Latest / Providence Baptist Church - Sermons / Proverbs 1:7-9
Transcript
- 0:00As the spring semester has come to an end and we're entering into the summer, we have begun a verse-by-verse exposition of the book of Colossians.
- 0:09So let me invite you to turn there with me to Colossians chapter 1 while I explain to you why I'm not going to be preaching from Colossians this morning.
- 0:22But I want to show you the why and the how of it.
- 0:27Last week was a very busy week for me, primarily because the Dahlonega Care Center had its banquet on Friday.
- 0:34And thank you to all of you who were part of that and made it possible.
- 0:38It went very well, but occupied much of my extra brain capacity.
- 0:44So I got started very early in the week, hammering after Colossians 1, 15 through 20, this great cosmic Christological hymn.
- 0:55It's such a precious, precious text.
- 0:58It's the center, although not in verse counting, but it's the center of Paul's letter to the Colossian church.
- 1:06It is a phenomenal passage of text.
- 1:10And so I got an early start on it and went after it hard and have enjoyed my study of it and am prepared to preach 15 through 20.
- 1:19But I failed my little bit of extra brain bandwidth to realize that I got way ahead of myself in my preparation.
- 1:27That for our schedule for the summer, I had intended to preach verses 15 through 17.
- 1:31And then next week, verses 18 through 20.
- 1:35Which made a mild conundrum.
- 1:37Not a large conundrum, but a small one.
- 1:39Just that if I preach Colossians 1, 15 through 20 this week, we'd be a week ahead.
- 1:44And at some point would have to drop out or finish early and fill in something topical before college students come back in the fall.
- 1:53Not a major deal, but began to make me go, huh, I wonder if maybe.
- 1:58All this happening at 5 o'clock yesterday evening.
- 2:03As I said to you previously, going throughout the week, I heard many, many, I won't be there this Sunday.
- 2:08And so those two things combined caused me to say, well, let me step away from the text.
- 2:13We'll pick up next week again, 15 through 20, in Colossians.
- 2:18But let me step away from it for this week.
- 2:21And then our main crew will be back next week and we can press on together in the book of Colossians.
- 2:27So this morning, I'll preach a Mother's Day sermon of sort.
- 2:33So if you will, join me in Proverbs, the book of Proverbs, chapter 1.
- 2:37I'm thankful for a church that appreciates verse by verse exposition.
- 2:43I hope this doesn't offend your sensibilities too much.
- 2:46Too upset with me.
- 2:53Proverbs, chapter 1, verses 7 through 9.
- 2:55This is God's Word to us.
- 3:16It was written for His glory and our good.
- 3:19We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
- 3:24And this morning, I want to observe, to pull out from these three verses,
- 3:29six realities from Proverbs 1, 7 through 9.
- 3:33A little less complex than last week.
- 3:35You won't have three lists within a major list.
- 3:38Just one list, six realities from Proverbs 1, 7 through 9.
- 3:46Firstly, reality number one, the family is an institution of God's making.
- 3:56Solomon here, writer of this beginning proverb, writing to his son,
- 4:01takes for granted that his readers will have fathers and mothers to listen to.
- 4:08That God's good design would be at play in the world.
- 4:13God created the family.
- 4:16The family is God's plan.
- 4:19God's desire.
- 4:21To put it one more way, the family is ordained by God in creation.
- 4:28In the very first chapter of the Bible,
- 4:30Genesis 1, 27 and 28 says,
- 4:33And God created man in His own image.
- 4:36In the image of God, He created them.
- 4:38Male and female, He created them.
- 4:42And God blessed them.
- 4:43And God said to them,
- 4:44Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
- 4:50I brought you together.
- 4:51One of the purposes of Adam and Eve being brought together
- 4:55was that they would multiply,
- 4:56that they would be a family.
- 4:59How were they to do this fruitful earth filling
- 5:04by indiscriminate mating pregnancies?
- 5:09The second chapter of the Bible, Genesis 2, 24, gives the answer.
- 5:13A man shall leave his father and his mother
- 5:15and shall cleave to his wife
- 5:17and they shall become one flesh.
- 5:22This profound relationship between one man and one woman
- 5:26whose covenant relationship shows the world
- 5:28the way that God relates to His covenant people
- 5:31in love and faithfulness
- 5:33was meant to reproduce little ones
- 5:36who also honor God as His image bears.
- 5:42This was God's original intention.
- 5:44His original design.
- 5:47All of this by grace
- 5:50God has sustained countless imperfect people
- 5:53and countless imperfect situations
- 5:55for the sake of His name.
- 5:58But God intended for the family
- 6:00to be in full function in the world.
- 6:04Why do you think that Satan
- 6:05is so going after the family
- 6:08to destroy it,
- 6:09to rip it apart?
- 6:10As goes the family,
- 6:12so goes the society.
- 6:16Do you know the three institutions
- 6:17that God's ordained?
- 6:20There's three.
- 6:20The family,
- 6:23the church,
- 6:25and the government.
- 6:27All ordained by God
- 6:29to serve a very particular role
- 6:31and function.
- 6:34And when those roles and functions
- 6:36are traded,
- 6:38when the parameters between them
- 6:40get skewed,
- 6:42bad things always happen.
- 6:46The family was created by God
- 6:48to help God's little ones
- 6:51worship Him.
- 6:53And Solomon assumes
- 6:54the family is exercising its role
- 6:56in this text.
- 6:59So the family is an institution
- 7:00of God's making, firstly.
- 7:03Second reality,
- 7:05the family is meant to be
- 7:07a school.
- 7:10The family is meant to be
- 7:11a school.
- 7:13Note verse 7,
- 7:14the commendation of knowledge.
- 7:18Fools despise wisdom
- 7:20and instruction.
- 7:22And then Solomon says to his son,
- 7:24how is it that this wisdom
- 7:25and instruction
- 7:26is going to come to you?
- 7:27It's going to come to you
- 7:29by your mother
- 7:31and your father
- 7:32in the family.
- 7:33The family is God's basic school
- 7:35for instructing children
- 7:36how to live in the world.
- 7:40Unlike many animals,
- 7:42children do very little
- 7:44instinctually.
- 7:46There's some amazing things
- 7:47they do,
- 7:48like when a baby's brand new,
- 7:50first born,
- 7:51if you knew this or not,
- 7:51but you can get them
- 7:52to grasp your fingers
- 7:53and you can pick them up.
- 7:54I haven't tried it,
- 7:55but so I'm told
- 7:56that this is true.
- 7:58That if you blow in their face
- 7:59or hold their breath
- 7:59and you can dunk them
- 8:00under water,
- 8:01also wasn't allowed
- 8:02to try that one.
- 8:07They suckle by instinct.
- 8:09They cry when they're hungry
- 8:12or tired.
- 8:13They blink.
- 8:15Probably it.
- 8:17Not much more than that.
- 8:20As humans,
- 8:21we must be taught
- 8:21how to eat and walk,
- 8:23how to talk and read,
- 8:25how to show gratitude
- 8:26and other manners.
- 8:28Just about everything
- 8:30that we do is learned.
- 8:34The family is God's intended school
- 8:36for this massive undertaking.
- 8:38The family certainly
- 8:40may employ the help of others
- 8:41in this effort.
- 8:42Relatives,
- 8:43a nanny,
- 8:43a school,
- 8:44the church,
- 8:44I would encourage
- 8:45all of those things.
- 8:46But ultimately,
- 8:47the responsibility
- 8:47for passing along
- 8:49the necessary skills
- 8:50for this life
- 8:52and,
- 8:53more importantly,
- 8:53the next life
- 8:55is laid squarely
- 8:56on the shoulders
- 8:57of the family.
- 8:59Parents,
- 9:00future parents,
- 9:01that is your responsibility.
- 9:06Proverbs 22.6
- 9:07says,
- 9:08Train up a child
- 9:09in the way he should go.
- 9:10Even when he is old,
- 9:12he will not depart from it.
- 9:15Deuteronomy 6.4-7
- 9:18Speaking of God's moral law,
- 9:21Hear, O Israel,
- 9:22the Lord our God,
- 9:23the Lord is one.
- 9:25You shall love the Lord your God
- 9:27with all your heart
- 9:28and with all your soul
- 9:29and with all your might.
- 9:31And these words
- 9:32that I command you today
- 9:33shall be on your heart.
- 9:34Then, verse 7,
- 9:35You shall teach them
- 9:37diligently to your children
- 9:40and shall talk of them
- 9:41when you sit in your house
- 9:42and when you walk by the way
- 9:43and when you lie down
- 9:45and when you rise.
- 9:48The family is an institution
- 9:49of God's making
- 9:50and the family is meant to be
- 9:52a school.
- 9:55Thirdly,
- 9:55the third reality in our text,
- 9:58the proper object
- 10:00of family instruction,
- 10:02the great end,
- 10:04the goal of all of the instructing
- 10:06that happens
- 10:07is the fear of the Lord.
- 10:11Verse 7 tells us,
- 10:12the fear of the Lord
- 10:13is the very beginning of knowledge.
- 10:16It is that foundation
- 10:17for anything else important in life
- 10:19that must be learned.
- 10:22What is the fear of the Lord?
- 10:25It's not a carnal fear,
- 10:28a fear that is faithless,
- 10:31that doesn't depend
- 10:32on the goodness
- 10:33and the sovereignty of God,
- 10:35but rather it's a divine fear.
- 10:38It's a faith-filled fear,
- 10:41which is the reverencing
- 10:42and adoring
- 10:44of God's holiness,
- 10:46the recognition
- 10:47that He is perfect,
- 10:49that His being
- 10:51is worthy of our awe.
- 10:54And it's the setting
- 10:55of ourselves
- 10:55always under
- 10:57His sacred inspection.
- 11:00Recognizing that
- 11:01in His holiness,
- 11:03He looks down upon us
- 11:04and expects the same.
- 11:07And we place ourselves
- 11:08under that
- 11:09and this causes
- 11:10a fear
- 11:11because we fail
- 11:12at this.
- 11:14The infinite distance
- 11:15between God and us
- 11:16causes this fear.
- 11:20And it's a good thing.
- 11:21It's a healthy thing
- 11:22because it drives us
- 11:24to the cross.
- 11:28Fear of the Lord
- 11:29is the leading grace.
- 11:31It's the beginning grace.
- 11:33The thing that God works
- 11:34in our hearts
- 11:35to change us.
- 11:37The thing that sends us
- 11:38running to the cross
- 11:40of Christ.
- 11:42Recognizing that God is holy
- 11:43and we are not
- 11:44and we will be judged
- 11:45and we need someone
- 11:47to stand in that gap
- 11:48for us.
- 11:50To make propitiation
- 11:51for our sin.
- 11:54Ecclesiastes 12,
- 11:5613, and 14.
- 11:58In the book
- 11:58of Ecclesiastes,
- 11:59there's some speculation
- 12:01about who wrote it
- 12:02but likely Solomon
- 12:03wrote it.
- 12:04And it's amusing
- 12:05on what is of value
- 12:07in life
- 12:07and it sums up
- 12:09this way.
- 12:10Ecclesiastes 12,
- 12:1113, and 14.
- 12:12The end of the matter.
- 12:14All has been heard.
- 12:16Fear God
- 12:17and keep His commandments
- 12:18for this is the whole duty
- 12:21of man.
- 12:22For God will bring
- 12:23every deed into judgment
- 12:24with every secret thing
- 12:26whether good
- 12:27or evil.
- 12:30So if we love our children
- 12:32properly,
- 12:33we will seek
- 12:34their greatest good.
- 12:35This is the aim of love.
- 12:37To seek the greatest good
- 12:38of the object
- 12:39of that love.
- 12:40I see so many parents
- 12:42these days
- 12:43simply pacifying
- 12:44their children.
- 12:45Giving in to their
- 12:46every whim
- 12:47and want.
- 12:48Meeting their children's
- 12:49felt needs
- 12:50rather than
- 12:51their real needs.
- 12:54Parents,
- 12:55this must not be so
- 12:56of us.
- 12:57We need to give
- 12:57our children
- 12:58what is good
- 12:59for their souls.
- 13:03Behavior modification
- 13:04should not be
- 13:04the ultimate goal
- 13:05of our parenting
- 13:07although it is
- 13:08part of it.
- 13:08We expect our children
- 13:09to act appropriately.
- 13:12I say to my sons
- 13:13all the time
- 13:13in punishment
- 13:14after the fact
- 13:15when we're reconciling
- 13:16I say to them
- 13:17all the time
- 13:17you're my son
- 13:18and I love you
- 13:20and that's why
- 13:21I want you to obey.
- 13:23Because of who you are
- 13:24you will act like
- 13:25my son.
- 13:27And I'm hoping
- 13:27that they'll get this
- 13:28and that it'll translate
- 13:29to who they're meant
- 13:31to be in Christ.
- 13:32Because you belong
- 13:33to God
- 13:34you will do
- 13:35what God
- 13:35wants you
- 13:36to do.
- 13:38Because ultimately
- 13:39what we want to see
- 13:40happening in our children
- 13:41is heart change.
- 13:42This is the aim
- 13:44of teaching them
- 13:44these things.
- 13:45This is why
- 13:46the fear of the Lord
- 13:46is so important
- 13:47because it's this
- 13:48leading grace
- 13:49in their lives.
- 13:51Our children need
- 13:52to fear the Lord
- 13:53so that they will run
- 13:54to the cross.
- 13:56So that they will
- 13:56embrace Christ
- 13:57in all that He offers them.
- 13:59All that He does
- 14:00in their place.
- 14:03We need to teach them
- 14:04the fear of the Lord
- 14:05so that they will find
- 14:06God so awesome
- 14:08that they will tremble
- 14:09at His holiness.
- 14:10A proper use
- 14:12of the word awesome.
- 14:13They will tremble
- 14:13at His holiness
- 14:14and they will also
- 14:15find Him so beautiful
- 14:16that they will never
- 14:17want to leave
- 14:18His presence.
- 14:21Proverbs 14
- 14:22verse 26 and 27
- 14:24reads,
- 14:25In the fear of the Lord
- 14:27one has strong confidence
- 14:30and his children
- 14:31will have a refuge.
- 14:33The fear of the Lord
- 14:34is a fountain of life
- 14:36that one may turn away
- 14:37from the snares of death.
- 14:40And Proverbs 19.23 reads,
- 14:43The fear of the Lord
- 14:44leads to life
- 14:46and whoever has it
- 14:48rests satisfied.
- 14:50He will not be visited
- 14:52by harm.
- 14:55So,
- 14:56the family is an institution
- 14:58of God's making.
- 14:59It is meant to be
- 15:00a school
- 15:01and the proper object
- 15:02of family instruction
- 15:03is the fear of the Lord.
- 15:06The fourth reality
- 15:07from the text,
- 15:09the instruction
- 15:10in the fear of the Lord
- 15:11is the responsibility
- 15:13of fathers
- 15:14and
- 15:15mothers.
- 15:17It is the responsibility
- 15:18of fathers
- 15:19and
- 15:20mothers.
- 15:22I hope this is fairly
- 15:23obvious to you in the text,
- 15:24but it bears
- 15:25saying.
- 15:27Now,
- 15:27as the Father
- 15:28is meant to give
- 15:29leadership in the home,
- 15:31is primarily charged
- 15:32with leadership
- 15:33in the home,
- 15:34this includes also
- 15:35the instructions
- 15:36in the way of God.
- 15:38All things spiritual.
- 15:40He is ultimately
- 15:41responsible for this.
- 15:43But He is not alone
- 15:44in the task
- 15:46praise God.
- 15:48We've been given
- 15:49a partner,
- 15:49a helper,
- 15:50that's suitable for us
- 15:51to help us
- 15:52in this task.
- 15:54Still giving leadership
- 15:55to it,
- 15:56but having our dear
- 15:57wives and mothers
- 15:58come alongside us
- 16:00and help us
- 16:01in it.
- 16:02Verse 8,
- 16:03we see both
- 16:04at play here.
- 16:05Hear my son,
- 16:06your father's instruction
- 16:07and forsake not
- 16:08your mother's
- 16:09teaching.
- 16:11Now,
- 16:11since today
- 16:12is Mother's Day,
- 16:14I'm going to take
- 16:14a moment to encourage
- 16:15our mothers.
- 16:17At this point,
- 16:18certainly we could
- 16:19speak at length
- 16:20about the responsibility
- 16:21to fathers.
- 16:23Maybe some other
- 16:23Father's Day
- 16:24will do that.
- 16:25But to mothers
- 16:26today,
- 16:28we praise God
- 16:30as we rightly should
- 16:31for the mothers
- 16:33of our church.
- 16:35Mothers do
- 16:36so much
- 16:38and are so
- 16:39very often
- 16:40underappreciated.
- 16:42And the reality
- 16:44of it is
- 16:44that many mothers
- 16:45also undervalue
- 16:47their work.
- 16:49Many moms
- 16:50here today
- 16:50are very guilty
- 16:52of being
- 16:53swayed
- 16:55by Pinterest.
- 16:57You know
- 16:57that the wonderful
- 16:58moms on Pinterest
- 16:59took a long time
- 17:00to clean that
- 17:01corner of the room
- 17:02up so it looked
- 17:02so perfect
- 17:03and put together
- 17:04and as soon
- 17:05as they took
- 17:05the photo,
- 17:06it was destroyed
- 17:07by their children.
- 17:08So many moms
- 17:12feel day in
- 17:13and day out
- 17:14like such
- 17:16failures.
- 17:18But let me say
- 17:19to you
- 17:19that from the outside
- 17:21as an observer,
- 17:23the mothers
- 17:23of our church
- 17:24are doing
- 17:24a wonderful,
- 17:26wonderful job.
- 17:27I admire
- 17:28each
- 17:29and every one
- 17:30of you.
- 17:31None of you
- 17:31are perfect
- 17:31and have it
- 17:32wonderfully,
- 17:33perfectly figured out,
- 17:34but you are doing
- 17:35so well
- 17:36and so much better
- 17:38than many others.
- 17:40A lot of moms
- 17:41war against
- 17:43feminism.
- 17:45This idea
- 17:46that women
- 17:46must have careers,
- 17:48that simply being
- 17:49a mom is not
- 17:50enough,
- 17:51that that in and of
- 17:52itself is not
- 17:53a job,
- 17:53that you must do
- 17:54more and make
- 17:55more,
- 17:56that you're not
- 17:57created different
- 17:59to have a different
- 18:00task.
- 18:02Creeping into
- 18:03the church
- 18:04is the idea
- 18:04of egalitarianism,
- 18:06that men and women
- 18:07are alike
- 18:08in all ways.
- 18:10This is simply
- 18:10not true.
- 18:12This is a way
- 18:13that the enemy
- 18:14is attacking
- 18:15the very fabric
- 18:16of the family.
- 18:19We are
- 18:20complementarianism.
- 18:22Excuse me.
- 18:24We believe
- 18:24that men and women
- 18:25are equal.
- 18:27Stand before God
- 18:28equal,
- 18:29but different.
- 18:31Created to fulfill
- 18:32different roles.
- 18:34We have women
- 18:35in this church
- 18:36that are embracing
- 18:37that role,
- 18:37and I praise God
- 18:38for that.
- 18:38I think that's a
- 18:39grace working in
- 18:40your hearts to that
- 18:41end.
- 18:42But you war against
- 18:43feminism.
- 18:45People ask you
- 18:46what you do for a
- 18:47living,
- 18:47and you say,
- 18:48I'm a mom,
- 18:49and I hear it in
- 18:49your voice sometimes,
- 18:50like it's less.
- 18:51It's not as good
- 18:52as.
- 18:54Don't believe
- 18:54those lies.
- 18:56A lot of moms
- 18:57wrestle with the
- 18:59mundane,
- 19:00trying to find
- 19:01the value in the
- 19:02day-to-day,
- 19:03and the cleaning
- 19:04up,
- 19:05and the little
- 19:05messes,
- 19:06and all of that.
- 19:06Let me just
- 19:07encourage you
- 19:08that you are
- 19:08investing in the
- 19:10future of your
- 19:11children.
- 19:12What a valuable,
- 19:13valuable task.
- 19:14I remind Sam
- 19:15often,
- 19:16she reminds me
- 19:17at times,
- 19:19that we're not
- 19:19raising boys,
- 19:20we're raising men.
- 19:22There's going to be
- 19:22an end product
- 19:23that we're producing.
- 19:25And as they're
- 19:26arrows in my
- 19:27quiver,
- 19:27I want them to be
- 19:28perfect and straight,
- 19:30that they'll hit
- 19:31their mark.
- 19:31Where God
- 19:32intends for them
- 19:33to go.
- 19:34There's a greater
- 19:34thing at play
- 19:36in the day in
- 19:37and the day out
- 19:38of the spit up
- 19:39and the messes.
- 19:42Learn to worship
- 19:43God in the mundane.
- 19:45Your task
- 19:45is so
- 19:47important.
- 19:49God has
- 19:50designed you
- 19:50in His
- 19:51image,
- 19:52in His image
- 19:54to be caretakers
- 19:54of the home.
- 19:56It's valuable,
- 19:57it's a beautiful
- 19:58task.
- 19:59It's something
- 19:59that should be
- 20:00revered
- 20:01amongst us.
- 20:03Speaking of
- 20:04the excellent
- 20:04wife,
- 20:04in Proverbs 31,
- 20:06out of 22
- 20:06verses,
- 20:079 refer
- 20:08directly to
- 20:09the excellent
- 20:10wife's work
- 20:11in the home.
- 20:12A substantial
- 20:13amount of them
- 20:14refer to
- 20:15this work.
- 20:18It is a
- 20:18precious one.
- 20:20In a letter
- 20:20to Ann
- 20:21Landers,
- 20:23I'm going to
- 20:23date myself,
- 20:24I had no idea
- 20:25who Ann
- 20:25Landers is.
- 20:26I don't know
- 20:27if any of you
- 20:27know who
- 20:29Ann Landers
- 20:29was.
- 20:30It was a
- 20:31pen name
- 20:31for a
- 20:32Chicago Sun
- 20:32Times
- 20:33advice
- 20:33columnist.
- 20:34This is a
- 20:34letter from
- 20:351988.
- 20:37I found it
- 20:37someplace else
- 20:38in another
- 20:38sermon.
- 20:40But this
- 20:41woman wrote
- 20:41this to
- 20:42Ann Landers.
- 20:43I'm so
- 20:44tired of
- 20:45all those
- 20:45ignorant
- 20:46people who
- 20:47come up to
- 20:47my husband
- 20:48and ask him
- 20:48if his wife
- 20:49has a full
- 20:50time job
- 20:50or if
- 20:51she's
- 20:52just a
- 20:53housewife.
- 20:54Here's my
- 20:55job description.
- 20:58I'm a
- 20:58wife,
- 20:59mother,
- 21:00friend,
- 21:01confidant,
- 21:02personal
- 21:02advisor,
- 21:03lover,
- 21:04referee,
- 21:05peacemaker,
- 21:06housekeeper,
- 21:07laundress,
- 21:08chauffeur,
- 21:09interior
- 21:09decorator,
- 21:10gardener,
- 21:11painter,
- 21:12wallpaper,
- 21:13remember I was
- 21:14in 88,
- 21:15dog groomer,
- 21:17veterinarian,
- 21:18manicurist,
- 21:18barber,
- 21:19seamstress,
- 21:20appointment
- 21:20manager,
- 21:21financial
- 21:21planner,
- 21:22bookkeeper,
- 21:23money manager,
- 21:23personal
- 21:24secretary,
- 21:24teacher,
- 21:25disciplinarian,
- 21:26entertainer,
- 21:27psychoanalyst,
- 21:28nurse,
- 21:29diagnostician,
- 21:31public relations
- 21:31expert,
- 21:32dietician and
- 21:33nutritionist,
- 21:34baker,
- 21:35chef,
- 21:36fashion coordinator
- 21:37and letter
- 21:37writer for both
- 21:38sides of the
- 21:39family.
- 21:40I'm also a
- 21:40travel agent,
- 21:41speech therapist,
- 21:42plumber and
- 21:43automobile maintenance
- 21:44and repair
- 21:44expert.
- 21:46From the
- 21:46studies done,
- 21:47and there's
- 21:47been a recent
- 21:48Facebook post
- 21:49going around,
- 21:50some of you
- 21:50may have seen
- 21:51where the guy
- 21:52writes,
- 21:52I can't afford
- 21:52my wife,
- 21:53from the
- 21:54studies done,
- 21:55it would cost
- 21:55more than
- 21:5675,000 a
- 21:57year to
- 21:58replace me.
- 21:59It took time
- 22:00out of my
- 22:01busy day to
- 22:01write this
- 22:02letter,
- 22:02Anne,
- 22:03because there
- 22:03are still
- 22:04ignorant
- 22:04people who
- 22:05believe a
- 22:05housewife is
- 22:06nothing more
- 22:06than a
- 22:07babysitter who
- 22:08sits on her
- 22:09behind,
- 22:10also a
- 22:111988 word,
- 22:11I think,
- 22:12all day and
- 22:13looks at
- 22:14soap operas.
- 22:15And all of
- 22:15this was found
- 22:16in a book by
- 22:17Linda Weber
- 22:18from Focus on
- 22:18the Family
- 22:19called Mom,
- 22:20You're
- 22:20incredible.
- 22:22You ladies do
- 22:23a massive
- 22:24amount of
- 22:25work.
- 22:25Guys,
- 22:26stay at home
- 22:27for two
- 22:27days with
- 22:28no help
- 22:29from your
- 22:29wife and
- 22:30you'll
- 22:30appreciate her
- 22:30to a very,
- 22:31very high
- 22:32degree.
- 22:34So this
- 22:34responsibility
- 22:35of raising
- 22:36up and
- 22:37instructing in
- 22:37the fear of
- 22:38the Lord is
- 22:38the responsibility
- 22:39of fathers
- 22:40and mothers.
- 22:42Ladies,
- 22:42thank you for
- 22:43your hard
- 22:43work in
- 22:44this regard.
- 22:44Fifthly,
- 22:50children are
- 22:51responsible for
- 22:53submission to
- 22:54this instruction.
- 22:57And this
- 22:57includes both
- 22:58at home and
- 23:00away from
- 23:01home.
- 23:02See the words
- 23:02in verse 8,
- 23:03Hear my son
- 23:04your father's
- 23:05instruction.
- 23:06Present,
- 23:06you're here.
- 23:07Hear my
- 23:08instruction.
- 23:08Use my
- 23:09instruction.
- 23:10And do not
- 23:10forsake your
- 23:11mother's teaching.
- 23:13When you leave
- 23:14our presence,
- 23:14when you go
- 23:15out into the
- 23:16world,
- 23:16college students,
- 23:17when you walk
- 23:17away and you're
- 23:18in a different
- 23:19place living on
- 23:20your own,
- 23:21do not forsake
- 23:22your mother's
- 23:24teaching.
- 23:24These people
- 23:25have been placed
- 23:25over you by
- 23:26God to help
- 23:28you in this
- 23:29life.
- 23:31One commentator
- 23:32has said of
- 23:32verses 7-9,
- 23:34verses 7-9 may
- 23:35be regarded as
- 23:36a summary statement
- 23:37of the principle
- 23:38on which the
- 23:39whole book of
- 23:40Proverbs is
- 23:41based,
- 23:42and of the
- 23:43duty which it
- 23:44enjoins.
- 23:46The principle
- 23:47is that true
- 23:47wisdom is based
- 23:48on the fear
- 23:49of God,
- 23:49and the duty
- 23:50is to listen
- 23:51to parental
- 23:52instruction.
- 23:55That this
- 23:55proper worship,
- 23:57the true
- 23:58wisdom,
- 23:58is based on
- 23:59the fear of
- 23:59God.
- 24:00And how
- 24:00ought we to
- 24:01gain that
- 24:02wisdom?
- 24:04Listen to
- 24:05your parents.
- 24:07God finds
- 24:07this so
- 24:08important that
- 24:09it is part of
- 24:09his moral
- 24:10law.
- 24:12Exodus 20-12,
- 24:13honor your
- 24:13father and
- 24:15your mother.
- 24:16Paul states
- 24:17it again,
- 24:17Ephesians 6-1.
- 24:18Children, you
- 24:19should be
- 24:19familiar with
- 24:19this one.
- 24:20Children,
- 24:21obey your
- 24:21parents and
- 24:22the Lord,
- 24:22for this
- 24:23is right.
- 24:25That is,
- 24:25it is what
- 24:26is proper
- 24:27for children
- 24:28to do.
- 24:30Thomas Watts,
- 24:31a 17th century
- 24:32English Puritan,
- 24:32stated that
- 24:33fear of the
- 24:34Lord leads
- 24:35to industry.
- 24:36And I like
- 24:37that.
- 24:37would have
- 24:38to come
- 24:38from a
- 24:3917th century
- 24:39Puritan to
- 24:40use that
- 24:40type of
- 24:41language.
- 24:41But that
- 24:42is that
- 24:42it leads
- 24:42to action.
- 24:44That if
- 24:45we're going
- 24:45to properly
- 24:45worship God,
- 24:47our parents
- 24:48should have
- 24:48led us to
- 24:49a fear of
- 24:49God.
- 24:50But even
- 24:50if they
- 24:50didn't,
- 24:51a fear of
- 24:52God ought
- 24:52to lead
- 24:53us to
- 24:53being obedient
- 24:54and listening
- 24:55to our
- 24:56parents'
- 24:57instruction.
- 24:59Now,
- 25:00I recognize
- 25:00that many
- 25:01of us
- 25:02don't have
- 25:03perfect
- 25:03parents.
- 25:04And the
- 25:04reality of
- 25:05it is that
- 25:05none of
- 25:05us have
- 25:06perfect
- 25:07parents.
- 25:07Because all
- 25:08of our
- 25:08parents are
- 25:09dealing with
- 25:10sin in
- 25:10their own
- 25:11lives.
- 25:14Most,
- 25:15if not all,
- 25:15of our
- 25:15parents have
- 25:16really tried.
- 25:17And they've
- 25:18really done
- 25:18their very
- 25:20best.
- 25:21I know a
- 25:22lot of you
- 25:22struggle with
- 25:23very,
- 25:23very difficult
- 25:24parents.
- 25:26Consider for
- 25:27a moment who
- 25:28Solomon's parents
- 25:29were.
- 25:30David,
- 25:30who certainly
- 25:31possessed
- 25:32much wisdom,
- 25:33and his
- 25:34mother was
- 25:35Bathsheba.
- 25:36We don't
- 25:36know a
- 25:37whole lot
- 25:37about
- 25:37Bathsheba,
- 25:38except that
- 25:38she was
- 25:38beautiful.
- 25:40But these
- 25:40two came
- 25:41together under
- 25:41a messy,
- 25:42messy
- 25:43circumstance.
- 25:44There had
- 25:45to have
- 25:45been some
- 25:45challenges in
- 25:46their marriage.
- 25:47A marriage
- 25:47that began
- 25:48with adultery
- 25:49and murder
- 25:50on David's
- 25:51heart.
- 25:52But yet,
- 25:53Solomon says,
- 25:54listen to
- 25:55the instruction
- 25:56of your
- 25:57parents.
- 25:59The same
- 25:59applies.
- 26:01Provided that
- 26:02their instruction
- 26:02does not
- 26:03oppose the
- 26:04command of
- 26:05God.
- 26:06Your parents
- 26:07have wisdom
- 26:07for you
- 26:08even if
- 26:08they're not
- 26:09followers of
- 26:10Jesus Christ.
- 26:12Remember that
- 26:13Proverbs is
- 26:13aimed at
- 26:14helping us
- 26:15walk wisely
- 26:16in this
- 26:16world.
- 26:18Ultimately
- 26:18aimed at
- 26:19toward
- 26:21culminating with
- 26:22the fear of
- 26:23the Lord,
- 26:23the glory of
- 26:24God.
- 26:24This is the
- 26:25direction that
- 26:25it's taking
- 26:26us in,
- 26:26but there are
- 26:27still good
- 26:27and wise
- 26:28things that
- 26:29we can learn
- 26:29from our
- 26:31parents.
- 26:31Let me
- 26:31encourage you
- 26:33if you have
- 26:33difficult
- 26:34parents,
- 26:35to find
- 26:36those things
- 26:36that they
- 26:37are good
- 26:37at,
- 26:37that they
- 26:38know to
- 26:38be true.
- 26:39Respect
- 26:39your parents
- 26:40and listen
- 26:41to them.
- 26:43Remember
- 26:43that God
- 26:44gave you
- 26:45your
- 26:46parents.
- 26:48Recognize,
- 26:49embrace
- 26:50His
- 26:50sovereignty.
- 26:52He gave
- 26:53them to
- 26:53you.
- 26:55I love
- 26:55Romans 8.
- 26:5628.
- 26:56It should
- 26:56be so
- 26:57familiar
- 26:57to you.
- 26:58You
- 26:58suffer
- 26:58in this
- 26:58world,
- 26:59and we
- 26:59know
- 26:59that for
- 27:00those who
- 27:00love God,
- 27:02all things,
- 27:03including
- 27:03parents,
- 27:04difficult
- 27:04parent
- 27:05situations,
- 27:05work
- 27:06together
- 27:06for good
- 27:08for those
- 27:09who are
- 27:09called
- 27:09according
- 27:10to His
- 27:10purpose.
- 27:12God
- 27:13knew
- 27:13the parents
- 27:14you
- 27:15needed
- 27:15to gain
- 27:17the best
- 27:18for you,
- 27:19the greatest
- 27:19for you.
- 27:20He knew
- 27:21the parents
- 27:21that were
- 27:21necessary
- 27:22for that
- 27:23to take
- 27:23place.
- 27:24God
- 27:24is using
- 27:25even the
- 27:25sins
- 27:26of our
- 27:27parents
- 27:27to bring
- 27:28us
- 27:28to Him.
- 27:30I want
- 27:31to read
- 27:31to you
- 27:31a poem
- 27:32as an
- 27:32encouragement
- 27:33to that
- 27:33end by
- 27:34John
- 27:34Piper
- 27:34called
- 27:34On
- 27:35Grace.
- 27:36It speaks
- 27:37to this
- 27:37very
- 27:37thing.
- 27:39He
- 27:39writes,
- 27:40Some
- 27:40people
- 27:41tell me
- 27:41I was
- 27:42free
- 27:43when I
- 27:43believed
- 27:44in
- 27:45Christ,
- 27:46and by
- 27:46my
- 27:46power
- 27:47got
- 27:47victory
- 27:48when
- 27:49all
- 27:49the
- 27:49world
- 27:50enticed.
- 27:52I
- 27:52think
- 27:52they
- 27:53did
- 27:53not
- 27:53know
- 27:53my
- 27:54heart
- 27:54nor
- 27:54theirs.
- 27:55Let
- 27:55it
- 27:55be
- 27:56said
- 27:56that
- 27:56I
- 27:57for
- 27:57one
- 27:57had
- 27:57sought
- 27:58no
- 27:58part
- 27:59in
- 27:59rising
- 28:00from
- 28:01the
- 28:01dead.
- 28:02They
- 28:02wonder
- 28:03at
- 28:03the
- 28:03sovereign
- 28:04rights
- 28:04that
- 28:04I
- 28:04allow
- 28:05my
- 28:05king
- 28:06and
- 28:06puzzle
- 28:07at
- 28:07the
- 28:07worship
- 28:08heights
- 28:08to
- 28:09which
- 28:09his
- 28:09rule
- 28:10gives
- 28:11wing.
- 28:12But
- 28:13I
- 28:13will
- 28:13rest
- 28:13God's
- 28:14grace
- 28:14today
- 28:15on
- 28:16this
- 28:16I
- 28:17need
- 28:17no
- 28:17other.
- 28:18He
- 28:18did
- 28:18not
- 28:19give
- 28:19any
- 28:19say
- 28:20but
- 28:21chose
- 28:21for
- 28:22me
- 28:22my
- 28:23mother.
- 28:23My
- 28:24reading at
- 28:25the beginning
- 28:26of this
- 28:27morning
- 28:27in Psalm
- 28:27139
- 28:29had this
- 28:29in mind
- 28:30God's
- 28:31personal
- 28:32care
- 28:32for you
- 28:33includes
- 28:34the grace
- 28:35of your
- 28:36parents
- 28:37being given
- 28:37to you.
- 28:39So the
- 28:40family is an
- 28:40institution of
- 28:41God's making
- 28:41meant to be a
- 28:42school
- 28:43with the
- 28:43object of
- 28:44the instruction
- 28:45of that family
- 28:46aimed at the
- 28:47fear of the
- 28:47Lord.
- 28:48The
- 28:48responsibility of
- 28:49fathers and
- 28:50mothers and
- 28:50of children to
- 28:51listen to it
- 28:52and obey
- 28:52it.
- 28:53And then
- 28:53sixthly and
- 28:54lastly,
- 28:55last observation
- 28:56from the
- 28:57text.
- 28:58There is a
- 28:58promise given
- 28:59in this
- 29:00instruction
- 29:01is submitted
- 29:02to.
- 29:03There is a
- 29:03promise given
- 29:04if this
- 29:05instruction
- 29:05is submitted
- 29:07to.
- 29:07Verse 9
- 29:08For they are a
- 29:11graceful
- 29:12garland for
- 29:13your head
- 29:14and pendants
- 29:15for your neck.
- 29:17They are a
- 29:18graceful garland
- 29:19for your head
- 29:19and pendants
- 29:21for your neck.
- 29:21These were
- 29:22signs of
- 29:23victory.
- 29:24If a race
- 29:25was won
- 29:26or a battle
- 29:27was conquered,
- 29:28these were
- 29:29signs of
- 29:30victory of
- 29:31the day.
- 29:33The rest of
- 29:33Ephesians 6
- 29:34after verse 1
- 29:35beginning in
- 29:37verse 2
- 29:37and 3,
- 29:39this is Paul's
- 29:40commentary on
- 29:41Exodus 20
- 29:4112.
- 29:42He says,
- 29:42Honor your
- 29:43father and
- 29:44mother.
- 29:45This is the
- 29:45first commandment
- 29:46with a promise
- 29:48that it may
- 29:50go well with
- 29:51you and
- 29:52that you
- 29:52may live
- 29:53long in
- 29:54the land.
- 29:55There were
- 29:56many promises
- 29:57given along
- 29:59with the
- 29:59commandment,
- 30:00but later on
- 30:00in the text,
- 30:02this is the
- 30:02first one as
- 30:04God gave to
- 30:05Moses the
- 30:06Ten Commandments,
- 30:07the moral law
- 30:08that contained in
- 30:09the actual
- 30:09commandment a
- 30:10promise that it
- 30:11may go well
- 30:12with you and
- 30:13that you may
- 30:13live long in
- 30:15the land.
- 30:16Do you
- 30:16remember the
- 30:17Proverbs I
- 30:17read previously?
- 30:18Proverbs 14
- 30:1926 and 27?
- 30:20In the fear
- 30:21of the Lord
- 30:22one has strong
- 30:23confidence and
- 30:24his children will
- 30:26have a refuge.
- 30:27The fear of the
- 30:27Lord is a
- 30:28fountain of
- 30:29life that one
- 30:29may turn away
- 30:30from the snares
- 30:31of death.
- 30:32In Proverbs 19
- 30:3323,
- 30:34the fear of the
- 30:35Lord leads to
- 30:36life and whoever
- 30:36has it rests
- 30:37satisfied.
- 30:38He will not be
- 30:39visited by
- 30:40harm.
- 30:42This is the
- 30:43wreath on your
- 30:44head.
- 30:45And the
- 30:45ornament on
- 30:46your neck for
- 30:47embracing the
- 30:48fear of the
- 30:48Lord that your
- 30:49mother and
- 30:50father taught
- 30:51you.
- 30:52A fountain of
- 30:53life and
- 30:54strong confidence
- 30:55and deep
- 30:57satisfaction.
- 30:59And so the
- 31:00family was
- 31:01created by
- 31:02God and
- 31:04ultimately for
- 31:05God.
- 31:07He designed
- 31:07that the
- 31:08family should
- 31:08be a school
- 31:09of instruction
- 31:10and godliness.
- 31:11Fathers and
- 31:12mothers instructing
- 31:12their children in
- 31:13the ways of the
- 31:14Lord so that the
- 31:14children will
- 31:15have Godward
- 31:16lives with a
- 31:17sure eternal
- 31:19confidence.
- 31:21Whether or not
- 31:21our families have
- 31:22been a perfect
- 31:22representation of
- 31:23God's intent and
- 31:24purpose, we ought
- 31:26to always recognize
- 31:27that He is good
- 31:28and given our
- 31:29particular families
- 31:30to us for our
- 31:32good.
- 31:32fathers and
- 31:39mothers, let us
- 31:40strive together.
- 31:42It's one of the
- 31:42great graces of the
- 31:43church that we can
- 31:44work together and
- 31:45encourage one another
- 31:45and support one
- 31:46another in this
- 31:47endeavor.
- 31:48Let us strive
- 31:49together to fulfill
- 31:50the high calling
- 31:51that God has placed
- 31:52on our lives to
- 31:53instruct our
- 31:54children and let us
- 31:55praise God that He
- 31:56provides for all
- 31:58that He commands.
- 32:00Let's pray together.
- 32:00Let us pray together.