[0:00] This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alfred, Georgia. It is our prayer that you will be blessed by the preaching of God's Word. If you could, please take your Bibles and turn with me to Proverbs, not Philippians.
[0:10] I wish we were in Philippians. Chapter 15. And as you turn there, I just want to remind you that in Proverbs chapter 1, verses 1, the Bible says this. He says, the Proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, and this is why I'm writing, to know wisdom and instruction.
[0:30] To perceive the words of understanding. That is the way this book starts off. The Holy Spirit here in the book of Proverbs is using Solomon to pen this book so that you might know wisdom and instruction.
[0:48] Wisdom and instruction. God gave us a book so we might avoid the hurt that comes with failing to follow the instructions. And so Proverbs lays out several different things.
[0:59] And, man, I read Proverbs 15 over and over and over and over and over again. And I was like, how in the world do you outline this book or this chapter? What do you get out of it?
[1:10] I mean, there's only so many times you guys can hear about the tongue that you guys are going to get bored. There's only so many times you guys can hear about, you know, what you do with your wife or your money, your finances or how you work until you guys get bored.
[1:21] Well, today we're going to talk about instruction. I think that's what he's saying in verses 5, 5 through 12. And that's the goal and the purpose of this book, to give us wisdom and instruction for our life.
[1:33] Now, I don't know many of you. I know a good bit of you. I don't know a few of you here. But you might think that you might not need instruction, that you can figure out stuff on your own.
[1:46] The school of hard knocks might be your teacher. Well, that's a foolish way of looking at things. We have the Word of God. We have instruction into wisdom.
[1:56] We have instruction in the fear of the Lord. We have a way to avoid upcoming judgment. And I think that's what Solomon's writing here. God, the way of thinking and living...
[2:10] Okay, let's go to... If you guys got your Bibles, turn with me to Proverbs 12, verses 1. Before we go to Proverbs 15. The Bible says in Proverbs 12, verse 1, he says, Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge, but he that hateth reproof, he that hateth instruction, he that hateth correction, is brutish.
[2:30] Your attitude and the way you respond to instruction, correction, or discipline, or whatever you put in your life, with God's Word, is the difference between a person who loves knowledge, and the idiot.
[2:43] That's what brutish means. You are stupid. And so the way you take knowledge, your attitude towards instruction, is the difference between you loving knowledge, and you being an idiot.
[2:55] You're a dumb brute. That's pretty harsh. But it's not as harsh as the next truth. Because you're not just stupid, but you're in danger of something far bigger than becoming stupid.
[3:06] In Proverbs 6, verse 23, the Bible says this, For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.
[3:18] God's Word is a lamp and a light to illuminate the path or the way of life. Instruction is that way of life. That's what he's saying here. And so you, you say, I don't need instruction, is saying, I don't need life.
[3:35] That's pretty harsh, right? What's the opposite of life? Death. This is something very, very, many people know where they need, where they need the Lord, but they refuse to submit.
[3:49] They refuse to repent. They refuse to be corrected in their ways. They refuse the instruction of life. Saving faith always brings forth, or always brings repentance.
[4:00] Brings repentance of reliance on your self-righteousness. Jesus makes it clear that there is only one way to the Father. And in John chapter 14, verse 6, he says this, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, you all know this verse, I am the way, and the truth, and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
[4:18] And that's why, when you have instruction, when you have it, you need to hold on to it, and cling on to it, because instruction, because in instruction, there is life.
[4:30] Proverbs 4, 13 says this, take fast hold of instruction. Let her not go. Don't let her go.
[4:42] Hold on to her tight. Once you get it, don't release it. Once you get correction, once you get reproof, once you get discipline, take it. Hold fast to it.
[4:52] The Bible says, to grab on to it, and don't let it go. Proverbs 23, 23 says this, he says, buy the truth, buy truth, and sell it not, but also wisdom, and instruction.
[5:10] The Bible is very clear about instruction. You need to do whatever, whatever is possible, to get instruction. And once you have it, never let it go. Never let it go.
[5:21] The difference between life and death, is will you regard, will you follow instruction, or will you despise it? To follow God's word or not.
[5:33] Proverbs 15, verse 32 says this, he that refuses instruction, get this, despises his own soul.
[5:44] If you hate destruction, if you hate correction, and reproof, you know what the Bible says about yourself? You hate yourself. You hate your own soul.
[5:56] So the question tonight, that I'm posing to everybody here, the question tonight is this, will you follow instruction? Will you follow the instruction?
[6:08] And I believe, if you just take all the information, that we've already gone over, and the fact that if you don't follow instruction, you're an idiot, the fact that if you don't follow instruction, you're giving up on life, you would say, yeah, I'll follow it.
[6:21] But in Proverbs 15, verses 5, Solomon writes to his son, okay, and he's going to tell some consequences, of not following the instruction. So what happens if I don't, what happens if I don't, I don't believe what you're saying, Dad.
[6:36] What happens? Well, Solomon says, well, let me tell you something, what happens. Let me tell you what happens. And so, let's read it in verse 5. The Bible says this, A fool despises his father's instruction, but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
[6:53] He is marked to be wise. That's what it is. In the house of the righteous is much treasure. Know this, son, in the house of the wise, there is much treasure, but the revenues of the wicked is trouble.
[7:07] The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, but the heart of the foolish doth not so. Son, realize that the sacrifices of the wicked is an abomination. God hates it.
[7:18] He's disgusted by the sacrifices of the wicked to the Lord. But the prayer of the upright, it's his delight. The way of the wicked is an abomination.
[7:32] His life, the way he leaves it, how he lives his life, it's an abomination to the Lord, unto the Lord. But the Lord, He loves those that follow and seek and pursue after righteousness.
[7:46] Get verse 10, He says, Correction is grievous to him that forsaketh the way. When a person is given instruction, when they're giving that correction, when they're given that discipline, when it comes to the fool, it's very grievous.
[8:00] And he forsakes the way. And he hates the instruction. And he that hates the instruction, what's his end? Shall die.
[8:11] Hell and destruction are before the Lord. How much more than the hearts of the children of men. Don't you realize that God can see hell and destruction? God can see the end. God knows who's going where.
[8:23] And He knows your heart. He knows your heart, Son. A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him. A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him.
[8:38] I have a question. Just New Testament scholars here, okay? Why did Jesus leave the Holy Spirit? What was the job of the Holy Spirit to do here?
[8:50] What was His work? What is His work going to be inside this world? What is He going to do? Convict the world of sin, bring comfort. And what else? He's going to reprove us.
[9:02] He's going to say, Hey, you're wrong. You're guilty. You're wrong. Hey, you're not following my instruction. And the Bible says this, A scorner does not love the one that reproveth him, neither will he go unto the wise.
[9:19] So tonight, I want you to answer the question, Will you follow the instruction? Young man, will you follow the instruction laid out here in the Word of God?
[9:30] Will you follow God's Word? Will you follow correction and discipline? And to show when you are wrong. Will you follow that? Will you follow that? But before you answer that, I want you to answer these two questions.
[9:41] I've got two questions from this passage of Scripture, verse 5 to verse 12. I want you to answer these first questions. The first question is this, Do you want riches? Or do you want ruin?
[9:55] Do you want riches? Or do you want ruin? Because if you despise instruction, you are a fool. And a fool's life leads to what?
[10:08] Destruction and ruin. And Solomon shows his son that in verse 6 and verse 7. Look at this. In the house of the righteous, the one that takes instruction, the one that seeks after wisdom, the one that's following and seeking and fearing the Lord.
[10:25] When you follow after instruction, when you follow after instruction, you are the righteous one. And in the house of the righteous is what? Is much treasure.
[10:36] But the revenues of the wicked is trouble. Verse 7, he says, The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, but the heart of the foolish does not sow. So, the first thing, do you want riches?
[10:48] You can have a house that has much riches. Or much treasure, what he says. You can have a house that has much treasure. Now, I know what everyone's going through right here.
[11:00] Are you trying to preach some prosperity gospel? You're saying, if I follow Jesus, He's going to give me a whole bunch of stuff? Well, that's not what he's talking about. But I want you to know that people who follow instruction from the Word of God, God reserves something for them that He doesn't for the wicked.
[11:18] God gives them stuff that He doesn't give the wicked. If you guys got your Bibles, turn with me to Proverbs 8, verses 21. Proverbs 8, verse 21. This is wisdom speaking.
[11:30] Wisdom, the one that's been there since before the time, the one that was there with the Father, the one that's watched the creation begin. He says, Wisdom, she says this, she's crying out, she says, That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance.
[11:44] And I will fill their treasures. God takes care of His own people. God takes care of the righteous one. Think about the New Testament. What does the New Testament say about those who have been confronted with correction and instruction and saying, Are you going to follow Jesus or not?
[12:03] Think about those ones. If you guys got your Bible and you're just writing down verses, Ephesians 2, verse 6 says this, And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
[12:18] After salvation, He's put us in Christ Jesus and we are with Him in heavenly places. That in the ages to come, He might show us this, the exceeding riches of His grace and His kindness toward us through Jesus Christ.
[12:34] once you follow that instruction, once you get a hold of wisdom, once you get a hold of Jesus Christ, do you realize what you have? Do you realize who you are in Christ?
[12:45] He says this, He says, That in the ages to come, whoever with the heavenly Father, He just wants to show us all the riches and all His grace and all His kindness that He's been pouring out towards us because of what Jesus did in us.
[13:01] Can you beat that? Can you beat that? Much treasure right there, I'd say. That's much treasure right there. Those who have followed the instruction of the words, of God's Word, reap eternal life.
[13:15] What greater treasure is out there? Proverbs chapter 10, verses 16, He says this, The labor of the righteous tended to life, but the fruit of the wicked is to sin.
[13:28] Now, I'm going to stop right here because I want, I want everybody here, I want Jamie to understand, I want Benjamin to understand, I want Angel to understand, I want Gregory to understand this, okay? Your righteousness does not depend on what you can do, okay?
[13:45] Because that verse right here, in Proverbs chapter 10, verse 16, it sounds like as I labor in doing good things from the law, or as I labor in doing what's right, that's not, that's not the Bible, okay?
[13:56] That's not true biblical righteousness. That's law righteousness. And that's dead. That's gone, okay? Because Titus 3, 4 says this, he says, but after the kindness and the love of God, our Savior toward man appeared, verse 5, he says, not of works of righteousness which we have done.
[14:12] We're not accepted in God's sight. He doesn't give us favor in life because what we can do, it's never about what we can do, it's about what He has done. And His mercy and His grace is what He's done. This is what Paul says in Philippians chapter 3, verses 9.
[14:25] And I want to be found in Him, not having my own righteousness. I don't want my own righteousness which is of the law. I don't want my own righteousness which is of the law.
[14:36] I don't want that. Verse 9, he says, but that which is through faith of Christ, that's what I want. I want to be found in Him having the faith of Christ, and that's the righteousness which is of God.
[14:49] That's what we want. That's the righteousness to salvation. That's the righteousness to life. And because we have that, God, and He pours out the blessing on us. He pours out the blessing on us.
[15:00] And it's not because of what we've done. It's because we believe in what the one person has done, Jesus Christ. We are told exactly what it is we are to do. We are told exactly what it is.
[15:11] But we do know that life lived for the Lord bears rewards that even the unbeliever will envy. Do you guys remember the story in Luke chapter 16?
[15:23] When the beggar dies and he goes up to the bosom of Abraham? And the rich man, he dies and he's just buried. And in torture, he lifts up his eyes and he sees, he sees Lazarus laying in the bosom of Abraham.
[15:42] And what does he say to Abraham? Can you just tell Lazarus to come down and put his finger and some water and just dip it on my tongue? I'm in torment. I want what he had.
[15:53] I'm in torment. Can I get some relief here? Remember Abraham's response? You had good stuff during your life. Now it's time for Lazarus to have his good stuff. Now it's time for Lazarus to have his good stuff.
[16:07] Why did the rich man die and go to hell? I want you guys to know this. Why did the rich man, this is just a little side note, why did the rich man die and go to hell? Why did the rich man want Lazarus to go back to life?
[16:21] Do you guys remember why the rich man wanted Lazarus to go back to life? Why was that? His brothers. And what was Abraham's response? You've got Moses and the prophets.
[16:33] And if he's not willing to take that instruction, if he's not willing to look in that law and to look at it and be corrected, then they aren't getting saved. A man can come back from the dead.
[16:44] But unless they are willing to submit and humble, and humble themselves, that's what he says at the end of Proverbs 15, he says, before honor there is what? Humility.
[16:55] And before there's grace, there has to be humbleness. And that's what instruction does. It humbles us. It makes us, yeah, I can't keep it. I can't do what's right. Will you follow instruction?
[17:06] You must understand that following instruction, the instruction of wisdom, leads to riches. You need to understand, do you want riches or ruin?
[17:19] He said, of course, I want riches. Well, follow after instruction. Follow after wisdom. Because that leads to riches. But if you reject it, if you despise instruction, then you can expect pain.
[17:35] You can expect trouble. You all know what the Bible says in Galatians 6, verses 8. For he that soweth to his flesh shall reap of the flesh, for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption.
[17:53] It's not talking about saved people. It's talking about unbelievers. Those who seek to establish their own righteousness as they live in the flesh as they live in the flesh and as they try to do that law of righteousness or that righteousness that comes by the law, you know what they're going to reap?
[18:11] Trouble. Corruption. Romans 3, verse 16 says this about mankind. He says this as they seek to do their own way. Destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace they have not known.
[18:24] There is no fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom, the beginning of knowledge, the fear of God. There is no fear of God before their eyes. This is the life that doesn't follow instruction.
[18:39] And so Solomon here in Proverbs chapter 15 verses 5 he is warning his son if you do not follow instruction he's not this is what okay this is not what Solomon's trying to say.
[18:54] It's not if you don't follow the instruction of a car manual then you're an idiot. It's not Solomon setting up a system where young men are supposed to obey all their father's instructions and making the father Lord of them but rather it's this it's a warning if you do not follow instruction of this word you will be ruined.
[19:14] You guys understand that? If you don't follow this word why are we so adamant about preaching out of this verse by verse chapter by chapter verse by verse book by book why are we so adamant about it?
[19:26] Because this book brings forth life that's what Bo said that's what God's word says and if you're not willing to follow the instruction that's laid out in here and you're not willing to be corrected you're not willing to be reproved you know what you can count on?
[19:40] Ruin. Ruin. Ruin. That goes for us today. We despise instruction then it's game over we're ruined.
[19:54] 1 Timothy chapter 3 verses 16 he says all scripture all scripture is given by inspiration of God it's profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness it's the same for us today guys will you follow instruction or are you going to be ruined?
[20:19] this isn't a game and this sure isn't a joke a fool despiseth his father's instruction following the instruction that will give you much treasure and in return you can give this is what he says in the next verse verse 7 and in return after you get that much treasure then you can give that knowledge but the fool who despised the instruction he's got nothing he's got nothing the lips of the wise disperse knowledge but the heart of the foolish that one that despised the instruction he's got nothing he's running on empty he's got nothing to say because you have followed the instructions you have gained wisdom and now that you have wisdom when you speak you can disperse knowledge but the fool has nothing to offer because there is nothing inside
[21:20] I thought of this quote when I was studying this A.W. Tozer said this and I don't like to quote people but he says he that is from above is above all and he says I want to say to you dear Christians don't go don't go around apologizing for him don't go around worried because you can't make his doctrine fit with what you've learned I want you to realize this all you've learned in school was one fallen head instructing another fallen head they have nothing to offer us in the spiritual realm they have nothing to offer us in the things that matter to life they have nothing but this word does and the person that's wise who says yes I will I love I love reproof I want you to show me my ways I want to follow you I want to seek after you I want your righteousness that person has some knowledge that you can learn something from in the realm of truth the foolish but the believer let's go down but the believer has something to give 1 Peter 4 10 says this every man has received a gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God if any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God we have received something and we can give out true knowledge because what
[22:46] Christ has done in us but the fool the one that doesn't follow instruction he's got nothing he's got nothing so the application that is the truth for those who have followed the instructions you have something to give following instructions gives you much treasure and a purpose to speak not following instructions leads your heart to trouble gives you trouble and you're void of knowledge but the question the other question I want to ask you today is this do you want disgust or do you want delight from God the Father in heaven read verse 8 and verse 9 with me the sacrifice of the wicked is what an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is what his delight the way of the wicked is a what abomination unto the
[23:51] Lord but he what loveth him that followeth that pursueth that seeks after righteousness your works if you refuse and despise instruction when God's word is proclaimed he's like I don't need this I have more important things to do I don't see the worth in preaching I don't see the worth in reading my Bible I don't see the worth of going to his word when you say that you know what you're saying I despise instruction and you know what comes with that disgust from God because you think you can set up your own way and not go by his ways listen to what he says and uh let me make sure I just messed up your works that you make when you despise instruction makes God abhor it mankind always seems like they want to offer things unto
[24:55] God on their own terms it started back in the beginning because remember Cain and how he came to God and how he thought he could offer the fruits of the land and God says I don't want that I refuse your offering and that caused anger in him they think that they can make their own terms and not follow the instructions of what God wants they are fools and that's not just a slam like you're a fool man no that is that is harsh that is you don't fear God that is inside your heart you don't believe there's a God Psalms 51 verse 16 he says for thou desirest not sacrifice else I would give it thou delightest not in burnt offering the sacrifices that God wants as a broken and contrite heart oh God I won't despise that I know that you don't want burnt offerings and I know you don't delight in these different sacrifices
[26:01] I know what you want is a broken heart a heart that comes and says correct me cleanse me make me new that's what you want and I'm going to take that instruction to heart I'm going to follow that I'm not going to be a fool in Matthew chapter 23 verse 23 Jesus is looking out at the scribes and Pharisees and he says hypocrites hypocrites for you pay tithe of men and and and and and and and and and have omitted the way to your matters of the law judgment mercy and faith these ought ye have done and not leave the other undone the Pharisees thought that they could worship God on their own terms and they didn't have to follow through with all the law had to say they this I'll just go to church and I'll just give my tithe and I'll give God this and I'll give God that and they choose what system they want sounds kind of like America right I'll go to church and I'll give God this and I'll give God that when I realize he wants everything but I don't want to give that to him but I'll give him a tithe how much do you want
[27:05] God just here does that suffice you they come to God making their own terms and Jesus says God and the flesh says you're hypocrites I don't like your sacrifices I don't want your offerings I don't want your offerings they thought that they would give their tithes and they gave good gifts then they would be okay with God but God despised but they despised God's instruction therefore they were fools and their offerings were not accepted but that verse says in verse 9 he says or verse 8 he says the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is a delight because this person was saved and born again he's upright that's the only way we could be the only way we could be upright is through what Jesus Christ has done his prayers to God was I love that the fact that he could now come he has access and he can now come fully before the throne and he could speak to his father and he could cry
[28:09] Abba father man that delights God and it was something small as a prayer this other guy's making a sacrifice this guy's praying and God says no I hate that because you've rejected my instructions it's heavy it's heavy will you follow his instruction will you follow the instruction the life that you live if you abhor or you despise instruction God's not pleased with verse 9 he says the way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord people think that they can get God to do or get God on their own accord they think that they can do what they want and it'll be okay but the truth is it won't be okay one day God will judge the wicked's life is usually centered around themselves and they are worried about only pleasing themselves the wicked people aren't just people that are adulterers murderers and kidnappers but these are the people that seek for themselves and have no desire to do what God wants them to do no desire to follow through on God's instructions but he says something else in verse 9 he says the way of the wicked is an abomination but he loveth
[29:39] God loveth him God loveth him that follow after righteousness but the pursuer of righteousness is the one that God loves the guy that is moved to active and persistent and sometimes even dangerous in the search for righteousness I want to remind you that we don't seek our own righteousness but Jesus said this in Matthew chapter 6 verse 33 but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you we seek after his righteousness the righteousness of God which is by faith according to Philippians chapter 3 verses 9 and the fool the one who despises instruction that fool will die so he says in verse 10 correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way and he hateth and he that hateth reproof he that hateth instruction correction shall die the
[30:47] Lord knows this truth because he can see hell and destruction before him he knows your heart he knows if you're really in this he knows if you're really for him he knows if you're really mean business I want to follow your instruction God whatever you want me to do I want to follow you I want to seek after your righteousness I am actively and openly pursuing you and what you want with my life I want I want to bring honor and glory to you I want to worship you I want I want I realize who you are I fear you I realize your love but I fear you God I know that you're creator I know you hold my hand my hand I know you have my breath in your hand I know you can do whatever you want but the fool says it is death and God knows it and the fool the one who despises instruction does not love the one that reproves we talked about this earlier who did
[31:50] Jesus Christ send down in this world to reprove us of our sin and what does he say about the guy that hates or despises instruction he doesn't love him he does not love the one that reproveth him so conclusion there was a story that Jesus gave of two men and when they heard what the instructions the Lord gave the one listened and he followed through on the instruction and Jesus called him the wise one and he built his house upon the rock and when rains came down he survived then there was another one who listened and he heard his instruction but he was like that is not for me I despise it
[32:52] I'm not following it it's not for me that's good for him that may be good for him he might be sent back there saying yeah that's good for you not good for me I got my own way so he went out and he built his house on the sand and the rains came down you guys remember what happened right his house went flat men let's not be foolish let's follow the instruction let's realize that we're talking about riches or ruin we're talking about disgust or delight from the heavenly father we're talking about something serious this passage is Solomon's cry or his plea to his son for salvation it's a call to obey the Lord Jesus Christ are you following him you're obeying his instructions like hey hold up a second I thought you said it wasn't of the law of righteousness it's not but you have to repent of your sins that means you have to return from your belief that you can save yourself you've got to turn from the belief that you think
[33:56] I can do whatever I want you have to submit yourself and humble yourself underneath him now if you are saved can I encourage and challenge you with this passage Philippians chapter 3 verses 12 he says this Philippians chapter 3 verses 12 not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after that I may apprehend that for which I also apprehended of Christ brethren listen to this verse 13 brethren I count not myself to apprehend it but this one thing I do I forget everything behind me and I keep reaching forth and I keep pressing forth and I keep searching forth the things which are before so what I'm asking you to do is this if you're here and you're born again would you continue your search and your obedience to instruction and continue your search after righteousness don't act like you've arrived don't act like that the moment you cried to salvation that you remember crying out to God was enough for you but rather keep on going after it keep seeking to follow and to find and to obey his instruction will you will you follow his instruction heavenly fathers we come to you in prayer lord thank you for your truth out of your word lord i ask that you would just bless every man here let them know that you love them so very much and lord that you died for them that they might avoid the destruction and the ruin that is before all mankind that don't put their trust in you lord help us to follow after you and help us to follow instruction and help us to seek after wisdom in your name we ask these in
[36:05] Jesus name amen