"THE BOOK OF PROVERBS"
Childhood Memories Of A Wise Man
(Proverbs 4:1-9)
“Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father,
and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not
my law. For I was my Father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my
mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words:
keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not;
neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall
preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal
thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt
her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost
embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of
glory shall she deliver to thee.”
INTRODUCTION
1. In Pr 1-9, we find Solomon pleading
with his children to seek after
wisdom...
a. Through a collection of discourses
b. Extolling and illustrating the value of
wisdom time and again
2. In Pr 4:1-9, we find Solomon sharing
recollections of his
childhood...
a. Of his own father (David)
b. Exhorting him to seek after wisdom
I. "I WAS TAUGHT BY MY FATHER"
A. HIS FATHER HAD ACCEPTED HIS RESPONSIBILITY...
1. To teach him - Provers 4:3-4*
2. A responsibility placed by God on fathers
“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to
wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
3. Not given to churches or schools per se
a. They may serve as aids
b. They should not become crutches
4. For they are inadequate to teach as God
intended
Deuteronomy
6:6-9
“And these words, which I command thee this day,
shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy
children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when
thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And
thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets
between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and
on thy gates.”
a. God's Word is to permeate the household
b. Something the church and school alone cannot
provide
-- Blessed are children that have fathers who
accept their
responsibility!
B. WHEN FATHERS FAIL TO FULFILL THEIR CHARGE...
1. They will be held accountable
a. Eli tried to correct his sons
“Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his
sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And he said unto them, Why do ye
such things? For I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. Nay, my sons;
for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress.
If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin
against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not
unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.”
b. But failed to his power to restrain them
“And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at
other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, speak; for thy servant
heareth. And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at
which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will
perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I
begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house
for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves
vile, and he restrained them not.”
2. The responsibility has to be taken up by
others
a. Timothy was blessed to have a godly
grandmother and mother
“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith
that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother
Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.”
b. They evidently taught Timothy the Scriptures
as a child
“And that from a child thou hast known the holy
scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which
is in Christ Jesus.”
-- Blessed are children that have mothers who
provide where
fathers do not!
[So Solomon was taught by his father, one of the
greatest gifts a father
can give to a child.
II. "I WAS TAUGHT BY AN ANXIOUS FATHER"
A. THE ANXIETY OF HIS FATHER IS IMPLIED...
1. By the exhortations: "Get wisdom! Get understanding!"
2. By the warnings:
Proverbs 4:5-6
“Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not:
neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall
preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.”
-- His father was anxious regarding his son's
learning
B. FATHERS TODAY NEED TO BE ANXIOUS...
1. In view of what is going on in schools and
society in general
(violence, sex, drugs)
2. In light of what is happening in many
churches (apathy,
worldliness, apostasy)
-- Community and sometimes the church no longer
provide supportive
roles
C. FATHERS ANXIOUS FOR THEIR CHILDREN...
1. Will take the time to teach their children
when they need it
2. Will implore God for wisdom in raising their
children
3. Will be willing to sacrifice success and
prestige in business
to spend time with children
-- Fathers, do we have anxiety over the welfare
of our children?
[Finally, consider what Solomon's father was
anxious for him to
learn...]
III. "I WAS TAUGHT THE IMPORTANT THINGS"
A. HE WAS TAUGHT TO VALUE WISDOM AND
UNDERSTANDING...
1. To make wisdom the principal thing in life
a. "Get wisdom! Get understanding!"
b. "Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom. And in
all your getting, get understanding."
2. To love, exalt, and embrace wisdom
a. "...Love her, and she will keep
you."
b. "Exalt her, and she will promote
you..."
c. "...She will bring you honor, when you
embrace her."
Proverbs
4:8*
3. To appreciate the benefits of wisdom
a. "Do not forsake her, and she will
preserve you..."
Proverbs
4:6*
b. "She will place on your head an ornament
of grace;"
Proverbs
4:9*
c. "A crown of glory she will deliver to
you."
Proverbs 4:9*
-- Solomon's father wanted him to be wise above
all else
B. FATHERS OFTEN STRESS THE TRIVIAL...
1. Too often, if a father spends any time with
his children it is
on things like:
a. Sports
b. Mechanics
2. Too often, the principal concern of fathers
is that their
children get:
a. College degrees
b. High paying jobs
3. Yet such things are potentially harmful!
a. Worldly success presents many temptations
b. Many children have been destroyed by the
careers encouraged
by their parents
-- Without wisdom and understanding, our
children will not be able
to handle success!
No comments:
Post a Comment