Proverbs 10 Sermon 2020

 

The blessing of the Lord makes one rich,

And He adds no sorrow with it.

~Proverbs 10:22

 

This proverb is high above our understanding, and I am still perplexed by it, but I pray God that He give me wisdom to understand it from His Word in Holy Scripture.  To that end, let us pray,

 

These are Your words, holy Father; sanctify us by the truth; Thy word is truth.

 

There are no riches that have no sorrow in them on earth, so how can there be riches to which God adds no sorrow?  Because the blessing of the Lord makes you rich in knowing God, in whom there is no sorrow.  These are the riches that Paul speaks of when he tells the Corinthians and us,

 

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

 

There is no sorrow in the forgiveness of sins, and so there is no sorrow in eternal life.  The way to the forgiveness of sins is full of sorrow.  It was for Jesus, and so it is for us.  For Jesus, because His sorrow earned the forgiveness of sins.  He renounced the world’s promises, the devil’s glory, and the pleasures of the flesh for the sake of the joy set before Him, which was and is giving you His riches, which is God’s favor and fellowship, the righteousness that shines more brightly than any clothing money can buy and any honor man can bestow.

 

There is no sorrow in righteousness. There is sorrow in sin.  There is no sorrow in good.  There is sorrow in evil.  There is no sorrow in God, and yet see the Son of God become man and carry all sorrow in Him.

 

There is sorrow in the Law only because of man’s disobedience.  This doesn’t mean that every time you are sad it is because you did something to make you sad.  Sometimes that’s true, but not always.  God sends sorrow.  But He  does not add sorrow to righteousness. There is no sorrow in Christ’s righteousness, because His righteousness is the end of all sorrow.  When He rose from the dead there was no sorrow in Him because there was no sin.  All the disobedience of ours that He carried was all gone.  And now Jesus sits at God’s right hand, righteous and joyful, preparing a place for you where sorrow and sighing will flee away, and in the meantime He has prepared a place for you on this world so full of sorrow and sadness.  It is His Holy Christian Church where He commands the blessing: life forevermore. 

 

And it is with this understanding that we can accept the words of Paul to the Philippians and us,

 

“For unto is given on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” We boast and rejoice in our suffering because God sends it for our good, to drive us to that blessing and those riches to which He adds no sorrow, because He says to His apostles and us,

 

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 

He has overcome all sorrow.  What can the world do?  World, thou shalt not harm me / While I sing of peace.  He has overcome your straying and your failure to pray in time of need.  He has overcome your unbelief with His faithfulness.  He has overcome your running away from Him by running to you and knowing your sadness.  He has overcome your disobedience with His obedience unto the death of the cross.  He has overcome your anger with His meekness and His head bowed to a crown of thorns.  He has overcome your lust with His desire to save you even as He saw what your desires made Him suffer.  He has overcome your greed with His poverty of pleasure, and He has overcome your envy with His love that covers all sins.  He overcame your covetousness by laying down the life that you need for you.  He has overcome all that the world could harm you with, sorrow you with, tempt you with.  Be of good cheer. 

 

You will be sorrowful, Jesus says.  He does not add this to His blessing.  He adds it to your life so that you might know His blessing that has no sorrow.  He gives you poverty so that you might be rich.  He gives you sadness to give you joy.  He doesn’t add sorrow to the joy; He gives sorrow so that you might know His joy. 

 

We don’t understand this, as I said at the beginning.  It is beyond our ken and beyond our ability to figure it all out.  But Jesus has it all figured out.  He knows that all other riches the earth has to offer have their sorrows.  He tasted them all.  It is as we sing

 

One thing needful, this one treasure, teach me, Savior to esteem,

Other things may promise pleasure, but are never what they seem;

They prove to be burdens that vex us and chafe us

And true lasting happiness never vouchsafe us;

This one precious treasure that all else exceeds

Gives joy above measure, and fills all my needs.

 

David said, “If riches increase, do not set your heart on them.  But set your heart on these riches, you sad heart.  Set your heart on the riches that are in Jesus’ words that are spirit and life, that lead you from your own poor thoughts to His rich thoughts of peace towards you.  To these riches God adds no sorrow.  It is the blessing of knowing God is merciful and gracious to you, that He values you more than anything you have valued on earth.  Therefore the joy that is given to you is greater than your mind can understand, but your heart can grasp it every day and now.  It is knowing God in Christ.  It is God giving sorrow so that you might know Him who has no sorrow.  Once Christ had it, but now no more.  Once He carried your sins, but they are all gone now, and there is only joy. What sorrow is there to add to these riches which moth and rust cannot destroy and which thieves cannot break in and steal? 

 

Rejoice in the Lord tonight, brothers and sisters.  A woman when she is in labor has sorrow because her hour has come.  Our hour has come.  We need to repent and acknowledge that the earth’s joy, our flesh’s joy is not full.  But it is precisely in this sorrow over sin that God blesses sinners and gives riches to which He adds no sorrow, but to which He adds the promise that that will soon disappear like mist from the morning sun.  Now let us drink deeply from the wounds of Christ the blood that bought us this joy.  Soon we will taste it without sorrow; our joy will be full, and God will add no sorrow to it, only more joy.  Amen.