PROVERBS 302007 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Proverbs 30

Chapter 30 moves on in a new direction.

Chapter 30 now is not the wisdom of Solomon, as we've been studying for so much through the book of Proverbs, but it's the wisdom of a different man, a wisdom of a man that really is unknown. If you look at verse 1, we find the introduction here. It says, The words of Agur, the son of Jacob, his utterance, this man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Gilead.

Yukal or Ukal or Ukal or something like that. It's this man named Agur.

And we don't know much about him. He's not mentioned anywhere else in the scripture, nor his companions, this Ithiel and Euclid. They're not described. They're not mentioned. They're not referred to. And I want to bring that up and point that out. And let's just spend a moment and think about that for a second, because here we are, a chapter in the book of Proverbs. Now, as you know, we've been studying Proverbs. Proverbs is all about wisdom.

Wisdom is not how smart you are, but how well you receive instruction specifically from God, but also in general. It's how well you receive and obey instructions and commands. It's how well you put into practice the principles of God. And so all throughout the book of Proverbs, what have we been learning? Well, we've been learning the principles of God that were to put into practice and

We've been learning the things that God said here. This is how I want you to live. These are the things that you need to put into practice. This is the way that you need to live. Now, as we've been studying and Solomon has been the the.

main writer of these things, it's very understandable for us. It's fitting because we know the story. We know how Solomon took the throne after his father, David, and as he was on the throne and very new in his reign, the Lord appeared to him at Gilgal and asked him, Hey, Solomon, what do you want me to do for you?

You know, hey, I can do anything that you want me to do. What do you want me to do? And Solomon, you know, his response, he said, you know, what I need is wisdom and understanding because this is a wonderful people that I've been called to to rule. This is a great people that and a great nation that my father has built. And I need wisdom. I'm just a child. I don't have much understanding.

And so God said, hey, since you didn't ask for, you know, the heads of your enemies, you didn't ask for riches and prosperity. You asked for wisdom. That's a great thing. You have what you asked for. And in addition to that, I'm going to give you these other things as well.

And so we understand that Solomon can write the Proverbs because we know, as we saw through the life of Solomon, that he was wiser than anybody else. He had the wisdom that was given from God upon his request and command.

The scriptures, 1st and 2nd Kings, 1st and 2nd Chronicles, recount to us all of the details of his wisdom and the things that he did, the kingdom that he built, and so on and so forth. But it makes sense for him to write the Proverbs because we know the story. God gave him great wisdom. It makes sense because it was supernaturally a gift that was given to him.

It makes sense because his wisdom was renowned. In fact, the wisdom of Solomon is a common phrase or saying. It's something we all know that Solomon had wisdom. So we understand, of course, when you're talking about wisdom, writing a book about wisdom, who's the best person to write it other than Jesus? Well, Solomon, because he was wiser than any other man.

But here's what I find so interesting. Here we come through Proverbs and we finish up chapter 29. We're heading into chapter 30. And there's this other guy. It's not Solomon anymore. And it's this guy that we know absolutely nothing about. And this is what I find absolutely wonderful about the work of the Lord. You know, you do not have to be famous.

To do the work of God, to speak the words of God. You don't have to be well known or popular. You don't have to be a household name. You don't have to be a prominent figure to speak the word of God, to deliver God's message, to share God's word, to give the principles of God and to give the wisdom of God in situations. In fact, really, the opposite is true.

God uses the unknown, the weak and the foolish like this man, Agur. We don't know anything about him except for we have this chapter from him. God used him right alongside of Solomon, neck and neck with Solomon as far as God's concerned in delivering the message that God had for you and I and for his people.

First Corinthians chapter one. You're probably familiar, but let me share with you verses 27 through 29. Paul says there, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise. And God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.

And the base things of the world and the things which are despised, God has chosen. And the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. This is what we have in the man Agur. He's not notorious. He's not famous. We don't have any stories of God giving him infinite wisdom. We just have his name and his word that God spoke through him.

Because God chooses the unknown. He chooses the insignificant. He chooses the foolish, the base, the low, the lowly things, the unlikely ones are the ones that God chooses, like David and Goliath. Who would you pick to go fight the giant? Not the little kid, but that's who God chooses.

And I share that and I think it's so important because that means that God can speak his word, desires to speak his word. He desires to use you and me to do his work. Look at the disciples. Very, very, very common men. Yet God filled them and used them to change the world.

You know, there's the saying in Christian world that God is not looking for your ability, but your availability. See, you all know it. He's not looking for your ability, but your availability. And the reality is that is the absolute truth.

He is not looking for the high and mighty, the sophisticated, the ones that you would naturally think of. He's looking at the ones that are least likely, the ones who said, no, I can't do that. God can't use me. I don't have that gift. I'm not talented that way. God can't speak through me. I've been foolish. I've lived foolishly.

you know, horribly or whatever the case may be. That's the people that God chooses. Those are the lives that God wants to touch and change, not to leave you the way that you are, but to transform you and use you that he gets the glory that no flesh should glory in his presence. If God can use me, he can use you. If God can use Tom Reese, he can use anybody. If he can use Harvey, he can use anybody.

Old or young, right? I love Harvey. He can use anybody. He's not limited. You're not the exception. God can and desires to use you just as much as he used Agur. Are you available is the question. Have you let God know that you're available?

Have you let him know that you're available? Have you told God lately, hey, Lord, I'm available. Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it. Just give me the opportunity and I'll be obedient to you. This past week, as we've been reading through the Bible in a year, we've read about Samuel.

And his call and how the Lord spoke to him. And at first he didn't understand. He didn't know it was the Lord calling. He goes to Samuel or it goes to Eli. Eli sends him back. You know, it wasn't me. It wasn't me. It wasn't me. Finally, he says, oh, I think the Lord's trying to get a hold of this guy. So when you go back this time and he speaks to you again, say, hey, speak for your servant listens. And so the Lord speaks to him and Samuel says, speak, Lord, for your servant listens. Have you heard?

Express that to the Lord lately. Lord, speak to me. I'm listening. I want to do what you want me to do. I want to hear what you want me to hear. I want to go where you want me to go and minister where you want me to minister. I want to be used by you, Lord, like Isaiah in chapter 6. As he sees the Lord high and lifted up, the Lord says, who will go? Who can we send? And Isaiah stands up and he says, Lord, I'll go. Send me, Lord, to the Lord.

Have you had that type of expression to the Lord lately? That you stand before him and say, Lord, send me. There's people who are hurting and they need to know your love. Send me, Lord. Lord, there's people in situations. There's trouble in marriages. There's things taking place. There's people who need to hear the gospel. Lord, send me. I want to be used by you. Have you made yourself available?

Now, you might try to excuse yourself for your lack of knowledge, you know, or like Moses, I stumble over my words, I'm not good with my mouth, something like that. But you know, that doesn't matter. Look what Agur says about himself in verses two and three. He says, surely I am more stupid than any man and do not have the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom nor have knowledge of the Holy One. If you ever want to have fun with some ladies.

Read through the chapter 30 together. Guys read the first verse. Girls read the even-numbered verses. And so the girls end up reading, Surely I'm more stupid than any man. Pastor Raul did that to us the other day. It was quite funny. Now, here's Agur. We don't know anything about him. Here's the first thing we learn about him. He says, I'm more stupid than any man. This is the guy who has a chapter in the Bible.

And he's more stupid than any man, he says. Now, surely, if Agur can say this about himself and have a chapter in the most important book ever written, then God can use you too. Because you're just as stupid as he is. And so am I. You know, you cannot approach God or serving God like a career. You can't have the attitude, oh, once I get the proper education and degree, then I'll start to share and minister with people.

Once I get my trained servant certificate, then I'll help usher or be in the children's ministry. Once I know the Bible perfectly, then I'll start that Bible study at that point.

place or my work or whatever. You know, you don't have these accomplishments and then, OK, now I'll start to serve the Lord. It's true that the Bible tells us to study, to show ourselves approved unto God. Second Timothy 2.15. But that does not mean that we get to a point where we say, yep, now I know everything. Now I can start to serve God. No, the more that we know about God, the more that we study his word, the more that we

The more that we realize how little we know. Amen. The closer we get to God, the more we realize I don't know anything and I can't do anything. The closer we get to God, the more we realize I need him. Absolutely. More and more. We learn that as we draw close to him, as we read his word. And I believe that's what Agra is expressing here in these verses.

He's recognizing his own weakness, his need for God, his room for growth. I am more stupid than any man and do not have the understanding of a man. I've neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the Holy One. And God says, you're perfect. I can speak through you because it's not going to be your wisdom. Then it's not going to be your intelligence. It's not going to be your strength that is brought forth and your insight that is brought forth.

But you will bring forth my word. You will bring forth what I give you. It's like the discussion that Job and God had. I would encourage you to check it out later on your own time in Job chapter 38 through 41. Basically, God tells Job, hey, you think you know what is really going on, but you don't know anything. Where were you when I created the earth? Where were you when I told the ocean how far I could go?

Where were you when I was creating the dinosaurs? Can you tell the dinosaurs where to go? Can you tell the sun when to come up and when to go down? And as God challenged him with all these things, three chapters of powerful challenges to Job, Job repented in dust and ashes, saying, hey, I thought I understood what I was talking about, but I did not. That's the right attitude for us, the right understanding.

Not that we walk around with the, I'm more stupid than anybody else. No, but we just recognize in simplicity, recognize I'm nothing without the Lord. I don't have wisdom. I don't have understanding. I don't have knowledge of the Holy One. I only have what has been given to me. I only have what God has shown me.

It's not my understanding. It's not because of me. Paul demonstrated this concept as well, this understanding of who he is. I'm sure you've heard this before, but let me share it one more time because it's so important for us to get it into our head and our hearts. 1 Corinthians 15, verse 9, Paul says, Hey, I am the least of the apostles who am not worthy to be called an apostle.

He says there, you know, because of what I did, because of the activity I was involved in, I persecuted the church. I'm the least of the apostles. All these guys are ahead of me. I'm not really worthy to be called an apostle. I am called an apostle, but I'm not worthy of it because of what I did, because of my past. Then in Ephesians chapter 3, verse 8, he describes himself as less than the least of all the saints.

Later on in his ministry, as he draws closer to the Lord, the Lord continues to speak to him. He changes his tone a little bit. He's not saying, hey, I'm the least of the apostles now. But now he says, I'm less than the least of all of the saints. I'm not just, you know, less the least among the highest servants, but I'm less than the least of all the saints, than everybody. I'm less than the least of those.

And later in his ministry in First Timothy 115, Paul says, hey, Christ Jesus came in the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. He went from the least of the apostles to less than the least of all the saints to the chief of sinners. This is Paul recognizing and understanding who he is. Not that he stopped ministering, not that he stopped his his going forward in the call that God had for him. In fact, I would argue the opposite.

He continued to press on, continued to press forward more and more as he recognized who he was and how much he needed God, how much the grace of God he needed, how important it was, how great God was. You see, it's not so important how perfect you are. It's important how well you recognize that you are not perfect.

It's not so important how much you know. It's important how well you recognize how little you know. It's not so important what your talent and ability is or what you have, but it's more important how well you recognize your need for God.

So don't wait until you're perfect. Recognize that you are not and make yourself available to God like this man, Agur. Don't wait until you know everything. Recognize that you do not and make yourself available to God. Don't let your lack of talent or ability stop you. Recognize that you need God and make yourself available to him. That is what God desires.

He wants your availability. He wants you to stand before him and say, Lord, I don't have anything to offer. I understand. I'm dumb. I don't have anything. I've messed up my life. I've had lots of problems. I have lots of issues. I have difficulties. But Lord, if you want to use me, here I am. Send me. I'll go. Lord, use me for your glory. And God says, okay.

God wants to use you. He wants to minister through you. He wants to speak his word through you. Verse four, who has ascended into heaven or descended, who has gathered the wind in his fists, who has bound the waters in a garment, who has established all the ends of the earth. What is his name and what is his son's name? If you know, as he goes on now, same line of thought, what I'm dumb, I'm stupid.

I really don't have anything to offer. Who has done these things that you've done? Who's accomplished these things? Who understands your wisdom? Who understands your creation? Who understands what I don't? But like so many other things in life, it's not what you know, but who you know. It's not what you know, but it's who you know. It's not what you can do. It's what God can do. He ends by saying, what is his name? And what is his son's name? If you know.

What is his name? What is his son's name? Anybody know? Jesus. I love these types of passages where you see Jesus clearly spoken about. He's talking about God. And he says, what's his son's name? The son of God, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins. He's talking about God the Father. And his son's name is Jesus Christ. And here's the point. If you know that Jesus is the son of God, then you have everything that you need to

In order to minister and speak the words of God. That's it. There's not much required. Just like believing in Jesus is what is required for salvation. Believing in Jesus is what is required for you to minister to those around you. To speak the word of God. Now, he says at the beginning of verse 4 here, who has ascended into heaven or descended? You know, I haven't. But Jesus has.

Ephesians 4.10 tells us, He who descended is also the one who ascended far above the heavens that he might fill all things. I haven't descended or ascended into heaven, but Jesus has. Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established the ends of the earth? I haven't, but God has. See, I recognize now,

Yeah, I haven't gone into heaven. I haven't created anything. It's God. It's his work. It's his power. It's his majesty that I proclaim, that I rely upon. It's not what you know, but who you know. I love this passage from Isaiah chapter 40. It's Isaiah 40 verses 28 through 31. Isaiah says this, have you not known?

Have you not heard the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. It's pretty powerful. Mighty God described there next to him. I'm more stupid than any man.

I have no knowledge or understanding. Yet, he goes on to say, he gives power to the weak. And to those who have no might, he increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall utterly fall. But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.

It's not what you know, it's who you know. And as you rely upon this great and wonderful power, incredibly awesome God, he will give you everything that you need. Even young men can faint and run out of energy and strength, but as you rely upon the Lord, you have everything that you need.

You can't rely upon your strength even if you are young. You can't rely upon your wisdom, your knowledge, your understanding. You must completely rely upon God and come to the point where you recognize I'm nothing. God is everything. I look to Him. I pray.

Pass on what he says, his word, his wisdom, his message, his truth and not my own. That is the place of Agri. That is the place that God desires you and I to be. That is all that is required. You can serve the Lord. You can share with others. You can speak to them the word of God because you have everything you need. Not in knowledge. It's not what you know.

But it's who you know. You have everything that you need in a relationship with God. Going on, verses 5 and 6. Every word of God is pure. He is a shield to those who put their trust in him. Do not add to his words lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. As you make yourself available to God, as you endeavor to serve him, this is what you need to keep in mind. Now that I recognize I really don't know anything about

Now I'm ready to share his word instead of my own because every word of God is pure. You know, every word of Jerry is not pure. The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. First and foremost, I'm wicked and deceitful. But the word of God, that's pure. It's perfect. I can share God's word with confidence because I know it's pure. Because I know that he is a shield to those who put their trust in him.

So I can live by His Word, trusting Him to fulfill it. I can share confidently His Word, knowing that those who put their trust in Him will be protected. Knowing with confidence.

Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. It doesn't matter who you are, what you've done, where you've come from. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord. I can share with confidence the gospel message. I can share with confidence the principles of God, the truths of God in doctrine as well as in application. The way that he's called us to live. And I know that as people will put their trust in him and put their trust in this word, that he will be a shield to them.

He will protect them. He will fulfill it. Every word of God is pure and perfect. Every word of God is important and it carries a promise with it. You're probably familiar with 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17. All scripture is given by inspiration of God. All scripture is given by inspiration of God. Every word...

Yeah.

It has everything. It includes everything. It's all inspired. It's what we need. The word of God is what people need to hear. This is the message that needs to be delivered. It has the words of correction and instruction, the words of healing, the words of life. The word of God is sufficient. No matter what the problem is, no matter who the person is, the word of God is sufficient.

Regardless of upbringing, of race, of gender, whoever, whenever, the Word of God has what we need to share, what we need to hear, and what we need to live by. Are you ministering to young people? Are you sharing with older people? Are you helping someone with marriage issues? Are you encouraging a co-worker? Are you sharing the Gospel? No matter what situation you're in, the Word of God is sufficient for the task at hand.

The word of God is what is required for everyone, for every age, for every situation. The word of God is sufficient for the task. And so he says, do not add to his words. You don't need to add to his words because it's sufficient. But do not add to his words lest you be rebuked. Now, it does not mean that we don't expound or share about the word, but it means that we don't add content.

Nobody can say in truth. You can claim and say anything you want, but nobody can say in truth. You know, this book is thousands of years old. It was good for then, but things are different now. Things don't work that way any longer. We know more now. And so there's these other things that we need to do. There's these other things that you need to know. No, it doesn't matter what century you're in.

It could be 10,000 years later. This is the pure and perfect word of God. It is truth. Don't add anything to it lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. See, if you add to the word of God and you say, look, you also need to know this. There's these things that you need to take into consideration. You'll be rebuked and found out to be a liar. Maybe not in this life.

But you're a liar if you say, if you believe, if you think, if you teach, if you share that the word of God does not have everything that a person needs. It's sufficient for the work of God. It's sufficient for life, for godliness. Don't mess with the word of God. Nobody can truly say that Jesus, you know, he didn't have all the information that we have now. So you can disregard that or you need to also know this. No, no.

Don't mess with the word of God. Don't add to his words lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. Don't add to it. Don't remove from it. It is sufficient for all that we need. Second Peter chapter one, verse three says his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue. One of my favorite verses, I'm sure I've shared it with you many, many times.

Everything that you need, everything that your neighbor needs, everything that your coworker needs, everything that the youth group needs, everything that the convalescent home needs, everything that everybody needs for life and godliness is found through the knowledge of him, through the word of God. Everything is found. It's sufficient. Whatever you're going through, whoever you're sharing with, whatever ministry you're involved in,

Be faithful and consistent in the word of God. It has everything you need for yourself and for others. So this is the introduction of this man, Agur, which I believe God has some important lessons for us. You don't have to be a somebody. You don't have to be well-known. You don't have to be prominent. You just have to recognize who you are next to God.

Nothing. Nobody. We've not ascended to heaven. We've not created the earth. He has. And as we recognize who he is, then we can rely upon him and share his wisdom, his word, his message, and not our own. And that is all that's required to be used of God. This guy was a nobody, as far as we know, as far as we're concerned. Yet he has a chapter in the most important book ever written.

You may think I'm a nobody, but God says, you know, I want to use you to do more than anybody else ever has done. I want to use you to accomplish things that you can't believe. I want to use you to minister, to touch hearts, to change lives. I want to use you. Incredible.

Let's continue on. Verses 7 through 9. Now we're continuing on and touching on a whole bunch of different issues and subjects. And so we'll continue just to hit these kind of quickly as we go through here. Verses 7 through 9. Two things I request of you. Here's this prayer to God. Do not deprive me.

Sorry, deprive me not before I die. Remove falsehood and lies far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food allotted to me. Lest I be full and deny you and say, who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

Profane the name of my God. This is a guy who has a real relationship with God, who's really concerned how he represents the Lord, how he makes the Lord look, how he continues on in his relationship with him. And this is his prayer. Now, on Sunday...

I shared with you one of the definitions of harpazo, the Greek word for caught up, was the forceful and violent removal. And how for the when the rapture takes place for some Christians, it may be a forceful and violent removal because their roots are deep in this world.

And I think that this prayer is a great challenge for us to test how deep our roots go down in this life, how stuck we are to this world, how hard of a grasp and a hold we have in this world, in this life. The prayer basically has two elements. Number one, remove falsehood and lies from me.

Lord, don't let me be lying. Don't let me be deceitful. Keep those things from me. And number two, his prayer says, give me only what I need. Only exactly what I need. Basically, he's saying this. If I'm lying or deceiving, doing anything that's not of you, remove it from me. And let me share with you, if you have to lie or deceive God,

If you have to keep things hidden from your spouse or from your parents, you need to repent. Whatever it is that you are doing that you have to hide, it's wrong. If you have to hide it, know that it's wrong and you shouldn't be involved in it. He says, keep falsehood and lies far from me.

Whatever I need to do, whatever is required so that I'm not involved in lying and deceiving and covering up things. Lord, keep that from me. But also give me only what I need. That's the second part of the prayer. He says, I don't want poverty, nor do I want riches. I just want enough to provide for the food that I need. Is that my attitude towards money and material things? Is that your attitude towards

Towards money and material things. Lord, just give me exactly what I need, not less and not more. Now, he goes on to explain here, hey, if I'm full, then you know what might happen is I might deny the Lord. If I am sufficient, if I have everything that I need, kind of an abundance, if I have an overflow, then I might deny the Lord. I might...

Look to myself and my own resources and what I have rather than looking and relying upon the Lord. It's what Jesus warned about in Mark chapter 10. Remember the rich man who came to him wanting to know how to inherit the eternal life? And Jesus knew, hey, his roots are deep. So he told him, here's what you hear. If you want to inherit the kingdom of God, go sell everything you have and give it all to the poor. Then come follow me.

And it says in Mark 10, 22, but he was sad at this word and went away sorrowful for he had great possessions. And those great possessions had him. He couldn't let him go. So he could not rely upon the Lord. He ended up denying the Lord and walking away sorrowful.

This is what Agur says, I don't want that in my life. I don't want to have so much that I look to myself and not to the Lord. Lord, keep me in the middle. I don't want to be abundantly rich. I don't want to have all that I need because then I won't rely upon you. But Lord, also, I don't want to have poverty because if I'm in poverty, I may steal out of desperation and profane your name.

I may cause people to say, look, God doesn't provide for his people. Or I may cause people to say, look, he doesn't walk with the Lord and the Lord can't keep him and provide for his needs. And so Agra says, look, whatever it takes, Lord, keep me from denying you. Keep me from profaning you and causing others to profane your name. I just want to be right in the middle.

And it's a good challenge for us. Is that where you want to be in life? Can you honestly and sincerely pray this prayer? Lord, don't give me riches. Don't give me too much that I don't deny you. Lord, keep me from poverty that I don't profane your name. In Philippians chapter 4 verse 11, Paul says, Hey, I've learned to be content. Why?

Well, he goes on to say, I know how to be abased. I know how to abound everything and all things, to be full, to be hungry, to abound, to suffer need. He says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. He's learned to be content because his reliance is upon Jesus Christ. His strength is the Lord. And so he can do all things through Jesus Christ. So, Lord, give me just enough for the food that I need.

Give me just enough for the transportation and housing that I need. Not too much that I don't trust you. Not too little that I profane your name. If you want to bless me with more, Lord, I'm open. You know what I can handle, but I don't want to have anything that would cause me to stop relying upon you. Good heart check for us. How deep are your roots? Are you willing to trust the Lord, to be in his hands? Not to have too much.

Maybe not to have all of the comforts that others have. Maybe not to have all of the buffers and the fallbacks that others have, but to be in the center of where God wants you, that you trust in him and not in yourself, not in your wealth, not in your riches, not in your pantry, but in him. Verse 10, do not malign a servant to his master, lest he curse you and you be found guilty.

The idea here is that you're not to accuse someone of something which you really don't have any evidence of. If you accuse them wrongfully, then you may be found guilty of bringing a false accusation. The general idea here is that you're not to meddle with other people's servants. And I think there's some important principles there for us as Christians because we so quickly accuse each other and judge each other by our own standards.

Paul has some great words to share about this in Romans chapter 14. I would encourage you to spend some time in that later. Let's go on, verses 11 through 14.

There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother. There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness. There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes, and their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and whose fangs are like knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

There's a generation, Agur says, a group of people, a type of people in this world. And unfortunately, many times in the church, there is these types of people. Let's look at them for just a moment that we may learn not to practice these things or be this type of people.

Now, of course, we would often think that this could never describe me. It's talking about someone else, perhaps, or the church down the street. But as you look at the Pharisees in the New Testament, you can see that they were doing these very things and yet were very religious. I would encourage you, I would challenge you to spend some time in Matthew chapter 23, compare what Jesus says about the Pharisees to the things here and find that

All of these cases, all of these scenarios, Jesus says of the Pharisees, look, you guys, you're really blowing it. Woe to you, Pharisees, because you have this outward show, all this religion, yet in your heart, there's great wickedness. The first symptom of this type of people is that there's these people that curse father and do not bless mother. God is very concerned with how we treat our elders, especially our parents.

So much so that he included it as part of the Ten Commandments because he's very serious about it. Are you aware that there's not very many commands that are included in the Ten Commandments? You know how many commandments are included in the Ten Commandments? Only ten. They're the top ten. The ten most important. The ten that God says, these are what I'm more concerned about than anything else. And number six is honor your father and mother.

God really wants you to do that. Exodus chapter 20 verse 12. Honor your father and mother that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees about this. Specifically in Mark 7 9 through 13. He rebuked them about this. And so I would encourage you. Guard yourself from this. Take some time to bless and honor your parents. Second symptom.

They think that they are pure, but really they're filthy. It's pure in their own in its own eyes, he says, that it's not washed from its filthiness. And Matthew chapter 23, Jesus says, hey, you cleanse the outside of the cup, but inside you're full of extortion and self-indulgence. You're full of yourself. There's wickedness on the inside. Oh, the outside looks nice and pretty, but the inside is filthy.

Pure in your own eyes. You may be good at looking clean, looking religious. You may even think that you're pure, but you need to recognize that you're filthy like the rest of us. So if you think you're clean, repent, confess, turn from sin, stop justifying it, and allow God to do that work within you. The third symptom is that they're full of pride. He says, oh, how lofty are their eyes and their eyelids are lifted up. They're full of pride.

They've got the stuck up attitude. I'm better than others. Now, unfortunately, Christians can often have this type of attitude. Hey, we're holier than you. Or sometimes we take great pride in what we do for God. Like we're owed something. Like we're so valiant and wonderful because of what we do for God. This is how the Pharisees felt.

They were full of pride. They put on wonderful shows, Jesus says in Matthew 23. They do all their works to be seen by men. It's all just a show, a charade that they're putting on. Don't be full of pride. Humble yourself and serve others. The fourth symptom is

was they destroy people's lives. How? Well, by the tongue, by their mouth, whose teeth are like swords, whose fangs are like knives, to devour the poor from off the earth and the needy from among men. They take advantage, they destroy people's lives. Either with the tongue, which is very powerful, we've talked about it many times throughout the book of Proverbs, or by taking advantage of the poor and needy. The Pharisees were devouring widows' houses, Jesus said in Matthew 23, 14.

Again, illustrating we're all susceptible. Any one of us could be involved in these things. There is this generation today. There's this type of people today. Don't be like that. Don't destroy people's lives with your tongue, with your business practices or anything else. Your job is to love, to serve, to build up, to edify and to strengthen. Verses 15 and 16. The leech has two daughters, give and give.

There are three things that are never satisfied. Four never say enough. The grave, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire never says enough. These verses are fairly curious. There's much discussion as to what they mean.

There's a lot of things that we could look at and a lot of really what he has to say. And as we continue on in the chapters is similar to this. He uses this similar format, these three things and four. It's really just a poetic way of pointing out the similarities and things and emphasizing that. So it sticks out in your mind. In these verses here, he's illustrating different things that are never satisfied. The things that never have enough. The grave is.

You know, no one ever is unable to die because there's not room in the grave. Because there's not enough room for anyone else to die. It's not taking place. There's always room for more people to die.

The barren womb is never satisfied until it's not barren. It's never satisfied until it brings forth the earth. Always thirst for more water. Fire will continue to burn as long as the materials are there. If a fire goes out, it's not because of, you know, I just kind of got tired of burning. I was just tired of burning, you know. There's more to burn, but I just got tired. I was done. I had enough. No, if there's more to burn, it'll keep burning. As long as there's fuel, there will be fire.

I was hearing on the news here in Southern California they're preparing for a really bad year for fires.

Because of the lack of rain, because of the heat and the possible wind and so on, that it's just really in a bad situation. So they're really staffing up and getting ready for a bad fire season because fires are not satisfied. If the fires would get to a certain point and be satisfied, there wouldn't be such an issue. Just wait, just a couple more ounces of material and it'll be finished. It'll die out.

No, it's never satisfied. And that's the point of all these things that he's talking about. These things continue to thirst and are not satisfied. Now, all four of these things are used to illustrate the leech. Literally, it's the bloodsucker, also described as the horse leech, which I've never heard of. But the leech has two daughters, he says, give and give. Same name.

Same concept. They're never satisfied. They never say enough. And so here's what I believe this proverb is about. Discontentedness breeds more discontentedness. Look, if you're stingy and selfish, if you're a bloodsucker, you will never be satisfied. You'll have daughters.

Named give and give and keep on giving and keep on giving and keep on giving. You will never be satisfied. You will continue to be less and less content. You'll continue to thirst more and more. Be less and less satisfied. And so the point is to be content and satisfied with what you have. If you are not content and satisfied now, you never will be. If you're not content with who you're married to,

Or the fact that you're not married. If you're not content with the car that you have. If you're not content in the house that you live in. If you're not content with this church. You never will be content no matter what. Anywhere you go. Go anywhere you want. Get any kind of car you want. Get the house that you want. If you're not content now, you never will be. Decisions that you make because of discontentedness will not make you content and satisfied. You will always be wanting more. Something else.

Even to the point of the destruction of yourself and everyone around you. Verse 17. Again.

God is serious about his commands. Honor your father and mother. Now this is a pretty graphic description of what would happen to a young person who is disobedient. You can check it out in Deuteronomy chapter 21. God's command, God's law said this. Look, if your son's disobedient, if your child's disobedient, if you've tried to correct them and they don't listen, then take them to the gate and have all the men of the city stone them to death. How would you like to enact that law today? And so...

Being put to death, the ravens of the valley will pick out their eyes. The young eagles will eat it. They'll be not fish food, but bird food, I guess, laid to waste. You know, you can't be disobedient to God and get away with it. He's serious about his commands, and he will see that justice is done. Verses 18 and 19.

There are three things which are too wonderful me, yes, four, which I do not understand. The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a virgin. Again, some curious verses. Here's what Agur is saying. These things are too wonderful. They're beyond understanding. And what is it really that he's talking about here? What does all of this mean? I think the focus and the key here is the words, the way, right?

He gives it in each example, the way of the eagle, the way of the serpent, the way of a ship, the way of a man. This word way, it's a word that means road, path or journey. The road of the eagle or the road of the serpent, the road of the ship, the road of the man or the path of the journey. When you watch an eagle in the air, you know, you cannot know which way it will go.

Nor can you tell which way it came from. There's no path or road that you can follow. It's beyond our understanding. Where did it come from? I don't know. It's there. That's all I know is it's right there where I can see it. Where's it going?

Well, I don't know. We can't tell which direction it's going to go. We can't tell which direction it came from, how it got there. There's no marking. It's not like the jets that fly through. They've got the smoke behind them that you can spell out things. You can tell where it's been, right? But with an eagle, you don't know where it's been. There's no trail, no hint of where it's come from. Same thing with a serpent on a rock.

If it was in the dirt, you would be able to tell. You could follow the tracks, the slither marks of where that snake came from. But a snake on a rock, no evidence. How did it get there? What direction did it come from? I don't know. It's there. That's all I know. Which direction is it going to go? I don't know. And I won't be able to tell which way it went because there's no markings. There's no way to tell which way it went. A ship in the sea. Did you ever watch Finding Nemo?

He's chasing the boat, chasing the boat pretty soon. Where'd it go? Which direction did it go? The evidence is quickly gone. And after a few moments, you can't tell which direction the boat has gone. All of these things are an illustration to the fact that they don't leave a trail to follow, nor can you really tell where they will go. There's no roads or paths. They'll go in a direction that seems right to them. But how about the way of a man with a virgin or the way of a man with a maiden?

Following the same line of thought. You can't tell where he came from or where he's going. You ever heard of a father asking, now, what are your intentions? Where are you going? That's what I want to know. It's hard to tell. Or you ever had friends ask you, so what exactly do you see in her? Where are you coming from? We can't really tell. There's lots of fish in the sea. Why that one? Can't tell. It's too wonderful. It's beyond understanding. Okay, so understanding that.

Let's assume these things. But here's the real question. What's all the point of writing that? So what do we learn from that? And here's what I think we learn. I think we learn what we find when we contrast with the next verse. Verse 20. This is the way. Same word. This is the road, the path, the journey of an adulterous woman. She eats and wipes her mouth and says, I have done no wickedness. Here's the point.

All these things, you can't really tell where they've gone or where they're going. It's just, they're just kind of there. And the adulterous woman tries to follow the same pattern. She tries to follow the same path in removing all the evidence of her sin. She tries to remove all the traces of where she's been. She eats, Agra says, but she wipes her mouth. You ever have the chocolate stains on your teeth give you away?

She eats, but she wipes her mouth to make sure, okay, all right, I look good. Can't tell I did anything. She tries to remove the traces, just like the eagle, just like the serpent, just like the ship, that you can't tell where they've been or where they're going. No trace of her being there. And that is our natural tendency. We talked about this two weeks ago in Proverbs 28.

Proverbs 28, 13, he who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. If you cover your sins, you will not prosper. But here's the thing. It's our natural tendency. It's what Adam did in the garden. He sowed the fig leaves, covered himself. Moses buried the dead Egyptian in the sand. We try to cover it up, remove all the evidence. God says that is not prosperous. You won't prosper that way.

Instead, confess, forsake, and you will have mercy. Let's go on, verses 21 through 23. For three things the earth is perturbed. Yes, for four it cannot bear up. For a servant when he reigns, a fool when he's filled with food, a hateful woman when she's married, and a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.

Again, some curious things. But these things, what he says is these things are all out of place. They're perturbing or irritating. They don't belong. Servants aren't supposed to reign. They're supposed to serve. Fools should not be rewarded for foolishness. So they should not be fooled.

Hateful women should not be entrusted with the family and should not be married. Maid servants should not become the head of the house nor capture the heart of the husband. They shouldn't succeed their mistress. They're all out of place. They're irritating. They're hard to bear. Yet sometimes it will happen and destruction follows. We need to remember our place. We're called not to reign but to serve.

And we could look on and on. Luke chapter 17, verses 7 through 10. John chapter 13. We're called to be servants. We're called to serve and to minister. Know your place. Know where God has you, where God has placed you. To try to be where God has not called you to be is destructive. It's hard to bear. It's irritating. It doesn't work. Verses 24 through 28. There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise and

The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer. The rock badgers are a feeble folk, yet they make their homes in the crags. The locusts have no king, yet they all advance in ranks. The spider skillfully grasps with his hands, and it is in kings' palaces. Here's four more things. These things are small, they're weak, they're feeble, but it seems...

but they are very wise. Ants, he says, they're not strong, but you know, they prepare their food ahead of time. Rock badgers, they're feeble, but they make their homes in the rocks. Can you do that? The locusts, they don't have a king, but they move in ranks. There's no authority, but they move in ranks. They walk in unison. They fly in unison. The spider, or the translation there is a little bit disputed. It could be lizard.

Other translations also say that instead of skillfully grasped with its hands, that it can be grasped with the hand or that you can catch it with your hand. So the idea is, hey, the lizards or spiders, you can catch them with your hand, but they're found in king's palaces. The point here is that these are all little creatures. They're not really spectacular, but they show remarkable wisdom. What it's really saying for us is that we have no excuse.

We have way more advantages than the ant, than the rock badger, than the locust, than the spider or lizard. We need to be wise. We need to be diligent and prepare ahead of time and plan ahead. We need to look ahead at what's going on. We need to make our homes, even if it's difficult, we need to establish them, even if it's in the rocks. We need to be in unison. We need to be united, to march in ranks, to be orderly.

We need to be wise. We have way more advantages than these other creatures. Verse 29 through 31. There are three things which are majestic in pace. Yes, four which are stately in walk. A lion which is mighty among beasts and does not turn away from any. A greyhound, a male goat also, and a king whose troops are with him.

He describes here four creatures that are bold, that are confident, that move with a bit of arrogance and no signs of fear. The lion, he says, does not turn away from any. Maybe he didn't watch Wizard of Oz. The greyhound, or some translations say the rooster, struts boldly. None can stand in his path. The male goat. I'm not familiar with the walk of a male goat. So maybe if you are, you could share that with me afterwards. And then the king. The king.

Who's with his troops. Now, I think it's interesting that all the animals are alone. You know, the lion's by himself, the rooster's by himself, the male goat's by himself. But the king has to have his troops around him to be able to strut his stuff and walk boldly. But what's the point? So what if they walk this way?

Again, I think we find the point in the next verses, verse 32 and 33. If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth, for as the churning of milk produces butter and wringing the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife. The point is, if you are not a lion, which I don't think any of you are, if you're not a greyhound or a rooster or a male goat, or if you're not a king with your troops, then you better be careful how you walk.

If you're not one of those and you've been exalting yourself, watch out. If you've been strutting your stuff, watch out. If you've been walking that way but you're not one of those, you've got to be careful. Or if you've planned evil, watch out. Because if you exalt yourself, if you devise evil, if you walk proudly, you'll be producing strife for yourself. As surely as the churning of milk produces butter.

Now this is thousands of years after this was written. Does the churning of milk make butter? Yeah. So, the forcing of wrath produces strife. Exalting yourself, devising evil, you're making strife, causing trouble for yourself, hurting yourself, hurting those around you. Does the ringing of nose produce blood? You want to see a live demonstration?

Thousands of years later, it's still true. The principle is still the same. Look, if you are exalting yourself, if you're full of yourself, if you're relying upon yourself, if you're looking to yourself, if you're planning evil, if you're involved in sin, you're making and producing strife for yourself, for those around you. Again, we see the principle is true. You reap what you sow, Galatians 6, 7 and 8.

This man, Agur, some wonderful things to share, great thoughts to meditate on. I would encourage you, as God has spoken to you this evening in different areas, to take some time. Ask God to do a work in your heart. Rely upon him. Draw close to him. But I end with the exhortation that I gave in the beginning. He was nobody, nothing. We never hear from him again. And maybe that's how you feel. The Christian world,

In this church, it's hard to be a nobody in this church. We all know each other. But I'm just a nobody. I don't have anything special. No incredible gifts. I don't sing like Royce, you know. I don't beat people up like Cisco. Well, I don't have special gifts and talents and abilities. I don't have these great, fantastic, spectacular things. God says, you're perfect. Go to Idaho. I can use you there.

You're perfect. I'm sending someone to your door. Wait for the knock. I want you to share with it. You're perfect. I have this task for you. God wants to use you. He wants to use you to speak his word, to share his message, to deliver his word. Words of healing, words of hope, words of life, the gospel message, maybe words of correction and instruction. He wants to use you not to give your wisdom, not to give your insight, but to give you

But he wants you to come to the place, okay, Lord, I know who I am. I'm a man of unclean lips. I live with a people of unclean lips. We're filthy. We're wretched. Lord, we desperately need you. We don't know anything. You are God. We're not. And the Lord says, okay, now you're ready. See, you understand it's not your strength, your wisdom, your insight that can help these people. It's my word.

And when you're willing to share God's word and not your own, when you make yourself available and say, Lord, here I am, he will send you. Remember what Jesus said to the disciples? He said, look, the work is plentiful. It's not that there's a lack of things to do, a lack of people to minister to, a lack of hearts to touch. The work is plentiful. There is so much to do for the kingdom of God. He wants to use you.

Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers, including yourself. Be available. All you need is to recognize who you are and be willing to share the perfect word of God. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I do pray, Lord, that you would send out laborers. Lord, to our community. Lord, to the workplaces that are represented here, to the families that are represented here. Lord, to all the places where we'll be going, the stores we'll be shopping in.

The neighborhoods that we live in, God, send forth laborers into the field to minister to the lost, to help the hurting, to give hope to the hopeless. Lord, to share your word. Lord, we understand and recognize that we're nothing. It's not our abilities. It's not our great insight. It's not our wonderful wisdom. But Lord, you want to use us so that you get all the glory. You want to use us, Lord, so that the people...

that are ministered to hear not the wisdom of man, but the word of God. And so, God, we do ask that you would help us to be diligent, to study, to show ourself approved, Lord, that we would know your word, that we would be familiar with it, that we would live by it, and Lord, that we would encourage others in it because it's pure and perfect. And as we trust you, as we trust your word, we know you'll be faithful to fulfill all that is written in it. We thank you, Jesus.

It's in your precious name we pray. Amen.