Proverbs 4:1-27

Well, good morning.

I only have one letter from my grandfather.

He sent it to me in October 1986, when some of you undergrads were just born.

I was, I'm sorry, 1987, let me clarify that.

I was a freshman in college when I received this letter, the only letter that I can recall

actually getting from my grandfather.

And the occasion of it was Black Monday.

For those of you who are old enough, you will remember the Dow Jones Industrial Average

on one day dropped 22%.

It was the greatest percentage drop ever in the history of the stock market.

And if it were, what happened today, it would calculate to about a 4,664 point drop in the

Dow Jones Industrial.

That would make some waves.

My grandfather was a banker and an investor, and he wrote a letter to all of his grandchildren

telling them to be patient and to be wise and to respond well to this crisis.

He said, think long-term, not short-term.

He said, invest in tested, proven stocks.

Don't fall into this innovation that's going on around us.

He said, don't think that you are going to be independently better than the stock market,

but follow a good consensus lead, and you will do well.

I do not say this to give you financial advice.

The stock market is much more complicated today.

Investing is much more complicated today.

And the financial world has never been as clear as we might hope it would be.

But what my grandfather did encourage his grandchildren to do that day is to think about investing well.

What are you going to invest your life in?

What are you going to invest, and how are you going to think about what it is?

This morning, as we continue in our series in Proverbs, the message that I have for you is fairly simple.

Because the whole book of Proverbs is basically telling us to invest in wisdom from God.

What does that mean?

Well, if you remember back in chapter 1, verse 7, it says,

the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Sometimes we think of wisdom as a collection of information that if we master and apply appropriately,

we can be successful in life, it becomes a tool in our hand to try to achieve greatness.

But that, in fact, is not biblical wisdom.

Biblical wisdom is being rightly related to our Creator.

It is recognizing it is He who has made the world and made us.

And that He has given us, in His Word,

much information about how and why He created it.

And as we live under the wisdom that He reveals to us in it,

we find that we live more in harmony with creation.

We find that we live in the redemptive patterns of the God that we serve.

And perhaps, perhaps, it will lead to an easier life or avoid some difficulties.

But more so, it will lead us to a life with God that will begin here and go for eternity.

And that's what wisdom in the book of Proverbs seems to be about.

Not promises, do this and you'll get this.

But this is the way God has created the world.

Live in these patterns.

And you will relate rightly to your God.

Now, many of you are graduating today.

And I want to say this kindly and gently.

Youth doesn't always treat wisdom very well.

We don't always want wisdom.

We can fall into all sorts of patterns

that reflect our culture,

that reflect our society,

that reflect our fallen hearts,

that where we don't treasure wisdom.

Theologian and author J.I. Packer says

that our hearts love this kind of thing.

The newer is the truer.

Only what is recent is decent.

Every shift of ground is a shift forward.

And every latest word must be hailed as the last word on a subject.

It's what C.S. Lewis and Owen Barfield called chronological snobbery.

That is, whatever is presently held to be true must be true.

Whatever was held in the past must be deficient

because we have progressed beyond it.

Now, Lewis goes on to say,

not everything in the past was good either.

Don't think that just because it's in the past it's better.

But recognize that things that are in the past have been tested

and evaluated over time.

And we can continue to look at them

and think about them from a different standpoint.

Whereas the things that we believe and hold to today

are shaped so much by our present context and culture

that we struggle to see it for what it truly is

because we're so enmeshed in it.

Even when that's not true,

that chronological snobbery is one of the reasons

why we resist wisdom.

We often can also fall into a more mechanical view,

as I mentioned earlier.

We love in our culture today

how-tos, 10 steps to,

and the keys to success in.

Think about if you went to Barnes & Noble

or went to go on Amazon and search

for those kinds of titles,

how many titles you would see.

We love that kind of information

because we think that it can put us in control

to get ahead and to find success in life.

The book of Proverbs speaks to us

and tells us that there is a wisdom for us

that is worth pursuing.

And our chapter this morning, chapter 4,

if you want to turn there, it's page 529 in your pew Bibles,

is mostly an encouragement.

It is an encouragement to value,

to cherish, to esteem highly,

and to go after the wisdom from God.

The wisdom from God that is timeless.

The wisdom from God that is deeper than a how-to

or a keys to success,

but a wisdom from God

that helps us relate rightly to Him.

As we look at it,

we will see this exhortation

coming from His description,

His portrayal of what wisdom is.

So that's what we're going to look at this morning.

Let's go ahead and read,

if you'll read along with me.

Proverbs, chapter 4.

Proverbs 4 · chapter mention

We're going to read the whole chapter,

and then I'll pray,

and then we will continue.

Hear, O sons, a father's instruction.

Be attentive that you may gain insight,

for I give you good precepts.

Do not forsake my teaching.

When I was a son with my father,

tender, the only one,

in the sight of my mother,

he taught me and said to me,

let your heart hold fast my words,

keep my commandments,

and live.

Get wisdom,

get insight.

Do not forget,

and do not turn away

from the words of my mouth.

Do not forsake her,

and she will keep you.

Love her,

and she will guard you.

The beginning of wisdom is this.

Get wisdom,

and whatever you get,

get insight.

Prize her highly,

and she will exalt you.

She will honor you,

if you embrace her.

She will place on your head

a graceful garland.

She will bestow on you

a beautiful crown.

Hear, my son,

and accept my words,

that the years of your life

may be many.

I have taught you

the way of wisdom.

I have led you

in the paths of uprightness.

When you walk,

your steps will not be hampered,

and if you run,

you will not stumble.

Keep hold of instruction.

Do not let go.

Guard her,

for she is your life.

Do not enter

the path of the wicked.

Do not walk

in the way of the evil.

Avoid it.

Do not go on it.

Turn away from it

and pass on,

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.

But the path

of the righteous

is like the light of dawn,

which shines brighter

and brighter

until full day.

The way of the wicked

is like deep darkness.

They do not know

over what they stumble.

My son,

be attentive to my words

and incline your ear

to my sayings.

Let them not escape

from your sight.

Keep them within your heart,

for they are life

to those who find them

and healing

to all their flesh.

Keep your heart

with all vigilance,

for from it flow

the springs of life.

Put away from you

crooked speech

and put devious talk

far from you.

Let your eyes

look directly forward

and your gaze

be straight before you.

Ponder the path

of your feet

and all your ways

will be sure.

Do not swerve

to the right

or to the left.

Turn your foot

away from evil.

Will you pray with me?

Lord, we are thankful

for your word.

We are thankful

that in it

you have revealed

yourself to us.

You have spoken to us,

Lord,

through this word.

Lord, and Lord,

we pray this morning

that by your spirit

you would make

our minds alert,

our bodies awake,

our hearts soft,

ready to receive from you

and to learn from you.

Lord, will you teach us

this morning

and stir our hearts,

Lord,

to love you

and to love your wisdom.

We pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

The beginning of wisdom

is this.

Get wisdom.

There it is.

That's all I have to say.

Thanks for coming.

No.

All I'm going to be doing

is explaining that

really for the rest

of our time together.

The structure of this passage,

if you look through it,

it's very clear.

In verses 1,

in verse 10,

and then in verse 20,

the father interjects again

with an exhortation,

Hear, O son.

Hear, my son.

My son,

be attentive

to my teachings.

And so,

that breaks us up

into three sections

where he's encouraging us

to go for wisdom.

He says,

go for wisdom

in verses 1 through 9

because she is a tradition

worth treasuring.

He says,

in verses 10 through 19,

go after wisdom

because she is a path

of light and life.

And finally,

verses 20 through 27,

go after wisdom

for she is a worthy obsession.

So,

let's look at those

together in turn.

Firstly,

verses 1 through 10,

she is a tradition

worth treasuring.

It's fascinating to me

as the father,

we've seen this form

right?

The book of Proverbs

is written in this form

where a father

is advising his son.

And we ought not

to genderize that

too much.

This is simply

the passing on

of wisdom

from one generation

to the next

and to say,

and to recognize

that there is.

And yet,

what he says there,

interestingly,

right,

is in verses

3 and 4.

He says,

my son,

listen to what

I'm saying.

Oh,

and by the way,

I want you to know

it's not coming

from me.

This is a part

of a tradition

that's been passed

down from generation

to generation.

Go get wisdom.

This is what

my father taught me

and it's what

I want to teach you.

And it's not just

go get it,

but go get it

in a particular manner.

Do you see

the heart orientation

of it?

Look with me

in verse 4.

Let your heart

hold fast my words.

Verse 6.

It's not just

know wisdom,

but it's love her.

Verse 8.

Prize her

and embrace her.

As the father

is holding up wisdom

before his son

saying,

pursue this.

There's almost

a romantic imagery

going on here.

Like a young man

pursuing the object

of his desire.

The woman

who he has set

his affection on.

If you've ever

fallen in love,

you know what it's like.

It fills your mind.

It moves

your actions.

It drains

your bank account.

The pursuit

of a romantic

relationship

is the image

that the writer

here pulls on

to say,

like that,

with all of your being

and particularly,

this is not just

a pursuit of knowledge

and a head thing,

but this is a heart thing

that you would prize

and cherish.

Be captivated

by wisdom.

Spend your energy

wooing her

so that she may be yours.

And he says,

and there's good reason

for this

because she will

do you good.

Verse 4 says,

do this

and you will live.

Verse 6,

you will be kept

and guarded

by her.

Verse 8,

you will be exalted

and honored

by her.

And verse 9,

you will be adorned

with beauty.

You will be given

this garland

and a crown

which perhaps,

again,

may be a marriage

imagery,

but whatever it is,

there is this sense

of royalty

and a sense

of great honor

and glory

that is being

bestowed on one.

And so it is not

just something

worth going after

altruistically,

but in fact,

what we find

when we pursue wisdom

is that it is good

for us.

The very thing

that we want most,

we find in it.

Wisdom,

contrary perhaps

to our youthful

evaluation,

is not crusty,

it is not dull,

it is not stale,

but it is glorious

and beautiful

and exhilarating

to learn about

and to walk in

the paths of wisdom.

So go get her.

Now,

we need to recognize

this is not the pattern

of our human heart.

From the very beginning

in the Garden of Eden,

God gave simple commands.

Here's how this world works.

Do this

and you will live.

Eve,

and Adam and Eve

chose not to follow that.

We have an independent streak

in our sinfulness

that is strong.

I remember

when I was a

young believer,

I had been a Christian

for one year

when I went off

to college,

and I came across

this ministry,

and they were crusty,

and they were stale,

and they were kind of boring,

and I thought,

goodness gracious,

Jesus is so wonderful.

How can you be so dull?

And I spent my first year

criticizing,

challenging,

pushing,

seeking for change.

I wish I hadn't.

There was a good heart

somewhere in the middle of it,

but in the midst of it,

in my impatience,

in my judgmental spirit,

in my arrogance,

believing that I knew better

than they,

I destroyed relationships

and damaged hearts

along the way.

Thankfully,

they were gracious

and patient with me.

But I wished

I had listened more

and thought less

of my own ideas.

I wished I had been

less headstrong

and been more willing

to follow for a while,

to learn.

I wished I had

a better awareness

of how little

I actually knew

and how much

I had to learn.

I thought I was wise,

because in my own eyes,

I was.

But the beginning

of wisdom is this.

You don't have wisdom yet.

Go get it.

You need it.

So how do we apply this?

How do we think about this?

Well, it's very simple.

God has given you

a church full of people

and there are wise people

among you.

They have walked

with the Lord

through many things.

And you may look at them

and wonder,

do they have,

do they really love Jesus?

They seem pretty quiet.

Do they really love Jesus?

Because they're not

as active as I am.

Do they really love Jesus?

Whether you stay here

or whether you move on

as you graduate

and go find a church

that has intergenerational worship,

go find older people

and sit with them

and learn from them.

Don't assume

what they have to teach you

and bracket

what they have to say to you.

But ask them

about their lives.

Ask them

what they have learned

from God.

Ask them

how God has worked

in them

and through them.

Ask them

the lessons

that they have learned.

Now look,

I wanted to say this.

Not every old person

is wise.

You can choose foolishness

for your whole life.

So be a little discerning.

But be gracious

in your discerning.

And look for God

to teach you

to find wisdom,

the tradition

that is worth treasuring

in those among us

who have walked

with the Lord

longer than us.

Trust that you will

find good things.

Wisdom then

is not only

a tradition

to be treasured

but then as we move on

to the second section

starting in verse 10.

Wisdom is a path

of light

and life.

The Father

brings up a contrast

that we've already seen.

There are two paths

to go.

There is a path

of wisdom

and a path

of foolishness.

One of them

is light

and one of them

is darkness.

He says

don't take

the path

of foolishness

and the path

of darkness.

Interestingly

this path

is not simply

a framework

of thought

or a particular direction

but it's also people.

Look with me again

in verse 14.

Do not enter

the path

of the wicked.

Those are people

not a pattern

of activity

or behavior.

Don't follow

people

who are foolish

and who reject God

and have no fear

of Him.

And then the second half

do not walk

in the way of evil.

This then

is the patterns.

Look for the patterns

of thought

and of behavior

in our culture

and in our society

that have no regard

for God

and have no fear

of Him.

Look for those patterns.

Recognize

that these patterns

are, verse 12,

a pattern

of stumbling.

Verse 16

and 17,

a path

that obsesses

and consumes

your heart

with being destructive

in other people's lives.

It is,

in verse 19,

a path

of darkness

in which you stumble

because you can't

even see clearly

to know the things

that you are

stumbling over.

recognize,

this Father says,

recognize that

the way of foolishness

is a way of darkness

and you will stumble

and you will fall

in the midst of it.

We resist this.

We think,

how could we ever do this?

Why would we ever

want to do that?

And yet,

we do.

Think of

3,000 years

of human civilization

in history.

And yes,

there have been

great lights

and wonderful progress

and there are certain evils

that exist less today

than they have

in the past.

And yet,

when we look

at the overall picture

of humanity,

are we actually

better off

in our pursuit

of life

apart from God?

Is our world

a better place?

Because of that.

Has it actually

progressed that much?

Nick's sermon

last week,

if you weren't here,

reminded us

that the greatest

problem we have

is that we think

that wisdom

can be found

in us.

Where in fact,

wisdom needs

to be found

in God

who is outside

of us

and outside

of our creation,

who has created it

and who therefore

is able to instruct

us in it.

But how little

we follow

in those patterns

and therefore

how much we walk

in darkness.

Father says

there is another way.

The path of uprightness

in verse 12,

she says,

she is your life.

The path of wisdom

is the path of life.

You may have seen it.

This is a theme

over and over

and over again

in this passage

that wisdom

actually leads us

to life

because it is

in accordance with,

it is in harmony

with the God

who created the world

and created life.

And he says,

pursue this path.

And the language

he uses in saying

pursue this path

means it's not

a once for all decision.

You don't say,

okay,

I'm going to choose wisdom.

Now that's done.

Now I can move on.

But in fact,

this is a decision

that you make over

and over

and over

and over again

because in every situation

there are new opportunities

for us to choose foolishness

instead of wisdom.

Think of David

who for year after year

after year

chose faithfully

to trust the Lord

and walk in wisdom

as he was persecuted,

as he faced great enemies,

as he lived as an exile,

as he was brought

into the kingdom

and the palace.

And when it seemed

like wisdom

had finally given him

everything that he ever wanted,

he stumbled.

Instead of going out to war

and fighting with his men,

he set his eyes

on his own pleasure

and he walked in foolishness.

It didn't destroy him.

God was merciful to him

which is a good word for us

that we may stumble

in foolishness at times

and yet God's grace

can continue

to sustain us through it.

And yet,

his stumbling still

had grave consequences.

And so the father says,

pursue wisdom.

There is a path to go on.

Stay on it.

And it is a path

of life for you.

It is a path of light.

There is this beautiful image

at the end of the chapter,

or at the end of this section,

verse 18.

The path of the righteous

is like the light of dawn

which grows brighter

and brighter and brighter.

Part of what he is saying

is as we continue

in the path of wisdom

more and more,

it makes more sense to us.

It makes,

it brings life

to our souls.

And we find it

to be more and more good.

And like the light

of the dawn

which breaks on the horizon

and then as the sun

continues to rise,

envelops us

in the warmth

and the clarity

and the beauty

of its light.

It says,

this is what wisdom

is for us.

Sometimes I think

we fear

that wisdom

will be like

walking into a dark tunnel.

I don't know why

this is going to be good for me.

It doesn't seem right.

I don't see

the end of the tunnel.

It just seems like darkness.

I feel like

if I go back out,

I have more freedom.

I have more opportunities.

I'm not limiting myself.

But in fact,

the way of wisdom

leads us to life.

And as we go down

that tunnel

which maybe

at the beginning

looks constricting

and small

and uncertain

as to why

it would be good,

the more we live in it,

the more we see

that it's good.

Here's a silly example.

My kids don't know

that they need

to go to bed.

I have to have wisdom

for them to say,

you need to go to bed.

And you need to turn off

your light

and you need to stop

playing with your toys

and put your head

on your pillow

and go to sleep.

They don't know

that if they followed

their own foolishness

in bedtimes

over a period of days,

they will end up

being a wreck

and they won't enjoy

anything.

Their souls

will be a mess

and their relationships

will be a mess

and I will be a mess

because I have

to clean it up

or at least

I have to deal with it.

But if I show them

the way of wisdom,

getting a good night's sleep

is good for you,

they will find,

yes,

that is good

and I'm glad

to wake up every morning

not tired

and I'm glad

to have energy

to live the day

and to do things

and to not feel like

all I want to do

is go sleep

and I enjoy my days

when I'm not cranky

and crabby

because I'm tired.

Proverbs will take

that pattern

and it will apply it

to things like

your marital relationships,

your sex life,

how you spend your money,

how you use your words,

what your friendships

are like.

There are ways

that may be initially

unfamiliar

or feeling constricting

to us

but they are in fact

a path of light

and life for us

and if we trust God

and follow them

we will find

the goodness in it.

So wisdom

is not only

a tradition

worth treasuring,

not only a path

of light and life

but finally

in those last verses

in 20 through 27

she is a worthy

obsession.

It strikes me

when you look

at this again,

look at verses

20 through 23.

Be attentive,

incline your ear,

be active

in listening.

Don't let them

escape from your sight,

keep them

within your heart,

grasp onto them

and hold onto them.

Verse 23 again,

keep your heart

with all vigilance.

There is a

grasping for

a picture

of jealously

guarding

something

that we have

taken hold of.

Father says,

if you would have wisdom

you must keep her.

Wisdom is what

your hearts need.

It is the thing

that will allow

your heart

to work

the way it is

meant to work.

And then he goes on

in verses 24 through 27

he says,

and it's going to take

everything you have.

One of the most

striking things

in these verses

is the various parts

of the body

that he uses

to say,

this is what it's like.

Keep your mouth

away from foolishness.

Keep your eyes

fixed on the right thing,

your attention,

your focus.

Verse 26, 27,

all the way down

to your feet.

What is the direction

of your life?

Where are your feet

headed?

The writer of Proverbs

is saying,

there is wisdom

out there

and you ought

to engage

every faculty

you have

to treasure it,

to value it,

and to go after it.

With the focus

of an Olympic athlete

training for the gold,

with the earnestness

of a lover

pursuing his beloved,

with the eagerness

of a treasure hunter,

taking all of his resources

towards this one thing

that is worth gaining

above all.

The beginning of wisdom

is this,

get wisdom.

Understand how to relate

rightly to your God.

We don't always do this.

It's easy to become careless

in our life.

To pursue whatever

our whims of the day,

whatever seems to be

before us,

whatever others lead us

to or push us into.

There are times

when we choose poorly.

We don't engage

all of our energy

in one direction.

Sometimes we hedge

our bets.

I want wisdom

with God,

but I don't know

if that doesn't work out,

I want to have a plan B.

Sometimes we avoid

the responsibility

and let other people

make decisions for us.

As you head out

into your next stage of life,

for those of you

who are graduates,

you will always have a boss.

You will always have

an advisor.

You will always have

someone else in your life

who is willing

to make these decisions

for you

and to tell you

what you should value

and what you should pursue

and what you should

set your heart on

and what you should live for.

But here,

in this passage,

the writer of the Proverbs

says,

pursue wisdom,

pursue being rightly

related to God.

And of course,

friends,

this is exactly

what Minois

read for us

earlier

from Philippians chapter 3.

Philippians 3 · chapter mention

This wholehearted pursuit

of wisdom

finds its ultimate fulfillment,

again,

not in a body of knowledge

that helps us

navigate life

a little better,

but in a person.

Because what we see

in the New Testament

is that

when Christ has come,

He is now

the wisdom of God

for us.

He is now

the way

through which

we find

life

and light.

He is the one

who,

through His life

and death

and resurrection,

allows us

to be rightly

related

to God.

And so,

Paul says,

I count all things

as loss

for the sake

of knowing Christ

and being found

in Him.

Because what I find

in Christ,

a righteousness

that allows me

to stand before

a holy God,

even in my own

sinfulness

and foolishness,

what I find

in Christ

and that righteousness

is so precious

and so unique

and so wonderful

and so essential

for me to relate

to God rightly

that everything else

doesn't matter

in light of it.

He says,

Christ Jesus

has made me

His own,

therefore I

pursue Him

with all

that I have.

He is the tradition

that's worth treasuring.

He is the path

to life.

He is the one

who commands

our obsession

because He is worthy

of all of our lives.

That we would count

all things as loss

for the sake

of knowing Him

and having fellowship

with Him

in His sufferings

and in His death

and in His resurrection.

Because He is the one

who has rescued us

from our foolishness.

He is the one

who has rescued us

from our rebellion

against God

by taking on the cross

the penalty

and the death

that we deserve

and by reconciling God

to us

so that all

who put their faith

in Christ,

all who,

like Paul,

have seen the beauty

and the treasure

and the wonder

of what God

has done for us,

take hold of it.

and as we take hold

of Christ,

then,

what happens?

All of our life

is relativized.

It is not that we put off

all these other things.

It is not that we stop

being students,

parents,

teachers,

friends,

workers,

but all of those things

take their place

under this one single passion.

My life is to be lived

pursuing a knowledge of Christ.

Whatever successes I have,

whatever fame I achieve,

whatever honors

or praise I get from others,

those things are only

worth anything

when they are under

and out of

this single-minded pursuit

of Christ,

our wisdom,

and our life.

And we find that

when we say

Christ is our wisdom

and our life,

all of our lives

are energized.

Again,

like the lover.

When we wake up

in the morning,

we think,

today I get to serve Christ.

When I fall asleep

at night,

I get to think,

Christ,

help me.

I'm so weak.

When we find ourselves

in times of crisis,

we run and find Christ

to be our refuge

and our strength.

We find in Christ

the thing that we want

to live for and die for.

We find in Christ

the things that we want

to pass on

to our children.

Not just wisdom

about how to live,

but wisdom about

how to know God.

And from that,

everything else comes.

So for you,

particularly graduates today,

but for all of us,

this is always a good question

for us to be asking.

What will your life be about?

Where will you invest?

My grandfather was great

at investing his money.

I wish his life

was characterized

by investing spiritually

in Christ.

What about you?

As you enter your career,

as you take the next step

in your life,

will you again

determine

that Christ is the one

that you want to pursue?

As you develop friendships,

relationships,

will God's wisdom

shape you

and guide you?

As you set your life goals,

will you let Christ

be the one who leads you?

Let's pray.

Father,

Father,

we thank you this morning

for this word.

Lord,

we pray,

Lord,

especially for those today

who are moving on,

that as they go,

Lord,

they would heed this call.

The beginning of wisdom

is to get wisdom

and to find it

in Christ.

Lord,

may this be true

for all of us,

we pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.