221 Sermon Illustrations on Wisdom

Tell men that a new lode has been found in some gulch or cannon, tell men that some Black Hills country is open for the digging of more gold; and all the armies cannot keep the emigrants from streaming thither from every quarter through the plains. Suffering from weariness and from hunger, and in the face of a thousand scalping dangers they will hunt for that gold. Tell men that in the mountains there are precious stones-opals, rubies, sapphires and the like-and how they will explore and explode the hills for them! And though but one in a thousand can gain them, yet each one of the thousand will think that he is to be the favored one.

Now, we are told in the Word of God that this understanding of Him is more precious than rubies; that silver and gold are as nothing to it; and that we are to search for God, to seek after him, as for hidden treasures-as men search for the dearest objects of their desires.

Forsake dangerous associations. Health is not contagious, but sickness is. We quarantine yellow fever to keep it out of the country, but we do not bring in health or quarantine it. Sin is catching; holiness is not. Be very careful to whom you give the key of your heart. Look out! This association, with us imitative creatures, has a tremendous influence on a man's or a woman's Christian character. Lot bought real estate down near Sodom; pitched his tent over against Sodom. Then he moved into Sodom, and pretty soon Sodom moved into him. The angel put a hand on his shoulder, and said, "Escape for thy life ... lest thou be consumed" (Genesis 19:17). That is the only way for any one to get out of dangerous associations in business, in politics, or anything else. Christians, the moment you find that you are in any associations that harm and poison your piety, escape out of that place as quickly as Lot deserted Sodom, for there is no safety in remaining there.

You never can drive out the uncleanness of evil thoughts except by pouring in the clean wholesomeness of the thoughts of Christ. Have you made Christ for any length of time the one object of your thoughts? Try it, you people who want to break loose from the shackles that you know are keeping you away from the great blessing of God and from the pure sweetness of His free and holy life. What else is there to think about that is worth anything, compared with Him? All treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him. How it must grieve Him, who, though He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, to see us filling our minds with passing things, worthless things, dying after the fashion of the world, while Christ is crowded away into some bare and paltry place in our lives!

Introduction.:

Four types of mind, which account for four kinds of literature, are recognized in the Bible the priest, the poet, the prophet and the philosopher (compare Jeremiah 18:18). It is the last of these we are now to consider, from whom we receive the “wisdom literature.”

“Side by side with prophets defending the theocracy, singers taking their inspiration from the Temple service, historians compiling annals of kings, and scribes expounding the Law, there was a class of wise men, who had habits of thought and forms of literature peculiar to themselves” (Professor R. Moulton). This type has adorned the letters of every great people, as may be seen by reference to Ptahhotep in Egypt, Epictetus in Greece, Marcus Aurelius in Rome, Alexander Pope in England, and Benjamin Franklin in America. We need not be surprised, then, to find wisdom literature in the Bible. It is found in scattered places in the form of riddle (Judges 14:14), fable (Judges 9:8-15), maxim (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12), epigram (Proverbs 23:1-3), sonnet (Proverbs 4:10-19), dramatic monologue (Proverbs 1:20-33), and proverb (Proverbs 22 :1); and in elaborated form in Job and Ecclesiastes.

Nor is this kind of literature confined to the pre-Christian period, for it is represented in the New Testament by parts of the Sermon on the Mount, the parables, and the Epistle of James.

SEATED AT THE GATE

In all likelihood there were of old, schools of wisdom in which the ancients taught their pupils (compare 1 Samuel 24:13, Job 12:12), and, it would appear, wise men sat for this purpose at the gate of the city (Proverbs 31:23). Pre-eminent among the wise was Solomon, who is said to have composed 1,005 songs and 3,000 proverbs (1 Kings 4:29-34).

DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS

Prophet, priest, and philosopher approached the same subject from different angles. Of righteousness, the prophet would say, “It is just”; the priest would say, “It is commanded”; but the philosopher would say, “It is prudent.” Of sin, the prophet would say, “It is disobedience”; the priest would say, “It is defilement”; but the philosopher would say, “It is folly.”

The wise men were observers of life, and the wisdom books are the product of their analytic observations.

WISDOM AND GOODNESS

“Wisdom is never in Scripture ascribed to other than God or good men, except in an ironical sense and with the express addition ‘of this world,’ ‘of this age’ (1 Corinthians 1:20; 2:6), or some such words (2 Corinthians 1:12).

“Nor are any of the children of this world called ‘wise,’ except with this tacit or expressed irony (Luke 10:21); being never more than such as ‘professing themselves to be wise, they became fools’ (Romans 1:22). For indeed, if wisdom includes the striving after the best ends as well as the using of the best means, if it is mental excellence in its highest and fullest sense, there can be no wisdom disjoined from goodness. … Wisdom is goodness itself contemplated from one particular point of view” (Archbishop Trench).

NOT BY SPECULATION

The main field of Biblical wisdom is ethical; the main stress of its counsel is practical. “Perhaps the most obvious lesson of the Old Testament lies in the gradual construction of a divine philosophy by fact, and not by speculation. The methodof Greece was to proceed from life to God; the method of Israel (so to speak) was to proceed from God to life. The axioms of the one are the conclusions of the other” (Bishop Brooke Westcott).

Passages on wisdom which should be carefully considered: 1 Kings 4:29-34 (the strain of teaching known by the specific name of “Wisdom” takes its rise and derives much of its character from Solomon’s time); Psalms 1, 37, 50, 73, and 112; Job 28; Proverbs 8; 1 Corinthians 1:18 to 2:16; James 3:13-18.

ECCLESIASTES

Keyword: Vanity

Chapters: 12

This book is the most mysterious in all the Bible. It has been called “the sphinx of Hebrew literature, with its unsolved riddles of history and life.” About no Biblical writing has there been such diversity of opinion as to the book’s author-ship, date, motive and place.

The Solomonic authorship has been, and is being, stoutly defended and denied. Dates assigned for the book range over nearly a thousand years. Dogmatism and skepticism alike have sought to claim the author as their champion. And as to plan, some regard the book as a formal treatise and others regard it as a collection of unconnected thoughts and maxims, like Pascal’s Pen-sees or Hare’s Guesses at Truth.

THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN

The consideration of these matters lies outside the scope of this study, and I have felt it best just to introduce the book briefly.

Four things may safely be said of Ecclesiastes:

(1) it belongs to the wisdom literature;

(2) its theme is “the quest for the chief good”;

(3) it writes “vanity” on all things “under the sun”; and

(4) the final verdict of the book is that to fear and obey God is the whole duty of man.

Of Ecclesiastes, E. C. Stedman says: “Whether prose or verse, I know nothing grander in its impassioned survey of mortal pain and pleasure, its estimate of failure and success; none of more noble sadness; no poem working more indomitably for spiritual illumination. Here, as nowhere else, immortal poetry has been made out of the body’s decay (Ecclesiastes 12 :1-7).”

THE NEED FOR THE LESSON

Dr. W. T. Davison comments: “There is no need to point out at length the contrast between Ecclesiastes and Christ’s Gospel. There is perhaps some need to insist on the fact that the appearance of the new evangel has not made void or useless the wisdom literature of an earlier age. It did its work in its own time and it has work to do still.

“There are times in a man’s history when he is not ready to sit at the feet of Jesus, and when it is better for him to go to school to Koheleth [The Preacher — Ecclesiastes 1 :1]. The heart must be emptied before it can be truly filled. The modern preacher has often to enforce the lesson, not yet obsolete, nor ever to become obsolete: ‘Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.’ He must come to Christ to learn how to do this effectively and to be taught those higher lessons for which this but prepares the way.

“‘Wisdom is justified of all her children’ (Luke 7:35), and he who follows with toil of heart and knees and hands the wise man of old time in his quest of the chief good, will find it in the service of him who came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly.”

~~~~~~~~~~

From 'Know Your Bible by Dr. W. Graham Scroggie © Pickering & Inglis, Ltd., London

I remember vividly a warm day at age six with my family at a park on Lake Michigan. Much to our delight, my youngest sister and I had each been given a granola bar to snack on. Most likely I ate mine quickly, with the hope that someone would see my empty hands and give me another. My little sister, on the other hand, who has always walked through life with an unhurried contentedness about her, was savoring each crumb as she walked along the lawn, charmed by the ducks who were marching along with her. In a manner of minutes, however, her charming procession shifted parade leaders. The next thing I remember was the angry cry of a four-year-old who found herself backed up against a wall by a flock of granola bar-stealing ducks.

The book of Proverbs depicts a similarly colorful scene throughout its pages. The portrait is inescapable. One gets the clear sense that we are to live watchfully, that wisdom is something to be guarded carefully, lest it be snatched out of our hands before we have time to object. “He who guards his way guards his life,” reads one verse. “Do not forsake wisdom,” advises another. Like an animal stalking its prey, folly and wickedness are personified as luring and lurking enemies, often disguised, always vying for our attention, meeting with anyone who will hear, ready to seize all that is not guarded. “Folly is loud,” notes the writer of Proverbs, “she is seductive and knows nothing. She sits at the door of her house; she takes a seat on the highest places of the town, calling to those who pass by, who are going straight on their way, “‘Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!’” (9:13-16).

In a world where we are saturated with information and ideas, overwhelmed by voices vying for our attention, and bombarded with distractions contending for our allegiance, it is not hard to see why folly and wickedness are voices personified. It is not a truth preached abstractly, but a reality we know all too well. Foolishness is like a person we can befriend.

But the book of Proverbs also personifies wisdom. Chapter eight asks, “Does not Wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: ‘To you, I call’” (8:1-4). In the battlefield of societal persuasion, it is a comforting truth that is easily forgotten. Just as voices that tempt and fool cry aloud for our attention, so wisdom calls out to us and understanding raises its voice. But who is the voice of wisdom? And do we find it as tangibly as we find the voices of folly?

Scripture makes it clear that God not only speaks and moves the world at his words, but that all wisdom and understanding come from his mouth. Sadly, however, his is one voice many are uninterested in hearing. “The tragedy,” writes A.W. Tozer “is that we have trained our ears not to hear.” Through many voices, God has communicated this truth. “For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes” (Matthew 13:15, Isaiah 6:9,10).

As the writer of Proverbs admonishes, let us be as those who make our ears attentive to wisdom, inclining our hearts to understanding. Let us cry out for insight and raise our voices for understanding, guarding our minds lest they be snatched away like the treat in a young child’s hand. Let us seek the source of wisdom as we would hidden treasure. It is God, at whose word chaos became order and darkness became light, and who cries out repeatedly for our complete attention, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15, Mark 4:9, Luke 8:8).

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Copyright © 2006 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

1. Wake Up -Decide to have a good day.

“Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice & be glad in it” Psalm 118:24

2. Dress Up -Smile

The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart” 1 Sam 16:7

3. Shut Up -Say nice things & learn to listen.

God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking.

“He who guards his lips guards his soul” Proverbs 13:3

“Gossip betrays confidence avoid men who talk too much” Proverbs 20:19 “Listen to advice, accept instruction and in the end, you will be wise” Proverbs 19:20

4. Stand Up -For what you believe in.

Stand for something or you will fall for anything.

“Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good…“ Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up -To the Lord.

“I can do everything through Him who gives me strength” Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up -For something higher.

As Jiminy Cricket sings in “High Hopes” - always try to better yourself.

7. Lift Up -Your Prayers.

“Do not worry about anything; instead “PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING” Philippians 4:6

He was not well-educated and rather rough and crude around the edges, but he was recently converted and now on fire for the Lord.

He was constantly pestering the pastor to give him some work that would be helpful to the church. Finally the pastor agreed. He gave the man a list of ten people who hadn’t been in church for years nor made any financial contribution. Some of these were quite prominent in the community.

The pastor said, “What I want you to do is get these people back to church, however you can. You can use church stationery if you want, but get these people back to church.”

Three weeks later the pastor got an envelope in the mail from a prominent doctor whose name had been on the list, along with a check for $1,000 and a note that read,

“Dear Pastor,

Please excuse my inactivity at church. I really have no excuse. Accept this check as a partial contribution for all the Sundays I’ve missed, and be assured I will never, by choice, miss worship again.

Sincerely, J. B. Jones, M.D.

P.S. – Will you kindly tell your secretary that there is only one “t” in dirty and no “c” in skunk?”

I used to think religious people were ignoramuses. Then I got smart and took a chance on God. [condensed version used in sermon is at the end]

________

As early as grade school, when I was a voracious reader and a straight-A student, I identified with being smart. And I believed smart people didn’t need religion. As a result, I declared myself an atheist and dismissed people who believed in God as uneducated.

In high school, I led a classroom debate team arguing for a godless form of evolution, confident my side would win because “this was science.” When the class voted and awarded victory to the creation side, I was dumbstruck. Most people didn’t understand science, I figured — either that, or they were unduly swayed by the most popular girl in class. She had a swimming pool in her backyard and threw fun parties.

At the time, I babysat to earn money. One of my favorite families was a young couple; both the husband (a doctor) and the wife were really sharp. One night, after paying me, they invited me to church. I was stunned — people this smart actually went to church? When Sunday morning came around, I told them I had a stomachache. They invited me again the following week, but once more I came down with another phantom stomachache. The more they persisted, the more I struggled to invent convincing excuses. (You try faking an illness to a doctor.)

Just a Phase?

Eventually, the couple tried a different tack. “You know,” they said, “going to church is not what matters most. What matters is what you believe. Have you read the Bible?” I figured that if I wanted to be an educated person, I needed to read the best-selling book of all time. The doctor suggested starting with Proverbs, reading one chapter daily for a month. When I first opened the Bible — this was the King James Version — expected to find phony miracles, made-up creatures, and assorted gobbledygook. To my surprise, Proverbs was full of wisdom. I had to pause while reading and think.

I quietly bought a modern translation called The Way and read through the entire Bible. While I never heard actual voices or anything to justify summoning a neurologist, I felt this strange sense of being spoken to. It was disturbing yet oddly attractive. I began wondering whether there really might be a God.

I decided to work my way through the Bible again, thinking that perhaps my experience was common for first-time readers. This time I would step back and read it more carefully, the better to debunk it. I also vowed to learn more about the Bible’s origins and to study other religions. Maybe, I thought, my culture — in which most people were Christians or Jews — was conditioning me to find Christianity attractive.

A favorite Jewish teacher at my high school ran a “gifted” program that let me devote one class each semester to whatever I wanted. I studied Buddhism, Hinduism, and several other faiths. I visited temples, synagogues, mosques, and other holy places.

More than anything, I wanted to get past this “religion” phase, because I knew I didn’t want religion. But despite my wishes, an internal battle raged. Part of me was increasingly eager to spend time with the God of the Bible, but an irritated voice inside me insisted I would be happy again once I moved on.

There were two passages I found especially troubling: Matthew 10:33 (“But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.”) and Matthew 12:30 (“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”). I resented what felt like an unwelcome ultimatum. I didn’t want to believe in God, but I still felt a peculiar sense of love and presence I couldn’t ignore.

During my freshman year in college, I reconnected with a friend I had met at a summer honors program. He was a straight-A student and a star on both the basketball court and football field — I had never known anyone so smart and athletic. He helped me with difficult physics homework, and then he invited me to his church. This time, I felt fine.

The sermon prompted many questions. I started to raise my hand while the pastor spoke before realizing that everyone else was sitting quietly. I nudged my friend: “Can we ask questions?” He hushed me. How do we learn if we can’t ask? After the sermon I tried getting answers, but people mostly wanted to socialize. I started coming to Sunday School classes because the teachers let me ask questions. I also kept reading.

One Sunday, the pastor talked about the difference between believing there is a God and following God. I knew Jesus claimed to be “the way” to God, but I had been trying to avoid anything Jesus-related — I couldn’t help hearing his name with the word freak attached. But the pastor got my attention when he asked, “Who is Lord of your life?” He discussed what happens when “you, a human being, put yourself on that throne.”

I was intrigued: I was the captain of my ship, but was it possible that God would actually be willing to lead me? From there, I came to a deeper understanding of what it meant to have a relationship with God through faith in Jesus. It seemed silly to pray about this — after all, I still had doubts about God’s existence. But in the spirit of Pascal’s wager, I decided to run an experiment, believing I had much to gain but very little to lose.

After praying, “Jesus Christ, I ask you to be Lord of my life,” my world changed dramatically, as if a flat, black-and-white existence suddenly turned full-color and three-dimensional. But I lost nothing of my urge to seek new knowledge. In fact, I felt emboldened to ask even tougher questions about how the world works. I felt joy and freedom — but also a heightened sense of responsibility and challenge.

Learning and Exploring

Have you ever tried to assemble something mechanical, and it only kind of works? Maybe the wheels spin, but not smoothly. Then you realize you were missing a piece. When you finally put it together correctly, it works beautifully. This is how it felt when I handed my life over to God: I thought it had worked fine before, but after it was “fixed,” it worked exponentially better. That’s not to say nothing bad ever happened to me — far from it. But in all things, good and bad, I could count on God’s guidance, comfort, and protection.

Today, I am a professor at the top university (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in my field. I have incredible colleagues who have helped translate my lab research into difference-making products — including a smart watch that helps caregivers save the lives of people with epilepsy. I work closely with people whose lives are filled with medical struggles, people whose children are not healthy. I do not have adequate answers to explain all their suffering. But I know there is a God of unfathomable greatness and love who freely enters into relationship with all who confess their sins and call upon his name.

I once thought I was too smart to believe in God. Now I know I was an arrogant fool who snubbed the greatest Mind in the cosmos — the Author of all science, mathematics, art, and everything else there is to know. Today I walk humbly, having received the most undeserved grace. I walk with joy, alongside the most amazing Companion anyone could ask for, filled with desire to keep learning and exploring.

_______

Rosalind Picard is founder and director of the Affective Computing Research Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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Sermon version:

Rosalind Picard was a smart kid. She got straight A’s. She believed smart people didn’t need religion. Those who were religious must be uneducated. In high school, she led a class debate that argued for a godless form of evolution but the student audience awarded victory to the creation side. Rosalind was dumbstruck.

At the time, she babysat to earn money. One of her favorite families was a young couple who were smart - the husband was a doctor. One night, after paying her, they asked her to attend church with them. Rosalind was stunned - people this smart actually went to church? When Sunday came around, she told them she had a stomachache. The next Sunday she invented another illness. This was not easy because she was trying to fake out a doctor.

Eventually the couple tried a different approach. They told her, “Going to church is not what matters most. What matters most is what you believe. Have you read the Bible?” Rosalind knew the Bible was the best-selling book of all time, so she gave it a shot.

The young doctor recommended she read the book of Proverbs so she did, in the King James version. She was surprised to find the book of Proverbs was full of real wisdom instead of the phony miracles she expected. Then she bought the Living Bible translation and read the whole Bible. Rosalind began to wonder whether there really might be a God.

A college friend invited her to his church and this time she agreed to go. During the sermon she started to raise her hand to ask questions but her friend nudged her - you don’t do that in church! One Sunday, the pastor talked about the difference between believing there is a God, and following God. He got her attention when he asked, “Who is the Lord of your life?”

Rosalind had doubts about God’s existence but she was willing to try an experiment. She prayed, “Jesus Christ, I ask you to be the Lord of my life.” Her world began to change dramatically.

She felt joy and freedom, but she still asked a lot of questions. She says her life worked fine before she believed, but after she turned her life over to God it worked exponentially better.

Today, Rosalind is a professor at MIT. She once thought she was too smart to believe in God. Now she knows she was an ignorant fool who snubbed the Author of everything there is to know. Once she asked him, she received a new level of knowledge of life.

Builders and carpenters know “a foundation’s main job is to hold up the house” according to home improvement expert Bob Vila. The Carpenter of Nazareth said as much 2000 years ago: “A wise man ... built his house on the rock ... and it did not fall. ... A foolish man ... built his house on the sand ... and great was its fall.”

Jesus was stressing the importance of our inward vs. outward relationship with God. Inward godliness is evidenced by humility, uprightness, mercy, purity of heart -- doing the will of God. Build your life on a solid, storm-resistant, foundation -- Jesus Christ.

TWO PEOPLE

There are wise people and foolish people, Jesus said (Matthew 7:24, 26). Verse 24 says, “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them.” Verse 26 says, “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them.” Notice both men heard. The difference is obedience, follow-through, biblical living.

The wisdom Christ spoke of requires acknowledging Him as Lord and Ruler -- praying (Matthew 6:6), not worrying, (6:25), avoiding images that stimulate lust (5:27-30), pledging permanence in marriage (5:31-32), forgiving those who offend us (6:14), investing our resources in His Kingdom’s work (6:19-21).

Have you made a conscious decision to let Christ rule your life? Only then are you living wisely.

TWO BUILDINGS

The Lord Jesus proceeded to say that those who hear and obey Him are building their lives on a firm foundation, on a rock. Those who hear but don’t obey are building on sand, which leads to unspeakable tragedy.

A new housing complex was hurriedly built by a Nicaraguan president for hundreds of his poorest citizens to impress a visiting American president. Suddenly Hurricane Mitch hit. The ground didn’t provide an adequate foundation for the hastily constructed houses -- 2,000 people died when their homes were swept away in mudslides.

No matter how impressive a building appears above ground, it is what is below the surface that counts. Without the right foundation, no structure is safe. Strength of foundation determines quality of life.

Christ is the Cornerstone, the Sure Foundation, the Rock of Ages. If you want a life that endures, build it on Christ. Some people build their lives on friendship, fads, fashion, materialism, money. There are many footings, but only one Rock; many foundations, but only one that will never erode.

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand.

(William B. Bradbury)

TWO STORMS

“Rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house” on the rock (Matthew 7:25). Two verses later, Jesus used the same description for the house on the sand. The test comes when the storms strike. We can’t escape storms. They’re inevitable.

Remember the little chorus we sang in Sunday School? “The rains came down and the floods came up.” We didn’t realize we were describing the trials we’d encounter in life. All of us experience storms, often with little advance warning. The sky blackens, clouds swirl, winds howl -- and as the rains come down, the floods rise up.

Christians aren’t exempt from stormy weather. Sometimes it’s a storm of bereavement, loss or financial stress. In this passage, two storms hit the two houses, equally packed with driving rain, winds and heavy floods. Sound like your life?

TWO RESULTS

As Jesus unfolded this story, the critical thing was not the intensity of the storm but the stability of the foundation. The house on the rock was secure. People often share with me things like, “When our daughter died, it was hard. But I felt the Lord’s presence as never before.” I can say the same regarding my cancer.

One of the great benefits of going through life’s storms is discovering the reality of the foundation on which our life has been built. When the storm hit the house on sand, it fell, and “great was its fall.” But the house on the Rock stands firm.

So build your life on the Lord Jesus Christ,

And the blessings will come down.

The blessings will come down as the prayers go up....

So build your house on the Rock.