WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.660 Hi, morning everyone. I'm going to be reading all of Proverbs chapter 4, if you could open 00:00:05.660 --> 00:00:09.439 your Bibles with me. I'm also reading from the ESB. 00:00:10.560 --> 00:00:16.719 Hear, O sons, a father's instruction. Be attentive that you may gain insight, for I give you good 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:23.920 precepts. Do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:30.720 sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, let your heart hold fast my words. Let my commandments, 00:00:31.460 --> 00:00:38.040 keep my commandments and live. Get wisdom, get insight. Do not forget and do not turn away from 00:00:38.040 --> 00:00:44.240 the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her and she will keep you. Love her and she will guard you. 00:00:44.820 --> 00:00:51.980 The beginning of wisdom is this, get wisdom and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly 00:00:51.979 --> 00:00:58.119 and she will exalt you. She will honour you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a 00:00:58.119 --> 00:01:05.219 graceful garland. She will bestow on you a beautiful crown. Hear, my son, and accept my words that the 00:01:05.219 --> 00:01:11.859 years of your life may be many. I have taught you the way of wisdom. I have led you in paths of 00:01:11.859 --> 00:01:17.959 uprightness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered. If you run, you will not stumble. 00:01:17.959 --> 00:01:26.319 Keep hold of instruction. Do not let go. Guard her for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:34.500 wicked and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it. Do not go on it. Turn away from it and pass on. 00:01:35.159 --> 00:01:41.099 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong. They are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone 00:01:41.099 --> 00:01:47.699 stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. But the path of righteous, 00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:54.839 is like the light of dawn, which shine brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked 00:01:54.839 --> 00:02:02.539 is like deep darkness. They do not know over what they stumble. My son, be attentive to my words. 00:02:03.159 --> 00:02:11.039 Incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight. Let them keep them within your heart. 00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:18.079 For they are life to those who find them and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all 00:02:18.079 --> 00:02:26.900 vigilance. For from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech and put devious talk 00:02:26.900 --> 00:02:33.639 far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path 00:02:33.639 --> 00:02:40.379 of your feet. Then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left. Turn your foot 00:02:40.379 --> 00:02:41.179 away from evil. 00:02:46.979 --> 00:02:49.739 Let's pray as we begin. 00:02:51.979 --> 00:02:59.639 Dear Lord, thank you that we can come here today and hear from your word and hear about wisdom from you. 00:02:59.639 --> 00:03:03.879 Lord, help me share your word clearly, faithfully. 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:09.519 Remove distractions from me. Let there be no technical errors, Lord. 00:03:10.059 --> 00:03:13.119 And Lord, help everyone listening. Pay attention. 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:18.179 And Lord, all of us here, we need wisdom from you today. 00:03:18.859 --> 00:03:20.459 And so help us become wise. 00:03:20.819 --> 00:03:25.759 Not in our own eyes, but biblically wise today through what we see in your word. 00:03:25.759 --> 00:03:29.159 We pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:03:31.299 --> 00:03:35.759 So, to begin, what are you passionate about? 00:03:36.359 --> 00:03:38.599 What have you embraced? 00:03:39.539 --> 00:03:43.439 Maybe it's a hobby, an instrument, a sport or politics. 00:03:44.219 --> 00:03:48.280 When we see something as worthwhile, we naturally just go all in on it. 00:03:48.280 --> 00:03:59.280 For example, sports fans, Simon Bernard or Sam Jenkins, they can list off the strengths and weaknesses of nearly all the players in all the teams of the sports league. 00:03:59.900 --> 00:04:01.719 They've gone all in. 00:04:02.780 --> 00:04:08.039 Now, when you've gone all in on something you're passionate about, it starts affecting your lifestyle. 00:04:08.039 --> 00:04:14.780 What you talk about, who you spend time with, what you want to do in your spare time. 00:04:15.780 --> 00:04:21.699 And finally, it can change your thoughts and emotions in little ways and big ways. 00:04:22.279 --> 00:04:28.319 For example, someone who is passionate about politics and has made it part of their lifestyle. 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:40.620 They will begin to think and react differently to things in the world and feel strongly about events and situations because they've embraced a certain type of politics. 00:04:40.980 --> 00:04:43.259 It changes the way they think and feel. 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:49.639 So, when we see something valuable, we embrace it passionately with everything that we've got. 00:04:50.180 --> 00:04:53.959 It begins to change our lifestyle and it shapes our heart. 00:04:54.719 --> 00:04:56.819 What are you passionate about? 00:04:56.819 --> 00:04:59.439 What have you embraced? 00:05:00.579 --> 00:05:05.759 Now, how does that compare to your feelings about wisdom? 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:09.399 Are you passionate about wisdom? 00:05:10.339 --> 00:05:12.060 Have you embraced it? 00:05:12.540 --> 00:05:19.939 Today, we'll see God wants us to embrace wisdom in an even stronger way than those other things we naturally embrace. 00:05:21.159 --> 00:05:23.039 So, what is wisdom? 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:33.160 Our society searches for wisdom in all the wrong places, which can cause us to be confused about what this wisdom is we should be embracing. 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:35.700 It can feel intangible. 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:39.180 What is biblical wisdom? 00:05:39.180 --> 00:05:46.800 Is it just memorizing practical sayings which have a deep insight, but at the same time are not always true? 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:55.019 As Wilco reminded us last week, we need to keep at the forefront of our mind what the author says in chapter 1, verse 7. 00:05:55.019 --> 00:06:25.000 I'm going to read it again. 00:06:25.019 --> 00:06:28.019 This is wisdom. 00:06:28.019 --> 00:06:35.839 Seeing him as supreme in our life and ordering all our life by our relationship with him. 00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:40.959 Now, we also need to know what this part of Proverbs is doing. 00:06:42.319 --> 00:07:01.039 Before Proverbs gets to the actual Proverbs, the two-line statements which start in chapter 10, it begins with the instructions from chapter 1, verse 8 to chapter 9, verse 18, which are made up of tense, longer speeches from a father and two discourses on lady wisdom. 00:07:01.040 --> 00:07:05.600 Now, why are these in the book, the instructions at the beginning? 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:11.740 Well, firstly, they help us understand and make proper use of the Proverbs when we get to them. 00:07:12.740 --> 00:07:15.100 The speeches introduce different topics. 00:07:15.100 --> 00:07:20.000 Like today, one of the speeches talks about the path of righteousness, the way of wisdom. 00:07:21.379 --> 00:07:26.640 Now, when we get to the actual Proverbs in chapter 10, we see Proverbs like, 00:07:27.320 --> 00:07:31.680 In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death. 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:40.160 The speech that we'll see today on the path of righteousness helps us understand the Proverbs about the path of righteousness. 00:07:40.420 --> 00:07:41.660 And it's the same with other topics. 00:07:42.060 --> 00:07:46.840 The speech on the heart today will help readers understand the Proverbs about the heart. 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:58.560 The second and primary function for this section of Proverbs is encouraging the reader to embrace wisdom, this fear of the Lord. 00:07:59.359 --> 00:08:04.919 Chapter 1, verse 7 shows two ways to live, the fear of the Lord or foolishness. 00:08:06.059 --> 00:08:13.319 These instructions are persuading the youth referred to in this book and us, the readers, to choose the way of wisdom. 00:08:13.319 --> 00:08:21.759 So, as we come to our passage today, which features three of these speeches, know that the author is out to get you. 00:08:22.839 --> 00:08:28.860 He will be persuading you to embrace a life of wisdom, passionately, with everything that you've got. 00:08:29.639 --> 00:08:34.039 He'll be pleading with you to embrace the way of wisdom as a defining lifestyle. 00:08:34.439 --> 00:08:37.720 And he wants you to embrace wisdom as a heart shaper. 00:08:38.779 --> 00:08:40.700 With that, let's get into the text. 00:08:40.700 --> 00:08:50.940 So, we see in the first speech today, in verses 1 to 9, an encouragement to embrace wisdom passionately, with everything that we've got. 00:08:51.940 --> 00:08:59.080 It starts off in verses 1 and 2 with the Father explaining how the Son should embrace wisdom and why he should. 00:09:00.259 --> 00:09:09.540 In verses 3 to 9, he then just elaborates on and illustrates exactly what he just said by showing this is the same thing his Father told him. 00:09:09.539 --> 00:09:14.299 So, first, how should we embrace wisdom? 00:09:15.019 --> 00:09:17.259 Is it simply intellectual ascent? 00:09:17.899 --> 00:09:22.000 Well, verse 1, we embrace it by listening attentively. 00:09:23.000 --> 00:09:25.699 Verse 2, by not forsaking it. 00:09:26.439 --> 00:09:28.939 Verse 4, by holding it fast in our heart. 00:09:29.019 --> 00:09:31.719 And we'll look at what that means a little bit more in the third speech today. 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:35.800 Verse 6, wisdom is personified as a lady. 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:36.980 We saw that last week. 00:09:37.940 --> 00:09:39.759 And we should not forsake her. 00:09:40.259 --> 00:09:41.540 We should love her. 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:43.500 Verse 8, we should prize her. 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:47.500 And that word prize could also mean caress or cuddle. 00:09:48.460 --> 00:09:50.360 And we should embrace her. 00:09:51.259 --> 00:09:53.240 How should we go about embracing wisdom? 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:56.540 Passionately, with everything that we've got. 00:09:56.539 --> 00:10:00.860 But why should we embrace wisdom with everything that we've got? 00:10:01.539 --> 00:10:05.299 Because, verse 1, you will gain insight. 00:10:06.319 --> 00:10:12.039 Now, some translations translate insight as understanding or good judgment. 00:10:13.240 --> 00:10:18.719 If you embrace the fear of the Lord, you will be able to see things the way they really are. 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:24.540 If you know who the true God is and what he says, you can make sense of life. 00:10:25.980 --> 00:10:27.840 Why else should we embrace wisdom? 00:10:28.759 --> 00:10:32.759 Well, in verse 2, we see that these precepts are good. 00:10:34.220 --> 00:10:39.700 Then the grandfather elaborates on their goodness by saying they will give life. 00:10:39.960 --> 00:10:40.460 Verse 4. 00:10:41.540 --> 00:10:47.680 In verse 6, when lady wisdom reappears, she is good because she will keep and guard you. 00:10:47.679 --> 00:10:54.459 Verse 8, she will exalt you and honour you, make you come to a high position in society. 00:10:55.319 --> 00:11:02.079 Verse 9, she will give you a wreath and a crown, signifying that she will glorify you and make you beautiful. 00:11:03.339 --> 00:11:05.539 Verse 7 sums up this section well. 00:11:06.859 --> 00:11:09.479 The beginning of wisdom is this. 00:11:10.419 --> 00:11:11.159 Get wisdom. 00:11:11.899 --> 00:11:15.379 And whatever you get, get insight. 00:11:15.379 --> 00:11:20.639 Insight is just another word to talk about wisdom. 00:11:21.799 --> 00:11:26.620 He's saying, wisdom is not inside of you, it's outside of you. 00:11:27.059 --> 00:11:34.259 And you need to grab it with everything that you've got above everything else because it's the most important thing worth getting. 00:11:35.659 --> 00:11:37.240 I love what the King James Version puts. 00:11:37.340 --> 00:11:41.700 The King James Version says, with all thy getting, get understanding. 00:11:41.700 --> 00:11:43.520 With all thy getting. 00:11:44.140 --> 00:11:45.020 That's a lot of getting. 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:47.440 Derek Kinner puts it this way. 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:52.540 What it takes is not brains or opportunity, but decision. 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:54.520 Do you want it? 00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:56.500 Come and get it. 00:11:57.960 --> 00:12:00.580 Friends, do we see wisdom this way? 00:12:01.620 --> 00:12:03.000 Do we see its worth? 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:05.820 How it's insight giving, life giving? 00:12:05.820 --> 00:12:09.620 Well, that is what it is. 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:15.440 As we see its great value, we can't help but passionately embrace it with everything that we've got. 00:12:16.400 --> 00:12:21.240 Now, this embracing is more than reading your Bible and praying, but not less. 00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:25.820 We see that it involves commandments, teachings, precepts. 00:12:25.820 --> 00:12:32.480 Embracing wisdom with all you've got is a posture, an attitude towards God. 00:12:33.080 --> 00:12:36.800 It means you'll receive from him his word and that you will hold on to it. 00:12:37.620 --> 00:12:42.400 Meditate, love, trust in it and apply it to your life in the world. 00:12:43.820 --> 00:12:47.879 Are you passionately embracing wisdom with all you've got? 00:12:47.879 --> 00:12:53.340 So, wisdom is like a lady we need to embrace passionately. 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:55.860 But is wisdom just a one-off event? 00:12:56.759 --> 00:12:58.539 How does it affect our day-to-day? 00:12:58.980 --> 00:13:00.740 How does it affect our lifestyle? 00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:07.840 In the next speech in verses 10 to 19, we see it's like a way we need to walk. 00:13:08.620 --> 00:13:10.379 A lifestyle to be embraced. 00:13:10.980 --> 00:13:15.700 And if we're not embracing the way of wisdom, we're walking in the way of evil. 00:13:15.700 --> 00:13:22.340 This speech is structured for the first four verses, from verses 10 to 13, 00:13:23.540 --> 00:13:27.480 calling the son to embrace the way of wisdom. 00:13:27.800 --> 00:13:33.920 The next four verses feature the father exhorting the son to stay off the way of evil. 00:13:34.560 --> 00:13:38.060 In the end, we have two verses summarizing the choice between the way of wisdom 00:13:38.060 --> 00:13:39.540 and the way of evil. 00:13:41.140 --> 00:13:44.960 So, in verses 10 to 13, we see the way of wisdom. 00:13:45.700 --> 00:13:50.040 In verse 10, the father once again calls the son to accept wisdom, 00:13:50.420 --> 00:13:52.980 so that he might have long life. 00:13:53.700 --> 00:13:58.320 In verses 11 to 12, he starts describing wisdom that he is taught 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:01.259 and modeled as a way of wisdom. 00:14:02.259 --> 00:14:06.460 And it's not just a way of wisdom, but a path of uprightness. 00:14:06.460 --> 00:14:12.220 Uprightness is straightforward living, both moral and practical. 00:14:13.740 --> 00:14:16.840 Wisdom is a lifestyle affecting the way we live. 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:20.100 And when we walk this path, verse 12, 00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:25.780 we are not hampered when we walk or stumble when we run. 00:14:27.639 --> 00:14:32.360 Picture language to show that the way of wisdom is the best way to live. 00:14:32.360 --> 00:14:35.580 It doesn't have any hidden problems. 00:14:36.039 --> 00:14:38.320 You can trust this way. 00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:43.700 A path is a road which has come about because it's been walked before. 00:14:44.519 --> 00:14:49.759 We saw in the last speech that the son's father and grandfather had both walked the path, 00:14:50.700 --> 00:14:52.100 tried and tested. 00:14:52.100 --> 00:14:55.060 This is the way. 00:14:56.100 --> 00:15:00.259 In verse 13, the father switches metaphors back to lady wisdom again, 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:05.659 after showing how good the way of wisdom is and calls the son to embrace wisdom. 00:15:06.659 --> 00:15:07.980 Don't let her go, son. 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:09.080 Guard her. 00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:09.759 Why? 00:15:10.220 --> 00:15:13.300 Once again, she is your life. 00:15:13.299 --> 00:15:17.579 The way of wisdom is the supreme lifestyle. 00:15:20.179 --> 00:15:23.899 Now, the father has encouraged the son to embrace the way of wisdom, 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:29.359 but then he shows how superior it is by contrasting it with its alternative lifestyle, 00:15:30.019 --> 00:15:32.559 the way of evil in verses 14 to 17. 00:15:33.219 --> 00:15:38.079 He begins by emphatically imploring his son to stay off this path. 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:43.320 Look at the imperatives, the commands the father uses in verses 14 and 15. 00:15:44.580 --> 00:15:46.480 Do not enter the path of the wicked. 00:15:47.300 --> 00:15:48.980 Do not walk in the way of evil. 00:15:49.379 --> 00:15:49.940 Avoid it. 00:15:50.300 --> 00:15:51.139 Do not go on it. 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:52.160 Turn away from it. 00:15:52.360 --> 00:15:52.900 Pass on. 00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:59.639 The father is repeating the same thing six different ways to make it very clear. 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:03.400 Stay off this path. 00:16:05.259 --> 00:16:06.879 What makes it evil and wicked? 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:10.920 It shows life without the fear of the Lord. 00:16:11.900 --> 00:16:15.759 The people who are walking on it are seen in verses 16 and 17. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:17.639 Verse 16. 00:16:18.180 --> 00:16:19.440 They are like addicts. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:25.100 They can't sleep until they have done wrong or pulled someone into their own. 00:16:26.259 --> 00:16:27.060 Verse 17. 00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:29.900 They're so twisted their food is not bread and wine, 00:16:30.340 --> 00:16:32.080 but violence and wickedness. 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:39.940 To do evil is more proper and natural to the wicked than to sleep, eat or drink. 00:16:40.740 --> 00:16:42.259 The father is saying to his son, 00:16:42.800 --> 00:16:46.259 this is the alternative lifestyle to the way of wisdom. 00:16:47.040 --> 00:16:49.500 The choice is obvious. 00:16:49.500 --> 00:16:55.539 He then summarizes the two ways vividly in verses 18 and 19. 00:16:56.179 --> 00:17:02.419 In verse 18, the way of wisdom is now the path of righteousness. 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:07.259 And if you walk on it, you only have light to look forward to. 00:17:08.180 --> 00:17:10.779 God's wisdom, when accepted, is like light. 00:17:10.779 --> 00:17:15.359 You can see things the way they really are, which is helpful for the journey. 00:17:16.599 --> 00:17:17.619 Or verse 19. 00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:22.639 Walk on the way of wicked and you're already in deep darkness. 00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:29.000 You have all these problems in your life, but you don't know what's actually causing them. 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:32.119 Isn't that a good description for our world? 00:17:33.640 --> 00:17:36.619 Ray Altman summarizes the choice beautifully like this. 00:17:37.720 --> 00:17:44.579 All who, by God's grace, follow the path of wisdom are already in the early morning of their lives. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:51.819 All who take the other path are already in the lengthening shadows of their afternoon. 00:17:53.140 --> 00:17:55.380 Friends, what path are you on? 00:17:56.339 --> 00:17:57.339 Do you even know? 00:17:57.339 --> 00:17:59.839 What path do you want to be on? 00:18:00.179 --> 00:18:01.839 Because there's only two paths. 00:18:01.959 --> 00:18:05.539 And if you're not on the way of wisdom, you're on the way of evil. 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:08.839 And currently in deep darkness. 00:18:10.439 --> 00:18:14.299 So wisdom is the superior way, the superior lifestyle. 00:18:14.599 --> 00:18:16.299 But is it just an external thing? 00:18:17.019 --> 00:18:19.019 Is wisdom just something we do? 00:18:20.419 --> 00:18:24.240 In our next and final speech, in verses 20 to 27, 00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:28.599 we see the superior way of wisdom is not just a lifestyle we live, 00:18:29.140 --> 00:18:32.420 but something we embrace as a heart shaper. 00:18:33.740 --> 00:18:36.880 Wisdom is not just practical advice for living. 00:18:37.579 --> 00:18:43.539 It can change us from the inside out and empowers us to live the lifestyle of wisdom. 00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:47.420 This section can be split up into two parts. 00:18:48.139 --> 00:18:54.940 The first part from verses 20 to 22 explores how wisdom needs to be received down into the core of our being. 00:18:56.539 --> 00:18:57.819 To shape our heart. 00:18:57.819 --> 00:19:07.419 The second part in verses 23 to 27 looks at how our heart is shaped by wisdom is to be expressed as we keep to the way of wisdom. 00:19:07.420 --> 00:19:11.740 So we begin this speech similar to the others. 00:19:11.960 --> 00:19:17.640 And the father employs receptive organs to show how wisdom should be drawn into the heart. 00:19:18.600 --> 00:19:19.500 Verse 20. 00:19:20.360 --> 00:19:23.840 We need to attentively embrace wisdom with our ears. 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:25.720 Verse 21. 00:19:26.120 --> 00:19:28.120 We need our eyes fixed on it. 00:19:28.779 --> 00:19:31.140 And we need to keep it within our heart. 00:19:31.460 --> 00:19:33.660 A similar command to what we saw back in verse 4. 00:19:33.660 --> 00:19:39.900 Now when the Bible talks about the heart, it's quite different from the way the world uses it today. 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:44.740 Derek Kidner says in Proverbs, it most commonly stands for the mind, 00:19:45.460 --> 00:19:50.380 but it can go on to represent the emotions, the will, and the whole inner being. 00:19:52.019 --> 00:19:55.560 Now in the Bible, our fundamental problem is our hearts. 00:19:56.340 --> 00:20:00.519 We are supposed to love God with our hearts, with all of our hearts. 00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:04.039 We're supposed to serve him from our hearts. 00:20:04.779 --> 00:20:12.299 But the Bible says our heart is deceitful, sick, cold, dead. 00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:22.259 But verse 22, we see that when we embrace wisdom as a heart shaper, we experience life and healing. 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:27.400 Wisdom gets down to the heart of our problem, our hearts. 00:20:27.400 --> 00:20:32.540 Now based on the command to embrace wisdom down to the heart, 00:20:32.920 --> 00:20:38.140 the Father then in verses 23 to 27 explains how embracing God's wisdom into the heart 00:20:38.140 --> 00:20:43.120 will express itself and flow forth, not just in our hearts, but the way we act. 00:20:44.220 --> 00:20:47.400 And so we come to verse 23, which explains the concept. 00:20:47.400 --> 00:20:55.860 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life. 00:20:57.400 --> 00:21:03.240 The Father is saying, you need to be very careful and guard what you do let into your heart. 00:21:04.360 --> 00:21:09.960 What you value and embrace, because this is what guides the way you live and act. 00:21:11.360 --> 00:21:15.000 Jesus talks about this in Matthew 15 verses 19 when he says, 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:23.759 For out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:30.259 Wisdom shaping our hearts will guard us against sin shaping the way we live. 00:21:31.460 --> 00:21:36.740 In verse 24, the Father begins to show how a heart shaped by wisdom will express itself. 00:21:36.740 --> 00:21:43.120 He's saying, once you've dealt with your inner life, then put away crooked speech far from me. 00:21:44.380 --> 00:21:46.380 Our speech reveals our heart. 00:21:47.099 --> 00:21:49.539 Out of the heart the mouth speaks. 00:21:50.299 --> 00:21:56.539 And so as someone who has wisdom shaping their hearts, let that reflect what you say. 00:21:56.539 --> 00:22:04.240 Wisdom in our hearts also expresses itself in what we look at and where we walk. 00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:06.279 Verses 25 and 26. 00:22:07.240 --> 00:22:14.659 The wise man keeps his eyes fixed on the way of wisdom, meaning he doesn't look at anything else. 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:23.619 He ponders, thinks about and weighs up where he's going to make sure he does not stray from the path and fall into evil. 00:22:23.899 --> 00:22:24.720 Verse 27. 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:35.480 Once wisdom is in our hearts, shaping our thoughts and emotions, guarding us from foolishness, it radically changes the way we live. 00:22:38.460 --> 00:22:43.519 And so as we get to the end of the passage, it brings forth the question. 00:22:44.620 --> 00:22:53.839 Have I embraced wisdom passionately with everything that I've got as the defining lifestyle and as a heart shaper? 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:58.700 Verse 23 gives us a diagnostic tool to ponder this. 00:23:01.259 --> 00:23:03.360 What is flowing from you? 00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:06.160 What is shaping your heart? 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:08.519 What does your speech show? 00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:10.880 What does what you look at show? 00:23:11.640 --> 00:23:13.700 What does your lifestyle reveal? 00:23:14.819 --> 00:23:16.539 What do you lose sleep over? 00:23:17.380 --> 00:23:19.220 Where do you want to go in life? 00:23:19.220 --> 00:23:22.240 What's your bread and wine? 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:24.559 What does your passion reveal? 00:23:25.600 --> 00:23:28.660 What do you prize, love and value? 00:23:29.640 --> 00:23:33.180 What do you think will give you life and exalt you? 00:23:33.180 --> 00:23:41.860 If I'm honest with myself, often the answers to these questions reveal that I'm not embracing God's wisdom. 00:23:42.860 --> 00:23:43.640 Why not? 00:23:44.220 --> 00:23:50.080 Well, because I, we, don't see it as the beautiful thing to get above all else. 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:56.099 Instead, we often think that the way of evil, not the way of wisdom is what leads to a good life. 00:23:57.039 --> 00:24:03.960 We self-deceived into thinking the way of evil would give us meaning, value, significance, security. 00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:07.599 And don't misunderstand me. 00:24:07.879 --> 00:24:13.059 When I say the way of evil, I don't mean just outwardly wicked lifestyle, being a highway robber. 00:24:13.059 --> 00:24:22.899 Now, the way of evil is living life without regard to God, valuing other things above him. 00:24:24.339 --> 00:24:29.759 And so you might know a lovely old lady or have a generous and kind neighbor who are not Christians. 00:24:30.940 --> 00:24:35.759 If they are living life without God, they are on the way of evil. 00:24:36.759 --> 00:24:38.740 And so are we if we do the same thing. 00:24:38.740 --> 00:24:43.140 What could be more offensive to God than just ignoring him? 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:53.240 Maybe we don't embrace wisdom because those things we thought about at the start, which we're passionate about, are more valuable to us than God's wisdom. 00:24:54.859 --> 00:25:02.220 Maybe the reason we don't embrace wisdom is that we are in deep darkness and can't even see the way. 00:25:02.220 --> 00:25:08.799 In Romans 3, when Paul is describing sin and the problem with our human nature, he finishes it by saying, 00:25:09.480 --> 00:25:12.579 there is no fear of God before our eyes. 00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:17.240 At any rate, we let our father down. 00:25:18.779 --> 00:25:26.339 But there is one son who didn't let the father down, who only did what his father told him to do. 00:25:27.019 --> 00:25:30.839 He never forsook his father's teaching, but he was forsaken. 00:25:30.839 --> 00:25:34.179 He kept God's commandments, but died. 00:25:34.959 --> 00:25:40.319 He loved, embraced, prized the fear of the Lord, but received a crown of thorns. 00:25:41.299 --> 00:25:45.559 He walked the path of righteousness, but was cast into deep darkness. 00:25:46.639 --> 00:25:50.000 His food was to do the works of his father. 00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:52.139 Who is this son? 00:25:52.619 --> 00:25:53.839 The Lord Jesus Christ. 00:25:53.839 --> 00:25:55.939 Why did he do it? 00:25:56.159 --> 00:26:01.579 So that, as it says in 1 Corinthians, he could become for us the wisdom of God. 00:26:02.119 --> 00:26:08.339 We saw in the two songs at the start, God is our wisdom and Jesus is our wisdom. 00:26:08.339 --> 00:26:18.539 Jesus embraced wisdom for his people and took the punishment his people deserve for embracing the way of evil. 00:26:19.959 --> 00:26:27.459 Graham Goldsworthy says, in Christian terms, the fear of the Lord means by living by trust in Jesus Christ. 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:33.339 He goes on to say, wisdom begins with repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. 00:26:33.339 --> 00:26:39.199 Christ, the wisdom of God makes wisdom so tangible you can touch it. 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:47.699 Jesus is the one we need to embrace passionately with everything we've got and as a heart shaper. 00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:55.399 Jesus, as the wisdom of God, can give us everything the father promises to the son if he embraces wisdom. 00:26:55.400 --> 00:27:01.980 Colossians 2 says, in Christ is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 00:27:02.700 --> 00:27:08.920 The beginning of wisdom and the Christian life of wisdom consists in embracing Jesus. 00:27:09.820 --> 00:27:10.380 Why? 00:27:10.759 --> 00:27:13.900 Because he is the lovely one who gives us life. 00:27:14.940 --> 00:27:18.480 We saw in Revelation, he's the one who can give us a crown. 00:27:19.780 --> 00:27:24.640 Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, the pathway to the father. 00:27:25.400 --> 00:27:27.300 He is the light of the world. 00:27:27.720 --> 00:27:33.780 Whoever follows him will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of the life, light of life. 00:27:35.019 --> 00:27:44.140 He is the one who dwells in our hearts through faith and gives his spirit to fix and shape our heart from the inside out. 00:27:45.759 --> 00:27:53.340 Friends, God the father today does not just recommend, but commands you to see Jesus for who he is and embrace him. 00:27:53.339 --> 00:28:00.039 If you're not a Christian, embrace God's wisdom today by trusting in Jesus Christ. 00:28:01.319 --> 00:28:04.939 Receive him and rest on him alone for salvation. 00:28:06.439 --> 00:28:09.339 Believers, remember your first love. 00:28:10.619 --> 00:28:17.319 Continue to embrace wisdom by living in accordance with the principles in God's word and world. 00:28:17.319 --> 00:28:22.919 Because, because you stand in awe of Jesus and trust him as your God. 00:28:24.639 --> 00:28:26.399 What are you passionate about? 00:28:27.839 --> 00:28:30.039 Embrace Jesus, the wisdom of God. 00:28:31.019 --> 00:28:31.740 Let's pray. 00:28:34.419 --> 00:28:35.700 Dear Lord, we thank you. 00:28:35.960 --> 00:28:37.000 We're thankful for Jesus. 00:28:38.039 --> 00:28:41.339 We're thankful that he came so that he could become for us wisdom from God. 00:28:41.339 --> 00:28:46.259 When we think about wisdom and biblical wisdom, it can be so intangible. 00:28:47.179 --> 00:28:48.379 It sounds so good. 00:28:49.720 --> 00:28:53.419 We do want it, but we can often think, what is it, Lord? 00:28:54.199 --> 00:28:56.439 What does it mean to embrace wisdom? 00:28:57.179 --> 00:29:01.220 And we're thankful that you came and you sent Jesus to be wisdom for us. 00:29:01.779 --> 00:29:03.539 And to make it easy to grab hold of. 00:29:04.159 --> 00:29:05.959 Help us embrace wisdom, Lord. 00:29:05.959 --> 00:29:10.720 Help us embrace Jesus and live our life because of what he has done for us. 00:29:11.339 --> 00:29:13.199 We pray all this in Jesus' name. 00:29:13.799 --> 00:29:14.119 Amen.