Proverbs Ch1v8-33 - Wise Listening

Thank you.

Well, good morning. It's good to see you all.

! Thank you.

I do commend to you all the events that have been mentioned next Sunday, Tim Challey's,

for the teens, and also next Sunday evening as well. It'll be wisdom indeed, so I commend

that to you, and also Wednesday nights. Why not make it your priority to join with others

as we study God's Word together, looking at grace for all of life, how we need it.

I have a little booklet here. Our series that we've just started is on Proverbs. Here's an

overview. You want to know what Proverbs is all about? There's a booklet on the table,

one per family. Do take it and read, and it'll give you insight into what it's all about. That's

something that Sam has put together, and it'll be helpful for you.

Well, we're going to read God's Word, Proverbs chapter 1, from verse, well, we're going to

Proverbs 1 · chapter mention

look together this morning from verse 8 to 33, but our reading is going to start in at verse

20.

Proverbs chapter 1, verse 20.

Proverbs 1:20

Proverbs 1, starting at verse 20.

Out in the open, wisdom calls aloud. She raises her voice in the public square. On top of the

wall, she cries out. At the city gate, she makes her speech. How long will you who are simple

love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?

Repent at my rebuke. Then I will pour out my thoughts to you. I will make known to you my

teachings. But since you refuse to listen when I call, and no one pays attention when I stretch out

my hand, since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh when

disaster strikes you. When disaster strikes you. I will mock when calamity overtakes you. When calamity

overtakes you like a storm. When disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind. When distress and trouble

overwhelm you. Then they will call to me, but I will not answer. They will look for me,

but will not find me, since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. Since they would

not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the

fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them. The complacency of fools

will destroy them will destroy them. But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease

without fear of harm. Well, let's pray and ask for God's help.

Our Father God, your word is wise. It is good and best for us. So give us ears that we might hear clearly.

Hearts that will be receptive.

And hands that are ready to do your work and feet that will walk your paths.

In Jesus' name. Amen.

Sat-navs in Google Maps.

You know how they work.

You key in your destination and you just follow the route.

Simples.

The problem is, I don't always like the route that I'm being taken on.

Although I'm given clear instruction, I ignore the directions.

And what's really annoying is, when I go my own way,

it keeps telling me to turn around.

Rerouting.

Take the next left.

But of course,

Johnny knows best and pays no attention to these warnings.

And then comes that moment.

I'm not where I thought I was.

Why didn't I listen?

Have you ever had that experience?

You've set your mind on something.

You've decided on a course of action.

And despite the advice from others and even their rebukes,

you plough on ahead.

And then comes that moment.

Why did I not listen?

Well, our text today is all about wise listening.

There's a call to listen.

Verse 8.

Listen, my son.

There's a warning if we don't listen.

In verse 24.

But since you refuse to listen,

there will be disaster ahead.

And there's blessing if we do listen.

Verse 33.

But whoever listens to me will live in safety.

You see, listening isn't just hearing something

or understanding something.

Wise listening is doing what you have heard.

And Proverbs is all about wisdom.

We can summarize it like this.

Wisdom is God's word

to live God's way

in God's world.

Wisdom not only listens to God's word.

Wisdom does what God's word says.

James, one of the authors of the New Testament,

also well known for his wisdom,

put it like this.

Do not merely listen to the word

and so deceive yourselves.

Do what it says.

So are we listening?

Two messages, two voices

we are to listen to this morning.

Wisdom's warning

and wisdom's calling.

Wisdom's warning is directed to young people,

young adults.

It applies to us all,

but I think in particular

to young adults and young people

and wisdom's calling

to those who are a bit older

and further down the tracks.

But nonetheless,

it is applicable to us all.

So first, wisdom's warning.

Wisdom's warning

is like a father

talking to their son or daughter

who are about to head out

into the big bad world.

They're ready to leave home,

off to college or off to work.

Verse 8.

Listen, my son,

to your father's instruction.

Do not forsake

your mother's teaching.

They are a garland

to grace your head

and a chain

to adorn your neck.

Listen to what I am about

to say to you

and you will keep

on God's straight path.

You will be like an athlete

who finishes the race

and is given a garland

that is like a champion's crown

will be placed on your head

or a medal around your neck.

Listen very carefully

to what I am about to say.

Well, what do our parents say?

Verse 10.

My son,

if sinful men entice you,

do not give in to them.

If they say,

come along with us.

Why don't you join our gang?

Why don't you be part of our group?

Come along with us.

Let's lie in wait

for innocent blood.

Let's ambush some harmless soul.

Let's take advantage

of other people.

verse 12.

Let's swallow them alive

like the grave

and whole

like those who go down

to the pit.

Let's control them.

And if we do,

verse 13,

oh, we will get

all sorts of valuable things

and we will fill our houses.

Yes, we will have our own homes

and we will fill it

with our riches

and our plunder.

cast lots with me.

Let's play cards together

and the winner,

well, they'll get to pick

the best of the lot.

We'll share the loot.

My son,

do not go along with them

and do not

set foot on their paths.

get rich and fast.

Get rich

and fast.

It's not every

young person's dream.

We're all enticed

by this luxurious living

and the easiest way

to get rich

is to pray

on the weak

and the vulnerable.

It's called,

look at the middle

of verse 19,

ill-gotten gain.

In other words,

making easy money

at the expense

of other people.

young men,

you can drive around

in that luxury car

and wear that Rolex watch.

Young women,

you can dress in Gucci

and Armani

and, well,

you can holiday

as you please.

Oh, it's an enticing

lifestyle.

But be warned,

verse 18,

these people

who call you

to join them

and be part

of their group,

these men

lie in wait

for their own blood.

They ambush

only themselves.

They're digging

their own grave.

Such are the paths

of all who go after

unjust

or ill-gotten gain.

It takes away

the life

of those

who get it.

You see,

unjust gain,

you will reap lots.

But unjust gain

is always

temporary gain.

In fact,

it's eternal

loss.

I was reading

a book

recently

by Paul Williams,

one of Ireland's

top crime

journalists.

He records

in it

the life

of a man

called

Austin Higgins

who was a

major boss,

major crime boss

in the 80s.

Eventually,

he was shot

by the guards.

And after

Austin died,

Williams interviewed

the partner

and the mother.

This is what

the mum

or the mother

said

or the

the partner.

She said,

when I get

older,

I'm going

to tell

my kids

what happened

to their

father.

I don't

want them

to fall

into the

same trap.

I don't

want them

getting mixed

up in crime.

The mother

interacted.

Sometimes I

get really

mad.

He was

such a fool

to get

mixed up

in that

mess.

Like so

many young

criminals,

Austin was

lured in

by the

promise of

easy money

and excitement.

A parent's

regret

and a

partner's

fear.

It's

extraordinary,

isn't it,

that account?

It's almost

straight out

of the book

of Proverbs.

Stop!

Listen!

Don't get

enticed.

Don't go

down that

path.

You see,

Proverbs,

which was

written almost

3,000 years

ago,

still speaks

to us

today.

It's

eternal

wisdom.

Of course,

violent crime

is not the

only way to

make fast

money.

It might

be the

dirty world

of politics,

jobs for

the boys,

and brown

envelopes

under the

desks.

It could

be the

underhand

ways of

bank traders

exploiting the

system for

themselves.

It can be

overcharging

customers or

underpaying

workers,

cash in

hand or

false

expenses.

There's no

shortage of

voices saying,

come with

us,

join our

group,

and you

will get

all kinds

of valuable

things.

know,

through the

words of

scripture,

God is

warning us

like a

father to

his son who

is about to

leave home

and make

their way

in life.

Feel the

weight of

God's hands

upon your

shoulders.

Feel the

gaze of

his eyes.

Listen to

his clear,

wise words.

Be warned,

unjust gain

is always

temporary

gain.

In fact,

it's eternal

loss.

It will not

end with a

garland of

grace, but

a grave

of regret.

Listen

to the

warning

of wisdom.

Now,

before we

move on,

let me

speak

directly

to those

of us

who are

parents

here today,

or

particularly

those who

are fathers.

God has

given us

a very

precious

gift,

your sons

and your

daughters.

As a

father,

you have

a responsibility

to be

opening up

the wise

wisdom

of God's

word

and

speaking

to it

to your

children.

So let

me ask

you,

and I

ask myself,

when was

the last

time you

sat down

and opened

the Bible

and talked

to your

sons or

your daughters

about life

and the

things that

they are

going to

face in

the years

ahead?

when have

you prayed

for your

son and

daughter

that they

will keep

to the

paths

that they

are

raised?

I think

we all

need to

reflect

deeply

on our

calling as

fathers and

mothers,

particularly

fathers,

to be

teaching

our

children.

And

young

people,

young

teens who

are here

today,

still living

at home

under your

parents'

care,

what's

your

response?

Here

they go

again,

boring.

No.

Verse

8,

listen

to your

father's

instruction.

Do not

forsake

your

mother's

teaching.

They're

not stupid.

They

weren't

born

yesterday.

listen

to their

wisdom.

They've

gathered

wisdom

over the

years.

They are

sharing

God's

word with

you.

They are

seeking

to put

it into

practice

for your

good.

And how

you respond

to what

they say

will shape

your life

and the

direction

you go.

So

first,

let us

listen to

wisdom's

warning.

Let us

all listen

to wisdom's

warning.

Second

voice

that we

are to

listen to

is wisdom's

calling.

Wisdom's

calling is

like a

concerned

mother

pursuing

her

wayward

child.

Here

the son

or child

has already

left home

and they're

now in

the big

bad

world

living

life

in the

city

going

their

own

way.

They're

further

down

the

path

of

life

but

it

is

God's

way.

Verse

20.

Out

in the

open

wisdom

calls

aloud.

She

raises

her

voice

in the

public

square.

On

top

of the

wall

she cries

out.

At

the

city

gate

she

makes

her

speech.

There

she is

searching.

On

one of

our

family

holidays

our

son

Ethan

went

missing.

The

problem

was

it

was

in

the

middle

of

a

crowded

downtown

city.

Of

course

we

searched

everywhere.

We

even

called

out.

How

could

we

possibly

leave

our

son

wander

around

on

his

own.

We

had

to

find

him.

And

look

at

wisdom.

She

is

searching

verse

20.

She

calls

aloud.

She

raises

her

voice.

She

cries

out.

She

makes

her

speech

verse

22.

How

long

will

you

who

are

simple

love

your

simple

ways?

How

long

will

mockers

delight

in

mockery

and

fools

hate

knowledge?

How

long

will

you

follow

the

wisdom

of

the

world?

How

long

will

you

keep

walking

away

from

the

wise

words

of

God?

Can

you

hear

wisdom's

pursuit?

Maybe

you have

been

walking

your

own

path.

Perhaps

you've

keyed in

your

own

destination

and

you've

taken

your

own

route

in

life.

Wisdom

is

calling

you.

Can

you

hear

her

voice?

You

see

wisdom

is

calling

us

to

turn

back.

Look

at

verse

23.

Repent

at

my

rebuke.

stop

walking.

Turn

around.

Come

back.

Like

the

voice of

Google

Maps.

Rerouting.

Go

around

the

roundabout

and

come

back.

You

see

repentance

means

turning

from our

own

wisdom

and

listening

to

God's

wisdom.

It's

to

admit

that

well

I'm

a

fool

and

I

need

to

submit

to

God's

rule.

It's

a

desire

to

listen

to

God's

word

and

to

live

God's

way

in

God's

world.

Stop.

Turn

around.

Come

back.

You

see

not only

are we

called

to

turn

back

but

the

wisdom

that is

presented

to

us

here.

This

concerned

mother

calling

to

her

wayward

son.

Well

it's

a

picture

isn't

it?

It's

imagery

but it

has

become

a

reality

for

us.

Look

with

me

please

to

Luke's

gospel

and

chapter

15.

Luke's

gospel

chapter

15.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

You

see

like

wisdom

shouting

out in

the

city

for

the

wayward

son

God

in

his

wisdom

has

pursued

us

through

his

son

the

Lord

Jesus.

As

Jesus

began

his

ministry

the

religious

leaders

complained

that

Jesus

was

eating

with

the

sinners

and

tax

collectors

those

who

were

getting

rich

at the

expense

of

others

those

who

had

chosen

their

own

path

in

life

and

in

response

Jesus

said

oh

it's

not

the

healthy

who

need

the

doctor

but

the

sick

those

who've

wandered

down

their

wrong

path

I

have

not

come

to

call

the

righteous

but

sinners

to

repentance

to

come

back

now

in

Luke

Luke 15 · chapter mention

chapter

15

Jesus

tells

a

story

to

show

us

what

this

would

be

like

we

know

it

don't

we

a

son

asked

his

father

for

an

inheritance

!

In

other

words

he

wished

his

father

dead

so

that

he

could

get

on

with

his

life

in

his

own

wisdom

he

had

rejected

his

father

but

ill

gotten

gain

is

always

temporary

gain

his

life

had

become

a

mess

verse

17

then

he

came

to

his

senses

he

said

how

many

of

my

father's

hired

servants

have

food

to

spare

!

And

here

I

am

starving

to

death!

I

will

set

out

and

go

back

to

my

father

and

say

to

him

father

I

have

sinned

against

heaven

and

against

you

I

am

no

longer

worthy

to be

called

your

son

make

me

like

one

of

your

hired

servants

so

he

got

up

and

went

to

his

father

but

while

he

was

still

a

long

way

off

his

father

saw

him

and

was

filled

with

compassion

for

him

he

ran

to

his

son

threw

his

arms

around

him

and

kissed

him

the

son

said

to

him

father

I

have

sinned

against

heaven

and

against

you

I

am

no

longer

worthy

to be

called

your

son

but

the

father

said

to

his

servants

quick

bring

the

best

robe

and

put

it

on

him

a

sign

of

welcome

and

restoration

put

a

ring

and

sandals

on

his

feet

a

sign

of

acceptance

and

blessing

bring

the

fattened

calf

and

kill

it

let's

have

a

feast

and

celebrate

for

the

son

of

mine

was

dead

and

is

alive

again

he

was

lost

and

is

found

so

they

began

to

celebrate

let's

go back

to

proverbs

you

see

god

in his

wisdom

is

calling

out

to

us

through

his

son

he

pursues

us

he

longs

for us

that we

would

turn

back

when we

have

wandered

away

come

home

come

home

to

where

you

belong

and

when

we

do

oh

what

a

welcome

closed

afresh

a

garland

of

grace

is

placed

on

our

head

welcome

home

my

child

welcome

home

but

we

must

also

be

careful

to

ignore

the

voice

is

both

foolish

and

dangerous

it

will

be

like

a

storm

that

will

suddenly

come

on

you

do

you

see

it

there

in

proverbs

chapter

2

verse

27

when

calamity

!

overtakes

you

overtakes

you

like

a

storm

when

disaster

sweeps

over you

like

a

whirlwind

when

distress

and

trouble

overwhelm

you

it'll be

like a

pleasure

yacht

with all

those on

board

heading out

into the

open sea

but the

warning has

been given

the weather

forecast is

clear

don't

leave

the

shore

a

storm

is

coming

it's

dangerous

you

will

not

survive

verse

24

but

since

you

refuse

to

listen

when

I

call

and

no

one

pays

attention

when

I

stretch

out

my

hand

since

you

disregard

all my

advice

and do

not

accept

my

rebuke

I

in turn

will

laugh

when

disaster

strikes

you

I

will

mock

when

calamity

overtakes

you

if we

refuse

to

listen

a

day

is

coming

a

storm

is on

its

way

and

God

will

laugh

at

us

not

in

a

disdaining

way

but

at

the

utter

stupidity

of

not

listening

and

as

they

head

out

in

that

boat

into

the

open

seas

the

danger

suddenly

becomes

clear

verse

28

then

they

will

call

to

me

but

I

will

not

answer

they

will

look

for

me

but

will

not

find

me

God

has

come

to

seek

and

save

the

lost

but

a

day

will

come

when

that

search

and

rescue

will

be

called

off

and

all

hope

will

be

lost

you

will

reap

your

reward

verse

30

since

they

would

not

accept

my

advice

and

spurned

my

rebuke

they

will

eat

the

fruit

of

their

ways

and

be

filled

with

the

fruit

of

their

schemes

those

who

refuse

God's

gracious

word

will

be

left

to

face

the

storm

of

God's

judgment

you

see

that's

why

Jesus

came

he

came

to

pursue

us

he

came

to

take

the

judgment

that

we

deserve

for

all

our

foolish

living

and

on

the

cross

that

innocent

man

Jesus

the

God

man

takes

the

full

brunt

of

the

storm

God's

wrath

falls

on him

like a

whirlwind

but

all

who

trust

him

are

safe

and

secure

don't

be

a

fool

hear

the

pursuit

of

wisdom

calling

you

listen

to

the

wise

words

of

God

you

see

if we

do

repent

God

will

not

only

welcome

you

he

will

change

your

life

so

that

you

become

a

pursuer

of

others

look

back

at

verse

23

repent

at

my

rebuke

then

I

will

pour

out

my

thoughts

to

you

literally

I

will

pour

out

my

spirit

upon

you

and

I

will

make

known

to

you

my

teachings

God's

word

his

wisdom

will

become

our

delight

and

joy

no

longer

something

to be

turned

away

but

we

will

desire

his

ways

and

we

will

walk

in

his

paths

in

fact

like

wisdom

we

will

call

out

to

one

another

when

we

have

wandered

away

like

wisdom

we

will

pursue

others

in

love

and

we

will

gently

warn

James

puts

it

like

this

this

is

our

calling

my

brothers

and

sisters

if

one

of

you

should

wander

from

the

truth

and

someone

should

bring

that

person

back

remember

this

whoever

turns a

sinner

from the

error

of their

way

will

save

them

from

death

and

cover

over

a

multitude

of

sins

maybe

you're

thinking

today

of a

child

a

son

or a

daughter

who

has

wandered

God

in his

wisdom

and by

his

spirit

is

calling

them

back

we

can

trust

God

to do

his

work

but

God

does

his

work

through

people

like

us

for

we

are

all

prone

to

wander

we

all

turn

our

back

on

wisdom

we

all

close

our