April 7, 2024 – Proverbs 2; 3

Lesson Date: April 7, 2024

Focal Scripture Passage: Proverbs 2:10-16; 3:1-13

AIM: To lead students to discover nine specific blessings of godly wisdom, and to encourage them to start doing what is necessary to receive those blessings.

Before class: Read the notes on Proverbs 2 – 3 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Write the words “Requirement” and “Benefit” on the board.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Ask: “Have you ever been employed?” (probably most of them have).  Direct everyone’s attention to the word “Benefit” written on the board.  Ask: “In addition to your wages, did you receive any other benefits from your employer?” (they probably did).  Ask: “What kinds of benefits did you receive?” (they might name paid holidays, paid time off, health insurance, life insurance, a retirement plan, or even profit sharing).

Direct everyone’s attention to the word “Requirement” written on the board.  Ask: “What was required for you to receive those benefits?” (they had to show up for work and do their job).  Ask: “Is it possible to receive the benefits of employment without meeting the requirement of working?” (no, the benefits come as a result of meeting that requirement).

Tell the class that another word for benefit is blessing.  Erase the word “Benefit” and write the word “Blessing” in its place.  Tell them the benefits we receive from employment are blessings that make our jobs more valuable.

Tell the students that the title of today’s lesson is Blessings of Wise Living.  Direct everyone’s attention to the front cover of the Sunday School Member Quarterly and remind them that the theme of this quarter’s study is “Live Wisely.”  Tell them in today’s lesson we will discover some of the blessings that come from wise living, as well as the requirements we must meet to receive those blessings.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind the students that last week we had an Easter lesson from 1 Corinthians 15.
   • Tell them that today we resume our study of the Old Testament book of Proverbs.
   • Ask: “Two weeks ago we studied verses from Proverbs 1, 2, and 9; what was that lesson about?” (The First Step; we discovered the first step to living wisely and being blessed by God).
   • Ask: “What was that first step to wise living?” (fearing God; in other words, knowing Jesus as our Savior).
   • Ask if anyone would recite the memory verse from that lesson (Prov. 1:7).
2. The Requirement for Receiving Blessings.
   • Read Proverbs 2:10.
   • Explain that this verse describes the requirement we must meet to receive the blessings named in the following verses.
   • Ask: “What must enter our heart?” (wisdom).
   • Ask: “What is wisdom?” (the ability to use our knowledge and experience to make wise choices and decisions).
   • Ask: “Look at Proverbs 9:10; how do we get wisdom?” (by fearing the Lord).
   • Ask: “Look back at Proverbs 2:10; what must be pleasing to our soul?” (knowledge).
   • Ask: “Look back at Proverbs 1:7; how do we get knowledge?” (by fearing the Lord).
   • Summarize: The first requirement to receive the blessings of wise living is to fill our hearts with the wisdom and knowledge of God.
3. Blessings That Come From Wise Living.
   • Tell the class that Proverbs 2:11-16 name two blessings that come from wise living.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Proverbs 2:11.
   • Ask: “What is the first blessing that comes when we fill our hearts with godly wisdom?” (DISCRETION).
   • Ask: “What is discretion?” (prudence, recognizing and avoiding sinful or foolish behavior).
   • Ask: “What will discretion do for us?” (preserve and protect us).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Proverbs 2:12.
   • Ask: “What other blessing comes from godly wisdom?” (DELIVERANCE from evil and foul-mouthed people).
   • Explain the following:
     • The word froward means perverse, wicked, stubbornly disobedient, and determined to do wrong.
     • Foul and crude language has become a pervasive evil in our modern society, promoted and glorified by the entertainment industry.
     • The Bible tells us, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Eph. 4:29).
     • Verses 13-15 describe the evil, foul-mouthed person.
   • Read Proverbs 2:13-15.
   • Ask: “How does the Bible describe the evil, foul-mouthed person?” (he or she leaves the path of righteousness to walk in the ways of darkness, rejoices to do evil and delights in the evil of others, and behaves in a crooked and perverse manner).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Proverbs 2:16.
   • Ask: “Who else will godly wisdom deliver us from?” (immoral, adulterous people who seek to seduce us with their flattery).
   • Summarize: The blessings that come from wise living include discretion to avoid evil and deliverance from evil and foul-mouthed people.
4. More Requirements and Blessings.
   • Tell the students that most of the verses we will study in Proverbs 3 are arranged in couplets, in which the first verse gives a requirement for the blessing described in the second verse.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Proverbs 3:1-2.
   • Remind the students that Solomon wrote these proverbs to help his son learn godly wisdom.
   • Ask: “According to verse 1, what must we do to be blessed?” (don’t forget God’s laws, but obey His commandments).
   • Ask: “What blessing comes from doing those things?” (LONG LIFE AND PEACE).
   • Read Proverbs 3:3-4.
   • Ask: “What requirement is found in verse 3?” (be merciful and truthful).
   • Ask: “What blessing comes from doing that?” (FAVOR WITH GOD AND MAN).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Proverbs 3:5-6.
   • Ask: “What requirement is found in verse 5?” (trust the Lord, not your own human logic and reasoning).
   • Ask: “What blessing comes from doing that?” (DIRECTION from God).
   • Read Proverbs 3:7-8.
   • Ask: “According to verse 7, what must we do to be blessed?” (don’t think too highly of your human wisdom, and stay away from evil).
   • Ask: “What blessing comes from doing those things?” (HEALTH).
   • Explain that ancient people viewed the naval as the center of one’s strength; also, we cannot live without healthy bone marrow.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Proverbs 3:9-10.
   • Ask: “What requirement is found in verse 9?” (we must honor the Lord with the first fruits of our income).
   • Stress the fact that the Bible clearly says the first fruits of our income belong to God (Ex. 23:19; Mal. 3:8-10; Matt. 23:23).
   • Ask: “What comes from doing that?” (MATERIAL BLESSINGS).
   • Read Proverbs 3:11-13.
   • Ask: “What requirement is found in verse 11?” (we must not reject or fight against God’s correction).
   • Ask: “According to verse 12, what blessing comes from doing that?” (GOD’S LOVING CHASTISEMENT: He chastises us lovingly, not harshly).
   • Ask: “According to verse 13, what blessing comes from seeking godly wisdom and understanding?” (HAPPINESS).
   • Summarize: The blessings that come from wise living include long life and peace, favor with God and man, direction, health, material blessings, God’s loving chastisement, and happiness.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the students that the title of today’s lesson is Blessings of Wise Living.  Direct everyone’s attention again to the word “Blessing” written on the board.  Tell them in the verses we have studied today we have identified nine specific blessings that come as a result of godly, wise living.  Briefly review those blessings.

Blessings of Wise Living:

• • Discretion
  • Deliverance
  • Long life and peace
  • Favor with God and man
  • Direction
  • Health
  • Material blessings
  • God’s loving chastisement
  • Happiness

Ask: “Would you like to experience those blessings?” (yes).  Direct everyone’s attention once again to the word “Requirement” written on the board.  Ask: “What is required for us to receive God’s blessings?” (wise living, which means we must trust Jesus for salvation, read and study the Bible, and obey the things God tells us).  Ask: “Are you willing to do those things to experience the blessings of wise living?”

Tell the class that the Bible says, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 16:25).  Tell them man’s wisdom is pushed at us from every direction: in schools, on social media, in books and magazines, in the entertainment industry, and even through interactions with friends and family members.  Stress the fact that we must be careful to reject the wisdom of the world and cling to God’s wisdom.

Erase the board and draw a large pyramid (triangle) on it.  Draw two horizontal lines across the width of the pyramid, dividing it into three levels.  Tell the class that the foundation is “Knowing Jesus,” and write this in the lowest level of the pyramid.  Explain that once we know God, we can “Live Wisely,” by obeying God’s commands and instructions found in the Bible.  Write this in the middle level of the pyramid.  Tell the students that only when we have the proper foundation and are living by godly wisdom can we reach the top level of the pyramid, “Blessings.”  Write this in the top level of the pyramid.

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Ask: “What do you need to do to experience the blessings of wise living?”  Tell them to confess any sin and commit to follow and obey God’s Word.  Allow a moment for silent prayer, and then voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Ask everyone to memorize Proverbs 3:5-6.  Encourage them to acknowledge God in all of their decisions this week, asking Him to direct their steps.