Sermon for 6/26/22: Second Sunday After Trinity

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Wisdom

Proverbs 9:1-10

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

God’s wisdom is unlike the wisdom of this world. God’s wisdom is higher and deeper; it is pure and undefiled. The book of Proverbs focuses on godly wisdom as the proper pursuit of every child of God. There are two “characters” portrayed consistently throughout the book—“Wisdom” and “Folly”—and the book describes their words and their works. In this reading, Wisdom builds a house and throws a feast. It is an invitation for all to hear and to learn the wisdom of God. St. Paul, in his First Epistle to the Corinthians, refers to Jesus Himself as our Wisdom. No doubt, the apostle has this text from Proverbs in mind. What can be wiser than knowing and believing in Him? What can be better than being fed by His Word and Sacraments? True wisdom, and the key to understanding the Proverbs, is found in Jesus Christ.

But this text reveals that the wisdom of God is sometimes a word of correction. In other words, true wisdom takes God’s Law seriously in all its severity. And a truly wise Christian will heed the Law. That doesn’t mean we do what it says, for we are sinners, rotten to the core. But the Law shows us our sin and drives us to despair; we recognize that we are lost and dead in sin. The Law tears down the walls of self-righteousness, burns down our flimsy house of excuses, exposes us as frauds, and drives us to our knees.

It is then that the Gospel does its work. Only when we are stinging from the Law does the balm of the Gospel soothe and heal. Only when we have tasted the bitterness of our own sins can we savor the sweetness of forgiveness. Jesus through His death and resurrection rescues us from the fires of hell and carries us on the wings of His mercy to our eternal home with Him. The Gospel, the wisdom of God, begins with faith in Jesus Christ; or as Proverbs puts it: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” True wisdom is to fear the Lord; true wisdom is to know the Holy One.

In John’s Gospel, there is an account that illustrates the difficulty of this divine wisdom. Jesus spoke hard words to a crowd of increasingly skeptical followers; these words were so hard, in fact, that many deserted Him. By the way, this ought to be of some comfort as we attempt to share the Gospel; even Jesus couldn’t convince everyone. Then He asked the twelve if they wanted to leave Him, too. But Peter confessed: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Wisdom starts with Jesus. Do you want to be truly wise unto salvation? Then fear, love, and trust in Jesus Christ, the One whose wisdom flows in the face of common sense. You don’t think so? Think on this: Love your enemies. Turn the other cheek. Forgive your brother when he sins against you, even 70 times 7. Take up your cross and follow. This is foolishness to human wisdom. When Jesus started talking about His cross, Peter rebuked Jesus and tried to talk Him out of it. But Jesus rebuked Peter, even calling him Satan. The wisdom of this world says we should avoid suffering at all costs. This is not the talk of faith; it is the language of unbelief!

It is hard to hear those wise words of correction without becoming scoffers ourselves, without hating the message or the messenger. The Lord calls me to be the messenger, and there are times I don’t want to hear or deliver the message. But true wisdom accepts the discipline of God’s Word; true wisdom humbly confesses our sins and seeks to do better. This is wisdom: to know the Holy One of God who took our punishment and guilt and shame, and who now gives us the new life of the child of God.

Such wisdom and instruction can be found only in God’s Word. We will, of course, be tempted to look for wisdom elsewhere. We will make all sorts of appeals to all sorts of other things. We will rationalize and excuse; we will listen to the advice of learned men; we will give ear to the tune the world around us is singing. As someone once said, “The gray areas are the devil’s playground.” We tell ourselves, “I know God’s Word says this, but...” And so the devil sows his seeds of doubt and destruction.

God warns us for good reason. The easy way is so appealing. Hearing the correction of God’s Word and knowing true wisdom is the hard way. It is all too tempting to do what you want instead of what God’s Word commands. The truth is, the Old Adam in you hates to turn away from sin. He has no desire to believe in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin. But the Holy Spirit calls and enlightens you to do just that. And while there may be no sinful fun, there is great blessing: the blessing of a clear conscience; the blessing of God’s approval because Jesus claims you as His own; the blessing of knowing God’s promises that, while life is often full of suffering and misery, you have a mansion in heaven that bears your name; the blessing of serving your neighbor with the love of Christ; the blessing of receiving His gifts of peace and certainty. And you have the greatest blessing of all: knowing the true Wisdom of God in Jesus Christ, who gives you the words of eternal life. Remain in Him and with Him always. In the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus always. Amen.