reason to stay on the Pathway of wisdom. (read)
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
Wisdom’s Pathway, the road of righteousness is like the morning dawn. It shines until the darkness is gone. So it is with those who walk in the wisdom of Christ. They shine like the sun and push back darkness.
In one since, this verse pushes us toward the person and work of Christ. We read in John 1:1-5.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
In another since this verse helps us understand our role as those who belong to Christ. Philippians 2:14-15 tells us...
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
a. Jesus said of His followers in Matthew 5:14-16…
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
5. Also, This verse help to remind those who belong to Christ of our great future hope. Follow with me to Daniel 12:1-3. (read)
“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
Transition: This poetic conversation has a prophetic message! Now, turn back to Proverbs 4 and notice how verse 19 offers a conclusion to this conversation. He says…
The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know over what they stumble.
The pathway of the wicked is absolute darkness.
Story: I remember visiting Mammoth caves as a child. As the guide led us through a tour of the underground caverns, we came to a spot where it opened up into a large room. He had everyone shut of all lights and then he flipped a switch and we were in total darkness. He struck a math, and it was amazing how much light that little match head put off in absolute darkness.
The wicked, are in absolute darkness. So much so that the stumble, and stagger, and are not even cognizant that they are doing so. They are unaware, and do not even notice the objects that are hindering there lives. The sin that has so easily enslaved them.
I Corinthians 1:20-25 says it this way…
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Conclusion: Am I walking on Wisdom’s pathway? Have I trusted in the good news of Christ’s death, burial, and Resurrection? Am I stumbling over the cross of Christ? Am I shining like the dawn, bringing light to the darkness of the wicked?
Am I walking on Wisdom’s Pathway?
Am I walking on Wisdom’s Pathway?