“Why Do Fools Fall In Love”
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In 1982, "ABC Evening News" reported on an unusual work of modern art; a chair affixed to a shotgun. It was to be viewed by sitting in the chair and looking directly into the gun-barrel. The gun was loaded and set on a timer to fire at an undetermined moment within the next hundred years. The amazing thing was that people waited in lines to sit and stare into the shell's path! They all knew the gun could go off at point-blank range at any moment, but they were gambling that the fatal blast wouldn't happen during THEIR minute in the chair.
Yes, it was foolhardy, yet many people who wouldn't dream of sitting in that chair live a lifetime gambling that they can get away with sin. Foolishly they ignore the risk until the inevitable self-destruction.
And here it is again… self-destruction. It is amazing just how self-destructive we are in society today. The list goes on… drugs, alcohol abuse, perversions, neglect, irresponsibility, emotivism, sensuality, and foolishness. Yes foolishness abounds, it’s not that hard to miss. So many in our culture who do not yield to the wisdom of the Lord. They do not have the fear of God in their hearts. Foolishness abounds. Where there is no respect and no heeding to the very Words of Christ. Foolishness abounds. Why is it so prevalent? Is there anything we can do about it? Solomon wants to show us.
Ecclesiastes 10:
When you dig a well,
you might fall in.
When you demolish an old wall,
you could be bitten by a snake.
When you work in a quarry,
stones might fall and crush you.
When you chop wood,
there is danger with each stroke of your ax.
Using a dull ax requires great strength,
so sharpen the blade.
That’s the value of wisdom;
it helps you succeed.
If a snake bites before you charm it,
what’s the use of being a snake charmer?
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.
Misfortune of Folly
Fortune of Wisdom
The Solid Rock
The first thing we will look at today is the continued example of folly and how it will continue to bring self-destruction. Next, we will consider wisdom principles given by the preacher to show us how life can be better with wisdom. Finally, we will see the ultimate example of wisdom and folly with the Words of our Lord Jesus the Solid rock.
Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of this world cause us to be lead by the folly of this world to the point of self-destruction, it is the wisdom and words of Christ that will make us wise unto salvation by the power of the Spirit the solid rock by which we stand.
I. Misfortune of Folly
- Folly can be self-destructive.
A. Is the the point of verses 8 and 9 simply to be careful? The world is a dangerous place and if we are wise we will be careful in life. We will watch out for danger.
When you dig a well,
you might fall in.
When you demolish an old wall,
you could be bitten by a snake.
When you work in a quarry,
stones might fall and crush you.
When you chop wood,
there is danger with each stroke of your ax.
B. We could look at it this way… Here an innocent person is simply engaged in his occupation, and he is accidentally injured. This is the first of four illustrations of people who are simply doing their jobs and who fall prey to the dangers that are inherent in their occupations. Their injuries are simply accidental. They are not punishments for bad behavior, and they are not mentioned so that the wise person can avoid them; they are unavoidable accidents.
Here an innocent person is simply engaged in his occupation, and he is accidentally injured. This is the first of four illustrations of people who are simply doing their jobs and who fall prey to the dangers that are inherent in their occupations. Their injuries are simply accidental. They are not punishments for bad behavior, and they are not mentioned so that the wise person can avoid them; they are unavoidable accidents.
C. For sure this interpretation is true to life. Ditch diggers do not always fall into the holes they dig. Nor do stonecutters always get injured by falling rocks. But sometimes they do, and this fits in well with what Ecclesiastes says elsewhere about life’s many misfortunes. But when it comes biblical interpretation and hermeneutics context is everything.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (pp. 237–238). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
D. The safety interpretation does not fit in quite as well with the immediate context. You see the end of chapter 9 and most of chapter 10 are about wisdom and folly, and this may be true here as well. For instance, Pit-digging can be an act of evil violence. Yes we see examples of this in the Bible. On occasion the psalmist complained that someone had “dug a pit” to capture him and kill him.
I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me.
I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me.
Pslam 35:7
E. So if we see it this way, the foolish (and probably evil) man fell into his own pit! This was not an accident of misfortune but an act of justice, we could and maybe should presume divine justice. David talked about a similar incident in...
It does not fit in quite as well with the immediate context, however. The end of chapter 9 and most of chapter 10 are about wisdom and folly, and this may be true here as well. Pit-digging can be an act of treacherous violence, and there are examples of this in the Bible. On occasion the psalmist complained that someone had “dug a pit” to capture him and kill him (e.g., ).
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 238). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
They dig a deep pit to trap others,
then fall into it themselves.
The trouble they make for others backfires on them.
The violence they plan falls on their own heads.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 238). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
F. Something similar happens to the man who knocks down a wall, heedless of danger, breaking a boundary that was never meant to be broken. Folly can be deadly. In the words of Charles Bridges, “Evil shall fall upon the heads of its own authors.” This is the misfortune of folly.
G. For every act of foolishness, there is an equal and opposite self-destruction. Lets think about it… the addict seeks the calm of the drug or the thrill of the hit but ends up wasting away. Ultimately making things worse than it was before. The selfish husband or wife wants to have things his or her own way but in trying to get it ruins the relationship and loses everything. Ultimately making things worse than it was before. The angry father or mother wants more control, but angry emotions set everyone on edge, which only leads to more chaos, more anger, and ultimately less control. Ultimately making things worse than it was before. These are some of the pitfalls of folly. Dig the pit, and you will fall in. Break down the wall, and the snake of sin will come back to bite you. This is the misfortune of folly.
For every folly, there is an equal and opposite self-destruction. The addict seeks the calm of the drink or the thrill of the hit but ends up wasting away. The lusty sinner wants sexual pleasure but by gratifying desire outside the holy bonds of matrimony ends up spiritually unsatisfied. The selfish husband or wife wants to have things his or her own way but in trying to get it ruins the relationship and loses everything. The angry father or mother wants more control, but angry emotions set everyone on edge, which only leads to more chaos, more anger, and ultimately less control. These are some of the pitfalls of folly. Dig the pit, and you will fall in. Break down the wall, and the snake of sin will come back to bite you.
H. On Tuesday, September 8th, 2015, a British Airways jet caught fire at the Las Vegas airport, sending smoke billowing into the air, after suffering what the pilot described as a "catastrophic failure" of the left engine. The plane—a Boeing 777 heading from the U.S. city's McCarran airport to London Gatwick—could be seen with flames around its fuselage.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 238). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
The pictures of a burning jetliner in Las Vegas were certainly riveting. But as the plane burst into smoke and flames, some observers saw something even more startling: People stopped during their evacuation to grab their luggage. Authorities are certainly concerned about planes that burst into flames, but they're also worried that we'd risk our lives to grab our carry-on bags.
So what's the big deal with grabbing one carry-on bag? The FAA requires planes to be evacuated within 90 seconds, but as a Chicago-based air traffic controller wrote:
Let's say the average delay time per bag is 5 seconds. This includes the time needed to reach up to open the overhead compartment, pulling the bag down, and the extra delay hauling it through a crowded aisle. If half of the 170 people on board Flight 2276 took the time to take their bag the evacuation would have taken an additional 7 MINUTES longer than necessary. Imagine being the last one to exit the smoke-filled cabin knowing that your one minute evac time is now over 7 minutes!
One veteran pilot with a major U.S. airline said, "We're always shaking our head. It doesn't matter what you say, people are going to do what they do." Or as one blogger summarized this news story: "People love their carry-ons more than life itself." This is the misfortune of folly.
I. If everyone jumps off a bridge are you gonna jump off a bridge? It seems in society today…yes. Why is it that we continue to do the foolish like everybody else? This is the misfortune of folly.
J. Has our desire for experience outweigh our desire for wisdom? If it feels good, even if foolish, do it. If it feels good it must be right. If it feels good it must be of God. Even if we know that there will be serious consequences, we still do it. This is the misfortune of folly.
K. When pregnant women still smoke and consume alcohol. We still eat things that are bad for us knowing it could have adverse effects later. We procrastinate. We overindulge. We continue even to do all that the Lord commands us not to do. We do… and consequences follow. This is the misfortune of folly.
II. Fortune of Wisdom
- There is a wiser and safer way to live.
There is a wiser and safer way to live.
A. So Solomon is gonna show us that there is a wiser and safer way to live, but it will take some patience. The Preacher shows this by drawing a couple of analogies, one from a blacksmith and one from a snake charmer...
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 238). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
There is a wiser and safer way to live, but it will take some patience. The Preacher shows this by drawing a couple of analogies, one from a blacksmith and one from a snake charmer:
Using a dull ax requires great strength,
so sharpen the blade.
That’s the value of wisdom;
it helps you succeed.
If a snake bites before you charm it,
what’s the use of being a snake charmer?
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 238). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
B. One commentator says, when the Bible uses images like this, we need to slow down to understand them, puzzling over them like riddles instead of skimming over them like stories. Verse 10 compares wisdom to a sharpened blade. It takes more strength to wield an axe or a sword when the blade is dull to cut something in two. We know a man has to keep chopping at it. Yet this is exactly the way foolish people live. They keep flailing away at their work or their relationships without ever making much progress, especially spiritually. Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. It would be wiser to take a moment and sharpen the edge of the blade, so it can slice through something with a single blow. The fortune of wisdom.
When the Bible uses images like this, we need to slow down to understand them, puzzling over them like riddles instead of skimming over them like stories. Verse 10 compares wisdom to a sharpened blade. It takes more strength to wield an axe or a sword when the blade is dull, and to cut something in two, a man has to keep hacking away at it. Yet this is exactly the way foolish people live. They keep flailing away at their work or their relationships without ever making much progress, especially spiritually. It would be wiser to sharpen the edge of the blade, so it can slice through something with a single blow.
C. If we are wise, therefore, we will take the time to prepare our blade. This principle applies to education. Be sure to get the best training, sharpening skills for effective service in the kingdom of God. It applies to relationships: responsible dating is far more likely to lead to a more successful marriage than a whirlwind romance. It applies to ministry. Before starting something new—planting a church, for example—make sure that you have everything you need to succeed. Fortune of wisdom.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 238). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
If we are wise, therefore, we will take the time to prepare our blade. This principle applies to education. Be sure to get the best training, sharpening skills for effective service in the kingdom of God. It applies to relationships: a prudent courtship is far more likely to lead to a more successful marriage than a whirlwind romance. It applies to ministry. Before starting something new—planting a church, for example—make sure that you have everything you need to succeed.
D. How sharp is your blade? Are you hacking away at life like a fool or staying on the sharp edge of wisdom? Living wisely may take more time at the beginning, but it saves time in the long run. Make sure you have the right tools for the job God has given you to do, and then take the time to prepare them well. Fortune of wisdom.
How sharp is your blade? Are you hacking away at life like a fool or staying on the sharp edge of wisdom? Living wisely may take more time at the beginning, but it saves time in the long run. Make sure you have the right tools for the job God has given you to do, and then take the time to prepare them well.
E. Verse 11 is more difficult to interpret, but it seems to make nearly the opposite point. Here the danger lies in acting too slowly: “one who is able to handle a difficult matter (a charmer) fails for lack of promptitude (the serpent bites … before charmed).” Once a snake is charmed, it can be kept under control. But until then it is very dangerous (there are examples in the Bible; see ; ). Thus it is vitally important for a snake charmer to get busy and charm his snake before it bites, which would be too bad for the snake charmer! Foolish delay will come back to bite you.
E. Taken together, verses 10–11 show us why we need wisdom from God. Sometimes it is important to take more time to prepare. Some of this timely wisdom comes from life experience. Some of it comes from talking with people who are wiser than we are. But the best way to gain true spiritual wisdom is by listening to the words of Jesus.
Taken together, verses 10–11 show us why we need wisdom from God. Sometimes it is important to take more time to prepare. Other times we need to act before it is too late. Wisdom comes in knowing the difference. Ovid, the famous Roman poet, is reported to have said, “At times it is folly to hasten, at other times, to delay. The wise do everything in its proper time.” Thus the wise person is never early and never late but always right on time.
G. Some of this timely wisdom comes from life experience. Some of it comes from talking with people who are wiser (and usually older) than we are. But the best way to gain true spiritual wisdom is by listening to the words of Jesus.
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 239). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
Some of this timely wisdom comes from life experience. Some of it comes from talking with people who are wiser (and usually older) than we are. But the best way to gain true spiritual wisdom is by listening to the words of Jesus.
H.
III. The Solid Rock
- On Christ the Solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand.
A. Like the Solomon of Ecclesiastes, Jesus knew the difference between wisdom and folly. Once he told a story to show the difference—the story of a wise man and a foolish man…
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (p. 239). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
Matthew 7:24-25The wise man “built his house on the rock. 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” (). The foolish man was much less fortunate. He “built his house on the sand. 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” ().
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.
Preaching the Word: Ecclesiastes—Why Everything Matters Folly Destroyed
Jesus not only believed there was a difference between wisdom and folly; he also believed that it was the difference between life and death. But what exactly made the difference? The wise man built his house upon the rock, but what did the rock represent? According to Jesus, the wise person is the one “who hears these words of mine and does them” (Matthew 7:24). More than anything else, what makes a fool a fool is not listening to Jesus and not doing what he says. If we are wise, therefore, we will build our lives on the solid rock of Jesus and his Word—the Word that is able to make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).
The wise man “built his house on the rock. 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” (). The foolish man was much less fortunate. He “built his house on the sand. 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” ().
B. Jesus not only believed there was a difference between wisdom and folly; he also believed that it was the difference between life and death. But what exactly made the difference? The wise man built his house upon the rock, but what did the rock represent? According to Jesus, the wise person is the one “who hears these words of mine and does them” ().
Jesus not only believed there was a difference between wisdom and folly; he also believed that it was the difference between life and death. But what exactly made the difference? The wise man built his house upon the rock, but what did the rock represent? According to Jesus, the wise person is the one “who hears these words of mine and does them” (). More than anything else, what makes a fool a fool is not listening to Jesus and not doing what he says. If we are wise, therefore, we will build our lives on the solid rock of Jesus and his Word—the Word that is able to make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” ().
C. More than anything else, what makes a fool a fool is not listening to Jesus and not doing what he says. If we are wise, therefore, we will build our lives on the solid rock of Jesus and his Word—the Word that is able to make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Ryken, P. G. (2010). Ecclesiastes: Why everything matters (pp. 239–240). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.
D. These are the Words of Christ that tell us that salvation is here. The words of Christ also tell us, why we needed salvation in the first place. It all started with the foolish act in the garden where Adam plunged the human race into the realm of destruction because of his sin. Now the words of Christ declare the truth that all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.
E. Foolishness is pervasive in our culture today and has been for the all the history of the world. Foolish ungodly behavior affects us all. And the consequences to our actions is not just getting hurt or even dying. The consequences of our foolishness is the wrath of God and eternal destruction.
F. But the words of Christ declare salvation. It declares the greatest news. The Gospel of Jesus. We have been saved by Christ. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures … He came to seek and save that which was lost...
G. The promises continue… if you confess with you mouth. All who call upon the name of the Lord...
H. So these are the words of Christ. Today will we be the wise man or the foolish one?