Let's turn together in the Scriptures to Proverbs chapter one. As something of an introduction to Proverbs this morning and this evening, we're going to look at one of the topics Proverbs addresses, which is the issue of anger. Proverbs chapter one, we'll read the first seven verses. The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment and equity, to give prudence to the simple, to the young man, knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear an increased learning and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel to understand a proverb and an enigma, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." They will end our reading. There's great value in being a follower of Jesus Christ. There's a great cost in rejecting Christ. But we're all doing one or the other right now. Even when we become believers, we're not done with rejecting Christ. I don't mean in the way that unbelievers would reject Him. I mean, not following him the fullness of heart, not accepting the wisdom that God has given us. Believing I can I can be a follower of Christ, but I don't have to slavishly follow everything the Bible says. Now, most people aren't bold enough to actually put that statement out that way. Sadly, some are today, and there are some churches that flourish because they say we're a light church. We don't demand that you accept everything the Bible says. You can pick and choose because we do. And a lot of people like it. They like being fools. That's what we are warned of. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Paul says, I say, walk by the Spirit and not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh wars against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. You may not do the things that you please. He reminds us that there is a battle going on. And it always comes down to the same thing. It's a battle for truth. Is the way of God really wise and good? Will it really bless me? Because to be fair, it does come at a cost frequently. It's often hard to be the kind of person God calls us to be. Or can't I make those little exceptions here and there? This morning, I want to convince you that being a disciple of Christ should be the purpose of our life. And wrestling with those parts of our heart that want to wrestle back against the word, that want to wrestle against those parts that are hard for us, is something we should step up to. In the Proverbs, we're confronted with Jesus Christ. Not as clearly as in the Gospels, it's the wisdom of Christ. Jesus would be the first to tell us, I am not just about salvation. Now, that, I think, is the principle thing he is about, but it's not just that. He's come that we might have life and we might have it abundantly. And part of that abundant life that Christ promises is revealed to us in the Proverbs, because it helps us understand what is wise and what is foolish, what is good and right and what is wrong. Not always easy to discern. The Proverbs helps us with that. The value is stated in the first three verses. The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, the king of Israel, to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment and equity. This is pretty good stuff. The proverbs are going to help me know wisdom and instruction. It's going to help me get it right and not be fooled by the conflicting messages around me. It's going to give me perception. I'll have words of understanding. I'll be able to discern when somebody speaking the truth to me and somebody speaking a lie to me. That's pretty good. And we need it because isn't our culture more and more going in a non-Christian venue? You know, I turn on the History Channel. And they have all of these programs unpacking the Bible for me. And they do a good job of helping me understand that many of Christ's miracles weren't really miracles. They were just natural things that happened in a surprising way. Let's undermine the foundation of those who believe in the Bible a little bit here and a little bit there. And it will show us the people of Israel walking along the edge of a lake that has, because of an earthquake, rescinded. Now, I don't know how you really get away with that when it says when they passed through the Red Sea, there was a wall of water on their right and a wall of water on their left. It doesn't say there was a pond on their left and their right. It said water was standing upright and being held in places by forces we couldn't understand. We still don't. God says, I did a miracle. I superseded the laws of physics, but I'm the creator. So what's the big deal? It's not that strange a thing. Easy for me. But we're told to see it differently. And not to believe in things like this. The Proverbs are going to lead us in justice, judgment and equity. And we need that. And Proverbs chapter three is a proverb that I hate. Maybe you will, too, which is why I go to it frequently to rebuke myself. I don't like it because it makes me do things I ought to do, but don't want to do. In Proverbs chapter three, starting at verse 27, it says, Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in the power of your hand to do so. Do not say to your neighbor, go back and come back tomorrow. I will give it. It confronts me. And driving me to return the phone call, I don't want to return. Knowing if I call this person, I'm going to be stuck on the phone for half an hour talking to them about things I've already talked to them about. They don't take advice. Why should I call them? Because it's within my power to do good, it's within my power to speak the word of God to them. And how do I know if this isn't the time that God's going to make it effectual? In all of our work, sometimes we get weary of it. Sometimes we want to step away from it and God is confronting us and saying, I never step away from doing you good. And I call you when it's within your power to do good, step up to it and do it. I know it's not always easy. Christ was going to take a break. He'd been teaching the people and he told the disciples, come, let us go up and take a break and have a time of prayer. But the people follow them. And Jesus looked and he said, they're like sheep without a shepherd. And he forgot all about his break and his rest. And he taught them still. If he asked me or you to do the same thing, is he out of line? Of course not. He doesn't ask anything more of us than what he asked of himself. And if it's my calling to share in the sufferings of Christ, that's a good thing. We are reminded that we need this perception and understanding. In Ephesians chapter 4, verse 17 and 18, Paul wrote, Now this I say and testify in the Lord that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because the ignorance that is in them due to their hardness of hearts. So the Gentiles have a futility of mind. They're darkened in their understanding. They see the same thing I see, but they understand it differently. They do not perceive God the way they should. This is a terrible thing and a frightening thing. It could happen to us. We need to recognize that it has been given to us to understand the words of Scripture. If when we hear them, our heart can rejoice in them. Just think of what happened this morning. We read through the Ten Commandments. Did your heart raise up against them? Did you hear one of the commandments and say, that's old fashioned. We don't have to live that anymore. Come on. These are new times. Society doesn't believe that anymore. Or did you find your heart agreeing with those words, saying, Lord, even if I do break it, your word is still right. Even if all society tells me I'm old fashioned or quaint or behind the time for believing such things, it's still true. I think all of you, when you heard those words being read, you agreed with them, said, yes, Lord, this is truth. This is good. This is right. But you see, that's a gift that God has given you. Look around us at how many people around us, when they hear the Ten Commandments or many portions of Scripture, their hearts rebel against it. I don't like that. That's not true. You know, something as simple as today, when you say Jesus is the way, there is no way to heaven except through Christ. It's very controversial today, isn't it? And there are Christian, I have to use quotation marks because they're not Christian, but they call themselves Christian. There are Christian churches who say, no, he is a way the best way. Oh, the best way. But there are other ways, too. And I scratch my head, I think, how can you arrive at those conclusions if the scriptures are not to be trusted when they claim the uniqueness of Christ? Then how are they to be trusted about anything that teaches us about him? No, to have a heart that's able to know wisdom and instruction that can perceive and understand justice, judgment and equity. These are rare and good gifts that we should strive after. The proverbs were told in verse four and five have the power to actually change us. It says in verse four, to give prudence to the simple. To the young man, knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear and increase learning. A man of understanding will attain wise counsel. Parents, you know how hard it is sometimes to get wisdom into the heart of a young person. We tell them, for instance, there's a great danger in texting and driving. I don't know, listen, still a lot of accidents every year. We break it down, we say, you're going 40 miles an hour. Now in two seconds, how far do you travel? We might even take them out someplace and look, here's the length you travel. What can happen in that distance when you're not looking at the road? There's been in the news yesterday and today, there was an accident, traffic backed up on an interstate and the guy driving the semi truck was distracted and he didn't see it slowing down. So he didn't slow. 16 cars involved in that wreck, number of deaths, many people in the hospital. Only takes a few minutes of inattention. No hardness of heart on the driver's part. He's probably a very nice guy. He might even be a Christian brother. I don't know if he is or not. We try to explain things and people don't listen. They don't get it. Of course, if you're a little older, if you're 25 or 30, you're old enough and humble enough now, you can look back and say, you know, I was kind of cocky when I was a teenager and thought I knew an awful lot and didn't know as much as I thought. And it comes as a revelation that's a comfort to us. It doesn't come like something is rubbing. People are rubbing our nose in something bad. It's a joy to have that humility. And what are we told? Proverbs can give a young man knowledge and discretion. It can give prudence to the simple. That's a great power. And for those of us who work with the simple or the young, we're amazed that something can actually be effective in reaching through the blindness that we see there at times. But such is the strength. Now, all of it comes down to verse seven. So this is this is the power of the Proverbs, what it can do for us. But it starts in one place for everyone, no matter age or circumstance. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. The fear of the Lord is where we start. We are called to fear God. Notice it doesn't say to hate him, reject him, ignore him, says we should fear him. Psalm 130, verse 4 says, but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared. That's an important start to recognize there's mercy with God. If all we ever received from God was condemnation, after a while, our hearts would grow cold and bitter. And we'd say, look, no matter what I do, I'm wrong. I can't do anything to stop it. You're going to be mad at me. You're going to judge me. Then just judge me. He says, but no, there's mercy with God. There's forgiveness and grace. And even though we are condemned by him, we can afford to turn to him and trust him. What does it mean to fear God? You get many answers to that today. I want to argue that there's two aspects of it. One is you should be afraid. Your knees should quake. Your heart should be faster. You should have a sense that there's real trouble. Now, that part is not very politically correct today. I don't think you're politically correct congregation. I know that your pastor is not. So I'm sure that he preaches these truths to you. God can send us to hell forever, and that should frighten us. Psalm 52, the first seven verses say, Why do you boast of evil, O mighty men? The steadfast love of God endures all the day. You see how he combines mercy there? He's calling them to repentance. He's judging them for their evil deeds. But at the same time, he's reminding them there is mercy. You can relent of your evil. You can turn and seek grace in your life. Your tongues plot destruction like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit. You love evil more than good and lying more than speaking what is right. You love all words that devour a deceitful tongue, but God will break you down forever. He will snatch and tear you from your tents. He will uproot you from the land of living. The righteous will see in fear. and shall laugh at him, saying, See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trust in the abundance of his riches, and sought refuge in his own destruction." God has the power to punish our body and our soul. And that's a frightening thing. But it's supposed to be a frightening thing. If your only reason for turning to Christ is because you're afraid of hell, you won't turn to him for long. Of course, it has to be united with a love, with a trust. Psalm 40 talks to us about that aspect of the fear of the Lord. I waited patiently for the Lord. He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see in fear and put their trust in the Lord. We can afford to trust the Lord. We don't trust him because our way is always right. The psalmist says that the Lord plucked him out of this pit of destruction. He was in a hard spot. He waited on the Lord. And the Lord, at the right time, came to him and was his help. What does it mean to fear the Lord? To recognize who he is. He's our creator. He has the right to set the rules. You know, man, our culture wants to say, no, we are the chief creature. We set the rules and God had better well conform to what we want, or we'll just ignore him. Then where will he be? It's just the same argument that Israel had. Israel didn't walk faithfully with the Lord at times. And when the prophets came, they would say, we've got the temple. The temple is here. God's there. I mean, he's not going anywhere. It's like God was contained somehow, like God was restricted from judging them. And judgment came and the temple was destroyed and God was just fine because he doesn't need a temple. He didn't live there. He made his presence known there. He met with his people. It was a place where he chose to bless us. It was a gift to our frailty. It wasn't something that he needed. And for the people of Israel to think that they had God over a barrel because they had the temple. God showed him how foolish it was. And he mocked them when their day of calamity came, just as he warned them they would. How we live out the fear of the Lord. Psalm 111, verse 10, says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. A good understanding of all those who do his commands. It's easy. We simply obey. We we live out the fear of the Lord, not by some emotional response to God. Now, I can tell you the truth, sometimes when I read the passages about hell, it strikes my heart and I have a strong emotional response to it. Sometimes I read the passages And I go, yep, that's doctrine. That's true. Doesn't particularly bring up any emotional response in me. I doubt that you're any different. But God doesn't want an emotional response from us. He says, I know I have your hearts, not when you emote, but when you obey. When you obey, when it's a joy and it's easy to obey, when you obey and it's hard. And you're very conscious that you're daily taking up your cross, denying yourself and following your Savior. Obedience is good. Psalm 115, verse 11, it says, You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord. He is their help and their shield. We obey God and we trust him. It's a good thing to do. We'll never resent having trusted God. You'll be sorry for all the times you don't. At night, when you wake up at two in the morning, can't we get back to sleep? What is it that plagues you? The failures of your life, those times when you should have trusted God and didn't, they come back and haunt you. You're never haunted by the times you were obedient. You're never haunted by the times that you were self-sacrificial and walked with God in truth. You're blessed by those times. Those memories bring you joy. See, God's truth is well known. And we see his patience being exhibited to us because he is so slow to judgment. Psalm 19, the first four verses tell us, the heavens declare the glory of God, the sky above proclaims his handiwork, day to day pours out speech, night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth and their words to the ends of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun. The heavens declare the glory of God. All of creation speaks to the fact that there is a God, it's undeniable. I know the world has an answer for it. It's called evolution. It's called vast geological ages. And if you give something enough time, supposedly anything can happen. And yet we look around us and we don't see that happening. We don't see the more complex evolving from the less. We see it the other way around. That's not going to convince people who don't want to believe. Romans chapter one tells us the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who, by their unrighteousness, suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, for God has shown it to them. Do you hear what he's saying? Everybody is accountable to God because he's made it plain to them as creatures. We know he exists. We're not surprised by it. Now, we can come to the place where I want to decide I'm an atheist. I don't believe in God. I can come to the place where I want to say, well, I don't know if there is a God or isn't a God. I don't know, I see certain evidence on both sides and it's just hard for me to make up my mind. God says, that's not so. You are my creature, I put it within you to know that I am your creator. And I exhibit my handiwork throughout all creation. If you choose not to listen to it, that's your choice. Hmm. The Proverbs say that they can give us wisdom and instruction, perception, understanding. Justice, judgment and equity. Look how many people around us are lacking those things and they go through their life and rebellion against God, ignorant of the judgment that awaits them. Romans twelve one tells us for this reason, the Romans chapter one verse twenty says, for his invisible attributes, namely the eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world and the things that have been made. So they are without excuse for although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him. But they became futile in their thinking. Their foolish hearts were dark and claiming to be wise. They became fools. And who is the fool? The fool is the one, according to Psalm 14, who says there is no God. And that's what they have become. It's a sad thing, because God promises us mercy over and over. In Isaiah chapter 1, verse 18, he says, Come now, let's reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are as scarlet, they'll be white as snow. They're red like crimson. They'll be white as wool. Because it's come, let's make the great exchange. I will take all of your sin and I'll give you all the righteousness of my son, Jesus Christ. Where's the downside of that deal? For us. Of course, it cost Christ, he who knew no sin had to become sin that we could be made the righteousness of God. God is so narrow minded, he's got so many rules, he thinks he has the right to rule over us and tell us what to do. That's the attitude of the world. And I'm kind of dumbfounded by it because it's just not the way I respond to God. I mean, I'll admit that God has rules. But in my experience, they're all for my good. And in my experience, when I thought I had better ideas, they've never turned out to be better ideas. They've always turned around and bitten me. And when I finally am ready to stop being the fool and say, no, God, you're right. Your way is the way for me to follow. And I pay the price. And I get off the wide way that leads to destruction and back on the narrow path that leads to life. I'm always glad I did. There's no remorse in leaving sin and rebellion behind. Sometimes there was a certain blindness that crept in. It's just like the sacrifice I'm going to have to make to be the kind of person God wants me to make is too big. And yet, when it's made, why was I so dumb for so long? Why was I so stubborn for so long? Why won't I just listen to God and obey? And his plea to me is so kind. Come, let us reason together. Though your sins are scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they're red like crimson, they shall be like wool. Christ echoes that sentiment in Matthew 11 when he says, Come to me, all you are weary and heavy laden. I will give you rest. Your sin is pressing down on you and you have no place to turn, turn. I'll not despise you because of your past stubbornness. I'll not despise you because of how soiled your soul is. I will show you mercy and kindness and grace. So when the jailer cried out, what must I do to be saved? The apostles responded, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. You and your household. And John comes in his first epistle and tells us that if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This is the wisdom, the call of Christ. Recognize that God is good. And the fact that he calls us to turn away from sin, to recognize that the world is our enemy and not try to make friends with it. He's not doing us any harm. He's showing us great love, great mercy, great kindness. There's a cost to ignoring the Lord in Proverbs chapter one, starting verse 24. He says, because I called and you refused. I've stretched out my hand and no one regarded because you disdained all my counsel and would have none of my rebuke. I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your terror comes, when your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish rest upon you. Then they will call to me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me, because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. They would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke. Therefore, they shall eat through their ways and shall be filled to the full with their own fancies. For the turning away of the simple will slay them. The complacency of fools will destroy them. But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety and will be secure without fear of evil. These are hard truths that we don't like. We often see this happening in somebody's life for a season. We're having a prayer request the other night at Cedar, where I attend. Steve Igoe is the pastor. And they were rejoicing that a somewhat distant relative, but still a relative of a member of the congregation, four years old, grew up in the church, a covenant child, never professed faith and not seek after Christ. And at the age of 40, he came back to his church and said, I've been wrong and I've been rebellious. I need to repent and make profession of faith. What joy. You know, God is faithful. At age 40, long time coming, at least from our perspective. But what a joy that God granted him that repentance and that humbleness of heart. And he was not he's not shy about it. He's glad to say, I've been a fool, but I'm not now. And God's the one to receive the glory for it. It's not that I suddenly got smart. Is it by God's grace, I quit being so rebellious. And what a wonderful thing that God changes hearts that way. Now, part of it were the circumstances of his life. Lord brought about to rebuke him. We can become locked in our sins, and that should scare us, and Hebrews chapter two says, therefore, we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable in every transgression, our disobedience received a just retribulation. How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord and was attested to us by those who heard it. How are we going to escape if we ignore such a great salvation? We have to pay attention, lest we drift away from these truths, lest our hearts grow cold. The warnings are there. We need what the book of Proverbs teaches us. We need all the word of God because the tendency to drift is there. In Hebrews chapter three, we're told, take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it's called today, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. We've come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original convictions firm to the end. Today, if you hear his words, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. We should take heed. These are hard truths. We don't like to look at them. We don't like to listen to them. But the truth of the safety of our soul are there. When the scriptures speak something to me that's unpleasant, when it calls me to a duty that I don't want to step up to, a burden I don't want to bear, that's particularly the time I have to listen, which is why I force myself to memorize some of those passages that rebuke me when I need the rebuke. I call that tomorrow. It's been a busy day. Lord understand. Could right now. Tomorrow will be better. I'll be fresher. My mind will be sharper. Could right now. Why are you withholding what's in your power to give? Because I'm tired and lazy and don't feel like doing it. Oh, that sounds like a really good excuse, Ken. You go ahead. Fine, I'll do it. God can sometimes be sarcastic. Our hearts need to be rebuked sometimes, and it's a good thing when they are. We are warned that there are those who will be refused by God. In Psalm 2, it says, Why did the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, against His anointed, saying, Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us. He who sits in the heavens laughs. The Lord holds them in derision. God mocks those who think they can get away from him. Hebrews 4 says today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Listen to him and obey. There is a day of distress coming. Just as Proverbs 1 tells us, if we do not want to heed what God has to say, then he will not heed us either. Hebrews picks up the theme and tells us in chapter 12 that Esau also found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. Sin has the power to bind us and hold us in slavery, to blind us, to make us think wrong is right and right is wrong, to make us very diligent in pursuing rebellion. So Romans 1 verse 21 says, For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened. Therefore, God gave them up the lust of their hearts to impurity, to dishonoring their bodies among themselves. For this reason, God gave them up to dishonorable passions. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. We're told over and over, because they were intent on being rebellious, God gave them up. You don't want conviction of sin? Okay, I won't convict you. You don't want to be reminded of what's coming your way? I won't remind you. Guilty conscience will go away because you've seared it. My words will not echo in your heart any longer because I've stepped away from you. And some people think, oh, what a relief to be away from that. And of course, the truth is, what a judgment. What a frightening thing. I don't like conviction of sin any more than you do. Quite unpleasant. I'm very thankful for it. Because it's what our heart needs. And when God is true to me, when he forgives my sins, when he convicts me, when he calls me to be a more faithful follower, I'm grateful for that uncomfortableness that's a part of it. Children, young people, when your parents talk to you and call you to righteousness, it's not a fun time. But it's a great blessing you have. Because there are many parents who won't do that for their children, who let their children go their own way. The promise we end with in Proverbs chapter one is whoever listens to me will dwell safely and will be secure without fear of evil. We rejoice in the salvation that's ours in Jesus Christ. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. There is not a coming day of judgment because Christ himself is born it for us. What a deliverance is ours. And I look around the nation today. I look around our society and I see such a growing blindness, a willful blindness. I see portions of the church that are complacent in this, that are actually encouraging it. I'm very grieved. As should you be. You're part of a church that believes we should listen to the whole counsel of God's word. We should listen to those parts that cause our sores, our souls to soar and to find pleasure and joy. But we should also listen to those parts that are unpleasant. They're hard to hear that are heavy and judgmental because they're true. How can we take part of what the Scriptures say and ignore another part? Proverbs confronts us with that. And the promise is, as we hear everything that God has to say, the pleasant and the unpleasant, that we will know wisdom and instruction. We'll be able to perceive the words of understanding. We'll be able to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment and equity. Though we be simple, we will be prudent. Though we are young, we can have knowledge and discernment. A wise man will hear and increase learning. A man of understanding will attain wise counsel. That's the kind of person I want to be. I trust that you stand there as well. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your word. We're grateful for the rebukes it brings to us, the warnings and the comforts as well. Help us to turn our hearts to yourself. to be the people you want us to be, to live in your forgiveness and grace. We ask in Jesus name. Amen.