Proverbs 10:2-3, 11:5-10, 14:29-33, 24:15-16; 1 Peter 3:13-18
December 1, 2024
preached by Pastor Ryan Bouton
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Time of Reflection Quotations

“Been to 48 states and a few different worlds
Beheld the blind tour guide and a pig wearing pearls
I’ve seen grace under foot people fall in the street
Or use it to wipe their feet.

Never the righteous man forsaken
Never the righteous man.”

~ Smalltown Poets, “48 States”

“Punk is musical freedom. It’s saying, doing and playing what you want. In Webster’s terms, ‘nirvana’ means freedom from pain, suffering and the external world, and that’s pretty close to my definition of Punk Rock.”

~ Kurt Cobain, frontman for the band Nirvana

“Whatsoever I’ve feared has come to life
And whatsoever I’ve fought off became my life
Just when everyday seemed to greet me with a smile
Sunspots have faded, now I’m doing time
Now I’m doing time

‘Cause I fell on black days
I fell on black days.”

~ Soundgarden, “Fell on Black Days”

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”

~ Helen Keller

Sermon Passage

Proverbs 10:2-3, 11:5-10, 14:29-33, 24:15-16; 1 Peter 3:13-18 (ESV)

Proverbs 10

² Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
but righteousness delivers from death.
³ The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

Proverbs 11

⁵ The righteousness of the blameless
keeps his way straight,
but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
⁶ The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.
⁷ When the wicked dies, his hope will perish,
and the expectation of wealth perishes too.
⁸ The righteous is delivered from trouble,
and the wicked walks into it instead.
⁹ With his mouth the godless man
would destroy his neighbor,
but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
¹⁰ When it goes well with the righteous,
the city rejoices,
and when the wicked perish
there are shouts of gladness.

Proverbs 14

²⁹ Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
³⁰ A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh,
but envy makes the bones rot.
³¹ Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
³² The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
but the righteous finds refuge in his death.
³³ Wisdom rests in the heart
of a man of understanding,
but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.

Proverbs 24

¹⁵ Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the
dwelling of the righteous;
do no violence to his home;
¹⁶ for the righteous falls seven times and rises again,
but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

1 Peter 3

¹³ Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, ¹⁵ but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷ For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit…