Discernment For Chaotic Times Part 1 | Proverbs 2:1-22

Scripture

• Proverbs 2:1–22

About this sermon

Introduction: We live in a chaotic and confused world. This is not new, of course. This is mankind’s existence since the fall. But there are seasons in the history of the world, or the history of a civilization, when darkness seems especially strong. The Bible acknowledges variation in the seasons of human existence. ESV 2 Timothy 3:1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. ESV 1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, Our prayers are informed by the knowledge of these variations. We pray for the salvation of earthly leaders with one desired outcome being for the church to know seasons of relative peacefulness. ESV 1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. SO, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF TEMPORAL CIRCUMSTANCES, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF COMMON GRACE ORDER IN SOCIETY AND ITS INSTITUTIONS, THERE ARE SEASONS OF PEACE FOR PEOPLE, AND THERE ARE SEASONS OF CHAOS FOR PEOPLE. I BELIEVE WE ARE IN ONE OF THOSE DARK SEASONS. IN SOME WAYS, I BELIEVE WE ARE LIVING IN ONE OF THE DARKER TIMES OF HUMAN HISTORY. Unprecedented in many ways — IF IN NO OTHER WAY — the global connectivity of it all. The current darkness in our culture demonstrates the devastating effects of the suppression of truth, of the rejection of God, of the abandonment of the collective conscience to sin. As God has given our culture over to the darkness of its own sinfulness, MORAL INSANITY IS INCREASINGLY NORMALIZED WHILE WHAT IS SANE AND NORMAL IS INCREASINGLY MARGINALIZED. Insanity —twisted thinking when measured by Scripture — about everything in life, is celebrated: sexuality, gender, marriage, raising children, personal responsibility, economics, stewardship of the environment, globalism versus nationalism, education, justice, ethnicity, what it means to LOVE PEOPLE, the murder of babies in the womb — all of it twisted. Upside down. Right is left, left is right, down is up, up is down. Righteousness is sin, sin is righteousness. Topic after topic where the majority perspective is not just in conflict with Scripture, it conflicts with NATURAL REVELATION — with self-evident truth. WE HAVE SUPREME COURT JUDGES THAT CANNOT TELL US WHAT A WOMAN IS! And wherever insanity is normalized there is an outbreak of chaos (just as Scripture predicts). There is disorder, violence, heartlessness, and hatefulness. And despite the undeniable chaos that is on display, at the moment, in every realm of our society, there is the CONSTANT pressure to conform. I mean, you would think that the chaos might cause men to abandon their course! But know, they demand that we join their course! DESPITE WHAT SINNERS CLAIM IT IS NEVER LIVE AND LET LIVE — CONFORMITY IS DEMANDED. SIN ALWAYS LONGS TO BE JUSTIFIED. SINFUL PEOPLE DON’T JUST WANT THEIR STANDARDS TOLERATED; THEY WANT THEIR MORAL JUDGMENTS TO BE CELEBRATED. So, as much as we might like to retreat from it all, to avoid it all, as the people of God, we cannot because the celebration the culture demands requires disloyalty to our God. We can’t opt out from a conflict is looking for us. JUST THINK ABOUT THE SEISMIC SHIFT IN CULTURE THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN OUR LIFETIMES. We have seen a redefinition of marriage — something (to my knowledge) unprecedented in the history of the world. We have seen the normalization of homosexuality. Homosexuality is not just presented as tolerable, but good. PRIDE PARADES, PRIDE MONTHS OF PROMOTION AND CELEBRATION. (Example: The signs on your way into an airplane) We have seen the normalization of Gender dysphoria. All of society must now change (even down to the pronouns we use) to accommodate people who insist that their gender is something separate from their biological sexual reality. And in a culture that loves itself and its sin more than its children in the womb, it is demanded that we normalize the indoctrination of its children outside the womb in the perverted sexual perspectives it has embraced. So intentional is this indoctrination that the White House takes an official position that transition drugs and surgeries need to be made available for children.

Topics

• Bible Study
• Wisdom