WEBVTT 00:00:00.779 --> 00:00:02.819 Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you that you 00:00:02.819 --> 00:00:06.219 love us and you care for us. Please, Father, 00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:09.779 as we look at your word now, help us to pay attention 00:00:09.779 --> 00:00:15.039 to it and to grow in wisdom. We ask this in Jesus' 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:20.100 name. Amen. Well, I want to ask you a question. 00:00:21.160 --> 00:00:25.859 If you could pick any TV character to be your 00:00:25.859 --> 00:00:29.339 dad during your childhood, who would you pick? 00:00:30.190 --> 00:00:33.109 If you could pick any TV character to be your 00:00:33.109 --> 00:00:36.289 dad during your childhood, who would you pick? 00:00:36.590 --> 00:00:40.969 Homer Simpson. Homer Simpson. Okay, so are you 00:00:40.969 --> 00:00:45.909 sadistic or masochistic? Who would you pick? 00:00:46.170 --> 00:00:50.310 Here's who I'd pick. Not Homer Simpson. I'd pick 00:00:50.310 --> 00:00:53.990 Bandit. Have you seen Bandit from Bluey? This 00:00:53.990 --> 00:00:58.149 is Bluey and Bingo's dad in the show Bluey. You 00:00:58.149 --> 00:01:01.429 can't miss it. It is an amazing show. It's Australian 00:01:01.429 --> 00:01:04.829 which makes it even better. But this cartoon 00:01:04.829 --> 00:01:08.090 dog, Bandit, is the gold standard of parenting. 00:01:09.510 --> 00:01:12.129 He actually won the Father of the Year award 00:01:12.129 --> 00:01:18.709 in 2019 because he's inspired so many dads. Bandit 00:01:18.709 --> 00:01:22.569 is an unusual character. He's gentle, he's patient, 00:01:22.989 --> 00:01:27.340 he's caring. He takes the time to teach his kids 00:01:27.340 --> 00:01:33.840 wisdom by heartfelt talks and by fun play Many 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:38.239 dads watch Bluey and think I wish I wore more 00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:42.959 like bandit Many dads wish Bluey wasn't on so 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:45.540 they didn't feel so bad about not being more 00:01:45.540 --> 00:01:48.939 like bandit Many women wish they could raise 00:01:48.939 --> 00:01:51.280 kids with a man like bandit many kids wish they 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:54.819 had a dad like bandit and I reckon Many people 00:01:54.819 --> 00:01:59.359 secretly wish they grew up with a dad like Bandit. 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:02.959 Because it is beneficial having a dad who teaches 00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:06.780 you how the world works, isn't it? But not everyone 00:02:06.780 --> 00:02:11.039 grows up with a dad who can do that. Some dads 00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:13.780 don't themselves know how the world works. That 00:02:13.780 --> 00:02:17.460 is a bit Homer Simpson -y, isn't it? They can't 00:02:17.460 --> 00:02:19.680 teach to others what they don't know themselves. 00:02:21.379 --> 00:02:24.180 Some dads can't connect with their kids. They 00:02:24.180 --> 00:02:27.020 don't get along. Maybe they're absent because 00:02:27.020 --> 00:02:30.659 of work. Some kids grow up without a dad because 00:02:30.659 --> 00:02:34.680 their parents have died. Well, so many of us 00:02:34.680 --> 00:02:37.520 grow up, we just grow up with big gaps of our 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:40.020 understanding because dad couldn't teach us, 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:43.879 but mum did her best, she did a great job, but 00:02:43.879 --> 00:02:45.639 there are certain things you just wish your dad 00:02:45.639 --> 00:02:48.840 would tell you, isn't there? And so we get to 00:02:48.840 --> 00:02:50.979 adulthood finding there are things I wish I'd 00:02:50.979 --> 00:02:57.159 been taught. especially by my dad. What wisdom 00:02:57.159 --> 00:03:02.460 do you wish your dad had imparted to you? Well, 00:03:02.460 --> 00:03:06.199 these chapters of Proverbs tell us the wisdom 00:03:06.199 --> 00:03:09.740 that youth should get, that young people should 00:03:09.740 --> 00:03:14.500 get. It shares fatherly wisdom that's even better 00:03:14.500 --> 00:03:18.180 than what Bandit teaches. I know that's a hard 00:03:18.180 --> 00:03:21.550 sell, because Bandit is pretty amazing. We've 00:03:21.550 --> 00:03:25.069 got here 10 speeches by a wise father to his 00:03:25.069 --> 00:03:28.849 son or sons. And really the heart of it is this. 00:03:28.909 --> 00:03:31.110 Here's the big thing this passage is teaching 00:03:31.110 --> 00:03:35.389 us. And it's going all the way from chapter one 00:03:35.389 --> 00:03:38.849 all the way to chapter seven. And it's teaching 00:03:38.849 --> 00:03:44.229 us wisdom gives rich blessings, but folly is 00:03:44.229 --> 00:03:47.659 a deceptive trap. That's what I'm hoping you'll 00:03:47.659 --> 00:03:50.539 take away from today. Wisdom gives reach blessings, 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:54.680 but folly is a deceptive trap. And if you see 00:03:54.680 --> 00:03:57.479 that, if you believe that, then there's two things 00:03:57.479 --> 00:03:59.500 you need to do in response to that, which is 00:03:59.500 --> 00:04:02.960 what we're gonna look at. You need to get wisdom 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:06.860 above all else, and you need to guard yourself 00:04:06.860 --> 00:04:10.479 against folly. So let's have a look at the first 00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:15.000 one. Get wisdom above all else. If you've got 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:16.839 your Bible there, it'd be great to have a look 00:04:16.839 --> 00:04:19.480 at chapter four of Proverbs, verses one to nine. 00:04:19.899 --> 00:04:24.220 Let's read it again. It says, listen my sons 00:04:24.220 --> 00:04:28.500 to a father's instruction. Pay attention and 00:04:28.500 --> 00:04:31.939 gain understanding. I give you sound learning, 00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:35.899 so do not forsake my teaching. For I too was 00:04:35.899 --> 00:04:38.740 a son to my father, still tender and cherished 00:04:38.740 --> 00:04:41.699 by my mother. Then he taught me and he said to 00:04:41.699 --> 00:04:44.750 me, Take hold of my words with all your heart. 00:04:45.029 --> 00:04:48.509 Keep my commands and you will live. Get wisdom. 00:04:49.329 --> 00:04:52.689 Get understanding. Do not forget my words or 00:04:52.689 --> 00:04:56.149 turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom and 00:04:56.149 --> 00:04:59.490 she will protect you. Love her and she will watch 00:04:59.490 --> 00:05:04.189 over you. The beginning of wisdom is this. Get 00:05:04.189 --> 00:05:08.069 wisdom. Though it costs you all you have, get 00:05:08.069 --> 00:05:11.519 understanding. Cherish her and she will exalt 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:15.279 you. Embrace her and she will honour you. She 00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:17.920 will give you a garland to grace your head and 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:23.339 present you with a glorious crown. Now, probably 00:05:23.339 --> 00:05:25.939 the wisest thing a parent can teach their kid 00:05:25.939 --> 00:05:32.300 is to value and seek wisdom. Why is that? Because 00:05:32.300 --> 00:05:36.759 wisdom is not a one -off blessing. It's a blessing 00:05:36.759 --> 00:05:41.110 that keeps paying out. It's like that old sort 00:05:41.110 --> 00:05:44.189 of proverbial saying you might have heard, give 00:05:44.189 --> 00:05:47.550 a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach 00:05:47.550 --> 00:05:50.170 a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. 00:05:51.990 --> 00:05:54.670 Now why does that work? Well because learning 00:05:54.670 --> 00:05:58.189 is more valuable, isn't it? If you learn, you're 00:05:58.189 --> 00:06:01.009 able to feed yourself and the benefit will be 00:06:01.009 --> 00:06:03.050 ongoing. You just give someone a fish, well that's 00:06:03.050 --> 00:06:06.029 it, you've fed them for a day, great. Teach them 00:06:06.029 --> 00:06:08.009 to fish. Well, hey, that's going to go on for 00:06:08.009 --> 00:06:11.670 ages, isn't it? Well, it's like that with wisdom 00:06:11.670 --> 00:06:15.209 You could give someone the benefits of wisdom, 00:06:15.209 --> 00:06:17.889 you know, it could could be something really 00:06:17.889 --> 00:06:20.350 positive and really good But if you teach them 00:06:20.350 --> 00:06:22.910 wisdom That's a benefit that's just going to 00:06:22.910 --> 00:06:26.470 keep going and going and going You set someone 00:06:26.470 --> 00:06:32.050 up well for life if you give them wisdom When 00:06:32.050 --> 00:06:34.870 I was a kid, I remember going to the Australian 00:06:34.870 --> 00:06:39.529 Mint just to check it out with my grandma, and 00:06:39.529 --> 00:06:42.410 it was pretty cool seeing them print the money 00:06:42.410 --> 00:06:45.649 there. Now, I must admit, as a kid, I was really 00:06:45.649 --> 00:06:47.689 broken -hearted that they didn't hand out free 00:06:47.689 --> 00:06:52.250 samples. But I remember thinking, as a kid, I 00:06:52.250 --> 00:06:56.449 wish I had one of those machines. That'd be awesome, 00:06:56.589 --> 00:06:59.100 wouldn't it? just print as much money as you 00:06:59.100 --> 00:07:00.779 want and you're doing it at home so it probably 00:07:00.779 --> 00:07:05.139 doesn't lift inflation and all of that um it'd 00:07:05.139 --> 00:07:07.319 be so good anytime i want it i'll just print 00:07:07.319 --> 00:07:09.879 another bunch of money oh you're a bit short 00:07:09.879 --> 00:07:11.639 is there a bill that's cut i'll print some more 00:07:11.639 --> 00:07:16.180 money how good would that be well that's the 00:07:16.180 --> 00:07:20.319 way we're meant to think of wisdom wisdom is 00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:24.819 like a blessing's printing machine if you have 00:07:24.819 --> 00:07:28.639 wisdom It keeps benefiting you. It keeps printing 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:33.600 more blessing into your life. But the wisdom 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:37.740 here in Proverbs is not fundamentally life skills. 00:07:39.019 --> 00:07:42.040 We saw that last week. And in these chapters 00:07:42.040 --> 00:07:45.699 at its heart, wisdom is about fearing the Lord. 00:07:46.519 --> 00:07:49.300 It's not just being that person who can get ahead 00:07:49.300 --> 00:07:52.379 and be successful. It's actually about having 00:07:52.379 --> 00:07:55.139 a faith that takes God seriously. That's wisdom. 00:07:55.969 --> 00:07:58.829 Come with me in your Bible to Proverbs 3, 5 and 00:07:58.829 --> 00:08:04.449 8. It says, trust in the Lord with all your heart 00:08:04.449 --> 00:08:06.949 and lean not on your own understanding. In all 00:08:06.949 --> 00:08:09.750 your ways submit to him and he will make your 00:08:09.750 --> 00:08:13.410 path straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes, 00:08:13.829 --> 00:08:16.810 fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring 00:08:16.810 --> 00:08:20.189 health to your body and nourishment to your bones. 00:08:21.930 --> 00:08:28.529 Trusting and obeying God is wisdom. Because in 00:08:28.529 --> 00:08:30.629 the end, that pays off because this is God's 00:08:30.629 --> 00:08:34.370 world. He's in charge of it all. To trust Him, 00:08:34.370 --> 00:08:39.610 to obey Him, that's wisdom. And the benefits 00:08:39.610 --> 00:08:45.250 are huge. If you trust God, you will get eternal 00:08:45.250 --> 00:08:47.830 life. That's what we see in Jesus, don't we? 00:08:48.230 --> 00:08:51.190 If you trust God, you will have life forever. 00:08:52.110 --> 00:08:54.570 What better benefit could there possibly be? 00:08:56.080 --> 00:09:00.700 But there are also great benefits in this life. 00:09:02.139 --> 00:09:06.080 Knowing God, how his world works, it can benefit 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:07.919 your mental health. You can be a person who's 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:11.500 more secure in yourself. You might end up being 00:09:11.500 --> 00:09:14.600 better at relationships. You might be able to 00:09:14.600 --> 00:09:17.740 navigate office politics better. You might be 00:09:17.740 --> 00:09:21.860 better at avoiding scammers. By learning wisdom, 00:09:21.860 --> 00:09:25.279 you might get a really good work ethic. The list 00:09:25.279 --> 00:09:28.379 could go on. There are just so many benefits 00:09:28.379 --> 00:09:32.120 to wisdom. The ultimate is eternal life. But 00:09:32.120 --> 00:09:35.779 can you see just how God's wisdom is so precious? 00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:40.000 And if no one taught you that in your youth, 00:09:40.679 --> 00:09:45.860 I'm really sorry. They should have. They should 00:09:45.860 --> 00:09:48.539 have shown you that wisdom is precious. They 00:09:48.539 --> 00:09:52.679 should have told you prioritize getting it. But 00:09:52.679 --> 00:09:56.820 if... Even if no one did, you can start prioritising 00:09:56.820 --> 00:10:02.340 that now, can't you? How would your week look? 00:10:03.399 --> 00:10:07.299 How would it look different if getting wisdom 00:10:07.299 --> 00:10:12.960 was your priority? Now, what things would change 00:10:12.960 --> 00:10:18.399 in your calendar, in your diary? I always think 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:23.110 church, growth group, time with God. Those things 00:10:23.110 --> 00:10:28.169 need to be in pen, not in pencil. That's a good 00:10:28.169 --> 00:10:30.450 baseline, isn't it? And you know, there's exceptions 00:10:30.450 --> 00:10:33.850 to Sikh and all of that. But those things need 00:10:33.850 --> 00:10:37.529 to be in pen, not in pencil. If we're really 00:10:37.529 --> 00:10:41.730 on about seeking God's wisdom, they're a priority. 00:10:43.210 --> 00:10:47.909 But what else? Reading good Christian books. 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:52.519 listening to podcasts, watching videos that will 00:10:52.519 --> 00:10:55.120 think more deeply into theology and the Bible, 00:10:55.679 --> 00:10:57.919 having coffee with your friends, especially someone 00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:00.860 who's a bit older and wiser, who can impart their 00:11:00.860 --> 00:11:04.659 wisdom to you. These are all great ways to get 00:11:04.659 --> 00:11:10.879 wisdom. But it's a mindset shift, isn't it? It's 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:16.080 going, am I doing that? Have I got a plan? to 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:18.980 effectively get wisdom. Is this a priority for 00:11:18.980 --> 00:11:28.600 me? Is it for you? Get wisdom. Such rich benefit. 00:11:31.659 --> 00:11:35.840 But that's not all we need to do. Our dads should 00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:37.580 have taught us something else during our youth. 00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:41.759 Here's the next thing they should teach us. Guard 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:46.169 yourself against folly. Guard yourself against 00:11:46.169 --> 00:11:48.330 folly. If you've got a Bible there, come with 00:11:48.330 --> 00:11:53.289 me to chapter 1, verses 8 to 19. Here's what 00:11:53.289 --> 00:12:17.070 it says. Let's ambush some harmless soul. Let's 00:12:17.070 --> 00:12:19.929 swallow them alive like the grave and whole like 00:12:19.929 --> 00:12:23.490 those who go down to the pit. We will get all 00:12:23.490 --> 00:12:25.669 sorts of valuable things and fill our houses 00:12:25.669 --> 00:12:29.029 with plunder. Cast lots with us. We will all 00:12:29.029 --> 00:12:32.049 share the loot. My son, do not go along with 00:12:32.049 --> 00:12:36.269 them and do not set foot on their paths. For 00:12:36.269 --> 00:12:40.169 their feet rush into evil. They are swift to 00:12:40.169 --> 00:12:44.500 shed blood. How useless to spread a net where 00:12:44.500 --> 00:12:48.620 every bird can see it. These men lie in wait 00:12:48.620 --> 00:12:51.960 for their own blood. They ambush only themselves. 00:12:53.139 --> 00:12:55.720 Such are the paths of all who go after ill -gotten 00:12:55.720 --> 00:12:58.700 gain. It takes away the life of those who get 00:12:58.700 --> 00:13:03.960 it. Now, this father gives examples here, many 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:08.620 examples of folly. Violence and greed are the 00:13:08.620 --> 00:13:14.059 main focus. In these chapters he also warns against 00:13:14.059 --> 00:13:20.519 deception, envy, laziness and adultery. It's 00:13:20.519 --> 00:13:23.159 worth thinking, why does he need to give such 00:13:23.159 --> 00:13:29.879 warnings? Isn't such folly just obvious? Well 00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:36.279 no. Folly is hard to spot and see because it's 00:13:36.279 --> 00:13:41.309 enticing and seductive. It promises a lot, but 00:13:41.309 --> 00:13:47.149 delivers a little. Worse, folly is a trap that 00:13:47.149 --> 00:13:51.049 brings ruin. Did you see the imagery there in 00:13:51.049 --> 00:13:55.210 verses 17 to 19? How useless to spread a net 00:13:55.210 --> 00:13:58.669 where every bird can see it. These men lie in 00:13:58.669 --> 00:14:01.289 wait for their own blood they ambush only themselves. 00:14:04.070 --> 00:14:06.269 I mean, he's saying the birds are wiser than 00:14:06.269 --> 00:14:09.759 the fools. Because if you lay out a trap for 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:11.559 the birds and they see it, they're gonna stay 00:14:11.559 --> 00:14:15.740 away from it. But these fools, they lay a trap 00:14:15.740 --> 00:14:18.620 for themselves. They end up trapped by their 00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:21.539 own schemes. They should have seen it, but they 00:14:21.539 --> 00:14:27.539 couldn't. It's a bit like Monopoly. You know 00:14:27.539 --> 00:14:30.820 in Monopoly, you build a trap? I'm giving away 00:14:30.820 --> 00:14:35.220 all my Monopoly secrets now. But I like to put 00:14:35.220 --> 00:14:37.320 one side of the board, I try and get as many 00:14:37.320 --> 00:14:40.519 like... hotels and houses as I possibly can on 00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:42.799 one side of the board, preferably nothing too 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:45.039 expensive or too cheap, just sort of, you know, 00:14:45.179 --> 00:14:47.480 middle class white collar part of Monopoly board. 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:51.100 And then, you know, people come past and you're 00:14:51.100 --> 00:14:55.159 like, oh yes, you know. But to do that, you know, 00:14:55.159 --> 00:14:57.320 I try to sort of almost bankrupt myself to get 00:14:57.320 --> 00:15:00.399 all that property there. And then, you know, 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:02.700 you're playing and you get that card. Has this 00:15:02.700 --> 00:15:04.100 ever happened to you? Maybe it just happens to 00:15:04.100 --> 00:15:07.740 me a lot. You get that card, repair all your 00:15:07.740 --> 00:15:13.600 houses and hotels. Come on, you know? I was trying 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:16.080 to set this trap for others and I get hoisted 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:20.460 by my own petard. I get trapped myself. Or it's 00:15:20.460 --> 00:15:22.460 like in chess, you know, I'm playing chess with 00:15:22.460 --> 00:15:25.639 my son the other day, trying to lure in his queen 00:15:25.639 --> 00:15:28.419 and all of a sudden, his bishop knocks out my 00:15:28.419 --> 00:15:32.120 queen. I just didn't see it. It was so obvious, 00:15:32.120 --> 00:15:34.820 but it was there. Maybe you're thinking, no, 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:36.600 Brendan, you're just not good at board games. 00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:41.659 I don't know. But this is what all foolishness 00:15:41.659 --> 00:15:46.120 is like. You might get away with it for a time, 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:50.659 but it'll eventually catch up with you. How do 00:15:50.659 --> 00:15:52.620 I know? How do I know that it will catch up with 00:15:52.620 --> 00:15:56.720 you? Because I look at Jesus' death and resurrection. 00:15:59.500 --> 00:16:03.309 Think about the religious leaders who... orchestrated 00:16:03.309 --> 00:16:09.730 for Jesus to be crucified. They were fools. They 00:16:09.730 --> 00:16:12.809 set a trap for Jesus that he'd be crucified so 00:16:12.809 --> 00:16:15.370 that they could come out on top so this pesky 00:16:15.370 --> 00:16:17.889 rabbi who keeps interfering could be done away 00:16:17.889 --> 00:16:25.090 with. And their trap backfired massively. Jesus 00:16:25.090 --> 00:16:30.190 rose again from the dead. And Christianity exploded. 00:16:30.230 --> 00:16:33.879 They didn't... Knock out this new belief system 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:41.679 It blew up it went massive But for them worst 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:44.120 of all is that Jesus rose again in his judge 00:16:44.120 --> 00:16:49.500 of all and They didn't repent when that happened 00:16:49.500 --> 00:16:53.200 Now folly would have stung in their life I mean 00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:55.159 they would have gotten away with it for ages 00:16:55.159 --> 00:16:57.039 They would have kept their privilege in position 00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:01.019 for most of their lives. I'm sure But picture 00:17:01.019 --> 00:17:05.779 them at Judgment Day. Their folly will catch 00:17:05.779 --> 00:17:07.559 up when they're standing there before the risen 00:17:07.559 --> 00:17:14.039 Lord Jesus, won't they? Jesus' resurrection proves 00:17:14.039 --> 00:17:18.579 that folly is a trap. That it will one day catch 00:17:18.579 --> 00:17:24.000 up with you and hurt you. And so we need to guard 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:29.019 ourselves against folly. How do we guard ourselves? 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:33.819 We've got to expose the lies that folly tells 00:17:33.819 --> 00:17:38.759 and remember the truth Expose the lies and remember 00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:43.660 the truth So your folly might be that you're 00:17:43.660 --> 00:17:48.400 a slugger You think yeah another sickies fine 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:53.019 Bare minimum effort is best life is about maximising 00:17:53.019 --> 00:17:54.660 pleasure. That's the sort of thing a slugger 00:17:54.660 --> 00:18:01.750 does The lie is that you will get maximum bliss 00:18:01.750 --> 00:18:07.609 if you do that. But the truth is, it will catch 00:18:07.609 --> 00:18:13.170 up to you. Sluggards lose their jobs. They don't 00:18:13.170 --> 00:18:17.269 get promoted. Sluggards are bad witnesses to 00:18:17.269 --> 00:18:23.890 cheeses. Their health deteriorates. Often their 00:18:23.890 --> 00:18:26.289 relationships struggle because they don't put 00:18:26.289 --> 00:18:32.720 the work in. Sluggards really do suffer, and 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:37.039 that's just in this life. Or it might be your 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:41.619 folly might be flirting with adultery. You see 00:18:41.619 --> 00:18:45.519 people and you go, oh, life would be so much 00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:48.279 better if I was with them. They'd get me. If 00:18:48.279 --> 00:18:50.960 I was together with them, I'd finally be happy. 00:18:51.779 --> 00:18:55.700 That's the lie. Oh, there's this grass is greener 00:18:55.700 --> 00:18:57.599 on the other side, kind of bliss over there. 00:19:00.309 --> 00:19:03.769 But the truth is, your folly will catch up with 00:19:03.769 --> 00:19:09.869 you. It will hurt your heart spiritually if you 00:19:09.869 --> 00:19:13.490 go that way. It'll hurt your spouse and kids 00:19:13.490 --> 00:19:18.750 if you go that way. And if you start a new relationship, 00:19:20.109 --> 00:19:22.130 what's to say that the same problems you brought 00:19:22.130 --> 00:19:23.809 into your current relationship aren't going to 00:19:23.809 --> 00:19:30.150 be brought into the new one? No, the better way 00:19:30.190 --> 00:19:34.750 the wise ways to change what you have. I love 00:19:34.750 --> 00:19:37.349 how in Proverbs 5 it almost talks about having 00:19:37.349 --> 00:19:42.390 an affair with your wife. See, it's a different 00:19:42.390 --> 00:19:44.369 way. I'm going to put the priority on changing 00:19:44.369 --> 00:19:52.309 what I already have. That's wise. Now, thinking 00:19:52.309 --> 00:19:55.509 about this is self -reflection and it's hard 00:19:55.509 --> 00:20:00.890 but it's important. Ask yourself, what sort of 00:20:00.890 --> 00:20:06.170 folly entices you? We've all got something. What 00:20:06.170 --> 00:20:10.569 sort of folly entices you? And what are you going 00:20:10.569 --> 00:20:15.410 to do to guard yourself from it? Do you see it 00:20:15.410 --> 00:20:20.829 as a deadly trap? Do you see how following the 00:20:20.829 --> 00:20:28.230 path of wisdom is so much better? Sadly, Solomon 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:32.640 who wrote Proverbs didn't follow his own advice. 00:20:34.700 --> 00:20:39.359 He's a cautionary tale, isn't he? See, when young, 00:20:40.299 --> 00:20:42.519 God asked Solomon what he wanted and Solomon 00:20:42.519 --> 00:20:46.859 asked for wisdom. And he oversaw the golden age 00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:50.059 of Israel. He was there building the temple. 00:20:50.519 --> 00:20:53.700 He wrote the book of Proverbs. He oversaw Israel's 00:20:53.700 --> 00:20:59.039 immense prosperity. It was amazing. But sadly, 00:20:59.220 --> 00:21:05.079 this wise king became very foolish. He stopped 00:21:05.079 --> 00:21:09.740 getting wisdom above all else. He prioritised 00:21:09.740 --> 00:21:13.900 marrying many foreign women above all else. Never 00:21:13.900 --> 00:21:15.720 thought about, you know, Solomon with all his 00:21:15.720 --> 00:21:17.839 wives and concubines, what saying goodnight would 00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:20.480 have been like. Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight. 00:21:23.460 --> 00:21:28.210 But also... He didn't guard himself against folly. 00:21:29.609 --> 00:21:32.630 He let his wives and concubines turn his heart 00:21:32.630 --> 00:21:35.430 away from God and he started worshipping Yahweh 00:21:35.430 --> 00:21:43.569 and other gods. That was his weak point. Where's 00:21:43.569 --> 00:21:50.079 your weakness? Where's your weak point? But sadly 00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:52.680 it seems like he never repented because he stopped 00:21:52.680 --> 00:21:55.740 believing the big thing he wrote in our chapters. 00:21:58.480 --> 00:22:01.559 Wisdom gives rich blessings, but folly is a deceptive 00:22:01.559 --> 00:22:06.140 trap. If there's one thing you take away from 00:22:06.140 --> 00:22:09.440 today, I hope it's that. Wisdom gives rich blessings, 00:22:09.480 --> 00:22:12.579 but folly is a deceptive trap. That's what we 00:22:12.579 --> 00:22:17.940 need to believe. See Solomon couldn't follow 00:22:17.940 --> 00:22:23.220 through. And in many ways, Solomon's a lot like 00:22:23.220 --> 00:22:28.460 us, isn't he? But thankfully, there is another 00:22:28.460 --> 00:22:33.079 who did follow through. Jesus in his youth did 00:22:33.079 --> 00:22:37.559 what Solomon instructed. As we had it read, Luke 00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:41.519 in his gospel describes it this way. And the 00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:45.480 child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. 00:22:46.619 --> 00:22:49.160 And the favour, the grace of God was upon him. 00:22:50.570 --> 00:22:54.109 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature 00:22:54.109 --> 00:22:57.930 and in favour with God and man. See Jesus believed 00:22:57.930 --> 00:23:00.990 wisdom gives rich blessings but folly is a deceptive 00:23:00.990 --> 00:23:06.269 trap. And so throughout his life Jesus treasured 00:23:06.269 --> 00:23:10.349 wisdom and avoided folly. He grew up to be a 00:23:10.349 --> 00:23:13.349 king wiser and greater than Solomon. He thought 00:23:13.349 --> 00:23:15.950 and taught with a wisdom unparalleled in human 00:23:15.950 --> 00:23:19.299 history. When tempted to folly, he didn't stray. 00:23:19.539 --> 00:23:25.440 He lived perfectly. He lived a wise life. But 00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:30.200 then he died on a cross. Why did he die the death 00:23:30.200 --> 00:23:39.740 of a fool? Humiliated. Suffering. Crucified. 00:23:42.420 --> 00:23:46.990 Well Jesus did that for you and for me. Jesus 00:23:46.990 --> 00:23:50.130 experienced the worst ruin that folly brings. 00:23:50.369 --> 00:23:53.390 He experienced hell on the cross so that we wouldn't 00:23:53.390 --> 00:23:58.630 have to for our folly. Do you know those big 00:23:58.630 --> 00:24:06.069 bear traps with the big claws? Well, that's like 00:24:06.069 --> 00:24:08.569 folly, isn't it? It's a big trap. And what Jesus 00:24:08.569 --> 00:24:11.170 does is when he dies on the cross, it's like 00:24:11.170 --> 00:24:14.009 he's stepping on... the bear trap of sin and 00:24:14.009 --> 00:24:17.390 folly and he springs that trap on himself in 00:24:17.390 --> 00:24:22.210 order to save us. Because once the trap is sprung 00:24:22.210 --> 00:24:26.250 it can't hurt you anymore can it? Well that's 00:24:26.250 --> 00:24:30.309 what happened at the cross. Jesus guarded us 00:24:30.309 --> 00:24:33.450 against folly in the greatest way possible. He 00:24:33.450 --> 00:24:39.390 sprung the trap and he suffered and died so that 00:24:39.390 --> 00:24:44.140 we wouldn't for eternity. But that's not all, 00:24:44.180 --> 00:24:47.980 the blessings from his wise life have gone to 00:24:47.980 --> 00:24:51.279 us. He gave them as a gift to us. We get eternal 00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:57.720 glory for Jesus' wisdom and wise living. And 00:24:57.720 --> 00:25:01.960 it doesn't stop there. Jesus gave his people 00:25:01.960 --> 00:25:05.480 his spirit. So we have a renewed heart and a 00:25:05.480 --> 00:25:08.640 renewed mind. Now we have a desire for wisdom 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:12.299 and a distaste for folly. And day by day, year 00:25:12.299 --> 00:25:15.980 by year, God's Spirit grows us to be more wise 00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:20.680 and to be more like Jesus. But even that's not 00:25:20.680 --> 00:25:25.039 all. Jesus gave us the perfect example of living 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:29.940 by wisdom. What do you do when you face one of 00:25:29.940 --> 00:25:35.319 those really tough, complex situations that requires 00:25:35.319 --> 00:25:43.059 great discernment? You look to Jesus. See, Jesus 00:25:43.059 --> 00:25:46.240 in the Gospels shows us what being wise really 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:49.160 looks like. When you look to Jesus, he just cuts 00:25:49.160 --> 00:25:52.819 through the confusion, doesn't he? When you feel 00:25:52.819 --> 00:25:56.140 the pull of folly's voice trying to bait you, 00:25:56.619 --> 00:25:59.259 Jesus shows you how to resist. You look at him 00:25:59.259 --> 00:26:04.019 when he was tempted. When people come with complex 00:26:04.019 --> 00:26:07.180 situations and warped priorities, you look at 00:26:07.180 --> 00:26:12.140 Jesus and you go, He sees it with crystal clarity. 00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:16.480 Studying Jesus is the best way to get wisdom 00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:22.380 and to guard against folly. Are you seeing that 00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:30.440 in him? Are you going to him for wisdom? Let 00:26:30.440 --> 00:26:35.619 me close. As a kid, I didn't see my dad much. 00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:40.119 My parents were divorced. You know, I saw him 00:26:40.119 --> 00:26:44.500 once a fortnight for the weekend. But he still 00:26:44.500 --> 00:26:47.740 taught me some great life lessons. And I love 00:26:47.740 --> 00:26:49.720 him. He's a great dad in many ways. He's not 00:26:49.720 --> 00:26:54.059 a bandit, but you know, he's pretty good. But 00:26:54.059 --> 00:26:58.720 I had big gaps of understanding. As I grew up, 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:03.440 I got hurt by my own naivety and folly. I wish 00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:07.859 he had taught me. Get wisdom and guard against 00:27:07.859 --> 00:27:11.259 folly. I wish he'd taught me that you can do 00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:17.380 that by knowing Jesus. Thankfully Jesus saved 00:27:17.380 --> 00:27:21.980 me from my folly and showed me the value of God's 00:27:21.980 --> 00:27:28.559 wisdom. I'm so glad he did. Has he done that 00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:35.640 for you? If he hasn't, ask him today. And if 00:27:35.640 --> 00:27:42.369 he has... Don't stop being intentional. Get wisdom. 00:27:43.130 --> 00:27:47.769 Guard yourself against folly. In the end, it 00:27:47.769 --> 00:27:55.009 will pay off. Let's pray. Father, we want to 00:27:55.009 --> 00:27:58.170 thank you so much for the Lord Jesus. Thank you 00:27:58.170 --> 00:28:00.170 for the hope we have in him. Thank you for the 00:28:00.170 --> 00:28:05.420 wisdom we have in him. Thank you that... When 00:28:05.420 --> 00:28:09.880 he was a child, he obeyed you, that he was wise. 00:28:10.740 --> 00:28:13.559 Thank you that he went into your house in order 00:28:13.559 --> 00:28:18.319 to learn and listen. And thank you that he shows 00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:21.839 us the way that we should go in getting wisdom 00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:25.880 and guarding against folly. Thank you that he 00:28:25.880 --> 00:28:29.119 died for all the times where we have been foolish 00:28:29.119 --> 00:28:33.779 and unwise. Thank you that he has paid the price. 00:28:33.980 --> 00:28:39.599 for our folly. Help us to see the danger of folly 00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:44.559 and the joy and value of wisdom. And we ask this 00:28:44.559 --> 00:28:46.880 in Jesus name. Amen.