Pastor Rob Wheeler

Jan 3, 2010

Which Fork in the Road to Follow

Proverbs 1:8-19

I. Contrasting world views

A. Godly living brings honor (8-9)

Deut 6:1 These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.

NIV

Deut 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. NIV

Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother"-which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." NIV

B. Godless living will do whatever it takes to get what you want (10-14)

Judg 20:16 Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. NIV

II. Consequences in choosing the wrong view

A. Getting involved with bad characters leads to great harm (15-16)

1 Cor 15:33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God — I say this to your shame. NIV

2 Cor 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? NIV

B. Guaranteed to pay for what you do (17-18)

III. Conclusion about pursuing what we want apart from God (19)

A. Going to experience harm if you pursue ill-gotten gain – no escape

B. Give up your life when you pursue ill-gotten gain