Sermon - Be Wise
Q- How many of us are familiar with the statement, look before you leap?
- It’s a great piece of advice, that many refuse to listen to.
- I remember the time that I was in a hurry to get to school. In my 83 Bronco, with a
351 Windsor v8 engine in it, I was skinning it back! I stopped at the red light to turn
right. As soon as the light turned green, my foot was on the floor. I turn right, &
immediately start to merge from the slow lane to the fast lane. I suddenly looked left
& realized I was merging directly into a car! I immediately shot back over, but it’s a
day I will not soon forget!
- If I had listened to the advice, I would have never tried to merge to begin with.
- God gives us the same advice through Solomon.
- Solomon strongly went away from the Lord, until he wrote Ecclesiastes.
- He pours into this book the, “What not to do’s. Why? It is because I’ve been
there done that!”
- Solomon, who foolishly followed his wives into Idolatry, looks back & thinks, if I
had looked before I leaped I would’ve never followed them.
- So now, Solomon adds to this wisdom,
Ecclesiastes 10:8-11
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
- Simple wisdom, but when not followed you can get hurt!
- Before we go deeper into this, let’s ask for God’s wisdom to lead us.
Prayer
> Patience. (www.bestcleanjokes.com/patience.htm)
Did you hear about the teacher who was helping one of her kindergarten students put his boots on? He asked for help and she could see why. With her pulling and him pushing, the boots still didn't want to go on. By the time she got the second boot on, she had worked up a sweat.
She almost whimpered when the little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet." She looked and sure enough, they were. It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as they worked together to get the boots back on -- this time on the right feet.
He then announced, "These aren't my boots." She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream, "Why didn't you say so?" like she wanted to. Once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off.
He then said, "They're my brother's boots. My Mom made me wear them." She didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She mustered up the grace to wrestle the boots on his feet again.
She said, "Now, where are your mittens?" He said, "I stuffed them in the toes of my boots ..."
- Oh how we see the word patience placed before the firing squad & be obliterated!
- There are moments that arise & they press on every last nerve we have.
- Solomon imparted his worldly knowledge in an attempt to save people from a lot
of harm & heartache.
- We know if we set up a scheme to con someone we’ll inevitably be conned or hurt
ourselves.
- That’s digging a pit.
- If you destroy someone’s trust. You could get it back, but it will hurt, & will most likely
leave a mark.
- That’s breaking a hedge
- If you’re like me & too stubborn to ask for help. You are more than likely to get hurt
when you do something you have no ability, or knowledge of doing.
- That’s the stones (which stand for large stones), & the cleaves wood (which is
cuts trees)
- If I went to cut down a tree by myself. Well, let’s hope 911 is ready!
- Solomon is calling for people to live using wisdom.
- That’s verse 10 saying, wisdom is more profitable.
- Jesus calls for us to exercise the same wisdom in our lives too.
Matthew 7:24-27
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
- I stop & think of the cities built in Jesus’ time. I can see one man put his house
together with great speed. It looks amazing, & he’s able to live in it already.
- You look across the way & see a man still working on the foundation of his house.
- It wouldn’t take long for the rest of the people to say, I want to be like that guy.
- Houses spring up all over the place.
- Then comes the first good storm! Sands flow out from under the these
homes. They’re now left in shambles.
- This is the picture of our world.
- One person sets the theme of living it up without God, & people run & jump on the
bandwagon.
- We know it’s to their own demise, because without Jesus you die in your own sins!
- But The times, & the peers win people over.
- Nowadays it’s getting worse, because of social media.
- Where there used to be restraint, there isn’t now.
- If someone did something you didn’t like. We’ll bash them on Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, & all those places people flock to.
- Well That gave you the five second release from your tantrum, but you caused
possibly a lifetime of hurt, & judgement on the person you branded.
- Paul tells the church of Corinth about the bad choices many of the Israelites
made during their wilderness march.
- All of which were examples of what not to do!!!!
- Then In verses 31-33 Let’s read what he says to do.
1 Corinthians 10:31-33
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
Q- Who would profit from an angry post?
Q- Who would profit from going into a crowded area, & shooting a mass of people?
- You, & you alone!
- Something I’ve given a lot of thought to is the fact that when you post something
it leaves no room for change.
- The person you wrote about may have came & asked for forgiveness, but by all
the readers they’re still bad, & even if you wrote a rebuttal most would
question, did that really happen.
- I pity a true reformed criminal, because we’re all waiting for when they might go
do it again.
- That brings me to our great savior.
Q- How often do we think of our bad choices?
Q- Have you ever been looked at with eyes of bewilderment when you say, I’m a
Christian now?
- People often dwell on a person’s past, & they refuse to see you now.
- Jesus took a sinner, from whatever degree you want to place yourself in, & He
cleansed you from all sin.
1 Corinthians 6:9-12
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
- Not only did Jesus cleanse us. He also expunged all the record from our case.
- We are guilt free, He bore it.
John 5:24
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
- Paul says, since I am free from this law I’m free to do what I choose, but (let me
Paraphrase) use wisdom.
- If I can stop & say, this will bring God glory, then go for it.
- If you say it’s only going to bring me Glory, then ask yourself,
Q- Is it worth it?
- I want to be in the business of seeing people saved.
- Paul was willing to give up many of his freedoms, just so others would get saved.
- Here’s an example, put God first, & everything else second.
> The Dart Test (http://varietyreading.carlsguides.com/christian-stories/)
A young lady named Sally relates an experience she had in a seminary class given by her teacher, Dr. Smith. She says that Dr. Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons.
One particular day, Sally walked into the seminary and knew they were in for a fun day.
On the wall was a big target, and on a nearby table were many darts. Dr. Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry, and he would allow them to throw darts at the person's picture.
Sally's friend drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on the face. Sally was pleased with the overall effect she had achieved.
The class lined up and began throwing darts. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with disappointment when Dr. Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats. As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at her target. Dr. Smith began removing the target from the wall.
Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus. A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face, and His eyes were pierced.
Dr. Smith said only these words, "In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me." Matthew 25:40
No other words were necessary; the tears filled eyes of the students focused only on the picture of Christ.
- It all comes into perspective when the blinders are taken off.
- Let’s choose everyday to draw closer to Christ.
