Morning Sermon

November 16, 2008

Wisdom and Her Fruit

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It is not hard to find examples of the destruction caused by a lack of wisdom, the undoing of what is good and useful in the lives of so many people. You can find marriages ruined. Families torn apart. Children exasperated. There might be financial ruin. Good health lost to preventable illness or careless injury. Even tragedy and grievous sorrow. The simple reality is that many people make a total and complete mess of their lives, all for the lack of wisdom. The most basic, straightforward and otherwise obtainable wisdom.

You all probably know people who come to mind immediately. And maybe, unfortunately, such a description might have applied to your life at one time or another.

So, to repeat the message from last week, I declare to you,

Prov. 4:5 "Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing;...8 She will bring you honor, when you embrace her."

So it is that chapter 8 begins right where chapter 7 left off, so much so that the NKJV actually includes verse 1 as part of the paragraph that ends chapter 7. The transition is so smooth, that you can't really say which is a better place to put the break. Because there is no break. And so we come this morning to,

v.1 "Who is like a wise man?"

To repeat the idea for emphasis, "And who knows the interpretation of a thing?"

Who has understanding? Who knows the solution to the problem, and problems, of life? The dilemma is that no one does! Remember last week,

Eccl. 6:28 "One man among a thousand I have found, But a woman among all these I have not found."

Just one man in a thousand shows any wisdom, so Solomon observes. In other words, scarcely none at all. And not a woman, either. No one has wisdom.

That is my general observation today, as well. Where is the truly wise man? Where is the wise man in our political system? Where is the wise man in Congress? Where is the wise man that can rightly understand our present financial crisis and offer useful solutions? Sometimes even, we have to wonder, where is the wise man in the church?

Looking at the families even within our own community, you have to ask, Where is the wise parent, the wise father or the wise mother? Knowing of the work situation for many of you, I would ask, Where is the wise employer. Truly we understand Solomon's despair, "Only one man among a thousand I have found." That's all there is. Such foolishness abounds. Such absence of godly, biblical wisdom.

There is a reason for such absence. It is the disregard and disrespect in which people hold the Bible, the word of God. And so I am a wise man only to the extent that I declare and proclaim to you that Word. I am wise as a preacher, not by virtue of my own rhetoric or my own insights or observations, but only insofar as I expound what God has revealed by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit. And that is the task I attempt again this Lord's Day.

So what does the Bible say about wisdom? I'll begin my answer to that question with reference to,

I. THE JOY OF WISDOM. The joy.

There is not a lot of joy with a lot of people today. In fact, there is a lot of misery. Emotional misery. Financial misery. Physical misery. Misery in their homes. Misery at their work. All too often, misery even in their church. And misery in their hearts, as well-a deeply spiritual misery. Misery in their relationship with God. Misery in their whole life.

And if Christians are to be separated from the world, we ought to be separated from such joylessness as all of that. Therefore, there ought to be, within us, joy. Great joy. The joy of wisdom. Joy as the fruit of wisdom. Joy as the natural consequence of wisdom.

So look how Solomon describes that joy. He refers to,

A. A shining face. v.1

Shining means illuminated, lighted up. The root word simply means light. Wisdom makes your face shine like a light, and I don't need to explain what that means. But I'll read a cross reference that uses the same imagery,

Ps. 19:8 "The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes."

So what makes your face shine? You might think of a newlywed couple, or even that couple on their wedding day. You might think of a new parent. Maybe of a person that has just achieved a major objective, won a major victory or triumph. But what makes your face shine?

Or maybe I should ask, "Why doesn't your face shine?" For many of us, for much of time, it doesn't. Surely a complaining spirit, a worrisome spirit, a bitter spirit, will take away that light. Maybe it is the depression or the oppression of the stress of life. Perhaps hardship or affliction. But Solomon's point is, "A man's wisdom makes his face shine."

Beloved, we are commanded by God to rejoice! Always. We are called upon as Christians to have joy, and according to John, God gives us his word for that very purpose.

1 John 1:4 "And these things we write to you that your joy may be full."

John writes, of course, about Jesus, and it is Jesus who is the source and content of our joy. And so Jesus says to you,

John 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full."

And Jesus prays to His Father, John 17:13 "But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves."

It certainly wasn't that Jesus had joy because he had an easy life. Just the opposite. And so we are called to fix our eyes on Jesus,

Heb. 12:2 "..the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

For the joy set before him, he laid down his own life to be crucified upon a Roman cross. For the joy set before him, he was wiling to endure unimaginable suffering. Beloved, that is to be your focus, as well. For the joy set before you, in Christ, for the joy of heaven, the joy of eternal glory, the joy of being in the presence of God, with that joy in mind you face whatever circumstances might come.

Neh. 8:10 "...for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

People of God, that is as it ought to be! The joy of the Lord ought to be your strength. The joy of a shining face ought to be your strength. And that joy comes not merely in the realm of emotion or subjective feelings, but in the knowledge and understanding of the revealed word of God. It is a man's wisdom that makes his face shine."

And, Solomon continues, "the sternness of his face is changed." The hardness of his face is softened. Surely that is an evidence of joy.

B. A soft demeanor. We have this wise warning in,

Prov. 22:24 "Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, 25 Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul."

Don't associate with a man given to anger! Why? You learn his ways, and his ways are not wise. The way of wisdom is the way of gentleness. A gentle face. And how easily, how often, is such a gentleness the most naturally joined together with the joy of your heart.

A shining face and a soft demeanor. That's the evidence of the joy of wisdom. And that is your calling, as Christians. A shining face and a soft demeanor. Not a look of disgust and contempt. Not an appearance of bitterness and harshness. It is often said that the eyes are a window to the soul, and that is the idea here, extending the window of the eyes to the window of your whole face.

So think often of yourself, your own countenance. What are others able to see when the gaze through the window of your face? They ought to see it shine, even in the endurance of trouble, not darkened by a faithless stress that only focuses upon the difficult predicaments of life. And they ought to see a gentleness that speaks of contented wisdom, free from the root of bitterness.

So how do you get such an appearance? Let me say it again, "Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross."

Fix your eyes upon Jesus. That's where the joy of wisdom is born, and that's where it grows. By communion and fellowship with Jesus himself.

But there is more. More of our responsibility in seeking the joy of wisdom. That joy really does come through,

II. THE WISDOM OF SUBMISSION TO GOD. Do you want a shining face? A soft demeanor? Then learn from the wisdom of submission.

We are way too prone to view submission as a negative thing, a harsh or abusive thing. Whether it is with a wife toward her husband, a child toward his parents, or any of us toward the civil authorities or even our employers, we are taught to fight for our own rights. We are taught to protect our own autonomy. "No one can tell me what to do!"

That natural rebellion is very much tied up in our hearts. Even as Christians, the remnants of that native rebelliousness wages war with your soul.

And too often that carries over into our relationship with God. We think that the whole idea of the law is negative and burdensome, even for the Christian who is freed from its curse. We think that any exhortation by a preacher is some form of legalism, that any attention given to the duty and responsibility of obedience is detrimental to your spiritual well-being, something contrary to and destructive of genuine love.

But look at what Solomon says first, after identifying the wise man as one with a shining face and soft demeanor. He mentions obedience.

v.2

There is an important point of interpretation here, for the question is, who is the king? Many interpreters believe this is a reference to the submission and obedience we owe to civil authorities, governments instituted among men. And surely, that is a biblical duty.

Rom. 13:1 "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God."

That is plain as could be, but I don't think that is what this particular verse is speaking about. The context, as we'll see, points much more clearly to the sovereign authority of Almighty God than to the delegated sovereignty of a civil government. And while I agree that much wisdom is to be found in submission to civil authorities, I believe verse 2 refers to even greater wisdom. Submission to God the King. Specifically, keeping the King's commandment. Keeping God's commandments. For the sake of your oath. For the sake of your promise, your commitment, to him.

So this, then, is the foundation upon which wisdom thrives, your commitment to faithfulness. And your diligent care to fulfill that commitment.

A. Keeping a promise of faithfulness. That's not legalism. Legalism is when your obedience becomes the ground upon which God accepts you, the basis upon which he forgives your sins. And legalism is when you add to the righteous and good commandments of God with your own human traditions and obligations.

But making, and keeping, a promise of faithfulness? That's the essence of wisdom. That's becomes the joy of wisdom, joyfully obeying the one who has so fully and perfectly loved you in Christ. It is the joy so consistently expressed in,

Ps. 119:1 "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the LORD! 2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart!3 They also do no iniquity; They walk in His ways. 4 You have commanded us To keep Your precepts diligently. 5 Oh, that my ways were directed To keep Your statutes! 6 Then I would not be ashamed, When I look into all Your commandments. 7 I will praise You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments. 8 I will keep Your statutes."

Ps. 119:33 "Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end. 34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart. 35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it."

Ps. 119:69 "The proud have forged a lie against me, But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart. 70 Their heart is as fat as grease, But I delight in Your law. 71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. 72 The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of coins of gold and silver."

Such is the wisdom of submission. The wisdom of learning to delight in God's authority over you, to give you his commandments. It is the wisdom of knowing what it is to love God by keeping his commandments, knowing in the depths of your soul that his commandments are not burdensome!

So to all of you who have professed your faith in Jesus Christ, promising him your life and your love,

v.2 "I say, 'Keep the king's commandment for the sake of your oath to God.'"

And let that faithfulness be your love to him, just as the faithfulness of a husband or a wife is their love to each other.

v.3a "Do not be hasty to go from his presence."

That's faithfulness, faithful devotion to the enjoyment of his presence. And with it,

B. Recognizing the sovereign power of God. v.3b "Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him."

There is why I believe the reference is to God, for God alone possesses that sovereignty. God alone "does whatever pleases him." That is not a threat nor even a beneficial warning, but "a good, solid reason for cheerful submission." (Leupold)

God's sovereignty is clearly stated. v.4

No one, of course. No one has the right to say that to God. Such submission before an autonomously powerful God is the very essence of godly wisdom. And here is the practical explanation of that wisdom, even a pragmatic definition of it. It's good for you! Living faithfully, in obedience to God's commands, is good for you. Such wisdom gives you,

C. Protection from harm. v.5a

Now, that doesn't mean that nothing hard or difficult will come to you, but it does mean that the God who is sovereign will work all things together for good! There is protection, there is safety, in our faithfulness to God.

Consider just one example of one commandment, the one dealing with the broad category of submission. The fifth commandment,

Eph. 6:1 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: 3 "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."

That's how God gives us his law, "that it may be will with you!" "That you may live long on the earth." Such is the wisdom of submission to God. Likewise,

III. THE SUBMISSION OF TRUSTING IN GOD. Now, our problem is, we worry about things. When hard things come, we think ourselves up to the task and we place those burdens squarely upon our own shoulders. We trust in our own strength and our own ability, and when that threatens to fail, we despair. We stress. We worry. We forget to trust in God. And when life does not proceed according to our timetable and our agenda, we forget that God is the King of all creation.

So here is wisdom, knowing that,

A. God rules and judges at his own appointed time. v.5-6

For every matter, God is sovereign. In every matter, God will bring about his own appointed end. God will accomplish his purpose. Even when you might find yourself in what could be described as "misery," according to the end of verse 6.

Solomon continues with good reason for our need to trust God, namely the wickedness of the wicked. Much of our misery, many of our troubles, are because of the oppression of the ungodly. And they, in their unbelief, do not know what's coming to them. It is that ignorance of God's power and judgment that frees them to cause you harm.

B. The ignorance of the ungodly. v.7

They don't know what you and know so well, that,

Heb. 9:27 "...it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment."

The wicked ignore that reality. They deny it. And therefore often cause us great harm. Yet there is hope. There is always hope. In the midst of the worst oppression you might even imagine, wisdom is the foundation for you hope. And the joy of wisdom can be your in abundance. Because we know this is true, that God has power, not man. That God accomplishes his purposes, not man. So wisdom gives to you the ability to have,

C. Confidence in the midst of oppression. v.8

No matter what anyone does to you, no matter whatever evil might befall you as you live in this world, no one has power. No man can govern your spirit. No mere man can control the matter of his own life and death. And no man can deliver himself from any trouble through his own wickedness. They are powerless, without God.

People of God, have great confidence. You may have struggles today, of great significance. I know for certain that in this world, you will have trouble. But this is your confidence, says Jesus,

John 16:33 "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Jesus introduces that encouragement with these words, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace."

Peace. The peace that passes all understanding. Therefore, people of God,

Mat. 10:28 "...do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 "Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."

Such confidence, such courage, is truly a blessed fruit of godly wisdom. So,

Prov. 4:5 "Get wisdom! Get understanding!...7 Wisdom is the principal thing;...8 She will bring you honor, when you embrace her."

She will protect you. She will sustain you and keep you. In every circumstance.

Solomon could find but one wise man among a thousand when he looked. But by the grace of God, may there be many more than that among us. So learn the wisdom of trusting in God and the wisdom of submitting to God. May you know the joy of that wisdom. For beloved, such wisdom will make your face shine. It will soften the hardness of your face.

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