Welcome to The Journey Church. I'm Pastor Paris Pasch.

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Welcome to our conclusion of the series on the book of Proverbs.  We have been pulling out some of the most notable parts of the book for you to be enticed to read more. As Pastor Ben stated, a proverb simply gives righteous advice or tells you something right and wrong about life.  Know this; right and wrong are not as fuzzy as your world states and Proverbs clears up the confusion.

 

This week we will look into Proverbs chapters 25-31 which is primarily focused on wisdom for leading others. It can be leaders of any age and any position who influence others, that’s you.  Let’s begin.  We will start with a few comparison proverbs which often have the word “like” in them.

 

Proverbs 25:14 (NIV) Like clouds and wind without rain is one who boasts of gifts never given.

 

In other words don’t blow your own horn so loud.  Don’t chase after fame and fortune.  Many of us should refuse to go on American idol even if our mommy thinks we are the best singer ever.  Comparison proverbs sometimes lead with a positive comparison.

 

Proverbs 25:25 (NIV) Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.

 

 And some with a negative one.

 

Proverbs 25:26 (NIV) Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked.

 

Proverbs 25:28 (NIV) Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.

 

Here is a comparison Proverb that highlights unfaithful living?

 

Proverbs 25:19 (NIV) Like a broken tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.

 

How about some clear words that give you a clue as to how to live life with others around you.

 

Proverbs 25:17 (NIV) Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, too much of you, and they will hate you.

 

Proverbs 26:12 (NIV) Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.

 

Proverbs 27:2 (NIV) Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.

 

Remember the massive number of proverbs relating to how you use your words from last week?  Here are a few more that show how our mouth is a key tool in the life of a believer.

 

Proverbs 26:20–21 (NIV) Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.  As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

 

Proverbs 27:6 (NIV) Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

 

Proverbs 27:17 (NIV) As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

 

Proverbs warns us about careless living.  We are all called to think before we act, seek wisdom before we jump into the future.

 

Proverbs 27:12 (NIV) The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

 

God reminds us that when we commit to the righteous life we will feel confident to move forward.

 

Proverbs 28:1 (NIV) The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

 

You see, you can be bold when you are walking with God and not against Him.  Doing the right thing is always the right thing.

 

Proverbs 28:5 (NIV) Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

 

God also reminds us that earthy wealth is not worth sacrificing our character or our integrity.

 

Proverbs 28:6 (NIV) Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.

 

Proverbs 28:27 (NIV) Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.

 

Proverbs 29:7 (NIV) The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.

 

God also makes it clear that there are very serious consequences to disobedience and rebellion.  Blazing your own trail and not God’s or doing it your way along with Frank Sanatra has a huge negative end.

 

Proverbs 28:9 (NIV) If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.

 

This next one is hard to see lived out today because we have so many people who live in compromise as leaders, but seem to still benefit.  Notice the big BUT in each of these.  God says even the world around us benefits when we believers do what is right.

 

Proverbs 28:12 (NIV) When the righteous triumph, there is great elation; but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.

 

Proverbs 28:13 (NIV) Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

 

Proverbs 28:14 (NIV) Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

 

Proverbs 28:18 (NIV) The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.

 

Proverbs 29:25 (NIV) Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

 

Those among us who fail to keep our temper in check have much to glean from Proverbs.

 

Proverbs 29:22 (NIV) An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.

 

Chapter 30 also addresses the problem with anger.

 

Proverbs 30:33 (NIV) For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.”

 

The final Chapter “31” starts out with wisdom from King Lemuel’s mom.  This is a serious word for today’s voters who think that abortion is simply another form of birth control.

 

Proverbs 31:8–9 (NIV) Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. 9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

 

The next 21 verses go on to describe what a godly women and mother would look like in the home.  See if this is the “pregnant and barefoot” image that Christians are often accused of soliciting.  Rather see if you can see the amazing work of God and the environment that is to be crafted by parents to raise children inside of.  We must refuse to diminish the role of motherhood or fatherhood to procreation alone.  Parents are the teachers, trainers and coaches of the next generation, not government.

 

Proverbs 31:10–31 (NIV) A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.

14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.

15 She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.

16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.

18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.

19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.

21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

 

You can’t read through this ladies without being challenged to step up the game you play on home field.  Forgive us who have minimized your contribution to society by trivializing the role of being a wife and mother.  Note these verses combine these two roles they don’t separate them.  It doesn’t say wife or mother.  We have trivialized the marriage bond and created easy ways to dissolve the union.  Our children are being told that their parents are the problem and our children grow to believe this lie, so even those who share the gospel at home are considered outdated.

 

We have done a great injustice to those who have labored in their homes to provide and create an atmosphere of safety, skills development, character building and impressive money management.  We have driven men from women, women from men and so created single parent homes because of broken understanding of what a marriage truly is and God’s design for parenting. 

 

My pastoral hope in this Proverbs study is that you would see that God has given us an enormous wealth of information in order to be developed into wise human beings.  Often instead we blame others, excuse others and act in ways that God says produce failure and burden.  Then we sit and moan about why did God do this to me or why did the Devil do this to me.  All the while it was we ourselves who did this to ourselves.

 

Over the last weeks I’ve encouraged that you would open the pages of Proverbs, ingest its contents and allow it to reshape you into a wise person in the kingdom and economy of a holy God.  Keep in mind that everybody who lived after Solomon had this wealth of information but like in our present culture few chose to adhere to it.  What will you choose to do with what you have heard?  May God give you eyes to see and ears to hear the voice and plan of God.

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Next week Pastor Ben reminds us to stay focused on God even after we elect the next leaders to govern us.

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      Message Questions

 

1. How does the comparison language sho us that there is good and evil not the grey zone spoken of today?

2. Why do you think Proverbs adds even more instructiojn about our words in this next section?

3. Can you describe the power of the “but” language?

4. What impression does the final expression of the virtuous woman give you?

5. Is she just a stay at home mom?

6. Discuss two qualities that stand out to you.

7. Is it true that parents can be replaced by government entities?