Fabulous Fear

Happy Sunday. Today we will begin a series on the book of Proverbs. What I plan to do is look at the verses that really speak to me found in this book. I love the book of Proverbs and today we'll focus on chapter 1 verse 7.

There we find the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Let me do it again. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Let me define fear of the Lord. To fear the Lord means to respect and to believe the Lord to honor him in all you do. Let me give you a New Testament example of fear of the Lord.

In Acts chapter 5, we meet a couple named Ananas and Safh. The church is growing leaps and bounds. And in verse 32 of chapter 4 of Acts, we're told that the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. People were selling their possessions and giving their money to the apostles to help grow the kingdom of God.

Now to chapter 5. Ananas and his wife Safirus sold some property and they wanted recognition. They wanted everyone to think that they had given the entire amount of the sale to the apostles, but they didn't. They held some back.

Now, holding some back wasn't a bad thing, except they lied about it. Let me pick up the story at verse three of Acts 5. Ananas Peter asked, "Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own?

And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us, but to God." Now when Ananas heard these words, he fell down and died.

And great fear seized all who heard of it. I guess so. The young men came and they wrapped up his body. They carried him out and they buried him.

After an interval of about 3 hours, his wife came in not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to Safh, "Tell me whether you and your husband sold the land for such and such a price." And she said, "Yes, that was the price." Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to put the spirit of the Lord to the test?

Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." Immediately she fell down at his feet, and she died. When the young men came in, they found her dead. So they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

Now verse 11 of Acts 5 talks about fear. Listen to the results of this incident, the death of Ananas and Safh. And everybody's heard about this. Now we're told in verse 11, great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.

I guess so. I I think the great fear is an understatement here. Can you imagine how honest people suddenly became after this incident? It had to change that generation.

In our day and time, this type of fear of God is far and few between. It's obvious that TV and movie writers don't fear God. His name is taken in vain regularly. It's hard to watch things.

We've talked about that before. It's not a new problem. Jesus said this in Luke 12. Jesus said, "I tell you, my friends, don't fear those who kill the body and after that can do nothing more.

But I'll show you whom to fear. Fear the one who after killing has the authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear that one." Jesus is talking about eternal consequences.

Fearing God means that we live differently than the world lives. Our attitudes, our actions, our speech, our habits, the list is endless. We're different. Psalm 36:1 tells of those who do not fear God.

There it says, "Sin whispers to the wicked deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God at all." If you watch the news, you see this and all too often they have no fear of God at all. My father went to heaven 42 years ago and I've described my dad as a cross between Billy Graham and Muhammad Ali.

No, he never hit me, but I knew he was in charge. He was powerful. I remember having a genuine desire to please him. My fear of my earthly father was not a negative thing.

It was a great relationship, one of the best I've ever had. I knew my role. I've seen children who have no fear of their parents. And it's a sad thing to watch, isn't it?

Watching a world not fear God is horrible. Let me go back to Proverbs 1:7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

We have a choice. We can choose to fear the Lord and gain knowledge. Knowledge on how to live and how to love and how to give and how to make decisions and how to be and how to have joy and how to have peace and well the list is endless. Or we can be a fool and go our own way.

Another verse from Proverbs that speaks of this is in chapter 16 verse 6. By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil. That's pretty simple, isn't it? By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.

God bless you as you fear the Lord and avoid evil. Pray with me. Father, help us to put you on the throne where you belong. Help us to look up to you with awe and reverence and fear.

Help us to love you with all of our hearts. Help us to take what you readily give to us, your knowledge, your wisdom, and apply it to our lives so we would not live the way that sometimes we're prone to. Father, bless this new year as we fear and love and follow you. In Jesus name I pray.

Amen. God bless. Thanks for being with me today.