Wisdom Works | Proverbs Part 12

Title: Wisdom Works
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00:10 Reading Proverbs 9
01:49 Opening Prayer
02:41 Review: Proverbs 1-8
09:06 Fear of the Lord | Proverbs 9:10-12
21:56 Two Are Calling | Proverbs 9:1-6 and 9:13-18
35:16 Correction | Proverbs 9:7-9
38:56 Applications
41:46 Closing Prayer
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Proverbs 9
Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn her seven pillars.
She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
She has sent out her young women to call
from the highest places in the town,
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
To him who lacks sense she says,
“Come, eat of my bread
and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways, and live,
and walk in the way of insight.”
Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
For by me your days will be multiplied,
and years will be added to your life.
If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
if you scoff, you alone will bear it.
The woman Folly is loud;
she is seductive and knows nothing.
She sits at the door of her house;
she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,
calling to those who pass by,
who are going straight on their way,
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
And to him who lacks sense she says,
“Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
But he does not know that the dead are there,
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol. (ESV)
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In his sermon Wisdom Works from Proverbs 9, Jon Farra draws a vivid contrast between the calls of wisdom and folly, emphasizing the life-altering outcomes of choosing one path over the other. Wisdom is portrayed as a gracious host who offers nourishment and life to the simple, calling them to leave their naïve ways and walk in insight. In contrast, folly mimics this invitation but leads her guests toward death and destruction. Farra highlights that both voices are always calling, often through influences like media, relationships, or personal habits. Only one leads to true life.
At the heart of the message is Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Farra presses into this idea, asking listeners to reflect on what they fear most and whether the fear of the Lord genuinely shapes their daily decisions. Wisdom begins not with clever strategies or self-improvement but with worshipful reverence and submission to God. Farra challenges the tendency to seek wisdom without seeking God himself, warning that this shortcut robs us of true transformation.
He weaves in modern illustrations, from advertising overload to personal stories of running and cheating in school, to show that we often respond to both wisdom and folly simultaneously in different areas of life. While we might reject obvious sin, we may still live passively with arrogance, apathy, or anxiety. These subtle forms of folly also need to be repented of. Farra encourages listeners to pursue spiritual habits, such as private prayer and heartfelt worship, that draw them deeper into a relationship with God.
Ultimately, Farra reminds the congregation that wisdom is not just information to gain but a Person to know: God himself. God invites us to leave our simple ways and live.
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Berean Bible Church is a non-denominational church in East Knoxville, TN. We are grounded in the Word, celebrating the transformative power of the Gospel. Our community thrives on worship and mutual encouragement, fostering de