Turn with me to Proverbs chapter 6.
My son, if you have put up security for your neighbour,
have given your pledge for a stranger,
if you have snared in the words of your mouth,
caught in the words of your mouth,
then do this, my son, and save yourself,
for you have come into the hand of your neighbour.
Go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbour.
Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber.
Save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Go to the ant, O sluggard.
Consider her ways and be wise,
without having any chief, officer, or ruler.
She prepares her bread in summer
and gathers her food in harvest.
How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
and poverty will come upon you like a robber
and want like an armed man.
A worthless person, a wicked man,
goes about with crooked speech,
winks with his eyes,
signals with his feet,
points with his fingers,
with perverted heart desires evil,
continually sowing discord.
Therefore, calamity will come upon him suddenly.
In a moment he'll be broken beyond healing.
There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him.
Forty eyes,
a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood.
A heart that devises wicked plans.
Feet that make haste to run to evil.
A false witness who breathes out lies.
And one who sows discord among brothers.
We're going to jump back into Proverbs this morning.
For those who are visiting,
we tend to have a sort of series that we do
during the school holiday periods.
At the moment we've been working through Proverbs.
Proverbs is something that resonates with us really easily,
I think,
because it's all about wisdom.
It's about seeking wisdom on the one hand,
and by contrast,
then avoiding foolishness.
That's essentially the breakdown of the book of Proverbs.
And as I say,
that resonates with us
because I think every single one of us here this morning,
in some sense,
is a philosopher.
The word philosophy
simply is two words in Greek.
Philo,
which means love,
and Sophia,
which means wisdom.
So,
I think we're all lovers of wisdom
in our own form.
That is,
every one of us here
is committed to some form of living
which you would consider to be the good life.
Some form of what it is to be a good human being
in relation to other human beings
and in relation to our world and our society.
So,
in that sense,
we're all philosophers.
Now,
we love wisdom,
but at the same time,
in our hearts,
we know that people can be incredibly stupid.
We know that we ourselves
can be incredibly stupid.
I know I can be incredibly stupid.
So,
again,
that resonates,
that divide
between desiring to be wise
and yet sometimes find ourselves
to be dopey beyond belief.
And we can see that all around us
because all around us in our society,
there's codes of conduct,
professional,
personal standards of behavior.
and we find them now in just about every area of our society.
So,
you have them in industry,
you have them in business,
you have them in sport,
you have them in agriculture even,
you have them in advertising,
social media,
government,
families,
and so on and so forth.
Professional standards,
codes of conduct.
But then the question arises,
who sets these standards
in these codes of conduct?
And once we dig down into them a little bit,
we find
that often those codes of conduct
simply reflect
the mood of society
at that particular time.
The mood of the interest group
or the culture
or the interest group
writing the standards.
And mostly,
and I was looking through
a few of them this week,
mostly,
those codes of conduct
limit themselves
at trying to legislate behavior.
So,
it's,
you shouldn't do this
in this environment.
They just don't even go down the track
of trying to address character.
They don't talk about
how you should be
as a person.
They're just talking about
what you should or shouldn't do
as a person.
And that allows people
wriggle room
to get around
these codes of conduct
because I think we'd know
there's a lot of
high publicity situations
where it's clear
that people have only
given lip service
to the code of conduct
that exists
in their particular area
of society.
And I think the reason
why that happens
is
that because people
individually
are committed
to a form of wisdom
driven by autonomy,
driven by self-interest.
So,
they might be part
of a group
or a culture
or an industry
or an organization
that has
an overall code of conduct,
but individuals
might be committed
to autonomy.
And that expresses itself
and saying,
well, look,
I know how to do life.
I don't have
somebody else telling me.
I won't have
somebody else telling me
how to do it,
how to behave.
I know better
than everyone else.
And I will express myself
as I see fit.
And we see the evidence
of that all around us,
don't we?
We only have to listen
to the news.
So,
on the one hand,
this whole topic
of wisdom
and becoming wise
resonates with us.
But we see
a lot of problems
in there as well.
What is it to be wise?
What is it to be foolish?
Wisdom in the Bible
is very clear.
Wisdom in the Bible
is a reflection
of God's character.
It's a reflection
it's God's standard
because it's a reflection
of God's character.
Wisdom in the Bible
is primarily
about being something.
And the connection
in the Bible then
is if we be something,
if we are something
in essence,
then that will overflow
into what we do
in myriad situations
in life.
The back story
of Proverbs
is in 1 Kings
chapter 3
and chapter 4
where King Solomon
prayed that he might
reflect God's character.
Why?
Because he was
God's representative
ruler over God's people
and he said,
I want to rule
over these people
as if you yourself
were here ruling,
Lord.
How do I do that?
I need to have a character
like you, Lord.
So he prays
for that.
And what does the Lord
give him?
1 Kings 3 and 4
The Lord gives him
the gift of wisdom.
He longed
for discernment,
a truly understanding
heart,
so he might lead
God's people
into the good life
that God intended
for them to have.
and God gives him
the gift of wisdom
to be able to do that.
So therefore,
the good life
according to Proverbs,
according to the Bible,
the good life,
the wise life
is the life
that's lived
under
God's rules,
the life that reflects
God's character.
The life that's
lived in the light
of God's reality
and it's expressed
in love,
fairness,
compassion,
because that's
God's character.
Love,
compassion,
and fairness
to others.
Now,
in stark contrast
to that,
the Bible also
clearly sets out
what it is
to be a fool.
And the foolish life
is,
by contrast,
that life
that's lived
in determined
rebellion against God,
lived in autonomy,
from God.
And therefore,
the Bible would say
that the foolish life
is a contrived reality.
It's something
that we imagine
in our minds
or we try and formulate
in our minds
and then try and make work
in practice.
It's a contrived reality.
It's not God's reality.
And it reflects
foolishness
and reflects
what the Bible
would call
a sin distorted,
a sort of
grotesque
sense of self
which is expressed
in the character
of self-interest,
injustice,
and carelessness.
And there you've got
the contrast.
God's character,
God's reality,
contrived reality,
our own
basic essential
sinful character
coming to the surface.
And so then
Proverbs takes
one more step
and says,
pushes us to the fact
that true wisdom
is the desperate
need of our world.
Now there's no doubt,
I think,
that every single person
in this room
would agree
that we need wisdom
in our leaders
if we're going to
survive as a country,
if we're going to
thrive as a nation.
Nobody would argue
with that.
The question then,
the big step to take
is,
what do you think
true wisdom is?
The Bible says
true wisdom
is God's wisdom,
God's reality,
God's character.
character.
That's what is
the desperate need
of our world,
the desperate need
of our nation.
Because God's wisdom,
therefore,
is the healer
of our old,
distorted,
self-interested world.
God's wisdom
is the restorer
of a true sense
of self.
And it's expressed
in the life
lived under God.
So Proverbs,
my friends,
is ultimately
about character.
Character
and the challenge
for God's people
to reflect
God's character
in all of life.
So the formula
is really quite simple
here this morning.
We're going to look
at more details
from chapter 6.
But if you want
to be a wise person,
then you ought to be
seeking with all
your energy
to reflect God's character
in whatever situation
you find yourself in.
In chapter 6,
verses 1 to 19,
the passage we report
this morning,
is just another
sort of contrast.
The sections
before that
is chapter 5
and then from
the second half
of chapter 6 onwards,
the section before
and after this,
but they use
the picture of adultery.
So this is poetic language,
picture language.
Passages before
and after
very, very heavily
focused on the idea
of adultery,
which Proverbs says
is the ultimate
expression of foolishness.
Now in the same way
as Jesus uses
the parables
in the New Testament,
that is,
he uses a picture
that people can easily
and commonly understand
to teach a point
that's a much bigger picture,
a much bigger
spiritual reality point.
Then I think
that's what's been used
here in Proverbs
when they use
the idea of adultery.
Adultery is something
we all know about.
There's a physical reality
to it in our society
and in our own lives,
at least mentally.
But it's a picture
of a prior
unfaithfulness
to God's word.
It's a picture
of a prior
turning away from
a desire
to have God's character
to another lover,
if you want to use that word.
Another delight
of life.
The adulterer
lives in a distorted reality.
The adulterer
chases false intimacy,
convinced that
they're enjoying
the good life
when in fact
they're actually
bringing themselves
to ruin.
And how does
Proverbs 6, 1 to 19
fit in that bigger picture?
Well, I think
it's just really
just saying that
foolishness comes
in many different forms.
And we shouldn't limit it
to that sort of
picture of sexual
unfaithfulness,
although even that
has got a bigger connotation.
Because here in these
19 verses,
we get three characteristics,
three attitudes of heart,
three pictures of foolishness,
as it were,
which overflow
into a lifestyle
totally at odds
with God's character.
A lifestyle
which ultimately
will be destructive
to the individual
and to the community
in which
these individuals
operate.
So let's jump
into the
three things.
If you've got your
bulletin on your device
there,
you'll see my three headings.
The first characteristic
is,
verses 1 to 5,
reckless
self-seeking.
So,
Simon read it
very well,
brought it to life
really well.
The scenario is
that of the son.
And he's become
surety
or guarantor,
that's the modern term
some of you might recognize.
He's put up
a pledge
to guarantee
somebody else's debt.
And it would seem
like he's done that
without first
considering
the huge risk
involved
in taking
ownership
of that debt,
in making that
commitment,
and whether they
could afford
to pay
what they had
promised
should the debtor,
the person who has
the loan,
default on his loan.
I don't think
there's anything
illegal
or unbiblical
in what the guy
has done.
The issue here
is that he did it
without thinking.
He did it without
considering
the cost
and the risk
and whether he could
actually deliver
on the promise
he was making.
I promised to take
responsibility
for this debt
should this person
default,
but it would appear
he hasn't considered
exactly what
that might involve.
And he's got himself
into a whole
heap of trouble.
The promise,
I suspect,
may well have been
well-intentioned.
Perhaps this son
genuinely wanted
to help somebody
that was in a tough
spot.
Oh yeah,
I can help him out.
Perhaps
they wanted
to appear wealthy.
Perhaps they wanted
to make themselves
feel important
to others
by making others
indebted to their
generosity.
Oh yes,
I've got plenty of money,
I can afford to do this.
And the transaction
then makes,
perhaps was designed
to make themselves
feel important
and make others
indebted to them.
Perhaps
one suggestion
is that the
guy who's taken
out the loan
wasn't an Israelite.
So you weren't
allowed to charge
interest if you
had a loan
with an Israelite.
But if it was
not an Israelite,
you were allowed
to charge interest.
And perhaps this guy
saw an opportunity
to make a fastback.
whatever the reason,
we're told here
that such a
reckless promise
is like walking
into a trap.
Why?
Because it's
taking responsibility
for another
which ultimately
you can't control.
Taking responsibility
for something
that you can't
control.
Another person's
debt and their
commitment to paying it.
And so
sort of the trap
springs and in
spite of the
intention of
the son
going guarantor,
he is in fact
the one who
becomes indebted.
He's the one
who puts himself
at the mercy
of the person
who had taken
out the loan
originally.
And verse 5,
his indebtedness
is pictured
as a ferocious
wild animal
hunting him
down relentlessly
to destruction.
That's the
picture language.
This guy's
gotten himself
into a real
mess.
Why?
Because he
didn't stop
and think
and count
the cost.
And the
potential costs
you only have to
scratch below
the surface
are huge
and they're
all destructive.
there's the
danger of
actually going
bankrupt if
the guarantor
was acted
upon,
if the other
person defaulted
on the loan.
There's the
stupidity of
helping someone
secure a loan
that ultimately
they couldn't
afford to pay.
There's the
danger to
existing
relationship
with the
person as a
result of
indebtedness
or default.
I've seen
so many
relationships
over the
years crash
because of
financial
collapse.
Relationships
just can't
bear that
sort of
stuff.
A proper
assessment of
the true
cost of his
reckless
promises shows
that urgent
desperate action
is required.
Verses 2 and
3 there.
And essentially
what the
father said
to him is
listen boy
swallow your
pride and
as quickly as
you can make
every effort
you can to
get yourself
out of this
dangerous
situation.
Now
bringing it a
little bit more
personally to
us I
suspect that
most of us
I certainly
understand this
idea of
reckless impulse
promise.
We do it so
easily don't we?
We promise
all sorts of
things that
when push
comes to
shove we
actually can't
deliver on.
And to
promise them
without thinking
through carefully
the Bible tells
us is
characteristic
of foolishness.
Maybe well
intentioned
but it's a
picture of
foolishness.
And moving
on to verses
6 to
11
we've got a
second
characteristic
which I'm
calling
thoughtless
self-excusing
character.
Now a
sluggard is
pretty much
the opposite
of the
previous
characteristic
self-seeking.
and we
only really
get a sense
of what
the
sluggard
is by
contrast
with the
industrious
ant
the
illustration
that's
used in
these
verses.
So let's
have a look
at this
industrious
ant
possibly a
harvester
ant.
The ant
we're told
is motivated
from within
by a strong
sense of
what is
right
and what is
good both
for itself
and the
community
in which
it lives.
We're told
that it's
always thinking
and preparing
ahead for
the future.
It's highly
relational
in that
it's doing
what needs
to be done
for the
good of
the whole
community
even at
the cost
of expending
itself.
That's the
picture that
we're given
here.
And the
sluggard of
course is the
opposite of
all of that.
So the
characteristics
on show
here that's
described as
foolishness is
the characteristic
expressed in
someone who
is careless
and self
excusing.
Sometimes they
might present
as lazy but
it's not
actually laziness
it's an
attitude of
not really
caring too
much about
anyone or
anything.
Teenagers
might use
this,
understand this
idea,
it's the
sort of
whatever
type of
person.
Don't get
excited about
anything
particularly.
Don't get
overly committed
about anything
particularly.
Not a
self-starter.
Yes, if you
harass them
they might
do some
things but
even then
they'll be
minimalist.
Minimum
effort,
minimum
time,
minimum
commitment,
minimum
thought.
they need
someone to
get them
moving.
They need
someone to
give them
focus.
They might
even suggest
that others
around them
are perfectionists
and say
well the
problem really
is that you
guys are all
overly committed.
You're trying
too hard but
in reality
oftentimes
they're just
covering for
their own
lack of
motivation,
their own
carelessness.
business.
They're not
servant-minded.
They're not
community-minded.
They won't
easily pitch in
and help
others.
They won't
put the
shoulder to
the wheel
for the
good of
everyone.
They're not
dependable
at the end
of the day.
They're
individualists
and we're
told here
that the
verse 11
that poverty
will come
upon them.
Now I don't
think that
necessarily
means they'll
actually run
out of money
physically.
I think what
the word there
means is they'll
be impoverished
as people
and there's
quite a
difference.
They'll be
diminished.
This sort of
approach to
life actually
has a cost,
a big cost
individually
and personally
and that
cost is that
you become
diminished as
a person.
You become
impoverished.
You live for
yourself and
you'll die
alone.
It's a
drain on
personhood
and you can
see therefore
why it
becomes an
issue of
foolishness.
that is
something that's
contrary to
the character
of God.
It's not
how we were
made as
image bearers.
They may feel
good about
themselves because
they live with
minimum effort
and social
cost but they
fail to
understand the
incredible danger
they're in and
how even as
they're in that
danger moment by
moment, day by
day, they're
actually being
diminished as
people even
though they
might think
they're
preserving
themselves
nicely as
a person.
And verse
11, their
characteristic
again ends up
very much like
the previous
one.
Verse 5 is a
very, very
strong picture
of things being
out of control.
The same with
verse 11.
this characteristic
or attitude of
heart will
overpower them
just like a
villain comes and
overpowers you.
And ultimately
it will destroy
them.
It's impossible
to be wise
and at the same
time be a
whatever type
of person.
And the third
characteristic,
verses 12
through to 19,
is what I'm
calling ruthless
self-interest.
This is the
sort of person
who again
presents differently.
This person is
so utterly
pragmatic
that quite
literally
anything goes
where that
person's
perceived
some personal
gain to
lie.
The word
worthless in
verse 12 is
actually the
word belial,
which in the
New Testament
has come to
mean the
word devil.
But
Wolke
uses the
term
insurrectionist
because it's
the person
who's so
constantly and
aggressively
against God's
rules and
against God's
workings that
he's like an
insurrectionist.
He's like a
terrorist.
and this is the
person,
as you see
through these
verses,
there's lots of
picture language
in here again,
but let me just
try and surface
run over it.
This is the
person who just
loves to play
people off
against each
other
because in
doing that
he can see
personal
advantage.
He's the
sort of
person who
will happily
consume and
destroy people
and relationships
for his own
advantage and
where he sees
advantage.
That's why I
say it's
ruthless.
Now, it's
not that this
person I think
is particularly
evil per se.
There's nothing
in the text that
would suggest
that.
In other words,
he's not out
there in a
category by
himself as
evil.
It's not that.
It's not even
perhaps that they
set out to cause
division, but
that their
ruthless self
interest inevitably
results in them
using and abusing
people for their
own advantage.
In other words,
they just can't
help themselves.
Two separate
almost identical
descriptions add
weight to this
whole description
12 to 15 and
then 16 to 19.
It's almost a
repeat, but in
inverse order.
Two separate
almost identical
descriptions emphasize
the awfulness of
this character by
suggesting that
every key part of
the body is
utilized for
this scheming,
conniving,
manipulating
passage to their
own end.
Look at verse 12
through to 15.
It's as if the
poet here is
saying, look,
from top to
bottom, from
their eyes, from
their mouth, their
hands, their
fingers, right down
to their feet and
including their
heart, every
single faculty of
the body is
brought together
in this beautiful
harmony of
self-interest and
self-advantage.
And in
combination, it's
pretty brutal and
ruthless.
You get the idea
there, I'm not
quite sure what to
do with the idea
of pointing the
finger and
winking the eye,
but it's just
that notion of a
wheeler-dealer, a
player.
A couple of
nods and winks
and punches there.
Yep, so I'm
resonating with some
anyway, regardless
of the rest of
your sleep.
So we know the
idea of a player,
don't we?
A schemer, a
manipulator.
And they're sort
of perfectly and
seamlessly in sync
with themselves to
manipulate for their
own ends, regardless
of the cost to
others.
And their heart
attitude is included
in here.
It overflows into
the habit of making
trouble, into the
habit of causing
division.
and lying as
easily as
breathing.
Verse 18.
No, verse 19.
It becomes so
habitual because
lies are necessary
to manipulate that
you just lie like
you breathe.
It's an essential
of life.
But ultimately, as
with the other two
characteristics, there's
a huge cost to
pay.
And I think the
play on the words
is this, that just
as they use or
misuse their body,
so the Lord's
judgment will destroy
their body.
God will break
their body.
And here we
catch, again, like
the sluggard, we
catch a glimpse of
what God loves by
listening carefully to
what God hates.
God hates
troublemakers.
that loves
grace makers or
peacemakers.
Again, why?
Because those, the
grace maker and the
peacemaker, reflect
God's character.
Being other person
centered at heart,
refusing to
manipulate, use,
and abuse.
speaking healing
and loving words
of truth.
Doing compassion
and mercy and
rightness.
All the things that
you would not
recognize, and this
person here would
not recognize.
Wisdom and
foolishness.
So, my friends, as
I wrap up, ultimately
foolishness is
clearly exposed by
God's character.
Because God's
character is
wisdom.
And wisdom
inevitably will
expose foolishness.
And most clearly, we
see that in God's
wisdom in Jesus.
When we tie these
three characteristics
back, we can see a
common link to
Jesus.
Jesus, at the end
of the day, is our
true surety or
guarantor.
In Hebrews 7,
verse 22, the
word's actually used.
Jesus is the
guarantor of a new
and better covenant.
And in the picture
of the gospel and
God's wisdom seen in
Jesus, God does
commit to paying a
huge debt that we
have run up.
And that we
couldn't possibly pay
for ourselves.
And God takes that
debt on knowing that
we have no alternative
but to default on it.
And God promises in
Jesus to take that
debt upon himself.
Was it a reckless
promise?
No.
Far from it.
Never reckless.
It was outrageous.
Absolutely outrageous.
But never reckless.
Why?
Because Jesus had the
means to pay.
And he considered the
cost and was willing
to pay the cost.
The cost of death on
the cross.
And he did it to reverse
our spiritual and moral
bankruptcy.
He did it because our
foolish rebellion and
rejection of his
character left us
unable and unwilling
to pay what is owed to
the Lord for our
rebellion.
And so the foolishness of
us people, sinful people
reveals the wisdom of
God.
And then tying in with
the second characteristic
that Jesus is our
relentless pursuer.
this is one of the
aspects of the gospel I've
really come to appreciate
over the last five or six
years.
That Jesus acts in our
best interest like the
industrious and preparing
ahead and doing what
needed to be done to
rescue and renew us and
make us wise.
And not only that, not
only does he expend
himself completely for the
good of me and other
believers, but he
pursues me.
He pursues me into life
and won't let me
sluggishly drift into
destruction.
And at the times of life
when things seem to
overwhelm me, where I'm at
my worst in a sense, I've
learned over the last six
years that the Lord
pursues me into those
areas.
taking me out the other
side with new confidence
and dependence upon him.
Nothing careless about the
way the Lord treats us.
Jesus is the wise and
faithful son, totally
focused on delivering his
father's promise of
salvation and the good
life.
Jesus pursues us into
life.
And finally, Jesus is our
selfless, healing,
unifying word.
Instead of stirring up
evil and trouble, Jesus
confronts it and deals
with it.
And he sows unity and
good.
Jesus' words are always
true words, healing
words spoken in love and
compassion.
Jesus always expresses
God's character, planning
for our good, identifying
our greatest need and
acting to deal with our
rebellion and bring us
into righteousness and
life.
Interestingly here, in
line with verse 17, God's
hand does shed innocent
blood.
But not ours.
He willingly or makes
haste to kill his son as
part of his heart-driven
plan to redeem his
people.
And in doing so, he
sows new unity.
Picture of wisdom against
foolishness.
And my final appeal, friends,
this morning is, why would
we continue to chase after a
form of wisdom which is our
own, of our own making?
A contrived reality, driven
by our own autonomy, when we
know from our own experience
that that will fail us.
We can pretend and act wise,
but foolishness will just push
up through.
Why would you continue to be
wise in your own eyes?
Even when that so-called
wisdom so often and so easily
leads us into trouble or
self-seeking or carelessness or
just heartbreak and despair.
Why would we not want to move
towards true wisdom?
Why would we not move towards
Jesus who is the wisdom and
righteousness of God?
Because he says, come to me,
fools, and I will make you wise.
I will give you wisdom, which is
a combination, a rich combination
of renewal, unity, new hearts,
new desires, new attitudes, and
the good life that we crave so
deeply.
My final word is, remember this,
the good life that every single
person here craves so deeply.
But if you've been wise in your
own eyes, then that's a wisdom
and a good life that's eluded you
thus far because you've been
acting in your own strength.
Blessing, wisdom, and maturity,
frustration, despair.
Let me pray.
Lord, help us to see your word in
its truth, but more than that,
Lord, give us hearts to act on it.
We can understand, but then hold
back from acting.
Lord, help us to be so aware of our
own failings in terms of what we
would consider to be our own wisdom,
or even, Lord, that we would consider
to be the common wisdom of our
society.
Help us to see that as being a
wretched failure and help us to
move to consider the true wisdom
that would be ours in the Lord
Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray.
Amen.
Thank you very much for listening.