The Appeal of Wisdom

I. Introduction
A. Last week I preached on the story of Jesus’ healing of the 10 lepers.
1. Today’s sermon from Proverbs 1 will piggyback on that sermon.
II. Explanation
A. We’ve seen from Prov.7 how the woman Folly pleads with the young to come and partake of what she is selling. Now this morning, in Proverbs 1, it’s the woman Wisdom who’s crying out, appealing to each one of us.
B. Proverbs 1:20-21 How hard God works to appeal to us
1. 20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
2. 20 in the markets she raises her voice;
3. 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
4. 21 at the entrance of the city gates she speaks
5. 24 I have called
6. 24 I have stretched out my hand
7. 25 [I gave you] all my counsel and my reproof
8. We also see God’s word going out to all in Ps.19:2, 4 “Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge... 4 Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.”
9. And we see in Romans 1:19–20 that God has revealed Himself to all men: “What can be known about God is plain to [mankind], because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.”
C. And yet, we still refuse and reject.
1. 32 “For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them.”
D. V.22 shows us that this isn’t just ignorance. This is love of foolishness.
1. “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?”
2. It’s about the simple who love being simple. It’s about scoffers delighting in their scoffing. It’s about fools hating knowledge.
3. We don’t just make mistakes. We love sin. It’s so important for each one of us to realize that.
E. The amazing grace of God’s appeal of wisdom
1. These are extraordinary promises!
a. 23 “If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.”
(1) We are needy, and incapable of helping ourselves. Here God offers to give us what we need — if we will listen to Him and turn to Him.
(2) This verse presumes that as things stand, man is in danger. It’s not that he can go bad, it’s not that he can get himself into danger. It’s that he is inherently in danger and must get out of it somehow.
b. But v.33 tells us that there’s a way to avoid the danger: “Whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”
c. God speaks. But the question is: Will we listen?
2. Proverbs 8:10-11, 18-21 tell us that what God has to say to us is far more valuable than earthly treasure:
a. 10-11 “Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.”
b. 8:18-21 “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.”
F. The chilling wrath of God toward those who refuse His appeal
1. Prov.1:26-27 “I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.”
2. This is hard for us to imagine. The One we are used to thinking of as patient and gracious, slow to anger and quick to forgive. And yet now He is not only not being gracious, He is laughing at and mocking the ones who are in terror and anguish because they refused to listen to Him.
3. These are harsh words. They almost sound mean. But — believe it or not — they are born of nothing but love. Make no mistake, these threats are real! But they’re not mean!
4. We may not like this. But this warning is a great blessing we’re being given. We need to know this. God didn’t have to warn us. He could just condemn us with no warning. But in love, He’s warned us.
5. Revelation 6:15–16 “Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.’ ”
a. Who doesn’t shudder at the danger of falling rocks? Who doesn’t shiver at the horror of being stoned to death? And yet here it is preferred when faced with the terror of facing the returning Christ.
6. If the danger being warned against is true, isn’t it better to be warned than surprised?
7. If this world were a place void of danger, warnings would be mere annoyances or irritants. But in a world of grave dangers, warnings are a blessing.
8. The fact is, danger is real.
a. We have an enemy of our souls
b. But, to be honest, God is the greatest danger of all. Remember, as C.S. Lewis said, He is not safe.
III. Conclusion
A. The end of grace
1. God’s grace in one sense is infinite in degree and in duration. But, according to the Bible, His offer of grace is clearly not infinite in duration.
2. It seems like it is. Sometimes God is so nice — and it seems like He will be forever!
3. The fact that His offer of grace has lasted so long leads to the temptation to take grace lightly.
4. But if God’s word can be trusted, then there is a day of enormous change and upheaval coming.
5. The reality is that if we don’t come united to Christ, we come to God on our own. And on our own, God is the last person we want to meet — because the only thing we have on our own is a long list of things that qualify us for condemnation. And we need to know that. And that’s why the loving God tells us.
B. A window of opportunity
1. Jesus’ parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 shows us that there is a day when the window of opportunity will be closed, much to the chagrin of those who have not taken advantage of it yet: “And while they [the 5 virgins with no oil in their lamps] were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready [the 5 virgins with oil in their lamps] went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other [without oil] came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Mt.25:10-13)
C. Abundant grace demands abundant thanksgiving. Just like the story of Jesus and the 10 lepers. Great is the Lord and THEREFORE greatly to be praised (Psalm 48:1).
D. How blessed we are to have been warned!
1. But the nature of foolishness is that it doesn’t listen. It doesn’t take heed.
2. The wise hear these warnings and say, “I don’t want that to happen to me. I’m going to act on this to make sure it doesn’t.”
3. The fool says, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll get to that later. Right now there are fun and exciting things to do.”