Proverbs Ch4v1-27 - Wisdoms Voice

Thank you all, and thank you Alex for leading us today.

Let's turn in our Bibles please to Proverbs chapter 4.

Proverbs 4 · chapter mention

!

Proverbs chapter 4, we're going to read it all.

Proverbs 4 · chapter mention

It's part of our series that we've been looking at together.

As we think about wisdom and what it means and how we apply it to our lives.

So Proverbs chapter 4, starting in at verse 1.

Proverbs 4 · chapter mention

Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction.

Pay attention and gain understanding.

I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.

For I too was a son to my father, still tender and cherished by my mother.

Then he taught me, and he said to me,

Take hold of my words with all your heart.

Keep my commands, and you will live.

Get wisdom.

Get understanding.

Do not forget my words or turn away from them.

Do not forsake wisdom.

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you.

Love her, and she will watch over you.

The beginning of wisdom is this.

Get wisdom.

Though it cost all you have,

Get understanding.

Cherish her, and she will exalt you.

Embrace her, and she will honour you.

She will give you a garland to grace your head,

And present you with a glorious crown.

Listen, my son.

Accept what I say,

And the years of your life will be many.

I instruct you in the way of wisdom,

And lead you along straight paths.

When you walk, your steps will not be hampered.

When you run, you will not stumble.

Hold on to instruction.

Do not let it go.

Guard it well,

For it is your life.

Do not set foot on the path of the wicked,

Or walk in the way of evildoers.

Avoid it.

Do not travel on it.

Turn from it.

And go on your way.

For they cannot rest until they do evil.

They are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.

They eat the bread of the wickedness,

And drink the wine of violence.

The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,

Shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness.

They do not know what makes them stumble.

My son,

Pay attention to what I say.

Turn your ear to my words.

Do not let them out of your sight.

Keep them within your heart.

For they are life to those who find them,

And health to one's whole body.

Above all else,

Guard your heart,

For everything you do flows from it.

Keep your mouth free from perversity.

Keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Let your eyes look straight ahead.

Fix your gaze directly before you.

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet.

And be steadfast in all your ways.

Do not turn to the right or to the left.

Keep your foot from evil.

Well, let's pray together.

The voice of the Lord is powerful.

The voice of the Lord is majestic.

Father, by your spirit and through your voice,

Through these words that we have just read,

May they cause a transformation of our hearts,

And an eagerness to follow you,

And an assurance of glory to come.

Help us now, we pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well, from the moment we waken in the morning,

A hundred voices are vying for our attention.

TikTok, Facebook, Instagram.

Every ping is an effort to get our attention.

Read this.

Watch this.

Hear this.

TV adverts.

Netflix series.

Online influencers.

The world is just one big megaphone of noise,

Shouting,

Stop!

Listen to me!

Podcasts and books and novels.

All these voices,

Clamming for our attention.

Just recently,

Just recently,

I heard about a primary school teacher known to me,

Who asked the boys in her class,

Who would you like to be when you grow up?

This is primary school.

The first boy answered,

Andrew Tate.

The second said,

Conor McGregor.

Now, if you've never heard of these people,

Brilliant.

You've missed absolutely nothing.

Both are millionaires with thousands of followers.

Tate is facing charges of trafficking and prostitution.

McGregor,

Well, he was recently charged with rape.

Tragically,

The hearts and minds of two little primary school boys have been captured by listening to unhealthy voices.

So the question is,

Who are we listening to?

What voice has captured our heart?

Who do we listen to when we want comfort?

What words fill our hearts today?

Well, amidst all the noise in this world,

We have another voice.

The voice of a father to a son.

Look at verse 1.

Listen, my sons.

Pay attention.

Verse 10.

Listen, my son.

Accept what I say.

Turn your ears to my words.

Listen.

Solomon, the author of Proverbs,

Is saying loud and clear,

Pay attention to what I have to say.

But why should we listen?

Well, first we must understand that Solomon's words are not his own words.

They're actually part of a tradition that have been passed down through the generations.

So look at verse 3.

Solomon writes,

For I too was a son to my father.

Well, who was Solomon's father?

Well, in case you don't know,

Go back to chapter 1, verse 1.

Chapter 1, verse 1.

The Proverbs of Solomon,

Son of David,

Who was the king of Israel.

Let's go back to chapter 4, verse 3.

So Solomon says,

So I too was a son to my father,

That is, King David,

Still tender and cherished by my mother.

Then he, King David,

Taught me,

And he said to me,

Take hold of my words with all your heart.

Keep my commands,

And you will live.

So King David,

King David,

Passes on words to Solomon,

And Solomon passes on those same words to his sons.

So the question is,

Well, where did David get his words of wisdom?

Well, keep your finger in Proverbs,

And go back to Deuteronomy,

Deuteronomy 17 · chapter mention

Chapter 17.

Deuteronomy, chapter 17.

Deuteronomy 17 · chapter mention

So Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy, chapter 17.

Deuteronomy 17 · chapter mention

And here,

We are told of instructions

That God gives to the king.

Let's pick it up in chapter 17, verse 18.

Here is God's command to the king.

Verse 18,

When he takes the throne of his kingdom,

He is to write for himself on a scroll,

A copy of this law,

Taken from that of the Levitical priests.

That is God's law.

Verse 19,

It is to be with him,

And he is to read it

All the days of his life,

So that he may learn to revere the Lord his God,

And follow carefully

All the words of this law,

And these decrees.

Let's go back to Proverbs.

You see,

David is passing on God's word to Solomon.

And Solomon is passing on God's words to his son.

And so it goes to the tradition down through the generations.

And here we are today,

Reading these same words,

Because we are to listen to the voice of God.

We are to be listening to his words,

Words that are written down for us.

Because in God's word is the wisdom that we all need for life.

As we've been saying to summarise the book of Proverbs,

Wisdom is God's word to live God's way in God's world.

So what is God saying to us today?

Well, those three headings of listen in verse 1 and 10 and 20,

Divide the text up very well and cleanly for us.

So first of all,

God says,

Get wisdom.

Verse 5.

Get wisdom.

Get understanding.

This has been the message all the way through from the very beginning.

Just look back at chapter 2, verse 4.

Chapter 2, verse 4.

Look for it.

That is,

Look for wisdom as you do for silver.

Search for it as for hidden treasure.

Chapter 3, verse 13.

Blessed are those who find wisdom,

Those who gain understanding.

For she is more profitable than silver

And yields better returns than gold.

Now in chapter 4,

The pursuit of wisdom goes to another level altogether.

Look at verse 7 of chapter 4.

The beginning of wisdom is this.

Get wisdom.

Though it cost all you have.

Though it cost all you have.

Get wisdom.

Do everything you can

To get the wisdom of God's word

Into your life.

Whatever it costs you,

There is no value

On the worth and the treasure

Of God's word.

Getting wisdom

Is like a young man

Pursuing the love of his life.

When I first met Kirsty,

It was very clear

That I wanted to marry her.

Although Kirsty says

She doesn't remember

The first time that we met.

Bit of an argument there.

And in my efforts to woo her,

I did the most generous

And kindest of things

I could possibly do.

I gave her,

Listen to this,

My bank card.

Kirsty was a student.

I was working.

So in an effort to

Win her heart,

I gave her

All the treasures

That I had.

The problem was,

When she gave me back

The bank card,

Well, it was all but gone.

I had about four pounds left.

She had cleaned me out.

Was it worth it?

Yes, it was.

You see, wisdom

Is the greatest treasure

That we can have.

And in verse 6,

It's personified as a woman

To be pursued

With all our life.

Verse 6,

Do not forsake wisdom.

And she

Will protect you.

Get wisdom.

Do whatever it takes.

If it costs all the treasures you own,

Spend it and make sure

You get wisdom.

End of verse 6,

Love her

And she will watch over you.

Verse 8,

Cherish her

And she will exalt you.

Embrace her

And she

Will honour you.

Make it your life's ambition,

Your ultimate desire,

Your one goal.

Pursue the wisdom

Of God's word

And get it into your life.

And here's why.

Verse 9,

She,

Wisdom,

Will give you a garland

To grace your head

And present you

With a glorious crown.

The garland was that

Wreath that was presented

To the athlete

Who won the race

Or won the fight.

A champion's crown.

The gold medal.

Well,

Get wisdom into your life

And you will be like

A successful champion.

Get the word of God

Into your life

And it will go well for you.

But you know what?

There's a much better

And greater reason

Why we should get wisdom.

Not just so that life

Will go well for us.

But because

In getting wisdom

It leads

To Jesus.

You see,

Scripture tells us

That Jesus is

God's wisdom

In person.

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1:24

Chapter 1

Verse 24

Tells us that

Christ

Is the power

Of God.

And he is the

Wisdom

Of God.

Jesus

Is

God's wisdom

In perfect

Humanity.

So we are to

Listen

To the words

Of Jesus.

God's wisdom

Itself.

Keep your finger

In Proverbs

And let's go to

Mark's

Gospel

Chapter 8

Mark's

Gospel

Chapter 8

Mark's

Gospel

Chapter 8

And verse

34

Listen

To Jesus

Speak

Listen

To his

Wisdom

Verse 34

Then he

Called the

Crowd to him

Along with his

Disciples

And said

Whoever

Wants to be

My disciple

Must deny

Themselves

Take up

Their cross

And follow me

For whoever

Wants to

Save their

Life

Will lose

It

But whoever

Loses

Their life

For me

And for

The gospel

Will save

It

Jesus is

Saying

Surrender

Your life

To me

And you

Will save

Your life

Trust

In me

And I

Will give

You life

In all

Its fullness

I will

Forgive you

Of all

Your sins

Lose

Your life

To me

And you

Will

Gain

Life

Though it

Cost

All you

Have

Even if

It should

Cost

All your

Life

Let

Your life

Go

Surrender

It

Because in

Doing so

You will

Gain the

Greatest

Treasure

Of all

Jesus

Himself

Let's go

Back to

Proverbs

Jim

Elliot

You may

Have heard

Of him

Back in

The 1950s

A young

Married

Man

Set out

With

Four other

Missionaries

To reach

The

Yauka

Indians

In the

Forests

Of Ecuador

And instead

Of being

Welcomed

By those

People

They were

All killed

Why did

Jim

Do it

Why did

He go

He knew

It was

Dangerous

He knew

It would

Cost his

Life

Or could

Cost his

Life

But an

Entry

Into his

Diary

Helps us

Explain

Why he

Was willing

To

He wrote

These words

He is

No fool

Who gives

What he

Cannot

Keep

To gain

What he

Cannot

Lose

He is

No fool

Who gives

What he

Cannot

Keep

To gain

What he

Cannot

Lose

You see

As a

Young man

Jim

Had surrendered

His life

To Jesus

He couldn't

Keep his

Life

But he

Gave

Of his

Life

Because he

Knew

That without

Jesus

He had

Nothing

Though it

Cost him

His

Very

Life

Through it

All he

Saved

His

Life

And that's

What Jesus

Is saying

To us

Today

Entrust

Your

Life

To me

Though it

Might cost

You

Friendships

Though it

Might cost

You a

Career

Path

Though it

Might cost

You your

Dreams

Though it

Might cost

You your

Life

It is

Worth it

All

Because you

Gain

The greatest

Person

Ever

The God

Man

Jesus

Christ

With you

Forever

Get

Wisdom

Get the

Word of

God into

Your life

Because God's

Word will

Lead you

To Jesus

So get

Wisdom

Second

Follow

Wisdom

Verse

10

Listen

My son

Accept

What I

Say

Verse

11

I

Instruct

You

In the

Way

Of

Wisdom

And lead

You

Along

Straight

Paths

Wisdom

Is the

Path

That is

Going

To

Lead

Us

Through

Life

In

Fact

Verse

13

Hold

On

To

Instruction

Hold

On

To

Wisdom

Don't

Let

It

Go

Guard

It

Well

For

It

Is

Your

Life

Follow

The

Path

Of

Wisdom

And

You

Will

Have

Life

But

Let's

Be

Very

Clear

At

The

Same

Time

We

Need

To

Be

So

So

Careful

That

We

Don't

Walk

The

Wrong

Path

There

Is

The

Path

Of

Wisdom

But

Verse

14

Do

Not

Set

Foot

On

The

Path

Of

The

Wicked

Or

Walk

In

The

Way

Of

Evil

Doers

Those

Who

Have

No

Time

For

God's

Word

Avoid

It

Do

Not

Travel

On

It

Turn

From

It

And

Go

On

Your

Way

Don't

Loiter

Don't

Loiter

Hanging

Around

Tiptoeing

Around

The

Edges

Get

Away

From

It

Go

On

Your

Way

You

See

We

All

Have

A

Choice

To

Make

Every

Day

We're

All

Hearing

Voices

That

Promise

Us

Life

And

Happiness

And

Joy

Voices

That

Say

Follow

Me

Have

Me

So

What

Path

Are

We

Going

To

Walk

Will

We

Follow

The

Path

Of

God's

Wisdom

Or

Are

We

Going

To

Follow

The

Path

Of

The

Wicked

The

Voices

That

We

Listen

To

Will

Determine

Which

Path

We

Are

On

And

Which

Direction

We

Will

Go

Verse

18

The

Path

Of

The

Righteous

Is

Like

The

Morning

Sun

Shining

Ever

Brighter

Till

The

Full

Light

Of

Day

But

The

Way

Of

The

Wicked

Is

Like

Deep

Darkness

They

Do

Not

Know

What

Makes

Them

Stumble

Listen

To

God's

Word

And

It

Will

Be

Verse

18

Full

Light

To

Your

Life

You

Will

Walk

A

Path

Where

You

Will

Not

Stumble

And

Fall

God's

Word

Will

Enable

You

To

Walk

Rightly

But

Reject

The

Voice

Of

God

And

It

Will

Be

Like

Verse

19

Deep

Darkness

We

Will

Walk

A

Path

That

Is

Full

Of

Danger

But

There's

Another

And

Better

Greater

Reason

Why

We

Should

Follow

Wisdom

Because

It

Leads

To

Glory

Jesus

As

We

Have

Seen

Is

God's

Wisdom

He

Is

The

One

That

We

Listen

To

Go

With

Me

Please

Again

To

John's

Gospel

Chapter

8

You

Can

Keep

Your

Finger

In

Proverbs

John

John 8 · chapter mention

Chapter

8

And

Again

Here

We

Listen

To

The

Voice

Of

Wisdom

John

John 8:12

Chapter

8

Verse

12

When

Jesus

Spoke

Again

To

The

People

He

Said

I

Am

The

Light

Of

The

World

Whoever

Follows

Me

Will

Never

Walk

In

Darkness

But

Will

Have

The

Light

Of

Life

Let's

Go

Back to

Proverbs

You

See

Follow

Jesus

And

We

Leave

The

Path

Of

Darkness

And

We

Walk

A

Path

Of

Light

!

You

Go

On

In

Your

Hike

The

Sun

Rises

Higher

And

The

Path

Becomes

Clearer

Brighter

And

Brighter

The

Sun

Blazes

Till

At

Last

You

Arrive

At

Your

Destination

The

Light

The

Light

Of

The

Sun

Shining

Down

On

Your

Path

Enabling

You

To

Reach

Your

Destination

Well

Jesus

Is

Saying

To

Us

Today

Follow

Me

I

Am

The

Path

I

Am

The

Light

That

You

Need

For

This

Dark

World

I

Have

Overcome

The

Darkness

I

Have

Overcome

Sin

And

Death

I

Have

Defeated

It

All

Walk

With

Me

And

The

Darkness

In

Your

Life

Will

Be

Dispelled

But

Don't

Delay

Don't

Wait

Until

It

Is

Too

Late

Don't

Wait

Until

The

Light

Goes

Off

Jesus

Reminds

Us

In

The

Same

Gospel

Of

John

He

Says

You

Are

Going

To

Have

The

Light

Just

A

Little

While

Longer

Walk

While

You

Have

The

Light

Before

Darkness

Overtakes

You

Jesus

Is

Warning

Us

His

Voice

Of

Wisdom

A

Day

Is

Coming

When

The

Light

Will

Turn

To

Darkness

Dawn

Will

Become

Dusk

Day

Will

Become

Night

A

Day

Of

Deep

Darkness

Awaits

Us

If

We

Do

Not

Keep

To

The

Path

Judgment

And

Death

And

Separation

From

The

God

Of

Light

For

All

Eternity

Hell

It

So

Walk

With

Me

Says

Jesus

Follow

Me

And

You

Will

Enjoy

The

Light

Of

Glory

Verse

18

The

Path

Of

The

Righteous

Is

Like

The

Morning

Sun

Shining

Ever

Brighter

Till

The

Full

Light

Of

Day

If

You

Are

Trusting

In

Jesus

Then

One

Day

The

Full

Light

Of

God

In

All

Its

Glorious

Beauty

Will

Shine

Across

Your

Path

Darkness

And

Death

Will

Be

No

More

Our

Journey

Will

End

And

We

Will

Enjoy

God

For

All

Eternity

Follow

Wisdom

Walk

Its

Path

Because

It

Leads

To

Glory

So

Let

Us

Get

Wisdom

Let

Us

Follow

Wisdom

And

Third

Let

Us

Keep

Wisdom

Wisdom

Is

So

So

Precious

Greater

Than

Silver

Or

Gold

God's

Word

Wisdom

Itself

Leads

Us

To

The

Person

Of

Jesus

Who

In

Turn

Leads

Us

To

Glory

Wisdom

Is

Our

Life

So

Therefore

It

Makes

Sense

Doesn't

It

That

We

Keep

Wisdom

That

We

Don't

Let

It

Go

And

How

Are

We

Going

To

Keep

Wisdom

Well

It's

Going

To

Take

A

Whole

Life

Commitment

It'll

Take

Our

Whole

Bodies

To

Keep

Wisdom

Look

At

Verse

20

Look

At

The

Parts

Of

The

Body

How

We

Are

To

Engage

The

Ear

Verse

20

My

Son

Pay

Attention

To

What

I

Say

Turn

Your

Ear

To

My

Words

The

Heart

Verse

21

Keep

Them

Within

Your

Heart

The

Mouth

Verse

24

Keep

Your

Mouth

Free

From

Perversity

The

Eyes

Verse

25

Fix

Your

Eyes

Fix

Your

Gaze

The

Feet

Verse

26

Give

Careful

Thought

To

The

Paths

For

Your

Feet

The

Members

Of

Our

Body

Are

Like

An

Army

Of

Body

Guards

Every

Part

Of

Us

Our

Ears

What

We

Listen

To

Our

Eyes

What

We're

Watching

Our

Mouths

What

We're

Talking

About

Our

Hearts

What

We

Desire

Our

Feet

Where

We

Walk

Are

All

To

Be

Engaged

As

Bodyguards

Guarding

And

Keeping

Wisdom

You

See

Keeping

Wisdom

Guarding

Wisdom

Will

Lead

To

Protection

Of

Your

Life

Look

At

Verse

23

With

Me

Above

All

Else

Guard

Your

Heart

For

Everything

You

Do

Flows

From

It

Well

Is

There

A

Difference

About

Keeping

Wisdom

Guarding

Wisdom

No

He's

Not

Talking

About

Different

Things

Because

Guarding

Our

Heart

Is

The

Ultimate

Way

In

Which

We

Keep

And

Guard

Wisdom

as you follow Jesus and wait for glory.

Think of your heart as a great big turbocharged engine.

An engine that has power to drive you and push you on.

Well, it needs diesel.

It needs petrol.

Well, in the same way, we are to pour into our hearts,

into the engine of our life, the fuel of God's word,

so that it will keep you motoring on the right path.

Fill up with God's word,

and it will keep you from going off the wrong path.

You see, fueling and filling our hearts with God's word

will enable us to follow Jesus as we wait for glory.

It will help us to make wise and right choices.

Keeping wisdom in your heart will protect your life.

So how are we going to get God's word,

this book that you're looking at and reading and we're listening to,

how are we going to get this word into our hearts?

Well, as we've already seen,

it will take our whole bodies to be engaged.

Practically, five simple and quick things that we can do together

as we walk with Jesus and wait for glory.

Here's the first one.

Listen to God's word.

Verse 20.

My son, pay attention to what I say.

Turn your ear to my words.

Simple.

We've got to be people of the book,

regularly listening to what God's word has to say.

Second,

store up God's word.

Verse 21.

Do not let them,

the words of God's wisdom,

out of your sight.

Keep them within your heart.

Store up God's word.

Fill it and fill it and fill it

so that in every circumstances,

in every stage of your life,

God's word will be instructing you.

Verse 24.

Talk about God's word.

Instead of using your mouth for perversity,

talk about God's word with one another,

how it encourages you

and how it will help them.

Verse 25.

Reflect or gaze on God's word.

Let your eyes look straight ahead.

Fix your gaze directly before you.

Meditate on God's word.

And then verse 27.

Walk in God's word.

Do not turn to the right or to the left.

Keep your foot from evil.

Listen to what it says

and obey it.

God's word.

This is God's wisdom.

It is precious.

Greater than any treasure,

than silver or gold.

Whatever it costs you in your life,

give it all to get God's word in your heart.

Why?

Because it leads you to Jesus

who will lead you to glory.

Keep wisdom in your heart

and it will protect you.

Let's pray.

Let's pray.

Father,

two things

we want to say to you.

sorry

for ignoring your word,

for not listening,

for not storing it up as we should,

for not talking about it to others,

and for not obeying it.

for not knowing your word,

for not knowing your word,

for not knowing your word,

for not knowing your word,

and secondly,

we ask

that you would give us a hunger

and a thirst

for your word

because we long

to know Jesus,

to follow in his path,

that we may go to glory.

Father,

protect our hearts

by your word

and by your spirit,

we pray

and help us.

In Jesus' name,

we all pray.

Amen.

Well, we're going to sing.

God's word

leads us

to Jesus

who in turn

leads us

to glory.

And so the song

we finish with today

is

we're almost

home.

It is God's word

and we're going to sing.