[0:00] Proverbs chapter 9. And live and walk in the way of insight.
[0:34] Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse. And he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer or he will hate you.
[0:47] Reprove a wise man and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser. Teach a righteous man and he will increase in learning.
[0:58] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. For by me your days will be multiplied. And years will be added to your life.
[1:11] If you are wise, you are wise for yourself. If you scoff, you alone will bear it. The woman folly is loud. She is subductive and knows nothing.
[1:24] She sits at the door of her house. She takes a seat on the highest places of the town. Calling to those who pass by. Who are going straight on their way. Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.
[1:36] And to him who lacks sense, she says, Stolen water is sweet. And bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he does not know that the dead are there. That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
[1:49] Every once in a while, our family will go to the drive-thru to get fast food. Now, it's rare.
[2:00] We don't do it often for lots of reasons. But one of those reasons, and my family will tell you this, is that I get very stressed out. I feel like all of this pressure is upon me to perfectly articulate our order in this very logical progression to the voice in the box.
[2:20] I would like this burger with this side and this drink. I would like this sandwich with this side and this drink. Like the person taking our order is going to reject us if I don't do that.
[2:33] So I feel the need that it would go that way. It never does. And I bring this on myself every time. Again, my family will tell you it's my fault.
[2:44] I never think to take orders in advance. I never think to write the order down in advance. So we get to the drive-thru line, and our kids are all excited for this rare treat.
[2:55] And I just kind of turn and say into the air, So what are we having? And chaos ensues. Just a cacophony of voices calling out, They would like this sandwich or this burger or these fries or these onion rings.
[3:11] We're not having onion rings. Those cost extra money. All of these voices vying for my attention. But that experience isn't unique to the drive-thru line for us, is it?
[3:24] This is our experience every day. Someone or something is vying for our attention. Voices are calling to us all the time.
[3:35] Messages are put before our eyes. Messages are being spoken into our ears. Messages telling us, You need to think this way. Or don't think that way. You need to live this way.
[3:47] You need to value this. Or value that. You need to desire this or desire that. You need to hate this. And you need to love that. You need to buy this. Buy this. Or not, perhaps, by that.
[4:00] Start doing this more. Start doing that less. We hear these voices all the time. Through social media. Through all forms of media, really.
[4:12] Music, movies, TV, billboards as you're driving down the road. But these voices don't just call out to us from there. No, we have the voices of real people in our lives.
[4:24] Neighbors. Co-workers. Classmates. Friends. Even members of our own family. Voices calling to us in every area of life.
[4:35] The question is, Who should we be listening to? Whose voice should we heed in this cacophony of voices? Well, the book of Proverbs helps us to answer that question.
[4:50] And so this morning we're presented with this great contrast. Between two voices in particular. And now the book of Proverbs is filled with contrast. So we're going to be in Proverbs this morning.
[5:01] Perhaps next week. And as we see throughout the book of Proverbs, it presents many times this or that. You can read through the hundreds of Proverbs contained in this book of the Bible.
[5:14] And you find that so many present one way of living against the opposite way of living. Like Proverbs 13, 15. Good sense wins favor, but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.
[5:29] Or Proverbs 23. It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling. This or that.
[5:40] One way of living contrasted with another way of living. It's woven through the entire book of Proverbs. And that's what we find here in Proverbs 9.
[5:51] Two ways of living presented to us, personified as women, pictured for us as women. Lady folly and lady wisdom.
[6:02] Now in this great contrast of Proverbs 9, there's four other smaller contrasts presented to us. And we want to see each of those four contrasts this morning.
[6:15] The first contrast is this. The house of wisdom versus the house of folly. We see wisdom's house in the first two verses.
[6:25] As we read again, wisdom has built her house. She has hewn her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her beasts. She has mixed her wine. She has also set her table.
[6:39] So wisdom has a well-built house. Wisdom's house is strong and it's secure. It has its seven pillars. Seven so often in the Bible is a number that's representing perfection.
[6:55] So it's like Solomon, the writer of Proverbs 9, is saying, here's this perfect house. Here's this large house as well. Consider it has seven pillars that are used to support its structure.
[7:08] So it can accommodate many guests within its walls. And it's not just the house itself that's lavish, but the meal that wisdom prepares. That meal also is lavish.
[7:21] She's prepared her meats. She's prepared her drinks. This is a good meal. This is a filling meal. This is a joyful meal, you could even say. Psalm 104.15 tells us that wine gladdens the heart.
[7:35] That's the kind of meal that wisdom prepares. It's a feast. It's a banquet. And she's set her table for her guests.
[7:46] Everything is ready for her guests. You see, wisdom's house, it's well-ordered. Wisdom's house is welcoming. Wisdom is hospitable. She's graciously opening her door to all.
[7:58] She's got this warm, inviting house. We know that experience, don't we? We have those in our lives who have warm, inviting homes that we cherish being able to go to and to rest and to be refreshed in.
[8:11] That's the kind of house that wisdom has. But then consider the second house in this passage, the house of folly. Solomon spends far less time describing the house of folly.
[8:26] In fact, he almost says nothing at all about it. He simply tells us in verse 14 that folly sits at the door of her house. And nothing about the appearance of her house is given.
[8:39] It isn't described as being well-built and strong. Folly isn't portrayed to us as being industrious, as being hardworking like wisdom is. Folly simply sits at the door of her house.
[8:54] She isn't maintaining her house. She isn't preparing her house either for her guests. Folly is lazy. Folly hasn't slaughtered her meats.
[9:05] She hasn't mixed her wines. She hasn't set her table. Nothing is given to us here that tells us folly's house is at all attractive or appealing.
[9:17] She doesn't have a lavish banquet to offer with food and drink that she's taken the time to prepare. No, what has folly done? She's gone. She's gone in stolen water.
[9:28] She even admits to it in verse 13. Stolen water is sweet, she says. And she has bread, but it's to be eaten in secret. Which also tells us something of the poor means by which she has obtained this bread.
[9:43] We must eat it secretly. Now, if we're thinking with sober minds here, we know that is a lousy meal. Who wants this stolen water that we don't know where it's come from?
[9:56] Who wants this bread that has to be eaten in secret? Why are we doing this folly? Why would we want that meal? When we could have wisdom's meal. The array of meats, the wine, and the bread that was prepared by the host herself.
[10:12] That is a far, far more enjoyable meal. But folly doesn't offer that. Folly's house is not warm and welcoming.
[10:23] It is cold and sad. Nothing like wisdom's house. Wisdom's house is far superior in every way as it's presented to us here by Solomon.
[10:35] Just from looking at each house. Just from considering the meal that each house has to offer. We should be quick to say, wisdom is better than folly.
[10:47] The way of wisdom. That's the way to go in life. So why doesn't everyone go into the house of wisdom? Why is it even that we as Christians can still be tempted to go into the house of folly?
[11:05] Well, we see the answer to these questions in the second contrast of our passage. The call of wisdom versus the call of folly. And we see wisdom's call described beginning in verse 3.
[11:18] She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town. Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.
[11:30] To him who lacks sense, she says, Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. So wisdom makes her invitation to all.
[11:42] Wisdom makes sure that her announcement goes out to everyone. To everyone from the highest places in the town. Of course, that's where the call would be best heard. From the highest place.
[11:54] And her messengers are calling with this very clear message. Whoever is simple, let him turn in here. Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.
[12:06] Now that's the call of wisdom. Where do we hear wisdom's call? Well, we hear right here. In God's word. This is where wisdom calls to us from.
[12:19] The call of wisdom is made in scripture. Come and listen. Come and hear what God himself has to say. That's the call of wisdom from the word.
[12:33] Now how about folly? What's the call of folly? Let's look at her words. They are exactly the same. They begin on the surface in the very same way even as wisdom.
[12:47] Listen as we read again beginning in verse 13. The woman folly is loud. She is seductive and knows nothing. She sits at the door of her house.
[12:58] She takes a seat on the highest places of the town. Calling to those who pass by. Who are going straight on their way. Whoever is simple. Let him turn in here.
[13:09] And to him who lacks sense. She says stolen water is sweet. And bread eaten in secret is pleasant. So you see that? Just like wisdom.
[13:21] Folly says whoever is simple. Let him turn in here. Wisdom is calling whoever is simple. Let him turn in here. And folly says the same words.
[13:32] Duplicates that very message. And she too takes her seat in the highest places. The highest places of the town. Right there alongside the messengers of wisdom.
[13:45] Folly is calling. Competing voices. Competing to be heard. Competing for attention. Now their primary audience. Both of wisdom and of folly.
[13:58] Are the simple. We see they've both addressed whoever is simple. Now in Proverbs that title it gets used quite often. There are a few different titles in Proverbs.
[14:09] We're actually going to see three kind of groups of different people. Here we see the simple. The best way to understand the simple. They are the uncommitted.
[14:20] They are unsure of their allegiance. They are lacking sense as they're described. They're lacking judgment. They're indecisive.
[14:31] They're not actively seeking the wisdom of God. But nor are they openly hostile to the wisdom of God. They're not firmly decided on their course of action. They're unsure of which is best.
[14:44] Whether it be to seek wisdom that's found in God's word. Or to continue living in the foolishness of their sin. And to reject God. Is that you this morning?
[14:55] Are you living your life in this way? Maybe you'd say that you're agreeable to the things of God and His word. That you wouldn't think of yourself as openly hostile to Him or to what He says.
[15:09] Maybe you've attended church for years. Maybe you grew up in the church. Maybe you are right now growing up in the church.
[15:21] You think of yourself. You think, I'm a decent person. I'm not religious. But I'm a decent person. You wouldn't say that you're a Christian.
[15:32] You wouldn't say that you are living according to the wisdom of God's word. You wouldn't say that you're committed to God. And that you're living in obedience to what He says.
[15:43] Do you recognize that wisdom and folly are calling to you? They call to you. They cry for you to turn into their houses. The picture here is as though you're walking down a street.
[15:54] And you have wisdom's house on one side. And you have folly's house on the other. The door is open to both. But folly tries so hard to sound like wisdom.
[16:08] Folly wants to deceive you. Folly wants to trick you. Folly wants you to think that her message is just like the message of wisdom.
[16:20] Now, folly, unlike wisdom, is loud. Folly is described as being seductive. That word could be translated undisciplined. It's a picture of somebody who's disorderly.
[16:33] It's a picture of somebody who's undignified. Who's working so hard to get your attention that you would listen to her voice and come into your house. She is trying to shout over the voice of wisdom.
[16:47] Wisdom says, come, eat of my bread. Drink of the wine that I've mixed. Wisdom has a feast of meats and fine drinks that she has prepared.
[16:58] Folly says, I'm going to try to do the best that I can to compete with that. I've got stolen water. It's sweet. I've got bread. We've got to eat it in secret.
[17:10] In other words, folly offers a counterfeit meal. It sounds a whole lot like the meal that wisdom offers. But in reality, it falls so far short. Because unlike wisdom, folly does not call from you from God's word.
[17:27] Folly calls to you from the world. The world who is under the power of the evil one. Satan. That great deceiver. Makes sense then that the call of folly is trying to deceive you.
[17:40] That is how Satan operates. He wants you to believe that his words are good and right and true. That his words should be listened to. He'll try to make his words sound as close as they can to the truth.
[17:53] But they are not the truth. They will lead you astray. Isn't that just what he did in the Garden of Eden? Satan tried to make his words kind of sound like God's words.
[18:06] I'm going to give you some half-truths that God said. But I'm also going to question what God has said. And seek to lead you astray. Oh, there's the voice of folly. That is the voice that we hear in folly.
[18:19] The counterfeit meal that she offers. It sounds like it should be good. It sounds appealing. It sounds a whole lot like wisdom. But don't listen to her.
[18:31] Folly's meal is counterfeit. Folly's call sounds like wisdom. You may be tricked into thinking that they are the same, but they are not. How do we know?
[18:43] Go into folly's house and you see. Go into wisdom's house and you see. So we come now to the third contrast in our passage.
[18:53] The instruction of wisdom versus the instruction of folly. So first, what does wisdom teach once you are in the threshold of her house?
[19:05] Well, look at the beginning in verse 6. Leave your simple ways and live and walk in the way of insight. Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse.
[19:17] And he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer or he will hate you. Reprove a wise man and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will still be wiser.
[19:31] Teacher, teach a righteous man and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
[19:43] Now we're introduced to the teaching, to the instruction, to the content of what wisdom has to say in her home.
[19:53] The instruction that you're going to receive in wisdom's house. And now you see wisdom is no longer addressing the simple in this scene. Now there are two other groups of people that come to the fore.
[20:07] Two polar opposites. They're totally different extremes. The wise and the scoffer. Now what distinguishes these two groups? The wise and the scoffer.
[20:19] It's their relationship to God. The wise. They fear the Lord. That is the beginning of wisdom. You see, wisdom is not just about having lots of practical know-how when it comes to life in general.
[20:36] Well, wisdom is rooted in relationship with God. You want to be wise? You must be in right relationship with God.
[20:46] Wisdom isn't just having lots of knowledge about life in general. Wisdom is tied to knowledge of God. Knowledge of the Holy One, verse 10 says.
[20:58] And that title, Holy One, what does that emphasize for us? But that God is set apart. That God is distinct. That He is pure. That He is perfect. That He is worthy of our worship.
[21:11] Worthy of all authority over us. So you want to know how to live well? How to live wisely? You must begin with God. You must begin by knowing and fearing God.
[21:24] Putting yourself under His authority. Bowing the knee to Him. Honoring Him. Revering Him. Submitting yourself to Him.
[21:36] That is the beginning of wisdom. That is the path to wisdom. The wise know and love and honor God. The wise hear what God says. And they seek to do what He says.
[21:48] They humble themselves in obedience. So we place ourselves not over God, but under Him. Under His authority. And rightfully so. But not so the scoffer.
[22:01] Kids, do you know what it means to scoff? It means you don't take something seriously. It means that you mock it. It means that you make fun of it. You dislike it.
[22:13] You say, yeah right. The scoffer does that with God. The scoffer says, yeah right God. I don't want that. I don't want what you have.
[22:23] I don't want you. I don't want you to rule over me. The scoffer hates God. The scoffer despises wisdom. The scoffer dismisses wisdom.
[22:35] You share the wisdom of God with the scoffer. And what does the scoffer do? He heaps abuse on you. The scoffer goes after you just as he goes after God.
[22:45] Oh, but if you share the wisdom of God with the wise, that's a different experience. The wise will receive that wisdom.
[22:57] The wise will love you. Even in correcting the wise, they will love you in return. They will thank you. The wise, he will take what you say to heart. The scoffer hardens his heart.
[23:09] The wise take to heart and grow. So all of this instruction from Lady Wisdom. What helpful instruction from her in the word.
[23:20] Here is wisdom for us. From God himself. It's rich. It's full. It's life-giving. Now how about Lady Folly? Let's consider her.
[23:33] What kind of instruction does Lady Folly give? Nothing. Verse 13. She knows nothing. She is without knowledge.
[23:46] So unlike wisdom, folly has no instruction to give that is profitable. She woos you into her house and there's nothing to be told.
[23:58] Wisdom makes the simple wise and then makes the wise all the wiser. Folly doesn't make the simple wise. Folly tries to keep the simple simple.
[24:12] She speaks to him who lacks sense. And she's not trying to give him any sense. She wants him to continue in his lack. She doesn't instruct him so that he might be wise.
[24:23] No, what she teaches is this. Stay just as you are. Don't turn from sin. Don't forsake it for something far better. No, keep loving it.
[24:34] Keep living in it. The wise hear instruction and love the one who gives that wisdom. The foolishness of sin is that we don't love that instruction.
[24:45] We continue to love our sin. Folly says, let me help you. Let me persuade you to remain simple. So Solomon here very intentionally leaves out any instruction from folly beyond her initial call.
[25:02] There was much that wisdom had to say beyond her initial call. We saw that in verses 7 to 10. There was substance to wisdom's words. Wisdom takes the simple, makes them wise.
[25:14] For us in Christ, we know that experience. We all once were the simple. We were darkened in our understanding. By the grace of God, we heard the call of wisdom.
[25:29] And we've been made wise in Christ. We've been given eyes to see. Now the truth of God is precious to us. We yearn for it. We live by it.
[25:40] We wholeheartedly say, man does not live by bread alone. But by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. We once didn't say that. We once were foolish.
[25:53] We once were simple. But God brought us to himself. In his great kindness. Not because of anything that we had done. Not because of any good in us. Not because we were wise in ourselves.
[26:05] But in his kindness, God brought us into the house of wisdom. We dined for the first time in the house of wisdom. And what a meal that was.
[26:16] What a feast that was. What a banquet we enjoyed. Better, yes, than fellowship lunch. And I know how much y'all love fellowship lunch. Better than fellowship lunch.
[26:27] What a meal we had in the house of wisdom. When God brought us in. So we keep coming back to it, don't we? To grow. To increase in our knowledge of God all the more.
[26:41] To increase in our knowledge of his ways all the more. When wisdom invited us into her house, there was great purpose. All of this instruction awaits us in her house.
[26:54] To bring about growth in us. To make our lives to flourish as we live according to God's ways. And as we live in the fear of God. So much instruction that we should take to heart for our good.
[27:08] And that God might be honored through our lives. But not so folly. No knowledge to impart. No words of instruction.
[27:19] Because folly isn't concerned with the giving of insight. But with what? The pursuit of pleasure. The pleasure of sin. Oh, this stolen water.
[27:30] It's sweet. This bread to be eaten in secret. It's satisfying. You get into folly's house and there's no instruction that awaits. No knowledge to impart.
[27:40] Folly is without knowledge. So once you're in folly's house, nothing good to be gained. Folly is like the guy at the fair who's beckoning you over to come and to play his game.
[27:57] At these fair games, all of the prizes are on full display. The prizes are right in front of your face. Right there for you to see. Even more importantly, right there for your kids to see.
[28:09] And he's beckoning you to come play. He's trying to woo you with all kinds of silly compliments as though he's saying you could win this if you just come and play. Only for that game, of course, to be manipulated in some way so that you're at a disadvantage.
[28:25] The games are intentionally very difficult. They are imperceptibly so. You can't tell that the rim of the basketball hoop is just slightly smaller than regulation.
[28:36] You can't tell that the balls are just slightly bouncier than you'd expect. Whatever it is, the game seems simple enough. Seems straightforward enough.
[28:47] But the reality is that they are just setting you up to lose. That's Lady Folly. But unlike the fair games where sometimes, just every once in a while, someone happens to accidentally win.
[29:03] With Folly, you go into her house, you play her game, and you never win. You always lose. There's never a winner for those who enter into Lady Folly's house.
[29:17] And that brings us to the fourth and the final contrast. The outcome of wisdom and the outcome of folly. And let's begin by looking at folly.
[29:27] With folly, you go into her house, you indulge in the pleasures of sin, and what is the ultimate outcome for you? It is death. Verse 18. But he does not know that the dead are there.
[29:42] That her guests are in the depths of Sheol. So folly calls. Folly persuades. The foolishness of sin is appealing.
[29:54] It sounds good. It looks good. It feels good. For a moment, it is sweet. Just like that stolen bread. Consider many areas of life.
[30:07] You live for money. You live to gain as much money as you can. You love money. Money is what you set all of your hopes on in life.
[30:19] It does, for a time, provide a sense of pleasure, doesn't it? We can have the things that we've wanted and enjoy them. But that satisfaction and pleasure is fleeting, isn't it?
[30:32] The treasures of this life, they rust and they fade. Those who set their hope on money, how quickly that sweetness sours on you.
[30:43] Or you've been wronged by another person. Or you've been wronged by another person. And you are convinced that you are in the right. And you so want that other person to know that they've wronged you.
[30:54] And that they need to apologize. They should feel bad because of how they've treated you. So you lash out in anger. You put that person in their place. That is sweet for a moment.
[31:07] That is satisfying for a short time. But again, how quickly that sweetness sours on us. And now we have a relationship that is in ruins. So it is with every sin that we could list.
[31:20] Sweet for a time. Pleasant for a moment. A lady folly appeals to your imagination. Think of how good it could be. Think of how satisfied you could be.
[31:32] And with those thoughts, she is luring you into her house. But then the reality falls so far short from what you've imagined. The pleasure of sin leaves you empty so quickly.
[31:45] And what you have left is pain and ruin and despair. That is the folly of life lived apart from the fear of God. And the ultimate end of that.
[31:57] If you do not turn from your sin. The ultimate end of that is death. You go into folly's house. And you find that the dead are actually there. No life to be had. Only death.
[32:08] The grave awaits you. The foolishness of sin. For a time it's pleasant. But it ultimately leads to death. Here's the truth of the matter.
[32:20] For those who remain simple. For those who think of themselves as decent people. But would say they're not committed to God. The end that awaits is destruction and death.
[32:32] And eternity in hell. Because while we might think of ourselves as decent people. If we are not in right relationship with God. We are in fact not decent people.
[32:44] We are enemies of God. Sworn self-proclaimed enemies of God. Going our own way. Ignoring him. Walking right by the house of wisdom.
[32:55] And walking right by her house. Every single time. Straight into the house of folly. Folly leads to death. But then look at wisdom. What is the outcome of those who go into wisdom's house?
[33:09] Verse 11. For by me your days will be multiplied. And years will be added to your life. So there is life that is found in the house of wisdom.
[33:21] There is life that is found in listening to wisdom's call. So who are you listening to this morning? Whose voice are you heeding this morning?
[33:33] Whose call are you paying attention to? In John chapter 7. We find someone else calling out. Someone who sounds a whole lot like Lady Wisdom here.
[33:47] As someone who is in a very public, prominent place like Lady Wisdom. It's Jesus. Jesus is standing in the temple courts.
[33:57] And they are packed with people. And in John 7 verse 35. Jesus stands up. And he cries out. If anyone thirsts.
[34:09] Let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me. As the scripture has said. Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. So wisdom.
[34:21] In Proverbs 9 said. Come. And drink. Jesus in John 7 says. Come. And drink. Do you hear the wisdom in his words?
[34:33] Is your soul thirsty? Don't go to folly. And drink her stolen water. Go to Christ. And drink far better. Soul satisfying water.
[34:47] Come to him and believe in him. Turn away from the foolishness of your sin. It's called repentance. Turn from your sin. And believe in him.
[34:58] Put your faith in him. Believe that he died on the cross for your sins. That you might be forgiven. That you might not die. But instead.
[35:08] That from your heart might flow rivers of living water. In other words. Come to Christ. And you will find eternal life in him. Wisdom said.
[35:20] Come and drink from me. And so too does Christ. He says. Come and drink from me. Jesus offers the water of life. Revelation 22.17 says.
[35:32] That you can take this water of life. Without price. You remember folly. Folly steals water. And offers that stolen water to you.
[35:45] Lying to you. And saying the stolen water is sweet. Jesus Christ. Though. He is the wisdom of God. And he offers the water of life. Without price.
[35:56] It's free. Now. Lady Folly seems to be saying. Her water is free to you as well. Free to you. She didn't pay anything for it. Jesus did pay.
[36:07] For the water that he now offers to you. Jesus absolutely paid. He didn't go stealing his water. He paid so that you could have that water for free. He paid the ultimate price.
[36:19] He died on the cross. For the sins of his people. He died on the cross. That all who come to him. Might be forgiven. And receive that water. Without price.
[36:30] You don't pay anything. Because Jesus paid it all. He tasted death. So that all who trust in him. Might taste the water of life. Folly's stolen water.
[36:42] Won't part your thirsty soul. Folly's stolen water. Can't do you any good. That water is as good as poisonous. But in Christ. You can drink water. That truly does satisfy.
[36:54] And quench your soul. So come to him. If you are outside of him. Come to him. He's ready to receive you. Come to him. And you will find life in him today.
[37:06] And for us who are in Christ. Brothers and sisters. Proverbs 9. Is both a great encouragement to us. And a great warning to us. It's a great encouragement.
[37:17] In that it reminds us. To continue to walk. In the way of wisdom. There's life. Down that path. Life that we have now. In Christ. So keep going to the house of wisdom.
[37:29] Keep sitting down at her table. And enjoying her feast. And learning from her instruction. Our hearts should be hungry. For the wisdom of God's word.
[37:40] To know it. To love it. To live according to it. We should want to know. What wisdom has to say. That should be our daily desire.
[37:51] To be fed at the house of wisdom. Wisdom speaks again in Proverbs chapter 8. And she says. Blessed is the one who listens to me.
[38:03] Watching daily at my gates. Waiting beside my doors. So as Christians. Are we waiting at the door of wisdom?
[38:14] Not just listening when she calls. But actually we're there bright and early in the morning. Ready for her to open her door. What does wisdom have to say? I want to get in quick.
[38:25] I'm hungry today. I need a good meal. Wisdom. Would you feed me? Not just listening when she calls to us. As we walk by. We should just be waiting at her door.
[38:38] What instruction will I receive today? What life giving words will I hear? That I might live by them. That's the encouragement for us in this passage.
[38:49] We should never tire of coming back to God's word. And being instructed by his word. King David said it so well in Psalm 25 verse 4.
[39:02] Make me to know your ways oh Lord. Teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth. And teach me. For you are the God of my salvation.
[39:12] For you I wait all the day long. And then down in verse 8 he continues. Good and upright is the Lord. Therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
[39:25] He leads the humble in what is right. And teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness.
[39:35] For those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. David longed for God to instruct him. He longed for God to teach him in the way that he should go.
[39:49] And so should we. Our hearts should long for the soul satisfying wisdom of God's word. That's the great encouragement to us in this passage.
[40:00] There's also great warning for us as well. It's a warning to us of the foolishness of sin. To not turn back to our old simple ways of indulging our sinful flesh.
[40:14] We have remaining sin in us. We are still fighting against desires. Wrestling against desires of the flesh. We aren't immune to the call of lady wisdom.
[40:26] Her voice still beckons. But by God's grace. We can ignore that voice. By God's grace. We can turn from that voice. We can turn away from the foolishness of sin.
[40:40] Indeed that is an evidence of our salvation. Turning away from our sin. More and more. In greater and greater measure in life. Saying no to the voice of folly.
[40:50] I'm done with that. I'm not going into the house of the dead. I'm putting to death my sin. Not going into the house. Of course. The old me. Went into lady folly's house.
[41:02] That was the house that I called home. That's all of us outside of Christ. But the old me was crucified. With Christ on the cross. The old me is dead.
[41:14] Just as Paul says in Galatians 2.20. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live. But Christ who lives in me. We once were dead in our sins.
[41:26] But now we count ourselves as dead to sin. And so the pattern of our lives. Should no longer be defined by sin. No longer defined by the house of folly.
[41:39] Yes we have remaining sin. Yes we will wrestle against this sin in this life. But in Christ sin no longer rules. And reigns over us.
[41:50] We serve a new master. We listen to a different voice. The voice of wisdom. We are a new creation. So we hear the voice of wisdom call.
[42:01] And we love to hear her voice. We know how good it is to walk in the way of insight. We know how good it is to walk in the way of the Lord.
[42:11] And to fear him. Fearing him is a joy to us. We delight to fear his name. We are glad to honor him.
[42:23] What deep soul satisfying life we have in Christ. Because that is the outcome. For those who seek wisdom. The wisdom that is only found.
[42:34] In a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. It is life. Wisdom says in verse 11. For by me your days will be multiplied.
[42:45] And years will be added to your life. That life is enjoyed now. For sure. But even more. That life is enjoyed for all of eternity.
[42:58] As Jesus said. I came that they may have life. And have it abundantly. Not just years added to this present life. As good as that is.
[43:09] But we have an eternity of joy. In him that is set before us. So as we look to that eternity of joy. As we look forward to that. Right now. We walk in the way of wisdom.
[43:21] We walk in the way of insight. Growing in wisdom day by day. Increasing all the more in wisdom. Because we are watching daily at her gates.
[43:34] We are waiting beside her doors. And we are saying with David. Lead me in your truth. And teach me. For you are the God of my salvation. For you I wait all the day long.
[43:48] Let's pray. Father God. How we praise you. That you have made us these new creations.
[44:00] That you have given us new desires and affections. That you have given us eyes to see. And ears to hear. We pray Father. That you would continue to give us discernment.
[44:12] That we would hear the voice of wisdom. And that we would eagerly go into her home yet again. And as we hear the voice of folly. That we would continue to run.
[44:23] To flee from her voice. Father keep us from temptation. We pray. Protect us. Watch over us. Make us to be a people who delight to live in obedience to you.
[44:37] Make us to be a people who delight to fear your name. And help us as we go through life. That we would encourage one another towards that end. That we would walk locked shoulder and shoulder.
[44:49] Arm and arm together. Eagerly going to the house of wisdom once more. And rejoicing in the feast that is before us each time in your word. So strengthen us we pray by your spirit to this end.
[45:02] And we pray this in Christ's name. Amen. Amen. Amen.