Big Idea: Life doesn’t flow from the outside in; it flows from the inside out
Sexual Lust (Pr. 5:15-19; 6:20-32)
Greed (Pr. 11:24-28)
Envy (Pr. 14:30; 23:17-18)
Gluttony & Drunkenness (Pr. 23:19-21, 29-35; 25:16, 27)
Laziness (Pr. 6:6-11; 24:30-34)
Proverbs Wisdom Applied: Conflict
Big Idea: To resolve life’s daily conflicts, we desperately need God’s daily wisdom
1. Go higher (Pr. 17:14; 19:11; 25:21-22)
2. Get real (Pr. 18:13; 19:20; 28:13)
3. Gently engage (Pr. 10:18; 15:1; 25:15; 26:23-26; 27:5-6; 28:23)
4. Get together (Pr. 10:12; 11:12-13; 17:9)
Proverbs Wisdom Applied: Pride & Humility
Big Idea: Destruction marches behind pride; grace follows in the quiet steps of humility
1. Destruction marches behind pride (Pr. 11:2; 15:25; 16:18-19; 18:12a; 21:4; 29:23a)
2. Grace follows in the quiet steps of humility (Pr. 15:33; 18:12b; 22:4; 29:23)
Proverbs Wisdom Applied: Wealth
Big Idea: Our problem with wealth is that we think too small, not too big
1. Shortcuts are small. Faithful earning is big.
2. Greed is small. Contentment is big.
3. Selfishness is small. Generosity is big.
Proverbs Wisdom Applied: Words
Big Idea: Words hold the power to either destroy or build up—use them wisely
1. The power of our words
2. The power of silence, listening and timing
3. The power of God’s Word
Proverbs Wisdom Applied: Family
Big Idea: The wise know family matters much, but not most
1. Marriage matters (Pr. 2:16-17; 12:4; 19:14; 21:19; 27:15-16; 31:10-11, 28-31)
2. Children and parents matter (Pr. 22:6, 15; 23:22-25; 30:17)
3. What matters MOST (Pr. 14:26; 1 Tim. 3:14-16)
Proverbs Wisdom Applied: Friendship
Big Idea: Friendship is part of God’s design for a fruitful life—not a distraction from it
A good friend gives...
1. Constant Love (Pr. 17:17; 18:24; 27:10)
2. Honest Counsel (Pr. 27:6, 9, 17; 28:23)
3. Safe Cover (17:9)
Wisdom's Feast (Pr 9)
Big Idea: Wisdom is a feast for those who fully commit themselves to it
1. Wisdom’s feast is bountiful and life-giving (9:1-6)
2. Folly’s feast is phony and deadly (9:13-18)
3. Wisdom’s blessing is only for the committed (9:7-12)
A Mother's Wisdom (Pr 8)
Big Idea: Wisdom is a beautiful, loving mother who offers us life if we will just listen
This mother is...
1. Impartial (8:1-9)
2. Precious (8:10-11)
3. Prudent (8:12-13)
4. Generous (8:14-21)
5. Work of God in Creation (8:22-31)
6. Not To Be Ignored (8:32-36)
The Lectures of a Loving Father (Pr 1-7)
Big Idea: We are wise to listen to our Father’s lectures because they are full of love and life
Ten Parental Lectures: 1:8–19; 2:1–22; 3:1–12, 21–35; 4:1–9, 10–27; 5:1–23; 6:1–5, 20–35; 7:1–27
Address: “My son...”
Charge: “Listen up...”
Motivation: “This is good for you...”
Imperative: “Do this/don’t do that”
Summary: “Wickedness leads to death, righteousness leads to life”
The Foundation for Wisdom (Pr. 1:1-7)
Big Idea: Proverbs reveals our need for wisdom and where we can find it
The wisdom of Proverbs...
1. Originates with a young, wise king (1:1)
2. Gives knowledge and skill to the young and inexperienced (1:2-4)
3. Invites the teachable to learn well (1:5-6)
4. Founded on the fear of the LORD (1:7)
Seeing the Risen Christ (Luke 24:13-35)
Big Idea: To truly see the risen Christ, you must first believe in the suffering Christ
1. Blinded by false expectations (24:13-24)
2. Blinded by unbelief (24:25-27)
3. Believing is seeing (24:28-35)
Victory, Confidence & Protection (1 Jn 5:4-21)
Big Idea: Eternal life in Jesus is our victory, our confidence and our protection
In Jesus we have...
Victory over the world because we believe God’s testimony (5:4-12)
Confidence in prayer because we ask and God hears us (5:14-17)
Protection from the devil because we know the real God (5:18-21)
God is Love (1 Jn 4:7-5:3)
Big Idea: Those who know God love like God because God is love
Those who love like God...
Receive his love that came down to them (4:9-11)
Remain in his love that lives in them (4:12-19)
Reciprocate his love that flows out of them (4:20-5:3)
Test the Spirits (1 Jn 4:1-6)
Big Idea: God gives us his Spirit so we can confidently detect truth and error
Do they confess the real Christ? (4:2-3)
Do they listen to God’s message? (4:5-6)
Testing the spirits today:
What do they believe?
How do they walk?
Who do they love?
Genuine Christian Love (1 Jn 3:11-24)
Big Idea: Genuine Christians are known by genuine Christian love
Christian love...
Resists hate (3:12-15)
Gives itself (3:16-17)
Walks in truth (3:18-24)
God's Confident Kids (1 Jn 2:28-3:10)
Big Idea: God’s kids can have confidence they are his because they have the family traits
God’s kids...
Purify themselves in the hope of God’s love (3:1-3)
Do right because they know Jesus, the Righteous One (3:4-7)
Cannot imitate the devil because God’s DNA is in them (3:8-10)
The Real Christ (1 Jn 2:18-27)
Big Idea: It’s the last hour, so make sure you have the real Christ.
The Real (2:20–21, 24–25, 27)
Anointing
Truth
Promise—eternal life
Remain in Jesus!
Love God, Not the World (1 Jn 2:12-17)
Big Idea: Your restored relationship with God requires you to reject a relationship with the world
Your relationships:
Restored with God (2:12-14)
Rejecting the world (2:15-17)
Eternal Life Begins with Jesus (1 Jn 1:1-4)
Big Idea: Eternal life begins with Jesus
Jesus is eternal life embodied (1:1-2)
Jesus is eternal life embraced (1:3)
Jesus is eternal life enjoyed (1:4)