“A Mother’s Teaching or the Gaining of the World”
Proverbs 1:8-19
INTRODUCTION What is the Meaning of Proverbs 1.8-9.Part 2.mothers day 2018
Please turn to Proverbs 1 on this Mother’s day. King Solomon, about 1000 years before Christ, wrote most of the book of Proverbs. He is largely considered to have been the wisest mortal man in the history of the world … and one who had great respect for his mother.
Solomon’s mom is Bathsheba. In 1 Kings 2:19, Bathsheba comes to her son, the King of the nation of Israel, King Solomon. She has a special request of him. 1 Kings 2:19 [says this…] So Bathsheba went to King Solomon …And the king arose to meet her, bowed before her, and sat on his throne; then he had a throne set for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right.
King Solomon showed great honor to his mother. And he knew his mother’s past and how she became his mother, by committing adultery with David. He knew what had happened to her first husband, Uriah and how his dad David had murdered him and basically stole his mom.
Bathsheba was not exactly a woman with a godly past, yet the wisest man on the face of the planet respects and honors his mother. No matter what the spiritual condition of your mother, honor her today and every day.
We are in Proverbs chapter 1. Our main text will be verses 8-9, although we’ll dip into verses 10-19 as well. Let’s read Proverbs 1:8-9 8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction And do not forsake your mother’s teaching; 9 Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck.
First, a mother’s teaching in verse 8. Second also in verse 8, the command to children to listen to their mother’s instruction. Third, the choice: either the reward from following a mother’s instruction instruction v.9 OR the gaining of the world in verses 10-19. You can either get the reward of a mother’s teaching or get the reward of gaining the whole world.
So which is it, young people: “A Mother’s Teaching or Gaining the World.”
A main focus in the book of Proverbs is in verse seven. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…
God’s goal for His people in the book of Proverbs is fruitful wisdom. What kind of tree produces the fruit of godly wisdom? It is the kind of tree that has “fear of the Lord” written on its roots. The young person who reverences God and is afraid of disobeying him and enjoys respecting Him and His Word … that kind of young person produces the godly fruit of wisdom.
So if the fear of the Lord are the roots and wisdom is the fruit and, then what is the trunk? The way it works in Proverbs is that the trunk that nourishes that fruit is family instruction. For children, there will not be the fruit of wise living without family instruction.
TRANS: So, first, in verse 8, a Mother’s Teaching.
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A Mother Teaches (Prov. 1:8)
Proverbs 1:8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching;
Your fathers instruction. That word for “instruction” is an intense word for teaching. It includes the idea of discipline. Dad’s are more known for their discipline-oriented focus in parenting, and rightly so. Sometimes a more “hands-on” approach to godly living…
But concerning the mother when children are commanded “do not forsake your mother’s teaching…” The word for “teaching” is literally the word Torah. Strangely, the word Torah is used elsewhere used in the Scripture to refer to the first five books of the Old Testament. How can the mother have her Torah, her teaching, and God has His Torah, His first 5 books of the Bible?
God has his Torah [*left finger*] and your mother has hers [*right finger*]! But in reality, for godly Jews, they were to be one and the same [*together*]. A mother’s teaching is to be the Bible! Because parents were commanded in Deuteronomy 6:6-9 6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
So a mother’s teaching [*right finger*] and the teaching of Scripture [*left finger*] is, really, one and the same thing [together].
APP: Therefore, as parents, we must have God’s Word on our lips. God’s word, taught and lived, should be our primary influence upon our children.
But in our Western culture and even in Christianity today, much of the influence in the lives of young people are their unsaved public school teachers, fellow foolish classmates, and the entertainment industry: TV, videos, internet, magazines, and video games. Is that our primary influence?
But God’s plan for young people is that godly parents, saturated with God’s word, are to be the major influence.
EXP: So this is an appeal from a father to his child to listen to his mother. “My son hear your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.”
APP: Fathers, appeal to your children to listen to the wisdom of their mothers. Young people, fully expect your parents to tell you to listen to them; that’s the example of this passage. You would fully expect godly parents to tell you to do that. You would not necessarily get that from parents who do not know the Lord. Godly parents tell their children to listen to them as verses 8-9, here.
ILL: You wouldn’t hear your godly parents saying, “I don’t care how late you stay out; stay out as late as you want.” “You want to borrow my new car? You want to borrow my credit card?” “Hey, when you leave the house, make sure you turn on all the lights.” “Could you leave the front door open for a couple hours?” Never would your godly mom say to her teenage son, “I like that girl, you should date her immediately.” Or “What about the creepy guy with the motorcycle; he’s cute.” Why not go to Tahiti for spring break? Or “Make sure you get your video games done before reading your Bible.” “Your 16, you pretty much know everything now.” “Sure, I think 18 is a great age to get married.” ” OR “Make sure you get the highest paying job that keeps you away from church and family in order to be able to buy all the stuff you’d ever want.”[1] Godly parents don’t give that example nor do they obviously, teach that.
ARG: And yes, both parents are there to teach. For example the last chapter of the book of Proverbs, in Proverbs 31, you ladies may be familiar with. It is this Proverbs 31-woman, with those impossible standards that every woman tries to live up to.
We take that chapter the wrong way; it’s actually guidance for men! That chapter is a mother’s instruction to her son who is a king on what to look for in a godly wife. So mothers, please teach … teach Proverbs 31 to your son, and the rest of Scripture for that matter! That’s the kind of woman they are to look for. So, mothers, please teach your children.
ARG: And another example of a mom teaching her son in Scripture is found in 2 Timothy 3.
Paul urges Timothy to keep going on the path of his mother’s teaching …
2 Timothy 3:14-15 14 You [Timothy], however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Paul urges Timothy to keep going on the path of his mother’s teaching. He has learned the truth of Christ, in part, from his mom!
APP: Young person, realize it or not, your godly mother is teaching you how to live. Mom teaches more than just math and cooking and how to work hard. God’s design is that you look to your mother to follow her godly example. Mothers are, by God’s design, a source of wisdom for you, either from the Scripture or from a life lived for God.
TRANS: So, a godly mother teaches. And secondly, a child listens. From verse 8 again …
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A Child Listens (Prov. 1:8)
Proverbs 1:8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching;
You can see that the child listens. “Hear, my son” or daughter, as the case may be. “Do not forsake” the teaching. The mothers godly teaching comes into the child’s ears. And if that child is godly, then those ears will welcome it and be thankful for it and use it and apply it.
So young person, always let your parent’s teaching be with you as it aligns with the teaching of Scripture.
APP: You’ll know a wise child when he attentively listens to the godly advice of his parents and desires their influence.
When the mother teaches, a wise child will not say “Ah, come on mom ….” Now, mother may not always teach correctly and in the best spirit, but a wise child still receives the wisdom that’s found in the teaching.
A wise young person in the home realizes that his inexperience in life can lead him down the wrong path. Young person, do you understand that your inexperience in life can lead you down the wrong path? It is wise to be dependent on the spiritual leaders God has given you.
ILL: Sometimes, young people you live as if your parents teach you that life IS always fair. Sometimes young people live as if parents really DO enjoy repeating themselves over and over again. As if they love it when the kids talk back, or you respond as if !!!no means…maybe. As if they teach “don’t put that back where you found it, leave it on the floor. It’s 10am, go back to bed. Or “whatever your friends are doing, just do the exact same thing.” You don’t need a chaperone, you don’t need a seat belt, you don’t need a savings account … “we’re going to church, but you can just sleep in.” Kids, please come in here and jump on my bed. “Hey look at your phone when I’m talking to you.” Godly parents don’t teach, “While we’re gone, mess up the whole house, please forget about the animals, and throw a few parties.” And when you’re finished pouring the milk, just leave it out on the counter all day. Thanks!”[2]
APP: Young person, listen to your parents’ godly wisdom. Parents, enforce it! And young person, pray for your parents, your mom and your dad. Pray that they have the godly wisdom in them that you need. Pray that you listen to them. Pray that you have a heart that God wants you to have toward them.
Are you thankful for your parents? They are here this morning, they are trying! And I did not ask “Are you thankful for your perfect parents.” You remember that Solomon’s mother was far from perfect, but he greatly respected her, even bowing before her because of who she was: his mother.
TRANS: And so when a mother teaches, the children listens. Thirdly, the reward.
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A Child’s Reward (Prov. 1:9)
Proverbs 1:9 9 Indeed, [young people, your father and your mother’s teaching…] are a graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck.
And we all know how young people especially are motivated by reward. We give rewards in our home. Because our children are the age that they are, we are reinforcing basic life habits, like staying in your bed when it’s bed time…always challenging. Working hard and working happily at your schoolwork and your house jobs…never easy. And when proper behaviour is demonstrated in certain circumstances, they are rewarded. When improper behaviour is demonstrated, they are also awarded in kind! Because…
Proverbs 20:11 …says…Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right.
“Even a child is known by his deeds.” Young people, you are known by your deeds, whether you live in the path of righteousness or not. That is true for even the youngest of children.
And the reward for whole-heartedly following your godly mother’s advice, counsel, and wisdom is, verse nine, Proverbs 1:9 …a graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck.
EXP: What is Solomon saying? He is saying that if you truly listen to your godly mother’s teaching, they will be your reward. Well, what kind of reward? “graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck” … as I would say to my kids, “does that mean that when you obey mom and dad and soak in their wise counsel, that out will march a graceful wreath and it’ll be plopped onto your head and paraded before you will be necklaces which hop onto your neck?” “No, dad!”
Pazli pipes up from the deep recesses of the dinner table, “It means I’ll be beautiful!” Yes, in a sense. Not in that sense, obviously. But beautiful in your life before God!
It’s similar to Proverbs 3:21–23 21 My son, [do not let wisdom and knowledge] vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22 So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck. 23 Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble.
They are life to your soul and adornment to your neck. The wisdom of a mother are life and the beauty of a life lived for God. Get her wisdom!
Proverbs 4:7–9 7 “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding. 8 “Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her. 9 “She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty.”
A life of wisdom is a life that will have with it exaltation and honor: a graceful wreath, a crown of beauty.
ILL: It’s kind of like after Joseph, in the book of Genesis, is put in prison, he’s called upon to interpret Pharaoh’s dream and after he interprets the dream, Pharaoh places him second in charge over all of Egypt.
Genesis 41:42 42 Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put the gold necklace around his neck.
Young people, as you learn to delight in your mother’s teaching and to glean what wisdom God has given to her, you’ll find yourself in a place where blessing and honour can be yours.
If you get in the habit of listening and delighting in and …can you do this? … even long for your mother’s teaching, your mother’s teaching will be to you a crown upon your head and golden chains around your neck.
Everyone will know that you walk in the way of wisdom and that your life is a crown…yes, a crown for you…and if it is a crown for you, it will also be a crown for your mother and your father as they see you living for Christ Jesus, who died and gave himself for you.
APP: Your parents are not perfect, but in God’s design for your spiritual growth, God has placed them there for you. And God can use the counsel of your fallen parents to lead you in His perfect will.
So as your parents appeal to you to turn away from the things of this world and as they plead with you to pray and to read the Bible, listen to them and do it! As they teach you about how attractive wisdom is, heed their voice!
And so listen to the voice of God through your parents as they teach you about the death of Christ and how his death is truly effective to take away all of your guilt before God. Learn to hear the words of God when your parents speak about the blessedness of freedom from the power of sin because of the resurrection of our appointed Savior. And fear, knowing, as your parents teach you, that in the last day you shall give an account. And heed your parents’ advice to turn … turn from the wickedness that is in this world.
“Lose your life for the sake of Christ and His gospel.” And know of the blessing of the reward to help you to listen receive your mother’s teaching.
TRANS: The alternative to listening and following your godly mother’s counsel and teaching is very enticing. Either you listen to your mother who gives you the Scripture, or you listen to the world.
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Or Gaining the World? (Prov. 1:10-19)
Right out of the gate in the book of Proverbs, peer pressure from the world is the focus. And we know how strong peer pressure is for young people.
Proverbs 1:10-19 10 My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. 11 If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause; 12 Let us swallow them alive like [the grave], Even whole, as those who go down to the pit; 13 We will find all kinds of precious wealth, We will fill our houses with spoil; 14 Throw in your lot with us, We shall all have one purse,” [let’s go steal stuff and we’ll split the earnings] 15 My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path, 16 For their feet run to evil And they hasten to shed blood. 17 […and I’ll give the sense of verse 17 …] From the bird’s perspective, the net is spread [with grain] for no reason … … [in other words, just like the bird doesn’t know the point of the net that is about to catch him if he eats that grain, he just cares about the grain…in the same way verse 18 …]
18 …[this gang of thieves] lies in wait for their own blood; They ambush their own lives. 19 So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence; It takes away the life of its possessors.
Think of life in the Old Testament. Life was extremely difficult. In order to have enough food to eat, the hard work required was something beyond we could think of. And so the enticement of stealing and murder for gain was much higher than today. I mean, who would catch you, the Jerusalem police department? Doesn’t exist!
As we apply that today, this would be the equivalent of following the ways of the world. This would be the same thing as observing the glitz and the glamour of those who live apart from Christ and following it, and then following that glitz and glamour like a carrot tied to a stick. “Oh, how lost people’s lives seem so attractive! They seem to be having so much fun and enjoyment while I’m stuck here living the life of a monk.”
Asaph admits this in Ps. 73, to which you could turn. Asaph, a righteous man, is tempted with the ways of this world…Psalm 73:1-3 1 Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart! 2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
He talks about their wealth and ease in life. He didn’t come to grips with a godly reality until He came to the Temple to worship…verse 16 … Psalms 73:16-17 16 When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight 17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end.
Know their end! Does that matter? It should. Their end is eternal damnation and if you desire to be a friend of the world, James 4:4 says you’ll be an enemy of God.
ILL: And if you could peel back the curtain of this world with all of its sites and sounds, entertainments, time wasters, and material pursuits, you’d see the ugliness of Satan and his demons at work.
Mothers, the life of your child is at stake. Mothers, you already feel this! But young person, you don’t feel it as much.
ILL: It’s like the frog in the proverbial frying pan. The frog doesn’t know that outside what he thinks is a frying pan, is a real fire.
“Look,” the mother frog says … “I’m telling you, if you think you’re in the frying pan now,… if you think it’s so bad now, if you jump over there, there’s fire!”
And just like that, if you can’t wait to get out from underneath the godly advice and counsel of your parents while you are still in your home, my friend, you may feel like you’re in a frying pan, but in reality you are about to jump out of the house and into the fire!
You will be tempted and tried. The sites will dazzle. Their words will be so enticing. “Come on…, come on!” You will sense from the pull of this present evil world that indeed there is pleasure in sin.
And some of our young people, I fear, will choose to play with the beast that is this world. And you will feel yourself along and enjoy pleasantries of sin that this world has to offer. And finally, one day, only when you get to the tail of that beast…. and only after the world has eaten you alive all along the way, only then will you realize that all along you have been playing with a scorpion. “You gained the whole world, but lost your own soul.” Mark 8:36
Young person, your godly mother is right here on your path of life by God’s appointment and she’s giving godly instruction. And she lifts up her voice….among all the other voices pulling for your attention…listen to her… “do not forget your mother’s teaching.” Proverbs 1:20-23 20 Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square; 21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings: 22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge? 23 “Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.
Praise the Lord for godly fathers and mothers who do not cease to plead with their children like that!
CONCLUSION What is the Meaning of Proverbs 1.8-9.Part 2.mothers day 2018
Young person, your mom loves you enough to bug you about where you are going, with whom, and what time you will get home. She loves you enough to insist that you buy that with your own money, and that you pay for it with cash. She loves you enough to be silent and to let you discover on your own, that that situation wasn’t going to work out. She loved you enough to make you return that half-eaten candy bar to the store to confess that you had stolen it. She loves you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your
room; knowing it would have only taken her fifteen minutes.
She’ll love you even if you forget to do anything for her on Mother’s Day. She loves you enough to let you see …. “the look,” yes, her disappointment, disgust and even her tears. She loves you enough not to let you make excuses for your sin. She loves you enough to let you take responsibility for your own actions at age 6, 10, or 16.
She loves you enough to clean up after your mistakes, to discipline you for disobedience, to encourage you when you’re down, to work incessantly at lifting up your spirits, and by the appointment of God, she cares for you.
Honour her, listen to her.
Proverbs 1:8–9 8 Hear, [young person], your father’s instruction And do not forsake your mother’s teaching; 9 Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck.
731, O give us homes.
