“A Proverbial Lesson about Divine Knowledge vs. Human Understanding”
In the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[Amen.]
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. [Amen.]
“God of grace and God of glory,
On Your people pour Your pow’r;
Crown Your ancient Church’s story;
Bring its bud to glorious flow’r.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
For the facing of this hour,
For the facing of this hour.”
(Lutheran Service Book, © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO.
850:1)
Old
Testament.....................................................................
Proverbs 25:2-10 (esp. 2-3)
2It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to
search things out. 3As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so
the heart of kings is unsearchable.
Prologue: Before anything else, let’s define a “Proverb” as “a
sentence which briefly and forcibly expresses some practical truth, a wise
[saying].” In addition, “Being short, sharp, impressive, [it] attracts
attention and imprints itself on the memory.” (Christopher F. Drewes in
Introduction to the Books of the Bible. Copyright © 1929 Concordia
Publishing House, St. Louis, MO. Page 76.)
Regarding the Old Testament book of Proverbs, “It is essentially a
book of good works …” (Ibid. Pages 76f.) Also, “The keyword of this book
is wisdom. The words of wisdom are contrasted with the words of
[foolishness]. Wisdom stands for man’s reflection based on divine
revelation from God; [foolishness] utters the words of the evil tempter.”
(Theodore Huggenvik in Your Key to the Bible: A Presentation of Your
Religious Concern with the Bible. Copyright © 1944 Augsburg Publishing
House, Minneapolis, MN. Page 48.)
In other words, it’s “a book setting forth the principles of true
wisdom and making the divine truths the object of believing contemplation.
The scope of the wise sayings in this book is to direct all [people], but
especially the believers, so to order their life and conduct as to please
God and promote their welfare here on earth. And there is one outstanding
feature in this book, namely the revelation of the true Source and Fountain
of wisdom, the Son of God. [Whoever] knows and accepts the Son of God,
Jesus Christ, by faith will bring his entire conduct in life in agreement
with the true reverence and fear of the Lord over against the foolishness
and blindness of such as despise this true wisdom, the sum of all
instruction in the Word of God.” (Paul E. Kretzmann in Popular Commentary of
the Bible: The Old Testament Volume II, The Poetical and the Prophetical
Books. Copyright © 1924 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO. Page
214.) The bottom line is that “It is the Lord Himself who speaks to
[people] in these sayings, and therefore they are profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that a man of
God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work, 2 Tim. 3,
15-17.” (Ibid.)
To summarize all that, “In Proverbs, wisdom is an attribute of God
and of His people. God alone can give wisdom. It is His great gift to His
people.
“Though ‘wisdom’ and ‘righteous’ stand together only in one proverb
(10:31), the Book equates wise people with the righteous (e.g., 9:8-10). As
a result, these proverbs are always more than practical advice on proper
morals. They illustrate the faith and life of one made righteous through
faith in the Lord, the giver of wisdom.” (The Lutheran Study Bible. Edward
A. Engelbrecht, Gen. Ed. Copyright © 2009 Concordia Publishing House, St.
Louis, MO. Page 995.)
All of that leads us into today’s sermon text, a proverb that
tells us, at least somewhat seemingly ironically, …
“A Proverbial Lesson about Divine Knowledge vs. Human Understanding.”
God has revealed so very much about Himself to us in His Holy
Word, the Bible. At the same time, there is so very much that He has chosen
to conceal from us. Why? Well, for one reason the true triune God, who
created all things visible and invisible with just the power of His almighty
spoken word, is vastly above and beyond our feeble human understanding. His
nature, essence, and intellect are immensely more that our imperfect minds
can grasp.
Nevertheless, we seek to expand our knowledge about Him by reading
and hearing His Holy Word prayerfully, faithfully, and contextually; by
intently listening to the sermons that flow forth from this pulpit; by
personally participating in at least one of the Bible study opportunities in
our congregational setting; and by personal and family devotions at home.
We curiously seek to know more about Him and His magnificent mercy and grace
that Jesus Christ gained for us and the Holy Spirit made our personal
possession through Holy Baptism. And still we come up short, never fully
comprehending Him who is incomprehensible. So it is that we realize that
our salvation is not through knowledge, understanding, and perception, but
through simple Spirit-given trust … faith that receives the precious gifts
of forgiveness of sins, salvation, and eternal life that Jesus gained for
all people with His holy life, innocent suffering, crucifixion death, and
majestic resurrection from the dead.
In the presence of that awesome God as we are right now and every
time we come together in a worship service, we are reminded to …
I. Be Humble and Unassuming. (4-7a)
4Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a
vessel; 5take away the wicked from the presence of the king, and his throne
will be established in righteousness. 6Do not put yourself forward in the
king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, 7for it is better to be
told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
That’s the significance of today’s Collect that we prayed earlier,
“teach us by Your Holy Spirit to follow the example of Your Son in true
humility, that we may withstand the temptations of the devil and with pure
hearts and minds avoid ungodly pride.” It was the lesson Jesus taught in
today’s Gospel Reading, namely, “For everyone who exalts himself will be
humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (St Luke 14:11 ESV)
Today’s Introit antiphon stated it this way, “It is God who executes
judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.” (Ps 75:7 ESV)
Later in this book of Proverbs the author wrote, “The fear of the
Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor”; (Prov 15:33
ESV) “Before destruction a man's heart is haughty, but humility comes before
honor”; (Prov 18:12 ESV) and “One's pride will bring him low, but he who is
lowly in spirit will obtain honor.” (Prov 29:23 ESV) In addition, both
Saint James and Saint Peter declared that “God opposes the proud, but gives
grace to the humble.” (James 4:6 & 1 Pet 5:5 ESV) That element of “God’s
Riches At Christ’s Expense” includes all the many blessings (both physical
or material as well as spiritual) that God freely and generously showers
upon us daily.
Among the many attributes of Christ Jesus is the all-important
fact that “though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God
a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a
servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on
a cross.” (Phil 2:6-8 ESV) He did so to atone for your sins, my sins, and
all the sins of all the people of all time … including our sins of pride,
arrogance, and self-exaltation. He extends His boundless grace to us
through the reading and hearing of His Holy Word, the recalling and
reflecting on Holy Baptism, the comforting and reassuring declaration of
Holy Absolution, and the proper partaking of Holy Communion by focusing on
Immanuel Himself, whose real body and true blood we receive in, with, and
under those sacramental elements of bread and wine.
Being filled with God’s gracious forgiveness, the Holy Spirit
enables us to humbly pass God’s grace on to each other and thereby …
II. Be Reconciled with One Another. (7b-10)
What your eyes have seen 8do not hastily bring into court, for what will you
do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame? 9Argue your case with
your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another’s secret, 10lest he who
hears you bring shame upon you, and your ill repute have no end.
What this means quite simply and, at the same time, so very
meaningfully is that “God wants us to try to settle matters in a personal
way … .” After all, “The Bible always urges us to try to take the loving,
forgiving, and peaceful way” when someone has wronged us, offended us, or in
some other way sinned against us. In addition, it means that “we should
also avoid gossip.” (Roland Cap Ehlke in People’s Bible Commentary:
Proverbs. Copyright © 1993 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO. Page
249.)
It’s all part and parcel of obeying The Eight Commandment, that
addresses the topic of “God’s Gift of a Good Reputation” and about which the
Reverend Doctor Martin Luther explained, “We should fear and love God so
that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or
hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain
everything in the kindest way.” As we do so we will strive to “speak up for
and protect our neighbor from false accusations; praise our neighbor’s good
actions and qualities; [and] explain our neighbor’s actions in the best
possible way.” (Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation [ESV Edition].
Copyright © 1986, 1991, 2005 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO.
Pages 87-89.)
It’s the practical application of God’s further instruction for us
through the pen of Saint Paul, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Eph 4:32 ESV) We
live that out in a personal way when we take to heart and abide by the words
of today’s Epistle Reading, “Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to
show hospitality to strangers … . Remember those who are in prison, as
though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated … . Let marriage
be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled … . Keep
your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have … .
“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God.
Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Do not
be led away by diverse and strange teachings … . … let us continually offer
up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge
his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have … .
“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over
your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this
with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
(Heb 13:1-5, 7, 9, 15-17 ESV)
In conclusion, therefore, let’s continue to take serious today’s
Gradual, “Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack
nothing! Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers
him out of them all.” (Ps 34:9, 19, alt. ESV) Let’s do so keeping in our
minds and hearts …
“A Proverbial Lesson about Divine Knowledge vs. Human Understanding.”
As we do so, let’s always remember and never forget that “Part of
God’s glory comes from the fact that he is mysterious, beyond our
understanding. His working in nature and history is often hidden, which
only makes him all the more awesome.” (Roland Cap Ehlke. Page 247.) It’s
what Saint Paul described in his glorious doxology, “Oh, the depth of the
riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments
and how inscrutable his ways! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or
who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be
repaid?’ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be
glory forever. Amen.” (Rom 11:33-36 ESV)
In the light of all that, let’s strive by the Holy Spirit’s power
to …
I. Be Humble and Unassuming. (4-7a)
At the same time when conflicts occur with relatives, friends,
classmates, workmates, congregational members, or whomever, let’s also
strive by the Holy Spirit’s power to …
II. Be Reconciled with One Another. (7b-10)
After all, “Rather than living to please the high and mighty of
this world, we live by faith in the King of kings and let his Word direct
our lives.” (Roland Cap Ehlke. Page 247.)
God grant it all for the sake of Jesus Christ, His humble Son, our
holy Savior. [Amen.]
In the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[Amen.]
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