“On Not Settling” - Proverbs 22:1-9
[1] A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.
[2] The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is the Maker of them all.
[3] The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.
[4] The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.
[5] Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.
[6] Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
[7] The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
[8] Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail.
[9] Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor. (ESV)
BIG IDEA: Pursue the Best Most
Our
[1] A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.
[2] The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is the Maker of them all.
Our
[3] The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.
[4] The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.
[5] Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.
[6] Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
[7] The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
[8] Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail.
[9] Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor. (ESV)
Spotlight on Christ: Mark 7:1–13: [1] Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, [2] they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. [3] (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, [4] and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) [5] And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” [6] And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; [7] in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ [8] You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” [9] And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! [10] For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ [11] But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)—[12] then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, [13] thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” (ESV)
Applications/Uses:
Discussion Questions:
1. What was the big idea of the sermon? Is it faithful to what the text says?
2. What struck you most about the passage as you listened?
3. How does this passage help or motivate us to live for God through Christ?
4. How do you value money and wealth compared to your reputation? What tweaks need to be made?
5. What danger in your life should you be seeing and hiding from?
6. If you continue on the trajectory you are currently on in life, how will things go for you?
7. Based on what you want to “reap” later, how do you need to adjust what you are “sowing” now?