“The Skill of Living Well”

“The Skill of Living Well”

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1. Proverbs Lays Out It’s Purpose
2. Wisdom Is The Skill of Living

“The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight;” (Proverbs 1:1–2)

1. Wisdom Always Makes Application

“The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young—” (Proverbs 1:1–4)

1. A Proverb To Apply

“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” (Proverbs 25:11)

Picture:  “Gift giving”

1. Two Conditions Before Going Farther In The Proverbs
2. Proceed If Receptive To Growing In God

“let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance— for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.” (Proverbs 1:5–6)

“have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2–3)

1. Proceed With A Reverence For God’s Greatness

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:7)

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”” (Isaiah 6:1–5)

1. In Christ, Proceed In Confidence

“If you do not approach God through the gospel of Jesus Christ, you will find, as you get near, a consuming fire. You will find him traumatic.   You will find him inspiring this kind of traumatizing fear.     It’s perfectly reasonable. You ought to be scared.”

                                                                                                                        (Martin Luther)

“In Christ we can come before God with freedom and without fear. We can do this through faith in Christ.” (Ephesians 3:12)

“What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—” (John 1:12)