Sermon Central
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Praying The Proverbs: Lesson 1: The Fool
Contributed by Elmer Towns on Mar 29, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: Do everything possible to get a fool out of your life. “Cast out the fool and contention will leave” (22:10). Paul says, “What part has a believer with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living Go
A. ABOUT PROVERBS
1. A proverb is a brief pithy saying or popular saying that encapsulates a practical truth in one or two lines. Notice “verb” is part of the word
Proverbs suggesting action.
2. Purpose: “Apply your heart to knowledge so you will gain wisdom.”
a. Knowledge: learning a lot of information. Children ask, “Why?”
b. Wisdom: understanding why and how things work.
c. Theme: believe yourself to successful living.
3. To read the Bible fills the mind. To pray the Bible is to activate your emotions and will.
4. What’s not in Proverbs? Plan of salvation, prophecy, doctrine, etc.
5. Solomon wrote 3000 proverbs (I Kings 4:22), includes the 800 verses of Proverbs.
6. Synonyms: Dumb, jerk, nunskull, rash, stupid, frivolous, nincompoop.
B. WHAT A FOOL IS LIKE
1. Not like the Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, Jerry Lewis, etc.
2. The fool refuses common sense, won’t obey rules. “They hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord” (1:29).
3. A fool does not prize right living. “A desire accomplished . . . is an abomination to fools to depart from evil” (13:19).
4. A fool justifies his sinful and selfish pursuits of evil. “To do evil is like sport to a fool” (10:23).
5. A fool laughs at those who live righteously.
6. A fool refuses to learn. “It is senseless to pay tuition to educate a fool who has no heart for wisdom” (17:16, LB).
7. A fool is emotionally undisciplined. “A fool gets mad at the drop of hat” (12:16, ELT).
8. A fool laughs at serious things. “A fool laughs at everything (15:2, ELT).
9. A fool can’t control his tongue. “The mouth of fools pours out foolishness” (15:2). “A fool’s mouth is his destruction” (18:7).
10. A fool is ungrateful. A fool will not listen to his parents, (15:20), but will cause them grief (10:1).
11. A fool tries to get others to believe a lie. “The fool likes to deceive others” (14:8).
12. A fool likes to argue. “Since any fool can start a quarrel” (20:3).
C. YOUR RESPONSE TO A FOOL
1. Don’t live on the level of a fool. Living selfishly, angrily, without thinking, for pleasure only, breaking rules, etc.
2. Don’t compliment a fool. Fools are self righteous and compliments reinforce their stupid deeds. “Never give honor to fools” (26:1).
Never answer them, “Lest he become wise in his own conceit” (26:5).
3. Don’t try to correct a fool. “Do not correct a fool, lest he hates you, rebuke a wise man and he will love you” (9:8).
4. Let a fool learn from the consequences of his action. “In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride” (14:3). He is punished with the consequences of what he says.
5. A fool cannot be reasoned with, so let him learn from his mistakes. “A whip for the horse . . . a rod for the fool’s back” (26:3). Isn’t it foolish to go to jail because you refuse to obey laws?
6. You should not fellowship with fools. “Go from the presence of a foolish man” (14:7). Why? Foolishness is infectious.
7. You will be hurt by a foolish friend. “Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly” (17:12).
8. Do everything possible to get a fool out of your life. “Cast out the fool and contention will leave” (22:10). Paul says, “What part has a believer with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God” (II Cor. 6:15-16).
Fourteen Character Studies in Proverbs
The fool, the trollop, the wicked, the mischievous, the diligent, the prudent, the scoffer, the right-doing person, the shrew, the drunkard, the sluggard, the king, the wife worth more than rubies
Order: Praying the Proverbs: www.elmertowns.com, or 1-434-525-3799
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Please contact me at eltowns@liberty.edu and tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
