A Word to the Wise on Fearing God (1 of 4)
Series: A Word To The Wise
Jeff Strite
Proverbs 9:10
OPEN: A policeman was walking his beat. I don't know if he was writing a ticket or watching a suspicious individual, but he was distracted enough that he barely felt the tug on his coat. He turned, and there stood a little girl.
"Can I help you?" the policeman asked her.
"My mommy told me that if I needed help I should find a policeman," she replied.
Suddenly a little alarmed the policeman asked "Oh... what's wrong?"
Looking down she put out one of her feet and asked: "Could you tie my shoes?"
APPLY: Now, why did that little girl look for a policeman?
She knew he would help.
She knew he could be trusted.
She knew that she didn't have to fear him.
ILLUS: Now, let's change the scene for a second.
You're driving down the road, in a 55 mph zone, going 65 mph.
I know you'd never do such a thing, but just for the sake of argument, let's say you did. And you're not the only one. It seems that everybody else on the road is also driving at about 65 mph.
Now, over the crest of the hill comes a police car.
What happens? (wait for audience to reply)
That's right, they slow down!
Why?
Because they don't believe the policeman is there to help them.
They don't think they can trust him to overlook their indiscretion.
In fact, they believe they have good reason to fear him.
They've been caught doing something wrong.
Now bear in mind - they don't know WHO that policeman is.
It might be their uncle Fred.
It might be the a close friend.
It might even be someone they know and like.
They don't know who is behind the wheel of the police car. But it doesn't matter. That car represents the hand of judgment. And they've been doing wrong.
And they're afraid.
Fear.
The Bible tells us that some fear is a good thing.
In fact in the very first chapter of Proverbs we're told:
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdo ...
Series: A Word To The Wise
Jeff Strite
Proverbs 9:10
OPEN: A policeman was walking his beat. I don't know if he was writing a ticket or watching a suspicious individual, but he was distracted enough that he barely felt the tug on his coat. He turned, and there stood a little girl.
"Can I help you?" the policeman asked her.
"My mommy told me that if I needed help I should find a policeman," she replied.
Suddenly a little alarmed the policeman asked "Oh... what's wrong?"
Looking down she put out one of her feet and asked: "Could you tie my shoes?"
APPLY: Now, why did that little girl look for a policeman?
She knew he would help.
She knew he could be trusted.
She knew that she didn't have to fear him.
ILLUS: Now, let's change the scene for a second.
You're driving down the road, in a 55 mph zone, going 65 mph.
I know you'd never do such a thing, but just for the sake of argument, let's say you did. And you're not the only one. It seems that everybody else on the road is also driving at about 65 mph.
Now, over the crest of the hill comes a police car.
What happens? (wait for audience to reply)
That's right, they slow down!
Why?
Because they don't believe the policeman is there to help them.
They don't think they can trust him to overlook their indiscretion.
In fact, they believe they have good reason to fear him.
They've been caught doing something wrong.
Now bear in mind - they don't know WHO that policeman is.
It might be their uncle Fred.
It might be the a close friend.
It might even be someone they know and like.
They don't know who is behind the wheel of the police car. But it doesn't matter. That car represents the hand of judgment. And they've been doing wrong.
And they're afraid.
Fear.
The Bible tells us that some fear is a good thing.
In fact in the very first chapter of Proverbs we're told:
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdo ...
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