The Bible reading today is from Proverbs 8.
On the heights beside the way, at the crossroad she takes her stand.
Beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud,
To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man.
O simple ones, learn prudence. O fools, learn sense.
Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right,
for my mouth will utter truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are righteous. There is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
They are straight, they are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.
Take my instruction instead of silver, and my knowledge rather than choice gold.
For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
I have counsel and sound wisdom. I have insight. I have strength.
By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just.
By me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.
I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.
Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.
My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.
I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice, granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.
The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, at the first of his acts of old.
Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
When there were no depths, I was brought forth.
When there were no springs abounding with water.
Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth.
Before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.
When he established the heavens, I was there.
When he drew a circle on the face of the deep.
When he made firm the skies above.
When he established the fountains of the deep.
When he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command.
When he marked out the foundations of the earth.
Then I was beside him, like a master workman.
And I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always.
Rejoicing in his inhabited world, and delighting in the children of man.
And now, O sons, listen to me.
Blessed are those who keep my ways.
Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.
Blessed is the one who listens to me.
Watching daily at my gates.
Waiting beside my doors.
For whoever finds me, finds life and obtains favor from the Lord.
But he who fails to find me, injures himself.
All who hate me, love death.
Good morning everyone.
If you want to open to Proverbs 8, and then we'll pray.
Please pray with me.
Our Father, we admit that our hearts chase after everything.
We find everything else appealing, besides your ways often.
So I pray that this morning that you would speak to us,
and that you would persuade each one of us that your ways are best.
Your ways are good, and bring us life.
That they are rich.
So please be with each one of us.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, yesterday a friend said some harsh words to you,
and you're now in the shower rehearsing those words that cut you deeply.
Lady Folly is shouting in one ear,
How dare he?
Does he even know me?
I wish I pointed out how much of a hypocrite he is.
But woman wisdom is in the other ear, calling out,
Is this really worth dwelling on?
Now, Proverbs 19, 11,
Good sense makes one slow to anger,
and it is to his glory to overlook an offence.
Can I just overlook this?
Lady Folly butts in.
Your pride is at stake.
Are you just going to let them walk all over you?
Are you going to take this lying down?
Defend yourself.
Woman wisdom calls you again.
Did he really intend to harm me?
Is there truth to his words?
Proverbs 27, 6.
Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.
Lady Folly yells again.
Yes, he meant every word.
I don't know why he said it,
and I don't know how our relationship is going to get past this.
Here's a few things you can say to defend yourself next time.
You can get one up on him.
If the friendship blows up,
well, there obviously wasn't much of a friendship to begin with.
Woman wisdom offers a different way.
Okay.
Even if the words are untrue,
even inconsiderate,
remember Proverbs 15, 1.
A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
And then you have breakfast,
and then you confront the next dilemma you've got to face in life.
Life is complicated, isn't it?
I find it is.
We have to make choices all day, every day.
Some are small.
Some have big consequences,
like the impact on our friendships,
our relationships.
The good news in Proverbs is
we're not left to ourselves
to navigate the complexities of life.
The book of Proverbs gives down-to-earth advice,
divine advice,
to help us live well.
So I've just tried to illustrate the theme of friendship,
but there's loads of Proverbs on our speech.
How many times have your words got you into trouble
and caused damage?
Words on speech,
Proverbs on work and laziness
and alcohol and sexuality and parenting
and children relating to parents and justice
and relating to those in authority.
So we've got help.
We've got help to navigate the complexities of life.
The bad news is,
at every turn,
we're confronted with competing voices,
both wanting us to give ourselves to them,
both presenting as the best way to live.
There's two fundamental paths we can take in every decision,
two women we can embrace.
Whether we're male or female,
reading Proverbs,
we take the position of a young man trying to work out their way in life.
We've got two women we can listen to and embrace.
Both want our heart's affections.
Both want to be our intimate companion through life.
As Marty helpfully explained to the kids,
it's lady folly and woman wisdom.
At every turn,
we can choose whether to fear the Lord
or to be a fool and turn away from him.
Now, I think sometimes I'm a bit dull.
When we use the term foolishness and wisdom,
they just seem like abstract terms in my mind.
What's actually,
what's the choice?
How would the original hearers in Israel from Solomon's day onwards,
how would they have heard this choice?
I think it'll help if we just pause and consider that
so that we understand what choice we're making.
I think a clue here is that both ladies are crying out
from the high places where God's temple or idols were worshipped.
And more broadly than that,
one results in destruction,
the other results in life and blessing.
To a Jewish person,
they would be thinking of Deuteronomy,
whether they are in covenant faithfulness with Yahweh
or choosing to worship idols.
In their case, Baal,
who offered fertility and life and blessing.
So the personification of these two women
really means the choice isn't an abstract one.
It's not just an ethical one.
It's a relationship.
Who are we going to give ourselves to?
Yahweh or Baal?
For the original audience.
Who do we think is going to give us life?
Whose love is best?
Who's going to enrich our life?
Are we going to be faithful to Yahweh
or are we going to commit spiritual adultery with idols?
Now, I've never been tempted to worship Baal.
I doubt any of you have.
But idols just have different faces today, don't they?
If you take any created thing
and you make it an ultimate thing,
you must have this thing to live.
You've made an idol.
I'm not sure who said it,
but someone described killing idols as like whack-a-mole.
You hit one and like two others pop up
and we're just idol factories.
I can't remember who described it though.
Calvin maybe.
I don't know.
Marty, you could tell me.
Yeah, Calvin.
Okay.
Our hearts are idol factories,
taking a created thing and making it,
I must have this to have life.
So whether that's food or power, success,
marriage, money, popularity, anything really.
At every turn, we're going to choose
between embracing the Lord and his ways
and what idols offer us.
We're on the search for love.
Whose love is best?
The Lord's or idols?
Who's going to love us?
Who do we think is going to give us the best life?
Who's going to enrich our life?
Whoever we think is, we're going to embrace them.
And we're making that choice all the time.
So in chapter 7, we've been warned
of the deceptive, seductive dangers of idols.
Now in chapter 8, we've got the positive side
of the argument.
We've got this grand display of all the reasons
why we should choose God's voice,
his wisdom, his ways.
Just before we get into it,
it struck me like,
why do we need nine chapters
to convince us to choose wisdom?
Like, why don't we just jump into chapter 10
and get all the wisdom about life?
Surely I want to be wise.
Am I ignorant?
Am I slow to learn?
Am I forgetful?
Or worse still, am I already convinced
that foolishness is better,
that idols are better?
I reckon it's all the above in my case.
We need to be convinced
that God's word is best.
And the paradox is,
you're only on the path to God's wisdom
when you first admit that you're a fool,
that we're already in love with idols.
We need to be convinced.
And that's what chapter 8 is about.
It's showing us,
look how beautiful wisdom is.
Look how much God's ways enrich your life.
So let's jump into it.
Here's why we should embrace woman wisdom.
Here's what she offers you.
Do you want to be a good person?
I don't think I've met anyone
who doesn't want to be a good person.
Do you want to be a good person?
Do you want to live a successful life?
Do you want to be rich?
Do you want to live in harmony
with how the world works,
in tune with the meaning of life?
Do you want a long and satisfying life?
Do you want to live in harmony with the truth?
That's what she offers us.
So let's take a look at these things.
Verses 1 to 5, if you have a look there.
The first great truth about God's wisdom
is that even though I'm a fool,
the gracious news is that woman wisdom is pursuing me.
it's it doesn't start with me pursuing God it starts with God pursuing me
if you look at those verses she is everywhere you go
in your daily life in Newcastle she is everywhere at every turn even in the shower
along the roads on your way to work on the way home common places public places she's not silent
foolishness is loud but she is calling out she's crying out at every turn and she's crying out to
every person verse 4 to you oh men I call and my cry is to the children of man even gullible and
simple-minded ignorant wayward people verse 5 she's calling out to us she's calling out she wants us
no one needs to remain a fool she's there with us all the time
so both in ancient times with ancient philosophy and I think in modern day too with intellectuals
of the world like Stephen Hawking sometimes they can claim like they've got the monopoly on
what life is about but wisdom is available to all God is saying in these verses whether educated or
not whether you're a brain on legs or not like God's wisdom wants to be found God wisdom is
available to all of us in fact consider who the Lord reveals the way of eternal life to in Matthew
11 25 Jesus prays this I thank you father Lord of heaven and earth that you've hidden these things
so eternal life from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children yes father for
such was your gracious will wisdom is pursuing you she's available everywhere you go all day
you don't have to be wise and learn it you have to be a child and listen that's how you become wise
it's by a personal relationship with the Lord not by intellect that you find her
and because wisdom is pursuing you here's the guarantee in verse 17 those who seek me diligently find me
if you want her you will find her
you won't miss out she wants to be found
and if you want the company of truth in your life if you want the company of what is good and right
if you want to be prudent if you want discretion in making your choices
if you want to stay away from pride and arrogance twisted speech all that's evil
then one wisdom can introduce you to these things she is the way to be a good person
now I don't know about you but sometimes the righteous thing to do is just not obvious I find
some things are obvious other times it's really hard to work it out
there seems to be an emphasis in these verses on words and just reflecting on my own words like
knowing my own motives is really tricky like am I saying this thing to be honest or to gossip
to provide relevant information or to try and defend myself
am I saying this to give helpful advice or because I just need to be needed
wisdom helps us navigate these motives in our hearts helps us be wise in understanding them
we need her to do that we need to listen to her to do that
and we've got we've got to decide where the character and virtue is more valuable than what money can offer
she claims in verse 11 all that you may desire cannot compare with her
we can become virtuous by her we just need to listen to her so she is the way to be a good person and
the flip side is even though she's better than all that you can desire including riches
she then is the key to success in riches
verse 14 to 21 wisdom isn't just head knowledge it's it's really practical it's how to live well
we need her counsel to make the right plan we need
sound judgment to be resourceful we need her power her boldness to actually carry out the plan
for it to be successful if you don't have those things your plans will just flop
let me give you an example of a plan flopping
the other day when leaving the house very simple activity I thought I'm going to leave the house
I'm going to lock the door when I return I'll open the door and enter
that did not happen I looked at the bunch of keys it had my car key had a bunch of keys
okay I've got the house key I'll leave I come back home and my purple house key isn't on the ring
I couldn't get in I've forgotten and I've given that purple key to a visitor the previous week
now that is a very simple situation in life but I need wisdom for my plans to be successful
we need wisdom every step of the way
success depends entirely on her any success in our life is due to her
so the connection to riches becomes obvious then if if she's the key to success then that's gonna result
give results in financial terms that's gonna bring wealth so I think you see it in the salvation army
movement um in England when it started up they just focused on serving the poor and giving them the gospel
here's the thing though the gospel turn these people into like reliable hard-working diligent people who
then became middle class it actually resulted in well-being she is the key to success and and riches
and the same applies to leadership kings and princes whether they recognize it as god's wisdom or not
if they have any success it's because of her it's because of her
but even for them it's not the main goal isn't the wealth
we need to get our head around this the main goal isn't the wealth
kings and princes don't need wisdom for their own personal advantage they need it to execute justice
to bring out peace in society that's the real riches they need it for
the key here is verse 19 my fruit is better than gold
so the results I give you is better than money better than fine gold my yield than choice silver
so Tim Keller to kind of help help me understand this hopefully the way I say it can help you
success although wisdom brings about success success isn't what a wise person is aiming for
primarily they hope to get success but it's not the primary goal so success whether relationally or
financially is just a byproduct a wise person seeks something more than riches this better fruit
so what is that I think verse 35 clarifies it for us life and favor from the lord
so a wise person doesn't do something because it will succeed but because it's right and loving
towards god so think of it relationally confessing your sin in in a broken relationship is the good
way to restore a relationship and you desire for that to happen but you can't success isn't the
primary motivation you hope success happens that the relationship is restored but that's not the
primary motive the primary motive in confessing your sin is it's right and it pleases the lord
trying to gauge if that makes sense or not if I've muddied the waters I'm not sure
god's ways usually produce results but the results isn't what we're aiming for
we're doing it because it's right and it pleases the lord we receive favor from the lord
and there's a very good reason why doing what is right and loving towards god works in life and that
and that brings us to verses 22 to 31 it's because woman wisdom is the architect of all that exists
she made it all she designed it
as we read these verses it is really critical to remember we're reading poetry here
it's not saying that there's this personal entity outside of god that that's existed before the world
that god consulted to make the world this is poetry it's this woman wisdom is god's mind
intrinsic to his eternal being
so woman wisdom made the world
before we read these verses do you know what one of the key features is that makes a person's face
beautiful now I learned this on four corners I'm not just making this up
one of the key features I was surprised to learn this it's symmetry
it's not like big eyes or whatever it's symmetry the left and right being in order
sorry if you've got a bent nose
probably don't play rugby
it's when things are in order that things are beautiful that we delight in them
so
a stone wall is more beautiful than just a pile of those same stones
or
a garden looks beautiful when
the weeds are gone and it's trimmed not when it's wild
when things are in order that's when
we delight in it that's when
that's what we call beauty
order makes something beautiful something to delight in
I think that'll help us understand these verses the picture in these verses recalls Genesis 1 when God created order out of chaos creating the world
let me read some of the verses
ages ago I was set up at the first before the beginning of the earth when there was no depths I was brought forth
before the mountains had been shaped
when he established the heavens I was there
when he assigned to the sea its limit
so that the waters might not transgress his command
when he marked out the foundations of the earth
then I was beside him like a master workman
and I was daily his delight
rejoicing before him always
rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man
wisdom wasn't just
there observing she was the agency through which everything came about including you and me
wisdom was God's architect
God looked at wisdom and said
you are absolutely necessary
indispensable
for ordering all things making things beautiful
to delight in
there's no speck of our life
no aspect of our life
that wasn't made by God's wisdom
now here's the implication for us
to live in harmony with the way the world works
we need to listen to the architect who made it
how do we listen to the architect?
well graciously the architect has spoken to us
the rest of the book of Proverbs
all of God's words to us
and most fully that word comes to us in the word of the gospel
when Jesus the embodiment of wisdom arrives
Tim Keller therefore calls the Bible
since it's the word of our creator
our soul's owner's manual
I really like that
the problem is none of us read manuals anymore
our soul's owner's manual
so I'm going to tweak it a bit
and call it our soul's YouTube tutorials
I did watch one the other day
to tie a Windsor knot
that's where I go to
to work out life
I'm not sure if I should be suggesting that or not
so the question is
do you treat the architect's words
as the place you go to
to work out how to live well
or do you listen to Jordan Peterson
now I want to make a nuance point here
you can listen to Jordan Peterson
if a non-Christian
looks at the world
and studies it
and knows how it works
they've discovered God's wisdom
they just don't acknowledge that
so you can listen to non-Christians
my point is
where is your primary
primary source of authority in life
do you treat God's words
as a place you go to
to work out how to live
why wouldn't we
we'd be a fool not to
wouldn't we
this is the architect
telling us
this is what life
this is how it works
this will make it
ordered and beautiful
you'll delight in it
to listen to woman wisdom
is to live in harmony
with how the world was designed
that raised a question in my mind
maybe it has for you as well
if that's the case
why doesn't it feel like
God's ways
are best
so often it just doesn't
feel like it's the best way
like acquiring possessions
feels more valuable
than giving
or leisure
is more enjoyable
than serving
or retaliation
feels more satisfying
than turning the other cheek
or demanding our rights
feels more just
than laying them down
and letting them go
or gossip
is more exciting
than self-control
why is that the case
without going into
each of these things
and looking at the real cost
of choosing these
options
I think the opening chapters
of Proverbs gives us
a few answers
first
foolishness doesn't come
to us saying
hey I'm foolishness
choose me
it comes to us saying
here's a better wisdom
here's the best way
to live
it's a counterfeit
it's a false
way to live
it pretends to be wisdom
in a sense
that's why we need
to be warned
don't be seduced
by her
don't choose her path
it just leads
to destruction
so we need discernment
to listen
and work out
which is really wise
and I think
the second reason
is
since Adam
believes Satan's
deception in the garden
by nature
we're prone
to believing
that same lie
we already
are in love
with Lady Folly
so
if we can't even
recognise foolishness
when we see it
and we actually
desire it
more than true wisdom
a lot of the time
what hope
have we got
it would be a bad place
to end the sermon
the hope is
woman wisdom
is pursuing us
she's calling out
to us
and she's offering
us something better
we need to see
that she
she offers us
something better
doing something
just out of duty
will work
for a moment
but really
if you want to
live in God's ways
we need to be convinced
that God's ways
are good
in the last few verses
summarise what
she's offering us
ultimately
let's hear her words
oh my sons
my sons
she's not some stranger
she's no adulteress
like Lady Folly
who offers us
excitement in the moment
but who really
is just wanting us
to die
oh my sons
she can call us
that
because she's
the architect
who made us
the love she offers
isn't just the thrill
of a one night stand
the love she offers us
is the steadfast
care
and affection
of a mother
who only wants
our good
all the time
she offers us love
but I think
it's a different kind
here's what she says
verse 35
whoever finds me
finds life
and obtains
favour from the Lord
but he who fails
to find me
injures himself
all who hate me
love death
to be in relationship
with woman wisdom
results in favour
from the Lord
it's to receive
the love of God
it's to be in relationship
with God
it's to be in harmony
not just with how the world works
but to be in harmony
with our maker
knowing his love for us
his approval of us
his delight in us
so what does it look like
to respond to woman wisdom
what does it
what does it actually look like
we need to find her
searching diligently
diligently for her
with a guarantee
remember
that if we do
we will find her
she wants to be found
she's available
she's everywhere we turn
and this looks like listening
daily watching at her house
always waiting beside her doors
constantly
diligently
looking for her
but what does that mean
practically
it really will be
seen in how we treat
God's words
do we
look at the rest
of the book of Proverbs
the rest of God's words
to us
our maker's words
to us
and treat them
as
the guide to life
the way to live best
do we listen
to Proverbs
when it tells us
how to use our words
how to work
faithfully
how to treat those
in authority
over you
how to treat your parents
and your spouse
and children
and so on
are we listening
as a church
are we listening
to God's words
individually
in our families
and not just Proverbs
the book of Proverbs
we're going to read
the whole manual
we're going to watch
all the YouTube tutorials
and these tutorials
point to one direction
not the band
in one solution
the one example
to follow
and not just
the example
otherwise it's down
to our own effort
but the one
saviour
the one solution
who is our wisdom
who gives us
his wisdom
who lives that
perfect life
of wisdom
on our behalf
so that we have
the favour of God
Colossians 2-3
says
in Christ
are hidden
all the treasures
of wisdom
and knowledge
he is our wisdom
life is complicated
but Christ
is pursuing us
through his word
if only we would
listen
to how he says
life is best
lived
because he is
the embodiment
of God's wisdom
his word
woman wisdom's words
become
Christ's words
to us
whoever finds
me
finds life
and obtains
favour from the
Lord
but he who
fails to find
me injures
himself
all who hate
me love
death
will you pray
with me
Lord Jesus
I just pray
for us as a
church
and individually
that you would
continue to
reveal to us
as we
take on the
posture of
little children
may you
continually reveal
to us that
you
are good
that your
ways bring
life
in Jesus name
Amen