...that church north point

The Way, The Truth, & The Life in Proverbs | Rev. Eyde Mabanglo

4.22.12 LISTEN, MY SON, TO YOUR FATHER’S INSTRUCTION...

PROVERBS SERMON

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction

and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

They are a garland to grace your head

and a chain to adorn your neck. (Proverbs 1:7-9)

INTRO TO SERMON: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WamkRSDeD8

"Just The Two Of Us" (1998)

From the first time the doctor placed you in my armsI knew I'd meet death before I'd let you meet harmAlthough questions arose in my mind, would I be man enough?Against wrong, choose right and be standing upFrom the hospital that first nightTook a hour just to get the car seat in rightPeople driving all fast, got me kind of upsetGot you home safe, placed you in your bassinetteThat night I don't think one wink I sleptAs I slipped out my bed, to your crib I creptTouched your head gently, felt my heart meltCause I know I loved you more than life itselfThen to my knees, and I begged the Lord pleaseLet me be a good daddy, all he needsLove, knowledge, discipline tooI pledge my life to you

[Chorus:]Just the two of us, we can make it if we tryJust the two of us, (Just the two of us)Just the two of us, building castles in the skyJust the two of us, you and I

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Five years old, bringing comedyEvery time I look at you I think man, a little meJust like meWait and see going to be tallMakes me laugh cause you got your dads ears an allSometimes I wonder, what you going to beA General, a Doctor, maybe a MCHa ha, I want to kiss you all the timeBut I will test that butt when you cut out of line, true thatUh-uh-uh why you do that?I try to be a tough dad, but you be making me laughCrazy joy, when I see the eyes of my baby boyI pledge to you, I will always doEverything I canShow you how to be a manDignity, integrity, honor anAn I don't mind if you lose, long as you came with itAnd you can cry, no shame in itIt didn't work out with me an your momBut yo, push come to shoveYou was conceived in loveSo if the world attacks, and you slide off trackRemember one fact, I got your back

[Chorus]

It's a full-time job to be a good dadYou got so much more stuff than I hadI got to study just to keep with the changing times101 Dalmations on your CD-ROMSee me-I'mTrying to pretend I knowOn my PC where that CD goBut you, ain't nothing promised, one day I'll be goneFeel the strife, but trust life does go wrongBut just in caseIt's my placeTo impartOne day some girl's going to break your heartAnd ooh ain't no pain like from the opposite sexGoing to hurt bad, but don't take it out on the next, sonThroughout life people will make you madDisrespect you and treat you badLet God deal with the things they doCause hate in your heart will consume you tooAlways tell the truth, say your prayersHold doors, pull out chairs, easy on the swearsYou're living proof that dreams do come trueI love you and I'm here for you

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IMPART ING WISDOM

What did you see in that video? a father who loves his son. a son who looks up to

his father. an old song mixed with a new. an attempt to summarize all of life's

lessons, so that a young boy might grow up to be the man God intended him to be.

Will Smith wants to impart Wisdom on his Son. Will first wrote a children's book,

and then he set the "rap" to music--music which spans two generations ("Just The

Two of Us" by Bill Withers and Grover Washington, Jr. and the R&B band backing

up Will Smith). The video is shot in a beautiful monochrome which for me lends

the genius of the art direction that wanted to communicate the timelessness of the

truths heard in Will's fatherly advice.

I love this video for all of these reasons. For me, this music video helps us jump

into the Book of Proverbs. Will Smith is trying to do in 4 minutes what Solomon

and a few other wise voices did in 31 chapters of proverbial wisdom.

Solomon's proverbs were penned around 900 B.C. During his reign as king, the

nation of Israel reached its pinnacle spiritually, politically, culturally, and

economically. As Israel's reputation soared, so did King Solomon's.... From all

nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the

world, who had heard of his wisdom. 1 Kings 4:34.

Knowledge is nothing more than an accumulation of raw facts, but wisdom is the

ability to see people, events, and situations as God sees them.

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TO OUR CHILDREN

This week, my son turned 17. My birthday was two days earlier, and I found out

that a local coffee shop gives free 16oz coffees on your birthday, so I took him

before school to get his free drink. While we waited for our barista to put the

finishing touches on our large mochas. Eddie looked up at the ventilation system,

and told me that he could 'touch that'. He proceeded to take two large steps, make

an Olympic size leap, touch the duct system, twist around, and land. He told me the

reason why he twists around is so that he won't stumble and fall at the end of the

jump. By leaping with a twist he is able to stick his landing--worthy of Olympic

Gold. Salute the judges!

At this time, I see my son as simultaneously age 17 and age 7, and I love that...

As I have been surveying the Book of Proverbs, I have been challenged to reflect on

how I have tried to impart wisdom on my children. Eddie is 17. He is legally an

adult in one year. Have I taken the time to give him all of life's lessons to spare him

any heartache, wasted time, or foolishness in the years to come. To learn from my

mistakes in addition to the ones he will surely make? Is it too late? Should I just

show him Will Smith's video and be done with it?

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WHAT WILL I PASS ON...

Because my parents died when I was young, I wasn't even interested in any

wisdom they might have shared with me. As a young adult, I wished I had more of

their pragmatic and wise counsel available to me as I carved out my own life, and

especially as I started my own family.

When i found out that I was pregnant, I took to writing a journal for each of my

children. Will Smith and I are about the same age (he is 44), and I wonder if

whatever motivated me to write my children a few thoughts (now once in a blue

moon) was the same that moved him to write a children's story (to later become

his best selling solo hit). Did we, as children of the 80's, want to pass on to our

children something that we longed for from our own parents or feared we would

never get a chance to deliver in person (should we die young as well)--what made

us want to write down things like: the secrets of life, the manual for parenting, the

answer to trails, pain, and hardship. Was it the same for Solomon and the other

writers of the Book of Proverbs or any writer of any proverbial writings

throughout the history of the earth? It is out of love that we, you and me included,

want to spare our children of this kind of grief. Is there anything I can tell them

now that will help them side step danger in their relationships, careers, and/or

discovering who they are in Christ?

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TIMELESS TRUTHS-THE PROVERBS

Timeless Truth is a proverb--a pithy statement, easy to remember, that imparts

wisdom--not just knowledge. Although, timeless as truth is, new ways of

communicating that truth is needed for this generation and the next.

An example of a timeless truth in proverbial form is--a picture is worth a thousand

words. Of course, post- modern adaptation of that proverb is--a pixel is worth 10

words.

PROVERBS at OUR HOUSE (not really)

Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

A closed mouth gathers no feet.

If you're too open minded, your brains will fall out.

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he

gets angry, he'll be a mile away - and barefoot.

Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.

No husband has ever been shot while doing the dishes.

BETTER PROVERBS

If you want your dreams to come true, don't oversleep.

Ideas won't work unless YOU do.

One thing you can't recycle is wasted time.

One who lacks the courage to start has already finished.

The heaviest thing to carry is a grudge.

Don't learn safety rules by accident.

One thing you can give and still keep…is your word.

A friend walks in when everyone else walks out.

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PROVERBS 8

1 Does not wisdom call out?

Does not understanding raise her voice?

2 At the highest point along the way,

where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

3 beside the gate leading into the city,

at the entrance, she cries aloud:

4 “To you, O people, I call out;

I raise my voice to all mankind.

5 You who are simple, gain prudence;

you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.[a]

6 Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;

I open my lips to speak what is right.

7 My mouth speaks what is true,

for my lips detest wickedness.

8 All the words of my mouth are just;

none of them is crooked or perverse.

9 To the discerning all of them are right;

they are upright to those who have found knowledge.

10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,

knowledge rather than choice gold,

11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies,

and nothing you desire can compare with her.

GET SMART

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Wisdom is out in the brightness of day. She is not hidden. Wisdom is described as

Woman Wisdom that calls out to us in the major intersection of our lives, and bids

us to know her. We are to pursue her, see her, and find her.

Proverbs 4:5; "Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve

from them."

Pursue Woman Wisdom! If we were to take this timeless truth and put it in

modern language we would say get smart. Get Jesus.

Truth/Wisdom... She is what we are to pass on from father to son. She is more

precious than silver or gold. So proverbs is more than just a collection of many

pithy axioms to lend the child of God tips to survive and thrive in this life, but it is a

collective voice proclaiming timeless truth....AND JESUS SAID i AM THE WAY, THE

TRUTH, AND THE LIFE...

WHAT IS TRUTH?

Pilate looked Truth in the face and asked, "what is truth?" And then he walked

away... [John 18:38]

There is a warning here for people who question the reality or relativity of truth.

There is a warning here for folks who don't take Truth seriously... for any man who

peruses the Scriptures in search of truth will surely find it.

12 “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;

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I possess knowledge and discretion.

13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil;

I hate pride and arrogance,

evil behavior and perverse speech.

14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine;

I have insight, I have power.

15 By me kings reign

and rulers issue decrees that are just;

16 by me princes govern,

and nobles—all who rule on earth.[b]

17 I love those who love me,

and those who seek me find me.

[compare to Jeremiah 29:13f]

18 With me are riches and honor,

enduring wealth and prosperity.

19 My fruit is better than fine gold;

what I yield surpasses choice silver.

20 I walk in the way of righteousness,

along the paths of justice,

21 bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me

and making their treasuries full.

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ABSOLUTE TRUTH

There is no absolute truth. Are you absolutely sure? Isn't this one of the failures of

higher education: that instead of understanding better just how much we don't

know, graduates assume they know...and one of the things many presume is that

we can't know absolute truth and/or truth doesn't exist. This is a self defeating

premise...

There is something called Roadrunner logic. As Wylie Coyote chases down the

roadrunner, he fails to see that the Roadrunner has stopped just short of a deadly

cliff. Almost always, Wylie runs pass the safe roadrunner, and becomes suspended

animation as he is frozen over a deep chasm below him. We and he realize

together that he has no ground to stand on....

This morning we sang a song called "Hallelujah" and repeated the refrain: Your

LOVE is a mountain firm beneath my feet! Our job is to give them ground to stand

on...

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GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO STAND ON...

1981, when I was in High School and Will Smith was in junior high, Dr. David Elkin

wrote a book called "The Hurried Child". His basic premise was that parents had

been hurrying their children for personal gain--whether that was boasting rights,

vicarious dreams, or abdicating their parental responsibilities to clubs, schools, or

youth organizations. [http://www.parentbooksummaries.com/the-hurried-child-

25th-anniversary-edition/]

Many children raised in the church grow up and move out and don't return to

church. why? We haven't given them the ground to stand on. We have given them

knowledge, but we haven't given them Christ. We have abdicated their spiritual

upbringing... we want them to make their own decision, but we haven't told them

what the choices are. Proverbs does that: choose wisdom and follow after eternal

life or choose folly and follow after deceit, distraction, self-destruction, and death.

THE FATHER'S LOVE

It is a father's love that wants to spare his children pain, suffering, and heartache.

It is THE father's love for you and for me, that sent his only begotten son to spare

us from the pain of eternal separation from the Father who loves us. The wisdom

of Proverbs is that it tells us to seek Wisdom. It tells us to teach our children to

seek Wisdom. It challenges us to see Wisdom as Christ himself. So we see that the

very WAY our heavenly father has imparted TRUTH & LIFE is by sending us

himself. As the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, so the Word existed 'in the

beginning.' (John 1:14-18)

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Proverbs 8 continues...

22 “The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works,

before his deeds of old;

23 I was formed long ages ago,

at the very beginning, when the world came to be.

24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,

when there were no springs overflowing with water;

25 before the mountains were settled in place,

before the hills, I was given birth,

26 before he made the world or its fields

or any of the dust of the earth.

27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,

when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,

28 when he established the clouds above

and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,

29 when he gave the sea its boundary

so the waters would not overstep his command,

and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.

30 Then I was constantly at his side.

I was filled with delight day after day,

rejoicing always in his presence,

31 rejoicing in his whole world

and delighting in mankind.

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FOR DADS...AND NOT JUST FOR DADS

What a wonderful reflection on the occasion of my son's 17th birthday. What a

wonderful reminder that we were never meant to exist for our self. Whether we

are a parent or not, no adult was meant to live life without regard for the next

generation.

SIDE NOTE ...astonishing statistics say that if Dad attends church with his

family, then a significantly higher percentage of children will remain church

goers...even if Dad' attendance is irregular.

[http://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=16-05-024-v]

HOWEVER, this message isn't just for Dads like Will Smith. This is for each of us. If

we are in the Lord then we are mandated to raise all children to love God and to

seek after His Wisdom. To seek the person called Wisdom. To seek Christ.

My prayer for all children is the same as for my son...that one day he would take

two large steps, take a leap of faith, twist around, and stick his landing because he

had ground to stand on. That would be better than Olympic Gold...or silver... "for

wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare..."

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