Wisdoms Heart

Good morning.

So our first Bible reading is from 1 Kings chapter 3, starting at verse 5.

1 Kings 3 · chapter mention

Verse 5.

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said,

Ask what I shall give you.

And Solomon said, You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David, my father,

because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart

toward you.

And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and I have given him a son to sit on

his throne this day.

And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David, my father, although

I am but a little child.

I do not know how to go out or come in, and your servant is in the midst of your people

whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude.

Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern

between good and evil, for who is able to govern this, your great people?

It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.

And God said to him, Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life

or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern

what is right, behold, I now do according to your word.

Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you,

and none like you shall arise after you.

I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honour, so that no other king shall

compare with you all your days.

Our second reading is from Proverbs chapter 1, starting at verse 1.

Proverbs 1 · chapter mention

The Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel.

To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in

wise dealing, in righteousness, justice and equity, to give prudence to the simple, knowledge

and discretion to the youth.

Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,

to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

That's the word of God.

Well, good morning, everyone.

My name is also David, one of the pastors here.

And according to my many family members, wider family members, and most of my neighbours,

I would also be considered a loser.

Now, behind general politeness and friendliness, and there is that, on most part, behind general

politeness and friendliness, they think I'm gullible.

Believing what the Bible says about God, about Jesus, about sin, and about my need for salvation

through Jesus.

And they think I'm naive.

And they think I'm naive.

To shape my life in service of Jesus.

Convinced that in relationship with Jesus, I have found the good life that they too are desperately searching for.

That's just naive.

And it hurts.

Nobody likes to be considered a loser.

Nobody likes to be considered gullible, naive, a fool, easily swayed and deceived as to what is right and good.

We crave to be validated by family and friends thinking that we're wise.

That we're living the good life every day.

And behind all that, what that means is we're all philosophers.

Phileo means to love and sopia is the word for wisdom.

So we're all lovers of wisdom.

We all have a form of wisdom.

Something we're committed to.

An understanding of the nature of our being.

And an understanding of the nature of the good life.

The problem is that as philosophers, we cannot agree where the divide between the losers or the fools and the wise is.

We cannot agree on what wisdom looks like and plays out in life.

So in Asian, Middle Eastern and Melanesian cultures, age or grey hairs as they're called is wisdom.

But increasingly, that is being rejected by the young people who've come to conclude that grey hairs is the protection of the traditional life.

Not necessarily the good life.

On the other hand, youth is wisdom in Western culture.

And so grey hairs, like myself, are dismissed as sort of past their use-by date to speak wisely on any subject in our changing world.

Information, education and technology is wisdom for many.

That is, touted as a pathway to ending poverty.

Ending conflict.

Delivering the good life.

And yet strangely, with vast amounts of information available at the click of a mouse.

With more people educated to a higher level than ever before.

Greed and poverty continue.

And in fact, we're more disconnected.

More unhappy.

And more dysfunctional than ever.

Some claim that the life of self.

The life of pleasure is wisdom.

So they say, well, accumulate stuff while you're able.

Eat, drink and party.

Others say the exact opposite.

The selfless life.

Of serving others is wisdom.

So declutter your life.

Get rid of stuff.

And invest in experiences.

We can't agree on what wisdom looks like.

Most commonly in Australian culture, people are committed to a form of wisdom driven by autonomy.

That is, self-confidence that says, I know better than anyone else.

And self-expression.

I will do life my way.

And the evidence is everywhere, I think.

So children will naturally back themselves against their parents' advice.

Adults will naturally back themselves against the governing authorities.

People even live contrary to that which hard evidence suggests might be wrong or bad for you.

So committed are they to their particular form of wisdom.

And so I think, in realistic terms, we're caught between a rock and a hard place.

On the one hand, people are unsure what wisdom and the good life looks like and are searching desperately for it.

Yet strangely, on the other hand, they resent and resist anyone who introduces wisdom which is contrary to their own settled wisdom that they've been living by for a long time.

The two just don't gel.

And perhaps the current mantra of no judgment.

It's everywhere these days.

Perhaps that reflects the insecurity we feel about being wise.

It seems to me that people don't want their wisdom, their wisdom, to be challenged.

Lest they be exposed as actually being unwise.

So the way to deal with it is not to rethink your wisdom, but to put out the mantra, no, don't judge me.

Don't challenge me.

I've got to be right.

And from that place between the rock and the hard place, let's jump into Proverbs for clear instruction on the big question of life.

What is wisdom?

And how do we get it?

Now, verse 1 introduces us to the author.

The principal author and compiler of this book we call the book of Proverbs is King Solomon.

The back story, which was read to us, is really, really important.

That Solomon prayed for discernment and a truly understanding heart in order that he might be a good ruler of God's people.

Now, in response to that, God gave him the gift of wisdom.

So we see the correlation there of what wisdom is.

And lots of insights have been recorded in this book called the Proverbs.

And it's named after a particular style of writing, usually short, pithy sentences that come in two parts, two parallel phrases, which present truth for life.

But when we dig into these first seven verses, we find that even though we call it the Proverbs, the actual title of the book is anything but short and pithy.

In fact, the title of the book goes for the first six verses.

The first six verses is actually one sentence.

And it takes six verses to describe what these Proverbs and what wisdom is.

And verse seven then introduces the theme of the book.

And the prize on offer as we decipher this stuff is wisdom.

True knowledge.

True understanding of life and our place in it.

True discernment.

True ability to live the good life that is beneficial, rewarding, and delightful.

Even as we'll see over the next few weeks, even though it might not be popular.

Now the verbs and nouns of verses two to five map out the pathway to wisdom and describe its essence.

So look at verse two with me.

To know wisdom and instruction.

To understand words of insight.

Now for us to know is just about having lots of information.

But that's not what it is in Hebrew.

To know in Hebrew is to have a really deep personal insight into a subject which actually shapes who you are and how you live.

It captures your heart.

Captures your attitudes, your desires.

And overflows into particular behavior.

Verse three.

To receive instruction in wise dealing.

In righteousness, justice, and equity or fairness.

To receive instruction in wise dealing speaks of the humility.

A humility that recognizes both the need to learn.

Because we don't know naturally what the good life is or how to get it.

And in submitting to the one whose voice is authoritative to tell us what the good life is and how to get it.

The good life here in verse three.

Picked up in these three nouns is all of life lived under God's control.

And reflecting first of all God's perfect character or righteousness.

And expressed.

God's character expressed to others around us.

In justice and fairness.

All of life.

Lived under God's control.

Now why is that in?

Well let's take a step back.

And remind ourselves that sin you see has broken God's pattern for life.

And what sin does is it reduces people to a grotesque distorted sense of self.

Expressed in autonomy from God.

Or as it's called here in verse seven.

Foolishness.

So therefore healer.

Wisdom therefore is the healer of God's world.

God's sinful world.

Wisdom is the restorer of a true sense of self.

Expressed in life lived under God.

It's a big topic.

It's a big prize to win.

A serious prize to miss out on.

Verses five and six.

To nurture prudence.

Sorry, four, five, and six.

To nurture prudence or knowledge.

And I've got discretion down there.

But discernment is the word I wanted.

Not discretion.

Is the word that should be there.

To nurture prudence or knowledge.

And discernment in how to live well.

Making good decisions in every situation and circumstance of life.

See, wisdom is not just an external commodity.

That's there on the shelf.

And we sort of dip into it.

When we find it desirable.

Wisdom is something that changes us from the inside out.

And is constantly modeled, therefore, to others around us in the way we live.

And what we live for.

Wisdom, it talks about the simple here.

But wisdom is not an intelligence boost for people with a lack of intellect.

That's not what's meant there.

It's discernment and understanding of life for those who do not yet have it.

And who are stumbling around in foolishness.

As such, it is particularly relevant to young people.

Who typically are known for their energy for life.

And yet perhaps lack of direction.

In how to apply that energy for good.

Verse 5.

Wisdom is not a fixed state.

It's not as if it's like riding a bike.

You can't get to the point of saying, well, I am wise.

I have nothing more to learn.

As older people.

We need to be learning constantly.

Listening.

Hearing.

And allowing God's word.

To change thinking and guide into new patterns of living.

And I think that's particularly relevant for older people like myself.

Because it's hard for us to do that very thing.

It's hard for us to change as we get older.

Because to do that, we have to admit that we may have been wrong for many years.

In something we've held.

We've held.

We've held.

We've held.

We've held.

And wisdom's not something we grow into naturally.

And that's why the theme of the verse is stated in verse 7.

The key to, or the heart of wisdom, is fear of the Lord.

Now the word beginning is not a journey marker.

It's not that the idea of beginning means, well, we start off in the process of being wise by the fear of the Lord.

And then somewhere, sometime, we move on to some other thing that's not disclosed here in this verse.

Now it's not like that.

The beginning word here is a defining word.

It's an essential foundation, a fundamental characteristic of wisdom is fear of the Lord.

It will always be there over a lifetime.

The fear of the Lord at heart is what wisdom is.

So to know wisdom, back in verse 2, to know wisdom is to fear the Lord.

Put it the other way around.

To fear the Lord is to display wisdom.

And by contrast, verse 7, the word fool in Hebrew is literally evil, E-V-I-L.

A fool is anyone, therefore, who rejects God, His ways, and His instruction.

A fool is anyone who's committed to being autonomous.

Or as the Bible says in other parts, someone who's committed to being wise in his own eyes.

So what is the fear of the Lord?

Well, it's a disciplined, thoughtful response to God's words, desires, directions, rules, and demands.

And it's also a humble relational response, driven by desire to love, honor, trust, and obey God,

given His prior relationship and commitment to us.

Fear of the Lord is not a cringing terror of a child before an abusive alcoholic father.

Fear of the Lord is not the grudging, minimalistic obedience,

driven by a desire to pacify God's anger or a fear of God's revenge.

Fear of the Lord is not trying to buy God off.

Fear of the Lord says, God is God and I am not.

I am not the source of wisdom and truth.

God is.

God is.

And I ought to listen and learn.

I am not the author and sustainer of my life.

God is.

And I will gladly submit to His rule.

Now, some scholars suggest that the Proverbs, when you read them at face value,

is proof that God trusts people to steer their own lives with their own wisdom.

And so they would say these Proverbs are just moralistic, just nice little moralisms.

That anybody can take them on board and discover wisdom.

And that God is totally comfortable with the sufficiency of natural human virtue to achieve well-being in this life,

apart from divine assistance.

that we can actually say with confidence,

I did it well and I did it my way through my own understanding.

Through my own intuitive sense of what the good life is,

I have discovered it and I've lived it.

Well, Proverbs blows that right out of the water.

Verse 7.

The very theme, the very first statement of the theme,

which opens up over the next chapters, as we'll see over the next few weeks,

blows it right out of the water.

Because wisdom is completely anchored in

and defined by

fear of the Lord.

Not the natural wisdom of humanity.

Which is actually declared to be foolishness.

Because it promotes autonomy

for being wise in your own eyes.

And so it's precisely because we naturally lack wisdom,

and precisely because we naturally default to foolishness,

that the person seeking wisdom

needs to look to the Lord

for its foundation

and for its development over a lifetime.

And when we look to the Lord,

we discover

that Jesus is the face of wisdom.

Literally,

Jesus is the face of wisdom.

Now, Proverbs is entirely consistent with the whole Bible,

which identifies two types of wisdom,

two kinds of wisdom.

James 3 puts it like this,

wisdom of the world

and wisdom from above,

or heavenly wisdom.

As I've already said,

worldly wisdom promotes a life of autonomy from God.

Wise in my own eyes.

Self-reliant.

Self-made by obeying external rules.

Even doing religious deeds.

And with no need for instruction about good life,

because I've already discovered the good life.

I've got it under control.

This popular wisdom,

and it is popular,

believes that then God accepts us

on the basis of our self-generated wisdom.

And is happy to be in relationship with us

on the basis of our self-generated wisdom.

Proverbs tells us

that it's totally

wrong.

It's deadly,

says Proverbs,

to believe that.

And so what we actually need

is someone who will break through

the dullness

of our own minds,

the foolishness

of our own thinking,

and reveal true wisdom to us.

And that,

my friends,

is exactly what we see

and hear

in the gospel.

In Luke chapter 6,

Luke 6:46–49

verse 46 to 49.

Sorry,

it's so small.

I'm not much good

at these PowerPoint things.

Luke chapter 6,

Luke 6:46–49

verse 46 to 49.

Jesus tells the story

as he's speaking the gospel

about

two builders.

One is wise,

one is foolish.

the wise one

is the one

who hears the word of Jesus

and obeys.

That's like building your house

on a rock.

The other

hears

but doesn't pay any attention

and builds his own house

in his own place of choosing

like

on a sand pit.

Wisdom

and foolishness.

My friends,

the gospel

is,

in other words,

a call

to wisdom

in Christ.

Wisdom

is built

on the foundation

of submission

to the word

or rule

of God

in Christ.

And quite literally,

Jesus was

the word

of God.

But even better than that,

Jesus

is our wisdom.

Look at

1 Corinthians 1.

If you want to turn over

to that with me now

or look at it

up on the screen

if you've gone,

that's even worse,

isn't it?

My goodness.

Sorry.

That's embarrassing.

Damien did try

to bail me out of trouble

but not even Damien

could save me from that.

So,

believe me,

it's actually 1 Corinthians 1

verse 1825.

Let me read it to you.

Paul says this

to the Corinthians.

Remember,

Corinth

was the center

of intellectual

life.

It was the center

of knowledge

and wisdom

in the very comments

in Paul's day.

It was a magnet

for philosophers,

professors,

scientists,

and the arts,

the performance

of wisdom.

And Paul has this

to say to them.

For the word

of the cross

is folly

to those

who are perishing.

But to us

who are being saved,

it is the power

of God.

For it's written,

I will destroy

the wisdom

of the wise

and the discernment

of the discerning

I will thwart.

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 this 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 the Gentiles.

But to those

who are called

both Jews

and Greeks,

Christ

the power

of God

and the wisdom

of God.

The power

of God

and the wisdom

of God.

Their knowledge

in Corinth

was,

so-called knowledge,

was in

learning

and words,

intellectual

attainment,

dramatic

performance.

But the

irony of it

was

as they

pursued

wisdom,

their brand

of wisdom,

it actually

kept them

from knowing

God

and from

discovering

true wisdom.

That is,

until they

met

and responded

to Jesus.

We're told

here that

Jesus

is the

embodiment

of God's

wisdom.

How does

that work?

Well,

because he

himself was

God,

he saw

God

properly

in his

entirety

as the

ruler of

this universe

in all

his holiness

and righteousness.

righteousness.

Jesus

understood

God's

demand

and

righteous

requirements

clearly.

He

responded

perfectly,

living the

good life

of perfect

obedience,

justice

and fairness,

expressing

God's

character

to all

around him

at every

moment.

And what

happens in the

gospel is

that as we

get Jesus,

we get

wisdom.

Perfect

wisdom.

God has

uploaded his

wisdom into

us by his

Holy Spirit.

Our

challenge,

therefore,

as Christians,

is simply

to, well,

it's not that

simple sometimes,

but in one

sense it's

simple.

Our

challenge is

on a daily

basis to

express the

mind of

Christ in

every situation

and circumstance.

of our

lives.

And as we

struggle to

better and

better express

the mind of

Christ in

every circumstance

and situation

of our life,

that is to

grow in

wisdom.

But here's

the problem

for us,

because we

constantly

default to

displaying our

own form of

wisdom.

and we

default to

that by

grasping at

our own

abilities and

our own

competencies in

life.

So we

think wisdom

comes in

being seen to

be competent

as parents,

or competent

in the

workplace,

or competent

at sport,

or competent

in relationships.

and we

measure wisdom

by our

competency,

even though

we cannot

carry the

load of

that on a

daily basis,

it crushes

us.

We just

cannot do

it consistently,

and we

know and

fear that

it's exposing

us every day

as being

really unwise.

it suggests

to us that

we've not

got true

life.

My friends,

the comfort

for you this

morning is that

Proverbs tells

us we can't

be competent

in the way

we want to

be.

Proverbs tells

us we don't

need to be

competent in

the way that

we think we

have to be.

we tend to

drag all our

competencies from

God's sphere.

We drag them

into our own

sphere of effort

and ability

and action.

But what we

need to do as

Christians is

recognize that

God is competent

in all things,

including your

life and mine.

We need to

trust and value

his competency

for us

and in

us

in Christ

producing

righteousness,

justice,

and equity.

Proverbs shows

us the extent

of God's

demands

on our

lives,

the fear of

the Lord.

It's a huge

thing.

But it

should not

lead us to

despair

as we

contemplate

how do we

do that?

Instead,

it should

humble us

and point

us to

the Lord

Jesus

who promises

to transform

us,

to transform

us from

the inside

out into

the wise,

godly person

that we

want to be

and that God

has created

us to be.

And you

see, that's

the aim of

Proverbs.

The aim of

Proverbs is

not simply

to modify

your behavior

and make

you a better

version of

your old,

distorted,

sinful self.

The aim of

Proverbs is

to show you

how to be

transformed

through the

work of

Jesus for

you and

in you

by his

spirit to

make you

the wise

image bearer

you were

created to

be.

So my

friends,

I finish

with just

a very

simple but

I hope

a profound

question for

you.

Which side

of the

divide are

you?

Are you

defined by

autonomy from

God?

And you

may well be

defined by

autonomy from

God even

though you

claim to

live under

his rule

and even

though you

are quite

active

religiously,

you're here

this morning,

it's quite

possible still

to be defined

by autonomy,

self-reliance,

self-made,

self-promoting,

self-satisfying,

wise in

your own

eyes.

Now I'll

bet if that's

you,

your friends,

your wider

family and

your neighbours

will admire

you because

of what

you've

achieved for

yourself,

what you've

made of

your own

life.

But God

will judge

you a

loser,

a fool.

The other

side of the

divide,

are you a

fool in

the eyes

of the

world

because

they can

see

clearly

your

first

point

of

reference

is

always

obedience

to God

in the

Lord

Jesus

Christ.

Yet

confident

you're a

person of

true

wisdom,

defined

by Christ

and glad

submission to

his word

at every

point in

life.

there is

no third

alternative.

Let's pray.

Lord,

help us

to be

wise,

not in

our own

eyes.

Help us,

Lord,

to come

to Jesus

for power

and wisdom.

Help us

to stand

firmly

alongside

him,

gladly living

under

his

rule

and

seeking

daily

to express

his

character

in

ourselves

and to

those

around

us.

In

Jesus'

name

I

pray.