January 23, 2019
Proverbs 2:1-9
Pro 2:1
Intro.
As we read the text, I want you to take notice of two very important words in this text, “if” and “then”.
When I was in high school, they offered a beginners class on computer programming. One of the things that we learned, and is really important is the “if” “then” statements. Computers are not people, and cannot do deductive reasoning. However they can receive input, and then based on that input, do something else. So if this button is pressed this happens. They are conditional statements.
Most parents understand this, and most young children have a hard time grasping the concept of responsibility. “Johnny, IF you clean your room, you can have ice cream later.” Then Johnny runs off and plays, and doesn’t clean his room. He later says, “Mom you said I can have ice cream!” Johnny, didn’t clean his room, so logic says, Johnny doesn’t get ice cream. Johnny is sad.
In God’s Word, conditional statements are very important to pay attention to. There are things that must be done in order to get the desired results!
Jhn 10:9 - 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
• If they enter through Jesus, “he shall be saved”. Jesus is the only way to be saved.
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Jhn 12:32 - 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all [men] unto me.
• If Jesus be lifted up, he will draw all men unto himself.
There is not always the word if involved.
(Jeremiah 33:3) Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Once again in our text, we have the text written as a father gives advice to his son, with love, and concern.
I. Our Responsibility #
A. Accept it! - Receive! (1-2) #
1. [Hold it! “Receive my words” (1) #
a) If a package comes to my door, and the delivery man is standing there, knocking on my door… I must accept the package before anything will happen. If I’m like, what are you doing here, and send him away… I didn’t receive the package. If I invite him in, and feed him diner, I may have been very nice, but I didn’t accept, receive the package.
b) In America, we have accessibility to the Word of God!
2. [Hide it - “Hide my commandments with thee” (1) #
a) Keep in in your mind!
(1) (Philippians 4:8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, [think on these things
(2) Meditate
(a) (Psalms 1:2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
(b) (Psalms 119:15) I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
b) Keep it in your heart
(1) There are things that are dear to my heart, the Word of God is one of those things that should be dear to our heart.
3. Hear it - “incline thine ear unto wisdom” (2) #
a) Obviously the wisdom here is God’s wisdom, not the worlds wisdom.
b) Voice of God…
(1) God isn’t shouting, and giving signs
(2) (I Kings 19:11-12) And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: A[Asking in sinceritynd after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire [a still small voice.
(3) As you go throughout your life, be sensitive to the voice of God! The wisdom, that is a still small voice, saying, “Son, don’t do that.” or “Son do that, go that way.” - Walk in the spirit…
4. Heed it! “apply thine heart to understanding” (2) #
a) Don’t just hold it, hide it, and hear it, you better heed it! When wise advice from the Word of God is given it doesn’t do anyone any good if they don’t heed it, or obey it.
b) You can grow up in the best home in the world, go to the greatest church in the world, have access to the best education in the world, and still be as dumb as a box of rocks, because you didn’t heed a thing that was taught!
B. Ask for it! (3) Cry #
▪ If you don’t ask for it… don’t expect to get it.
1. Asking is an act of humility! #
a) You don’t know it, you don’t have it… admittance of your lack or insufficiency.
b) You want to go on your prideful path, and do without, go ahead.
2. [Asking in sincerity #
a) Crying implies there is a sincere, deep desire in the heart for this knowledge and understanding!
b) I Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3. Asking in Prayer! #
a) (Jeremiah 33:3) Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
b) (James 1:5-6) If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. ….
c) God is the source of wisdom… why would we go anywhere else and seek for wisdom.
C. Seek after it! (4) - #
▪ What is it you are looking for in life?
a) Every church service, every time the Bible is opened, we should be seeking God’s wisdom!
b) Contrast this to the fool that was cut off last week… Proverbs 1:28-29
1. As Silver! #
a) Why do you go to work every day?
(1) You work every day, because you have bills to pay, you like having a roof over your head, food in the cupboards and fridge, because you need to survive! - That is how we are to seek after wisdom, because we need it to survive!
b) Men pursue treasures and riches on a daily basis. Silver here is used, not gold. It is more of a common every day issue that bogs people down. People would seek silver or wages on a daily basis.
c) Seek God on a daily basis.
d) (Matthew 6:33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you
e) It must be a priority, like going to work! Our survival must depend upon it.
f) If I were to give away $1… it isn’t that great. But if you could get a dollar every hour
2. As hid treasure #
a) IF we seek after the understanding and knowledge like men seek after riches, we will have great reward in our life.
b) People invest great deals of money, energy, time and effort to get that one treasure they are seeking. They work overtime, late into the night, rise early, they will hunt for it! What if we sought after God’s wisdom like that!
a) During the final months of World War II, as Germany found itself on the brink of defeat, the Nazi regime sought to hide the valuable treasures it had spent the past six years looting from museums and doomed Jewish families all over Europe. Even today, rumors continue to circulate of a Nazi “ghost train” carrying up to 300 tons of gold and other riches through a secret network of tunnels in Poland. In Lake Toplitz, located in thick Alpine forest in Austria, Nazi officers are believed to have sunk billions of dollars worth of Reichsbank gold—none of which has been recovered so far. In 1959, divers retrieved containers filled with millions of dollars worth of fake currency from Allied nations, part of a Nazi plan to destroy their enemies’ economies through inflation. To date, at least seven people have drowned in the lake’s freezing waters looking for the lost Nazi gold.
- People have given their lives in search for that treasure… how much time, energy and devotion do we really devout to seeking for wisdom?
(Jeremiah 33:3) Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
II. Our Reward (5, 9) #
A. Understand the fear of the Lord (5) #
B. Uncover the knowledge of God (5) #
1. Know God through your walk! #
a) Enoch walked with God, and was not!
b) Gen 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
2. Know God through the Word! #
a) Desire to know God, and please God
b) Sacrifice babies to the gods, worship the sun, star and moons, sacrifice animals, spend large portions of time in prayer, crawling on their knees up steps… thinking they are getting closer to God!
C. Understand Righteousness #
D. Understand Judgment #
E. Understand Equity #
F. Understand Every good path #
III. Our Rewarder (God is Able) #
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)