OceanSide church of Christ

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WISE FOOLS (2)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     Last week, we introduced a figure of speech to you called an oxymoron.

1.      An oxymoron contains two conflicting notions.

2.      Examples:

a.      A big little man

b.      Awfully good

c.       Jumbo shrimp

d.      Lady Stallions

e.      Working vacation

 

B.     In Scripture, we find this oxymoron, a wise fool.

1.      If one is wise, he is not a fool.  If one is a fool, he is not wise.

2.      These individuals are fools, but in their own eyes they are wise.

3.      Romans 1:22

 

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.

 

C.     In a previous lesson, we looked at two examples of “wise fools,” the conceited and the rich.

 

D.     In this lesson, we will examine two more examples of wise fools.

 

I.             THE SLOTHFUL

 

A.     The slothful can be described with other words such as lazy or sluggard.

 

B.     Proverbs 26:16 notes the “wisdom” the slothful believe they possess.

 

The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

 

1.      The slothful needs to be working, toiling, and laboring.

2.      However, he has every excuse in the book as to why he should not get out of his house.

a.      It is cold (Prov. 20:4).

b.      There is a lion in the street (Prov. 26:13).

 

C.     The sluggard thinks his wise, but he is a fool.  He is the main factor in his demise.

1.      Proverbs 13:4

 

The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing.

 

2.      Proverbs 20:4

 

The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold;  therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

 

D.     Slothfulness in the church

1.      We are told that 20% of the people do 80% of the work.

2.      The 80% who are slothful have all kinds of excuses as to why they cannot work.

3.      They see themselves as wise.  They believe they will be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

4.      They fail to keep in mind “The Parable of the Talents,” especially the part about the one talent man (Matt. 25:24-30).

 

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strewed:  and I will afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth:  lo, there thou has that is thine.  His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knew I reap where I sow not, and gather where I have not strewed:  thou oughteset therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.  Take therefore the one talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance:  but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness:  there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

a.      Those who do not use their talents will give an account.

b.      Those who do not use their talents have all kinds of excuses for their neglect.

c.       Those who do not use their talents are worthy of rebuke.

d.      Those who do not use their talents are wicked and slothful.

e.      Those who do not use their talents had alternatives, but did not use them.

f.        Those who do not use their talents will lose them.

g.      Those who do not use their talents will ultimately be condemned.

5.      The slothful will groan in the agony of their condemnation and come to understand that they were nothing but wise fools.

 

II.           TRUST IN THEIR OWN HEART

 

A.     Proverbs 28:26

 

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.

 

1.      Some have a difficult time believing there is a God.  They are definitely fools (Ps. 14:2).

2.      Others have a hard time trusting God.  Instead, they want to trust in themselves.  This is interesting considering how many times man has been proven to be wrong about so many things.

 

B.     There are several areas wherein men trust their own hearts and prove themselves to be fools.

1.      Science

a.      True science is supposed to be based on facts.

b.      Too, science is supposed to be determined by some of the most brilliant minds among us.

c.       Yet, there are times when scientists have shown themselves to be wise fools.

d.      Example:

1)      Global cooling, global warming, climate change

2)      The wisdom of man declares that man’s actions control the climate.

a)      “As humans, we have played a significant role in climate change, and many believe that in order to control the weather for the better we should focus on reversing our actions” (Geoengeineering:Can we control the weather? | Live Science, Ailsa Harvey).

b)      In another article, an author set forth 18 ways humans can have a positive impact on climate change.  Some of them included purchase reusable water bottles, plant a tree, reduce your thermostat by 2-3 degrees, ride a bike, and wash your clothes in cool water (18 Simple Things You Can Do About Climate Change | US Davis). 

e.      The wisdom of God found in the Bible tells us some things about this earth.

1)      God formed the earth to be inhabited (Isa. 45:18).

2)      God upholds all things by the word of His power (Heb. 1:3).

3)      God has promised that “while the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Gen. 8:22).

4)      God has set the bounds for the oceans (Prov. 8:29).

 

When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment…

 

5)      The earth will come to an end when God brings it to an end (2 Pet. 3:10).

 

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

 

2.      Politics

a.      Our government officials believe that by rejecting God and His laws, they can bring about utopia on earth through man-made laws and the strict control of humanity.

b.      There are numerous factors that will not allow this to transpire.

1)      Man lives in a fallen, sin-cursed world (Gen. 3:1-6, 14-19).

2)      Power and authority are needed to bring the utopia into existence, and man does not know how to handle power.

a)      They make rules for others but not for themselves.

b)      They make rules that oppress some to bring freedom to others.

c)      They do not hesitate to punish those who disagree with them.

3)      All men are not equal when it comes to intellect, talents, personalities, and desires.

c.       Until the utopia of Heaven is given to man, the best place for him to be right now in in the precious church of Jesus Christ.

1)      Men are free from sin and shun the practice of it (Rom. 6:11-13).

2)      There is no respect of persons that is shown (James 2:1-9).

3)      The lusts of the flesh are replaced with the fruit of the spirit (Gal. 5:19-23).

4)      Agape love is the ultimate quality to be displayed (I Cor. 1:1-13).

5)      Instead of focusing on the world, the church is focused on things above (2 Cor. 4:17-18; Col. 3:1-3).

3.      Religion

a.      The Jews and the Gentiles focused upon their own hearts in the realm of religion.

1)      Gentiles (Rom. 1:21-23)

2)      Jews (Rom. 10:2-3)

b.      Two dominant positions men take in religion that turns them into fools.

1)      Many today reject the concept of “organized” religion. 

a)      Their desires:

-          To be spiritual

-          To have a relationship with a higher power

-          To have a good life

-          To go to heaven, if there is a heaven

b)      These individuals reject passages such as John 8:32; 14:6, and Acts 4:11.

2)      Others are wise fools because they have accepted the traditions and commandments of men over the truth of the gospel.

3)      Examples:

a)      The Bible teaches there is one body, the church (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4), but men accept all churches.

b)      The Bible teaches that religious division is sinful and carnal (1 Cor. 3:10-13; 3:1-4), but the religious world tells us division is good.

c)      The New Testament teaches we are to worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24), but men attempt to worship God today by sincerity and emotions.

d)      The New Testament also teaches that those who espouse the doctrines of men are worshiping God in vain (Matt. 15:7-9).

4)      One of the most popular affirmations of religiously wise fools is “the sinner’s prayer.”

a)      Example:

 

“Heavenly Father, I come asking you in prayer to forgive

my sins. I confess with my mouth and believe with my heart

that Jesus is your Son, and that he died on the cross at Calvary

that I might be forgiven and have Eternal Life  in the King-

dom of Heaven. Father, I believe that Jesus rose from the dead

and I ask you right now to come into my life and be my personal

Lord and Savior. I repent of my sins and will worship you all

the days of my life! Because your word is truth, I confess with

my mouth that I am born again and cleansed by the Blood of

Jesus!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

 

b)      The prayer appears to be wise:  admission of sins, belief in Jesus as the crucified and resurrected Lord, confession that Jesus is the Son of God, and a commitment to worshiping God throughout life.  The prayer necessitates humility, sincerity, and submission on the part of the one who utters it.

c)      The prayer, however, is not wise.  It is foolish.

-          It is not authorized in the Scriptures at all.  We do not find one prayer like this in God’s Word.

-          Acts 2

+    This is the first time the gospel is preached following the Lord’s

      ascension to heaven.

+    Peter told those individuals gathered in Jerusalem to hear his

      words (Acts 2:14, 22).

+    Peter convicted the hearts of many in the crowd, and they cried: 

      “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).

+    Peter’s response did not include the sinner’s prayer (Acts 2:38).

 

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

 

+    The response of the hearers (Acts 2:41).

 

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized:  and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

 

+    They were baptized in harmony with the instruction of a divinely

      inspired apostle of Jesus Christ who was carrying out the Lord’s

      Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16).  And, when

      they obeyed these instructions, they were calling on the name of

      the Lord (Acts 2:21; 22:16).

CONCLUSION

 

A.     The world is filled with wise fools.

1.      Sadly, their wisdom often fools others.

2.      These individuals are not wise fools; they are just simple and foolish.

3.      They are like sheep who are easily led astray by doctrines that are pleasing and comforting to the ears of man.

 

B.     Wise fools will one day stand before Him who possesses all wisdom (Col. 2:3).

1.      When their wisdom is compared to His wisdom, it will not measure up.

2.      It will be exposed for the foolishness it really is.

3.      To them, it will be revealed that “the world by wisdom knew not God” (1 Cor. 1:21).

4.      Too, God will “destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent” (1 Cor. 1:19).