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Life in a Nutshell · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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  We can turn back to our reading in the book of Proverbs, chapter 9.
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  ! We're looking at this whole chapter together this morning, but we read again at verse 10.
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  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
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  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
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  Well, as I was saying with the young ones, we're looking at this passage today in the light of the choices that are put before us in the Word of God.
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  And we look at life and what it means to us.
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  We ask the question, what is life?
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  That's a big question for us to think about, but I'm sure it's something we consider from time to time,
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  although most of the time we maybe just live our lives, just keep going, trying to get used to things,
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  trying to understand different things in life and maybe not finding answers.
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  Or maybe we look at life about just getting through and pushing on, keeping going.
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  There's so many different experiences that we have to go through in life.
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  But is there a purpose in it all, and what is the purpose in it all?
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  Well, as we're looking for answers to these big questions, God's Word reminds us where these answers are found.
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  That there's more to life than just pushing on.
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  There's more to life than just trying to find our way through it.
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  But the answers are found in the fact if we are listening to what the Word of God says or not.
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  And that's what's quite clear to us in this chapter that we are looking at together, chapter 9.
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  But the book of Proverbs as a whole, it covers many aspects of life.
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  It's Proverbs, it's wise sayings about how we are to live,
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  and it speaks to us about many different aspects of life.
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  But so often it comes down, boils down to two matters, being wise or being foolish.
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  And again, that's what we see in this chapter, the way of wisdom or the way of folly.
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  And as we read in chapter 4, the summary of the book of Proverbs is get wisdom.
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  Get wisdom because this is what you need.
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  This is what's the most important thing that you can find in your life, to get wisdom.
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  Because life as we so often see it, we see it often as a journey that we're on.
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  Where we live our life day by day, week by week, month by month, even year by year.
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  And we look back over our years and we see the journey that we've been on.
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  And we look ahead, maybe thinking we know the journey that we are to go on as well.
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  Where we are going, what's ahead of us, what we're going to do.
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  And so as we reflect on our lives, we see the different twists and turns there's been along the way.
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  The different joys and sorrows that we've experienced.
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  The different turning points maybe in our life where things have come our way.
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  That we've changed things in our life.
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  But there's often times in our lives when we come to a point and it's just like a T-junction.
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  Just as you have when you're maybe out driving, you come to the end of one road and you come to a T-junction and there's a choice.
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  Do you go to the left or do you go to the right?
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  How do you decide which way you go when you've got these two choices before you?
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  Well, you have to have some kind of understanding of the way that you are going, the direction you want to go in.
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  And that's what we have this morning as we look at this passage.
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  We've all come to this point in our life today.
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  We can all look back in our lives to this point and see the different way our lives have gone.
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  We can look back and reflect on it in many different ways.
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  Whether it's just personally, as families, as a congregation, communities.
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  Whatever way we're looking at, we can look upon our lives in the different ways, different turnings that we've come along.
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  But we come to a point every time we're under the Word of God where the Word of God asks us,
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  which direction will you go?
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  Who will you listen to?
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  These are the key questions that we have put before us.
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  And we have it put before us here today.
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  It's like we're coming to a T-junction.
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  And this chapter is putting the choice before us.
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  Two different directions are there for us.
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  The way of wisdom or the way of folly.
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  Which way will you go?
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  There are those who say the Bible is not relevant today.
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  But have they read it?
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  Or if you're saying the Bible is not important to me today,
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  have you read it?
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  Have you taken up your Bible recently and started to read it in a meaningful way?
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  In a way that you're seeking understanding?
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  Many people have taken up the Bible in their lives,
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  seeking a way to find fault with it, to criticize it, to dismiss it.
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  But as they've read it, they've found there's understanding, there's wisdom, there's truth.
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  And so when was the last time you lifted your Bible up and looked into it in that way of
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  maybe prayerfully just saying, Lord, show me the way to go.
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  Teach me your wisdom.
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  Help me to understand the way my life should go.
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  Because God speaks through his word.
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  And that's through whether you're seeking today or whether you're a believer over many years today.
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  We're constantly looking at the word of God.
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  And we need to come to it with that idea of get wisdom.
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  Give me wisdom to live my life for you in this world.
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  And Proverbs 9 breaks this down for us.
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  And somebody described it as life in a nutshell.
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  Looking at these two ways, the way of wisdom and the way of folly.
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  Life in a nutshell.
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  Because here we are presented with many contrasts.
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  The way that we are living.
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  We are living one way or we are living another.
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  And it's asking ourselves, am I listening to God or am I listening to the world?
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  Am I coming to God?
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  Am I on the right path?
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  Have I made the right choice?
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  Or do I need to reflect and turn back in a different direction?
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  And so the way of wisdom and the way of folly is put before us here.
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  But we're going to look at it under four different contrasts that we see.
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  We see here, first of all, two calls that go out.
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  Then we see two choices.
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  Then we see two contrasts.
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  And then we see two consequences.
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  And they're all related to the way of wisdom and the way of folly.
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  So the first thing we see here is that there are two calls in life.
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  Life is full of things that call for our attention.
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  Things that are clamoring for our attention.
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  They're there all the time before us.
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  How often does your phone ping in a day and you find yourself,
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  you've got to lift it up and look at it.
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  It's claiming your attention.
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  It's calling to you.
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  How often do you check your emails?
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  Because again, there's someone who wants your attention,
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  who wants you to hear something.
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  How often do you hear or read some piece of advice?
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  Again, there's just so many things clamoring for our attention,
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  calling for our attention.
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  But the most important calls that we are hearing in life
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  are the calls that we find in the Word of God and God speaking to us.
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  And here we find these two calls before us,
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  the call of wisdom and the call of folly.
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  And they're presented to us here.
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  In verse 1, we find the call of wisdom.
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  Wisdom has built her house.
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  She has hewn seven pillars.
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  She has slaughtered her beast.
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  She has mixed her wine.
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  She has set her table.
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  And she has sent out her young woman to call
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  from the highest places in the town.
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  So wisdom is calling.
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  But you find also that the way of folly is calling.
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  The woman, folly in verse 13, is loud.
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  She is seductive.
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  She knows nothing.
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  She sits at the door of her house.
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  She takes her seat in the highest places of the town,
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  calling to those who pass by.
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  So there's these two calls going on in life,
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  the call of wisdom and the call of folly.
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  But you notice the difference with them.
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  Wisdom has built her house.
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  Seven pillars.
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  She has made a feast.
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  She has mixed wine.
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  She has set her table.
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  She has sent her young woman out to call
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  from the highest places of the town.
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  It's like wisdom is calling from above.
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  But if you look at folly,
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  she is calling, as it were, on the streets.
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  In verse 15, calling those who pass by
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  who are going straight on their way.
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  Those who are just living day by day
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  where life is just this motion of just ongoing sameness in each day.
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  We're just living, trying to find our way, pressing on.
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  But wisdom is, as it were, calling for a different direction.
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  Calling us to lift us out of that just normal day-by-day routine,
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  to lift our eyes higher,
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  to lift our eyes up,
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  the highest places in the town.
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  Wisdom is calling and folly is calling.
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  And it's like wisdom takes effort.
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  Because we can easily just stay in the way of folly.
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  Just keep listening to the words of this world.
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  Just keep going as you are.
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  Just do your own thing.
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  Just be yourself.
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  Just keep going on as you are.
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  But wisdom calls us away from that.
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  Apart from that.
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  Wisdom, as we see in verse 10,
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  the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
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  So it speaks of a change.
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  And when we realize the fear of the Lord,
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  that's a right reverence towards God,
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  a right worship towards God.
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  When instead of just worshiping the things of this world,
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  we see they're empty.
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  But the call of wisdom is different.
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  It calls us in a different direction.
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  And you notice these calls go out to all.
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  The call of foolishness goes out where we are.
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  Those who are on the straight way.
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  Those who are just keeping going.
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  But the call of wisdom is also going out.
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  She has sent her young woman to call from the highest places in the town.
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  So there's this call that goes out to all as well.
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  But it boils down to who are we listening to?
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  Who is catching our attention?
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  And Jesus taught us about wisdom.
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  In the parable of the wise man who built his house upon the rock
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  and the fool who built his house upon the sand.
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  These ways, the way of folly and the way of wisdom are very similar to us.
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  They're asking us,
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  are you building on the rock or are you building on the sand?
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  There's two calls that go out to you today.
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  As you're living your life, there's the call to just carry on as you are.
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  No thought of God.
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  Or the call to lift your eyes up and listen to God who is speaking.
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  So there's these two calls.
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  But because of these two calls, we see secondly then,
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  there are two choices.
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  Two choices.
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  Eating is a big part of our day-to-day lives.
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  We do it every day.
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  Whether it's eating in or dining out, we need to eat.
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  But we've become used to having a selection of meals.
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  Whether it's a selection of starters, mains or puddings.
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  Whether if you're going out, you're looking at a menu,
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  trying to decide what you'll have.
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  But that's not the kind of choices that we have here.
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  It's not a menu where you look and say,
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  well, I'll have this and I'll have that,
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  but I'll leave that and I'll leave this.
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  It's not a huge choice.
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  Because the choices we have here are more like the old-fashioned choice
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  when it came to dinner.
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  Eat what's on your plate or you don't eat at all.
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  It's simple.
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  Eat what you have in front of you or don't eat at all.
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  And that's the kind of choice that we have here.
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  It's not a choice from a large menu.
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  It's a choice between the two ways.
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  And again, Jesus taught this in his Sermon on the Mount.
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  In Matthew 7, verse 13, he spoke about two ways.
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  And so we have that very choice put before us here,
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  the way of wisdom and the way of folly.
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  The broad way or the narrow way.
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  One is grounded on human understanding.
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  We're just told to carry on on our way.
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  In verse 16, the way of folly,
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  whoever is simple, let him turn in here.
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  And to him who lacks sense, she says,
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  stolen water is sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
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  The broad way is just to keep going as you are.
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  But the narrow way is so different.
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  It's grounded in a heavenly understanding.
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  As she has sent out her young woman to call in verse 3,
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  from the highest places, it says in verse 4,
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  whoever is simple, let him turn in here.
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  To him who lacks sense, she says,
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  come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.
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  So it's the same call to all but very different outcomes.
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  The choice is bread, stolen water is sweet,
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  or to turn to wisdom and come,
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  eat of my bread and drink of my wine.
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  It's like we go back to the Garden of Eden.
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  And there Satan gave that temptation to Eve.
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  What did God say?
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  Not to touch, not to eat that fruit.
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  Well, it's that same kind of idea.
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  Stolen water is sweet.
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  The devil said that fruit is sweet.
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  It's good for you.
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  You will have the knowledge that you are seeking after.
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  But it was just a temptation that was put in,
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  that was brought death into this world.
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  But there's the way of life, the choice of life,
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  to turn to the way of wisdom
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  and to come to that understanding of the life that God gives
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  through the Lord Jesus Christ.
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  The wise person comes to understand
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  that at the end of our days, God will judge.
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  It's not about nothing at the end of it,
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  but a day of judgment at the end of it.
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  And our eternal destiny rests upon the choice we make in this life,
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  whether it's the broad road that we keep going on
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  or the narrow way that leads to life,
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  the life that is found in Jesus Christ.
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  So which way are you on today?
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  Are you on the broad road?
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  Are you at that T-junction where there's that choice,
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  which way to go?
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  Or are you on the narrow way that leads to life?
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  The choice is put before us.
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  You stand at this junction.
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  Will you carry on and turn in the way of foolishness
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  or turn to the way of wisdom
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  and there find life?
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  Where will you spend eternity?
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  That's always the challenging question.
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  And it comes down to the choice that we make.
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  Will we go away from Christ
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  or will we turn to him?
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  Then the third thing that we see here
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  is that in light of these two choices,
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  there are two contrasts
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  there are those who are teachable
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  and those who are unteachable.
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  We see this in verse 7.
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  Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse
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  and he who reproves a wicked man
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  incurs injury.
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  Do not reprove a scoffer or he will hate you.
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  Reprove a wise man and he will love you.
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  Give instruction to a wise man
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  and he will be still wiser.
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  Teach a righteous man
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  and he will increase in learning.
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  You see there there's the contrasts.
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  As we hear the word of God,
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  what effect does it have on you?
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  Are you scoffing at it?
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  Are you abused towards the person
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  who is giving to you?
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  I want nothing to do with that.
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  Or are you seeing that it speaks of wisdom?
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  Are you seeing that it speaks to us
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  of a way to life?
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  There are contrasts.
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  Are you stubborn when it comes to these things?
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  How often have you heard it?
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  How often has someone spoken to you about it
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  and you've just turned them away,
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  pushed them away?
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  Or perhaps maybe today you're finding
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  your heart just starting to melt that little bit.
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  The word of God is starting to speak to you.
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  Maybe it's making you afraid.
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  Maybe you're afraid of that today.
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  You don't know just what it will entail,
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  what it will mean for you.
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  But when you see the two contrasts here,
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  those who are unteachable,
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  they just push it away.
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  They just give abuse.
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  They do not want to hear.
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  But those who God starts speaking to you,
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  you become teachable.
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  The word of God starts to melt your heart.
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  And you start to get wisdom.
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  You find righteousness.
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  You will increase in learning all of these things.
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  That are outlined here.
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  And they come from the fear of the Lord.
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  But is your heart today teachable or unteachable?
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  Again, you stand at that junction and you say,
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  well, which voice am I going to listen to?
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  Which way am I going to turn?
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  Am I going to listen to my own wisdom?
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  My own understanding?
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  Or am I going to listen to what God is saying?
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  We are surrounded by people like this.
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  We are all people like this.
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  We are either teachable or unteachable.
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  We all go through life with that sense of learning.
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  But perhaps from a very young age,
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  within us is a sense of making excuses.
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  Making excuses so that as we are hearing all of these things,
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  we will make our excuses as we are going on.
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  We have our common excuses when we forget to do things,
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  when we did not do what we were meant to.
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  We can just say, well, I forgot.
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  We can say, well, no one told me to do it.
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  We could say, I didn't think it was that important.
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  I didn't know there was a hurry for it.
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  Or even just fob it off to somebody else.
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  It's not my job.
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  And that's the kind of excuses that we can make
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  when it comes to the things of God as well.
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  I forgot.
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  In other words, I wasn't paying attention.
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  I didn't listen.
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  No one told me.
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  Well, if you're sitting under the word of God,
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  you cannot use that excuse
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  because you are being told every time you are under it.
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  I didn't think it was important.
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  Well, of course it's important.
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  It's the way of life or the way of death
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  that we're speaking about here.
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  It's important.
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  I didn't know there was a hurry for it.
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  Well, of course there's an urgency about it
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  because we do not know what a day or an hour will bring.
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  Or maybe you could say,
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  well, that's for somebody else.
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  It's not my job.
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  Well, we all have a personal responsibility in this
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  to listen to the word of God.
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  Because have you listened to these two contrasts,
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  teachable or unteachable?
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  Have you listened to the two choices or the two calls,
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  the way of folly or the way of wisdom?
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  Because one day you have to give an account.
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  And you have to give an account before the Lord.
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  And what excuse will work for you then?
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  Do you have your excuse prepared?
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  I forgot.
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  I didn't think it was important.
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  All of these excuses will be meaningless.
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  It's about hearing the choices put before you today
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  and choosing the way of wisdom.
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  Get wisdom.
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  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of that wisdom.
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  A right reverence.
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  A right worship of him.
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  Because the final thing you see here is
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  there are two consequences in life.
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  The way that you listen,
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  the choice that you make,
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  all of these things have consequences.
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  And the consequences are outlined for us here
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  in the way of folly and the way of wisdom.
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  Because with one, you attend a funeral.
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  But with the other, you attend a feast.
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  And when you look at the way of folly
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  and the way it ends,
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  it ends in a funeral.
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  He does not know that the dead are there,
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  that her guests are in the depths of Shoal.
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  The way of folly is the way of death,
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  eternal death.
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  That's what's made clear for us there.
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  There is consequences to going on the broad road.
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  It leads to destruction.
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  And that's what's highlighted for us here.
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  Stolen water is sweet and bread eaten and secret is pleasant.
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  But he does not know that the dead are there
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  and that her guests are in the depths of Shoal.
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  Similar to the parable of the rich fool
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  in Luke's Gospel, chapter 12.
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  I will say to my soul,
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  Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years.
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  Relax, eat, drink, and be merry.
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  But God said to him,
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  Fool, this night your soul is required of you
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  and the things you have prepared,
• 24:33
  whose will they be?
• 24:35
  The way of folly has consequences,
• 24:39
  clear consequences.
• 24:43
  And so come back to the choice.
• 24:46
  Do you choose that way?
• 24:48
  Or will you choose the way of wisdom?
• 24:51
  And when you choose the way of wisdom,
• 24:53
  you find that there's a very different end.
• 24:57
  It's a feast.
• 24:58
  When you look at it there in verse 2,
• 25:08
  it's a feast prepared.
• 25:09
  She has slaughtered her beasts.
• 25:11
  She has mixed her wine.
• 25:13
  And she has also set her table.
• 25:17
  And then in verse 5,
• 25:19
  Come, eat of my bread
• 25:21
  and drink of the wine I have mixed.
• 25:24
  Leave your simple ways
• 25:26
  and live and walk in the way of insight.
• 25:32
  That is the way of life.
• 25:35
  And it's a feast that is prepared for those
• 25:38
  who will go in that way.
• 25:40
  The way of wisdom.
• 25:42
  Find this way and live.
• 25:45
  And we cannot even imagine
• 25:49
  what the Lord has prepared for us.
• 25:52
  In 1 Corinthians 2 verse 9 says,
• 25:55
  What no eye has seen,
• 25:56
  nor ear heard,
• 25:57
  nor the heart of man imagined,
• 25:59
  what God has prepared for those
• 26:01
  who love him.
• 26:04
  And so,
• 26:05
  there is a way prepared
• 26:06
  for his people.
• 26:09
  A way where we find ourselves
• 26:11
  partaking in a feast.
• 26:13
  A way that Jesus said,
• 26:15
  even as he was going to the cross
• 26:16
  in John 14 verse 1 to 3,
• 26:19
  Let not your hearts be troubled.
• 26:21
  Believe in God.
• 26:22
  Believe also in me.
• 26:24
  In my Father's house
• 26:25
  are many rooms.
• 26:27
  If it were not so,
• 26:28
  would I have told you
• 26:29
  I go to prepare a place for you.
• 26:32
  And he will come again.
• 26:35
  He will come again
• 26:36
  to take us to that place.
• 26:38
  To all who believe in him,
• 26:40
  that is the way of life,
• 26:43
  the way to a feast.
• 26:45
  And so that is the choice
• 26:46
  that we have put before us today.
• 26:50
  The way of wisdom
• 26:51
  or the way of folly.
• 26:54
  The two calls go out.
• 26:58
  The two choices
• 26:59
  are put before us.
• 27:01
  The two contrasts
• 27:02
  are there for us
• 27:03
  and the two consequences.
• 27:06
  What we do with the call
• 27:08
  leads to what we find
• 27:11
  are the consequences for us.
• 27:14
  And so may we hear
• 27:15
  the call of wisdom.
• 27:19
  May we find wisdom.
• 27:22
  May we fear the Lord,
• 27:23
  which is the beginning of wisdom.
• 27:26
  And that is to give reverence
• 27:28
  and honour and glory to him.
• 27:30
  And find life in him
• 27:33
  through his son,
• 27:34
  the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 27:37
  The consequences are serious.
• 27:40
  And so heed the call,
• 27:42
  the call to wisdom.
• 27:45
  Let us pray.
• 27:45
  Lord, our gracious God,
• 27:51
  we thank you that
• 27:52
  your word is truth,
• 27:54
  that your word reminds us
• 27:56
  of the two ways before us,
• 27:59
  the way of folly
• 28:00
  and the way of wisdom.
• 28:01
  The broad road
• 28:03
  that leads to destruction
• 28:04
  or the narrow path
• 28:06
  that leads to eternal life.
• 28:08
  And as these choices,
• 28:10
  as these calls
• 28:11
  and the consequences
• 28:12
  are before us this day,
• 28:14
  Lord, may your spirit help us
• 28:17
  to call to you
• 28:18
  to find wisdom,
• 28:20
  to find that way,
• 28:22
  to find the way
• 28:22
  that leads to life
• 28:24
  and life eternal
• 28:25
  for how we need it,
• 28:27
  O Lord.
• 28:28
  And help us to turn away
• 28:29
  from the foolishness
• 28:31
  of this world
• 28:32
  and to look to our saviour,
• 28:34
  our redeemer,
• 28:35
  who is the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 28:38
  As we ask it for his sake.
• 28:40
  Amen.
• 28:44
  We're going to conclude
• 28:46
  by singing to God's praise
• 28:48
  in Psalm 19,
• 28:50
  the Scottish Psalter version.
• 28:56
  Psalm 19, page 223.
• 28:59
  We're going to sing
• 29:05
  from verse 7 to 9,
• 29:07
  the tune is Moravia.
• 29:09
  God's law is perfect
• 29:11
  and converts
• 29:11
  the soul in sin
• 29:13
  that lies.
• 29:14
  God's testimony
• 29:14
  is most sure
• 29:15
  and makes the simple wise.
• 29:17
  We'll sing
• 29:18
  from verse 7 to 9
• 29:19
  to God's praise.
• 29:21
  God's law is perfect
• 29:28
  and comfort
• 29:31
  the soul in sin
• 29:36
  that lies.
• 29:38
  God's testimony
• 29:42
  is most sure
• 29:46
  and makes the simple wise.
• 29:53
  God's law is perfect
• 29:55
  and the statutes
• 29:57
  of the Lord our right
• 30:01
  and who rejoiced the heart.
• 30:08
  The Lord's home
• 30:11
  and risk you
• 30:14
  and that
• 30:16
  right to me
• 30:19
  I'd sing
• 30:21
  and heart
• 30:23
  and for
• 30:26
  it is
• 30:28
  well
• 30:29
  ye
• 30:29
  of God
• 30:31
  and
• 30:33
  not end
• 30:35
  you
• 30:36
  forever
• 30:37
  the
• 30:40
  church
• 30:41
  next
• 30:42
  of
• 30:43
  the
• 30:44
  Lord
• 30:45
  are
• 30:46
  true
• 30:46
  and
• 30:48
  righteous
• 30:49
  all
• 30:51
  together
• 30:53
  after the benediction
• 30:56
  I'll go to the main door
• 30:57
  we'll close with the benediction.
• 30:59
  Now may grace,
• 31:00
  mercy and peace
• 31:01
  from God,
• 31:02
  Father,
• 31:03
  Son and Holy Spirit
• 31:04
  rest upon
• 31:05
  and abide with you all
• 31:07
  now and forevermore.
• 31:08
  Amen.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  of
• 31:38
  God.
• 31:37
  Thank you.