Wisdom’s Foundation: A Review of ‘Seeking God’s Wisdom in the New Year’

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let's pray.
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[00:02:29] of Christ.
[00:02:58] Thank you.
[00:03:28] Thank you.
[00:04:11] Let's pray.
[00:04:49] In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[00:05:09] Amen.
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[00:05:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
So it'll be, so you'll come up and see the praise.
[00:06:16] So I'll do the offer, so I've got the offer first.
[00:06:17] You'll come up and do the praise.
[00:06:18] And you'll just like play it from the back.

[00:06:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
In Jesus' name we pray.

[00:06:47] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.
[00:06:59] In Jesus name we pray.
[00:07:25] Amen.
[00:07:27] In Jesus' name we pray.
[00:07:50] Amen.
[00:07:51] Let's pray.
[00:08:13] Let's pray.
[00:08:23] Let's pray.
[00:08:52] Let's pray.
[00:08:52] In Jesus' name we pray.
[00:09:20] Amen.
[00:09:27] In Jesus' name we pray.
[00:09:56] Amen.

[00:10:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Well, good morning, Back Creek Church, and Happy New Year.
[00:10:29] How's everybody doing with their New Year's resolutions?
[00:10:31] Four days in, anybody quit yet?
[00:10:33] Anybody quit?
[00:10:35] Yeah, I got to get to the gym.
[00:10:36] You know, I stepped on a scale this morning and I got a message that said, one at a time, please.
[00:10:45] Stand with me and let's see if you guys remember this one.

[00:11:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Worship His majesty Unto Jesus be all glory
[00:11:31] Full from His throne unto His own His anthem ring Someone wakes up, lift up on high the name of Jesus Magnified, Unplorified
[00:12:11] Jesus who died, now glorified, King of kings
[00:12:44] What wonder of wonders, what love is this, that Christ will die for me His goodness, His merit, His righteousness, the sinner's only plea O foolish pride, be crucified, the world is finished
[00:13:13] All my hope is in Jesus, all my hope is His love And I will glory forever in what the cross has done I'm fully forgiven, my life is filled with grace
[00:13:37] In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[00:13:46] Amen.
[00:14:08] O Christ the Holy
[00:15:09] This night enriches and strays your life within the grace of God Our glory and need is to live is Christ in plenty or in one That I may know that all may see is God within me All my boast is in Jesus, all my hope is His law
[00:15:48] I stand in His feet, oh, ransomed queen in His sight Oh, and I cannot be ashamed For my boast is Jesus Christ My boast is Jesus Christ Forever my boast is Jesus Christ Amen, you may be seated

[00:16:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Good morning and welcome back to church on this first Sunday of 2026.
[00:16:24] Happy New Year.
[00:16:26] I'm Bill Schaffner.
[00:16:27] I'm one of the elders here, and it's my privilege to welcome you here this morning.
[00:16:31] We're glad you're here, whether you're a longtime member, a first-time guest, or you fall somewhere in between there.
[00:16:38] Welcome is a strategic priority for us, so please let us know how we can welcome you.
[00:16:44] We have a way of connecting here by either using the Church Center app or the white folders.
[00:16:50] If you use the Church Center app on your phone, please check in.
[00:16:54] If you don't have that app, you kind of do it the old-fashioned way like I do.
[00:16:59] Use the little white folder that's there.
[00:17:00] That helps us not only get a record of your attendance here for members, but also gives us a way to reach out and connect with you all.
[00:17:09] Thank you for that.
[00:17:11] On the back of the bulletin this morning there are a couple of announcements.
[00:17:15] I don't know whether it's just me or whether they're getting a little bit smaller to read.
[00:17:19] A couple things that I would like to point out specifically.
[00:17:23] For those of you that have a little bit of time right after the service, we will be taking down the Christmas decorations.
[00:17:30] I think volunteers would be welcome and appreciated as it indicates.
[00:17:35] Next Sunday, January 11th,
[00:17:38] Back Creek kids and student team training.
[00:17:42] Please note that those that want to be involved with the kids or students and the team, that training will take place after worship and child care and lunch will be provided.
[00:17:54] Also like to note that for those of you that are involved with the handbells or would be interested in being involved with the handbells,
[00:18:02] There is a handbell interest meeting Tuesday, January 20th.
[00:18:06] It's a great opportunity for those that are involved to come back and reconnect as we get ready to get started for Palm Sunday.
[00:18:12] And for those of you that might even have a little bit of interest and would like to come and inquire, no musical background is necessary.
[00:18:20] We'd love to have you.
[00:18:22] Also would like to note there are two specific women's gatherings, one in January and one in February, and they both revolve around food and prayer.
[00:18:31] I love that.
[00:18:32] So other announcements please check the back of the bulletin and with that I would like to invite Kelly New to our kids ministry lead up to share some exciting news with us.

[00:18:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Good morning.
[00:18:46] Happy New Year, everyone.
[00:18:48] As we start our new year, we will begin building our new kids ministry, Exceptional Kids.
[00:18:55] In your bulletin, there's an insert with a QR code that I promised worked on Friday, so it should work today.
[00:19:02] And it's a really short survey so that we can see where we are as a church in regard to Exceptional Kids, where we need to grow, where we want to grow.
[00:19:13] So if you could take just a few minutes and do that.
[00:19:16] and then in February we'll get all the results and and be able to start our movement with room on our pew.
[00:19:25] I'm really excited that we're getting ready to start this and if you'd like to hear more about it you can absolutely come join us for lunch next Sunday.
[00:19:32] Adam and I are going to do a little bit of vision casting and just share with you where we're looking to go in 2026 and there's so many places for you to plug in with kids and students that I really would like to see you next week.
[00:19:45] Thank you.

[00:19:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Thank you, Kelly.
[00:19:52] Our opportunity this morning is to join the Lord who's with us here.
[00:19:56] And our call to worship this morning is Psalm 90, verses 1 and 2 and 12.
[00:20:02] Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
[00:20:06] Before the mountains were brought forth, wherever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
[00:20:14] So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
[00:20:19] Let's go to the Lord in prayer.
[00:20:23] O Lord, our God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we praise you and thank you and adore you for all that you are and all that you have done.
[00:20:35] Glorious in wisdom, majesty, and power, you created all that exists.
[00:20:41] Beautiful in mercy, love, and kindness, you have redeemed your people through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
[00:20:50] generous beyond our capacity to grasp you have lavished upon us every spiritual blessing and to those have added material blessings as well we love you lord and we gather this morning to express that love to you in worship we trust that you are present with us according to your promise that you will speak to us through your word and meet us with your grace we ask for your help to worship you in spirit and in truth
[00:21:18] that you may be glorified and that we may be blessed we thank you for a new year and all of the opportunities that lay before us as individuals households and as a church to worship welcome and witness we pray in the name of Jesus amen let's stand together and continue our worship and song

[00:21:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Should nothing of our efforts stand No legacy survive
[00:21:55] Unless the Lord does raise the house in vain, its builders strive.
[00:22:06] To you who boast tomorrow's gain, tell me what is your life?
[00:22:16] A mist that vanishes at dawn All glory be to Christ All glory be to Christ our King All glory be to Christ
[00:22:36] His rule and reign we'll ever sing All glory be to Christ His will be done His kingdom come On earth as is above
[00:23:00] Who is Himself our daily bread?
[00:23:06] Praise Him, the Lord of love.
[00:23:11] Let living water satisfy the thirsty without price.
[00:23:22] will take a cup of kindness yet all glory be to christ all glory be to christ our king all glory be to christ his rule
[00:23:49] All glory be to Christ When on that day the great I Am The faithful and the true The Lamb who was for sinners slain is made
[00:24:17] Behold, our God shall live with us and be our steadfast light And we shall hear His people beat all glory to Christ
[00:24:44] of Christ the King.
[00:24:47] All glory be to Christ the King.
[00:24:56] All glory be to Christ!
[00:25:04] All glory be to Christ our King!
[00:25:08] All glory be to Christ!
[00:25:17] All glory be to Christ Holy, Holy, Holy
[00:25:47] Holy, Holy, Holy, Merciful Lamb of God
[00:26:13] Blessed Trinity Holy, Holy, Holy All the saints of glory Casting down their golden crowns Around the glassy sea
[00:26:45] Cherubim and seraphim Falling down before Thee Who was and is and ever

[00:28:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
In the earth and sky and sea

[00:28:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
And all of God's people said Amen.

[00:28:58] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
With the start of the new year comes an opportunity for us to grow in our faith and our wisdom.
[00:29:04] We remind ourselves that true growth only comes from abiding in the vine, and we confess our faith together from Proverbs chapter 3.
[00:29:11] So let's confess this together.
[00:29:15] Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
[00:29:22] In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
[00:29:28] Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord,
[00:29:32] and Turn Away from Evil.
[00:29:34] It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
[00:29:40] Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce.
[00:29:46] Then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine.
[00:29:53] My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of His reproof.
[00:30:00] For the Lord reproves him whom he loves as a father the son in whom he delights.
[00:30:08] I'd like to invite one of our elders, Alan Cochran, to lead us in a prayer of intercession.

[00:30:17] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Good morning.
[00:30:17] I tell you, I was wondering with all the sickness going around, I'm thrilled to see a full church here today, and we miss those that aren't here.
[00:30:27] Please go with me in prayer.
[00:30:30] Our most gracious Heavenly Father, we come here today to worship you and to recognize you as our one true, all-powerful, and all-knowing God.
[00:30:40] Thank you for setting aside this one day, the Lord's Day, for us to focus on you and all your glory.
[00:30:47] Lord, you shower us with your love and grace each day, even though we constantly let you down because of our sinful nature.
[00:30:54] For this, we ask your forgiveness and for the resolve to improve on our thoughts and actions a little bit each day.
[00:31:02] As we enter 2026 in a new year, I thank you for all the blessings that you poured over us in 2025.
[00:31:09] Lord, we give you the glory for what we saw in the growth here at Back Creek.
[00:31:13] I also thank you for the amazing spiritual revival spreading across our country, specifically among young people.
[00:31:21] For this spiritual awakening, we give you all the praise and the glory.
[00:31:25] I also pray for those that may have had a tough year in 2025, whether it was struggling with their faith,
[00:31:31] Or health issues, the loss of a friend or loved one, loneliness or maybe unresolved family issues, that you would help us to remember what you tell us in Jeremiah 29 11.
[00:31:43] For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
[00:31:52] Lord, we thank you for these promises and that your word is true.
[00:31:56] Lord, I pray in this new year that Back Creek will be a bright light in our community.
[00:32:00] and then in turn we'll continue to see our attendance numbers grow each week as a result of connecting people with the hope of the gospel.
[00:32:08] I especially pray for life transformations with people surrendering their lives to you for their salvation and because of that gaining eternal life thanks to your imaginable sacrifice on the cross.
[00:32:20] Lord I pray for our staff and the many volunteers here at Back Creek that you'll continue to give them a passion for doing your work and that you'll sustain them in this new year.
[00:32:31] Lord, I pray for healing for those friends and family amongst us who are struggling with health issues.
[00:32:36] Lord, be with them and give them and their families the comfort and strength that only you can provide.
[00:32:41] Lord, I pray for all the turmoil we have in the world today, the hate, the impatience, the unwillingness to communicate in a positive way with each other.
[00:32:51] I pray we get back to putting you at the center of all that we do and that we interact with each other.
[00:32:56] We would remember that we're all made in your image.
[00:33:00] Heavenly Father, thank you for your servant and our brother Josh.
[00:33:03] I pray you speak to us through him today as he brings us your word.
[00:33:09] Lord, thank you for providing for us in an imaginable way here financially in 2025.
[00:33:16] I pray we'll continue to honor you by being generous givers and that through these tithes and offerings it will help further your kingdom here and around the world.
[00:33:23] It's in your holy name I pray.
[00:33:25] Amen.

[00:33:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
All sufficient merit Shining like the sun Of fortune I am buried By no work I have done
[00:34:00] My righteousness I fulfill At my Savior's cross We're all sufficient
[00:34:26] In love He condescended Eternal now and time A life without a premise The Maker made to die The Law could never save us Our lawlessness had won
[00:34:53] Until the pure and spotless Lamb had finally come It is done, it is finished No more dead I hope Paid in full, all sufficient
[00:35:24] You guys will stand and sing this one with me.
[00:35:45] I lay down my burden, garments clean.
[00:35:46] I lay down my garments in the empty host The works now all corrupted by the sinful host
[00:35:48] I'm dressed in my Lord Jesus A crimson robe made white No more fear of judgment His righteousness is mine It is done, it is finished
[00:36:15] I hope paid and full, all sufficient, Married now my own, it is done, it is finished, No more dead I hope paid and full, all sufficient, Married now my own,
[00:36:52] All sufficient merit firm in life and death The joy of my salvation shall be my final breath
[00:37:12] I'll stand accepted before the throne of God I'll gaze unto my Jesus and fake Him for the cross Yes, I'll fake Him for that cross
[00:37:41] No more debt I owe Paid in full All sufficient Married now my own It is done It is finished No more debt I owe Paid in full All sufficient Married now my own
[00:38:18] Praise God from whom all blessings flow

[00:39:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
All right, if you are a child, second grade or younger, and your parents would agree, you may leave now for Kids Church or you can stay for the message.
[00:39:30] As they file out, I have the privilege of inviting Reverend Josh Grimm up to share the message with us as well as administer the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
[00:39:40] Josh?

[00:39:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Really get that.
[00:39:57] Good morning, brothers and sisters.
[00:39:58] It's great to be with y'all this morning.
[00:40:01] If we haven't met yet, my name is Josh.
[00:40:03] My wife, Ashley, and I have been part of the church family at Back Creek for almost five and a half years now, along with our five children, and we're so thankful to be a part of this faith family.
[00:40:15] The ministry call that I lead full-time is RUF Reforms University Fellowship at Queens University of Charlotte and you can pray for us as we're about a week from the spring semester of ministry starting this will be my 10th spring semester at Queens which is pretty wild but classes will start back there on the 12th so pray for us with that
[00:40:38] probably like many of y'all you can also pray for our family as we get recovered from being sick we had someone that the kind of the dominoes were falling with our kids earlier this week and the domino was last to fall on Ashley somehow Peter and I did not get it but Ashley's at home today so you can pray for her recovery and I don't know if you remember but a long time ago back when President Obama debated Mitt Romney in the presidential debates the first debate it was
[00:41:08] And so I guess like Barack, you know, on the TV said, hey, Michelle, sweetie, happy anniversary over the television.
[00:41:17] And so maybe Ashley's awake right now watching the live stream.
[00:41:20] I don't know, she might be sleeping.
[00:41:21] Ashley, if you're watching, I hope you're feeling better.
[00:41:24] But anyway, yeah, that was awkward, wasn't it?
[00:41:30] Today for our scripture passage, we're going to be looking at the first 10 verses of the book of Proverbs.
[00:41:36] So I invite you to turn with me in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 1.
[00:41:40] I'll be reading verses 1 through 10.
[00:41:42] It's going to be on the screens behind me.
[00:41:46] So I invite you to hear God's word this morning from the book of Proverbs.
[00:41:50] The Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel.
[00:41:54] To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight.
[00:41:59] to receive instruction in wise dealing in righteousness justice and equity to give prudence to the simple knowledge and discretion to the youth let the wise hear and increase in learning and the one who understands obtain guidance to understand a proverb and a saying the words of the wise and the riddles the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge fools despise wisdom and instruction
[00:42:26] hear my son your father's instruction and forsake not your mother's teaching for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck my son if sinners entice you do not consent invite you to pray with me as we come to god's word please pray with me
[00:42:42] Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we thank you for speaking to us in your word.
[00:42:46] I thank you that you have not left us in the dark about who you are or what you've done for us, but that you have spoken clearly so we can know you, so we can be in relationship with you.
[00:42:56] I pray that you'd open our hearts and our minds to what you have for us today in your word, and I pray these things in Jesus' name.
[00:43:02] Amen.
[00:43:03] Well, here we are, the first Sunday in 2026.
[00:43:08] Pretty wild.
[00:43:09] We've completed another Advent season, another Christmas season, another New Year's.
[00:43:16] There are some things that kind of stay the same, right?
[00:43:19] For many kids in public schools, I think school starts back tomorrow.
[00:43:24] For some of you, maybe you had the privilege of taking some time off from work over the holiday season.
[00:43:29] This might be the upcoming week that
[00:43:31] You're starting to get into things on more of a full schedule.
[00:43:35] There's some things that like still, you know, haven't changed.
[00:43:40] Like the Carolina Panthers still have not clinched the NFC South somehow, and we're depending on the New Orleans Saints to help.
[00:43:47] Anytime Charlotte is depending on Atlanta for something, I feel like in football, I feel like that's kind of risky, but that's where we're at.
[00:43:55] but but the point is like is we're at this time in the year right for a lot of us a lot of you you're starting to pick up new rhythms or maybe return to rhythms that were on pause for a few weeks uh and any time that you're at
[00:44:11] A pivot point in life, it's a good time to kind of slow down and assess where you've been and where you're going.
[00:44:20] If you think about it, I feel like the holiday season, if you want to use a travel driving illustration, which some of us have been doing over the holidays, it's like...
[00:44:29] the holidays you're on the byways right you're on the slower roads and now as we begin to turn the corner past new year's day and we start to get into january it's like you're about ready to turn on to the interstate right i don't know if some of you maybe have that feeling of like whoa we're about to turn on to the on-ramp
[00:44:49] And we're going to start going a lot faster than we've been going.
[00:44:53] And anytime you're about ready to merge from one place to another on the road, right, it's good to assess your bearings, to check your mirrors, to look in front of you, maybe turn over your shoulder and see what's behind you, what might be coming.
[00:45:11] and spiritually I think this time of the year provides that opportunity to check your mirrors to see what's around you to take stock prayerfully of where you've been to look out ahead at what God might have for you in the new year
[00:45:28] the book of proverbs is an invitation to embrace god's wisdom for the book of life that's the invitation of the whole book and these verses in proverbs 1 1-10 are setting us up to embrace postures that we need to adopt spiritually to embrace the wisdom of the book
[00:45:48] But you can also take them separately on their own as postures that God invites you and I to adopt at any point in our lives, but especially they're worth tuning into at the start of a new year.
[00:46:02] One writer defines wisdom as this, the insight and foresight given by the Holy Spirit to those who know God through faith and seek to do his will in accord with his word.
[00:46:14] The insight and foresight given by the Holy Spirit to those who know God through faith
[00:46:20] and seek to do his will in accordance with his word and as we go through these first 10 verses of proverbs today i'm going to invite you to consider four heart postures of that you need to be able to adopt
[00:46:35] and growing in order to grow in receiving God's wisdom for you.
[00:46:39] Four heart postures.
[00:46:41] Now, as we go through these, you might find that maybe one of them doesn't stand out to you, really grip your heart.
[00:46:47] Maybe you read another part of the Bible this week and see what the Lord does with that.
[00:46:51] As we were away last week, the church Ashley's parents go to, the pastor was preaching on the Beatitudes and the Beatitudes can be a great place to go to tune into heart postures that God calls us to live into.
[00:47:05] but pay attention as you as we go back over these verses as you hear the message what do you feel god laying on your heart to say you know what that's a posture that i really need to try to tap into this year and as i'm going through these verses i'm building off of my my commentary buddy for the day if you're into that kind of thing i'm happy to talk about those resources that have informed uh this this message but the four postures
[00:47:32] You can also think of them if you are more of a visual person.
[00:47:35] I didn't get to make a nice graphic for this, but if you want to think about stairs, these four postures, they build on each other like a little stairwell.
[00:47:44] The first one we're going to look at is the posture, and I'm just going to give you one word and I'll unfold these as we go.
[00:47:51] No, no, we're going to see this in verses 1 through 2, and that's K-N-O-W, by the way.
[00:47:58] K-N-O-W, just not no, but yeah, anyway.
[00:48:01] I'll explain that in a second.
[00:48:02] Train in verse 3.
[00:48:04] Train, grow in verses 4 through 6.
[00:48:08] And embrace in verses 7 through 10.
[00:48:11] So know, train, grow, and embrace is our outline if you're an outline person this morning.
[00:48:18] So I invite you to buckle up for a little spiritual driver's ed.
[00:48:21] I think this passage gives us some spiritual driver's ed if you want to go back to that posture of we're about to get on to the big highway of the new year.
[00:48:29] What kind of posture
[00:48:30] Do we adopt?
[00:48:32] That's what we're going to be looking at this morning.
[00:48:34] First of all, know.
[00:48:35] And again, K-N-O-W.
[00:48:37] In verses 1 through 2, this is how Proverbs opens.
[00:48:41] The Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel, to know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight.
[00:48:50] And the invitation of this posture is an invitation to ask yourself the question, as you start the new year, where are you going?
[00:48:59] as you're thinking about if you're in your car and you're driving on the highway of your life where is your life going now where are you trying to drive yourself and are you and will you pursue knowing the Lord as the chief engine and GPS directing you as you drive on the highway of life
[00:49:23] I bring that up because I have a really terrible internal GPS.
[00:49:27] It's probably been the source of a lot of fights in my marriage because Ashley has a great sense of direction.
[00:49:34] And you know, we're so blessed now with phones.
[00:49:36] We can have GPS on our phones.
[00:49:39] I would be in so much trouble if we didn't have that.
[00:49:41] But you know, there's still times where the data signal stalls out, you get turned around, the GPS, the satellite system kind of loses sight of where you are.
[00:49:52] and you have to make the decision yourself wait a second do we need to go this way or that way and even though i know that ashley is the one with the better sense of direction so many times you know i'll say what no like we've got to go that way right
[00:50:10] especially on a trip you know we're all we're tired and you know you're getting more feisty and there's fewer filters on your stubbornness no we got to go that way just like no like we need to go you need to go this way josh you need to turn down no and you know how many times like my kids can attest to this how many times have i had to turn around
[00:50:30] because i have this bad sense of direction and i double down on it i don't listen to someone in my life who actually has a good sense of direction i think spiritually knowing the lord functions like that right like if you're here today and you don't yet know jesus the bible says
[00:50:49] Your spiritual GPS system is shot.
[00:50:52] Like you're in the spiritual GPS dead zone where you have no signal.
[00:50:58] You don't really know where to go on your own without God.
[00:51:03] But so many times as believers in Jesus, even though we know we need to tune in to the Lord as the one to guide and direct our paths, like me doubling down with Ashley, we're like, you know,
[00:51:16] Do I really need to go in that direction, Lord?
[00:51:19] I know knowing God is important, but does it really need to be central to my day-to-day and my decision-making?
[00:51:28] But Proverbs is opening by saying, knowing God.
[00:51:36] ought to be our primary anchor for our heart and the primary thing that is charting by which we chart our course in life our passage begins with this inscription of saying that Solomon is responsible for writing a lot of the book and not only is he just this you know random guy but he is Solomon son of David king of Israel
[00:52:01] I think this is important to draw attention to thinking about knowing God in Proverbs because this clues us in that Proverbs stands in the context of the rest of the Bible and its history of what God has done to save the people for himself in Jesus.
[00:52:16] It can be easy to think about Proverbs and wisdom as just like, you know, these are nice sentimental sayings or they're kind of like these pithy, you know, worldly little insights of nuggets.
[00:52:29] but the opening of proverbs keys us in that this is a book that stands in the history of what god is doing out of his love to rescue a people from himself we know as we've been reminded of in the advent and christmas season that there is a greater son of david who came who had come in the bible our lord jesus christ and he is the one that as we look at him throughout the gospels we see that he is
[00:52:56] Growing in wisdom as a boy he is the one who is living out wisdom and his teaching and he is the one who even in going to a scandalous death on the cross is actually embodying the wisdom of God to save us now look at what Paul says in first Corinthians 1 starting at verse 27 he says God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong
[00:53:23] God chose what is low and despised in the world even things that are not to bring to nothing things that are so that no human being might boast in the presence of God and because of him you are in Christ Jesus who became to us wisdom from God righteousness and sanctification and redemption so that as it is written let the one who boasts boast in the Lord and so when Proverbs comes to us and it says
[00:53:50] no wisdom and instruction it's not just talking about this abstract or secular wisdom it is leading us by the hand in the context of the rest of the bible to jesus to say you need to know the one who is wise the one true and living god the one true living god who in the person of his son became incarnate for us who is crucified for us and is risen for us
[00:54:18] if you don't know him and you're not living on the basis of that knowledge like me not listening to my wife with directions you're going to stay lost as you start to get onto the highway of life you're not going to know where you should be going so the question today is think about this heart posture of to know do you know the lord by faith in christ alone have you have you come to him yet if you haven't
[00:54:46] what better way to start the new year than to come to him with the empty hands of faith by the first time i'd love to talk with you after the service if you'd like to do that today but if you do know jesus yet as you start the new year where might god be calling you to deepen your knowledge and your trust of him as you start this new year and can you look back
[00:55:10] And this past year and remember and celebrate some of the ways that the Lord has grown you in knowing him and depending on him.
[00:55:18] It's so important for us to be able to take stock of what God has been doing in our lives to build our knowledge of him.
[00:55:26] So this first heart posture to know the Lord.
[00:55:30] that sets the course for where we're going to go but that leads to this second heart posture that we see in these verses in verse three to train okay to train verse three to receive instruction in wise dealing in righteousness justice and equity and the invitation of this posture is to ask yourself will you adopt the posture of openness
[00:55:54] To discipline and training in the Christian life this year.
[00:55:59] Will you open yourself to the process of discipline and training in the Christian life this year?
[00:56:05] Maybe you've tried New Year's resolutions before, right?
[00:56:09] Anybody here never tried a New Year's resolution?
[00:56:13] yeah we got some hands all right i respect that i respect that uh those of you who have tried new year's resolutions what you notice right is that uh the the key thing that has to take place for that resolution to keep is that it becomes a habit like it goes from this thing that you know i'm trying something new i gotta work myself up into this new thing maybe trying to get some accountability you've got some kind of app uh to help you lock into it whatever your thing is right the first
[00:56:41] The challenge is to get started.
[00:56:44] but then to start and to keep going long enough for that new thing to stick and so often those new year's resolutions fail and what people report is that they fail when you get to the place where it's not a habit and you're just trying to hold on and push through sheerly on your willpower the brain psychologist will tell us willpower actually doesn't do as much as we think it can just on its own like we we need more than just willpower
[00:57:14] and God knows this my commentary buddy wrote this wisdom is not acquired all at once but requires a lifelong process of learning and contemplation to accomplish this one needs discipline I think what brings it out a little bit more for us in our contemporary mindset of what this Hebrew word really means is to train
[00:57:37] that to grow in the foresight and the insight by the Holy Spirit the Lord wants for you in this year we have to train we have to figure out um how is God calling me to have
[00:57:52] patterns and rhythms in my life as a believer in Jesus that can help me grow in God's grace and in a deeper grasp of his wisdom now generally you can think about this training regimen right in terms of things that apply to every single Christian showing up for Sunday worship and engaging that through singing listening to the word the sacraments
[00:58:17] Prayer, personal Bible reading.
[00:58:20] We think of like some basic personal blocking and tackling that we need to grow, to train.
[00:58:26] But specifically, each one of us, we're all at different stages in our driver's ed pursuing God's wisdom.
[00:58:36] Like some of y'all have been driving for a long time.
[00:58:40] right some of the things that you need might be different from someone who is starting out driving right and first learning as you think about your life where do you feel like god might be calling you to specifically train to grow in his grace and to grow in his wisdom if you think about um areas of your life are there areas of your life where you're just
[00:59:05] you know you can see hey god has been growing me in this spot but in this area of my life maybe it's you say like finances relationships you you pick something in this area of life i'm just i'm not stirring that for the lord that might be the area that you want to intentionally train in to see man where do i need to study what the bible says about this
[00:59:26] How can I bring in a pastor, an elder, or a Christian friend I trust to be a part of growing in this area?
[00:59:33] How can you intentionally pursue growth to train to receive God's wisdom this year?
[00:59:40] Where might God spiritually be calling you to get off the spiritual couch about an area of your life that you've been looking at for a while and you're like, you know, I need to address that.
[00:59:51] I want to address that.
[00:59:53] I'd rather binge watch the show you know like we have those moments like do we exercise the new year i'm just going to keep binging where are you doing that spiritually and where is god calling you to train to engage it in a different way and to seek the help of his people to do that
[01:00:09] As you embrace a posture of training, growing in the love of God in the gospel, growing and looking to Jesus, who is our ultimate wisdom, it leads to our third posture, a posture of being open to ongoing growth in wisdom.
[01:00:27] I said our third word is grow.
[01:00:28] So know, train, and grow.
[01:00:30] We see this in verses 4 through 6.
[01:00:33] To give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth,
[01:00:36] Let the wise hear an increase in learning and the one who understands obtain guidance to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.
[01:00:48] I love if you tune back into those verses how Solomon covers everybody.
[01:00:55] he covers all of y'all and he covers me right verse four uh who needs prudence biblical sensibility maybe like a biblical uh sanctified common sense the simple knowledge and discretion to the youth he's talking to y'all kids teenagers like god wants you to know him to know his wisdom to know how to live uh with skill before him to grow in trusting him
[01:01:24] but also look at verse 5 let the wise hear an increase in learning and the one who understands obtain guidance you know i mean like it speaks to my situation that i talked about with directions where like i have pride about something that i i have no business being prideful about like i'm terrible at directions i shouldn't have a sense of pride that i knew where i'm going because i don't
[01:01:49] but there are places in our lives as Christians and as you go through life where like God legitimately has grown you and taught you things and in our pride sometimes we can respond to that growth where we just we get kind of narrow-minded and we say you know like I don't know
[01:02:10] Do I really need to learn more about loving other people?
[01:02:14] Do I really need to learn more about patience or kindness or gentleness or self-control?
[01:02:20] You can get to those places where whether it's an age thing or just a spiritual pride thing, it can happen to somebody at any phase of life where you start to shut yourself off to the biblical reality that, well, compared to the infinity of God's wisdom, who am I to say that I don't need to keep growing?
[01:02:39] like Paul says in Romans 16 27 the only wise God only God has the fullness of comprehension and wisdom and goodness who are we to say that we need to stop learning about him and to stop growing
[01:02:58] In wisdom, if we go back to our first Corinthians 1 passage that I quoted earlier, you know, Paul was saying, hey, like there's some people who they get tripped up on Jesus because they're seeking earthly signs of power and success or because they're depending on basically their own human reason, like their own smarts.
[01:03:19] And I think as you think about
[01:03:21] Growth and Wisdom.
[01:03:23] It's worth assessing as you think, as maybe you look in your rearview mirror as you're getting onto the highway of life for the new year.
[01:03:31] Look at the rearview mirror of this past year.
[01:03:35] Where do you tend to get tripped up?
[01:03:36] What are the obstacles that tend to come into your way in seeking God's wisdom?
[01:03:42] Is it that you're relying on yourself and your sense of maybe your legitimate smarts and gifts and experiences?
[01:03:51] Are you trying to rely on earthly power and privilege instead of opening yourself up to ways that God might be leading you that are uncomfortable or that require sacrifice?
[01:04:03] Maybe it's not so much a upfront pride thing but there are places of shame or guilt or fear as you think about where you've been or you think about the future that just kind of that paralyze you from being able to grow because you just think you know like well that part of life sucked last year
[01:04:22] I'm still struggling with this like can I really grow past this and part of the good news of God offering us wisdom is that God says yes by the power of his grace by his spirit because of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for us wherever you've been stuck in the past year you can grow
[01:04:45] James invites us in James 1.
[01:04:46] If anyone lacks wisdom, ask of it.
[01:04:49] The Lord promises to supply.
[01:04:51] Maybe not in the timing that we want, but he is going to supply, and he loves to answer those prayers.
[01:04:59] so as you get on the highway of life in the new year where might god be inviting you into the hope of growth where might god be inviting you into a deeper humility of growth for the new year and this leads to the last word the last posture in verses 7 through 10 to embrace and and the question as proverbs puts before us it's a question of who will you embrace in the new year
[01:05:27] Verse 7, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
[01:05:30] Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
[01:05:33] Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.
[01:05:41] My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
[01:05:45] If you remember, I talked about, I haven't really brought it out, but how these postures are stares, right?
[01:05:49] so we started with knowledge and then we went to training and then growing and the writer puts the this one here embrace because it's at the culmination of the stairs it's the thing in this preface to proverbs this opening proverbs that the writer most wants to emphasize the fear of the lord embracing the lord with a childlike reverence that trusts in his mercy his goodness and his grace
[01:06:17] that's the beginning of knowledge and wisdom the alternative choosing our sin going down the highway of living a life that is totally for sin and not for god the god through the writer of proverbs said that's the path of foolishness it's a path of destruction that's not the path of life
[01:06:43] The years I was in in college overlapped with some of the years of college of Steph Curry, NBA star.
[01:06:50] It's about the only thing Steph Curry and I overlap in, but we were in college in similar years, 2006 to 2009.
[01:06:58] But I bring it up because one time one of my buddies and I were both college basketball fans.
[01:07:04] The school we were at was about an hour away from Furman where Steph Curry was gonna play with his Davidson team.
[01:07:10] and we're you know we're really hyped to go to this game and see Steph Curry play in person and my friend had this big truck and anytime like I don't know if you've ever been in a truck where it's just like you get into the truck you're kind of like man I just feel powerful sitting in this truck like that's that's it was his truck but just like sitting with him I feel kind of powerful sitting in the truck but anyway you know we're going down the highways of South Carolina we're on our byways I went to school in rural South Carolina we're about ready to get on the big road
[01:07:40] and you know I we were both so excited about the game or lost talking about girls I don't know what it was but we get on the interstate I'm like man like you're going the wrong way you're going the wrong way dude and my my friend realizes it like somehow thankfully we were really close to another exit like to like to be like like a turnaround to get off and then we had to you know circle back to get on the right way
[01:08:05] But we were going the wrong way, the completely wrong way on the interstate.
[01:08:09] And I can't tell you, I don't remember what happened in that game as excited as I was to see Steph Curry play in person.
[01:08:19] I don't remember what happened in the game, but I do remember the feeling of being with my friends and we're on the road and you're looking down and you're like, yeah, that car would hit us if we don't turn around and be traveling on the road the right way.
[01:08:35] The posture that Proverbs is inviting you and I into at the beginning of the year is to say, like, don't go the wrong way on the road.
[01:08:45] Like, seriously.
[01:08:47] Like, you can.
[01:08:48] You can go down the path of foolishness.
[01:08:51] You can drive the wrong way on the road.
[01:08:57] But God is instead inviting you through Jesus to say, as you start the new year,
[01:09:03] we can go the right way on the road as Jesus charts us and guides us and as we prepare to come to the Lord's table of course the good news of this table is that this is a table that is only for people who know that they have gone the wrong way on the road that not only have you gone the wrong way in the road but you've had the spiritual head-on collision that in and of ourselves
[01:09:34] We are dead.
[01:09:34] We are fools.
[01:09:38] And the whole experience of being a Christian is God saying, I love people who raise their hands and they say, you know what?
[01:09:45] Yeah, I'm a fool.
[01:09:48] I've gone the wrong way.
[01:09:49] But you know who hasn't gone the wrong way?
[01:09:55] it's Jesus and Jesus's perfect life of wisdom and righteousness his perfect life as the son who is fully obedient to the father even to the point of death that if you come to him and come back to him again and again and again as you go the wrong way with the empty hands of faith he promises to forgive you
[01:10:17] to grow you to cleanse you to lead you and that as we uh we come to this table it's such a beautiful thing that god gives us that god just doesn't just give us words but he gives us himself he invites us to uh come and to be with him at a meal that his this meal of his grace is visible
[01:10:44] that he invites us to take and eat and to taste that he is good and so this table belongs to those who know that you have spiritually gone the wrong way on the road that's your only hope of being able to arrive at the end of the destination on the highway of life
[01:11:04] in heaven with God forever and to know God now is in Jesus and Jesus alone so if that is you today we invite you to come to this table because it's Jesus's table if you don't yet know Jesus
[01:11:21] uh we love you we're glad that you're here we invite you to come to him by faith today to let the bread and the cup proclaim to you who he is in his wisdom and in his grace but we ask that you would not partake of the bread and the cup but if you know that you've gone the wrong way on the road that you belong to jesus this is a table for you as we come to the lord's table i invite you to pray with me let's pray
[01:11:52] Our Lord, we thank you for your love for us.
[01:11:55] We thank you that in the midst of our foolishness and our lostness, our disorientation, that you would come to rescue us, to redeem us, to share with us your wisdom.
[01:12:08] Your righteousness that we could find our hope in knowing you and knowing your love.
[01:12:14] I pray that as we prepare to come to this table that you lift up our hearts to heaven Lord Jesus where you now reign that we would feast with you
[01:12:24] We ask these things in Jesus' name.
[01:12:38] Amen.
[01:12:45] Our Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took the bread and he broke and he said this is my body given for you do this in remembrance of me the same night he took the cup and he said this cup is the new covenant in my blood as often as you do this do this in remembrance of me brothers and sisters let's come to the table of the Lord together

[01:13:21] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
In Jesus' name, amen.
[01:13:53] In Jesus' name we pray.
[01:14:16] Amen.
[01:14:34] In Jesus' name we pray.
[01:14:50] Amen.
[01:15:14] Let us pray.
[01:15:42] Let us pray.

[01:15:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Let us pray.

[01:16:09] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.

[01:16:24] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Brothers and sisters, our Lord Jesus Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
[01:16:51] Take and eat his body given for you.
[01:17:04] Our Lord Jesus Christ freely shed his blood on the cross so we could be reconciled to him let's continue the table of the Lord

[01:17:35] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
In Jesus' name we pray.
[01:17:51] Amen.
[01:19:02] In Jesus' name we pray.
[01:19:24] Amen.
[01:19:38] Let's pray.

[01:21:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Brothers and sisters, our Lord Jesus Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
[01:21:11] Take and drink the cup of the new covenant.
[01:21:13] His blood, though, is shed for you.
[01:21:19] Amen.
[01:21:19] Please pray with me.
[01:21:23] Lord, we thank you for this table.
[01:21:25] We thank you that you have taken people who on our own have gone the wrong way, who don't deserve your love or your mercy or anything from your hands, that you have come to rescue us, to redeem us, and to seat us at your table with you.
[01:21:42] As we have partaken of this table, Lord, we pray that you would lift up our hearts to you
[01:21:49] that you would fill our hearts with anticipation even as we have celebrated the season of Advent and the reminder of your first coming Lord Jesus that you would fill our hearts with longing for the day when you will return and make all things new help us as we start this new year to pray come Lord Jesus as we look forward to that day when we will be with you at your table rejoicing with you and all your people forever
[01:22:15] we thank you for this foretaste of that great feast and we pray these things in jesus name amen let's continue in our worship

[01:22:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
In the house of Zion we will sing with our hearts restored He has done great things we will say to Him
[01:23:05] We will not be burned by the fire He is the Lord our God We are not consumed by the fire But He'll protect again
[01:23:34] In the house of Zion we will sing with our hearts restored He has done great things we will say together We will feast and weep no more
[01:24:02] In the dark of night before the dawn My soul be not afraid for the promise born
[01:24:30] We will feast in the house of Zion We will sing with our hearts restored He has done great things We will say together We will feast and we will sing
[01:25:01] We bow we broken and betrayed You are the faithful one And from the garden to the sea
[01:25:25] We will feast in the house of Zion We will sing with our hearts restored His done great things we will say together

[01:26:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Brothers and sisters, as you go, you go with the Lord's blessing.
[01:26:32] Lift up your heads, your hands, and your hearts to receive his blessing.
[01:26:35] May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and forevermore.
[01:26:43] Go in his peace.
[01:26:45] Amen.

[01:26:56] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
... ... ... ...
[01:27:25] .
[01:27:37] .
[01:27:37] .
[01:27:53] ... ... ... ... ...
[01:28:29] .
[01:28:57] .
[01:28:57] .
[01:28:58] Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy