Are YOU A Fool?   

Introduction:

 

1.       Not using the term in contempt …..

 

Matt. 5:22  "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

 

2.       But as to one deficient in good judgment, prudence, and   wisdom...acting foolish.  When the Bible calls someone a fool, there         can be no mistake.

 

3.       I DON’T WANT TO OFFEND ANYONE HERE – IF THIS APPLIES TO YOU, YOUR ARGUMENT IS WITH GOD

 

Who is a fool?

1.       Those Who Won’t Listen To Advice –

 

Prov. 1:7-8  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.  (8)  Hear, my son, your father's instruction And do not forsake your mother's teaching;

 

Prov. 1:22  "How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge?

 

Prov. 23:9  Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.

 

Prov. 12:15  The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

 

Prov. 28:26  He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered.

 

A.      “Let me make my own mistakes…”

 

B.      One who won’t listen – already knows it all

 

C.      Don’t read those things that are anti scriptural….

 

D.      Watching TV shows with sex, etc. WILL AFFECT YOU

 

E.      Let your children go to dances, or worldly parties, etc., & you     may lose them to the world. – but you don’t want to say NO – want to be their BUDDY

 

2.       Those Who Pay No Attention To Warnings –

 

Prov. 14:6  A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none, But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding. –

                                            (I.E. willing to ask – but won’t act on info)

 

Prov. 22:3  The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the naive go on, and are punished for it.

           (I.E. the fool doesn’t see the evil – goes with hand over his eyes)

 

Prov. 13:19  Desire realized is sweet to the soul, But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.

         (One who HAS TO HAVE his own way – no matter what the cost)

 

Prov. 10:23  Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool, And so is wisdom to a man of understanding.

(A fool will do whatever he wants – makes a game out of getting away with evil)

 

Prov. 26:11  Like a dog that returns to its vomit Is a fool who repeats his folly.

(Fools continue to make the same mistake over and over)

 

A.      Get speeding tickets –– blame the police; More tickets, lose license, blame the court…. insurance drops you; they’re just gouging

 

B.      Want to take a trip with bald tires – told it is unwise – get stuck half way

 

C.      Tina’s brakes – $65.00 job (couldn’t afford) – $500.00 job

 

D.      If you miss services – you will grow weak….

 

3.       Those Who Believe Everything They Hear - the wise investigate -        

Prov. 14:15  The naive believes everything, But the sensible man considers his steps.

 

A.      Get rich quick schemes

 

B.      If a job is too good to be true – it probably is

 

C.      Always trying to get something for nothing – MOST SCAMS DEPEND ON THESE FOOLS

 

D.      Many in denominations will believe anything…..

 

E.      “Chariots of the Gods” – then “Crash of the     Chariots”

 

The wise prove all things –

 

1 Thess. 5:21  But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;

 

F.      Too many Christians trust the preacher to be right….

 

G.      Preaching – Books (Lucado) – TV evangelists – lead you away

 

4.       Those Who Mock Sin -

Prov. 14:9  Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is good will.

 

A.      many teens – worldliness mocks “sin”

 

B.      Satanic symbols – Drug jargon (Mary Jane, Skag, etc.)

 

5.       Those Who Are Contentious & Get Mad Easily –

 

Prov. 18:6  A fool's lips bring strife, And his mouth calls for blows.

 

Prov. 14:17  A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a man of evil devices is hated.

 

Prov. 14:29  He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.

 

Prov. 27:3  A stone is heavy and the sand weighty, But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.

 

Eccl. 7:9  Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools.

 

A.      Religion & Politics

 

B.      Husbands; parents; children; “be angry & sin not”

 

C.      Road rage- spousal abuse/child abuse

 

D.      When we discuss with denominationalists

 

6.       Those Who Talk Too Much –

 

Better to be silent and all to think you are a fool than to open your mouth & leave no doubt

 

Eccl. 10:14  Yet the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him?

 

Eccl. 10:12  Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him;

 

Eccl. 5:2-3  Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.  (3)  For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.

 

Prov. 10:19  When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.

 

Prov. 18:7  A fool's mouth is his ruin, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

 

A.      Not in a “listening mode”

 

B.      “Know it all”

 

C.      Blow hards

 

D.      Need to train ourselves to truly LISTEN

          We are thinking about what we are going to say while they are    speaking

 

E.      Especially when it comes to religion –

          1.       Must have emotion – greatest love

          2.       Must work to temper our emotion & listen

 

7.       Those Who Are Deceived By Strong Drink –

 

Prov. 20:1  Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.

 

Prov. 23:29-32  Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?  (30)  Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine.  (31)  Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly;  (32)  At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper.

 

A.      Smoking, drinking & drugs (partying) – will bite like an viper

 

B.      “I can do it – it won’t hurt me” –

          “Not talking about social drinking – drunkenness”

 

8.       Those Who Say In Their Hearts There Is No God –

 

Psa. 14:1   The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good.

 

Rom. 1:20-28  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.  (21)  For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  (22)  Professing to be wise, they became fools,  (23)  and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.  (24)  Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.  (25)  For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.  (26)  For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,  (27)  and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.  (28)  And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,

 

A.      Science & “higher” education

 

B.      Satan’s tools – i.e. Adam & Eve (don’t believe God)

 

C.      Don’t believe the Bible consequences?  You don’t believe God.    You are a Fool!

 

Conclusion:

 

The Bible also says the person who lays up treasures for himself, but is not rich toward God is a fool (Luke. 12:20)

 

READ:  Luke 12:16-21  And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive.  (17)  "And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?'  (18)  "Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  (19)  'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."'  (20)  "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?'  (21)  "So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

 

1.       The person who hears the word of God but trusts in himself – is a fool!

 

2.       To think that you have time to obey the gospel – like above – you are a fool!

 

READ: Mat 7:21-27  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.  (22)  "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'  (23)  "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'  (24)  "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.  (25)  "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.  (26)  "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  (27)  "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall."

 

3.       Are you building on the solid rock – or the sand?  If you are building on the sand – YOU ARE A FOOL!  (JUST LIKE IN      THE PHYSICAL SENSE)