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Sermon
The Way of Wisdom

Wisdom Cries Out

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March 19, 2023
Proverbs 1:20-33
Sam Crabtree
Pastor for Care

Wisdom & Discernment

Sin & The Fall

Fear & Anxiety

Transcript

0:10listen to the Elder affirmation of faith quote We believe that the Bible. consisting of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments Is the infallible word of God? verbally inspired by God and without error in the original manuscripts That's what your elders happily embrace. As you know a few hundred years ago. The Bible was in the hands of priests only the priests. written in a language that most people could not Understand or read? And the priests largely considered it in advisable. For the people to even have access. to the Bible before we hear this morning's text that Daniel is going to read I want to remind us that today our relatively easy access to the Bible is a great privilege purchased at a great price sometimes at the cost of arrest.

1:19at the confiscation of property or burning at the stake. for handing out Bibles Such Martyrs saw so much value in the scriptures. And they had so much love for God and for us. That they were joyfully willing to risk their lives. So that you and I whom they never met. Could hear what we're going to hear right now. sermon text today comes from Proverbs chapter 1 verses through 33 Proverbs 1 verses 20 to 33 feel free to use the blue Bible under the seat in front of you be page 527 Proverbs 1 verse 20 wisdom cries aloud in the street and the markets she raises her voice. At the head of the noisy street, she cries out at the entrance of the city Gates she speaks.

2:37How long go simple ones will you love being simple? How long will scoffers Delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof behold, I will pour out my spirit to you. I will make my words known to you. And because I've called you and you refuse to listen have stretched out my hand and no one has heated because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof. I also will laugh at your Calamity. I will mock when terrorists strikes you when terrorists strikes you like a storm and you're Calamity comes like a whirlwind when distress and anguish come upon you.

3:16Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof. Therefore. They shall eat the fruit of their way and have their fill of their own devices for the simple are killed by their turning away and the complacency of fools destroys them. But whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease without dread of disaster.

3:56If I were to ask you to raise your hand if you would like to be a fool. And if you raised your hand. Your wish would have already been granted. By the end of this message, I hope to draw out from this text two things. To help us avoid being a Fool on the way to that objective. Let's observe the flow of the text. If you would please if you have it open in front of you first in verses 20 and 21. We're told the title this sermon wisdom cries aloud. And we naturally want to know what does wisdom cry out. So then in the rest of the chapter, we're told what wisdom cries in four parts part 1 in verse 23.

4:48Turn from Folly and I'll pour out my spirit. Do the Turning get my spirit? That's the good news part 2 verses 24 through 27 is the alternative. ignore or refuse My Cry and I'll Mock You When disaster comes? The clock is ticking on your decision about whether you're going to listen or not. and that leads to the third section versus 28 through 31 when Calamity eventually comes it'll be too late.

5:29And the fourth section versus 32 and 33 is a summary explanation of all the previous verses. Now those of you who are acquainted with the Book of Proverbs are not surprised when I say that chapters 1 through 9 of the Book of Proverbs present us with two women. one named Folly in the other one named wisdom folly Is described as a harlot and an adulteress? Her house sinks down to death. We're going to see you next week's text. And so don't go near the door of her house chapter 5 will warn us. You'll get taken where you don't want to go. You'll be kept there longer than you want to stay and you'll pay a cost more than you want to pay.

6:17In contrast wisdom is described as a mother. A bride a sister a friend and her house is a Haven of hospitality. So do go there. So being wise can be understood as a matter of listening to One voice and not listening to another voice. And don't lose track of the fact that there's a sense of urgency in all this. There's destruction to be avoided. Folly brings consequences when I was a young lad younger than school-aged. Living in Montana for the first time. I caught a fish. And I was so enamored with that triumphant catch that I took it to bed with me.

7:21now imagine I mean you think I was foolish. I was wondering about my mother as I think back about that, but imagine. Since Folly is consequential. That every time you do something foolish or say something foolish or even before God you think something foolish. You earn? a dead fish now at the outset dead fish are not bad. Fishing is a widespread sport people pay a lot of money to catch a fish. Jesus fed his people fish. fish good and every time you do something foolish you get a fish. And it goes into your backpack.

8:08Well after a while. You get enough fish in there. You can't bear the load. And nobody can bear to be near you. Or picture the consequences of your action instead of being a muddy a dirty fish muddy water that piles up behind a damn a reservoir and the water gets deeper and deeper with all the foolish stuff. You do you add more water behind their Reservoir until the dam can't hold it and it bursts. and all the ramifications of previous actions flood With Disaster when I taught sixth grade, I would have my students build Bridges with toothpicks. And then we had a little span there and they would put their Bridge different students would take their bridge and put it on the span and one by one. We would load the bridge with crayons.

8:58until it would all collapse. You can think you're getting away with Folly after one crayon. or one fish the consequences Heap up and Folly eventually eventually an important word in this chapter. backfires the consequences of a foolish life are drastically more severe than a box of toothpicks. And tumbling crayons or fish in a backpack? Robert Lewis Stevenson, put it this way. sooner or later everyone sits down to a banquet. of consequences When Stevenson says sooner or later, he's acknowledging that a person does not necessarily reap immediately what he has sown. Or where he has sown it. The Reaping could be sooner it will be later.

10:00so reader of Proverbs listen up in the King James version chapter 4 verse 7 says this wisdom is the principal thing therefore get wisdom, it's to be actively eagerly sought Next week Pastor Steven will be preaching from chapter 2. How wisdom is to be sought like silver and searched for as Hidden Treasures? So just to recap here now wisdom cries aloud. That's how this section starts. Where does wisdom cry out? Well, the text tells us in the very public City Gate not often some secret Corner wisdom is available. Readily available to everyone.

10:48Now, how does wisdom do this crying out to us? Let me just suggest a handful of ways one in the scriptures which were examining right now. They're right in front of you wisdom is crying out to you through this text that we're looking at. Here's a second way. Wisdom cries out in the correction and admonition of parents which we saw last week in the sermon that Jim Jordan brought to us. Here's a third way in a multitude of counselors. For example, this sermon series is being preached by different presenters. A multiplicity of counselors wisdom is crying out fourth in one's conscience.

11:30Your conscience is saying I'm crying out to you. I'm crying out to you. fifth in the foolish calamities of others we can learn from the mistakes of others without having to go through those mistakes our self. have any of you seen the tattoo that and sometimes it's on arm big sometimes on a back. That says no regurgits. oops You can learn from the mistakes of others.

12:12Now what is the most fundamental distinction between wisdom and Folly observe verse 29? You did not choose fear of the Lord wisdom isn't primarily a matter of dumb versus smart. But of good versus evil. in the Book of Proverbs and in the life of Jesus we can see this painted for us wisdom discerns good from Evil First Kings 3:9 Solomon prayed quote give your servant therefore and understanding mind to govern your people that I may discern good from evil.

12:57For who is able to govern this your great people? Hebrews 5:14 but solid food is for the mature for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. In Ezekiel, 44:23. God says they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean in a dispute. They shall act as judges and they shall judge it according to my judgments. If you want to be wise learn the difference between Good and Evil.

13:35Now much, but not all of the Book of Proverbs is attributed to Solomon once described as the wisest of all men. Solomon failed he was weak and imperfect foreshadowing of the coming Messiah. the lord gave Solomon wisdom and the Lord gives in the Lord takes away. in contrast to Solomon Jesus not only taught truth knowledge and wisdom. He personified it. We might say he's the Pinnacle and Crown of wisdom as well as the root and the foundation of wisdom. And he's not only wisdom. He's the wisdom of God and the power of God. According to First Corinthians 1:24. He not only knows what to do. He does it.

14:33Now I will ask for a show of hands. How many of you have? Known what to do and you didn't do it. Oh, man, I'm with you. I raise both hands. When the religious leaders, press Jesus for a sign. He makes reference to the visit of the Queen of Sheba. To Solomon she came and visited Solomon. She came from the ends of the Earth Matthew 12 says in the words of Jesus to hear the wisdom of Solomon and behold something greater than Solomon is here. Jesus says North Church something greater than Solomon is here. Right now in this room.

15:19Unlike Solomon. Jesus does not fail. He's not Unfaithful. He's never foolish. He's wisdom incarnate. to ignore him his calamitous to the max Solomon received his wisdom from the Lord. Jesus is the Lord. In John 2. Jesus says my hour has not yet come. now in that we're seeing one aspect of wisdom is timing there's a right time and a wrong time and wisdom knows the right time and knows the wrong time to do things for example crossing the street is not right or wrong all by itself. It's just that there's a good time to cross the street and there's a foolish time to cross the street and wisdom knows the difference of the timing.

16:12Ecclesiastes 3 gives us a whole list of there's a time for this and there's a time to refrain from doing this for everything. There's a season and a time for every matter under heaven for example in verse 2 of Ecclesiastes 3, it's time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted to plant in the winter and in the snow and the weather we're having out there would be silly. And regrettably wasteful now's not the time to plant. There is a time this isn't it? Or verse 6. There's a time to seek and a time to lose. Have you seen Hoarders on TV? Aren't they amazing? How their home homes are just piled to the ceiling inside and sometimes there's not even a path through the stuff. They have to climb over the stuff.

17:02There's a time to keep. And there's a Time. To let go of stuff. wisdom knows timing by pointing us to the tragic and disastrous consequences of foolish Behavior. Our main text this morning is teaching us that not all knowledge has equal value. Some things are more worth knowing than other things. I mean you the EMTs and nurses and doctors Among Us would probably say it's more important for you to know. how to do CPR Have I got the right letters CPR cardio pulmonary resuscitation? Yes CPR. It's more important to know CPR than to know how to crochet probably. Crocheting isn't a bad thing to know.

17:53Just there are there's a hierarchy of things to know. more important to know Christ than to know Kim Kardashian Heimer or whatever her name is wisdom distinguishes between more important and less important like distinguishing between the lasting the Eternal and the temporal Trends and fads are by definition temporary. They're passing their even. fleeting When my daughter Mandy turned 17, she and I went out to a restaurant and I took my high school yearbook. With me and we sat there and we looked through my yearbook. At the styles that were now a generation. gone and as we look through there Mandy at last said What is this Star Trek?

19:02Some things that seem tremendously important at the time now, these are their their High School yearbook photographs in there. They spent money to get these hairdos and and those outfits and this was their this was going to be there look, And now we laugh. Say my house silly to invest all that time in that. Esau sold his Birthright. for a bowl of soup How shortsighted? He took the short view. I'm hungry now. I want to be satisfied now. Rather than what will satisfy me. Later. to avoid eventual regret or regerts wisdom takes the Long View the wise consider the fruit of their way. Verse 31 look at verse 31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way.

20:01And have their fill of their own devices. now do you see in our text verses 20 through 33 indications of delayed outcomes and eventual regret look in verse 26 when Terror eventually strikes you that's striking now. You might think you're getting away with your foolishness right now. but when And it's twice in that verse. Or verse 27 when distress and anguish eventually come upon you they're not here yet. They're in the mail. verse 28 then I will not answer you it's eventual. It's coming Take the Long View wisdom cries out to you verse 28, then they will not find me verse 31. They shall eat the fruit of their way not right now.

21:03eventually And it's not just Folly but wisdom also experiences delayed outcomes. You don't always reap the fruit of your your wise Behavior verse 33, they will. ultimately dwell secure without dread of disaster some of the men who brought us this text died bringing us this text. seems disastrous only in the moment they don't regret it now. Jesus said in Luke 7:35. Yet wisdom is justified by all her children. It means wisdom is self-indicated eventually by what it produces in the final analysis when everything has at last been considered and the ultimate outcome is known. Let me borrow from Galatians 6:7 do not be deceived.

22:04God is Not mocked. for whatever one sows he shall also reap. So wisdom takes the Long View. Jesus went to the painful cross. Because he took the Long View. He knew what it was going to purchase. He knew what it was going to accomplish. as miserable as the moment was to lay up treasure in heaven. That's what he taught us to do. It only have treasure on Earth or moth and rust corrupt and thieves break through and steal but lay up treasure in heaven. That's the Long View. Where you can you can enjoy it forever? He who laughs last? laughs best now, although fools hate knowledge. You can see it in verse 29 there because they hated knowledge.

22:58Although fools hate knowledge. There's a suppression of Truth. In the fool the Foolish Heart. The Seat of Wisdom is not in the brain. But it is in the heart look at verse 22. simple ones love being simple. I maybe could insert here that the word that's translated fool in our English Bibles. There's several different Hebrew words for fool and the one here does have to do with being simple or just basically ignorant just you don't know stuff. We're all born simple. There's a lot of stuff. I don't know. You don't know. There's no shame in not knowing but this simpleton in verse loves being simple. Don't talk to me about that. I don't want to know about that.

23:49still in verse 22 scoffers Delight in their scoffing that's not a brain problem. That's an attitude problem. still in verse 22 fools hate knowledge fools refuse to listen they don't heed still in 24 they ignore. Council it's offered. They look away from it. Still in verse 24, they would have none of my reproof. 29 they hated knowledge. 30 they would have none of my counsel. Still in 30, they despised all my reproof despised. That's a heart thing.

24:45Proverbs instructs us to reorder our desires our our hearts to seek God above all else for his honor and for our own well-being. This is heartwork in front of us. It's not a matter of brain power but heart inclination. When our ultimate satisfaction is in God alone. And are satisfaction and everything else other than God is with thanks to him for it. Then quote according to Ryan Patrick O'Dowd our reasons and emotions are better enabled to navigate the complex. Moral landscape in front of us. The landscape is moral not intellectual.

25:34Now perhaps I could say according to this chapter that we're studying this morning that wisdom could be described as a matter of regret management. To do something that brings momentary pleasure. Only later to bring regret is to raise the straightforward economic question. Was it worth it? That's an economic question and Jesus asked that question. What's it profit a man to gain the whole world? and lose his soul a person can gain a lot. And find it wasn't worth it.

26:13regret management Look at verse 33. But whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease without dread of disaster compare that verse to what Jesus said in The Sermon on the Mount when he said everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on a rock. and the rains came and the floods Rose and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it stood firm because it was built on a rock but Those who hear these words of mine and don't do them. Will be likened unto a foolish man who built his house on Sand and the rains came and the floods Rose and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it.

27:11See the regret. all that effort to build that house wasted Now I've been asked to explain verse 26. So take a look at verse 26. Asking the question is God heartless. I also will laugh at your Calamity when it comes. So here's here the options you can you can listen to wisdom and turn from the folly or you can rebuff the wisdom and be stubborn in your own way and eventual Calamity is going to come and when Calamity comes verse 26, then I will laugh at your Calamity. I will mock when terror strikes you. Is God heartless?

27:57well first when mockers receive mockery. There's no Injustice. It's the same reap what you sow principle. wired into the universe everywhere else a time comes when patience and mercy run out. Been patient I've been patient. I've been patient. I've been patient. Okay, you've had enough you've had enough opportunity. No more Mercy. No pity. But this mockery. elsewhere the Bible says that God laughs them to derision. It's not heartlessness in God, but it's a response to absurdity to try to illustrate this. Let me share with you a true story. Two would be bank robbers. Okay, they're gonna rob a bank.

28:50It's a true story. This is in Fairfield, Connecticut. They wanted to make their getaway from the bank. more streamlined more quick so they call ahead to the bank and told them to have the money ready. The money was not ready. The police were ready. now Why are you laughing? Is it because you're heartless? I don't think so. You're explaining through your laughter. How stupid will you be?

29:38They're stupidity is so absurd. In the end the glory of justice is displayed in the destruction. of the unrepentant wicked it's Illustrated in the Bible. For example by Haman Haman builds a Gallows because he wants to hang Mordecai. And in the end Haman is hanged on the very Gallows he built for somebody else. He reaps what he sowed. Children of Israel are fleeing through the Red Sea. And the Lord causes the wheels of Pharaoh's chariots to malfunction. I've looked up that word in the Hebrew and I'll confess to you. My Hebrew is not that good. But I found these definitions of malfunction. This is the wheels of the Chariots they malfunction they clogged that's one translation.

30:33They swerved. wobbled they jammed. They removed they just fell off. As they pursue the children of Israel into the Red Sea. Some trust in horses some trust in chariots. We Trust In The Name Of The Lord our God Few years ago as I was journaling My Way Through the Bible. I arrived at the Book of Proverbs and with eager anticipation. I was going to be on the lookout for what the wise say. Took me five months to journal my way through the Book of Proverbs and one of the chief discoveries that surprised me. Was not what the wise say. the wise listen over and over in Proverbs the wise listen look in verse 33 whoever listens to me will dwell secure.

31:40And will be at ease without dread of disaster. So wisdom here it's conditional. Somebody doesn't just wave a magic wand over you and you are wise. It comes through. listening if you don't listen, so well. I don't listen. So well I forfeit wising up. the old adage says God gave us two ears and only one mouth for good reason. At the beginning of this message I said I was going to ask God to help us do two things to avoid being fools. Here are the two things that you can do to avoid being a fool. The wise listen you can see it in verse 24. You can see it in verse 33 listen tune in. To what I'll answer that in a moment.

32:37And here's the second thing. in verse 23 turn listen and turn don't refuse to listen don't fail to heed don't ignore wisdom's counsel don't stiff arm reproof and when you hear it turn, Hebrews 3:15 today if you hear his voice do not Harden your hearts but turn listen to reproof. The best way to make good use of wise reproof is to turn. Otherwise the reproof is wasted on you. Don't waste the reproofs you receive.

33:23And the flesh alone. Will not suffice look at verse 23 if you turn I will pour out my spirit. So here's the sermon in one sentence. the wise Listen to wisdom. And turn from folly. That's the sermon in a sentence. The wise listen to wisdom and turn from falling. Let me read two texts and then pray. James 1:5 if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously. to all without reproach and it'll be given him. I lack Wisdom ask. And Colossians 1:9 and so from the day we heard we have not ceased to pray for you asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

34:34Let me pray. Our Father Thank you for the Bible. And for those who brought it to us at Great personal expense. I confess my personal lack of wisdom. In so many ways. I don't think like you think. So yes. Give me generously the wisdom. I now request in response to your invitation that if I lack wisdom, I should ask. enable me to truly listen to the scriptures to the multitude of wise counselors in this church and elsewhere listen to my invaluable wife. Listen to The Still small voice of your spirit. Listen to the legitimate criticism that comes from the sometimes less than quiet voices of my critics.

35:38Listen to my conscience when rightly calibrated. Enable me. Grant wisdom and understanding soaked in love So that I love wisely. And become more like Jesus. In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom. amen

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Sermon Text

Proverbs 1:20-33

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