When Foolishness Becomes Creative Series

1. We may commit sins within, but text is about outward, literal practice

2. We might commit them and repent of them

3. But they do not characterize a true believer

4. We can be cleansed, forgiven, and changed – as the Corinthians were

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. [I Corinthians 6:9-11]

III. The “All that Matters is Money and Power” FOOL (16)

The translators have chosen the translation we will follow, but this verse is ambiguous in Hebrew. It could mean that a man who takes money away from the poor will have his money taken away by someone richer than he. It could also mean that a person will gain more from the poor than trying to buy influence from the rich.

A. Money/power grabbers take advantage of one group and BUY into another

B. Perhaps Luke 14:12-14 is a MIDRASH on this verse

He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

C. The problem is the heart: it is all about ME and MINE

We all know the story of Scrooge; he was after money itself; related to money is materialism and the love of things and spending addictions; also related to money are prestige, influence, and insulation from life's curve balls

D. Making money is itself good, but HOW, WHY, and MODERATION matters

1. You cannot reason a person who goes to excesses to moderate

2. A person convinced against his will is unconvinced still

CONCLUSION

1. Do any of these concrete examples of creative, intelligent foolish strike close to home?

2. How do we change? Brokenness, taking up the cross and walk with the Lord.

3. Monitoring ourselves, challenging our assumption, quoting the Word…mirror