[0:00] and turn to the book of Proverbs. Proverbs chapter 1. And we will start reading at verse 20 through to the end of the chapter.
[0:18] Proverbs chapter 1. Find the book of Psalms right in the middle and it's after the book of Psalms. Book of Proverbs chapter 1 verse 20.
[0:30] Let's hear God's word. Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She raises her voice in the public squares. At the head of the noisy street she cries out.
[0:43] In the gateways of the city she makes her speech. How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?
[0:53] If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster.
[1:14] 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.
[1:25] 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.
[1:45] For the waywardness of the simple will kill them and the complacency of fools will destroy them. But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease without fear of harm.
[1:58] Amen. Good morning. It is good to be with you all again. My family and I were very thankful, very blessed to be able to spend Sunday evening with many of you last week.
[2:12] And only two of us came back this time. It's not because the others didn't want to. It's because we got some sickness in the home. My wife and the boys aren't here. They would have loved to be. But thank you for having Piper and I.
[2:24] Well, let's pray together once again before we open the word. Heavenly Father, as Sam has already prayed, what a privilege it is that we can open your word together and that we can hear it preached.
[2:41] And Father, we do pray that we would submit ourselves to your word. We pray that your spirit would be at work in our midst this morning. We pray, Father, that I would get out of the way, that your word would come with all of its power that you bring.
[2:59] And we do pray, Lord, that you would plant it deeply into our hearts. Work among us. Save sinners. Sanctify your church, we pray.
[3:10] In Christ's name. Amen. Well, kids, have you heard of the story of the tortoise and the hare?
[3:23] Kids, have you heard that story before? You have. There's that rabbit and that turtle and they get into a little race. We all know rabbits are pretty quick.
[3:35] We all know tortoises are kind of slow. And so when you think of that story, you probably know where I'm going. Even if, kids, you haven't heard of that story, that tortoise gets off to a bit of a slow start and the rabbit takes off.
[3:49] Now, the rabbit is so far ahead, what does that rabbit do? He thinks, I can take a nap. I'm just going to relax. I have all the time in the world.
[4:00] And so he does. He takes a little snooze, thinking the tortoise will never catch me. But what's that tortoise doing the whole time that that rabbit is just kind of hanging out?
[4:11] He's trudging along. He keeps at that race. And the rabbit wakes up and he thinks he's got plenty of time and he doesn't realize that he's lost, that he can't now catch the tortoise because the tortoise is right at the finish.
[4:27] The tortoise won the race. And so what's the moral of that story? What is the wisdom of that story? Slow and steady wins the race.
[4:39] So we've heard of stories of that sort before. Aesop's fables, he's famous for lots of stories that give a moral, that give a teaching, an idea that we would have, that it would communicate wisdom to us.
[4:55] Aesop's fables, they're stories that communicate these general truths about life. How to live skillfully in life. Now it's not a guarantee, but more often than not, if you live in the ways that these stories communicate, if you live wisely, life will go well for you.
[5:14] You will prosper. Throughout history, humans have shared stories of wisdom. They've passed along wisdom. They've told stories to convey wisdom.
[5:27] But what we want to see this morning is what does God have to say in his word about wisdom? Because wisdom from God is not just Aesop's fables repackaged.
[5:41] Wisdom from God is different because it is rooted in a relationship with God. The wise are those who know the Lord.
[5:52] The wise are those who walk in his ways. The foolish are those who reject the Lord. The foolish are those who refuse to walk in his ways.
[6:06] For Aesop, wisdom and foolishness have nothing to do with God. Aesop communicated some really good principles about how to live wisely. It's good to take the advice of the story of the tortoise and the hare.
[6:21] We know that we should live like the tortoise. But even those who live like the tortoise, if they reject the wisdom of God, are fools.
[6:33] They are fools. Because the wisdom of the Lord is rooted in that relationship to the Lord. It's rooted in the fear of the Lord.
[6:43] So Proverbs is where we are this morning. Well, Proverbs begins in chapter 1, verse 7, saying this, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
[6:55] Fools despise wisdom and instruction. So that sets the table for our passage this morning. The wise, according to the Bible, are not just those who know how to live life skillfully.
[7:11] The wise, according to the Bible, are those who know the Lord and obey his commandments. That's what the entire book of Proverbs is all about. An entire book of the Bible devoted to the topic of wisdom.
[7:25] God's wisdom. Wisdom that he shares with us. And so we're going to see this morning why we should seek God's wisdom. God's word gives us four answers to why should I seek God's wisdom.
[7:42] Here's the first answer. Because wisdom is available to you. Because wisdom is available to you. Go back and look at verse 20 of the passage that was read for us from chapter 1 of Proverbs.
[7:57] Verse 20. Wisdom cries aloud in the street. In the markets she raises her voice. At the head of the noisy streets she cries out. At the entrance of the city gates she speaks.
[8:11] How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?
[8:23] If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you. I will make my words. So wisdom is personified as a woman.
[8:35] The abstract concept of wisdom is given this description of a person. And so wisdom speaks. Wisdom calls out to us in the markets, in the streets, at the entrance of the city gates, in the public square.
[8:53] This is where wisdom calls. Why? Because that's where the people are. That's where the people are. The wisdom of God is made available to all.
[9:06] The wisdom of God is accessible. Actually, it's probably better to say that it's demanding. Wisdom doesn't make herself available to us like a flyer that you receive in the mail, and you can kind of passively engage with it.
[9:21] Do I want this or not? And you can set it aside. No, wisdom is in our face. Wisdom says, listen to me. Wisdom cries to us.
[9:34] God has not hidden his wisdom. God is not keeping his wisdom a secret. He's not making us jump through hoops to get it. He isn't shrouding it in mystery.
[9:47] It's not accessible to only a select few who can unravel that mystery. Wisdom is on your street corner. Wisdom is at your door. Wisdom is here in God's word.
[10:03] And wisdom says, listen to me. Wisdom is not found in the latest self-help book. Wisdom is not found in horoscopes or palm readers or psychics.
[10:16] Probably most of us would say, I'm not going to that. Wisdom is also not found on Instagram or on social media of any sort. Wisdom is not found by looking at my heart.
[10:30] Don't turn to your heart and follow it. Turn to the word and read it. God's word is where we see God's wisdom made available to us.
[10:45] Now the problem is the problem is it is not natural to pursue God's wisdom. Too often we like our father.
[10:58] We like our sin. We might not say it so boldly but we don't want to let it go. We want to cover our ears and say wisdom I can't hear you.
[11:09] and she cries out she pleads how long will you love your folly how long will you love your sin how long will it take for you to see that going your own way won't work for you.
[11:25] That's the life of those who are outside of Christ. Going your own way living life on your terms living to please yourself. Elsewhere in the scriptures we read the fool says in his heart there is no God.
[11:42] And what does wisdom say? Wisdom says turn at my reproof. That's repentance. Turning from our sin. Not just feeling bad for sin.
[11:55] Not feeling bad for the effects that our sin has. Not feeling bad that we've been caught in our sin. Turning from sin with a contrite a sincere heart of repentance and turning toward Christ in faith.
[12:11] So if you're sitting here this morning and you are far from Christ you're sitting here this morning going your own way living in unbelief hear the call of wisdom from Proverbs chapter 1 hear the call of wisdom turn at her reproof heed wisdom's call and turn in repentance to God and if you are in Christ this morning don't think the words of wisdom are just for unbelievers we all know that we have remaining sin in our hearts every day it tries to lure us back into foolish living we were exhorted after humility this morning why because the pride in my heart continually wants to stir up to go back to our own way of living so listen again Christians brothers sisters listen again to the call of wisdom she's available to you right here in God's word wisdom is not elusive
[13:14] God is not hiding from you he offers it freely to those who ask in faith James 1 5 if any of you lacks wisdom let him ask God who gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given to him so why seek God's wisdom the first answer is wisdom is available to us here's the second answer wisdom is not flashy but you need it wisdom is not flashy but you need it look again at verse 24 of Proverbs 1 because I have called and you refuse to listen have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when terror strikes you when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind when distress and anguish come upon you so the wisdom of
[14:18] God is not naturally it's not flashy it's not appealing what does it say here in these verses it's counsel and it's reproof counsel that's that's what we need to hear those are words to live by what's reproof it's what I need to hear when I don't heed those words to live by it's the counsel that I didn't take I need to be told to take it that's not all that flashy that's not all that exciting our pride is not attracted to that and so it makes a lot of sense that people ignore wisdom's call now folly folly is described later in the book of proverbs and folly is flashy folly is attractive folly holds out what is good what is not good but says that it is wisdom holds out what may not appear to the natural man as good but it is this is the classic socks and underwear for
[15:31] Christmas it is not the most exciting gift it's not the most flashy gift it is not the brand new Lexus advertisement on TV but you need it we need the socks and underwear for Christmas to the natural person wisdom is bland why turn from my sin why should I do that and give all that I have up why turn from the indulgent life and listen to the call of wisdom wisdom just isn't all that enticing wisdom doesn't offer me much in fact it sounds rather restrictive I only have one life why not enjoy all that I can get out of that life but here's the thing that's a very short sighted view if you embrace folly you may enjoy this world and all that it has to offer for a time but the person who enters into folly's house proverb says that person doesn't know though they think as they enter into folly's house how much pleasure and enjoyment they will get they do not realize proverb says that the dead are there that her guests are in the depths of
[16:52] Sheol and here's the other thing for those who turn to wisdom though it may not be flashy it will bring real lasting joy and delight lasting contentment and satisfaction can't be found with folly wisdom is not flashy to those who possess it but it is like the elixir of life to them listen to Proverbs 3 just a couple of chapters later beginning in verse 13 Proverbs 3 beginning in verse 13 verse 28 then they will call upon me but
[19:11] I will not answer they will seek me diligently but will not find me because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way and have their fill of their own devices so fools don't want wisdom when it's available wisdom says here is my counsel here is my reproof here is how to live in right relationship with the Lord here is how to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord and the fool says no thanks I like going my way I like following after my desires I like following after my own devices then the fool gets themselves into trouble and it's too late for wisdom then they want it can
[20:13] I have that counsel now can I have that reproof now can I have Christ now they've gone looking for wisdom they've gone looking for the Lord but it's too late for three years when our family was smaller and we could fit into a small apartment we lived at Grace College we lived on the campus of Grace College and I was a residence hall director there which meant that our family got to have lots of exciting enjoyable really unique experiences early on in our life together as a family it was a lot of fun but one thing I hated I know we've got some great students here you could probably relate if you live in Omega one thing I hated the fire alarms those fire alarms were so loud like I thought that it was going to injure me with how loud those fire alarms were they were overwhelmingly loud they're supposed to help you to know to get out of the building they were so disorienting that
[21:20] I was like where am I then we had kids and I became really concerned for my children that these fire alarms were going to truly do permanent damage to my little child's ears so I went to the maintenance department and I asked could we take the fire alarms out of my kids room of course building code that's a thing and they said no you can't do that and I really wasn't very happy about it until there was actually a fire in the dorm a fire that I may or may not have started myself got a little too into the Olympics with some bacon cooking when that fire alarm went off I was so thankful because unbeknownst to me there was a fire and it became really important that we had those fire alarms I was thankful even though it meant disrupting every other student's life in the building because of my own foolishness
[22:27] I was thankful for as much as I hated those fire alarms I was glad for them when they were needed I was thankful that the maintenance department said no we're not going to take them out because that would have been foolish so wisdom says put fire alarms or put smoke alarms in your house the fool says yeah let's do that after his house has already burned down wisdom says there is mercy found in Jesus Christ the fool decides to plead his case before the throne on judgment day after rejecting the gospel all of his life it's too late hated knowledge did not choose the fear of the Lord now suffering the consequences you reap what you sow you eat the fruit of your own way you sowed death and destruction this then is what you will reap and so wisdom is worth seeking today so again if you are not in
[23:41] Christ this morning there is no reason to wait wisdom is calling if you reject wisdom you are rejecting God listen to wisdom heed her call today come to Christ so that's three answers we've been given why to seek wisdom here's the fourth wisdom is found in Christ verse 32 for the simple are killed by their turning away and the complacency of fools destroys them but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease without dread of disaster so the fool is at ease but it's a false sense of security the fool is at ease but it's a false sense of security his ease is just laziness he is like a man who is watching tv all the while knowing that his home is rigged with c4 that's a really good show on i want to watch my show he will be destroyed by his complacency he can't be bothered to get off the couch right now because in this moment in his world everything is good he's enjoying his show all the while his he will be destroyed by his complacency so the fool is at ease but it's a false sense of security the wise are also at ease but it's a true sense of security the wise have no dread of disaster because there truly is no disaster awaiting them some of us worry some of us live with this overwhelming sense that no matter what
[25:47] Christ has done for us no matter how wonderful the good news of the gospel really is that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again no matter how clearly we understand that God is pleased with us because he is pleased with his son no matter how much we may understand that we still wake up at night with these thoughts that say but God is not pleased with me we live with this burden we live with this weight with this dread of disaster but God is not really pleased with me is he here's the balm for your soul here's the comfort for your affliction God says you dwell secure you are safe in Christ you have been brought near to God because of
[26:49] Christ wisdom says that there is real security true security for those who listen to her call the text says whoever listens to me will dwell secure whoever listens to God's wisdom will dwell secure brothers sisters you are secure in first Corinthians chapter one verse 30 we see that Jesus Christ became to us wisdom from God Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God's wisdom he is the wisdom of God on display and Jesus is saying listen to me he is saying listen to me all throughout Jesus ministry as he would teach and as he would preach Jesus would often say he who has ears to hear let him hear what he means by that is the fool will not listen spiritually speaking the fool does not have ears to hear fools will love being simple fools will hate knowledge fools will be the ones who cover their ears and say wisdom
[28:12] I can't hear you but those who have ears to hear by God's grace spiritual ears they will hear this is wisdom crying in the streets listen to the words of your savior in Luke chapter nine at the transfiguration Jesus appears in all of his glory in all of his splendor for this brief moment of time for some of his disciples to see his glory and in that moment the father spoke from heaven and these are the words that he said this is my son my chosen one listen to him wisdom says listen to me and God the father says listen to my son wisdom is found in
[29:14] Christ he who has ears to hear let him hear the fool hears the gospel and says that's ridiculous why should I put all of my hope in a man who died a gruesome embarrassing shameful death on a cross the fool scoffs that's ridiculous but the scriptures teach us that the cross is God's wisdom on display and through the cross God is saving sinners to himself he's making us into this united body of believers Ephesians 3 says that this people the church is the manifold wisdom of God put on display the multifaceted wisdom of God like a beautiful gem the church has put forward and God says that's my wisdom and it was all accomplished through the suffering of
[30:15] God's son hanging on a tree bearing the sins of his people despised rejected by men crying out he's a fool so wisdom calls in the street listen to the call of wisdom reject wisdom you reject God wisdom you reject the one who hung on that tree turn at the call of wisdom hear the gospel and believe turn from your sins put all of your hope in the Savior and trust yourself to him believe on him in John chapter 7 Jesus showed up late to a big Jewish holiday the feast of booths and crowds and crowds of people had come to Jerusalem and Jesus kind of sneaks in after everyone else but then he makes his way to the public square and we read in John 7 verse 37 these words on on the last day of the feast the great day
[31:20] Jesus stood up and cried out sound familiar proverbs one perhaps lady wisdom crying out so on the last day of the feast the great day Jesus stood up and cried out if anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink come to Christ and drink there is no price that you have to pay for this water the scriptures say that price has been paid by Christ on the cross for the sins of his people so come to him and take the free gift of the water of life and brothers and sisters continue continue to go to Christ for refreshment where else would we turn he has the words of life continue to believe continue to rejoice in the good news of the gospel listen once more to the call of wisdom you can dwell secure you can be at ease with no fear of condemnation because
[32:31] Christ is your hope in life and death let's pray together heavenly father father we do indeed praise you that you would send your son to pay the price that we all deserved for our sins that what looked foolish to man what looked foolish to us when we were sinners lost in our sin it was indeed your perfect wisdom on display so father I pray this morning that you would work in the hearts of those who are far from you pray Lord that your spirit would draw them to yourself and I pray Lord for your church that we would be built up that we would be encouraged that we would be reminded to go back to the well over and over and over again of your word and to richly drink of your wisdom from your word we thank you father that wisdom indeed is found in
[33:44] Christ he is our only hope he is the only one that we can turn to with assurance with certainty that indeed we are saved from our sins so father we pray this morning that he would be magnified that we would go from here that we would live lives that are indeed pleasing in your sight modeling for the world what it looks like to humbly believe and rejoice in your son the wisdom of God put on display and father we pray that we would be a people who indeed give you all of the glory all glory be to Christ we pray in his name amen amen