The Most Foolish Thing I Can Do Series

NOTE:

This is a manuscript, and not a transcript of this message. The actual presentation of the message differed from the manuscript through the leading of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is possible, and even likely that there is material in this manuscript that was not included in the live presentation and that there was additional material in the live presentation that is not included in this manuscript.

› Engagement

Many of you have probably seen this meme before [Just bought a book from IKEA]. And if you’ve ever purchased anything from IKEA you certainly get it. The instructions that show you how to assemble their products aren’t always the easiest to follow. For instance, here are the instructions for how to assemble a house. [Meme]. So I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes it just seems easier to go ahead and assemble the item without consulting the instructions. Sometimes that has worked out, but far more often I end up taking things apart and going back to the instructions and starting over. That’s a perfect illustration of what we’re going to learn from our study of Proverbs this morning:

I’m never more foolish than when I think I’m wise

› Tension

I think if we’re honest, all of us would admit that there have been times in our lives where we have proven that statement to be true. And undoubtedly, we’ll do that again. But hopefully today’s passage will help us learn how to at least make those times fewer and further between.

› Truth

This is the fourth week in our current sermon series - Fool Proof. We’ve been studying the book of Proverbs to see what we can learn about living wisely and avoid being a fool. By now you’ve probably figured out we can’t possibly cover the entire book in the seven weeks we’ve allotted to it. So after covering all of chapter 1 the first three weeks, we’re going to skip ahead to chapter three this morning. Then for the next three weeks, Ryan is going to share some topical messages that will pull from the rest of the book.

Please go ahead and turn in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 3 and follow along as I read the first 12 verses of that chapter:

Proverbs 3:1–12 ESV

1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,

2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.

3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce;

10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

11 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof,

12 for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

My guess is that for many of you, when we got to verses 5 and 6, they sounded very familiar to you. Perhaps you’ve even memorized those verses. But, while those two verses are certainly important, I’m going to suggest to you that the heart of this passage, the main idea, is found in verses 7 and 8. The reason I say that is because the structure of this section leads me to that conclusion.

You’ll notice that this passage contains six doublets, or pairs, that begin with a command and end with a blessing that comes from following that command. This is a good time to point out that these pairings, as well as much of what we’ll see in the rest of the book isn’t as much a promise or guarantee as it is a statement of the way things generally work. One commentator that I read a few weeks ago suggested that these things generally work about 90% of the time. And that seems about right. Because we live in a world that is corrupted by sin, right now there are always exceptions to these principles. In this world, the righteous suffer and the wicked often get wealthy. But if we’ll heed these instructions, our lives will almost always be more blessed than if we do not. And down the road, when Jesus returns and establishes a physical kingdom, these principles will work 100% of the time. So we ought to be practicing them now.