Sermon Nuggets Week of April 27 Ecc 10
Sermon Nuggets Mon April 27
Theme- Foolish Ways
Verse Eccl 10:1 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Foolish Ways
A Jackdaw is member of the crow family in Europe. As for its name, it comes from an old English word that was used to ridicule foolishness, thievery and overly talkative people. The bird lives up to it's reputation. On the ground it walks with a jerky, swaggering strut. In flight, it often looks as though it is engaging in aerial displays. In the evening around roosting time, it loves being part of a noisy crowd. Beyond that, this little fellow is known for picking up and hiding brightly colored objects. The jackdaw's flair for showy living is matched only by it's indiscretions. Once fire fighters had to put out a blaze in the top of a high tree that started when a jackdaw picked up a "brightly" tipped cigarette and dropped his red- hot prize into his nest.
Some people have a similar zest for life. Their love of a practical joke and good laugh makes them the highlight parties. But their strength can also be their weakness. Just as serious-minded people often lack spontaneity and fun, so these happy-go-lucky individuals often come up short on spiritual discernment. They may be well meaning, but they can start fires of irritations in their own home by being overly foolish rather than sensitive to the feelings of others. As one person put it "As wise man is like a pin: his head keeps him from going too far."
As we look at the 10th chapter of Ecclesiastes we see many proverbs. Solomon is the author of the book of Proverbs. Here he talks about wisdom and foolishness. Like the jackdaw, some people tend to be foolish in action and in word. I've heard the very unkind poem quoted by some woman that says, "Women have many faults that true, and some of them have quite a few; We're told men's faults are but two; Everything they say and everything they do."
Perhaps that is a bit overstated, but those are the major areas of folly for us all, the things we say and the things we do. We take a wise look at our actions and how they affect others. Next week we will relook at some verses and discuss the foolishness that can come from our words.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues April 28, 2009
Verses 1 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.
3 Even as he walks along the road, the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how stupid he is.
Foolish Choices
Foolishness damages a good reputation. A dead fly causes perfume to stink. A small mistake can outweigh much wisdom and honor. One foolish act can ruin a person of high position and wisdom.
I watched the news last night about Christopher Anderson pleading guilty in Anoka County Circuit Court for the June 2008 crash that killed artist Jeff Hettwer and injured two others. He was drunk. A foolish choice of drinking and driving has devastated at least two families for the rest of their lives. His 365 day sentence is to be served over 5 years for 2 months at a time so he will long remember the consequences for his foolish decision.
I wonder if President Clinton wouldn’t havewished he could relive his choice to get involved in Monica Lewinski?How many times a moment of flirtation leads a couple to adultery and the break up of marriages that were not wanted or intended? There are opportunities each day when wrong choices are before us. Satan delights in our failures and foolishness.
Folly causes more trouble than wisdom can cause good. I wonder how often people wished they could relive one moment that changed their lives. How David wishes there was no Bathsheba, if Samson did not tell Delilah his secret, if Ananias and Sapphira did not tell the lie about selling their property and giving it to the church, how Nixon wishes there was no Watergate, how one man impulsively stole just a little money from a company with full intention of paying it back, only to discover they were caught doing it. A little folly can damage wisdom and ruin lives.
Temptation creeps into our thinking saying, "just a little bit won't hurt, Just this once is o.k., It's only a few. A little white lie won't hurt." And soon like the snake that moves so slowly it strikes and bites us and we are never the same and curse the folly that causes ruin. Beware of the little folly.
Foolishness also moves people to wrong choices. v2,3 With all respect to left handed people the use of the wise on the right hand the fool on the left is a figurative expression, and not political ideology. (Do with that as you wish.) Since most were right handed, the custom of shaking right hands was to show there were no weapon, knives, or danger in the hands of the opponent. They were open handed and so shaking right hands was a sign of peace. A left handed person could still cause damage for in it a person may have a weapon. Left handed can imply evil intent.
One neighbor told me of a dog who never learns to leave porcupines alone and foolishly gets hurt. If the wisdom of the Bible tells you to do obey it is foolish to disobey. The Bible contrasts the narrow road and broad road. Most make choices that go along with the crowd and miss the wisdom that comes from above. Fools follow the crowds. Wise people discern what is right. They follow truth. They seek the ways of the Lord.
It troubles me to see people making decisions that you know will hurt them and others because it is sinful. It seems they are the ones blind to it. Can you be convinced that the ways of the world will lead to destruction? Beware.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds April 29, 2009
Verses- Eccl. 10:4 If a ruler's anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great errors to rest.
Foolishness of Impulsiveness
This passage talks about a fool who is a boss or master. It certainly is not uncommon that people in authority are not the best qualified. But Solomon also talks about how to address those who are in authority over you and the wise way to respond. It is best to be calm, be self controlled and be patient. It is foolish to be impulsive, respond in anger and seek revenge.
It is not wise to run from troubles, but be able to face them. Not to hide from consequences of actions, and even if your boss or the person in authority is angry, your calmness and easy spirit can ease tensions and lay aside many errors. Don't make things worse.
When mistakes come, and they will to all, face them openly, honestly and calmly and you will be better off than quitting your job because you've had your feelings hurt. No problem is ever solved by running from it.
There are ministers I know that move every 2-3 years in their pastorate. That doesn’t seem as common as it used to be when I left seminary. But I have a friend who as soon as trouble came, he looked for another church. The longest he stayed anywhere was almost 6 years. The least amount of time was 2 years. He did not handle conflict very well. But he also missed the chance of growing or learning from those experiences. Folly is seen in impulsive behavior.
Anger can lead us to impulsive acts that are not thought out. Road rage is a perfect example of anger that has given over to impulsive acts of aggression and exchange of words that quickly escalate. A soft word, ignoring the agitator, and in need be, call 911 or drive to a safe place is a plan that is predetermined than impulsive anger and the results are better for all. Before you say a word in anger, wait a bit and think about what you really want to say and when it is best to say it.
Pleasure can lead us to impulsive acts that we regret later. We want something in a store, we might be tempted to be impulsive and buy it only to regret that purchase later. We see the luscious dessert at the end of a full meal in a restaurant and quickly eat more calories than is healthy. We might be tempted at a fair to take chances in winning a big prize only to discover loss that we could not afford.
Desire for riches can lead us to impulsive acts that cause poverty. Investments, expensive purchases, and get rich quick schemes provide ruin. Giving a matter prayer and patience is a wiser course of action in the long run.
Proverbs 3:5,6 becomes a healthy prescription for foolish impulsiveness, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.”
When we pray for wisdom and seek guidance of the Lord in prayer it gives us time to think more about a decision or activity and we are open to the leading of the Lord. That is the way of wisdom.
Pastor Dale.
Sermon Nuggets Thur April 30, 2009
Verses- Eccl 10:5-7 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler: Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones. I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
Eccl 10: 16, 17 Woe to you, O land whose king was a servant and whose princes feast in the morning. Blessed are you, O land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time-- for strength and not for drunkenness.
Foolishness of Position
It is a national past time to talk about how our elected government officials respond in foolishness. It is harder to pray for them. But it never ceases to amaze me that the people who clamor and distrust government officials forget they are elected by the will of the people. These officials hire others that work for them. Many are given high positions because of who they know, not what they know. Many do not belong in leadership positions or positions of honor. Many others, regardless of wealth, are better prepared to lead with wisdom, but not put such in positions.
How many times does someone with talent and ingenuity hire his son or son-in-law to manage the employees or take over the business when they don't know what they are doing? How often does someone put friends and relatives in important positions who seek honor, but those who run the business or government wisely are those who have little status?
A party spirit, selfish interests, pride, surrounded by self-seeking advisors, who give faulty advise result because many are more impressed with their position than with responsibility. Selfish interests include the pursuit of fame, desire for pleasure; seek advancement to the detriment of those more qualified. It is a fool who is self serving.
When I read that some officials are upset with where they sit at the table and how close their chairs are to the President's chair, then it seems that folly can easily destroy land and nations. Foolishness is found in pride for position.
I am stunned how important titles are to people. It may not affect their work, or their income, or responsibility, but having a title can produce haughty behavior. That is foolishness.
Jim Elliot wrote, "No doubt you will hear of my receiving preliminary honors at school. They carry the same brand and will be not long hence in the basement in a battered trunk beside the gold "Be" pin, with the ruby in it for which I studied a Benson. All is vanity. Life is not here, but hid above with Christ in God and therein I rejoice and sing as I think on such exaltation."
The position Jesus sought was to be a servant of His Heavenly Father and in carrying out his earthly responsibility to the fullest. “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil 2:9-11
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri May 1
Verses: Eccl 10 8-11 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9 Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.
10 If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.
11 If a snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
Foolishness in Carelessness
How many times do we experience the pain of careless mistakes? There are tasks that require careful precautions. Solomon mentions some: One who digs pits may fall into it; one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake; one who quarries stones may be injured in the process, or one splitting logs could get cut.
When some keep working with improper tools and dull axes, they'll have a more difficult time accomplishing the task. Skill and knowledge bring success. Not doing a job right can get you into the trouble. There are right and wrong ways of doing jobs. A foolish decision may be prompted by the temptation to do things that are the easiest, quickest and sometimes the cheapest.
Verse 15 relates a little to this theme as well. "A fool's work wearies him; he does not know the way to town." We have a couple of proverbs that may relate to what Solomon is saying. “He who plays with fire may get burned.” “An once of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Jesus was teaching an important discipleship principle in Luke 14:24-29. We need to count the cost. A wise man counts the cost of a project before he goes ahead to does it. Otherwise he is a fool.
All of these have practical implications in our living, but spiritual applications as well. Solomon isn't just giving good working advice to be careful on the job, but be careful in your life in the daily experiences because it can cause us to fall into sin as well. A fool who wants to catch someone in a trap will be caught himself.
That was the story of Daniel’s accusers who planted a trap so he would end up in Lions Den, but they were killed by those lions instead. Haman hated Jews and designed a plot to kill the Jew, Mordecai in the book of Esther. But he ended up there himself when the king discovered he was the uncle to his wife. Haman fell into his own trap, hung on his own gallows.
Foolishly intent on seeking harm to others can easily cause harm to fall on us. Stay away from sin. Be careful of silly mistakes. Satan loves to ruin reputations and witness through silly mistakes.
We all are careless at times. When we fall into the consequences of such actions then use them as lessons to prevent future problems. The real fool is one who does not learn and keeps repeating actions that get him or her in trouble.
Pastor Dale.
