ATTENTION: Please note that this is The Adult Sunday School Lesson, Righteousness and Wisdom aka Trust in the Lord, on Proverbs 3:1-12 for the 9-4-11 International Sunday School Lesson. You will find the 8-28-11 lesson, Respecting Community Standards aka Caring for One Another directly beneath this message and on the right side.
Jed
Righteousness and Wisdom
Or
Trust in the Lord
Proverbs 3:1-12
International Sunday School Lesson
September 4, 2011
Commentary
By
Jed Greenough
Between today’s two more common titles given for this lesson Trust in the Lord is the one that most resonates with me as I consider our scripture. The NIV entitles this 3rd chapter as Further Benefits of Wisdom and that is what results according to today’s scripture from trust in the Lord, we benefit.
Solomon starts out in the first verse, “my son, do not forget…” he is addressing this to someone but we put ourselves into that role or we put someone we love into that role. When it is ourselves we read it in times of pain or questioning or times of making sure we are on the right track. When it is a loved one such as our child or anyone we care about, we lead them to these verses and say, “see, here is ageless advice.” We hope that it won’t be, “see this is how you should have behaved if you wanted things to go right in your life.”
We all want our own lives and those we love to be long and prosperous which is natural. As parents, as teachers, we show the way and that is what God is doing here. Showing that His “word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105.
Today’s scripture brilliantly shines on the following:
Don’t forget His teaching.
Keep love and faithfulness.
Trust God totally.
Always acknowledge Him.
Remain humble.
Honor God with what He has given you.
And what happens if you don’t do these things? He does what He must do, He disciplines just as we must do when we truly love our children. But though the path is explained, and though discipline might occur, we won’t and can’t make those we love walk on the lighted path nor does God make us but hopefully those we love will figure it out sooner than most to trust in the Lord.
How about your path brother or sister Christian? Though illuminated when you see it are you standing in front of the light a bit so that there are a few shadows? No, I’m not talking to those of you who are just casually following Jesus. I am talking to YOU the person who “hungers and thirsts for righteousness”. Maybe you are one of those from today’s verse 12, the person who perhaps was disciplined at some point because He loves you.
Was there some point where the negatives in sight in today’s scripture occurred? Did you forget the teaching, lose your good name, lean on your own ideas, not trust or acknowledge Him and fail to glorify Him with what you were given? And then because He loves you God disciplined you?
For you, perhaps your guilt from the past in not getting or staying on the path soon enough is making you think that now the barns aren’t overflowing and the vats of wine not filled to the brim. I can relate to that and so looking inward we might think that we cannot now do enough to make up for what we failed to do early on.
But let’s you and I look at Matthew 20 and The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyards and apply it to ourselves because remember that is what the kingdom of heaven is like. Some workers were hired early in the morning, some in the third, sixth, ninth and even in the eleventh hours. All received the same pay when evening came, they were all equal, “so the last will be first and the first will be last.”
So let’s realize no matter what time we figured it out our barn is overflowing never forgetting the past but concentrating on giving God the glory and teaching others to come to the realization early.
For Discussion:
1. Consider having combined age groups Sunday School Lessons while we are in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
2. Discuss the benefits as found in today’s scripture in following the teaching found in these 12 verses.
3. Note and discuss the word “all” which is found in verses 5, 6 and 9.
4. Discuss humility.
5. Discuss the Lord’s discipline and rebuking of those He loves.
6. Be prepared to discuss the successes of those who seemingly are not His and the sufferings of those who are.
9-04-11: Righteousness and Wisdom (Trust in the Lord), Proverbs 3:1-12
9-11-11: From Generation to Generation (Walk the Straight Path), Proverbs 4:10-15, 20-27
9-18-11: Teaching Values (Instruction in Wisdom), Proverbs 15:21-33
9-25-11: Wisdom and Discernment (Wisdom and Government), Proverbs 25:1-10
10-2-11: An Ordered Life (Wisdom in Practice), Proverbs 29:16-27
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved
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