Your Name Precedes you
Notes
Transcript
proverbs series
proverbs series
1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
2 The rich and the poor meet together;
the Lord is the Maker of them all.
3 The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but the simple go on and suffer for it.
4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
is riches and honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
and the rod of his fury will fail.
9 Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed,
for he shares his bread with the poor.
10 Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out,
and quarreling and abuse will cease.
11 He who loves purity of heart,
and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he overthrows the words of the traitor.
13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of forbidden women is a deep pit;
he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.
17 Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise,
and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That your trust may be in the Lord,
I have made them known to you today, even to you.
We have been studying Proverbs for some time now and have been blessed by the wisdom of Solomon, given to him by God’s inspiration. Solomon has challenged us to live a life of godliness. I like Solomon a lot and very thankful for his life and writings.
Thankful because he uses everything and every experience to build up his children. . to build up the sons of Israel. . so they can keep their eyes on God.
The painful circumstances- Solomon uses his failures to tell us what to avoid.
The triumphs- how to handle success and pursue godly virtues in the midst of victory.
all of this contained in the Book of Proverbs for our benefit.
The text before us today is no different. Solomon uses this chapter to show us God’s power over everything Including Human wealth and our possessions. Solomon shows us there is accountability in the stewardship of whatever He has blessed us with.
How to respect others we engage with,
gives us reasons not to trample over the poor, and
shows us the importance of using what we have to expand the great name of God.
A good friend of Mine, Bill Garner 4th, son of one of our great members Bill Garner 3rd (Ann); who the Lord took home earlier this year in a plane crash recited this passage to me all the time. During a time I wanted to give up because I was working so hard and not seeing ministry results i desires. Times I wanted to quit the residency program i was a part of in 2009 to pursue other endeavors. Having a good name is value Damon, no matter what you do strive for having a good name.
During the time when celebrity pastors was the cool thing. . having the most social media engagement.. speaking at all the conferences.
Bill would say, a good name is more value than whats in your bank account. He would say “you name precedes you everywhere you go!”
I’m grateful for that message and for his life. One of the last things he did for me was to speak well of my name when Todd and others from 2PC reached out to him to last year around this time. I did not know he had talked to anyone until Erika ran into him at the St. Jude Golf tournament last year. Where again affirmed the importance of having a Good name.
Tonight, we will look to the importance of having a: Good Name....Generous Heart. . .Godly Living.
Good Name
Good Name
Proverbs 22:1 “1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.”
Solomon opens this great chapter with a very interesting and challenging thought. One all of us at some point will have to wrestle with. It relates to our name.
The College sports world has been inundated with the concept of Name Image and Likeness (NIL) as it relates to paying student athletes; but Solomon gave us wise counsel on NIL long ago.
He says: Having a good name/image/Likeness by others is important. It shows the impact you have on people around you; and the importance of having a Name legacy even after we leave this place.
How impactful are we in our community? Who’s lives are we changing for Good? What type of people long to be around you.
This poses potential problems in our coddled American minds.
Problem 1: How does having a great name serve the kingdom of God? Aren’t we supposed to live to advance the Great Name of Jesus? -
Problem 2: The idea and concept of Wealth and working hard.. how much is enough.. is there ever enough. (use the quote from John D Rockerfella)
The first Problem- Is it my great name or His great name? The entire Bible speaks to the importance of spreading the great name of our God. It is clear in the old and the New, about God’s desire to make His name known to the world.
Speaking to Moses in Exodus chapter 9- as the plagues were unfolding, Moses is reminded about God’s name
Exo 9:16 “16 But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
later on in exodus 32, after the people sinned against God by building the golden calf. God says to Moses: Look at these rebellious people. They have created an Idol, in I will destroy them at once.
Moses, i’m sure in a very respectful worshipful manner says: Bro!!! Nah bruh. . . you the ops now?! You can’t do that. Your name is on the line.
11 But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ” 14 And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.
God cares for His name. We live to put his name on display to the world, why because His name is on us and in us.
Men of Honor Illustration.
Cuba Gooding Jr- Carl Brashear
Robert De Niro- Master Chief Billy Sunday
Men of Honor is a movie about a man Carl Brashear, a man who was born in the 1930’s in a family of sharecroppers. His dream was to one day become a Master Diver for the U.S. navy.
There is a problem. He’s black and there was no place for him at this time to try for this. The movie shows he struggles with being a person of color trying to serve his country in hopes of one day being a Master diver.
Master Chief Billy Sunday was his instructor and served to teach and protect all of his students who hoped to serve in the Navy. Billy was not kind to Brashear. . he would not even call him by his name; rather, he called him Cookie throughout the movie.
Carl, through all the struggles makes it as a Diver and completed some great missions. He gets injured on a mission and has to have his leg amputated. But wanted to train to continue his career. Cheif Sunday falls on hard times and loses rank with the Navy.
Chief Sunday, one who treated Carl badly. . comes back to help him prepare for his physical after his leg was amputated.
As you are sitting there watching this happen, you are wondering why would he come back to support this brother he had treated so badly.
He came back because Brashear was his student and Master Chief Billy sunday’s name was on carl. His name was on the line.
When carl wanted to give up, when Carl wanted to quit, The master chief stepped in to help him.
Carl Had a master cheif. . . but we as children of God, WE serve the Master. The one who created the whole world and everything in it.
1 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
2 for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
we Should care for his name too; that why we live to have a great name. Its for us to live so that others may live after God design for their life.
The apostle paul who has one of the most impressive resume’s in scripture agrees about having a great name to use it for the sake of Christ.
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Yes it is vital for us to have a great name: Being someone who is faithful, trustworthy, dependable. We need to be people of good character!
Are you faithful?
Can people trust you?
Who can depend on you to do what you say you will do?
This is part of having a great name!
Are we passionately following after the things of God? Are we seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness?
Are we sharing the good news of the Gospel, and making disciples of all nations.
Lastly, but very important. . . are we speaking the truth in love in a culture that doesn’t like truth?
Problem 1- yes, we live for the great name of God.
Problem 2- Wealth and working hard. How much is enough?
Notice in verse one, Solomon doesn’t put A great name against Wealth and material things. He says; a name is greater than material possessions. Wealth is ok, But a Name is better.
Solomon wrote this to help us fight against the dangers of materialism. He doesn’t say money is bad. It is a great thing to work and achieve greatness and to be rewarded for it no matter whatever human endeavor you are in.
Solomon knew personally how wealth can mess us up. Having too much too fast can be dangerous. Having access to anything at anytime can be problematic.
Since this is the 50th anniversary of the Music form of hip-hop; I’ll quote Christopher Wallace (AKA Biggie Smalls) : “The more money you have the more problems.”
Money, materials are not the problems how we act and respond to it can be. Do we become unloving? Does it make us look down on others.
Solomon knew material things can turn our hearts from the Lord. We become obsessed, we are thinking about money all the time and can never really enjoy it.
The same is Said of one John D Rockefeller. The wonderful book Titan: the life of John D. Rockefeller Sr. talks about his life in many ways. Rockefeller who was the wealthiest person in American for a long time. Standard Oil company made him rich. He had it all and could purchase anything money could buy.
When asked the question: how much wealth is enough. . .he answered by saying “Just a little bit more!”
Solomon’s declaration of Desiring a good name over having all the silver and gold shows how important living for God is and the implications it has on those around us.
Point 1: Good Name. . next a generous heart!
Generous Heart
Generous Heart
Prov 22:9 “9 Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.”
The Bountiful eye. . .This is the person who loves generosity. Someone who is charitable with their entire being.
People who give generously will be blessed! Solomon says. . if you lead with generosity, you will be blessed by God. The God of the universe will honor your generosity.
As a church, God has Blessed us because of how generous we are collectively to others. Resources given to local missions and world missions. Local non-profit organizations doing great work to make this city better.
Individually, there are some amazing things being done all over the mid-south due to individual showing kindness for God’s glory.
God loves generosity:
10 You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.
This generosity should be a no brainer however, we live in a society that has Turned up the volume on Self Care. . Self Self Self; and many have forgotten about doing for others.
Now hear me: I’m not against taking care of your self. Our ministry to others is better when we, ourselves are well. Some have taken self to the extreme and have no regard for anyone else.
This new shift in Self was the beginning for a happier life for all. The findings from research on this is puzzling.
Dr. Laurie Santos talks about this on an episode of her Podcast: The Happiness Lab. She passionately talks about the benefits of giving to others have on you. Being Kind to other people gives a much sense of happiness than being consumed with yourself. “Happy people perform spontaneous generosity and Kindness.” Her research showed the physical and psychological rewards from being generous.
Physical:
lowers blood pressure
Balances stress
Psychological:
Happiness, fulfillment
Being Generous helps others and you are blessed by it.
Having a generous eye is not all about giving monetary resources: it’s service to others, care and concern for others, advocating for those who can’t help themselves.
last week before sunday night service, there was a young man stranded on the church parking lot. At the edge of the driveway close to central and goodlett, a car blocked it and no one could enter the lot. I’m walking across the street on the 100 degree evening to see what’s going on. Bob Coleman was walking across as well. I’m sweating in my suit, he’s cool with his golf attire on.
the only question asked was how can i help. the front bumper on car came off and slipped underneath the vehicle and the car was stuck and could not move. Bob and I muscled up to get the car jacked high enough so we could pull the bumper from under the car. I squeezed that bumper in his trunk and Bob tells me to go inside because i had to get ready to preach.
Bob stayed a little longer. .
No money was needed, just two brothers who have been radically transformed by Christ assisting someone who was not heading to church, not a member of 2PC.
Hopefully, through our conversation and act of kindness. . put the glory of God’s great name on display.
It’s what God did for us, His kindness towards us. While we were sinners, He died. Took the punishment I deserved, so that we could have Eternal life!
The question for all of us to consider tonight; how can i be more generous? How can I show the kindness of God to others?
God gives us so many opportunities we unfortunately overlook from day to day.
Good name, Generous Heart.. Lastly Godly Living
Godly Living
Godly Living
Prov 22:17-19 “17 Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, 18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. 19 That your trust may be in the Lord, I have made them known to you today, even to you.”
Solomon has given so many lines of wisdom. He desire for us to keep it in our hearts. And look, he uses his name and affluence to point people to the Lord . . .
he says: that your trust may be in the Lord.
Solomon wants us to walk in the ways of the Lord, study the ways of the Lord, encourage others in the way of the Lord.
As he shares this with the sons of Israel; I can imagine Solomon thinking on wisdom he recieved from his father King david:
1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Let’s strive to expand God’s Kingdom By:
having a Good name, a Generous Heart, and by Godly Living. for the Glory of God!!!
let’s pray