Trinity 23 November 7, 2021
Proverbs 8:11-22
The Fruit of Wisdom and Folly
v.19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.
Dear friends in Christ, wisdom is often defined as "good sense. The ability to make sensible decisions and judgments based on personal knowledge and experience." So, knowledge might tell you that it is raining outside, but wisdom guides you to come in out of the rain so you don't get soaking wet. The scriptures are filled with references to both wisdom and its opposite counterpart, folly. The book of Proverbs deals extensively with these themes, as we see in our text.
Indeed, God's Word instructs us in true wisdom and says, in no uncertain terms, that wisdom is the most precious of all gifts. Truly, the fruit of wisdom is "better than gold, even fine gold, and [its] yield than choice silver." How can this be? I mean, who wouldn't want a nice big bag of gold for a present? What's so great about wisdom? Proverbs declares, "I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength. By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly." So…wisdom is better than earthly riches because it brings with it its own strength, in addition to justice and peace.
When King Solomon was given the opportunity by the Lord to receive anything he asked for--he humbly requested that he be given wisdom to govern the Lord's people justly. When Solomon decided the infamous case of the two mothers both claiming the other's child had died and that the living baby was theirs--a classic case of "She said--she said," Solomon wisely discovered who the real mother of the live baby was by threatening to cut the child in two and give half to each woman. Then the real mother was revealed by pleading that Solomon give the baby to the other woman so that the child would live (showing her love for her baby). 1 Kings 3:28 says, "And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice."
Wisdom leads to truth and justice and life itself. Yet wisdom is hard for us foolish human beings to come by because it is so very foreign to us. For true wisdom--wisdom that is rooted in the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of all wisdom--requires us to deny ourselves--to give up our own selfish desires--to repent and turn away from them--and instead cling to the words and promises of God alone. The real reason why true wisdom is so precious and beautiful and to be sought before all other things is because the wisdom of God is the Lord Jesus Himself. Paul writes in 1 Cor. 1:22-24, "For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."
You hear that? Who is the wisdom of God? It is Jesus Himself. More than that--this wisdom of God has been manifested in the foolishness of the cross--the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus for our sins. Though this is clear throughout the Scriptures, yet we so often don't seem to have the sense that God gave birds. You notice how birds know when winter is coming and so they head south? Because it's good for them. It helps them to survive. Yet, rather than do what is wisely good for us, we tend to pursue and go after those things that are so often bad for us.
We pursue relationships that are contrary to God's holy Word as we engage in adultery and fornication. We chase after our pet sins and invite them into our hearts, rather than fleeing from them and barring the door of our hearts against them by the power of Christ's Word. We often look back on our lives and our situations and wonder, "How in the world did I end up here? How did this happen? How did I get into such a mess in my life?" But, if we honestly examine our past choices and history, we often see a stubborn pursuit of those things that God says are bad and wrong for us (that are foolish)--but we sought them out anyway. At times, we even walk as enemies of the cross of Christ, as Paul notes in our epistle, serving our bellies as our god--seeking after the lusts of our own flesh--feeding our pride and arrogance--we glory in our shame, with our minds set on earthly things--rejecting the wisdom of God made flesh. Our end, God declares, is destruction--death and hell.
In seeking to feed the gods of our own making and understanding--in seeking to hold on to the sins that we like--we act like utter fools. Disparaging Christ and His saving gifts. We fail to appreciate that the fruit of wisdom is "better than gold, even fine gold." How can the fruit of God's wisdom be better than gold? Well, as we said already, the wisdom of God is Jesus in the flesh, who has died and risen again. St. Paul writes in 1 Cor. 15:20-23 that Jesus is, "the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ."
So we can easily see how the fruit of Christ brings with it life and peace. For Christ the Lord has conquered death by His own death on the cross and His glorious resurrection. He is the seed of life that was planted into the earth when His dead body was laid into the tomb. Now, as He is risen from the dead in glory everlasting, so, too shall all who live and believe in Him.
This is the promise He makes to you and me and all people. For by Adam and Eve sin and death entered the world. Again, you will recall that fruit was involved in that as well. As mankind foolishly sought for itself the knowledge of good and evil, instead of wisely listening to the Lord and trusting that He had given them everything that they needed to know. They chose to usurp God's place and so brought death and devastation upon all mankind and the entire universe.
But God has restored us through the blood of His Son, Jesus. In His wisdom, He sent Jesus to sacrifice Himself to undo the horrible consequences of our foolish choices and decisions. He continues to forgive us to this day for all sin and foolhardiness that we continue to exhibit. Though the fruit of fools looks good at first, and is pleasing to the eye, as Adam and Eve believed, in the end it brings only suffering and death. For that is what rebellion against the wisdom of God brings.
In Christ, however, we have the wisdom and grace of God. He came not to condemn, but to save--even foolish sinners like you and me. And though we are often treated with derision and scorn from the unbelieving world around us--though we are called "fools" and worse--yet we cling to the words and promises of Jesus--knowing that in Him we receive the fruit of everlasting life. "For man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."
This life is found only in the wisdom of God made flesh--the Lord Jesus Christ. And this wisdom is not only greatly valuable and precious--being "better than jewels"--but this wisdom came at a great price. The cost of the Son of God dead on a tree for sinners like you and me. And this wisdom of God in Christ--this precious, precious gift that is above all others--is better than silver and gold and fine jewels. Indeed, "all that you may desire cannot compare with her." For in the wisdom of God are you given Jesus--and in Jesus you are given citizenship in heaven and the promise that He "will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself." Indeed, in Christ, we have the sure and certain promise of the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. There is no sweeter fruit than this. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Proverbs 8:11-22
The Fruit of Wisdom and Folly
v.19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.
Dear friends in Christ, wisdom is often defined as "good sense. The ability to make sensible decisions and judgments based on personal knowledge and experience." So, knowledge might tell you that it is raining outside, but wisdom guides you to come in out of the rain so you don't get soaking wet. The scriptures are filled with references to both wisdom and its opposite counterpart, folly. The book of Proverbs deals extensively with these themes, as we see in our text.
Indeed, God's Word instructs us in true wisdom and says, in no uncertain terms, that wisdom is the most precious of all gifts. Truly, the fruit of wisdom is "better than gold, even fine gold, and [its] yield than choice silver." How can this be? I mean, who wouldn't want a nice big bag of gold for a present? What's so great about wisdom? Proverbs declares, "I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength. By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly." So…wisdom is better than earthly riches because it brings with it its own strength, in addition to justice and peace.
When King Solomon was given the opportunity by the Lord to receive anything he asked for--he humbly requested that he be given wisdom to govern the Lord's people justly. When Solomon decided the infamous case of the two mothers both claiming the other's child had died and that the living baby was theirs--a classic case of "She said--she said," Solomon wisely discovered who the real mother of the live baby was by threatening to cut the child in two and give half to each woman. Then the real mother was revealed by pleading that Solomon give the baby to the other woman so that the child would live (showing her love for her baby). 1 Kings 3:28 says, "And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice."
Wisdom leads to truth and justice and life itself. Yet wisdom is hard for us foolish human beings to come by because it is so very foreign to us. For true wisdom--wisdom that is rooted in the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of all wisdom--requires us to deny ourselves--to give up our own selfish desires--to repent and turn away from them--and instead cling to the words and promises of God alone. The real reason why true wisdom is so precious and beautiful and to be sought before all other things is because the wisdom of God is the Lord Jesus Himself. Paul writes in 1 Cor. 1:22-24, "For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."
You hear that? Who is the wisdom of God? It is Jesus Himself. More than that--this wisdom of God has been manifested in the foolishness of the cross--the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus for our sins. Though this is clear throughout the Scriptures, yet we so often don't seem to have the sense that God gave birds. You notice how birds know when winter is coming and so they head south? Because it's good for them. It helps them to survive. Yet, rather than do what is wisely good for us, we tend to pursue and go after those things that are so often bad for us.
We pursue relationships that are contrary to God's holy Word as we engage in adultery and fornication. We chase after our pet sins and invite them into our hearts, rather than fleeing from them and barring the door of our hearts against them by the power of Christ's Word. We often look back on our lives and our situations and wonder, "How in the world did I end up here? How did this happen? How did I get into such a mess in my life?" But, if we honestly examine our past choices and history, we often see a stubborn pursuit of those things that God says are bad and wrong for us (that are foolish)--but we sought them out anyway. At times, we even walk as enemies of the cross of Christ, as Paul notes in our epistle, serving our bellies as our god--seeking after the lusts of our own flesh--feeding our pride and arrogance--we glory in our shame, with our minds set on earthly things--rejecting the wisdom of God made flesh. Our end, God declares, is destruction--death and hell.
In seeking to feed the gods of our own making and understanding--in seeking to hold on to the sins that we like--we act like utter fools. Disparaging Christ and His saving gifts. We fail to appreciate that the fruit of wisdom is "better than gold, even fine gold." How can the fruit of God's wisdom be better than gold? Well, as we said already, the wisdom of God is Jesus in the flesh, who has died and risen again. St. Paul writes in 1 Cor. 15:20-23 that Jesus is, "the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ."
So we can easily see how the fruit of Christ brings with it life and peace. For Christ the Lord has conquered death by His own death on the cross and His glorious resurrection. He is the seed of life that was planted into the earth when His dead body was laid into the tomb. Now, as He is risen from the dead in glory everlasting, so, too shall all who live and believe in Him.
This is the promise He makes to you and me and all people. For by Adam and Eve sin and death entered the world. Again, you will recall that fruit was involved in that as well. As mankind foolishly sought for itself the knowledge of good and evil, instead of wisely listening to the Lord and trusting that He had given them everything that they needed to know. They chose to usurp God's place and so brought death and devastation upon all mankind and the entire universe.
But God has restored us through the blood of His Son, Jesus. In His wisdom, He sent Jesus to sacrifice Himself to undo the horrible consequences of our foolish choices and decisions. He continues to forgive us to this day for all sin and foolhardiness that we continue to exhibit. Though the fruit of fools looks good at first, and is pleasing to the eye, as Adam and Eve believed, in the end it brings only suffering and death. For that is what rebellion against the wisdom of God brings.
In Christ, however, we have the wisdom and grace of God. He came not to condemn, but to save--even foolish sinners like you and me. And though we are often treated with derision and scorn from the unbelieving world around us--though we are called "fools" and worse--yet we cling to the words and promises of Jesus--knowing that in Him we receive the fruit of everlasting life. "For man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."
This life is found only in the wisdom of God made flesh--the Lord Jesus Christ. And this wisdom is not only greatly valuable and precious--being "better than jewels"--but this wisdom came at a great price. The cost of the Son of God dead on a tree for sinners like you and me. And this wisdom of God in Christ--this precious, precious gift that is above all others--is better than silver and gold and fine jewels. Indeed, "all that you may desire cannot compare with her." For in the wisdom of God are you given Jesus--and in Jesus you are given citizenship in heaven and the promise that He "will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself." Indeed, in Christ, we have the sure and certain promise of the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. There is no sweeter fruit than this. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.