Cumberland Presbyterian Ponderings: Proverbs 1:7

Showing posts with label Proverbs 1:7. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Already Dead

Most of the time when you hear me talk, I talk about God’s love. We are to love God and love one another as the mainstay of our discipleship. God is love.

Sure, there are other things that we should do. You will find most to be rooted in love.

Jesus told us that we are wise to put his words into practice. In fact, he compared those who practice what he taught as to one who built their house on solid rock instead of shifting sand, the latter would wash away in the storm.

Today, I want to talk to you about life and death. It’s sort of a heavy subject—life and death. It’s an important topic.

We know life, though few live it fully. We sometimes sleep through much of life. I’m not talking about restful sleep that we all need. I mean being in a slumber when we should be fully awake. I didn’t say woke.

Being woke—and that’s not what we are here to talk about is like building your house on shifting and sinking sand. It seems right for a while, but then it comes crashing down. Again, that’s not our topic for right now.

We are talking about life and death.

You know what death is too. Most of you have lost a loved one at some point. Maybe you were too young to remember much.

Most of you have lost a pet to death. You live in Oklahoma. You have seen road kill. I would bet to say that you have seen more dead armadillos than live ones.

I had to go see the doctor in Elk City last Thursday. That was a three-skunk Thursday. That drive took on an atmosphere of its own.

We have seen death. Do you know what the Bible says?

It says that you are already dead. How can that be? I’m sitting here breathing and wanting to be on my phone. I can’t be dead. Listen to the words of Jesus

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

If you truly believe in the Son—that’s Jesus—then you have life now and for eternity. But if you don’t believe, you are already dead. When your body wears out or you get struck by lightning or snake bit and die, it’s GAME OVER!

And you have no reset button.

Who has heard that the wages of sin is death? You were dead in your sin and all have sinned.

Do you know the second half of that verse?

But the gift of God is eternal life.

There is a discussion to be had about the innocence of the young, but we must know that sin has touched us all, even the child. Why do you think the counsel to parents is to bring up a child in the way he should go?

If you can understand what I am saying, the innocence excuse is not valid for you. We have all missed the target at some point. You are accountable for your life.

So what am I getting at? Life and death. They are real. You have seen death. While we can celebrate the death of a believer for only this physical body has perished; the same cannot be said of the one who rejects God.

They are dead already!

In some congregations, maybe you have gone to some of them, the preacher wants to scare you into walking the aisle and professing Jesus as Lord out of fear.

There is nothing wrong with the fear of the Lord. In fact we are counseled that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. It’s a good place to start.

What I am talking about is the fear of hell. Hell is real. You don’t want to go there. It’s not where God designed you to go. It is not your predestination, but you can get there by rejecting God.

Don’t profess Jesus is Lord because you fear hell. Profess Jesus is Lord because you seek God. You want to know God. You want to know the life and eternal life that God has in store for you.

Profess Jesus is Lord because you believe that God is love. It’s ok to fear the Lord. You can fear hell if you want to, but if that is how you live your life, you are missing out on the living part.

You might think that there is no difference in professing Jesus is Lord out of fear and out of love. There is!

For those who profess Jesus is Lord out of the fear of hell, you think that you reached the finish line. You think, I’ve won. I’m not going to hell.

You think it’s game over and you have won. You just have to wait out the rest of your life to get to heaven.

For the one who receives Jesus as Lord out of the love of God over the love of the world, you realize that you are just in the starting blocks.

Life—real life, abundant life—begins now. It’s time to really live. What does the Bible say?

Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

When does eternal life begin? It begins now when you have professed Jesus is Lord. There is a better part to come, but eternal life begins in the moment you truly believe in God through his son Christ Jesus.

You have passed from death to life!

Remember that salvation is the free gift of God, but you must receive it. Here’s a good Bible word—Woe. Woe to those who reject it. Death remains upon them. You are already dead!

But you can live now and forever in Christ Jesus. The moment you truly believe, you pass from death to life.

But how do I know that I really believe?

That’s an excellent question. It is an essential question. How do you know?

You will know when you are ready to give up the sinful ways of the world and receive the ways of the Lord.

It is called repentance. You must not only turn away from the ways of the world, but leave all of that worldly baggage behind so you are free to take the yoke of your Master—that’s Jesus—and learn from him.

You will be ready to put his words into practice. The word is practice. You might not get everything right the first time or the first thousand times, but you have committed to following Jesus.

You have passed from death to life.

Amen.

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Proverbs Review

Read Ephesians 5:15-16

Let’s try this in the New King James Version.

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Why this version? It seems that the words pack a lot more into them than some translations. What does it mean to walk circumspectly? That’s a term we don’t use much, but perhaps we should.

It is to live considering all factors, consequences, and sequels. You remember look before you leap, right?

Paul’s counsel is to look, consider, analyze both consequences and sequels, and be sure—let’s go with fully convinced in your own mind—that the course you are embarking upon is the one directed for you by the Lord.

To walk circumspectly is to have considered the full biblical witness, the leading of God’s own Spirit that resides within you, and to have held every thought captive until it is obedient to the Lord. Then you discern where God is directing you.

What dichotomy does Paul proffer? Foolish and wise are the two choices. There is God’s way and there is everything else. Paul says stay out of the everything else and live God’s way and do it every day.

Now we come to another interesting phrase—redeeming the time. Other translations say making the most of the time or most of every opportunity. Those are good translations, but consider what it is to redeem.

It is to make good out of something damaged or broken. What could be broken? The days are evil.

Evil abounds in this age. It’s here in our presence. It’s in our face. Evil does not hide. It lives in the open and entices many to join forces with it.

The everything else is everywhere.

But we who seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness are counseled to walk circumspectly. We consider all factors before we take a step. We step out confidently when we know it is the Lord directing our steps.

We are to live as wise not unwise people. That’s every moment of every day. That’s a challenge but not a challenge that we who seek God will back away from.

How do we live as those who are wise? It’s a lifelong commitment, but we need to start somewhere. Get you a handful of proverbs that you will claim as your own. All of God’s wisdom is available to you, but you are wise to carry much of it with you.

Don’t wear it like a phylactery. Write it on your hearts.

Here are some suggestions. Many will already sound very familiar.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

That’s Proverbs 1:7. I think most of you already know this one. God’s people desire knowledge, wisdom, instruction, and the Lord’s discipline. Fools do not.

You will know this next proverb as well.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight.

I have said before that I can connect almost any message to either the Parable of the Talents, which we will read next week or to Proverbs 3:5-6. Many connect to both but you should have this proverb in your heart.

Why? Much of what you wrestle with in life involves dissonance between God’s way and your own understanding. This proverb which you should always have at the ready reminds us that God has already done all of the analysis and his way is always best. It is for our own good, and leads to blessings for us.

We don’t go much farther for the next piece of counsel that I suggest we keep on tap. It’s Proverbs 3:9-10.

Honor the Lord with your wealth,

with the firstfruits of all your crops;

then your barns will be filled to overflowing,

and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Whatever we have gained in this life comes from God. Honor him with what we have received in tithes and offerings and generosity. God will keep on blessing you. God will continue to bless you.

I’m jumping over big sections on the 3 metaphorical women—Wisdom, Folly, and the Adulterous woman and going to Proverbs 10:4.

Lazy hands make for poverty,

but diligent hands bring wealth.

We get this several different ways over the course of 31 chapters, but the quality of industry is valued. Laziness leads to destruction. Remember:

God’s Way – Everything Else

Industry – Laziness

Let’s jump to the fourth verse in the next chapter.

Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,

but righteousness delivers from death.

We are told that hard work pays off. Sometimes we are told it brings riches, but riches are not the goal. Riches are not the objective. Riches are incidental to hard work, but we are working towards righteousness. We want to be in right standing with God.

Today, we know that only Christ can bring us to right standing with God, but we want to live in such a way that our example honors God and brings glory to his name. Our very lives are our best offering to God.

When it’s all said and done, our money won’t count for squat as far as being right with God goes. What we did with our money and riches and everything else that God gave us will say a lot about whether our response to God’s great love brought glory to his name.

Long story short—you can’t buy a stairway to heaven. Good song. Bad theology.

Let’s jump to the beginning of chapter 12.

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

but whoever hates correction is stupid.

We caught on early that those who seek God and his kingdom and his righteousness love knowledge, wisdom, instruction, and discipline. Those who are not seeking God don’t want to be corrected.

Remember, fools despise wisdom and instruction or wisdom and discipline. This proverb reinforces one of the first that we learned, but notice the harshness of the language.

If you are headed to the everything else and someone who cares for you tries to help—we will call it correction—and you reject that help, you are stupid.

Now, we have told our children not to call anyone stupid. That’s good counsel, but it does not apply to wisdom. Wisdom calls it as she sees it.

Mama always said, stupid is as stupid does.

Detesting and defying good correction is just stupid. There is no figurative language. There is no sugar coating.

Rejecting people and counsel that attempt to rescue you from the everything else and bring you into God’s way is just stupid.

Let’s move on to Proverbs 13:14.

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,

turning a person from the snares of death.

Correction from a wise person is not for self-righteousness. It offers the hope of saving someone from the everything else. So stupid is as stupid does, but some may listen to the teachers of wisdom and decide to turn their lives around.

Let’s not forget the comparative proverbs. Here is one from chapter 15 that hits home with many.

Better a little with the fear of the Lord

than great wealth with turmoil.

Better a small serving of vegetables with love

than a fattened calf with hatred.

What’s better: God’s way and love or great wealth and feasting with hatred?

For most, this is a no-brainer. Sometimes, we need an affirmation that what we have though it may seem little is so much more valuable than what the world desires and serves up with contempt and hatred.

Here’s a corollary from the next chapter.

Better a little with righteousness

than much gain with injustice.

Think to what Jesus said in his parable of the bigger barns or the rich fool.

A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

His counsel further instructed us to be on the lookout for all sorts of greed. In Proverbial syntax, watch out for things that lure your heart into the everything else.

Chapter 17 begins with more along these lines.

Better a dry crust with peace and quiet

than a house full of feasting, with strife.

Proverbs tells us that peace is more important than perceived prosperity. There is nothing wrong with prosperity, but when it is accompanied by strife, hatred, and contempt, it’s hardly worth it.

At this point, I’m going to tell you that the proverbs that I selected may not be the ones that you selected as your favorites. To which I say, good!

I do hope that you have half a dozen or so that you have memorized and another dozen that you keep at the ready. Proverbs must not be a book that we read and then moved on. It must be something that increased our hunger for wisdom.

I hope you are hungry for wisdom.

Here’s food for thought from Proverbs 19:19.

A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;

rescue them, and you will have to do it again.

What do you get when you never let your child face the consequences of his or her bad decisions?

Answer is: An adult who expects to be rescued from his bad decisions.

We must learn to deal with our anger, temper, impulsiveness, poor thinking skills, and other things that lead us into the everything else. If you won’t let your kids face the consequences of their actions, they will expect rescue from them as adults.

If you rescue them as adults, you have signed up for a lifetime subscription.

Let’s jump to one that most of you know by heart. It’s Proverbs 22:6-7

Train up a child in the way he should go,

And when he is old he will not depart from it.

The rich rules over the poor,

And the borrower is servant to the lender.

I made the point when we went through this chapter that these two are linked and that link is most applicable in our time. What is missing from so much godly instruction? Our relationship with money. We must be the master.

Debt reverses that relationship.

I’m jumping a few chapters to one of my favorites, Proverbs 27:17.

As iron sharpens iron,

so one person sharpens another.

We as the body of Christ should encourage and pray for one another. We must love one another, and if we apply this proverb, we sharpen one another.

We help each other grow by challenging each other to do better. Just as you lifting budding pushes you to do one more repetition, so too do we challenge each other to grow in God’s grace.

I will wrap this up with the fifth verse from chapter 30.

Every word of God is flawless;

he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

How can we trust in the Lord all the time? We must know that every word of God is flawless. God doesn’t write “Oops!” in the margins.

We can trust completely in him and his word and we can take refuge in him when the world is set against us.

My hope is that I touched on some of your favorites and skipped over some as well. For those who earnestly embraced the daily reading of this book of wisdom, you are blessed and you will return to them on your own. Continued study of God’s wisdom will continue to bless you.

My hope is that you won’t put Proverbs in the rear-view mirror; instead, you will continue to consult them on a regular basis. Long ago and far away, my biblical wisdom professor challenged us to make a covenant with her that we would continue to read wisdom literature for the next year.

We put our thumbprint into a piece of clay and she shellacked it and mounted it on a piece of wood so we could put it somewhere that would remind us of our commitments.

I offer you the same challenge. Commit to reading the Bible’s wisdom literature for the next year. You might find it turns into a habit.

I don’t have clay or a kiln, but I do have Facebook and will post recurring reminders to read God’s wisdom literature. Remind each other. Teach this wisdom to your children. Talk about it instead of the ball game or the weather.

Remember, as those who seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, you are people who hunger for knowledge, wisdom, instruction, and discipline.

Amen.

Consider the following links as you review the Proverbs.

Proverbs 1

God’s way and everything else

Listen to mom and dad