Proverbs 3:1-6 “A Man Who Lives In Wisdom”
The Korean space ship “Naro” was launched a few days ago (June 9, 2010) but exploded after 137 seconds of flight at an altitude of 70 kilometers. If it succeeds on the third time (next attempt), when the space ship sees the earth, it will be seen as a little ball in the air from space. This small earth has over 6 billion people living on and is up in space and is flying by wings called time. All those people who live on it have a destination, if I tell you what the Bible teaches, there are two destinations: jEternal world where Jesus is. Some travelers will arrive there in the glorious kingdom of God. kAnother place, the world of punishment, is called hell and burns with fire and sulfur. It says some travelers will arrive in the world of punishment. The Bible says that if a man is born, there must be an appointed time for the end of life (Hebrews 9:27, Psalm 90:1-4). I believe a man must live with wisdom before he arrives at his destination. Therefore today, we will receive grace through a sermon titled “A Man Who Lives In Wisdom.” God’s grace be upon your hearts.
First, let’s think about who the ones are that live foolishly? What kind of man is foolish? He is jA person who does not believe in Jesus (God). Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.” (Psalm 53:1) A foolish or thoughtless person is not an uneducated person, or a poor person, or a mistreated person. A foolish person is one who is unbelieving and says that there is no God in his heart. Because he already despises in his heart he will not listen to advice or to an explanation. Therefore he is foolish and thoughtless. kA person who looses his chance is foolish. A man lives in misunderstanding that he thinks he will live a thousand or ten thousand years, as though he doesn’t know what will happen tomorrow, is foolish and thoughtless.
In Second Timothy 4:21 St. Paul said to Timothy, “Do your utmost to come before winter.” This means to come before cold winter, if it gets cold snow comes and piles up and he would not be able to come. A foolish person does not think about winter coming but he only sees whatever is before him. He will not think about his life and will not think about Jesus Christ and totally forget. He is foolish and thoughtless. In Luke 16:19-31 we see a foolish rich man regret forever his lost chance. After he died he regretted that he did not believe Jesus Christ. He was in the poor lot in the burning place from which he never could return to tell his five living brothers not to come to that place. Such a man like this lost his chance and is foolish.
Secondly, how is to live as a wise man? jA wise man remembers God the creator. Isaiah 40:26 says, “Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; he calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; not one is missing.” It says in Proverbs 1:7A, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” (Ecclesiastes 12:1-14) A life with wisdom is that in which one remembers God as he looks at the handy work of creation in the universe and the power in which God rules over it. What does “to remember” mean in this verse? It is like to think always so we would not forget. Do you know what the difference is between the words “come to mind” and “to remember”? “Come to mind” is naturally or instinctively coming to mind. “To remember” involves will power to remember. For example, it is like the love between parents and their children. The minds of parents naturally, instinctively think about their children. But the minds of children for their parents are not natural, but need a little will power.
They have to have a heart to remember that their parents bore them and raised them thus far. Likewise, the mind of Jesus to love us is natural. How do we know this? We know this in that Jesus died on the cross for us. Without love, He could not have died. The love of Jesus, by which He wanted to save us in spite of all the suffering and pain, is natural. Such a great passionate love we must always remember. I believe a wise man always remembers God the creator and Jesus Who saved us. kA man who discerns the time is a wise man. What time is it? It is high time to awake out of sleep (Romans 13:11-14). We live in the world, with its complications in the Middle East, in fear of calamity, in hunger from famine, to cheat and to be cheated, and even a person saying, “I am God.” (Matthew 24:1-51, Ezekiel 38:14-, revelation 16:12-). What time is it? It is a dark time. It is an urgent time, near time for the Lord to come back. A man who knows the time is a wise man. lA man who understands the will of the Master and acts upon it is a wise man. What is the will of our Lord? John 6:40 says, “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” It is the will of God to lead a person to Jesus.
Why is the witness, which leads a person to God, so important? It is because the life of man is more precious than the whole world. Jesus says in Matthew 16:26, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Jesus suffered on the cross for the souls of men which can not be exchanged for the whole world. A person who knows the mind of God and leads a soul to the Lord is a wise man. For example, this is a story of a certain pastor. It was the time of Hitler, who was in power in Germany. The pastor was imprisoned because he was against the power of Hitler. He had hatred and hostility against Hitler’s power and was suffering in a Nazi prison camp. As the time went by his anger grew bigger and he never witnessed to anyone in the camp. As he gnashed his teeth in hatred, he rather thought that Hitler and his followers must go to hell. One night he had a dream. There was the fearful thrown of God, the judgment of God’s white thrown. In that place Hitler was trembling and sweating before the judgment of God. Hitler was stunned blue. His fearful face trembled and he said, “God it’s not fair, it’s not only my fault, no one told me to believe in Jesus, therefore I could not believe in Jesus.” He was defending himself with all the strength he had.
At that time the cold look of God’s eyes met with the pastor’s eyes. He was stunned and opened his eyes and realized it was a dream. Ever since that this pastor started to witness to everyone he met in prison. He understood that God wanted even Hitler to have the right to hear the good news of salvation. I believe we must tell others Jesus is the Savior, in season and out of season. I finish preaching. Beloved saints, who is the foolish person without wisdom in this world? A foolish person is one who thinks there is no God in his heart and has lost his chance. Then who is the wise person? A wise person is to live as he remembers God the creator and knows the time, and understands God’s will, which is to lead souls to Jesus.
Let’s finish by reading Romans 13:11-14 together. “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” The grace of God be upon your hearts.
By: Rev. Samuel Choi
