PROVERBS 31

PROVERBS 31:1-2 A GODLY MOTHER The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him: What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows? Monica – Augustine Susanna Wesley – John & Charles “His mother” – John Newton Teach God’s Word Pray Role Model – the best apologetic

WORLDVIEWS DETERMINE HOW YOU LIVE WHAT IS REAL? (Metaphysics) –Prime Reality –Universe –People –History WHAT IS TRUTH? (Epistemology) –Prerequisites for knowledge –How do you know what you know? WHAT IS RIGHT & WRONG? (Ethics) –Universal moral values and duties –Where do they come from? –Are you accountable for how you live?

CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW IS TRUE HOW DO YOU KNOW? Scripture says so: your basic presupposition It is reasonable –Cosmological argument –Design argument There is evidence for it –The Bible –Jesus is God and man –The Resurrection Born again: your personal experience It must be true or you could not know anything. –Reasoning requires laws of logic –Science requires uniformity of nature –Moral values & duties requires a moral standard

PROVERBS 31:3 REPEAT WARNING Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Your marriage exposes your worldview

PROVERBS 31:4-5 ALCOHOLISM IS WRONG It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:15-18

PROVERBS 31:6-7 ANESTHESIA Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. Mercy in death Or Sarcasm So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

PROVERBS 31:8-9 SPEAK UP! Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy. Any human treated less than human Those who cannot benefit you The Unborn Watch what you say and don’t say

PROVERBS 31:1-9 GROW UP! Peter Pan Syndrome Stop self-centeredness and irresponsibility Your life is a privilege: don’t waste it You have a duty to perform Think more of others than yourself For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 2 Corinthians 5:10

PROVERBS 31:10 FIND HER & CHERISH HER! An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Genesis 2:18 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, Ephesians 5:25

PROVERBS 31:11 A HUSBAND’S HEART The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. Trust her Enjoy her Admire her Praise her Does she know your heart?

PROVERBS 31:12 A HUSBAND’S BLESSING She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. Ephesians 5:33 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 1 Peter 3:1-2

PROVERBS 31:13-18 ALWAYS WORKING She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. “Tell me about your day…and night!”

PROVERBS 31:19-21 THINKING OF OTHERS She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4

PROVERBS 31:22-25 HER REPUTATION: HIS BENEFIT She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Greet also the church in their house. Romans 16:3-5

PROVERBS 31:26-27 HER LIFE MATCHES HER WORDS She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:18 They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Her Christ-centered life earns her the right to be heard.

PROVERBS 31:28-29 HER FAMILY’S RESPONSE Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. How do you talk to your wife?

PROVERBS 31:30-31 HER CHARACTER Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates. God’s Word: know it; believe it; live it. Your life is an open book. How you live reveals what you really believe. Your best apologetic: your life.