Week 11: July 28, 2024
Review this week's message
Pastor: Guest, Randy Scheil
Series: Uncommon Sense: The Wisdom of Proverbs
Sermon Title: Mirror of Fools
Scripture: Proverbs 26:1-12
Resource: Boundaries by Henry Cloud
Main Point: Donât honor a fool because he is a danger to himself and the community
Series: Uncommon Sense: The Wisdom of Proverbs
Sermon Title: Mirror of Fools
Scripture: Proverbs 26:1-12
Resource: Boundaries by Henry Cloud
Main Point: Donât honor a fool because he is a danger to himself and the community
HOW DO WE RECOGNIZE A FOOL (Proverbs 26:1-3)?
âFools are fixed in the correctness of their own opinions â opinions that fly in the face of the values that restore humanity to the moral order that God ordained⌠Their morally deficient character prompts their irrational behavior. They are deaf to wisdom. From their distorted moral vision, of which they are certain, they delight in twisting values that benefit the community. - NIV Study Bible, p. 1190
HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND TO A FOOL (Proverbs 26:4-10)?
âItâs like putting a gun in a childâs handsâŚAnyone who hires him hires one who is as berserk and dangerous as a mass terroristâ â Dr. Bruce Waltke, Proverbs
IS THERE HOPE FOR A FOOL (Proverbs 26:11-12)?
2 Peter 2:22 âWhat the proverb says has happened to them: âThe dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mireââ.
Colossians 2:2b-3 â ââŚthe knowledge of Godâs mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.â
Donât give up hope because through Christ, even fools can be forgiven and made wise.
Talk it Over
The book of Proverbs reveals character types - wise/righteous (1:5), simple/youth (1:4) and fool/wicked. This message centers on a fool. How do we recognize a fool, how should we respond to a fool and is there any hope for a foolish person?
The book of Proverbs reveals character types - wise/righteous (1:5), simple/youth (1:4) and fool/wicked. This message centers on a fool. How do we recognize a fool, how should we respond to a fool and is there any hope for a foolish person?
- According to the Bible, what is a fool (Proverbs 1:7, 22-33)? Why is their life so tragic?
- We live among fools â at work, in our neighborhoods and in our families. How does Proverbs 26:1- 10 inform our understanding of how we should respond rightly and wrongly to a foolish person?
- According to Proverbs 26:11, why is it impossible for a fool to save himself (see how Peter quotes verse 11 in 2 Peter 2:22)? Where do we see a glimmer of hope in Proverbs 26:12? How does this verse point us to the hope of the gospel (read Matthew 5:3-7)?
- No one wants to be a fool. Evaluate yourself: How are you growing in grace in virtues of humility, hunger for righteousness and mercy, which are the opposites of foolishness? Ask your spouse (if married) or a trusted friend for input. Pick one of these as an area of growth for this summer.