Proverbs Ch9v1-18 - Christ Invites us to His Banquet

That's on page 642 of the Red Church Bible.

! Proverbs chapter 9.

Proverbs 9 · chapter mention

!

It's how God wired the universe.

It's how everything works best.

And the first part of the book of Proverbs, that's chapters 1 to 9,

is like an introduction to the rest of the book.

If you actually look across at chapter 10 there,

this is where the short, punchy Proverbs begin,

that the book is best known for, I suppose.

So in chapters 1 to 9, the author, King Solomon,

is appealing to his son to embrace the wisdom

that's contained in the rest of the book.

And one of his main methods of doing this

is by personifying wisdom and folly as women.

And chapter 9 is the climax of his appeal,

right before the Proverbs statements begin.

So as we read this text, here's something to watch out for.

Notice the contrast between these two women, Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly.

They are each presented as hosts, inviting us to a banquet.

Notice what happens to those who embrace each of their invitations.

Before we read, let's pray and ask for God's help.

Lord, as we come to read your words to us now,

we don't want to go through the motions.

We want to really hear you speak to us now.

We ask you to challenge us, convict us,

move us to embrace your wisdom above the folly of this world.

We plead that you'd help us to see Christ today.

For his sake we ask.

Amen.

Chris is going to actually read the text aloud for us.

Thank you.

So it's Proverbs chapter 9.

Proverbs 9 · chapter mention

Wisdom has built her house.

She has set up its seven pillars.

She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine.

She has also set her table.

She has sent out her servants and she calls from the highest point of the city.

Let all who are simple come to my house.

To those who have no sense, she says,

Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.

Leave your simple ways and you will live.

Walk in the way of insight.

Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults.

Whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.

Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you.

Rebuke the wise and they will love you.

Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still.

Teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

For through wisdom your days will be many.

And years will be added to your life.

If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you.

If you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

Folly is an unruly woman.

She is simple and knows nothing.

She sits at the door of her house,

on a seat at the highest point of the city,

calling out to those who pass by,

who go straight on their way.

Let all who are simple come to my house.

To those who have no sense, she says,

stolen water is sweet.

Food eaten in secret is delicious.

But little do they know that the dead are there.

That her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.

I wonder, have you ever been invited to a banquet feast?

Two weeks ago, Yelena and I were invited to a wedding

in this beautiful hotel beneath the Kerry Mountains.

After the ceremony, we were treated to finger food and drinks

in this sun-drenched garden.

At 5.30, we were called into this grand banquet hall

and found our seat at this beautifully laid table.

There was wine for anyone who wanted it.

You could order whatever soft drink you wanted.

It would be delivered right to your table.

Now, we were already feeling spoiled at this point.

But then we saw that the menu had four courses.

Each one with multiple choices.

And even better, one of the main courses was steak.

With peppercorn sauce and all the trimmings,

my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

This most generous host had paid for all 120 of his guests

to eat steak.

Well, after four delicious courses, including steak,

I mean, how could you turn down that?

I was well and truly stuffed.

Now, a few years ago, we were invited to another wedding feast.

It was a lovely ceremony.

And afterwards, we sat down in the banquet hall.

We waited and waited.

And eventually, dribs and drabs of food began to arrive

over the course of about an hour.

It was really strange.

Probably the strangest meal I've ever had at a wedding.

The only standout memory I have is this bowl of roasted courgettes,

which was plunked down on our table.

There were 10 of us on the table.

We all just looked at each other.

And we slowly began passing around this bowl of courgettes,

ladling out a little spoonful put in the middle of our plate,

making sure that everyone would have enough around the table.

And we were so hungry that we couldn't even wait for something else

to come out to accompany it.

We all just sat there laughing,

eating our measly portion of roasted courgettes.

Needless to say, as soon as the speech was finished,

Yelena and I were down the road to the nearest chipper.

No joke, we were.

Back in time for the dancing.

The banquet, which promised so much,

had left us hungry.

Now, on both those weddings,

the two invitations seemed exactly the same.

But they were really two invitations

to two very different banquets.

And now in this text today,

we have two invitations which seem at first to be the same.

But in reality,

they're invitations to two polar opposite banquets.

The question raised in this text for you and for me is this.

Which invitation will you accept?

There's no third option.

It's either or.

But our choice is more complex than we initially thought.

And here's why.

Because for the passing observer,

the invitations appear to be identical.

Look at verse 4.

This is wisdom's invitation.

She says,

Let all who are simple come to my house.

Look at verse 16 now.

This is Lady Folly's invitation.

Let all who are simple come to my house.

Exactly the same thing, right?

Identical.

Now, King Solomon, I think, is showing us something.

Foolishness often sounds like wisdom.

It can use all the same words.

It seems to promise us all the same things.

Sometimes foolishness seems like skill for living well in God's world.

In our world, we hear things like this.

Just be yourself.

Don't let anyone stop you.

Follow your heart wherever it leads you.

You are the master of your fate.

You're the captain of your soul.

You can be whoever you want to be.

You deserve the best.

Spend your money on getting the things you've always desired.

These are the things we hear.

This is the supposed wisdom of our time.

Inviting us to follow.

How can we discern which invitation is really wisdom?

Well, here's how Solomon brings us behind the scenes to see the culture in each house.

And when we do that, we begin to see some stark differences.

Here's the first difference.

There are different preparations for the banquets.

Now, both claim to have prepared a banquet feast, but their preparations couldn't be any more different.

Have a look in verses 1 to 6.

Wisdom is busy.

She is building a house, setting up its seven pillars.

That symbolizes spaciousness, wealth, stability.

She is preparing her meat.

She's mixing her wine.

She is self-sufficient.

She borrows from no one.

Then we find her setting her table and sending out her servants.

We've got six action words here describing her diligent preparation.

Contrast that to Lady Folly.

In verse 14, she sits.

Shanae.

She sits.

Well, actually, there is one more.

Because in verse 13, it says,

Folly is an unruly or literally a loud woman.

She's simple and knows nothing.

So Lady Folly sits and talks loudly about herself at the door of her house.

She is too self-obsessed to care for her guests.

She prefers to sit around talking about herself.

In court terms, she's full of hot air.

While Folly sits and jabbers on about itself, wisdom quietly, diligently prepares.

That's the difference between wisdom and Folly.

It's humble service versus selfish idleness.

But we also see these hosts present different food.

Lady Wisdom's house has no junk food.

Right?

Because of her preparation, she's able to dish up tender meat and tasty wine.

This is homegrown food which satisfies hunger and tastes good.

A substantial meal which symbolizes richness and fullness of life.

In contrast, Lady Folly can only offer scraps that she has stolen from others.

Look at verse 17.

She says,

You see, fake wisdom is always stealing from true wisdom.

Just be yourself.

Don't let anyone stop you.

That's one of the things we hear today, right?

There's a truth somewhere in that.

God created us to be individually unique.

He wants us to be our truest selves, whole and complete in him.

But fake wisdom takes God out of it and says,

You can decide who you want to be.

The stone, water, and bread may temporarily satisfy, but not for long.

It can compare to the feast that wisdom offers us.

But these hosts also have different demands.

Look at verse 5.

Wisdom says,

Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.

Leave your simple ways and you will live.

Walk in the way of insight.

Wisdom isn't a cushy people pleaser.

Wisdom demands that we leave our simple ways behind us

to join in her wholesome feast.

Folly demands that we leave our straight ways behind us

to join in her stolen feast.

Can you see that difference?

Folly doesn't call us onto anything greater.

She just drags us down into the worst version of herself.

She drags us down into selfish greed for more.

Into navel gazing and obsession with image.

Into secret lust and sexual sin.

Into bending the rules to get ahead.

She promises a feast if we join her.

There's a sense of truth in her statement in verse 17

because she says,

Stolen water is sweet.

At first.

Food eaten in secret is delicious.

Initially.

Initially.

But then it always lets us down.

Then the guilt sets in.

And the sweet taste turns sickly in our mouths.

Folly drags us down into the gutter.

Wisdom calls us upward.

She is realistic about our simple-minded situation.

Our wisdom deficit.

Wisdom calls us off the path of folly

and onto the path of wisdom.

Proverbs 4.18 says this.

The path of the righteous is like the morning sun

shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

Wisdom calls us upward to life.

And this leads us to the last difference.

Different destinies.

Lady folly promises us a sweet taste in our mouths

if we would walk in her door.

But look at verse 18.

But little do they know

that the dead are in there.

That her guests are deep

in the realm of the dead.

Piled up

in the back of her house

are the corpses

of her guests.

Some party that was.

They're dead now.

This host is venomous.

She seduces the simple

to come in her door

but they don't know

her malicious intent.

It's not a laughing matter

this banquet's business.

It's not a trivial thing

which path you follow

wisdom or folly.

Your destiny

is death

and destruction

if you follow

the path of fools.

That's what the text says.

But look at the difference

of wisdom in verse 6.

She says

leave your simple ways

and you

will live.

Verse 11

through wisdom

your days

will be many

and years

will be added

to your life.

Feast

on the richness

of my table

wisdom says

and you will thrive.

You'll know

true life.

This is the destiny

of all those

who accept

my invitation

and come into

my house.

if we step back

and look at

this wise

host

the preparations

the food

presented

the demands

made

the destiny

offered

we cannot help

but see

Jesus

as the wise

and wealthy

friend

who has thought

of everything

we needed

and prepared

it in advance

for us.

Christ

is the

true host

inviting us

into his house

to a far

superior

feast.

He lacks

nothing

that we

need.

Colossians 2

says this

for in Christ

all

the fullness

of God

lives in bodily

form

and in Christ

you

have been

brought

to fullness.

Jesus

offers us

no water

down

scraps.

He offers

himself

his rich

satisfying

fullness.

Jesus

says in

John 10

10

the thief

comes

only to

steal

and kill

and destroy.

I have

come

that you

may have

life

and have

it to

the full.

He says

in John

6

I am

the bread

of life.

Whoever

comes to

me

will never

go hungry.

whoever

believes in

me

will never

be thirsty.

How could

we turn

away

an invitation

from this

richest,

most generous,

most loving,

most honoring

host?

would we turn

instead to

the invitation

of this

world

and all

its glamorous

promises

which are

hollow

in the

end?

Two

invitations.

Which one

will we

accept?

Maybe

you're

wondering

how do

I know

if I've

accepted

wisdom's

invitation?

It's good

that you

should ask

that.

We need

to.

And the

middle part

of this

text today

actually

tells us

how.

Solomon

splits

fools

into

different

categories

in the

book of

Proverbs.

So in

this chapter

we have

the simple

or the

uncommitted.

And the

hosts are

calling out

to the

simple-minded

and appealing

to them

to join

their

banquets.

But we

also have

another type

of fool

in this

chapter

called

the

mocker.

And let's

see what

we can

learn about

them

now.

Firstly,

mockers

refuse to

repent.

And they

hate

rebuke.

Have a

look with

me from

verse

7.

Whoever

corrects a

mocker

invites

insults.

whoever

rebukes

the wicked

incurs

abuse.

Don't

rebuke

mockers

or they

will hate

you.

Rebuke

the wise

and they

will love

you.

Instruct

the wise

and they

will be

wiser

still.

Teach

the righteous

and they

will add

to their

learning.

See,

wisdom says

to us,

you are

foolish

and on

the road

to the

destruction,

leave your

simple ways

behind and

come into

my house.

Mockers

are insulted

by that.

They're

offended by

wisdom,

telling them

that they

have an

innate

wisdom

deficit.

Mockers

hit back,

but they're

fine.

Yeah,

might make

a few

mistakes here

and there,

but how

dare you

say I

am on

the road

to

destruction?

I am

a good

person.

See in

verse 8,

Mockers

hate those

who try

to instruct

them in

how they

need to

change.

If you

point out

some aspect

of their

foolishness

to them,

they get

angry.

They

justify their

own behavior

or they

fling back

an angry

dart of

your faults

and failings,

never willing

to admit

their own.

that's

what a

mocker

is.

Doesn't

it sound

familiar

in our

lives?

See,

the tragic

thing about

all this

is that

Solomon

questions the

point in

even trying

to rebuke

them or

instruct

them.

Solomon

seems to

say in

verse 8,

their heart

is so

hardened

to wisdom,

they seem

beyond the

point of

repentance.

repentance.

This is

tragic.

God forbid

that any

one of us

would be

found

among

the

mockers,

cold,

hardened,

unwilling

to repent

at wisdom's

rebuke.

Ultimately,

unwilling to

repent at

Christ's

rebuke.

How dare

Jesus tell

me I have

a sin

problem?

How dare

he say I

am destined

for hell?

How dare

he ask me

to change

my lifestyle

or words

or spending

habits or

attitudes?

I will

never accept

his banquet

invitation.

It only

insults me.

I'd rather

take the

other invitation.

That lady

over there,

she affirms

me in my

actions.

She says

I'm doing

just fine.

shudder at

the thought

of being

in that

number.

Be warned.

Verse 12.

If you

are a

mocker,

you alone

will suffer.

Here is the

banquet you

have chosen.

death.

It ends in

eternal death.

If that is

you today,

come on

your knees

before God

and ask him

to change

your heart.

Because if

Jesus can

change a

heart of

stone like

Saul's on

the road of

Damascus,

he can change

mine and he

can change

yours.

It's never

too late

to cry

out to

Jesus.

And you

know what?

There is

another response

in this

text.

The wise.

The wise

willingly

repent and

they grow

wiser still.

Look at

verse 8 and

9 again.

Don't

rebuke

mockers that

they will

hate you.

Rebuke

the wise

and they

will love

you.

Instruct

the wise.

They'll

be wiser

still.

Teach

the righteous

and they

will add

to their

learning.

That's the

first thing

we see.

The wise

love those

who rebuke

and instruct

them.

Here's how

one way,

how you know

if you've

accepted

wisdom's

invitation in

Christ.

Do you

love those

who rebuke

you and

instruct

you?

Do you

welcome

feedback on

how you

could be

a better

version of

yourself?

If you're

married,

do you

ever ask

your

spouse,

how can

I love

you better?

What

things do

you see

in my

life that

I need

to change?

If you're

with a

close friend,

do you

ever ask,

friend,

in what

ways have

I hurt

you in

our

relationship?

How can

I be a

better

friend in

person?

If you're

meeting with

your elders

in church

or those

who watch

over your

spiritual health,

are you

willing to

accept feedback

from them

as to how

you can

grow in

your faith?

The wise

love those

who teach

them,

because they're

teaching them

how to get

wiser still.

It's all

gain.

Yes,

it hurts

to hear

about our

sin.

That stings.

It feels

bad at the

time,

doesn't it?

But if

that other

person truly

loves you,

it's okay

to be

broken in

front of

them.

We could

just pretend

that we're

faultless and

blameless and

the finished

package,

but we're

only kidding

ourselves.

Embrace

the opportunity

to grow

in wisdom.

Are we

actually doing

that?

Yes.

Second thing

we learn is

that the wise

are always

growing in

wisdom.

Once you

leave your

simple ways

and turn

into wisdom's

banquet,

you begin

feasting at

her table.

Wisdom

begins to

rub off

on you

more and

more.

Instruct

the wise

and they

will be

wiser

still.

Teach

the righteous

and they

will add

to their

learning.

Do you

see that

positive

cause and

effect

cycle?

The more

you listen

to wisdom,

the wiser

you get.

Can we

say today

that we're

growing in

wisdom?

Looking back

over our

lives,

even a

year,

five years,

ten years,

can we

see those

signs of

growth in

wisdom?

That's another

sign that

we've accepted

wisdom's

invitation.

But here's

the last one

I think

we're given.

It's that

the wise

fear and

know the

Lord.

Have a look

at verse

10.

Scholars tell

us this is

the most

important verse

actually in

the whole

book of

Proverbs.

The fear

of the

Lord is

the beginning

of wisdom.

And knowledge

of the

Holy One

is understanding.

You see,

fearing God

and knowing

him are the

beginning of

wisdom.

Wisdom is

ultimately about

knowing God.

God.

How do we

know God?

We know

him

ultimately

through

Christ.

Jesus

actually said,

he said,

if you knew

me, you

would know

my Father.

So do you

love Christ?

Do you

fear him,

that sense

of reverence

and honor,

that desire

to worship

him?

the wise

are those

who hear

his call

to repent

and freely

confess to

him their

foolishness.

They desire

to live

his way

from now

on.

That doesn't

mean that

wise people

are perfect

people.

They're still

learning wisdom,

right?

And Christ,

their most

generous

and patient

host,

has made

provision on

the cross

for all

their failures

past,

present,

and future.

the wise

come to

him

daily

for forgiveness,

which he

freely provides.

So do you

honor Jesus

as your

Lord and

King?

That is

the beginning

of wisdom.

And from

there,

we just

continue to

grow in

wisdom as

we walk

with Jesus

in whom

are hidden

all the

treasures

of wisdom

and knowledge.

So this

is what

the wise

are like.

They love

those who

rebuke and

instruct them.

They're

always growing

in wisdom.

They fear

the Lord.

Does that

description

match your

life and

mine?

I want to

finish with a

story,

and this is

one that

Jesus told.

If you

could turn

please to

Luke,

Luke 14 · chapter mention

chapter 14,

and verse

15.

This is on

page 1048

in the

Red Church

Bible.

Luke,

Luke 14:15

chapter 14,

verse 15.

And Johnny

was referring

to this

already this

morning.

Jesus says

that all

our wedding

banquets are

shadows of

the true

wedding banquet

to come

in heaven,

the greatest

feast imaginable,

when his

bride,

the church,

God's people,

those who

trusted in

Christ,

will be

united to

Jesus in

marriage

forever.

That's the

true marriage.

And the

call goes out

to the world

for all to

come to

Christ,

to be part

of this

marriage

forever.

And this

is what

Jesus is

referring to

as he

tells this

parable

in Luke,

Luke 14:15

chapter 14,

verse 15.

When one

of those

at the

table

with him

heard this,

he said

to Jesus,

blessed

is the

one who

will eat

at the

feast in

the kingdom

of God.

Jesus

replied with

a story.

A certain

man was

preparing a

great banquet

and invited

many guests.

At the

time of the

banquet,

he sent

his servant

to tell

those who

had been

invited,

come,

for everything

is now

ready.

But they

all alike

began to

make excuses.

The first

said,

I have

just bought

a field.

I must

go and

see it.

Please

excuse me.

Another

said,

I've just

bought five

yoke of

oxen and

I'm on

my way to

try them

out.

Please

excuse me.

still

another

said,

oh,

I just

got

married.

I

can't

come.

The

servant

came back

and reported

this to

his master.

Then the

owner of

the house

became angry

and ordered

his servant

go out

quickly into

the streets

and alleys

of the town

and bring

in the

poor,

the crippled,

the blind

and the

lame.

sir,

the servant

said,

what you

ordered

has been

done,

but there

is still

room.

Then the

master told

his servants,

go out to

the roads

and country

lanes and

compel them

to come

in so

that my

house will

be full.

I tell

you,

not one

of those

who were

invited

will get

a taste

of my

banquet.

The

people

invited to

the

feasts

turned

down the

invitation,

right?

They

just thought

they didn't

need it.

Likewise,

how easy

is it for

us to

make excuses

for Jesus?

I have a

good life.

I've got

health.

I've got a

family,

money,

a career.

I don't

need Jesus

forgiveness,

his wisdom,

his life.

In the

end,

in the

story,

who was

it that

came in?

It was

the poor,

the bankrupt,

the sick,

people who

know they

are desperate.

They

gleefully

accepted the

invitation.

They

couldn't

believe they

were asked.

They left

everything and

ran and

joined the

feast.

Christ is

the true

host,

inviting us

into his

house to

a lavish

wedding feast

forever.

He is a

wealthy and

wise friend

who has

thought of

everything we

need in

advance and

prepared it

for us.

He lacks

nothing that

we need

and it

comes at

no cost

to us.

We don't

have to

pay our

way in

to the

feast or

settle the

bill afterwards.

No.

We are

bankrupt fools

with nothing

in our

hands to

offer him.

except to

simply reach

out and

receive his

mercy.

To bring

glory to

him as

the most

generous,

most

honoring

host who

has loved

us and

gave himself

up for us

so that we

could be his

bride,

his people

united in

love to

him forever.

which

invitation

will you

accept?

Will you

choose the

banquet of

this world

with all

its hollow

promises that

end in

death?

Or will

you be

seated at

the wedding

supper of

the Lamb

in heaven

in white

garments

made clean

by Jesus?

Let's

pray.

pray.

We're just

going to

pause to

consider our

response to

Jesus'

invitation.

salvation.

If you

haven't

accepted

him,

what would

hold you

back this

day?

Your

pride?

Your own

intuitions of

your own

goodness?

If you

have accepted

Jesus, are

you daily

feasting at

his banquet

of life,

of wisdom?

Speak to

him now.

Amen.

Amen.

Lord, forgive

us for

when we

turn to

the scraps

that this

world offers

us, as

if that's

the real

food.

Forgive us

for when

we turn

down your

rich,

satisfying

feast of

wisdom.

for

emptiness.

Help us

to daily

feast at

your table,

Jesus.

Filling our

hearts with

your words,

which satisfy

us and

bring us

life.

Let us

know the

overflowing

life that

you made

us to

live in

Christ Jesus

forever.

We ask

all these

things for

your glory

and for

our good.

Amen.