Wisdoms Faithfulness

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments.

For length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you.

Bind them around your neck.

Write them on the tablets of your heart,

so you will find favour and good success in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart.

And do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.

Be not wise in your own eyes.

Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

Honour the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce.

Then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine.

My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof.

For the Lord reproves him whom he loves.

As a father, the son in whom he delights.

Good morning everyone.

Question to get us started this morning.

How well do you know yourself?

Now studies show that most people find it hard to be honest about themselves.

We're even capable, they tell us, of quite enormous self-deception at key points in life.

So for example, studies show that generally speaking,

when men look in a mirror,

they see themselves as much thinner than they really are.

And conversely, when women look in a mirror,

they generally see themselves as much fatter than they really are.

I avoid that by never looking in a mirror.

It's much easier.

We have a capacity,

a large capacity,

for self-deception.

And I think it's the same in the matter of being wise,

the subject that we're looking at through the school holiday period in Proverbs.

Most are convinced quite naturally

that they are wise.

Even if the dysfunction and mess of their life might suggest otherwise,

people will still say,

yeah, I think, generally speaking, I'm wise.

And typical of our instant culture,

we have instant friends on social media,

instant food.

Then we also assume that not only are we wise,

but we are wise automatically and wise instantly.

That is, we've sort of arrived at a state of wisdom

and in a state of wisdom.

And we see evidence of that.

Children from a young age believe they're wiser than their parents.

And they're prepared to back that

in their actions.

Folk of all ages

enter into relationships

convinced that they will do relationships wisely.

And the evidence would suggest

that's not true either.

We don't actually go and seek the advice of others

very often because,

well, because we don't need advice.

Because we back ourselves

to make wise decisions.

But the book of Proverbs

challenges

this natural

sort of default

understanding of wisdom.

That is,

it challenges

what we understand wisdom to be

and how we understand

we get wisdom.

Wisdom in the Bible

is about living well

in God's world.

It's about,

as I said two weeks ago,

it's about living life

without regrets

because

it's a life lived

under God's rule.

Wisdom,

according to the Bible,

is not something we're born with.

It's not something

that happens automatically to us.

Proverbs tells us

we learn wisdom

from God's word.

But ultimately,

as Don was saying this morning

when the children talked,

ultimately,

wisdom is God's gift.

God's gift to us.

And we need that gift

because we need something

to crash through

our inclination

to be foolish.

That is,

to be wise in our own eyes

is the terminology

the Bible uses.

The Bible also defines

that as autonomy.

So we are

naturally wired

to dismiss God

and live by our own authority

and at the same time

think that is wisdom.

Wisdom.

We need God

to crash through.

And because this is

so hard for us

to accept and grasp,

when we read

the book of Proverbs,

we find something

quite interesting

that's maybe off-putting

to start with,

but it's really,

really important.

That is,

Proverbs goes over

the same thing

over and over again.

There's two or three

or four or five themes

that are repeated

time after time

after time.

Proverbs is a book

for slow learners

like me

and possibly you.

It restates

the essence

of wisdom.

Each time

turned a little bit

differently,

applied slightly

different ways

so there's a development.

It's not just a sort

of bland,

mindless restatement.

But we have to hear it

over and over

and over again

because we find

it hard to grasp.

We find it even

harder to accept.

We find it hard

to be honest

about ourselves.

Proverbs 3,

the passage we're

looking at this morning,

tells us that wisdom

requires faithfulness.

In other words,

hopefully you see

as I open the passage,

wisdom requires

consistent application

of attitude,

desire,

and disciplined action

if we're going to

grow in wisdom

and become

the wise person

that God wants us

to be.

Wisdom is hard

won

and also

easily lost.

But it's always

desirable.

It's always worth

the cost

that's required

to grow in wisdom

because wisdom

delivers her promise

of the good life.

The good life,

God's life.

The first point

I want to pick up

then is from these

passages as we jump

into it,

is attitude.

Determined to be

shaped and defined

by God's word.

Look at the first

four verses

and notice again,

this is the third

time this

sort of passage

starts with

this sort of appeal.

My son,

do not forget

my teaching

but let your heart

keep my commandments

for length of days

and years of life

and peace

they will add to you.

Let not steadfast

love and faithfulness

forsake you.

Bind them around

your neck.

Write them on the

tablet of your heart

so you will find

favor and good success

in the sight of God

and man.

Again,

the opening appeal

third time

in as many chapters

is listen,

learn,

value,

take to heart.

Why?

Because the word

for teaching there

is the word

for Torah.

The teaching

is God's word,

is God's voice,

is God's command,

God's law

which is wisdom.

wisdom is being

taught by a father

to his son.

The son in turn

needs to learn

wisdom.

There are two pictures

here built into one.

There's the picture

as we see

immediate face value

of a father

urging their child,

a parent urging

their child

to be defined

and shaped

by God's word

in all of life.

But there's a picture

behind the picture

and that is

there's also

the covenant

God,

Yahweh,

urging his son

which is national

Israel

to have the same

defining attitude

to be shaped

and defined

by his word.

And we pick up

covenant language

in verse 3

that idea of

steadfast love

and faithfulness.

That's the language

of Deuteronomy 6

and 7.

So if you're going

to read Proverbs 3

you should go home

and actually read it

with Deuteronomy 6

and 7 open

before you,

beside you

because the language

is incredibly similar.

The pictures

are incredibly similar.

Deuteronomy 6

and 7

describes wisdom

or fear of the Lord

and actually uses

those terms

as the right response

to God's

covenant commitment.

Wisdom

is the pathway

which realises

God's promise

of the good life

as we were created

to experience

and enjoy it.

So the command here,

the urge here,

the plea here

is don't be careless

of God's word.

Make it

an inseparable

part of your person.

That's the binding

around your neck.

Write them on the tablet

of your heart.

Make them an inseparable

part of your person.

The thing that actually

defines your attitude

and shapes you

as a personality

and shapes your actions

from the inside out.

And the promise

of verse 2 and 4

again

restated

from chapters 1 and 2.

Actions

have consequence.

That's one of the key

tenets of wisdom.

Actions

have consequence.

The person

who chooses wisdom

will experience

God's promised blessing.

Which in the

covenant language

of Deuteronomy 6 and 7

is the good life.

The good life

defined by

acceptance by God,

protection

from God,

deep satisfaction

of heart

in God.

And in verse 4

that actually

extends

to relationships

generally.

because in our world,

even in our world today,

people will recognize

integrity.

People recognize

right conduct

and respect it

even though

they may not accept

God's word

as the foundation

for that integrity

and conduct.

God's word

and respect it

and there's desire,

longing for nothing else

than total connection

with God,

verses 5 and 6.

I'm going to read

these two verses out

and then

as I read them out,

just note this.

I'm going to look at

how Christians tend

to take these verses

really wrong.

Probably the most,

some of the most

well-known verses

in the Bible,

but so badly

misunderstood.

Verse 5 and 6,

Trust in the Lord

with all your heart

and do not lean

on your own understanding

in all your ways.

Acknowledge him

and he will

make straight

your paths.

Now,

I think lots of Christians

often take the word

trust there

to mean

if I just

screw up my eyes

and really,

really believe

what I'm asking

God for,

then he'll give it

to me.

In other words,

they use the word

trust there

as a sort of

equivalent to sincerity.

If I ask

with enough sincerity,

then I'll get

God's blessing.

But the Hebrew word

for trust here

is a very,

very different word.

It's actually

the picture

of a person

lying face down

in the dirt,

hands beside their body,

totally helpless

in front of those

who tire over them.

At the mercy

of those standing

over them.

That is,

the idea of trust here

is an absolute

confidence

in the Lord

to lead you

into the good life.

Why?

Because,

the second half

of the verse,

you know

your own resources

will not deliver.

And verse 6,

the word acknowledge

is not just

an intellectual,

oh yeah,

I believe in God.

The word acknowledge

is far more,

it's knowing,

it's desiring

to be in

an intimate

relationship

with God.

It's a desire

to enjoy

his presence

through direct

relationship

and ongoing

fellowship

with him.

Now,

those two

verses

combined

to give us

such a huge

challenge

is trust

in the Lord

with all

your heart

and it's

not leaning

on your own

understanding

at any point.

It's in

all your ways,

in every

circumstance

of life,

acknowledging

him.

and man,

that throws

out the

challenge

to us

because our

default position

is to have

a divided

heart.

That is,

we trust

ourselves

to deliver

certain things

in life,

good things

in life.

but I

think most

of us

will realize

we can't

deliver

everything

we want

and so

then we

trust God

for the

rest.

The

things that

we think

we cannot

provide for

ourselves.

But there's

no room

for that

in these

two verses

if we're

going to

grow in

wisdom.

Wisdom

is

learning

to trust

God

in

everything

for

everything.

God's

promise

in these

verses

is as

big as

his

challenge.

The

challenge

is

give up

all of

self

the

promise

you will

get all

that God

offers.

The

idea of

making

straight

your

path

in

verse

6

is

also

from

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 6 · chapter mention

chapter

6.

And what

you read

and see

clearly in

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6

it is

not

a promise

of a

hassle

free

life.

Which is

what some

Christians

these days

want to

take it

to mean.

it is

not

the promise

of

hassle

free

life.

It's

the

promise

that

God

will

put

us

on

the

pathway

to

his

appointed

goal

of

life

with

him

forever.

That's

the sense

in which

he'll

make

straight

our

path.

He'll

put

us

on the

path

and he'll

keep

us on

the

path.

Nothing

will run

us off

the road.

Nothing

will keep

us from

getting to

the end

the road

to be

with

the

Lord

forever.

This

desire

genuine

desire

for

connection

with

the

Lord

will

deliver

forever

connection

to God

and

enjoyment

of

him.

Attitudes

and desires

combine

and flow

into

actions.

In

verses

7 to

12

there's

at least

three

actions

there.

Could be

more

depending

how you

want to

divide

them

up.

I'm

going to

pick

them

up

in

three.

And

hear

this

growing

in

wisdom

comes

at a

real

cost.

There's

nothing

automatic

about it.

There's

nothing

particularly

easy

about it

either.

There's

no

shortcuts

to

wisdom.

It

comes

at a

real

cost

which

again

a

person

with

the

right

attitude

and

desire

for

God

will

gladly

absorb.

here's

the

cost

here's

the

price

getting

God

and

suddenly

the

cost

becomes

very

acceptable

and

easily

absorbed.

What's the

cost?

The first one

then verse

seven

what I'm

calling

subduing

self

and

nurturing

God's

mind

and will

verses

seven

and

eight

be

not

wise

in

your

own

eyes

who

can

do

that

for

goodness

sake

we

do

that

automatically

we don't

even have to

think

about that

be

not

wise

in

your

own

eyes

fear

the

Lord

and

turn

away

from

evil

it

will

be

healing

to

your

flesh

and

refreshment

to

your

bones

growing

in

wisdom

means

a

daily

choice

a

choice

to

make

my

rebellious

mind

and

will

bow

to

God's

mind

and

will

and

purpose

it

means

a

daily

choice

of

moving

into

God's

word

asking

the

Lord

that

he

through

his

word

will

expose

my

sinful

autonomous

thinking

and

attitudes

my

failing

desires

my

wrong

desires

that

he

will

expose

them

that

he

will

correct

them

and

that

he

will

redirect

me

into

new

patterns

and

habits

of

obedience

now

I've

been

around

long

enough

as a

Christian

to

say

that's

a

really

dangerous

prayer

to

pray

Lord

expose

my

sin

and

change

me

that

brings

stuff

you just

never

would

anticipate

it's

huge

we

find

it

hard

to

ask

advice

let

alone

be

prepared

to

hear

the

answer

it

comes

back

to

us

lest

our

foolishness

be

exposed

we

actually

search

out

people

when we

do

want

advice

we

actually

tend

to

search

out

people

we

search

out

people

that

we

think

will

give

us

the

answer

we

want

because

it

will

be

a

convenient

comfortable

answer

we

actually

shun

people

that

we

think

might

tell

us

the

truth

we

even

try

and

deceive

ourselves

before

we

even

try

to

deceive

the

Lord

saying

that

you

Lord

are

the

one

in

whom

I

find

my

identity

and

my

happiness

and we

can

actually

say

that

we

can

sometimes

even

convince

ourselves

that

we

believe

that

when

all

the

while

we're

backing

worldly

wisdom

which

searches

for

identity

and

happiness

in

family

marriage

children

career

in

work

home

wealth

or

health

so the

list

goes

on

my

friends

as I

understand

these

verses

here

there

is

no

fear

of

the

Lord

if

we

are

backing

our

own

understanding

or

wisdom

at

any

point

in

life

if

we're

placing

our

confidence

and

identity

in

things

other

than

God

then

there

cannot

be

fear

of

the

Lord

so

to

grow

in

wisdom

then

practically

think of

the

implications

for that

as we

live

in

our

world

to

grow

in

wisdom

is

to

be

increasingly

and

radically

different

from

those

around

about

us

that

we

rub

shoulders

with

every

day

that's

a

huge

cost

given

that

our

natural

inclination

is just

to want

to fit

in and

be one

of the

group

be

accepted

subduing

and honoring

honoring God

by reflecting

his generosity

in everything

verses 9

and 10

it will

be

healing

to

your

flesh

oh

hang

a sec

that's

verse

8

verse

9

honour

the

Lord

with

your

wealth

and

with

the

first

fruits

of

all

your

produce

then

your

barns

will

be

filled

with

plenty

and

your

vats

will

be

bursting

with

wine

now

all

these

verses

are

difficult

this

morning

but

I

need

to

stop

and

look

at

a

particular

difficulty

with

these

two

verses

Christians

tend

to

approach

these

two

verses

particularly

in

one

of

two

main

ways

either

Christians

are quite

critical

when they

come to

this

verse

disappointment

even

angry

at

God

because

they've

not

experienced

prosperity

in spite

of

what they

believe

is honouring

the Lord

with their

money and

possessions

in other

words

they think

God's

dropped

his end

of the

bargain

on the

other

hand

the

other

group

of

Christians

tend

to

come

to

these

verses

ever

hopeful

that

ultimately

if they

keep on

tithing

their

income

then

God

will

make

them

wealthy

I

want

to say

this

morning

that

neither

of those

responses

honours

the

Lord

the

first

response

doubts

God's

promise

which

is

doubting

God's

character

the

other

sees

God

as

nothing

more

than

an

investment

portfolio

the

more

I put

in

the

more

I

get

out

and

I

can't

see

how

that's

honouring

of the

Lord

either

that's

a

transaction

wisdom

however

honours

the

Lord

and

this

is

I

think

the

import

of

these

verses

wisdom

honours

the

Lord

by

being

generous

why

be

generous

it's

in

response

to

God's

generosity

to

us

in

the

first

place

in

the

first

instance

and

giving

other

first

fruits

is

exactly

that

picture

return

the

first

fruits

of

the

harvest

as

recognition

a

generous

recognition

that

every

moment

of

the

growing

season

has

been

a

gift

from

God

from

the

first

rain

to

the

planting

of

the

seed

to

the

bringing

in

of

the

crop

at

the

end

the

yield

at

the

end

so

you

return

generously

in

recognition

of

God's

generosity

in

the

first

instance

generosity

therefore

is

an

outworking

of

heart

attitudes

and

desires

in

response

to

what

God

has

given

us

generosity

honors

the

Lord

not

simply

because

it is

right

to

do

but

because

it

is

a

joy

to

do

and

because

it is

a

small

reflection

of

God's

character

in

us

so

when

you

think

about

it

you

say

when

you

think

about

generosity

we

give

the

best

gifts

to

those

we

love

most

we

give

the

best

gifts

to

those

who

have

been

most

generous

to

us

and

we

give

gladly

conversely

we

hoard

our

wealth

because

when

we

look

at

our

wealth

whether

it's

possessions

or

the

bank

account

we

hoard

our

wealth

and

when

we

look

at

it

we

believe

that

it

is

those

things

that

give

us

security

the

actual

amount

of

money

the

actual

number

of

possessions

we

believe

it's

those

things

that

gave

us

security

more

than

the

Lord

who

gave

us

those

things

in

the

first

instance

as

Tim Keller

says

we've

made

our

wealth

an

idol

and

displaced

God

in

the

process

and

again

as

we

come

to

look

at

what

appears

to

be

an

absolutely

outrageous

promise

of

prosperity

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6

and 7

helps us

very easily

understand

the promise

of plenty

or prosperity

because in

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6

we have

a context

of

generosity

God

in his

generosity

took a

rebellious

people

to whom

he owed

nothing

and

rescued

them

from

Egypt

brought

them

back

to

himself

and

was

in

the

process

of

bringing

them

into

the

land

which

would

be

described

as

the

good

life

his

place

his

people

under

his

rule

and

what

was

the

heart

of

prosperity

in

this

good

life

not

the

things

of the

land

itself

but

the

relationship

with

God

that

brought

them

into

the

land

prosperity

in

Deuteronomy

6

is defined

in terms

of

connection

with

God

and

therefore

connection

to the

good

life

that

God

wants

his

people

to

have

and

that's

prosperity

they

were

prosperous

Deuteronomy

6

not

because

they

would

have

fat

wallets

nice

houses

and a

hassle

free

life

in

this

land

but

because

they

were in

relationship

with the

Lord

God

now our

problem is

we think

of reward

as something

separate

from God

we think

it's

evidence

of

we think

God

in his

great

generosity

will

give us

things

that are

separate

to him

and

separate

to us

things

that we

want

and we'll

take that

as a

mark

that God

plays

with us

and again

conversely

it's

evidence

of wisdom

when we

realize

evidence

of growing

in wisdom

when we

realize

that our

barns

are

filled

to

overflowing

when we

realize

that we

cannot

exhaust

the rich

wine of

life

when we

are in

relationship

with God

and that

each of

those things

are totally

satisfying

to us

that's

when we

realize

we're

wealthy

beyond

measure

that's

a wealth

in the

New Testament

says

rust

and

moths

rust

rust

and moths

and

you know

the verse

anyway

hey

apply

it

suddenly

I'm sweating

here