selected passages from Proverbs
December 15, 2024
preached by Pastor Doug Cooper
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Time of Reflection Quotations

“Of all the means which are procured by wisdom to ensure happiness throughout the whole of life, by far the most important is the acquisition of friends.”

~ Epicurus (341–270 BC), Greek philosopher

“Nothing is more sacred, more useful, more difficult to find, more pleasant, and more profitable than true friendship. Without authentic spiritual friendship, it is next to impossible to be happy in this life… Spiritual friendship cultivates virtue, overcomes vice, and brings balance in both good times and bad. It is a medicine for life that heals and elevates. As such, it leads one to the love and knowledge of God.”

~ Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167), English Cistercian monk

“All true friendliness begins with fire and food and drink…each human soul has in a sense to enact for itself the gigantic humility of the Incarnation. Every man must descend into the flesh to meet mankind.”

~ G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936), English writer and philosopher

“A custom existed among the first generations of Christians, when faith was a bright fire that warmed more than those who kept it burning. In every house then a room was kept ready for any stranger who might ask for shelter; it was even called “the stranger’s room.” Not because these people thought they could trace something of someone they loved in the stranger who used it, not because the man or woman to whom they gave shelter reminded them of Christ, but because—plain and simple and stupendous fact—he or she was Christ.”

~ Dorothy Day (1897-1980), American journalist and social activist

“There is…great incentive to worship and love God in the thought that, for some unfathomable reason, he wants me as his friend, and desires to be my friend, and has given his Son to die for me in order to realize this purpose.”

~ J.I. Packer (1926-2020), English-born Canadian writer

Sermon Passage

selected passages (ESV)

Proverbs 4

³ When I was a son with my father, tender,
the only one in the sight of my mother,
⁴ he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
keep my commandments, and live.”

Proverbs 5

¹⁸ Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth,
¹⁹ a lovely deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight;
be intoxicated always in her love.

Proverbs 11

¹¹ By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.

Proverbs 17

¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 18

¹⁰ The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Proverbs 23

²⁴ The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
²⁵ Let your father and mother be glad;
let her who bore you rejoice.
²⁶ My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe my ways.

Proverbs 27

⁶ Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy…
⁹ Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
So a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.

Proverbs 31

¹⁰ An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels…
²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Matthew 1

²¹ She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ²³ “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).