Scriptures for Today: Proverbs 1:1-6
Proverbs 1:1-6
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; 2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; 4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. 5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: 6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Introduction to Proverbs 1: Wisdom and Instruction
If Solomon could walk through that door this morning, he’d look straight at you and ask,
“Do you want wisdom—or just validation?” [pause]
Do you want God to agree with you and validate you? Validation says, “Agree with me.” Wisdom, on the other hand, is when you want God to show you where you’re wrong so you can grow. Wisdom says, “Change me.”
Again, do you want wisdom or validation? Change me or just agree with me. Most people don’t want wisdom. They want approval. Many times, people will come to you asking you what you should do when they already know what they’re going to do. They just want you to agree with them.
They want to feel good about their bad decision. They don’t want to get better. Wisdom doesn’t always make you feel good at first. But wisdom does make you right with God.
Do you want wisdom or validation? That question divides every believer in this room.
Because wisdom doesn’t pat you on the back—it pulls you to your knees.
And before this message ends, you’ll know exactly how to start walking in God’s wisdom within 24 hours.
As we start here in Proverbs Chapter 1, I want you to know the setting of Solomon’s voice. What’s happening at this moment in time? Imagine the wisest man, Solomon, sitting there writing these things down in this moment.
Imagine this. Visualize this. The nation of Israel is at peace. The temple of God is glowing in gold. Choirs fill the court with beautiful singing. The treasury is overflowing with money and riches. Yet, Solomon, this wise man, looks out over all of that success and says, “We’re rich, but we’re not right.”
“Even in a golden age as you see right here in Proverbs 1 with king Solomon, the nation of Israel needed a guide (Hold up the Bible). Things were not going to be so great in the future. Without a guide, we’re all lost.”
Prosperity without wisdom, riches without wisdom, is like a the greatest mansion built on sinking sand.
Question for you today: “Could that be us right now? We’re surrounded by comfort. We have what we need. But we’re starving for direction. Which way do we go?
Maybe comfort, especially in this country, is the new wilderness—and Proverbs, this great book from God, is our map out of the wilderness.
The Book of Proverbs begins without mystery: “To know wisdom and instruction.” This book tells you up front what it’s about—training your mind, your morals, and your manners according to God Almighty.
Israel, in Solomon’s day, had peace, wealth, and influence. The temple gleamed. Jerusalem thrived. But Solomon saw something deeper: comfort without character leads to collapse. This is why God GAVE divine wisdom—not just for kings but for every believer who wants to live skillfully before the Lord.
Focus on Proverbs 1:1–6
These verses are the doorway into the whole book. These first six verses are the front door to Proverbs. They teach us that wisdom isn’t found in age, education, or experience — it begins with a humble heart that listens to God.
God doesn’t hide His truth — He gives it to those who want it. DO YOU WANT IT? Solomon tells us what wisdom does: it teaches, corrects, matures, and equips. With wisdom, you can produce fruit for God.
The purpose of Proverbs is not just to make us smarter — it’s to make us godlier. We need to grow in this book and your chance to start that growth is right now. If you want to get better and be a better person, let’s start this right now with the Creator’s words to us.
Exposition of Proverbs 1:1–6
Verse 1 — The Writer and His Authority
“”Proverbs 1:1
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel.”
This isn’t a blog of opinions—it’s the wisdom of a king inspired by God. Solomon, the man who asked, “Give me an understanding heart” (1 Kings 3:9), received the kind of wisdom people traveled continents to hear.
When Solomon speaks, heaven is echoing through human lips—through the son of David, KING of Israel.
If a man with everything—riches, women, fame—still said wisdom was the greatest treasure, what excuse do we have for neglecting it? If I told you that I had 1 million dollars for you if you would pay attention to this sermon, every second, would you be able to do it? Wisdom is far greater than 1 million dollars. Please hear all of this today and receive wisdom.
The proverbs of Solomon or small sayings that carry big truths. A proverb is a short saying that carries a long lesson.
Verse 2 — The Purpose of Wisdom
Proverbs 1:2
To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding.
Wisdom is not intelligence; it’s spiritual insight practiced in daily life. Instruction means discipline—learning through correction. We need correction. Church is for correction. It’s not for approval and validation. It’s for instruction, correction, and understanding.
What if your biggest breakthroughs are hidden in the corrections you keep resisting? You know many of the things you do are just plain wrong. But you won’t fix it. You need to fix it. Imagine you just taking off and soaring in this life after you just fix the things you know need fixing.
God’s goal isn’t to make you clever—it’s to make you Christlike. People see wisdom as something it isn’t. They think it’s being clever. No, it’s being exactly like Jesus Christ. He is wisdom personified. If wisdom was a man, that man would be Jesus Christ.
Implementation (within 24 hours – before tomorrow at this time):
Ask the Lord, “What are You trying to teach me right now that I keep ignoring?” Because we do. God is constantly with us teaching us. But we ignore. Hey, let’s stop ignoring the God of all Creation. Ask Him. Then obey one correction immediately. Get it right.
And then once you take that first step to correcting things. Then take the next. When you come back here to church, you come back an even better person.
Verse 3 — The Practice of Wisdom
Proverbs 1:3
To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity.
Wisdom is proven by behavior. How are you behaving? Wisdom is knowing what’s right and doing it.
Justice—doing right toward others. It’s treating people the way God sees as fair and good.
Judgment—making right choices at the right times. Choose what’s right instead of what feels right.
Equity—fairness and integrity. Be fair and honest in all things. This is doing what’s right even when no one is watching.
“Wisdom tells you what’s right. Justice helps you do right. Judgment guides you to choose right. And equity keeps you fair and honest through it all.”
I once defended myself in an argument thinking I was standing for truth. I’ve done this many times. My tone is sharp. My mind is made up. I’m going to tell them. I’m going to show them. And then later God showed me—I was standing for pride. We all get that way at times.
Wisdom had to knock me down to straighten me up. And we have to want that. We desire wisdom. Wisdom shows us that we’re wrong. Many don’t want that. So, ask yourself today: “Do you want wisdom?” It will prove you wrong constantly.
Have you ever been right in facts but wrong in spirit? That’s where God’s wisdom takes the scalpel to your heart. We can be right, but we need to have the right spirit about it too. I’ve had the wrong spirit many times. And I am sorry for that. I want to get things right too.
Today, write one decision you made this week and ask: Was it just? Was it fair? Was it godly?
If you don’t take notes during the sermons, please do so. Put all the distractions away and focus in on the word of God and His teaching. Think of the decisions you made this week. What are you putting first in your life?
For example, did you come to church this past week? Did you decide to read your Bible or watch TV? Did you scroll through your phone or stop and pray? Did you listen to horrible music or sing hymns?
When we receive instruction, we learn to treat others the way God commands. Real wisdom always shows up in righteous behavior.
Verse 4 — The Recipients of Wisdom
Proverbs 1:4
To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
God’s Word reaches every age and intellect. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are, how old you are, what you’ve done, or why you’re here right now. God’s word is reaching you. Imagine that. The Almighty God, more famous, more powerful, more awesome than any man or woman who has ever lived—His words are reaching you right now.
To give subtility to the simple. “Subtilty” here means discernment—the ability to see beneath the surface. Imagine seeing things so differently in your life.
Imagine seeing that gas station food for what it is, pure junk, and avoiding that so you aren’t wasting your money and giving yourself health problems. Imagine seeing that alcohol as the pure poison that it is. Imagine seeing all those pills as the chemicals that they are. Imagine opening your eyes and seeing the greatness of God and His majesty and His glory.
Hey, you need to SEE THINGS in the light of God’s words. He is good. He is great. He wants to give all of us here right now knowledge and discretion. Knowledge is knowing what it true. It’s learning facts, principles, and truth from God’s word. Discretion is knowing when and how to use what you know. It’s using wisdom to make the right choice at the right time.
God wants to give you, RIGHT NOW, knowledge and discretion.
Every strong believer you admire started simple. We all started simple. Wisdom is not inherited; it’s received. You can start receiving that wisdom from the Bible today, right now.
The world tells the young child, the young man, the young woman, “Follow your heart.”
You hear it in songs, movies, graduation speeches, even from people who mean well — “Just do what feels right. Trust your heart.”
But Proverbs says the opposite: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)
God says, Don’t follow it — guard it.
Because your heart is like a well — if it gets poisoned, everything that flows out of it will be bitter. The heart can be deceived, emotional, impulsive. One wrong desire can steer your whole life off course.
So while the world says, “Follow your feelings,” God says, “Filter them through truth.”
Don’t chase every emotion that comes and goes — anchor your heart in the Word of God, where wisdom keeps you steady when the world keeps shifting. For example, in many churches, such as Pentecostal churches, they play off your emotions. I feel it. I feel this or I feel that. Hey, be very careful. Don’t follow your feelings. Follow the word of God.
Young or old, today—ask someone wiser than you one question this week and listen fully before you answer. That’s how teachability begins. Many times we need to be quiet and just listen. Stop interrupting people when they talk. Just listen. You’ll make good friends that way too. Listen. Again, hear me, stop talking and listen. Find someone wiser than you and listen.
Now, if you say, “Well that’s going to be hard to do. How am I going to find someone wiser than me?” If that’s what you’re thinking, you’ve got a problem. That’s pride. Pride goeth before destruction.
Verse 5 — The Growth of Wisdom
Proverbs 1:5
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.
The wise never stop learning. Church isn’t for the perfect; it’s for the teachable. Many people stop coming and replace what they would have gotten with things from the world. Imagine replacing church with football games.
We were knocking on doors preaching the Gospel last week. A man told me he didn’t have time to be saved because he was watching football. There won’t be football in hell. So, be wise, take 15 minutes out of your life, STOP, listen to someone who is wiser than you, because they come with a Bible, have respect for God’s word, and be saved.
The day you stop learning is the day you start dying. Understand me right now. Again, the day you stop learning is the day you start dying. Many people that have came here can’t stop, concentrate, and listen. They stop coming because they can’t listen. It’s up to you. If you listen to these sermons, you will become wise. Your life will change for the good.
Think of a plant you have at home. That plant is alive right now—green, healthy, full of potential.
But it only looks that way because it’s been drawing water. If you set it down and forget about it for a few days, it won’t die all at once. It’ll look fine for a little while — still green on the outside — but inside it’s drying out. The roots are starving long before the leaves start to wither.
That’s exactly how faith works. You can look alive on the outside — come to church, say “Amen,” quote a few verses — but if you stop drawing daily from the water of God’s Word, you’ll start dying on the inside long before anyone notices. Make sure you hear me.
That plant doesn’t need one big watering once a month; it needs small, steady watering every day. Your faith is the same way. You don’t stay strong by a single Sunday sermon — you stay strong by soaking in Scripture daily.
If you leave here and you don’t hear God’s words until a week from now, you’ll have big problems. Because the moment you stop drinking from God’s truth, your roots start to dry up — and sooner or later, your fruit will show it.
Do you realize how many believers plateau because they think they already know enough? Listen, we will never know enough. We need to continue. We need to keep coming here. We need to continue to be fed God’s words. And you’ll be happier. 4 services every week. Come to all of them. You’ll be happier.
Implementation (24 hrs): Tomorrow morning, read Proverbs 1 aloud and write one sentence that God highlights. Share it with one person. Show them that one sentence.
Verse 6 — The Depth of Wisdom
Proverbs 1:6
To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
“Dark sayings” means deep truths that require thought and humility. God hides treasure beneath the surface so that only the hungry find it. God wants you to be hungry for wisdom. So He hides it just under the surface. It’s a treasure hunt with God’s words.
Imagine if I had two different things in each of my hands: a plain rock in one hand and a nugget of gold in the other. In the one hand, I’ve got an ordinary rock—rough, common, nothing special. You can find one of those rocks anywhere. In my other hand, I’ve got gold—real gold. It’s smaller than the rock, but it’s precious. It’s been through fire. It’s pure. It’s valuable because of what’s inside it. It’s not about how big it looks on the outside.
Now here’s the truth: most people treat the Bible like that ordinary rock. They look at it and think, “I’ve seen that before.” It looks plain on the surface. But those who dig—who study, who pray, who seek God — discover that inside these pages is something far more valuable than gold.
Psalm 19:10 says God’s Word is “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold.”
Imagine the rock in one hand and the gold in the other. The stone and the gold both came from the earth — but only one was refined by fire. The same goes for people.
Two believers can sit in the same service, hear the same Word, sing the same songs—but one walks out unchanged, and the other walks out transformed. The difference isn’t what they heard—it’s how deep they let it go.
So here’s the question: Are you content holding rocks—surface truths, shallow faith—or do you want the gold that comes from digging deep into God’s Word? That’s what we’re going to do here at this church. We’re digging gold. Gold diggers. Digging in the word of God for wisdom.
Because wisdom doesn’t sit on the surface—it doesn’t. It’s hidden treasure for those willing to dig. That’s what this verse is telling us.
Shallow reading creates shallow living; deep study births deep conviction.
What if the verse you’ve been skipping is the very truth God intends to set you free?
Implementation (this week): Pick one hard verse this week. Study it until you can explain it. That’s how wisdom roots itself in your soul. And come here and talk about that verse with someone. Make good friends here.
The Gospel Connection in Proverbs 1:1–6
Solomon wrote about wisdom; Jesus Christ is Wisdom incarnate. “Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:24). He lived every proverb perfectly.
Through Him, we receive not just knowledge but a new heart to live it.
Proverbs tells you what wisdom looks like; the Gospel gives you the power to live it.
Conclusion: The Beginning of Wisdom
Proverbs begins with one goal—“To know wisdom and instruction.” It’s not about filling your mind; it’s about shaping your heart.
Solomon’s wisdom points to a greater One—Jesus Christ—who calls you to hear, follow, and walk in truth.
Tomorrow at this time, you will either be one verse wiser or one excuse older. Which will it be? Stop the excuses and get to doing God’s words.
Before tomorrow at this time, you have a deadline, read your KJV Bible. See how God speaks to you. Make a change. Implement something. Learn something. Apply it. Write it down. Continue to do that. Read, write it down, and obey before tomorrow at this time.
We’ve spent this message learning how to know wisdom and instruction. But next time, we’re going to meet a man who had it all—and still felt empty.
Solomon didn’t just write Proverbs from the mountaintop of wisdom; he also wrote Ecclesiastes from the valley of regret. In Proverbs, he teaches us how to live wisely. In Ecclesiastes, he confesses what happens when you stop living wisely.
If Proverbs says, “This is how to find meaning,” then Ecclesiastes cries out, “This is what life feels like without it.”
Next sermon — “Vanity of Vanities, All Is Vanity: Ecclesiastes 1’s Opening Cry.”
The wisest man in the world looks at all his wealth, his work, his pleasure, his success—and says, “It’s all empty.”
Why would Solomon say that? What happened to the man who once said, “Wisdom is better than rubies”? And what does it teach us about our own hearts, our own pursuits, our own priorities?
You don’t want to miss it. Come back later or stay with us today. Next service, we’re going to walk with Solomon through the riches, the glory, and the heartbreak—and find out how everything in life becomes vanity when you leave God out.
Let’s pray.
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