Outline: A. Wisdom’s calls 1. Wisdom calls • To salvation (1:20 - 4:27) • To wealth (8) • To Life (9) 2. Folly calls • To condemnation (5) • To poverty (6) • To death (7) B. Wisdom’s contrasts (10 -15) C. Wisdom Counsels (16-31)
A. Wisdom’s call to salvation (1:8-33)
3. The voice of salvation (20-33) 20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: 22 "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? 23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. 24 But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, 25 since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, 26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you-- 27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 "Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. 29 Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, 30 since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, 31 they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. 32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."
The The in invi vita tati tion on How – loud and clear Where? – The market place To Whom: Simple ones Mockers Fools The message: • An Indictment • An invitation Their response?
Few Facts 1. 1. 40 4000 churche hes s clo lose e thei eir doors ev ever ery y ye year 2. 2. 1000 ups pstart churche hes s pe per yea ear 3. 3. 40 40% say they ey atten ends church only ly 20 % % do. 4. 4. Ev Ever ery y ye year 2. 2.7 m mill llion n mem embe bers fall ll to ina nactiv ivity ity. 5. 5. From m 1990 to 2000 P Protes estan tant lo losses es 5 mill llion on while le the e po popu pula latio ion increa eased ed with 24 m 4 mill llion on. 6. 6. 23 23% of the e po popu pula lation ion see ee them em sel elf as no non- religious (“ Nones es ”). 35% of them are the “ dones es ”.
The four main reasons for leaving the church 1. I Feel judged 2. I do not want to be lectured 3. Church people are a bunch of hypocrites 4. Your God is irrelevant to my life. But I’d like to know there is a God and He cares about me.
Th The 6 6 ba basic ic ne needs ds of of Am Ameri ricans cans 1. The need to believe life is meaningful and has a purpose 2. The need for a sense of community and deeper relationships 3. The need to be listened to and heard 4. The need to feel one is growing in faith 5. The need to be appreciated and respected 6. The need for practical help in developing a mature faith
The call to true wealth 8:1-36
1. You can trust my words (6-9) 6 Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. 7 My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. 8 All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. 9 To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge.
2. You can receive true wealth (10-21) 10 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, 11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. 12 "I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion. 13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. 14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power. 15 By me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just; 16 by me princes govern, and all nobles who rule on earth. 17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. 18 With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. 19 My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. 20 I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, 21 bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.
3. You can see my works (22-31 22 "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; 23 I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began. 24 When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water; 25 before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, 26 before he made the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world.
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, 28 when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, 29 when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. 30 Then I was the craftsman at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, 31 rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.
"Early in 2013 we announced our startling discovery that half of the dwarf galaxies surrounding the Andromeda Galaxy are orbiting it in an immense plane," said Geraint Lewis, of the University of Sydney's School of Physics. "This plane is more than a million light years in diameter, but is very thin, with a width of only 300 000 light years. Everywhere we looked we saw this strangely coherent coordinated motion of dwarf galaxies. From this we can extrapolate that these circular planes of dancing dwarfs are universal, seen in about 50 percent of galaxies," Lewis added. "This is a big problem that contradicts our standard cosmological models. It challenges our understanding of how the universe works including the nature of dark matter. "These dwarf galaxies have formed a ring around Andromeda. This was completely unexpected – the chance of this happening randomly is next to nothing. It really is just weird," Lewis said.
4. You must make a decision (32-36) 32 "Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. 34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. 35 For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD. 36 But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death."
Wisdom’s call to life (9:1 -18)
1. Preparation 1 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. 2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.
2. Invitation (9:3-9) 3 She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city. 4 "Let all who are simple come in here!" she says to those who lack judgment. 5 "Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. 6 Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding. 7 "Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. 8 Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. 9 Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.
3. Celebration (8:10-12) 10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. 12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer."
4. Condemnation (9:13- 18) 13 The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. 14 She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, 15 calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way. 16 "Let all who are simple come in here!" she says to those who lack judgment. 17 "Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!" 18 But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave.
• http://whengodleftthebuilding.com/ • https://vimeo.com/108957734
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