"Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence."
Augustine
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Sermon Notes – Pursue
Pursue, Proverbs 2J. Josh Smith, MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church, attended June 27, 2010
This is the second of a series of conversations between a father and his son. The father is pleading with his son to pursue the way of wisdom, which is to pursue Christ. Think about God the Father having the same conversation with us.
This is a classic “if/then” conversation. Parents should be extremely familiar with what makes an effective “if/then” conversation.
1. The “if” must be clearly defined.
2. You must be willing to follow through with the “then”.
3. The “then” must be a good enough motivation to do the “if”.
Another way to state this is to say:
The only things worth pursuing are the things worth having.
“If” – Proverbs 2:1-4
1. If you pursue wisdom humbly then you will receive the rewards – Proverbs 2:1
You must see your need and be humbled. A hard, prideful heart will not see the need to pursue (Matthew 5:3).
2. If you pursue wisdom submissively then you will receive the rewards – Proverbs 2:2
The terms “hear and listen” mean to externally hear and inwardly obey. You must be making changes as a result of your hearing, i.e. submitting. “As long as I am hearing and reading the Word then I am OK” is not a true statement. You can read the Bible through twelve times a year and attend a Bible preaching church every Sunday but if you aren’t obeying then you aren’t pursuing wisdom (James 1:22, Mark 8:34).
3. If you pursue wisdom primarily then you will receive the rewards – Proverbs 2:3-4
This must become the primary pursuit of your life (Matthew 6:33). God will take care of the things that we, most often, spend the most time pursuing. Having wisdom and a relationship with Christ is the greatest treasure you will ever have (Matthew 13:44-45). Seek Christ above everything else.
“Then” – Proverbs 2:5-11
1. If you pursue wisdom in the right manner then you will know God – Proverbs 2:5
Knowledge of someone means intimacy. Knowledge of God is reserved for those who pursue rightly. The reason some don’t hunger God is because they have never tasted. Once you have tasted you are always hungry for more. Paul got a taste (Philippians 3:8-10).
2. If you pursue wisdom in the right manner then you will know the way of God – Proverbs 2:9
He gives you the discernment to know the right way and the wrong way, i.e. His way. You have the ability to make the right decision.
3. If you pursue wisdom in the right manner then you will be protected on the way – Proverbs 2:11-19
We need protection from evil men, evil women and the evil way. The “strange woman” is a woman outside the covenant of God. The “strange woman” is an analogy of idolatry or something that takes your affections away.
The failure to actively seek is always a decision to passively fail.
We find then some strange realities about pursuing Christ:
1. Sin keeps us from pursuing Christ but Christ keeps us from pursuing sin.
2. Passion is often a result of seeking (Proverbs 2:10). If you start pursuing Christ you will get a passion for it. You cannot wait for a desire to pursue, passion follows the pursuit. Passion is borne out of pursuit. It takes faith to believe it is worth your life and it is the only thing worth pursuing.
Do not think that you will receive the rewards of pursuit if you are not pursuing. Begin pursuing Christ now, trusting (even if you do not feel like it) that God will keep His promises and He will reward those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6). The pursuit of God produces passion for God.
The question isn’t the “then” it is the “if”. He keeps the “then”, will you keep the “if”? Proverbs 2:20-22 show us how important this is. He will uproot those who aren’t pursuing and send them to hell.
Are you pursuing anything worth having?
Do your life, thoughts, time, and energy reflect that Christ is your primary pursuit? If not, what do they reveal as your primary pursuit? God promises that those who seek Him humbly, primarily, and submissively will then receive intimacy, protection, and discernment.
NOTE: These are my notes, taken as I listened to the sermon live. Any errors, misunderstandings or misinterpretations are my responsibility entirely and not the fault of the preacher.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Sermon Notes – Listen
Listen, Proverbs 1:8-33J. Josh Smith, MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church, attended June 20, 2010
These are conversations between father and son that we get to listen into. They are not casual conversations. You can sense the love, passion, and desperate emotions of the father in encouraging his son to walk the way of wisdom. He is pleading with him. He focuses here through chapter 9, not on the specifics of what one should do, but the character qualities that one should possess.
Although they are conversations between a father and his son, they are also communications between our Father and His children. When we see a father in Proverbs we should think of our Heavenly Father. When we see children in Proverbs we should think of us, the children of God, those who have repented and trusted Him for our salvation. When we see wisdom in Proverbs we should think of Christ.
The father says that you have to learn to listen to walk the way of wisdom. Listening is mentioned in every single chapter of Proverbs. Learning to listen, i.e. to listen right, is imperative. Listening as Proverbs defines it is listening externally and responding internally.
The voice you listen to determines the direction you go.
We are bombarded with thousands of voices. You hear a voice in every book, song, movie and friend. All are telling you of a different way to live. You can’t escape these voices even when alone. Our mind and flesh has its own voice. We must practice “discerning listening”. The father doesn’t shelter the son from these other voices. There is the perverse voice, the wicked voice, the idolatrous voice, and many others. All are the voice of folly.
The voice of wisdom is standing at the crossroads, warning and inviting.
The father tells his son that he:
1. Must hear what you have heard – Proverbs 1:8-9
The son here is obviously in a home where they took seriously the command of God in Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
Listen right. The father knows there are two kinds of hearing. He wants the son to outwardly hear and inwardly obey. The way to do this is not to close down all the voices. The way to do this is to tell them what they are going to hear and teach them how to discern. God commands all families to “homeschool”. Not necessarily science and math, but God’s instructions.
2. Must see the stupidity of folly – Proverbs 1:10-32
He shows here the plan, promise and path of the fool. Their plan always makes light of the things God takes seriously. Their plan always breaks down.
Proverbs 1:14 shows the promise of brotherhood and acceptance. They also promise life (Proverbs 1:12) and wealth (Proverbs 1:13). All of their promises (life, wealth and brotherhood) can only be fulfilled by God.
Proverbs 1:17 compares their folly to a bird. No bird watches a net and just sits there waiting to be captured. Even the small brained bird knows when danger is coming and flees.
Proverbs 1:18 is a re-statement of Proverbs 1:11. It turns their own words against them. They are ambushing themselves. They are dumber than a bird in that they don’t even see that their plan leads to their own destruction.
Proverbs 1:18-32 shows us that they are going to want wisdom at some point in their lives but they won’t get it. Proverbs 29:1 tells us that they will reach the point of no return if they continually ignore wisdom. Your heart hardens every time it is ignored. Folly always writes checks that can’t be cashed. If you listen to folly you are accepting fraudulent checks that can never be deposited. The promises can’t be fulfilled.
3. Must listen to the voice of wisdom – Proverbs 1:33
Christ can keep every promise He makes. His path always leads to life.
The plan of wisdom is always the plan to sanctify you, to make you like Christ. Proverbs 8:35-36; Proverbs 3:17, 23; and Proverbs 9:6 highlight and contrast the way of life.
The call of wisdom in this first chapter of Proverbs reminds us of Jesus’ call in Matthew 11:28-30. The offer of wisdom is always the offer of Jesus Christ. If you refuse to listen you will receive the fullness of the consequences of your decision.
What are the prevailing voices in your life? Who has your ear? Choose to immerse yourself in the voice of God – His Word.
Train yourself, through the constant reading and memorizing of the Word of God, to recognize the messages that you are hearing. If you are being bombarded with opposing voices, you must fill your mind even more with the Word of God. We must think carefully and critically about the messages that we are hearing every day. Satan is purposefully using the messages from media, friends, and culture to lead us down the path that leads to destruction. Therefore, we must moment by moment examine them and reject them. Every moment of the day, recognize that each choice you make is leading you down a certain path. Choose wisely and quickly, lest you be forced to eat the fruit of your wrong choices.
NOTE: These are my notes, taken as I listened to the sermon live. Any errors, misunderstandings or misinterpretations are my responsibility entirely and not the fault of the preacher.
These are conversations between father and son that we get to listen into. They are not casual conversations. You can sense the love, passion, and desperate emotions of the father in encouraging his son to walk the way of wisdom. He is pleading with him. He focuses here through chapter 9, not on the specifics of what one should do, but the character qualities that one should possess.
Although they are conversations between a father and his son, they are also communications between our Father and His children. When we see a father in Proverbs we should think of our Heavenly Father. When we see children in Proverbs we should think of us, the children of God, those who have repented and trusted Him for our salvation. When we see wisdom in Proverbs we should think of Christ.
The father says that you have to learn to listen to walk the way of wisdom. Listening is mentioned in every single chapter of Proverbs. Learning to listen, i.e. to listen right, is imperative. Listening as Proverbs defines it is listening externally and responding internally.
The voice you listen to determines the direction you go.
We are bombarded with thousands of voices. You hear a voice in every book, song, movie and friend. All are telling you of a different way to live. You can’t escape these voices even when alone. Our mind and flesh has its own voice. We must practice “discerning listening”. The father doesn’t shelter the son from these other voices. There is the perverse voice, the wicked voice, the idolatrous voice, and many others. All are the voice of folly.
The voice of wisdom is standing at the crossroads, warning and inviting.
The father tells his son that he:
1. Must hear what you have heard – Proverbs 1:8-9
The son here is obviously in a home where they took seriously the command of God in Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
Listen right. The father knows there are two kinds of hearing. He wants the son to outwardly hear and inwardly obey. The way to do this is not to close down all the voices. The way to do this is to tell them what they are going to hear and teach them how to discern. God commands all families to “homeschool”. Not necessarily science and math, but God’s instructions.
2. Must see the stupidity of folly – Proverbs 1:10-32
He shows here the plan, promise and path of the fool. Their plan always makes light of the things God takes seriously. Their plan always breaks down.
Proverbs 1:14 shows the promise of brotherhood and acceptance. They also promise life (Proverbs 1:12) and wealth (Proverbs 1:13). All of their promises (life, wealth and brotherhood) can only be fulfilled by God.
Proverbs 1:17 compares their folly to a bird. No bird watches a net and just sits there waiting to be captured. Even the small brained bird knows when danger is coming and flees.
Proverbs 1:18 is a re-statement of Proverbs 1:11. It turns their own words against them. They are ambushing themselves. They are dumber than a bird in that they don’t even see that their plan leads to their own destruction.
Proverbs 1:18-32 shows us that they are going to want wisdom at some point in their lives but they won’t get it. Proverbs 29:1 tells us that they will reach the point of no return if they continually ignore wisdom. Your heart hardens every time it is ignored. Folly always writes checks that can’t be cashed. If you listen to folly you are accepting fraudulent checks that can never be deposited. The promises can’t be fulfilled.
3. Must listen to the voice of wisdom – Proverbs 1:33
Christ can keep every promise He makes. His path always leads to life.
The plan of wisdom is always the plan to sanctify you, to make you like Christ. Proverbs 8:35-36; Proverbs 3:17, 23; and Proverbs 9:6 highlight and contrast the way of life.
The call of wisdom in this first chapter of Proverbs reminds us of Jesus’ call in Matthew 11:28-30. The offer of wisdom is always the offer of Jesus Christ. If you refuse to listen you will receive the fullness of the consequences of your decision.
What are the prevailing voices in your life? Who has your ear? Choose to immerse yourself in the voice of God – His Word.
Train yourself, through the constant reading and memorizing of the Word of God, to recognize the messages that you are hearing. If you are being bombarded with opposing voices, you must fill your mind even more with the Word of God. We must think carefully and critically about the messages that we are hearing every day. Satan is purposefully using the messages from media, friends, and culture to lead us down the path that leads to destruction. Therefore, we must moment by moment examine them and reject them. Every moment of the day, recognize that each choice you make is leading you down a certain path. Choose wisely and quickly, lest you be forced to eat the fruit of your wrong choices.
NOTE: These are my notes, taken as I listened to the sermon live. Any errors, misunderstandings or misinterpretations are my responsibility entirely and not the fault of the preacher.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Sermon Notes - Enter
Enter, Proverbs 1:1-7J. Josh Smith, MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church, attended June 13, 2010
The way of wisdom is the way of Christ. To seek to be wise is to seek to be like Christ.
From last week remember there are two gates, two paths, two destinations - two ways to live. There is only one way into the way of wisdom. You miss the gate and you miss the way.
A proverb is a small sentence with big meaning. They are not unique to the Bible. All cultures have cultural proverbs. Proverbs of the Bible are not the same as cultural proverbs.
One might ask how it is that a man with seven hundred wives, Solomon, is considered wise. We must remember that our confidence in these proverbs is not based on the human author but in the Revealer. These are not the wisdom of Solomon but God.
Proverbs 1:1-6 give us the purposes and promises of Proverbs. They give us a thirst for goodness, righteousness and wisdom.
Six purposes of Proverbs:
1. To know wisdom – Proverbs gives us the skill to be a wise person.
2. To give instruction – This instruction keeps us in the right path. It educates us through correction. These are the guard rails to keep us on the path and out of the ditch.
3. To help us discern – To help us see things as God sees them. These are to help us to see through the fog to the truth.
4. To instruct us in wise behavior – These are to help us know why we should choose wisdom.
5. To give prudence to the naïve – The naïve are not well grounded as they follow fools.
6. To give us knowledge and discretion – This is the wisdom that only comes from years of experience. We can live and learn or learn and live. Proverbs 1:6 does remind us also that the wise can still learn. There is no end to the wisdom of God.
Proverbs 1:7 is the hinge. It causes us to stop before we grab all those great things listed in the first six verses. The key to gaining those things is found here in Proverbs 1:7. Unless you enter the right gate you will not receive those promises.
For an unbeliever, the fear of the Lord is missing. When confronted with the reality of God they ignore it, mock it, and rebel against it. Fools mock (Proverbs 28:26) that He is the Creator, King and Judge and that they are creation, rebel and criminal (or the one being judged). They never realize they are in a dangerous place before God, they will receive the wrath of God.
The one that fears is terrified of what God could and should do to him. The one that fears responds by humbly submitting and not remaining in this state of terror. God then opens his mind and he sees the other side of God – grace. He then turns his back on foolishness by repenting and trusting. The fear of the Lord in the Old Testament is like being born again in the New Testament.
The fear of the Lord is not left at the gate (Proverbs 23:17, Proverbs 28:14). The fear of the Lord is not removed after our conversion, just transformed. 1 Peter 2:17-19, 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, 2 Corinthians 5:9-11 are all written to believers. We no longer fear condemnation but rather judgment. We move to reverence and devotion. We live with a constant desire to please Him in every way with a constant awareness that how we live, in every area of life, matters to God.
The wise realize who they are and who God is.
NOTE: These are my notes, taken as I listened to the sermon live. Any errors, misunderstandings or misinterpretations are my responsibility entirely and not the fault of the preacher.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Quote - The End of a Nation
“Friend, you cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. And what one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government can’t give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody. And when half of the people get the idea they don’t have to work because the other half’s going to take care of them, and when the other half get the idea it does no good to work because somebody’s going to get what I work for. That, dear friend, is about the end of any nation.”
Adrian Rogers, from the sermon "God's Way to Health, Wealth and Wisdom"
Adrian Rogers, from the sermon "God's Way to Health, Wealth and Wisdom"
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Sermon Notes – A Traveler’s Guide to the Christian Journey - Overview
A Traveler’s Guide to the Christian Journey-Overview, Proverbs 1-31J. Josh Smith, MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church , attended June 6, 2010
Near the end of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells the listeners that they have a decision to make. He paints a word picture of two gates (Matthew 7:13-14). All of life comes down to two ways to live – and one decision to make. That choice has eternal implications.
This beautiful word picture is important. You must come through the gate of Jesus Christ. The gate and the path are inseparable. You don’t have a narrow gate opening into a broad path and vice versa. There is an inseparable connection between trusting and following Christ.
Paul uses this same type of word picture in Colossians 2:6, “…walk in Him…”. Ephesians 4:1, “…walk in a manner…”, also uses it. 1 John 1:6-7, “…walk in darkness, …walk in the light…”, uses this imagery as well. We are on a journey and you have to enter the right gate.
You can see this choice of two ways to live in the Old Testament also. Adam and Eve were given two choices. In Joshua 24:15 they are given a choice, “…choose this day whom you will serve,…”.
The primary question as a Christian then is, since we have come in through the narrow gate, how can I walk the narrow path as God desires? How can I faithfully stay on the path? We know the path is not as easy as you may have thought. It is a difficult path to walk The Bible tells us how to walk in the Way. There is no more practical book than Proverbs to show us how to walk with Him. It is a description of how to walk the narrow path, filled with detailed, practical instructions as we navigate life.
Tips on how to use this travelers guide:
1. Proverbs consistently points out there are two ways to live –
It consistently contrasts two worldviews, two choices. The narrow path is the way of wisdom requiring discipline, discernment and knowledge. The broad path is the way of folly characterized by naiveté, rebellion and scoffing. Only one way leads to life (Proverbs 15:24) and that is the way of wisdom (Proverbs 14:12).
It is written from a father to a son which is an analogy for the Heavenly Father speaking to us, His children.
2. The way of wisdom is entered only through the narrow gate (conversion) –
Matthew 7:13-14 helps us understand this.
A fool can’t, and won’t, learn the ways of wisdom. He has to enter through the correct gate first (Proverbs 1:7), otherwise he doesn’t have true wisdom. Unless you fear first, nothing else will be any good for you (fear of the Lord means converted).
Proverbs 1:28-31 shows this clearly. This book is only for those having a relationship with God. This is not a book just to learn how to have moral leadership or success. You read Proverbs because you long to be like Jesus not just be a success. You can't make a life until you have life.
3. The way of wisdom teaches God’s people how to know God and live for God in a way that glorifies God –
The ultimate desire of wisdom is that God might be known. Only people who want to honor God are God’s people. God’s people will want to honor Him as Proverbs 3:9 and Proverbs 14:31 teach.
4. Proverbs are personified in Christ –
Christ was wisdom in the flesh (Colossians 2:3, 1 Corinthians 1:24). The search for wisdom is a search for Christ.
Mark 8:34 tells us to follow Jesus. Proverbs tells us how.
5. Proverbs gives us both theological foundations and practical instruction –
Our life must be built on solid theology. Practical instruction must be built on a solid theological foundation. Chapter’s 1-9 are the theological foundation. Chapter’s 10-31 are the practical applications.
6. The way of wisdom must be sought diligently –
James 3:17 tells us that wisdom is pure, from God to God’s people only.
We must choose to fight for this purity and holiness. It takes discipline and work, i.e. it takes disciples. Proverbs 2:1-6 shows us this with words like attentive, incline and seek. Proverbs demands us to think, e.g. Proverbs 14:4 is not just about oxen. We must work to pull out the wisdom, we must seek wisdom.
Does your daily schedule show your desire to seek Christ? Are you diligently seeking to walk with Christ?
Proverbs and Matthew 7:13-14 call us to choose, turn and walk. Choose wisely.
NOTE: These are my notes, taken as I listened to the sermon live. Any errors, misunderstandings or misinterpretations are my responsibility entirely and not the fault of the preacher.
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