PROVERBS- THE FEAR OF THE LORD
June 27, 2004 PM
Sermon Outline
PROV 1:7-9
INTRO: From Ps 112:1 comes this piece of needed information and inspiration: Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. The fear of the Lord is a subject and need which is extensively treated in the scriptures. Solomon said in Eccl 12:13, Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. What is at the heart of ones relationship with God is this thing called fear. But when used as it is in such passages as these we have read, fright is not the primary element. The idea is that of reverence and respect for Almighty God. Yes, one who is in rebellion against God and His will has every reason to be frightened of ultimate punishment. But Godly fear moves beyond fright to reverence and love. In the book of Proverbs you would find the fear of the Lord mentioned often. For example:
1. Prov 1:7 & 9:10 - Where Knowledge & Wisdom Begin
a. in the book of Proverbs knowledge & wisdom are often interchangeable
b. fearing the Lord is the underpinning of true wisdom
c. yes, there are people whom we might consider wise who have no spiritual leanings at all - volumes filled with wise sayings can be purchased
d. but true wisdom always takes God into account
e. so, in our day to day lives reverence for God and His way will determine the choices we make, the courses we follow, the thoughts we entertain!
f. notice, too, the last part of 1:7 - fools despise wisdom and instruction
2. Prov 1:29-31 - Without It Life Will Be Perilous
a. one of the great realities of life is consequences
b. the people described here did not choose the fear of the Lord
c. at vv. 24,25 they had opportunity - they set at naught all my counsel - they knew Gods will and put it aside!
d. at v. 30 they despised all my reproof - they wanted nothing to do with Him
e. choosing their own way would have its fruit - its consequences
f. Gal 6:7 - here is a plain fact which is too often ignored by Christian people!
3. Prov 3:7 - Fearing The Lord Leads To Abandoning Evil
a. every one of us has moral and spiritual choices we make almost daily!
b. usually, in these choice situations, there is not middle ground (although I believe we attempt to rationalize with ourselves and find a middle ground)
c. too many choices we make are matters of situation and convenience!
d. be not wise in thine own eyes - do we have too much confidence in our own wisdom? our own guidance system?
e. if, however, we fear the Lord, choices become much more black & white
f. reverence for God and His will greatly impacts how we make our decisions
4. Prov 8:13 - Fearing The Lord Is Defining
a. what defines you? what determines who you are?
b. when people think of you, what qualities, characteristics do they see?
c. well, if you fear the Lord, you hate evil!
d. that hatred cannot be hidden - will be evident in your choices, your speech, your activities
e. Eph 5:11 - this fear is more than abstaining ... it takes action to reprove
f. hate is a strong word ... do we prefer dislike? are we tolerant to a fault? are we so tolerant that we have no definition?
5. Prov 14:2 - The Fear Of The Lord Insists Upon Life Consistency
a. one of the most difficult things I know is to be consistent
b. as a parent? as a spouse? as a friend? as a preacher/teacher?
c. most of us are sincere in not wanting to just act like Christians - we want our walk to equal our talk when it comes to the way we live
d. fearing the Lord requires that we walk uprightly! according to truth!
e. Gal 2:14 - Peter and others were saying one thing ... and doing another!
f. few things will expose our true selves more quickly that inconsistencies between our moral and spiritual beliefs and our moral and spiritual actions!
g. please notice, too, the last part of 14:2 - one whose actions are not upright is said to despise the Lord! that is strong language - it is serious language
CLOSE: The writer of Ps 119:59 says, I thought on my ways... I would hope that as we leave here tonight we would be thinking on our ways ... and reverence for the Lord. Reverence is more than quietness in worship ... it is very much in the way we live before God.
Cecil A. Hutson
27 June 2004