Proverbs 8:1-21
Watch Video “In Their Own Words” available from SermonSpice.com
Grace, mercy and peace are yours from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dear friends,
When you see and hear words like these of John Adams, “I am apt to believe that July 4th will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty,” what goes through your mind?
When I first saw that quote, I thought, “Wow! I haven’t heard a politician talk like that in a long time, frankly, if ever before.” What would our lives this weekend look like if we commemorated July 4th with solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty? Would there be fireworks in the sky, flag waving, and national pride? There could be, but for the Christian, there could be so much more.
Our life here as we wait for Christ to return is always about so much more. We proclaim, as Jesus Christ did and commanded us to proclaim as well, Luke 4:17-19, “good news to the poor…freedom for the prisoners…sight for the blind…release [for] the oppressed…the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Our Savior, Jesus Christ, has freed us from the prison of sin, released us from the oppression of the devil and our sinful nature. He has given us spiritual sight to understand his Word. Jesus has done all this by taking on himself the ugliness and dirtiness of your sin and mine and covering himself with our shame. He paid the price for sin that God demanded as the nails were driven through his hands and feet. He hung on the cross bearing the punishments of hell in our place and giving up his life as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
When he arose from the dead he proclaimed to me and to you, YOU ARE FREE! YOU ARE FORGIVEN!
There is no more to fear in life or in death. For through faith in Jesus Christ we have only hope and peace with God in every situation.
When God blessed with success the plans and purposes of the founders of our nation, he gave to us a great gift: A nation in which we can freely proclaim this message of Christ both in word and in action.
Here in the words of Proverbs 8:1-21 is how, by the grace of God, we can proclaim Christ in word and action. We can celebrate the true freedom he has given us by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty:
Wisdom’s Call
1 Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates leading into the city,
at the entrances, she cries aloud:
4 "To you, O men, I call out;
I raise my voice to all mankind.
5 You who are simple, gain prudence;
you who are foolish, gain understanding.
6 Listen, for I have worthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right;
they are faultless to those who have knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
12 "I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
I possess knowledge and discretion.
13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.
14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have understanding and power.
15 By me kings reign
and rulers make laws that are just;
16 by me princes govern,
and all nobles who rule on earth.
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.
18 With me are riches and honor,
enduring wealth and prosperity.
19 My fruit is better than fine gold;
what I yield surpasses choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21 bestowing wealth on those who love me
and making their treasuries full.
Wisdom is talked about as if she were a person in this section of Proverbs. Why does wisdom call to you? What does wisdom offer to you?
Why does wisdom call to you?
Child of God, when you hear these words of wisdom, does your heart cry out within you? Yes, I want to gain understanding! Yes, I want to gain prudence! Yes, I want to speak what is right! Wisdom touches your heart and your soul because you are a child of God. By his grace, you hear his Word and cry out in faith, “Yes! That is what I want! “
Wisdom shows us what is right and good and what godly characteristics we should want.
What does wisdom offer?
Understanding. You want to know and comprehend how God wants you to live. You want to know and understand what to do when that next temptation to lie comes your way. You want to know and understand how to fight the devil’s attempts to keep you from concentrating on the study of God’s Word. You want to know and understand how to love your wife or your husband even when they aren’t acting in a lovable way.
Prudence. You want to know how to discreetly handle the coworker whose language is ungodly. You want to know how to manage the money God has given you in a way that pleases him. You want to distinguish in a godly way between wants and needs in life. You want to give your best first-fruits to the Lord regularly and consistently. You want friends to see you as the person who acts with common sense, trustworthiness and loyalty.
Speak What Is Right. You want to be the one who has the right words at the right moment. You want to articulate your faith and hope in God to those who aren’t sure of their eternal home.
Wisdom offers even more! Wisdom offers true fear of the Lord. “To fear the Lord is to hate evil” wisdom calls out to you. Evil behaviors such as pride and arrogance and perverse speech are not found in the life of one living in true wisdom and fear of the Lord. Counsel and sound judgment, respecting the rule of governments that do not hinder one’s ability to worship the true God are what pleases the Lord.
Friends, loved by the Lord, as we ponder all that wisdom loves and our hearts cry out for those attitudes, actions and emotions that are pleasing to God, we know the places and times in our lives when we have not lived as wise children of God. Pride, arrogance, perverse speech, the love of money and possessions, wickedness and foolishness have been our path. All those things that wisdom detests we can find in our hearts and in our actions.
Once again we see what we Jesus took from us as he walked to the cross. He lifted the weight of all those sins off our souls and carried them for us. They are forgiven and gone! You are free from the condemnation and the eternal curse that your sin placed on your life. Christ has replaced that curse and condemnation with his perfect righteousness. Did you hear wisdom’s words?
“I walk in the paths of righteousness.” Wisdom, my forgiven friends, is Jesus himself! Jesus has walked in the paths of righteousness. Jesus has walked the path of God’s justice. Jesus walked that walk for us. And on us he bestows “wealth...making their treasuries full.” But remember, he is not talking about physical wealth. For wisdom calls out, “My fruit is better than fine gold. What I yield is surpasses choice silver.” Forgiveness and peace with God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is better and higher and worth more than anything we could ever imagine. Remember the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans 11:33?
33Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
In the words of Wisdom in Proverbs, 18 With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. Enduring wealth and true prosperity focus our eyes on heaven. For there and there alone will we live in unending joy with our Lord! For there and there alone will we have all we need for happiness and contentment forever! And that joy, happiness, and contentment will be to live for eternity in the presence of our Savior!
Wisdom Gives What We Need
We don’t need a perfect life here, we don’t need riches and wealth and honor and fame. We don’t need earthly rulers, presidents, governors and mayors. The fact that we have God-fearing governments in our world is a blessing. The fact that we have a nation in which we can proclaim God’s truths freely is something to cherish and seek to preserve, protect and defend. But what we NEED is eternal life in heaven. And that, loved ones, you have through Jesus Christ, your true wisdom and your Savior.
Remain in him and in his Word. Through faithful study of his Word you will grow in faith and godly living. You will have understanding and prudence and you will speak what is right. Through your solemn and godly acts of devotion and words expressing God’s grace and forgiveness through the cross of Christ, God will show the world his wealth, his understanding, his wisdom and his love.
Amen.
