Providence Community Church

When Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God in His great sermon he included these well known words from Matthew 6:33 “…seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Thousands of years earlier His message had been preceded by an understanding of the rewards of righteousness through the pen of Solomon in the great book of Proverbs. The blessing and ben...

One can easily imagine the context inspiring David’s words here. A good portion of his early days were spent on the run as a fugitive from King Saul. For years, due to this providential hardship, David was likely unable to participate in tabernacle worship.  Nevertheless, we hear his heart in this song as he prays that the Lord would count his prayer and praise as a legitimate incense offering.  S...

We’ve considered at length the contrasts illustrated in Proverbs 9 by way of a dinner invitation to Lady Wisdom’s house vs. the meal served at the Woman Folly’s place.  The first is a promise of provision unto eternal life, the second is a gateway to Sheol disguised as a party. Which table will you gather around for dinner? Choose carefully because this situation represents where you turn for prov...

Wisdom is an indispensable virtue to the discipline of applying the Law of God.  The wise man seeks to understand all of life and thought in terms of the absolute moral order of God’s Word & God’s world. Wisdom equips the moral agent for the discipline of measuring all things by the standard of divine revelation. Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (II Cor 10:5) requires wi...

As we continue to familiarize ourselves with this great literary form of scripture otherwise foreign to us, let us pause to appreciate its great value! How different and infinitely more valuable are the words of Proverbs than the quasi – wisdom literature of our day. What is the popular “wisdom” of our day? Whether it’s the motivating appeals to the hope of success designed to inspire a sense of d...

As we consider the 2nd major section in the book of Proverbs, the most obvious difference is in the form Solomon’s instruction is presented.  Chapters 10-24 proceed with a collection of single sentence wisdom sayings or ‘aphorisms’ under the title: “The Proverbs of Solomon”.  The style of writing compiles straightforward statements without expounding or illustrating the nuances of their applicatio...

David's life story was shaped by conflict. He was a wartime king and answered a warrior calling from the days of his youth. For this reason, in fact, David was not permitted to build the house of God (I Chron 22:8). David was a conqueror, his son Solomon would be a builder. Their respective callings would present unique challenges. For David, the incessant threat of Israel's enemies drove him time...

According to Paul’s Example in Ministry…A Christian Should Be: A servant to others, a master of himself, and a student of the Word. Why a student of the Word of God? Because according to Paul, there is no loss of fidelity in the scriptures over time.  The instructions and warnings issued to the wandering Israelites bore relevance and authority for the Corinthian church in Paul’s day and the same i...

Proverbs Chapter 9 paints a picture of a feast at Lady wisdom’s house. This event involves preparation, invitation, and conversation. Having covered the first two, in our sermon today we address the third. Our text presents a sample of conversation at Lady Wisdom’s table.  What are topics of consideration, issues of concern, and life lessons we hear when we eavesdrop, or better yet, sit down for a...

What is it that Nehemiah was working for, and what was he trying to accomplish? What steps did he take to do the good work that God had given him, and how can we apply those principles in our own walk with God and work for God today? How is God calling you to build up His Kingdom?

Psalm 139 reads like a diary entry of David with its emotional and personal context, yet it is introduced as a hymn for the choirmaster to be sung in public worship. Its inclusion in the Psalter calls the believing singer/reader to identify with David's heartfelt relationship to His omniscient and loving Creator. The psalm calls us to assume its 1" person perspective as we confess with David the l...

The title for our message comes from chapter 10 verse 11 where Paul identifies his hearers, as those on whom the end of the ages has come. Paul’s greater audience therefore is all the Church until Jesus returns. While the occasion for his letter involves issues in Corinth, the application of his instruction extends to every Gospel outpost of the church age until new heavens & earth kingdom con...

In the first chapter of 2 Peter, Peter gives the church practical application on how we are to confirm our calling and election. He reminds the church of the great precious gift that we have been given, the promise of eternal life. He then calls the believer to action, to be effective and fruitful for the kingdom of God. God has granted the believer everything they need to be fruitful for the king...

Of all the significant moments in redemption history, the resurrection of Jesus Christ may well be the event with the greatest disparity between its central importance to the Christian faith and its appreciation in modern times.  What we tend to take for granted, our forebears recognized as the birthday of the Christian church. The resurrection before-and-after pictures are among the most dramatic...

Psalm 138 is the first of 8 songs written by David which appear as a set in the closing chapters of the Psalter. These Davidic psalms are followed by the final collection of S songs which all begin and end with the refrain: "Praise the lord!". These closing medleys swerve to reprise two central themes of the entire book - prayer, and praise. David's songs are structured according to the former fol...

Paul’s admonitions to the church in our passage are better understood in context of the issues arising in Corinth. Chapters 1-6 highlight particular problems including divisions in the body over superficial leadership preferences, worldly sexual norms corrupting the church, and frivolous legal cases between brothers in Christ. In addition to these internal issues, there was the looming threat of h...

The open house of our passage stands in stark contrast to the temptation of the adulteress in chapter 7.  In chapter 9 we receive an invitation to Lady Wisdom’s residence.  Notice how she prepares her household for the occasion. Rather than the seductive couch coverings, Egyptian linens, myrrh/aloe/cinnamon perfumed bed of the temptress (7:16-17), Wisdom sets pillars and prepares a feast (9:1-2)....

To demonstrate the scope of wisdom's potential. "Lady Wisdom" appeals to creation itself as the evident and super-abundant fruit of wisdom applied. Furtherrnore she appeals to her relationship to Yahweh to illustrate the indispensable necessity ofwisdon1 for any successful endeavor. lfwisdo1n is intrinsic to the works of God Hi1nself, ho.vc ould anyone, save a fool, distance hitnself fro1T1h er in...

As we have recently noted, the teaching of Proverbs regarding wisdom presumes the proper relationship between the spiritual and the material. We note as the chapter continues that legitimate political authority is established on wisdom. Even creation itself is established on wisdom, as is all enduring hope of human flourishing. Properly ordered affections prioritize the foundation, the means, and...

Psalm 137 is A song of lament, oath, & oracle.  This is a Psalm acknowledging situations where it is excruciating to sing. The psalmist is in exile but his heart is in Zion.  This is a song Nehemiah could sing as he wept in the courts of Artaxerxes’ Persian controlled Babylon.  Nehemiah was a respected official who had the ear and the favor of an emperor, yet his affections called Jerusalem ho...

Paul’s instructions continue according to the purpose statement of 1 Corinthians 7:35 to benefit the church, to promote good order, and to secure undivided devotion to the Lord… Referencing the letter he had received from the Corinthians, Paul addresses another issue of the day of spiritual & practical concern. What should a Christian do when the grocery stores are stocked with food that has b...

Unless you think femininity is appropriated exclusively to portray seductive temptation in the wisdom literature of Proverbs… Remember chapter 1:20-33 has introduced us to a different woman entirely and here again in chapter 8, we behold the female personification of wisdom. Lady Wisdom is the counterpart to the forbidden woman of chapter 7 and the woman named Folly at the end of chapter 9.  Utili...

Solomon's instructions continue to unfold in the dramatic framework of chapter 7. We've imagined our young man seated for a man-to-man talk across the mahogany desk in his wise father's 5th floor study. They have observed the busy streets of worldliness from their window vantage point. These two scenes are then followed by two more illustrating the occasion and consequences of covenant unfaithfuln...

This Psalm's responsive refrain is echoed 26 times. With every verse we are reminded and called to confess:" His (Yahweh's steadfast love endures forever". Perhaps the most obvious message from Ps 136 is ironically the most often discounted: the relationship between the sovereignty of God demonstrated in His awesome acts and His eternal steadfast love. How is it that the cosmic order of creation,...

The vision for Gospel Reconstruction in Corinth continues with blueprints equipping the church for the Christian life in greater society. We understand from Paul's teaching that Christ bas come to rebuild and reconcile individuals and institutions in his image and Christians are called to faithfully, patiently endeavor to do the same. Paul's letters imply an important distinction between Christian...