The Fear of the Lord

Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the biblical concept of godly wisdom versus earthly wisdom, emphasizing that true wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. The preacher distinguishes between reverent fear of God—which leads to wisdom, humility, and spiritual protection—and the world's definition of wisdom based on accumulated knowledge and sound judgment. Through personal stories and biblical exposition, the message clarifies that fearing God is not about trembling in terror but about having reverent awe that acknowledges His sovereignty, love, and power. The sermon calls believers to humble themselves before God, accept Jesus Christ as Savior, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide their lives, contrasting godly wisdom that produces love, peace, and mercy with earthly wisdom that leads to envy, selfish ambition, and disorder.

Key Points:

- True wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, not with accumulated knowledge or worldly understanding

- Reverent fear of God means acknowledging His power and sovereignty while trusting in His love and protection

- Earthly wisdom is characterized by envy, selfish ambition, and disorder, while godly wisdom produces purity, peace, consideration, mercy, and sincerity

- Without fearing God, people cannot discern truth from deception or recognize wolves in sheep's clothing

- Wisdom protects believers and enables them to make godly decisions rather than following worldly patterns

- The path to wisdom involves three steps: fearing God, accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, and being filled with the Holy Spirit

- God's love is unconditional, but there are consequences for rejecting His ways

- The world's values (success, wealth, education) often contradict God's economy, which prioritizes eternal matters over temporal ones

- The Holy Spirit indwells believers and guides them into all truth, transforming them like Peter on the Day of Pentecost

- Believers should not be envious or bitter but should rejoice with others and focus on sharing the Gospel

Scripture Reference:

- James 3:13-17 (primary text)

- Proverbs 1:7 - "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge"

- Proverbs 9:10 - "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"

- Genesis 6 - God's observation that all thoughts of man are evil continually

- Isaiah 40:13-26 - God's incomparable greatness and sovereignty

- Proverbs 2 - Wisdom as protection from wicked ways

- Galatians 5:19-23 - Acts of the flesh versus fruit of the Spirit

- Matthew (parable of the rich fool)

Stories:

- Personal story about Uncle Tim, who served as a father figure and demonstrated protective love and strength, illustrating reverent fear combined with love and trust

- Childhood memory of Uncle Tim defending him from a bully on the school bus, showing how God protects those who trust Him

- Uncle Tim's display of supernatural strength when angry, illustrating the power that should inspire reverent fear

- Uncle Tim taking him to Shady Grove Baptist Church for the first time as a child

- Personal testimony about growing up without a father until age 13, when his stepfather entered his life

- The rich man's parable from Matthew who built bigger barns but was called a fool by God that very night

- Reference to Peter's transformation from being called "Satan" by Jesus to preaching the greatest sermon on the Day of Pentecost after receiving the Holy Spirit

- Illustration about bear hunting with a knife versus a gun to demonstrate earthly wisdom

- Contemporary observations about college debt versus trade school education as an example of worldly versus godly wisdom