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First Christian Church - El Centro
Living out Faith in a Generation of Fools
2020 Sermon Series - FACING THE FUTURE WITH FAITH (Living through Rebellion, Riots, Revolution and Revival)
Locations & Times
First Christian Church - El Centro, CA
450 S Waterman Ave, El Centro, CA 92243, USA
Sunday 10:00 AM
FOOL – “A silly or stupid person, who lacks common sense”
I. HOW THE BIBLE DEFINES A FOOL
1. The Bible states, “a fool is someone that disregards God’s Word”.
2. The Bible lists many characteristics of a fool and many times in contrast to someone who is wise.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A FOOL FOUND IN THE BIBLE
Psalm 14:1 “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’.”
Proverbs 1:22 “Fools mocks wisdom and fights against truth.”
Proverbs 6:32 “The one who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys his own soul.”
Proverbs 18:2 “A fool gets into constant fights over opinions.”
Proverbs 19:1 “Better be poor and honest than a rich fool who lies.”
Proverbs 20:1 “Fools let liquor master them and make them drunk.”
Proverbs 26:11 “Like a dog returning to his vomit a fool returns to sin.”
Ecclesiastes 10:2 “A wise man pursues right; a fool pursues evil.”
3. We have all been foolish at times in our life, particularly in youthful indiscretions. But most of us learn from our mistakes or have faced the unpleasant consequences of them and have chosen the path of righteousness.
4. Many people are stuck in a cyclical pattern of making the same mistakes over and over again. These individuals are often in bondage to addictive behavior or to hardness in their hearts. They are the ones that Jesus spent time with to try and show them the way of God, which leads to freedom.
I. HOW THE BIBLE DEFINES A FOOL
1. The Bible states, “a fool is someone that disregards God’s Word”.
2. The Bible lists many characteristics of a fool and many times in contrast to someone who is wise.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A FOOL FOUND IN THE BIBLE
Psalm 14:1 “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’.”
Proverbs 1:22 “Fools mocks wisdom and fights against truth.”
Proverbs 6:32 “The one who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys his own soul.”
Proverbs 18:2 “A fool gets into constant fights over opinions.”
Proverbs 19:1 “Better be poor and honest than a rich fool who lies.”
Proverbs 20:1 “Fools let liquor master them and make them drunk.”
Proverbs 26:11 “Like a dog returning to his vomit a fool returns to sin.”
Ecclesiastes 10:2 “A wise man pursues right; a fool pursues evil.”
3. We have all been foolish at times in our life, particularly in youthful indiscretions. But most of us learn from our mistakes or have faced the unpleasant consequences of them and have chosen the path of righteousness.
4. Many people are stuck in a cyclical pattern of making the same mistakes over and over again. These individuals are often in bondage to addictive behavior or to hardness in their hearts. They are the ones that Jesus spent time with to try and show them the way of God, which leads to freedom.
II. HOW JESUS DEALT WITH FOOLS
1. Matthew 5:21-22 Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca’, is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”
2. “You fool or Raca” is the same today of “damning someone to hell” in anger.
3. In Matthew 23:17 Jesus called the Pharisees to their faces, “You blind fools”.
4. Jesus left his harshest words and greatest judgment for the teachers of God’s law the Pharisees. Matthew 23 has what is called the “7 Woes” or judgments of these religious teachers and leaders of Israel. Jesus calls them “hypocrites” five times. “Blind guides”, “Blind fools”, “You snakes! You brood of vipers” Verse 33 – “How will you escape being condemned to hell.” (Jesus is Judge)
5. “Whitewashed tombs” – They look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of death. Verse 28 – “In the same way, on the outside, you appear to people as righteous but on the inside, you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
6. Jesus taught the generally understood fact that murderers will be judged; however, He revealed the deeper issue by saying that not just murderers but “anyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.” (Matt 5:22) Furthermore, Christ continued by mentioning that those who insult their brother or call their brother a fool would be held liable for those words.
7. Jesus did not focus just on an individual’s actions such as murder but also on the heart and attitude behind those actions. A heart full of anger toward someone can lead to insults, name-calling, and even murder. In other words, murder is not the only symptom of a corrupted heart.
8. Matthew 7: 24-27, where Jesus talks about how to build our lives in him. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock…But everyone who does not put my words into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house and it fell with a great crash.”
9. Matthew 25:1-13 about the return of Christ. “The kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them…the foolish one ran out of oil before the bridegroom arrived and had to go into town and buy more. While they were gone the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. The others came later but they were denied entrance. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or house of his return.”
1. Matthew 5:21-22 Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca’, is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”
2. “You fool or Raca” is the same today of “damning someone to hell” in anger.
3. In Matthew 23:17 Jesus called the Pharisees to their faces, “You blind fools”.
4. Jesus left his harshest words and greatest judgment for the teachers of God’s law the Pharisees. Matthew 23 has what is called the “7 Woes” or judgments of these religious teachers and leaders of Israel. Jesus calls them “hypocrites” five times. “Blind guides”, “Blind fools”, “You snakes! You brood of vipers” Verse 33 – “How will you escape being condemned to hell.” (Jesus is Judge)
5. “Whitewashed tombs” – They look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of death. Verse 28 – “In the same way, on the outside, you appear to people as righteous but on the inside, you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
6. Jesus taught the generally understood fact that murderers will be judged; however, He revealed the deeper issue by saying that not just murderers but “anyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.” (Matt 5:22) Furthermore, Christ continued by mentioning that those who insult their brother or call their brother a fool would be held liable for those words.
7. Jesus did not focus just on an individual’s actions such as murder but also on the heart and attitude behind those actions. A heart full of anger toward someone can lead to insults, name-calling, and even murder. In other words, murder is not the only symptom of a corrupted heart.
8. Matthew 7: 24-27, where Jesus talks about how to build our lives in him. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock…But everyone who does not put my words into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house and it fell with a great crash.”
9. Matthew 25:1-13 about the return of Christ. “The kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them…the foolish one ran out of oil before the bridegroom arrived and had to go into town and buy more. While they were gone the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. The others came later but they were denied entrance. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or house of his return.”
III. HOW WE ARE TO DEAL WITH FOOLS
1. In Matthew 7:6 Jesus gave us divine insight into this topic of dealing with fools. “Do not give to dogs that which is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do
2. Wisdom proves herself right, we are not to treat all people the same. If you do you will find yourself involved in a lot of messes that could have been avoided.
3., they may trample them under your feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.”
4. Jude 17-20“Remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold, ‘In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their ungodly desires. They stir up arguments; they love evil things of the world; they do not have the Holy Spirit living in them.”
5. II Peter 3:3-4“I want to remind you that in the last days there will come scoffers who will do every wrong they can think of, and laugh at the truth of God. This will be there line of argument: So Jesus promised to come back, did he? Then where is he? He will never come back. Things have remained the same exactly as it always has been.”
6. Psalm 1:1-4“Great blessings belong to those who don’t listen to evil advice who don’t live like sinners, and who don’t join those who make fun of God. Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings and think about them day and night.”
7. Proverbs 13:1“A mocker refuses to listen to correction.” Titus 3:9-10 “Avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”
8. The Holy Spirit is quite capable of leading you to the right people and the right time in their life to hear the gospel and to answer their sincere questions about God, life, and salvation. It happened in Acts 8:28f when a man had gone to Jerusalem to worship and was on his way home and he was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah. “The Holy Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’ Then Philip asked him, ‘Do you understand what your reading? How can I the man ask, unless someone explains it to me? So he invited Philip to come up and Philip told him the good news about salvation in Jesus.”
1. In Matthew 7:6 Jesus gave us divine insight into this topic of dealing with fools. “Do not give to dogs that which is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do
2. Wisdom proves herself right, we are not to treat all people the same. If you do you will find yourself involved in a lot of messes that could have been avoided.
3., they may trample them under your feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.”
4. Jude 17-20“Remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold, ‘In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their ungodly desires. They stir up arguments; they love evil things of the world; they do not have the Holy Spirit living in them.”
5. II Peter 3:3-4“I want to remind you that in the last days there will come scoffers who will do every wrong they can think of, and laugh at the truth of God. This will be there line of argument: So Jesus promised to come back, did he? Then where is he? He will never come back. Things have remained the same exactly as it always has been.”
6. Psalm 1:1-4“Great blessings belong to those who don’t listen to evil advice who don’t live like sinners, and who don’t join those who make fun of God. Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings and think about them day and night.”
7. Proverbs 13:1“A mocker refuses to listen to correction.” Titus 3:9-10 “Avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”
8. The Holy Spirit is quite capable of leading you to the right people and the right time in their life to hear the gospel and to answer their sincere questions about God, life, and salvation. It happened in Acts 8:28f when a man had gone to Jerusalem to worship and was on his way home and he was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah. “The Holy Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’ Then Philip asked him, ‘Do you understand what your reading? How can I the man ask, unless someone explains it to me? So he invited Philip to come up and Philip told him the good news about salvation in Jesus.”
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