Proverbs 8 - Wisdom Calls Again pt III

Introduction
- this morning we’re going to try to finish this study we’ve been doing on wisdom’s calls.
- I appreciate the input you’ve been giving and the good questions that have been asked…
- as you know, we are trying to group our studies around certain themes…
- this matter of how we and our family members respond to God’s wisdom is important, so we’re going to look at all the book says on that, and then move to another emphasis.

- in your notes we reminded you of the outline we studied two weeks ago.

I. You Can Trust My Words – 8:6-9.

A. They are excellent
B. They contain right things.
C. They are true and righteous.

II. You Can Receive True Wealth – 10-21.

A. Wisdom is better than material blessings.
B. Wisdom has more to offer than material blessings.
C. How God’s people should respond to this principle.

- this morning we’d like to finish chapter 8 and work through chapter 9.

- READ Proverbs 8:22-36

III. You Can See My Works – 22-31.

- INPUT – What are verses 22-31 talking about?
- INPUT – Is it important to “hold the line” on the doctrine of creation?
[recommend MacArthur’s new book – The Battle for the Beginning]

- INPUT – What is the relationship between our understanding of wisdom, creation, and Jesus Christ? [cf. John 1:1-4, Col. 1:16-17, 2:1-4?]

- INPUT – Examples you see in the created world of God’s wisdom?
[Dan Clark]

- now, if you would say, “it’s surprising that this book would have two full chapters devoted to the call to wisdom”…well, the surprise isn’t over, because that is what chapter 9 is about as well.
- so when you think about wisdom’s call, you really need to think about Proverbs 1, 8, and 9.
- let’s see what is emphasized there:

- READ Proverbs 9

IV. Wisdom’s Call to Life

- this chapter is different in several important ways.
- wisdom is still personified, but now she is no longer going out into the streets but instead has built a house and inviting people to come to a banquet.
- the theme is still on the issue of invitation, and making a choice, but the picture is changed.

A. Invitation – 9:3-9

1. How the invitation is given.

- in Bible times, invitations were often delivered personally.
- many times the first call was given regarding the times, day, etc.
- then a second call was made to determine the exact number of guests…some of Jesus’ parables allude to these practices.
- the picture is of wisdom calling out and asking others to come to her feast…the picture is still the same of God inviting people to come and learn His ways.

2. To whom it was given.

- the significant thing is that now, only the simple are called.
- you may remember before that in chapter one, the fool, the simple, and the scorner were invited.
- in chapter 8, the scorner was left off the list.
- now the fool has been eliminated as well.

- INPUT – What can we make of this progression?

- Wiersbe – “Wisdom’s first call was to the simple, the scorners, and the fools (1:22). The scorners laughed at her, so in her second call she invited only the simple and the fools (8:5). But the fools didn’t want God’s wisdom, so in the third call she invites only the simple ones to come to her feast. It’s a dangerous thing to reject God’s invitation; you never know when it may be your last one (Luke 14:24).

B. Celebration - 10-12

C. Condemnation – 13-18

- develop the “Banquet in a Grave” theme [Welch’s new book]
- develop ways this comes true today.

Adult Bible Fellowship
Wisdom Calls Again
Proverbs Series #10

Introduction
I. You Can Trust My Words – 8:6-9.
A. They are excellent.
B. They contain right things.
C. They are true and righteous.
II. You Can Receive True Wealth – 10-21.
A. Wisdom is better than material blessings.
B. Wisdom has more to offer than material blessings.
C. How God’s people should respond to this principle.

*************************************************************************
III. You Can ________ My Works – 22-31.
INPUT – What are verses 22-31 talking about?
INPUT – Is it important to “hold the line” on the doctrine of creation?
INPUT – What is the relationship between our understanding of wisdom, creation, and Jesus Christ? [cf. John 1:1-4; Col. 1:16-17, 2:1-4]
INPUT – Examples you see in the created world of God’s wisdom?
IV. Wisdom’s _________ to Life

A. ___________________ – 9:3-9

1. _________ the invitation is given.

2. To ____________ it was given.
INPUT – What can we make of this progression?

Wiersbe – “Wisdom’s first call was to the simple, the scorners, and the fools (1:22). The scorners laughed at her, so in her second call she invited only the simple and the fools (8:5). But the fools didn’t want God’s wisdom, so in the third call she invites only the simple ones to come to her feast. It’s a dangerous thing to reject God’s invitation; you never know when it may be your last one (Luke 14:24).

B. ___________________ – 10-12

C. ___________________ – 13-18
Adult Bible Fellowship
Wisdom Calls Again
Proverbs Series #10
Introduction
I. You Can Trust My Words – 8:6-9.
A. They are excellent
B. They contain right things.
C. They are true and righteous.
II. You Can Receive True Wealth – 10-21.
A. Wisdom is better than material blessings.
B. Wisdom has more to offer than material blessings.
C. How God’s people should respond to this principle.
III. You Can See My Works – 22-31.
INPUT – What are verses 22-31 talking about?
INPUT – Is it important to “hold the line” on the doctrine of creation?
INPUT – What is the relationship between our understanding of wisdom, creation, and Jesus Christ? (cf. John 1:1-4; Col. 1:16-17, 2:1-4)

INPUT – Examples you see in the created world of God’s wisdom?
IV. Wisdom’s Call to Life
A. Invitation – 9:3-9
1. How the invitation is given.
2. To whom it was given.
INPUT – What can we make of this progression?
Wiersbe – “Wisdom’s first call was to the simple, the scorners, and the fools (1:22). The scorners laughed at her, so in her second call she invited only the simple and the fools (8:5). But the fools didn’t want God’s wisdom, so in the third call she invites only the simple ones to come to her feast. It’s a dangerous thing to reject God’s invitation; you never know when it may be your last one (Luke 14:24).
B. Celebration – 10-12
C. Condemnation – 13-18