When was the last time you preached through wisdom literature? Think about it for a moment. Look back over your preaching calendar if you need to. I was forced to ask myself this question a few years ago. I’m committed to preaching through books of the Bible in their entirety. I’m also committed to preaching the whole counsel of God, so we alternate regularly between the Old and New Testaments and through the various genres of Scripture. Despite all that, I found that I had neglected wisdom literature.
I’m sure there are any number of reasons why. After all, who wants to preach through Song of Solomon on Sunday mornings to a mixed-gender, multi-generational, multi-ethnic congregation? Sure, like most pastors, I preached through a few wisdom Psalms here and there—mostly on Sunday nights or during the summer. Job? Well, that’s a long book—42 chapters, to be exact, and not the most encouraging either. And while we’re speaking of not encouraging, how much more negative can you get than Ecclesiastes? “Nothing new here! Oh, and by the way, every pursuit is empty, and life is a vapor!” Thanks, but no thanks! Now, I must admit that Proverbs is pretty practical stuff,
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