That's on page 642 of the Red Church Bible.
! Proverbs chapter 9.
!
It's how God wired the universe.
It's how everything works best.
And the first part of the book of Proverbs, that's chapters 1 to 9,
is like an introduction to the rest of the book.
If you actually look across at chapter 10 there,
this is where the short, punchy Proverbs begin,
that the book is best known for, I suppose.
So in chapters 1 to 9, the author, King Solomon,
is appealing to his son to embrace the wisdom
that's contained in the rest of the book.
And one of his main methods of doing this
is by personifying wisdom and folly as women.
And chapter 9 is the climax of his appeal,
right before the Proverbs statements begin.
So as we read this text, here's something to watch out for.
Notice the contrast between these two women, Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly.
They are each presented as hosts, inviting us to a banquet.
Notice what happens to those who embrace each of their invitations.
Before we read, let's pray and ask for God's help.
Lord, as we come to read your words to us now,
we don't want to go through the motions.
We want to really hear you speak to us now.
We ask you to challenge us, convict us,
move us to embrace your wisdom above the folly of this world.
We plead that you'd help us to see Christ today.
For his sake we ask.
Amen.
Chris is going to actually read the text aloud for us.
Thank you.
So it's Proverbs chapter 9.
Wisdom has built her house.
She has set up its seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine.
She has also set her table.
She has sent out her servants and she calls from the highest point of the city.
Let all who are simple come to my house.
To those who have no sense, she says,
Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways and you will live.
Walk in the way of insight.
Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults.
Whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you.
Rebuke the wise and they will love you.
Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still.
Teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
For through wisdom your days will be many.
And years will be added to your life.
If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you.
If you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.
Folly is an unruly woman.
She is simple and knows nothing.
She sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
calling out to those who pass by,
who go straight on their way.
Let all who are simple come to my house.
To those who have no sense, she says,
stolen water is sweet.
Food eaten in secret is delicious.
But little do they know that the dead are there.
That her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.
I wonder, have you ever been invited to a banquet feast?
Two weeks ago, Yelena and I were invited to a wedding
in this beautiful hotel beneath the Kerry Mountains.
After the ceremony, we were treated to finger food and drinks
in this sun-drenched garden.
At 5.30, we were called into this grand banquet hall
and found our seat at this beautifully laid table.
There was wine for anyone who wanted it.
You could order whatever soft drink you wanted.
It would be delivered right to your table.
Now, we were already feeling spoiled at this point.
But then we saw that the menu had four courses.
Each one with multiple choices.
And even better, one of the main courses was steak.
With peppercorn sauce and all the trimmings,
my eyes nearly popped out of my head.
This most generous host had paid for all 120 of his guests
to eat steak.
Well, after four delicious courses, including steak,
I mean, how could you turn down that?
I was well and truly stuffed.
Now, a few years ago, we were invited to another wedding feast.
It was a lovely ceremony.
And afterwards, we sat down in the banquet hall.
We waited and waited.
And eventually, dribs and drabs of food began to arrive
over the course of about an hour.
It was really strange.
Probably the strangest meal I've ever had at a wedding.
The only standout memory I have is this bowl of roasted courgettes,
which was plunked down on our table.
There were 10 of us on the table.
We all just looked at each other.
And we slowly began passing around this bowl of courgettes,
ladling out a little spoonful put in the middle of our plate,
making sure that everyone would have enough around the table.
And we were so hungry that we couldn't even wait for something else
to come out to accompany it.
We all just sat there laughing,
eating our measly portion of roasted courgettes.
Needless to say, as soon as the speech was finished,
Yelena and I were down the road to the nearest chipper.
No joke, we were.
Back in time for the dancing.
The banquet, which promised so much,
had left us hungry.
Now, on both those weddings,
the two invitations seemed exactly the same.
But they were really two invitations
to two very different banquets.
And now in this text today,
we have two invitations which seem at first to be the same.
But in reality,
they're invitations to two polar opposite banquets.
The question raised in this text for you and for me is this.
Which invitation will you accept?
There's no third option.
It's either or.
But our choice is more complex than we initially thought.
And here's why.
Because for the passing observer,
the invitations appear to be identical.
Look at verse 4.
This is wisdom's invitation.
She says,
Let all who are simple come to my house.
Look at verse 16 now.
This is Lady Folly's invitation.
Let all who are simple come to my house.
Exactly the same thing, right?
Identical.
Now, King Solomon, I think, is showing us something.
Foolishness often sounds like wisdom.
It can use all the same words.
It seems to promise us all the same things.
Sometimes foolishness seems like skill for living well in God's world.
In our world, we hear things like this.
Just be yourself.
Don't let anyone stop you.
Follow your heart wherever it leads you.
You are the master of your fate.
You're the captain of your soul.
You can be whoever you want to be.
You deserve the best.
Spend your money on getting the things you've always desired.
These are the things we hear.
This is the supposed wisdom of our time.
Inviting us to follow.
How can we discern which invitation is really wisdom?
Well, here's how Solomon brings us behind the scenes to see the culture in each house.
And when we do that, we begin to see some stark differences.
Here's the first difference.
There are different preparations for the banquets.
Now, both claim to have prepared a banquet feast, but their preparations couldn't be any more different.
Have a look in verses 1 to 6.
Wisdom is busy.
She is building a house, setting up its seven pillars.
That symbolizes spaciousness, wealth, stability.
She is preparing her meat.
She's mixing her wine.
She is self-sufficient.
She borrows from no one.
Then we find her setting her table and sending out her servants.
We've got six action words here describing her diligent preparation.
Contrast that to Lady Folly.
In verse 14, she sits.
Shanae.
She sits.
Well, actually, there is one more.
Because in verse 13, it says,
Folly is an unruly or literally a loud woman.
She's simple and knows nothing.
So Lady Folly sits and talks loudly about herself at the door of her house.
She is too self-obsessed to care for her guests.
She prefers to sit around talking about herself.
In court terms, she's full of hot air.
While Folly sits and jabbers on about itself, wisdom quietly, diligently prepares.
That's the difference between wisdom and Folly.
It's humble service versus selfish idleness.
But we also see these hosts present different food.
Lady Wisdom's house has no junk food.
Right?
Because of her preparation, she's able to dish up tender meat and tasty wine.
This is homegrown food which satisfies hunger and tastes good.
A substantial meal which symbolizes richness and fullness of life.
In contrast, Lady Folly can only offer scraps that she has stolen from others.
Look at verse 17.
She says,
You see, fake wisdom is always stealing from true wisdom.
Just be yourself.
Don't let anyone stop you.
That's one of the things we hear today, right?
There's a truth somewhere in that.
God created us to be individually unique.
He wants us to be our truest selves, whole and complete in him.
But fake wisdom takes God out of it and says,
You can decide who you want to be.
The stone, water, and bread may temporarily satisfy, but not for long.
It can compare to the feast that wisdom offers us.
But these hosts also have different demands.
Look at verse 5.
Wisdom says,
Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways and you will live.
Walk in the way of insight.
Wisdom isn't a cushy people pleaser.
Wisdom demands that we leave our simple ways behind us
to join in her wholesome feast.
Folly demands that we leave our straight ways behind us
to join in her stolen feast.
Can you see that difference?
Folly doesn't call us onto anything greater.
She just drags us down into the worst version of herself.
She drags us down into selfish greed for more.
Into navel gazing and obsession with image.
Into secret lust and sexual sin.
Into bending the rules to get ahead.
She promises a feast if we join her.
There's a sense of truth in her statement in verse 17
because she says,
Stolen water is sweet.
At first.
Food eaten in secret is delicious.
Initially.
But then it always lets us down.
Then the guilt sets in.
And the sweet taste turns sickly in our mouths.
Folly drags us down into the gutter.
Wisdom calls us upward.
She is realistic about our simple-minded situation.
Our wisdom deficit.
Wisdom calls us off the path of folly
and onto the path of wisdom.
Proverbs 4.18 says this.
The path of the righteous is like the morning sun
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
Wisdom calls us upward to life.
And this leads us to the last difference.
Different destinies.
Lady folly promises us a sweet taste in our mouths
if we would walk in her door.
But look at verse 18.
But little do they know
that the dead are in there.
That her guests are deep
in the realm of the dead.
Piled up
in the back of her house
are the corpses
of her guests.
Some party that was.
They're dead now.
This host is venomous.
She seduces the simple
to come in her door
but they don't know
her malicious intent.
It's not a laughing matter
this banquet's business.
It's not a trivial thing
which path you follow
wisdom or folly.
Your destiny
is death
and destruction
if you follow
the path of fools.
That's what the text says.
But look at the difference
of wisdom in verse 6.
She says
leave your simple ways
and you
will live.
Verse 11
through wisdom
your days
will be many
and years
will be added
to your life.
Feast
on the richness
of my table
wisdom says
and you will thrive.
You'll know
true life.
This is the destiny
of all those
who accept
my invitation
and come into
my house.
if we step back
and look at
this wise
host
the preparations
the food
presented
the demands
made
the destiny
offered
we cannot help
but see
Jesus
as the wise
and wealthy
friend
who has thought
of everything
we needed
and prepared
it in advance
for us.
Christ
is the
true host
inviting us
into his house
to a far
superior
feast.
He lacks
nothing
that we
need.
Colossians 2
says this
for in Christ
all
the fullness
of God
lives in bodily
form
and in Christ
you
have been
brought
to fullness.
Jesus
offers us
no water
down
scraps.
He offers
himself
his rich
satisfying
fullness.
Jesus
says in
John 10
10
the thief
comes
only to
steal
and kill
and destroy.
I have
come
that you
may have
life
and have
it to
the full.
He says
in John
6
I am
the bread
of life.
Whoever
comes to
me
will never
go hungry.
whoever
believes in
me
will never
be thirsty.
How could
we turn
away
an invitation
from this
richest,
most generous,
most loving,
most honoring
host?
would we turn
instead to
the invitation
of this
world
and all
its glamorous
promises
which are
hollow
in the
end?
Two
invitations.
Which one
will we
accept?
Maybe
you're
wondering
how do
I know
if I've
accepted
wisdom's
invitation?
It's good
that you
should ask
that.
We need
to.
And the
middle part
of this
text today
actually
tells us
how.
Solomon
splits
fools
into
different
categories
in the
book of
Proverbs.
So in
this chapter
we have
the simple
or the
uncommitted.
And the
hosts are
calling out
to the
simple-minded
and appealing
to them
to join
their
banquets.
But we
also have
another type
of fool
in this
chapter
called
the
mocker.
And let's
see what
we can
learn about
them
now.
Firstly,
mockers
refuse to
repent.
And they
hate
rebuke.
Have a
look with
me from
verse
7.
Whoever
corrects a
mocker
invites
insults.
whoever
rebukes
the wicked
incurs
abuse.
Don't
rebuke
mockers
or they
will hate
you.
Rebuke
the wise
and they
will love
you.
Instruct
the wise
and they
will be
wiser
still.
Teach
the righteous
and they
will add
to their
learning.
See,
wisdom says
to us,
you are
foolish
and on
the road
to the
destruction,
leave your
simple ways
behind and
come into
my house.
Mockers
are insulted
by that.
They're
offended by
wisdom,
telling them
that they
have an
innate
wisdom
deficit.
Mockers
hit back,
but they're
fine.
Yeah,
might make
a few
mistakes here
and there,
but how
dare you
say I
am on
the road
to
destruction?
I am
a good
person.
See in
verse 8,
Mockers
hate those
who try
to instruct
them in
how they
need to
change.
If you
point out
some aspect
of their
foolishness
to them,
they get
angry.
They
justify their
own behavior
or they
fling back
an angry
dart of
your faults
and failings,
never willing
to admit
their own.
that's
what a
mocker
is.
Doesn't
it sound
familiar
in our
lives?
See,
the tragic
thing about
all this
is that
Solomon
questions the
point in
even trying
to rebuke
them or
instruct
them.
Solomon
seems to
say in
verse 8,
their heart
is so
hardened
to wisdom,
they seem
beyond the
point of
repentance.
This is
tragic.
God forbid
that any
one of us
would be
found
among
the
mockers,
cold,
hardened,
unwilling
to repent
at wisdom's
rebuke.
Ultimately,
unwilling to
repent at
Christ's
rebuke.
How dare
Jesus tell
me I have
a sin
problem?
How dare
he say I
am destined
for hell?
How dare
he ask me
to change
my lifestyle
or words
or spending
habits or
attitudes?
I will
never accept
his banquet
invitation.
It only
insults me.
I'd rather
take the
other invitation.
That lady
over there,
she affirms
me in my
actions.
She says
I'm doing
just fine.
shudder at
the thought
of being
in that
number.
Be warned.
Verse 12.
If you
are a
mocker,
you alone
will suffer.
Here is the
banquet you
have chosen.
death.
It ends in
eternal death.
If that is
you today,
come on
your knees
before God
and ask him
to change
your heart.
Because if
Jesus can
change a
heart of
stone like
Saul's on
the road of
Damascus,
he can change
mine and he
can change
yours.
It's never
too late
to cry
out to
Jesus.
And you
know what?
There is
another response
in this
text.
The wise.
The wise
willingly
repent and
they grow
wiser still.
Look at
verse 8 and
9 again.
Don't
rebuke
mockers that
they will
hate you.
Rebuke
the wise
and they
will love
you.
Instruct
the wise.
They'll
be wiser
still.
Teach
the righteous
and they
will add
to their
learning.
That's the
first thing
we see.
The wise
love those
who rebuke
and instruct
them.
Here's how
one way,
how you know
if you've
accepted
wisdom's
invitation in
Christ.
Do you
love those
who rebuke
you and
instruct
you?
Do you
welcome
feedback on
how you
could be
a better
version of
yourself?
If you're
married,
do you
ever ask
your
spouse,
how can
I love
you better?
What
things do
you see
in my
life that
I need
to change?
If you're
with a
close friend,
do you
ever ask,
friend,
in what
ways have
I hurt
you in
our
relationship?
How can
I be a
better
friend in
person?
If you're
meeting with
your elders
in church
or those
who watch
over your
spiritual health,
are you
willing to
accept feedback
from them
as to how
you can
grow in
your faith?
The wise
love those
who teach
them,
because they're
teaching them
how to get
wiser still.
It's all
gain.
Yes,
it hurts
to hear
about our
sin.
That stings.
It feels
bad at the
time,
doesn't it?
But if
that other
person truly
loves you,
it's okay
to be
broken in
front of
them.
We could
just pretend
that we're
faultless and
blameless and
the finished
package,
but we're
only kidding
ourselves.
Embrace
the opportunity
to grow
in wisdom.
Are we
actually doing
that?
Yes.
Second thing
we learn is
that the wise
are always
growing in
wisdom.
Once you
leave your
simple ways
and turn
into wisdom's
banquet,
you begin
feasting at
her table.
Wisdom
begins to
rub off
on you
more and
more.
Instruct
the wise
and they
will be
wiser
still.
Teach
the righteous
and they
will add
to their
learning.
Do you
see that
positive
cause and
effect
cycle?
The more
you listen
to wisdom,
the wiser
you get.
Can we
say today
that we're
growing in
wisdom?
Looking back
over our
lives,
even a
year,
five years,
ten years,
can we
see those
signs of
growth in
wisdom?
That's another
sign that
we've accepted
wisdom's
invitation.
But here's
the last one
I think
we're given.
It's that
the wise
fear and
know the
Lord.
Have a look
at verse
10.
Scholars tell
us this is
the most
important verse
actually in
the whole
book of
Proverbs.
The fear
of the
Lord is
the beginning
of wisdom.
And knowledge
of the
Holy One
is understanding.
You see,
fearing God
and knowing
him are the
beginning of
wisdom.
Wisdom is
ultimately about
knowing God.
God.
How do we
know God?
We know
him
ultimately
through
Christ.
Jesus
actually said,
he said,
if you knew
me, you
would know
my Father.
So do you
love Christ?
Do you
fear him,
that sense
of reverence
and honor,
that desire
to worship
him?
the wise
are those
who hear
his call
to repent
and freely
confess to
him their
foolishness.
They desire
to live
his way
from now
on.
That doesn't
mean that
wise people
are perfect
people.
They're still
learning wisdom,
right?
And Christ,
their most
generous
and patient
host,
has made
provision on
the cross
for all
their failures
past,
present,
and future.
the wise
come to
him
daily
for forgiveness,
which he
freely provides.
So do you
honor Jesus
as your
Lord and
King?
That is
the beginning
of wisdom.
And from
there,
we just
continue to
grow in
wisdom as
we walk
with Jesus
in whom
are hidden
all the
treasures
of wisdom
and knowledge.
So this
is what
the wise
are like.
They love
those who
rebuke and
instruct them.
They're
always growing
in wisdom.
They fear
the Lord.
Does that
description
match your
life and
mine?
I want to
finish with a
story,
and this is
one that
Jesus told.
If you
could turn
please to
Luke,
chapter 14,
and verse
15.
This is on
page 1048
in the
Red Church
Bible.
Luke,
chapter 14,
verse 15.
And Johnny
was referring
to this
already this
morning.
Jesus says
that all
our wedding
banquets are
shadows of
the true
wedding banquet
to come
in heaven,
the greatest
feast imaginable,
when his
bride,
the church,
God's people,
those who
trusted in
Christ,
will be
united to
Jesus in
marriage
forever.
That's the
true marriage.
And the
call goes out
to the world
for all to
come to
Christ,
to be part
of this
marriage
forever.
And this
is what
Jesus is
referring to
as he
tells this
parable
in Luke,
chapter 14,
verse 15.
When one
of those
at the
table
with him
heard this,
he said
to Jesus,
blessed
is the
one who
will eat
at the
feast in
the kingdom
of God.
Jesus
replied with
a story.
A certain
man was
preparing a
great banquet
and invited
many guests.
At the
time of the
banquet,
he sent
his servant
to tell
those who
had been
invited,
come,
for everything
is now
ready.
But they
all alike
began to
make excuses.
The first
said,
I have
just bought
a field.
I must
go and
see it.
Please
excuse me.
Another
said,
I've just
bought five
yoke of
oxen and
I'm on
my way to
try them
out.
Please
excuse me.
still
another
said,
oh,
I just
got
married.
I
can't
come.
The
servant
came back
and reported
this to
his master.
Then the
owner of
the house
became angry
and ordered
his servant
go out
quickly into
the streets
and alleys
of the town
and bring
in the
poor,
the crippled,
the blind
and the
lame.
sir,
the servant
said,
what you
ordered
has been
done,
but there
is still
room.
Then the
master told
his servants,
go out to
the roads
and country
lanes and
compel them
to come
in so
that my
house will
be full.
I tell
you,
not one
of those
who were
invited
will get
a taste
of my
banquet.
The
people
invited to
the
feasts
turned
down the
invitation,
right?
They
just thought
they didn't
need it.
Likewise,
how easy
is it for
us to
make excuses
for Jesus?
I have a
good life.
I've got
health.
I've got a
family,
money,
a career.
I don't
need Jesus
forgiveness,
his wisdom,
his life.
In the
end,
in the
story,
who was
it that
came in?
It was
the poor,
the bankrupt,
the sick,
people who
know they
are desperate.
They
gleefully
accepted the
invitation.
They
couldn't
believe they
were asked.
They left
everything and
ran and
joined the
feast.
Christ is
the true
host,
inviting us
into his
house to
a lavish
wedding feast
forever.
He is a
wealthy and
wise friend
who has
thought of
everything we
need in
advance and
prepared it
for us.
He lacks
nothing that
we need
and it
comes at
no cost
to us.
We don't
have to
pay our
way in
to the
feast or
settle the
bill afterwards.
No.
We are
bankrupt fools
with nothing
in our
hands to
offer him.
except to
simply reach
out and
receive his
mercy.
To bring
glory to
him as
the most
generous,
most
honoring
host who
has loved
us and
gave himself
up for us
so that we
could be his
bride,
his people
united in
love to
him forever.
which
invitation
will you
accept?
Will you
choose the
banquet of
this world
with all
its hollow
promises that
end in
death?
Or will
you be
seated at
the wedding
supper of
the Lamb
in heaven
in white
garments
made clean
by Jesus?
Let's
pray.
We're just
going to
pause to
consider our
response to
Jesus'
invitation.
salvation.
If you
haven't
accepted
him,
what would
hold you
back this
day?
Your
pride?
Your own
intuitions of
your own
goodness?
If you
have accepted
Jesus, are
you daily
feasting at
his banquet
of life,
of wisdom?
Speak to
him now.
Amen.
Lord, forgive
us for
when we
turn to
the scraps
that this
world offers
us, as
if that's
the real
food.
Forgive us
for when
we turn
down your
rich,
satisfying
feast of
wisdom.
for
emptiness.
Help us
to daily
feast at
your table,
Jesus.
Filling our
hearts with
your words,
which satisfy
us and
bring us
life.
Let us
know the
overflowing
life that
you made
us to
live in
Christ Jesus
forever.
We ask
all these
things for
your glory
and for
our good.
Amen.