Proverbs 8 - Wisdom Calls Again pt IV

Introduction
- this morning we’re going to try to finish this study we’ve been doing on wisdom’s calls.
- I appreciate the presentation Dan Clark made to us last week—I think we would all say that it was quite helpful…

- in your notes we reminded you of the outline we’ve been developing:

I. You Can Trust My Words – 8:6-9.

A. They are excellent
B. They contain right things.
C. They are true and righteous.

II. You Can Receive True Wealth – 10-21.

A. Wisdom is better than material blessings.
B. Wisdom has more to offer than material blessings.
C. How God’s people should respond to this principle.

III. You Can See My Works – 22-31.

- now, if you would say, “it’s surprising that this book would have two full chapters devoted to the call to wisdom”…well, the surprise isn’t over, because that is what chapter 9 is about as well.
- so when you think about wisdom’s call, you really need to think about Proverbs 1, 8, and 9.
- let’s see what is emphasized there:

- READ Proverbs 9

IV. Wisdom’s Call to Life

- this chapter is different in several important ways.
- wisdom is still personified, but now she is no longer going out into the streets but instead has built a house and inviting people to come to a banquet.
- the theme is still on the issue of invitation, and making a choice, but the picture is changed.

A. Invitation – 9:3-9

1. How the invitation is given.
- in Bible times, invitations were often delivered personally.
- many times the first call was given regarding the times, day, etc.
- then a second call was made to determine the exact number of guests…some of Jesus’ parables allude to these practices.
- the picture is of wisdom calling out and asking others to come to her feast…the picture is still the same of God inviting people to come and learn His ways.
2. To whom it was given.

- the significant thing is that now, only the simple are called.
- you may remember before that in chapter one, the fool, the simple, and the scorner were invited.
- in chapter 8, the scorner was left off the list.
- now the fool has been eliminated as well.

- INPUT – What can we make of this progression?

- Wiersbe – “Wisdom’s first call was to the simple, the scorners, and the fools (1:22). The scorners laughed at her, so in her second call she invited only the simple and the fools (8:5). But the fools didn’t want God’s wisdom, so in the third call she invites only the simple ones to come to her feast. It’s a dangerous thing to reject God’s invitation; you never know when it may be your last one (Luke 14:24).

INPUT - According to verse 6, what is required in order to respond to wisdom’s call?
- [an admission of being simple, in other words, having a learner’s spirit]

INPUT – What are some of the implications of verses 7-9?
1. While we have a responsibility to confront those the Lord has placed around us, we also have to avoid the ditch of “casting ones pearls before swine”.
- Q – How do we maintain this balance?

2. We need to ask ourselves, How do we take reproof? Are we like the wise man or the scoffer?
- Q – characteristics of each?
- Q – How should we go about answering this question?

B. Celebration - 10-12

INPUT – How might verse 11 be fulfilled?

INPUT – How might verse 12 be fulfilled?

C. Condemnation – 13-18

- develop the “Banquet in a Grave” theme [Welch’s new book]
- develop ways this comes true today.

Adult Bible Fellowship
Wisdom Calls Again
Proverbs Series #11

Introduction
I. You Can Trust My Words – 8:6-9.
A. They are excellent.
B. They contain right things.
C. They are true and righteous.
II. You Can Receive True Wealth – 10-21.
• A. Wisdom is better than material blessings.
• B. Wisdom has more to offer than material blessings.
• C. How God’s people should respond to this principle.
III. You Can See My Works – 22-31.

IV. Wisdom’s _________ to Life

A. ___________________ – 9:3-9

1. _________ the invitation is given.

2. To ____________ it was given.
INPUT – What can we make of this progression?
Wiersbe – “Wisdom’s first call was to the simple, the scorners, and the fools (1:22). The scorners laughed at her, so in her second call she invited only the simple and the fools (8:5). But the fools didn’t want God’s wisdom, so in the third call she invites only the simple ones to come to her feast. It’s a dangerous thing to reject God’s invitation; you never know when it may be your last one (Luke 14:24).
INPUT – According to verse 6, what is required in order to respond to wisdom’s call?
INPUT – What are some of the implications of verses 7-9?
1. While we have a responsibility to _____________ those the Lord has placed around us, we also have to ___________ the ____________ of “casting ones pearls before swine”.
2. We need to ask ourselves, How do we take _____________? Are we like the _________ ________ or the _____________?

B. ___________________ – 10-12
INPUT – How might verse 11 be fulfilled?
INPUT – How might verse 12 be fulfilled?

C. ___________________ – 13-18

Adult Bible Fellowship
Wisdom Calls Again
Proverbs Series #11
Introduction
I. You Can Trust My Words – 8:6-9.
A. They are excellent
B. They contain right things.
C. They are true and righteous.
II. You Can Receive True Wealth – 10-21.
A. Wisdom is better than material blessings.
B. Wisdom has more to offer than material blessings.
C. How God’s people should respond to this principle.
III. You Can See My Works – 22-31.

IV. Wisdom’s Call to Life
A. Invitation – 9:3-9
1. How the invitation is given.
2. To whom it was given.
INPUT – What can we make of this progression?

Wiersbe – “Wisdom’s first call was to the simple, the scorners, and the fools (1:22). The scorners laughed at her, so in her second call she invited only the simple and the fools (8:5). But the fools didn’t want God’s wisdom, so in the third call she invites only the simple ones to come to her feast. It’s a dangerous thing to reject God’s invitation; you never know when it may be your last one (Luke 14:24).
INPUT – According to verse 6, what is required in order to respond to wisdom’s call?
INPUT – What are some of the implications of verses 7-9?
1. While we have a responsibility to confront those the Lord has placed around us, we also have to avoid the ditch of “casting ones pearls before swine”.
2. We need to ask ourselves, How do we take reproof? Are we like the wise man or the scoffer?

B. Celebration – 10-12
INPUT – How might verse 11 be fulfilled?
INPUT – How might verse 12 be fulfilled?
C. Condemnation – 13-18