← ArchiveProverbsSunday, June 26, 2016DateJune 26, 2016Speaker—TextProverbs 15Passages in this sermonProverbs 13:40Proverbs 155:30James 1:208:04Proverbs 1815:18Proverbs 18:815:34Proverbs 15:415:36Isaiah 5318:33Isaiah 53:718:42Proverbs 2220:56Psalms 10325:111 Corinthians 1327:34TranscriptClick any line to jump there.0:00Thank you for joining us. Thank you for joining us.0:30Good morning.0:59Good morning. Did you catch my breath? Some of you are wondering why I have a tie on. It could be because of the baby dedication. It could be because my mother-in-law is in town. Either way, it's here. That actually was a question asked by one of our greeters. We've been looking at God's wisdom in our life this summer. But I know the reality is many of you are traveling, have traveled, or will travel. So it's hard to continue just a study through the book except Proverbs.1:28Proverbs is an excellent book to give us wisdom. And it's also an excellent book because one proverb will say this is how you live your life. One proverb will say this is how you watch your mouth. So there's discontinuity in the Proverbs, but yet that helps us during the summer. So we have been journeying together as a church asking the Lord to give us wisdom this summer. So today we're going to look at this question. How can we have wisdom in our relationships?1:57Now, we are not going to look at romantic relationships. Husband, wives, if you're in a dating relationship. If you're just by yourself and say, I don't want to think about romance right now. I just want to serve the Lord. That's a wonderful path, by the way. But we're not going to look at any of that. We're just going to look at our day-to-day relationships. Neighbors, co-workers, drive-thru, grocery store. And how the Lord can impart wisdom into us. And really, I've kind of centered the points today around advice your grandmother would give you.2:27We're going to look at what the Bible says, but they are worded in a way that you could see your grandmother or great-great-grandmother sitting around the table saying, Son, this is how you live. So it'll make sense shortly. I just want to say this, though, before we start. Your grandmother was probably right. The Bible is very clear in our relationships. Our friendships and relationships are never neutral.2:54They are never neutral. We are either bringing people to the Lord or they are bringing you away from Him. That's important because some of us just believe, well, we can have relationships and I'm going to enter into this partnership with, in a business, I can do this, and it's not going to affect my life. That is not biblical and it's not godly and it's not righteous. That might be what the world tells you, but it's not what God's Word tells you. So let's throw that misconception out outside, to the wind.3:23So relationships are not neutral. And if they're not neutral, then our goal is this, God, we want to have wisdom. If you were here several weeks ago, we know that what is the beginning of wisdom? Proverbs chapter 1, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. So really, you don't have wisdom if I don't fear the Lord. So if you are in a relationship that that person you're in a relationship, friendship,3:50if they don't fear the Lord, they're not bringing wisdom in. So it means it's your job to push them towards Jesus Christ. That's important, because if they're not a believer, they're not going to push you to Jesus Christ. So may we dive deep into being wise, that we drink from the fountain that is Jesus Christ today. So I'm asking you, are you teaching others to fear the Lord in your relationships? Let's pray.4:20Let's pray. Father, you are holy and righteous. Lord, we're not. Father, we just need wisdom in how to live. Lord, we need wisdom in who to enter into business partnerships with. Lord, we need wisdom in how to speak. Father, we need wisdom in how to love. Lord, we need wisdom in how to honor people in our relationships. Lord, we need wisdom in how not to become angry, irate. So Lord, we just desire today that you fill us full of your glory and your grace.4:49And Lord, we know that if we seek you, if we honor you in our relationships, we know that many people will come to faith in Jesus Christ. Lord, as we read your word today, if there is someone here right now that has not put their trust in you, Lord, I pray that you will make them so uncomfortable that they will listen to the answer, to the hope that is found in Jesus Christ. Lord, we just desire for you to fill this room up with your blessings,5:18overflow us with your mercy, and Lord, make us wise unto salvation. And I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen and amen. If you have your Bibles with you, please turn to Proverbs 15. Proverbs chapter 15. So biblical wisdom, biblical wisdom, number one, things your great-grandmother might teach you.5:38A silent mouth is sweet to hear. A silent mouth is sweet to hear. Some of you parents are chuckling, but you probably said this to your kids. Boy, hush your mouth. Your grandmother wouldn't say that. She would say a silent mouth is sweet to hear. And you say, well, why did you say that? Look at Proverbs 15, verse 1.6:07A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. A silent mouth is sweet to hear.6:35We need to be people who watch our mouths. We need to be people who watch our tongues. Why? A soft answer turns away wrath. So this is what God's word tells us about our relationships and your mouth and my mouth and our relationships. My mouth has the power to change my relationships. A silent, a soft word does what? It can change people.7:05It can change anger. It can change wrath. So what you say matters. Jesus said it in another way. He says, from the overflow of your heart, your mouth speaks. And, you know, I'm a pastor. If you didn't know that, by the way, I'm a pastor here. And sometimes people will come around me and they'll cuss. And if they have a friend by them, you know, if their friend tells them, don't do that, that's the pastor. Right? Some of you are guilty of that. Not the cussing, the other part.7:34And I kind of elbow that person because here's why. If they tell me that, then I know their heart. And ultimately, our mouths aren't the central issue. It's the heart. And so I want you to begin to think about this morning what you say and what you do in relationships. A gentle word turns away anger. Why is that important? Because we know, as we're going to see shortly, that anger does not lead to righteousness. James 1.20 says, for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.8:04So if I'm angry, I know that that anger does not lead to righteousness. And some of you might be saying, well, Jesus was angry and righteous. Yeah, but I'm not Jesus. And you're not either. So it's hard for us to separate that, well, I'm going to be wrathful because of God and not because of selfish motives, because we're all natural men. So watch your mouth.8:33Why does that matter? Because your mouth leads other people in the right path or it leads them in the wrong path. A soft answer turns away wrath. But a harsh word, Proverbs 15, verse 1, a soft answer turns away wrath. But a harsh word stirs up. So let's, we're bad, so let's talk about that word.9:01A harsh word actually means in the Hebrew, it's a word of pain. Have you ever had someone come up to you and say this? I shouldn't tell you this, but don't do it. Don't, right? Anything coming after the but is not going to end well. So if you, if you say to someone, I shouldn't tell you this, that's God letting you hear what you're saying and hopefully your heart will catch that and say, Josh, don't be a fool.9:31Fools gush like geysers. Wise men are fountains of refreshments. And so God's word says with our mouth, do not give words of pain and be careful that do we not, we do not stir up anger. And if we're honest, it's easy and convenient and fun to be pot stirrers. That is not godly, which means that is sinful.10:03So if you like to stir the pot, and I don't care if it's at a message board, I don't care if it's on Facebook, I don't care if it's on Twitter or Instagram. I don't care if it's in prayer meeting. It is not godly. And sometimes we use the church as an excuse to stir the pot. I'm speaking, I'm speaking not against you. I'm speaking against me too. Sometimes we give prayer requests. Hey, do you know, you pray for so-and-so.10:32Let me tell you what he did. No, no. That's not godliness. Which is not of God. It's of, it's of sin. It's of destruction. Because the Bible is very clear, a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word, a word of pain does what? Stirs up. And what's it going to stir up? It's going to stir up anger. We must be very careful what we do with our mouths. And we have been far too content for far too long as churches to let our mouth run loose.10:57Watch our mouth. Can you imagine if everyone sitting here today said, I'm going to guard my mouth and use it for righteousness. Can you imagine how much that would change the community? Can you imagine what the community would say about this church? Man, I can't stand that church. Why not? They never speak ill of anyone. I've never heard a single person gossip.11:26There's not a single pot stirrer in that place. Can you imagine the testimony? If we all commit it today, I am not going to stir the pot. And I'm going to do that for the glory of the Lord. A silent mouth is sweet to hear. Why? Look at verse 2. Soft answers turn away wrath. Harsh words, words of pain, stir up anger.11:55And the tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. Now, the word in Hebrew is, it really means blurt. And it's a word that rarely means anything good. This word is almost used for something bad. And it's really a word that one commentator said it this way, that it's a word that really means to spew like a geyser. Think about that. One of the most famous geysers we have in our states is Old Faithful.12:23I remember Casey and I had the opportunity of seeing Old Faithful, was it five years ago now? Maybe longer than that. And I remember before we went, my grandmother told me a story about my grandfather who's no longer living. But he was sitting at Old Faithful and he was waiting for Old Faithful to blow. And he got tired because actually it can take 45 minutes or an hour and a half to, in between, the steam to build up and the water to erupt.12:49And so my grandfather, there's a, there's a gift shop because we're in America. We put gift shops everywhere. And so there's a gift shop. So he went to go get ice cream at the gift shop at Yellowstone. And as soon as he went, turned his back and was in line getting his ice cream, guess what happens? Old Faithful went off. And so he missed it. And he didn't have the patience to wait again.13:18And Casey and I, it's just a wonderful, it's a wonderful geyser. But if we're not careful, we do the same thing. We are people who go to others because we know their personality. We know if I poke them with a stick long enough, they'll spew. And we, we are people at Yellowstone that say, let's go get our ice cream. Let's sit and watch the geyser erupt. That is not godliness.13:47It's not. It is sinful. And if that is your personality, if you are witty and you are, and you feel like your spiritual gift is sarcasm and wit, there are times for that, but there are also times where you say, you know what? There's anger building and I'm not going to, I'm not going to add. And I come from a very sarcastic family and I have to reel myself in sometimes because there's nothing good in that in moments. You say, well, my spiritual gift is wittiness.14:18It's being quick with my mouth. Yeah, but you know what happens when you just bubble forth? Look at verse two. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools, that's not my word, that's God's word. The mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. Are you a geyser or are you a spring? Because God's word says in verse four, a wholesome tongue is a tree of life.14:44It's a tree of life. So as you think about your tongue this morning, in every single relationship you have, is your mouth in that relationship, is it a tool for the Lord or is it a tool for harm? Because if you are quick to speak, if we're quick to erupt, that only leads to foolishness and only leads people away from Jesus Christ.15:14Proverbs 18 says it this way, a gossip's words are like choice food that goes down to one's innermost being. Gossip, words are like choice food that goes down to one's innermost being. That's Proverbs 18.8. Proverbs 15.4 again says a perverseness breaks the spirit. That's a word for gossip. Rumors, innuendos. Rumors are things that you say that are built on uncertain facts.15:44So we're going to get messy here. So we've already talked about sarcasm. We've already talked about people who are quick to speak. Now we're talking about gossip, pot stirring. And we don't tolerate gossip in our lives often. So why do we allow it to run rampant in Christian faith families? Gossip and rumors are things that are based on uncertain facts with the intent to harm.16:13Now if we went to the doctor tomorrow and you look sick and you go to the doctor and the doctor comes in and says, Josh, I have really bad news. I'm not going to run any tests. I don't need any facts. I just feel like it's not good. You're going to die this afternoon. What do you mean? I have nothing to back it up. But I just want to tell you you're about to die. And he leaves the room. What would you do if that was your doctor?16:43I'm not going to run any tests. No blood work. No MRIs. It's just a, I just feel, you know, I just feel you're going to die right now. You would go get another doctor, would you not? And then if he came in the next minute and said, by the way, I just want to see, I just want to see how you'd react. So doctor, you're telling me you told me that news based on no facts with the only intent is to hurt me, yeah, basically, that's called malpractice.17:11And you would be at one of those lawyers you saw on the billboard that afternoon. I'm not going to mention their names. You know who they are. But why do we do the same thing? Let me tell you about Josh. I have no evidence, but I just want to tell you this because I know it's going to hurt him and his family. Shame on us.17:42And not just shame on us, we will be held accountable to God, what we say with our mouth. And are you ready to meet Christ face to face and give account of every single word you've said? And if you're feeling uncomfortable right now, I pray that God will just work in your heart that you will confess your sins and find righteousness and lead people to fountains of refreshment and not geysers of hurt.18:11By the way, you can't touch the water that comes out of a geyser because it's so hot, it would burn you. Do not get around people who spew with their mouth foolishness. But the greatest word that the world has ever known was not with any of our mouths. It actually comes from Isaiah 53. Our mouth is powerful. This is Jesus Christ.18:40Isaiah 53.7. Listen to this as I read it. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. Like a lamb led to slaughter, and like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth. Do you know why Jesus Christ kept his mouth closed? That I might find salvation in my day of need.19:09And if anyone had reason to erupt, to spew forth because he was innocent, it was Jesus Christ. The greatest word the world has ever heard was never uttered. Like a lamb to the slaughter, he was silent that our relationship might be restored because of him. A silent mouth is sweet to hear.19:39And that word that was never spoken is so sweet to our soul. Jesus Christ kept his mouth closed that we might have eternal life. Watch our mouths in relationship. If you need forgiveness because you have hurt someone with your mouth, today is a day that you should start that process. And if you have been hurt by someone, and you said, Josh, you don't know what they said to me.20:08to me. I don't, but the Lord does. Offer them forgiveness because we are forgiven by the same measure we forgive others. And you say, well, they're never going to come to me and ask forgiveness. I don't care. Because God has given you the strength to offer them forgiveness, whether they never receive it or not. But if their word has cut you to the heart, it's time to let go of that because it will free you for the rest of your life. Jesus Christ shut his mouth for our sakes.20:37May we listen. Our grandmother would say, a silent mouth is sweet to hear. She would also say this, the Bible backs that up. You can get glad in the same britches you got mad in. You can get glad in the same britches you got mad in. That is Proverbs 22. Proverbs 22. That's my grandmother's translation of this passage. Proverbs 22, verse 24.21:04Watch our mouths in our relationships. Secondly, watch your anger in relationships. Watch your anger in relationships. Proverbs 22, 24. Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man, do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul. So you can get glad in the same britches you got mad in.21:32What does that mean? That means that anger is a choice. James echoes that. Be quick to listen. Not quick to erupt with your mouth, quick to listen, slow to speak, slow then to become angry, which God is telling us anger does not lead to righteousness. We are not people who should be commanded and controlled by our anger.21:58Because if we're honest, most of our anger comes from selfishness. Most of our anger starts off like this. Can you believe what they did to me? Is that not where anger comes from? If we're really honest, it might start off, I can't believe that they did that to you, Lord. But then it quickly turns into, I can't believe they said that to me. Lord, how would you let them do that to me, Lord?22:26And that becomes anger. The Bible says what? Do not make friends with an angry man. Does that mean you cut off every relationship? By no means. Jesus Christ tells us that we are to be salt. We are to be light in a dark world. But the reality is this. If you continue to leak arms with people who are angry, that will not lead you to what God wants you to be. It will not. So the best thing for you, if you are in a relationship with a partnership, neighbor,22:56that might be difficult. But if you have close friendships with people who are constantly angry, separate yourself, pray for them, lead them to righteousness, that God may restore that. Proverbs 22, 24. Make no friendships with an angry man, and with a furious man, do not go. Why? One man once said it like this, anger is like drinking poison and expecting someone else to23:23get hurt. Anger is like drinking poison and wanting someone else to get hurt. Anger does nothing but destroy your soul. And if we are constantly linking ourselves with people who are angry, let me just say this, by the way, not in my sermon notes, if you look at those online later. If you have close friends that drink, and when they drink, they become foolish, or then they23:52become angry, there is nothing funny about either of those. That is not godliness, and we should not encourage that. Because we just kind of live in a world where if you drink, if you do things that are foolish, then it's okay, and I'm going to encourage that, but it's not godliness. That leads to anger that is destructive, and it leads to things that are not of God.24:19Do not link arms with people who are angry. Make no friendship. May we not be foolish to think, well, I can be friends with that, and it won't affect me. Because God's word is confronting you face-to-face, saying anger will be quickly learned, and it24:47will set a snare for your soul. Why does God not want us to be angry in our relationships? Because anger is the opposite of our Heavenly Father's nature. So when we are angry, we are living opposite of what God's nature is. Psalm 103, 8. The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and rich in love.25:13So when you are angry, you are modeling something that God is not. And I am so thankful that God is slow to anger, because that means he is slow to anger towards me. I love that song in Christ Alone about anger and wrath. It says that on that cross, as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied.25:37That our sin incurs the wrath of God. And Proverbs says, do not link arms with that. But Jesus Christ, when he knew that God was wrathful towards us, said, I will stand in your place, because Jesus knows that when God is wrathful towards me, I have no hope. I'll be like straw consumed by the fire. His word says, are you quick to anger?26:06If you are, know that God can heal that. And if you have hurt someone with your anger, know that God can heal that, and it needs to start today. Ask forgiveness from the one who can offer it. Watch your tongue in relationships. A silent mouth is sweet to hear. You can get glad in the same riches you got mad in. We also see this. My grandmother told me this years ago, and now the Bible reminded me of it.26:34Proverbs 15 again. We are to be kind in our relationships. We are to be silent in our relationships. Watch our tongue. My grandmother always told me, eat your vegetables. Eat your vegetables. Nasty vegetables. Sorry, if you don't like vegetables, here you go. Proverbs 15, 17. Better is a dinner of herbs.27:05Some of your verses might say greens or vegetables, where love is in a fatted calf with hatred. Better is a dinner with kale and kindness than a dinner at Texas de Brazil with your enemy. Some of you guys are like, there's no way. Yes. Yes. Think about that. We need to be people who have love in our life. First Corinthians 13 says, if I even surrender my body to the flames and have not love, it has27:34profited me nothing. So we are to be people who live with love in our life. Better is a meal with veggies and love than the best bacon and hate. Why are vegetables important? Why would my grandmother, why would your grandmother say, eat those veggies? And by the way, I love vegetables.28:04Casey would tell you, we'll go to Cracker Barrel and I'm ordering the vegetable plate. And I don't want potato chips or French fries or not vegetables. Give me the cabbage. Give me the collard greens. And if you have mustard greens, add that too. Give me the greens. Because vegetables, if you look it up, are good for your digestion. They're good for your health. They're nourishing. That's the same way love is in our relationships.28:34You cannot have a healthy relationship if you are not a person of love. We should be characterized by our love. I love that proverb. Better to have vegetables and love than the choicest calf and hate. We are to be people as a church, as the body of Christ. As vegetables are good for our body, so is love good for the body of Christ.29:01And just look around the room real quick. I had a pastor tell me one time, The only reason some of us would ever meet and have anything in common is because we have the love of Jesus Christ. I love that picture. If it wasn't for Jesus, some of us would never meet. But thank God for the love of Jesus Christ. They're like vegetables to our soul that nourish us and make us strong.29:32Are you characterized by your love? And in your normal relationships, are you characterized by your love? Christians, we should be characterized by our love. You will know that they are disciples by their love. Eat your spiritual vegetables. And if you have to choose, do I help, do I love someone or do I not? The choice is always love. But pastor, they're going to take advantage of me. Love them.30:03Love them. It's better to be taken advantage of and you love them to heaven than you stick up for yourself. Say, I'm not going to do this. And they go to hell. So pastor, that's not very good to think of. I would rather them walk over me at points and God protect me. And they see my love. Then I say, I'm not going to do it. I'm just going to be stiff. I'm going to be rigid. I'm just not going to love you right now. This is not the right time. And I lead them in paths of destruction.30:31Eat your vegetables this summer. Love, love, love others. And lastly, I want to close with this. My grandmother always told me, respect your elders. Respect your elders. You say, well, where do you get this from, pastor? I'm glad you asked. 5 verse 22. Respect your elders.31:00Now, if you are the elder and you're thinking this is going to be really good, just wait. Just wait. We're coming. If you're not an elder right now, get ready. Proverbs 22, 28. Respect your elders. Do not remove the ancient landmark where your fathers have set. Do not remove an ancient landmark that your fathers have set. Now, what they would do in biblical times, this had to do with marking the land.31:30So when God allocated the land, the forefathers would set major stone pillars. And that way, they would know where their plot of land was. So God is reminding the people. He warns us against betraying the past. Now, we need to hear that in society. Do not betray the past. We should be people that are honoring those that have gone before.31:56That we honor those that have gone before. Why? Because we stand on the shoulders of those spiritual giants that have blazed a path for us. The fifth commandment says, honor your father and mother as unto the Lord. If you do, you will have a prosperous life. You will live long in the land I have given you.32:24By the way, that is not a command given to toddlers. The Ten Commandments were given to adults. How do you know that? Because one Ten Commandment said, do not commit adultery. I haven't sat my four-year-old down and said, Eli, I just want to let you know. You know what? I don't want you to commit adultery. Because really, frankly, we're not ready to have that talk yet. I mean, we're just not.32:52I mean, I'm not. Maybe, you know, in case it's all yours. But why is that important? Because often we take that commandment out and we say, this is for kids. No, it's for adults. We are to honor our father and mother. And we have lost our honor in society. My generation, I'm just going to speak because I can speak for my generation. We have done a horrible job in honoring those that have gone before. And the Bible warns us against removing honor and glory for those that have gone before us.33:24Do not remove those spiritual landmarks. So just a way of application there. If you have mentors in your life, your grandparents, your parents, that you have not called and said, look, thank you for being a godly example. Call today. Call today. If you are the elder. The reality is that sometimes we fail to leave good landmarks.33:56Because sometimes in the church, we've left landmarks like this. I had an old timer give me directions one day in Louisiana. I said, I need to get to so-and-so's house. He said, here's how you get to the house. Drive on this highway till you see a cypress tree. Yes, sir. But ignore the cypress tree. Keep going. Okay. When you see the old beat-up barn, you take a left. Okay. When you see the old man that's usually outside sitting on his front porch, then you take a right.34:26You keep driving five miles, and when you see the red door, that's the house. If you take that route every day, those are great instructions. If that's their first time, those are horrible instructions. So where do you get in that, Pastor? Often in churches, we've left legacy of landmarks like this. Well, if you go to a church that doesn't have a pulpit, you should leave.34:54If you go to a church and they don't have pews, they don't believe in God. If you go to a church and they don't sing this hymn, they're not really what God wants them to be. And let me just speak. I've spoken for my generation already. If those are the landmarks, the only landmarks we have, we are going to be disenfranchised with the church because we know very quickly those are not good landmarks.35:17You know what I want people to teach me to do? Don't tell me the old cypress tree because it's going to fall down one day. Don't teach me about the old barn because it's going to rot. Don't tell me about the pews because one day they're going to fall in and the hymnals because one day they're going to get lost. Teach me how to navigate by the sun. Because I can look up and no matter where I am, I can say, when it's there, I need to take this right.35:47When I see the light of the stars at night, I know where to go. Leave landmarks that will last. Leave landmarks that, hey, grandson, ground your life in God's word. Because when the pews fall in and the hymnals get lost, and when the grass withers and the flowers fade, the word of the Lord will last forever.36:10And we have done a poor job, elders, of leaving good landmarks. And we wonder why we have generations that don't know what God's word says because we haven't left good landmarks. And so if you are an elder today, I just want to challenge you to leave good landmarks for your family.36:39That can start today because you have this right. If you're a grandparent or parent, you have every right to call your kid up and say, I just want to tell you what God's done in my life. Just speaking from personal experience, if my grandparents call me up and I'm mowing the grass, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to stop mowing and I'm going to listen because they deserve my respect. Do not remove landmarks of the elders.37:11Elders do not leave temporary landmarks to those who come behind. And one day, if another tornado comes and this building is no more, I pray this community can say, you know what? The building is not here, but yet we can worship because of the landmarks this place has left. And the landmarks that can't be removed because they taught us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forevermore.37:38Wisdom in our relationships. Respect your elders. Honor. Glorify. Jesus Christ. Eat your vegetables. Leave a legacy of love. You can get glad in the same riches you got mad in. May we not be people of anger. And lastly, a silent mouth sometimes is so sweet to hear.38:08May we be people who watch our tongues. You know, we've been seeking to have relationships and wisdom in that. The greatest relationship that you have, though, is broken. Your relationship with God from day one because of your sin was broken. And it's nothing that God did and something you did is called sin.38:34So we don't start as children of God and sometimes that goes awry. We start as children of wrath. And in Jesus Christ, that wrath of God was satisfied. So if you are here and you are living in a broken relationship with God, I just want to share this. Ultimately, if we remain in our sin and we fail to reach out and grab the salvation that is so sweetly offered to us, that road will lead to hell and eternity away from Jesus Christ.39:04But the Bible said this, that God so loved the world. In our brokenness, he sent his only son that whoever might believe would have everlasting life and not perish. I love how the God's word says that he doesn't just love us, but he so loves you. And that means really, really loves us. So when you were hateful towards God, he loved you.39:34When you were in rebellion, and sin is rebellion. When I was living in sin, while I was still a sinner, Christ Jesus died for me. God is not waiting for you to clean your life up before you believe. Because you will never get to a point where you are clean enough. But when you were dirty, God sent his son for you. That if you believe, if you confess with your mouth, if you follow the narrow path, you will be saved.40:02And if you're here today, and you're living in a broken relationship with God, a life void of hope, void of purpose in your life, you can only found that in God. Seek him. Confess your sins. Believe that Jesus died for your sins. Three days he rose again. And he will change your life. If you are here today, and you're living in a broken relationship with someone else,40:29God's word says, if you know that your brother has something against you, you leave your sin at the altar, you leave your offering, and you go make restitution. And so if you've hurt someone because you have not loved them like you should, if you've been vile with your mouth, if you've been a geyser and not a fountain of living water, I'm just going to ask you to come to the altar and lay that down. Begin to mend those relationships. Maybe you're on the other shoe and someone has hurt you.41:00And you say, I can never forgive them. Yes, you can with the strength of Jesus Christ. Lay that down today and find rivers of life that flow from the throne of God. Won't you respond to the Lord? We seek relationships that are full of wisdom, and the wisdom is found in the fear of the Lord. Let's pray, Father.← Previous in ProverbsSunday, June 19, 2016Next in Proverbs →Sunday, July 10, 2016More sermons on Proverbs →
