Creekwood VBS-Wise man and Foolish Man (2)

I. Engage (5–7 minutes)

Let me ask you something to start our time together: When you think of a wise person, what comes to mind? Maybe it’s someone older. Someone who’s calm under pressure. Maybe someone well-read, educated, or respected.

Now—what about a foolish person? Do you picture someone immature? Unpredictable? Maybe someone who makes reckless decisions or doesn’t think things through?

Our world has categories for wisdom and foolishness, but often they’re based on intellect, life experience, or personality. But the Bible gives us a completely different lens.

From the very first pages of Scripture to the teachings of Jesus, God shows us that wisdom isn’t about how much you know—it’s about how you live. Not about what’s in your head, but who’s in your heart.

There’s one theme that runs through the entire Bible:

Every person is building a life. But not every life is built to last.

And at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells a story we’ve all heard:

“The wise man built his house upon the rock, the foolish man built his house upon the sand…”

It’s a children’s song—but it’s also one of the most sobering truths in all of Scripture. Jesus wasn’t giving a light-hearted metaphor—He was declaring the difference between eternal security and eternal collapse.

And what separated the wise from the foolish?

Not knowledge. Not access to truth. But obedience.

That’s our bottom line for today:

God defines wisdom not by how much you know—but by whether you walk in His ways.

II. Tension (5–7 minutes)

Here’s the tension: Many people in church—and in life—assume they are wise because they know the Bible, have been around faith, or can win a debate. But in the Bible, the greatest fool is not the one who’s uninformed—it’s the one who knows the truth and does nothing with it.

And here’s what makes it personal: You and I can attend Bible class, memorize Scripture, listen to sermons, read devotionals—and still be living foolishly if we aren’t surrendering to what we know.

So we’re going to look today at four biblical contrasts between the wise and the foolish—not from the world’s view, but from God’s.

And in each one, we’ll ask:

What does this mean?

Where do I see this in my life?

And how do I move from foolishness to wisdom?

Let’s begin.

III. Truth (25–30 minutes)

I. The Wise Fear the Lord; The Fool Lives as if God Doesn’t Exist

Proverbs 9:10 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom...” Psalm 14:1 – “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

Proverbs 9:10 ESV

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Psalm 14:1 ESV

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

The Bible starts with a surprising claim: Wisdom doesn’t begin with intelligence—it begins with awe. Reverence. Submission. Fear of the Lord.

“Fear” doesn’t mean terror—it means right recognition of God’s power, authority, and holiness. It means living like His Word is final and His presence is real.

By contrast, the fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” That doesn’t mean every fool is an atheist in belief—but in practice, they live like God’s not there. They make decisions without prayer. They chase pleasures without concern for holiness. They treat God as optional.

Real-life example: A man may believe in God but runs his business dishonestly because he thinks profit is more important than integrity. He might attend church, but his daily decisions scream, “God isn’t involved in this part of my life.”

Application Questions:

Do I live my life with a God-awareness or with self-dependence?

Are there areas of my life where I act like I’m the ultimate authority?

Discussion Prompt:

“What does it practically look like to ‘fear the Lord’ in your daily life?”

Big Idea:

Wisdom begins when we stop being the center of our own lives and acknowledge God as King.

II. The Wise Welcome Correction; The Fool Hates Being Challenged

Proverbs 12:15 – “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” Proverbs 1:7 – “Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Proverbs 12:15 ESV

15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

Proverbs 1:7 ESV

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Here’s another key biblical contrast: The wise person grows because they are teachable. The fool assumes they already know everything they need.

Fools don’t like being corrected—whether by God’s Word, by friends, or even by their own conscience. They bristle at accountability. But wise people are humble enough to be challenged.

It’s not that wise people never make mistakes. It’s that when they do—they’re willing to admit it, repent, and change.

Real-life example: A woman receives gentle correction from a friend about how she speaks to her husband. A fool would justify herself or get defensive. A wise woman would reflect, pray, and respond with humility—even if it stings.

Application Questions:

Who in my life can correct me—without me becoming defensive?

When was the last time I genuinely changed course because of counsel or conviction?

Discussion Prompt:

“Why is it so hard to accept correction? What helps you stay teachable?”

Big Idea:

The wise grow because they listen; the foolish stagnate because they assume they’re already right.

III. The Wise Live Righteously and Prepare; The Fool Lives for Pleasure and the Moment

Proverbs 10:23 – “Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool...” Ecclesiastes 7:4 – “The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.” Matthew 25:1–13 – Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

Proverbs 10:23 ESV

23 Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.

Ecclesiastes 7:4 ESV

4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

Matthew 25:1–13 ESV

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

This contrast is about the direction of your life.

Wise people live with eternity in view. They don’t just react to life; they prepare for what truly matters. They live righteously, not because it’s always convenient, but because they’re aware that Jesus could return at any moment.

Foolish people mock righteousness. They treat sin like entertainment. They think life is all about the now—pleasure, comfort, distraction. And they assume they’ll deal with God later.

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of ten virgins—five wise, five foolish. They all had lamps. They all expected the bridegroom. But only the wise brought extra oil—only they prepared. The foolish waited too long.

And when the bridegroom came, it was too late to get ready.

Application Questions:

Am I living for the moment or for eternity?

What compromises have I allowed because “everyone else is doing it”?

Am I ready if Jesus returned today?

Discussion Prompt:

“How can we prepare for Christ’s return in a culture that lives for the moment?”

Big Idea:

Fools live for now. The wise live for what matters most—and for what lasts forever.

IV. The Wise Obey Jesus; The Fool Only Hears Him

Matthew 7:24–27 – “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock...” James 1:22 – “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Matthew 7:24–27 ESV

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

James 1:22 ESV

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Jesus ends His most famous sermon with a story about two builders. Both hear His words. Only one obeys.

The wise builder builds on rock—on truth, on obedience, on surrender. The foolish builder builds on sand—on appearance, on comfort, on hearing without obeying.

Both houses look strong until the storm comes. Then the truth is revealed.

James echoes this: “Be doers of the word, not hearers only.” Why? Because hearing without doing is spiritual self-deception. You can think you’re fine, and still be spiritually crumbling.

Real-life example: A man reads the Bible daily but refuses to forgive his brother. A woman listens to sermons but gossips without remorse. These are foolish foundations—because knowledge without obedience will always collapse.

Application Questions:

Where in my life am I ignoring a clear command of Jesus?

Do I treat obedience as optional or essential?

Discussion Prompt:

“Why do we sometimes settle for hearing God’s Word without doing it?”

Big Idea:

Wisdom is not hearing the truth—it’s doing it. Fools know the right path and walk the other way.

IV. Closing (5–7 minutes)

Let’s step back and remember what we’ve seen:

Wise PersonFoolish PersonFears the Lord and submits to HimLives as if God doesn’t existReceives correction with humilityRejects correction and assumes they’re rightPrepares for eternity and lives righteouslyLives for the moment and laughs at sinObeys Jesus with actionHears Jesus but never follows through

And this brings us back to our bottom line:

God defines wisdom not by how much you know—but by whether you walk in His ways.

Call to Action:

If you're a follower of Jesus:

Where is God calling you to turn from foolishness to wisdom?

What’s one area where you've heard but not obeyed?

Start today. Don’t wait for the storm.

If you're not yet in Christ:

The first act of wisdom is to fear the Lord, to humble yourself before Jesus, and to obey His call to repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38).

Don’t just admire His teaching. Don’t just agree with His morals. Build your life on Him.

The wise man’s house stood because it was built on the Rock. That Rock is Christ. Everything else is sand.