SERMON

INSTRUCTION IN WISDOM AND FEAR

Proverbs 15:33

For those here over 40, could you have imagined the level of technology that has emerged in the past decade? My first use of a computer was met with a good deal of skepticism—could it actually be an effective tool for a pastor?

Now the more I discover about their capabilities, the more I am able to see the wisdom of using them. The more we know about God, the more we are amazed—awed—by each level of knowledge He reveals.

When it begins to dawn on us that God is awesome beyond imagination, greater than we could ever conceive, why would we not see the wisdom of trusting Him completely in all things?

THESIS: The more we know about God, the more we see the wisdom of trusting Him!

II. THE WISDOM OF GOD BEGINS WITH THE FEAR OF THE LORD

--In order to gain the wisdom of God, the Bible tells us that we must be willing to seek for it, to pursue it with a passion, and that the starting point must always be the fear of the Lord.

Prov. 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Prov. 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

--In order to gain godly wisdom, we go back to the place where the revelation of God takes us, the place where we are brought to our knees in His presence—to be wise and knowledgeable before God is to begin with the fear of the Lord.

A. WHEN THE FEAR OF THE LORD COMPELS US TO DRAW NEAR, HE MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN.

--As we find that the safest place is in His presence, our fear will turn to contentment and peace before the God who is great beyond words, mighty beyond comprehension.

Jer. 10:6-7 There is none like Thee, O LORD; Thou art great, and great is Thy name in might. ⁷Who would not fear Thee, O King of the nations? Indeed it is Thy due! For among all the wise men of the nations, And in all their kingdoms, There is none like Thee.

--The amazing truth is that God truly wants to make Himself known to us in a way that inspires our sense of awe but opens our eyes to wisdom.

Jer. 9:23-24 Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; ²⁴but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.

--Our wisdom begins to develop in us when we come to understand and know Him as He is, even in those revelations that cause us to fall on our knees and cry, “Holy is the Lord! The whole earth is full of His glory!”

Godly wisdom can never be the result of reason, but flows from faith and love as we learn to walk in the fear of the Lord.

--The more we know of the Lord, the greater and deeper is our sense of awe, and the more we learn what it means to fear the Lord.

1. The Infinite God Evokes a Fear of the Lord that Leads to Wisdom

--When God reveals that He is infinite, He makes it known that He is boundless, without limits, constrained by nothing, measured by nothing.

Psa. 147:5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite.

--Therefore, as we come to terms with the truth that no words can explain, no thoughts can imagine, what it means to be infinite, our only response is to stand in awe of the only One who is infinite.

· Infinite love, infinite mercy, infinite wisdom, infinite power, infinite amounts of time (He never hurries or runs short of time)—all cause us to realize that we have nothing to bring to Him but reverence in light of the revelation of His infinitude.

--How then can we ever hope to be wise if do not begin with the fear of the Lord who is infinite in wisdom and everything else?

2. The Omnipotent God Evokes a Fear of the Lord that Leads to Wisdom

--God is omnipotent, all-powerful, and therefore rules over all things sovereignly—He has the authority and the power to do whatever He pleases!

Rev. 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

--He is the Almighty One before whom no one dares to question or challenge His infinite power.

--What wisdom we gain when we learn to walk in fear before the Omnipotent God and trust that every word He says, every promise He makes, every command He gives, comes with the force of His power and right to reign over all!

--And how foolish to act as if He were incapable of carrying us through if we believe Him and act accordingly—with great wisdom trusting in the eternally trustworthy One!

3. The Transcendent God Evokes a Fear of the Lord that Leads to Wisdom

--Although this is a new word to many, it is a necessary one for expressing that God is above all, exalted far beyond everything, categorically higher and greater than the mind can grasp.

--It is this transcendence which holds Him above us in such dramatic distinction from all created beings.

A worm has more in common with an archangel than an archangel has with God. The tiniest atom has more in common with man than man has with God. He is far above all things and His very being transcends all creation. He is the high and exalted One!

Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.

--Before we find wisdom, we must come to that place of our own personal inadequacy and see our lives in the context of who God is…then we will be ready to listen and learn, to receive the instruction that belongs as an honor only to the humble.

Prov. 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.

4. The Omniscient God Evokes a Fear of the Lord that Leads to Wisdom

--When we say that God is omniscient, we acknowledge a significant truth that currently is under attack in a debate raging among some who would demote the Lord by denying His omniscience.

An idea called ‘open theism’ has been embraced by many who profess to be evangelical, Bible-believing Christians. Their premise is that God does not yet know the future (an interesting premise if God is infinite and is not bound by time and for whom past, present and future are one) and is bound to wait to see what we will choose before He can know.

God’s knowledge is therefore limited as He waits to learn what will be just like us. That cannot be true of the God who is omniscient!

In a meeting of the Board of Trustees at Southern Seminary last week, we passed a resolution condemning ‘open theism’ as a tragic departure from orthodox, biblical faith and reaffirmed that God is as He has revealed Himself to be in His Word—omniscient!

--As the Omniscient One, God knows all things and has no need to learn anything since all knowledge resides in Him!

Isa 40:13-14 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed Him? ¹⁴With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge, And informed Him of the way of understanding?

--Therefore, it may have occurred to you that God knows everything about you—the failures of your past and the needs of your future—the needs in your life and the resources to meet them—the detailed plan and purpose of your life and the way to fulfill them with godly wisdom and delight!

--If you are somewhat taken back by that knowledge, then step back further and stand in awe of Him…for the reverential fear that you will have for such an awesome God starts you on the path that leads to wisdom!

B. WHEN GOD MAKES HIS SOVEREIGN DEITY KNOWN, HIS CHILDREN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND HIS WISDOM.

--When we see God as He really is, the fear of such an Almighty God compels us to come near and bow down in humble adoration—and realize the wisdom of trusting a God like that!

--From our knees with hearts overwhelmed with the fear of the Lord be begin to see God’s wisdom emerge in our lives.

The more we know, the more we stand in awe of Him. With all that He is, how can we not fear Him? Yet He invites us to come to Him. He invites us to know more, to fear Him with the respect and reverence only He could deserve.

And the more we know, the more we realize the wisdom of listening to and trusting in Him. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom!

November 2, 2003

Providence Baptist Church

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