The goal of Proverbs is simply to instill wisdom and discipline.  It’s the idea that we position ourselves in such a way that we would be ready to receive what God has for us.  Chris Brannon kicks off our new sermon series in Proverbs by speaking on the Wisdom and Fear of the Lord.  A proverb is a poetic, thought-provoking saying that conveys truth in a few words.  It’s important to understand that proverbs are not guaranteed promises, but wise observations.  The fear of the Lord must come before wisdom though.

There are three groups of people that Proverbs addresses.  The first one is the fool.  These are the people who dismiss the fear of the Lord and live aimlessly without Him.  They may have considered the fear of the Lord, but chose a position that they are going to take the control and not let anyone in.  The second one is the simple.  These are the people who don’t even consider the fear of the Lord and live passively, forgetting it.  They aren’t able to connect the dots between their actions and their results.  The last one is the wise.  These are the people who embrace the fear of the Lord and they live intentionally because of Him.

Chris goes on by telling us what it means to fear the Lord.  There are two realities in tension here.  The fear of the Lord can mean terror and dread.  It can also be the reverential awe and gratitude for who He is and what He has done in Christ.