SERMON OUTLINE:
Loans (vs 1-3)
Laziness (vs 6-11)
Lord’s heart (vs 12-19)
SERMON BODY:
iLL:
• A father and son went fishing one day.
• After a couple hours out in the boat,
• The boy suddenly became curious about the world around him.
• He asked his father, “How does this boat float?”
• The father thought for a moment, then replied, “Don’t rightly know, son.”
• The boy returned to his thoughts
• Then turned back to his father and asked, “How do fish breath underwater?”
• Once again the father replied, “Don’t rightly know, son.”
• A little later the boy asked his father, “Why is the sky blue?”
• Again, the father replied. “Don’t rightly know, son.”
• Worried he was going to annoy his father, he says,
• “Dad, do you mind my asking you all of these questions?”
• His dad replied,
• “Of course not son. If you don’t ask questions, you’ll never learn anything!”
• TRANSITION: This passage is not about a son asking questions to his father,
• But a father giving advice to his son concerning three important topics.
• Loans, Laziness & the Lord’s heart.
Note: This section of Proverbs (chapter 6 verses 1-19) may seem out of place,
• Last week we looked at the topic of adultery and warnings that a father gave to his son.
• That theme reoccurs in the second half of chapter 6, and again in chapter 7,
• But here in these verses what we get today are three mini-messages,
• About loans, laziness, and what God hates (Lord’s heart).
• This is a pattern in some Bible books and Proverbs follows this pattern,
• It talks about a subject then goes off on a tan gent,
• Before returning to that subject later on.
Ill:
• Spiral staircase,
• Although you encounter new steps you still end up in the same place,
• Just a little bit more forward than before.
• Today’s passage we see Solomon address his son about three every-day situations,
• That require God’s wisdom and guidance.
(1). Loans (vs 1-3)
3 So do this, my son, to free yourself,
since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:
Go—to the point of exhaustion—
and give your neighbor no rest!”
• The principle here is in this section is,
• Do not sign papers (make a loan) without reading the fine print!
• Quote: A rabbinic proverb says,
• “When a fool goes to market the merchants rejoice.”
FIRST: The father warns his son about taking the debts of friends or strangers (vs 1-2).
“My son, if you become surety for your friend,
If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
You are snared by the words of your mouth;
You are taken by the words of your mouth.”
• The warning is about guaranteeing the debts of others,
• Promise to pay the debts of the friend or stranger if they failed to pay.
Quote: American Proverb
“Before borrowing money from a friend,
Decide which you need most.”
Ill:
• If ever you have watched an episode of Judge Judy.
• (Judge Judy is an American arbitration-based reality court show,
• Presided over by former Manhattan Family Court Judge Judith Sheindlin.)
• Again and again and again, almost every episode,
• Some borrowed money and failed to pay it back.
• As a result friendships are ruined and families are divided.
• Judge Judy is always saying,
• “Where is the proof?” “Did you write it down?” “Is there a contract?”
• If you did the case is easy to settle, but if you didn’t then it’s a tricky one!
Note:
• Bible scholars seem to agree that this loan is more than a simple average loan.
• That we might think of in financial terms.
• It was more like guaranteeing someone an open line of credit.
• i.e. It would be like you giving someone your credit card and pin number.
Ill:
• The letter to Philemon is a short New Testament letter written by the Apostle Paul,
• It is the only personal correspondence in the New Testament.
• Philemon, a wealthy Christian of Colossae,
• And he had problems with a runaway slave called Onesimus.
• While, ‘on the run’ Onesimus encounters the apostle Paul and becomes a convert.
• The apostle Paul writes to Philemon to take back,
• And more, to take him back as a brother in Christ, and to forgive him of any wrongdoing.
• If you read the short letter,
• The apostle Paul accepts Onesimus’s past liabilities,
• i.e. he is willing to pay his debts (vs 18-19).
• But the apostle does not say he will pay any future debts.
• TRANSITION: The loan here refers to, guaranteeing someone an open line of credit.
• And that would be foolish thing to do!
• Becoming surety for someone is folly,
• Because the surety makes promises for the future that the patron cannot control.
Notice:
• There is a play on the Hebrew word for ‘hand’ in these verses.
• Three times the word ‘hand’ is used and each time it has a different meaning.
• Verse 1: “if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,”
• The son is warned not to, “shake hands” on a business matter.
• Hand there is used in a physical way to, ‘seal the deal’.
• Verse 3: the word, “hand” has another implication,
• This time it is the idea of having power over someone.
• Uses the expressions, “free yourself,” and “falling into your neighbour’s hands.”
• e.g. we use the expression, ‘They are under the thumb.’ Meaning, nder your control.
• Verse 5: here the word means something else, this time the hand catches and traps you.,
• “Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.”
• In other words, you are snared by the words of your own mouth, you are trapped!
• If you promise to pay the debts of another person.
SECOND : The father tells the son what to do if he has taken the debt of another. (vs 3-5).
“So do this, my son, to free yourself,
since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:
Go—to the point of exhaustion—
and give your neighbor no rest!
4 Allow no sleep to your eyes,
no slumber to your eyelids.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the snare of the fowler.”
His advice is simple, “Free yourself!”
• He needs to sort out the situation ASAP,
• He should humble himself (thyself down at his neighbours feet),
• And plead to be released from his promise.
Ill:
• Verse 5 he is to be like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter:
• A gazelle would do anything to escape the hunter,
• And a bird would do anything to escape the fowler.
• TRANSITION: Solomon is impressing on his son the urgency of the situation.
• We would paraphrase Solomon’s words as, “Get out while you can!”
• Because in time it maybe to late to remedy the situation.
Ill:
• Today if you cannot pay your debts,
• Debt Recovery Specialists may pay you a visit and seize your assets and home.
• There was a popular BBC TV programme called, ‘The Sheriffs are coming!’
• It was a fly-on-the-wall documentary,
• That follow the work of High Court Enforcement Officers & Bailiffs
• And although it was interesting,
• It was also at times very sad,
• When some people were doing their best to survive,
• But could not escape the debt trap and literally lost everything!
• TRANSITION: we have no information on Israelite laws of surety,
• But often in Bible times selling a debtor into slavery was common.
• For people who failed to make payment.
In Conclusion Sermon #1 on Loans:
• Do not sign papers (make a loan) without reading the fine print!
• If you make a loan, make a proper contract.
• Remember when it comes to money and friends, family.
• Remember the Proverb,
• “Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need most.”
(2). Laziness (vs 6-11)
“Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
11 and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.”
Ill:
• Paul Railton of Consett, County Durham,in England,
• Has been accused of being the laziest man in the world.
• In December of 2009,
• A cyclist reported him to the authorities because he saw him “walking” his dog.
• You might be thinking, that’s pretty weird, reporting someone for walking their dog.
• Is that really against the law in England?
• The dog was just walking along, and Railton was holding the dog’s leash.
• The trouble is that Railton was slowly driving his Nissan Navara car at 5mph,
• And holding the leash out the car window!
• Railton admitted it “was a silly thing to do and there was an element of laziness,”
• And pled guilty to a charge of “not being in proper control of a vehicle.”
• He was banned from driving for six months and fined sixty-six pounds.
• TRANSITION: Laziness is something we hate to see in other people,
• But if we are not careful can often be found in ourselves!
• But we probably call it by a different name, maybe, procrastination!
Quote: Gloria Pitzer
“Procrastination is my sin. It brings me naught but sorrow. I know that I should stop it.
In fact, I will--tomorrow”
(a). A Positive Example (vs 6-8).
“Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.”
Ill:
• I mentioned earlier in the Children’s talk.
• Three qualities that we can learn from ants.
• #1: ants are not lazy, they are hard workers.
• (vs 7) work hard without a boss watching over them!
• #2: ants work together – teamwork not selfishness.
• (vs 8) ants works hard when the work is to be done.
• In the summer and in the harvest, the work gets done!
• #3: ants share together – they work hard for the good of the colony.
• They are not selfish thinking just about themselves,
• They work hard for the good of the colony.
• TRANSITION: Watch and learn is what Solomon is saying to his son.
• Learn from the ant, an insect proverbial for hard work.
(b). A negative example (vs 9-11).
I love verse 9, it’s what every parent says to their kids at some time.
• NIV: “How long will you slumber, O sluggard?”
• LB: “But you—all you do is sleep. When will you wake up?”
• GNB: “How long is the lazy man going to lie around? When is he ever going to get up?”
• Later in Proverbs chapter 26 verse 14, Solomon revisits this theme,
• And records one of my favourite verses from the book.
• “As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.”
Ill:
• I remember when I was a teenager, my mother shouting up the stairs, “Are you up yet?”
• My reply, “in a minute” or “yes, I’m up”
• Then half an hour later shouting, “Are you gonna stay there all day?”
• Then the ultimate, “If I have to come upstairs you’ll be sorry!”
• TRANSITION: I think that is just being a teenager,
• Solomon has something deeper in mind.
• He is asking the lazy man to explain his attitude and his actions,
• The thought is, “You want to sleep – how long?
• There is life to be lived and work to be done, so get up and get on with it!”
• Solomon is using this lazy person as an example to his son,
• And telling him not to be like him.
• Obviously, every person needs sleep.
• And if we are busy a good sleep is a reward, something to be enjoyed.
• But you have to earn a reward,
• And this persons attitude and actions do not deserve anything.
In fact verses 9-11 tell us the reward of laziness.
• “…poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.”
• (vs 11)
• When the sluggard is delaying and putting off work etc.
• Thinking to himself it can always be done later.
• Hardship and lack of funds will come like a thief,
• Quickly, when you are off guard and not expecting it to happen.
In Conclusion Sermon #2 on Laziness:
• Work hard and enjoy the financial rewards,
• Work hard and enjoy a good nights sleep (and even an afternoon nap!)
(3). Lord’s heart (vs 12-19)
Ill:
• Been a lot of media coverage over the last two weeks regarding England's rivers & sea.
• Swimming in our rivers or in the sea has been described as,
• A "chemical cocktail" of sewage, agriculture and road pollution.
• What is supposed to be clean, pure and give pleasure to many people,
• Is in fact unclean, impure and a health risk to many people.
• TRANSITION:
• Solomon now moves on from the idea of the lazy man (vs 6-11),
• To the impure, the worthless and wicked man (vs 12-19).
• We have listed seven things that the Lord hates,
• That’s right, “hates.”
• Seven characteristics that are contrary to his heart and nature.
Ill:
• A coin has two sides (heads and tails),
• We know the opposite of light isa darkness,
• The opposite of good and evil. The opposite of love is hatred.
• TRANSITION: God is holy and God is love, therefore he hates sin!
• It is an abomination to him.
The six things mentioned have their explanation in the description.
• Six wrong qualities are mentioned,
• And the seventh one mentioned is which results from the other six,
• That is the “person who stirs up conflict in the community.”
“There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”
Solomon listed these seven sins.
• A haughty, proud or arrogant look.
• The idea of a person puts themselves above another person or looks down on others.
• A lying tongue
• Falsehoods of the tongue, a little white lie
• We have all done it, and God does not like it!
• Hands that shed innocent blood.
• The idea here is someone who intentionally kills an innocent person.
• Life is sacred and God will call to account those that take innocent life.
Ill:
• A record number of abortions took place in England and Wales last year,
• There were 214,869 terminations in the UK during 2021,
• The highest number since the procedure became legal in Great Britain.
• TRANSITION: When you intentionally kills an innocent person.
• God says you will be called to account one day!
• A heart that devises evil plans.
• “A deceptive heart” is another way to translate this verse.
• e,g, Con men & women, scammers, those who seek to deceive and steal from others.
• Feet that are swift in running to evil
• A person’s whole being is put in motion by a single pair of feet.
• Using speed (or haste) to commit sin,
• Indicates a person’s deliberate purpose to inflict harm.
• Sadly, some people are speeding toward evil and not even strolling.
• This proves that this atrocity is not an accident, but rather a deliberate effort.
• A false witness who speaks lies
• Question: What is the difference between a liar’s tongue and someone bearing false witness?
• Answer: They are similar,
• But the particular lie is committed with the intent to harm one’s neighbor,
• While a lying tongue may be used to further one’s own interests.
• One who sows discord among brethren
• If you sow discord, you are creating a rift between individuals.
• You create a climate of distrust, fear, or suspicion in the hearts & minds of those around you,
In Conclusion Sermon #3 on Lord’s Heart:
• This collection of seven sins is also focused on how we treat others.
• We must honor God and worship Him in spirit and in truth,
• Yet God is also concerned about how we treat others.
• Each of these are serious sins against others.
• God Hates Haughty Eyes – value others.
• God Hates A Lying Tongue – tell the truth.
• God Hates Hands That Shed Innocent Blood – value life.
• God Hates Hearts That Devise Wicked Plans -
• God Hates Feet That Make Haste To Run To Evil – avoid wrong situations.
• God Hates A False Witness That Breathes Out Lies – tell the truth
• God Hates One Who Sows Discord Among Brothers – seek unity
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=ylO17bTsFBJkXwcYmsEOIEseSKZXbmgg
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/vQvf_ZUc930
