Foolishness Can't Be Hidden

We will talk about this more today, but the bottom line is that if we are going to love as Jesus did, we are going to have some difficult conversations with people.

That is part of life, and it is an incredible way to share the love of Christ.

Today we are going to finish out chapter ten and we will see that it is in the difficulties that our relationship with Christ allows us to shine as a light in a dark world.

This has been the overarching purpose in our study of Ecclesiastes, to be God’s love in a broken world.

The author shares with us all the brokenness that he has experienced during his life with the purpose of helping us to avoid what we can and to know how to live with hope when we can’t.

We will start today with this idea that there are some troubles in our lives that we can avoid.

It’s important to understand that sometimes, life is hard and there is nothing we can do about it.

There are also times where our decisions make life hard and those are the things we can avoid.

Let’s jump into this and read the first few verses together.

Ecclesiastes 10:8–11 CSB

8 The one who digs a pit may fall into it, and the one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. 9 The one who quarries stones may be hurt by them; the one who splits logs may be endangered by them. 10 If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen its edge, then one must exert more strength; however, the advantage of wisdom is that it brings success. 11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage for the charmer.

It is always my goal to communicate the truth as simple as possible.

Today is our lucky day because there is a well-known phrase that perfectly summarizes this passage.

Play dumb games, win dumb prizes.

We see two different scenarios’s in this section.

First, there is a danger when we are purposefully doing things to hurt others.

The pit reference in verse eight is speaking of someone that is digging a pit as a trap for someone else.

When we are working towards the demise of someone else, there is the possibility that we will be the victim by the very trap we are setting for someone else.

Last month we talked about Hayman’s gallows that he had built to kill Mordecia.

Hayman was the one that ended up hanging from the gallows.

The second scenario that we see is occupational hazards.

He calls out someone that works in a quarry or cutting timber.

Both of those jobs, like so many others, come with inherent dangers.

Both of these scenarios can be taken care of by one thing.

Did you catch what he says the answer to both issues is?

Ecclesiastes 10:10 CSB

10 If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen its edge, then one must exert more strength; however, the advantage of wisdom is that it brings success.

He has spent the first half of this chapter talking specifically about the downfalls of foolishness and here he answers the question that he has been asking throughout this book.

Ecclesiastes 1:3 CSB

3 What does a person gain for all his efforts that he labors at under the sun?

What we have studied over these months are the effects of wisdom versus folly.

We gain success when we choose wisdom.

In our example, the axeman that prepares his tools in advance is far more productive and less weary because he wisely chooses to take the necessary steps to be ready for his work.

For believers, there are two options.

We choose to listen to the Holy Spirit as He leads our lives.

The daily time we spend in the word is sharpening us and preparing us for what is to come.

The other option is to neglect what we know will benefit our lives.

We know that abiding will always benefit our lives, but we are often lazy and choose to face the world unprepared.

We are then surprised by the difficulty of wading through the messes of life.

God has shown us over and over again that by allowing Him to guide our lives, we are prepared for what is to come.

Our actions, whether we obey or not, don’t dictate the events of our lives, but they do determine if we are prepared.

I don’t remember if I’ve shared this story with you guys before so forgive me if I have.

I have a good friend that is much younger than I am.

I’ve mentored him for years and often he will call me for advice, I’ll give him good advice, and then he does the opposite of what I tell him.

He will call me months later and tell me how horrible it went.

Of course, as a good friend, I rub his nose in it.

He called me once to tell me that he has a friend that is always asking for advice and then doesn’t follow what he says.

That friend frustrates him because the right move is obvious and the friend never listens.

I responded with, “wow, that must be really frustrating!”

He quickly told me to shut my mouth. lol

We often know what we should do.

Especially if we are spending time with the Lord.

We should not be surprised when things go poorly when we ignored God’s direction.

As a matter of fact, I’ll go ahead and say that you have no right to complain, nor will I entertain your complaints when that happens.

The reason I won’t allow it is because I love you and helping you see and feel the results of your disobedience is the most loving thing I can do.

As we discussed last week, our words are incredibly powerful and have the ability to give or take life.

The words of our mouths reveal the reality of our hearts.

Ecclesiastes 10:12–14 CSB

12 The words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him. 13 The beginning of the words from his mouth is folly, but the end of his speaking is evil madness; 14 yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will happen after him?

In most cases, you can know pretty quickly if someone is wise of a fool.

They tell you without having to say either of those words.

You know what I’m talking about.

This isn’t judgement, but rather an observation of the heart.

I like the way the New Living Translation puts it.

Ecclesiastes 10:12–15 CSB

If you have ever been starstruck by anyone, you know how it feels to speak foolishly to someone.

I remember years ago Bethany was part of a Youth Ministry training that stretched over a year.

The leader of that training is a well known guy in the YM world.

He called the house to speak with her and I answered the phone.

Y’all, I sounded like the biggest idiot.

I went on and on about nothing and it was incredibly embarrassing.

I was caught off guard when I realized that it was Marko on the phone and instead of playing it cool and saying Hi, I said literally everything that was going through my mind.

Here’s the point.

When we are trying to impress someone, we say anything and everything to that end.

Our desire to be known, liked, or respected causes us to act foolishly.

In my scenario, all that I got was a bit of embarrassment, but at other times, our pride, desire to be right, or liked could cause real harm.

We don’t have time today to go into all the details, but I’ll say this.

I have a friend that tried to do more cowboy stuff than he was able to do.

I asked him if he knew what he was doing and because of pride, he said yes.

He was almost hurt badly because he wasn’t willing to admit that he didn’t know what to do.

It is better to say you don’t know or are unable than to pretend you know.

When we put a desire to be somebody before wisdom, the truth is revealed, and we become fools.

As the preacher points out in verses eight through eleven, it could put you or others in serious danger that could have been avoided.

He has told us this before too.

Ecclesiastes 3:7 CSB

7 a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak;

Ecclesiastes 5:1–7 CSB

1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to approach in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong. 2 Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. 3 Just as dreams accompany much labor, so also a fool’s voice comes with many words. 4 When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. 5 Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth bring guilt on you, and do not say in the presence of the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For many dreams bring futility; so do many words. Therefore, fear God.

Ecclesiastes 7:5 CSB

5 It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person than to listen to the song of fools,

Ecclesiastes 9:17 CSB

17 The calm words of the wise are heeded more than the shouts of a ruler over fools.

There is much that can be accomplished by just listening or only saying what is necessary.

All to often our desire to be right or heard outweighs the need for us to just be silent.

We are so focused on ourselves that we speak up when we should not.

It is in those moments that we and others see that our heart is more interested in self-preservation or promotion.

We make moments that are not about us and make them about ourselves.

Proverbs 17:28 CSB

28 Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent— discerning, when he seals his lips.

There is a time to speak and a time to just be quiet.

We don’t know all that is happening or what will happen so we need to be careful what we say.

At the end of the day, if we are speaking from our own wisdom or just in order to fill the emptiness, all we are doing is wearing ourselves and others out.

I think our desire is to make an impact in people’s lives, but we need to remember that it isn’t our words of wisdom that will bring about change.

God’s work in our lives has given us voice.

God’s wisdom is what we need and what others need.

People will never hear God’s wisdom if we are focused on ourselves and only speaking from our own wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 10:16–20 CSB

16 Woe to you, land, when your king is a youth and your princes feast in the morning. 17 Blessed are you, land, when your king is a son of nobles and your princes feast at the proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness. 18 Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks. 19 A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life happy, and money is the answer for everything. 20 Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, and do not curse a rich person even in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry the message, and a winged creature may report the matter.

Here’s the thing, God is working in our lives, our church, in communities around central Louisiana, the U.S., and the world.

Because of what God has done in our lives, people are watching and listening to what we do and say.

That may make you uncomfortable, but it is the reality.

Whether you realize it or like it, you are a leader because of your call to be a member of a TGP Church.

I’m not just talking about West, all of them.

I’m also not overselling this.

God’s work in our lives is getting people’s attention.

As we talked about last week, how we live matters.

Our lives can have a positive effect in the kingdom and in the lives of our communities, or they can have a negative.

The determining factor is our obedience.

If at any point we go out in our own wisdom, it will be evident very quickly.

In our passage, the preacher is warning about the result of a foolish king.

He as spoken at length of the dangers of living under a foolish leader.

When we decide that spending time with God is of lesser value than other things that we want to do, we are choosing to be a foolish leader.

It is possible that you have not seen or felt this before, but I’m telling you that this is the reality.

You don’t need to be worried or stressed about this though.

There is nothing you can do to make sure you are a good leader and that is exactly the point.

All we can do is stay connected with the Father.

He is wisdom.

He is life.

He is righteous.

God is all the things we desire for ourselves and for our loved ones.

It is in devoting our lives to the father that we are able to be all that we want to be.

It is in devoting our lives to the Father that we are able to be all that people need us to be.

You want to be a good son or daughter? Abide.

Want to be a good spouse? Abide

Want to be a good leader? Abide

This is the answer.

It always has been and it always will be.

At this stage in the life of our church, it is good for us to be reminded of who we are in Christ.

What was it that changed us?

Discovering the kind of relationship that God has always desired to have with His creation is what changed our lives forever.

Look with me at how Jesus described this relationship to the disciples right before his death.

John 15:1–8 CSB

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.

It is only through an abiding relationship with Christ that we are able to know Him and make Him known.

This is how we know Christ.

How do we make Him known? We love one another.

Galatians 5:14 CSB

14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.

When we become complacent with our abiding relationship is when things begin to crumble.

When God is absent in your life, it quickly becomes obvious.

Let’s read verses 18-19 again but in the amplified version.

It picks up on the nuanced word order in the Hebrew text that we miss in most English translations.

Ecclesiastes 10:18–19 AMP

18 Through indolence the rafters [of state affairs] decay and the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks. 19 [Instead of repairing the breaches, the officials] make a feast for laughter, serve wine to cheer life, and [depend on tax] money to answer for all of it.

The author is rebuking foolish leaders who ignore the problems that their neglect has caused.

Rather than dealing with the problems, they throw food, wine, and money at the problem.

There is some great application for us in these two verses.

There is the obvious, when we aren’t daily abiding, the issues in our lives stack up.

When that happens we feel shame, guilt, and fear.

This causes us to desire to cover up the problem rather than facing it.

This is one of Satan’s favorite tactics.

He loves guilt and shame because of the incredible power it can have over us.

Rather than avoiding the neglected, we should run to it.

This roof analogy is one that the people of Louisiana can understand more than most.

If you had roof damage from Laura, you better make sure you are tarped before Beta get’s here.

Look at these words from Henry Blackaby this morning.

Isaiah 6:8 CSB

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord asking: Who will I send? Who will go for us? I said: Here I am. Send me.

It takes a pure heart to see God (Matt. 5:8). You can attend church services, read your Bible, and pray, but if sin fills your heart, you will not see God. You will know when you have encountered God because your life will no longer be the same.

Isaiah was concerned with the death of King Uzziah, the able king of Judah, but was disoriented to his heavenly King. Then something happened that forever changed Isaiah’s life. God, in all His awesome majesty, appeared to him in the temple, surrounded by heavenly creatures.

Instantly, God’s presence made Isaiah aware of his sinfulness. One of the seraphim came to him with a burning coal and cleansed Isaiah of his sin. Immediately, Isaiah began to hear things he had never heard before. Now, he was aware of a conversation in heaven concerning who might be worthy to be God’s messenger to the people. This prompted Isaiah’s eager response: “Here am I! Send me.”

Now that God had cleansed Isaiah, he was aware of heavenly concerns and prepared to offer himself in God’s service. Whereas Isaiah had been preoccupied with earthly matters, now his only concern was the activity of God.

If you have become estranged from God and His activity, you need to experience His cleansing. Sanctification prepares you to see and hear God. It enables you to serve Him. Only God can purify your heart. Allow Him to remove any impurities that hinder your relationship with Him, and then your service to Him will have meaning as you offer Him your consecrated life.

An abiding relationship keeps all of life in perspective.

As a final exhortation in this section, the preacher reminds us that we need to keep not only our actions but even our thoughts captive.

Ecclesiastes 10:20 CSB

20 Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, and do not curse a rich person even in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry the message, and a winged creature may report the matter.

You may not say aloud all that you are thinking, but your tone and body language reveal the truth of what you are thinking.

Not only that, but God sees the truth of what we are thinking.

This is the very reason that so many are done with church.

We talked about this last week.

People know when we are being authentic and when we are not.

Dead religion is brought about by people pretending to be Godly, but having these kinds of thoughts in their hearts and minds.

The world doesn’t need more dead religion.

It has plenty of that already.

What this world longs for are people that are real.

A people that aren’t afraid to acknowledge the difficult, but in fact dive in to bring God’s restoration.

When Isaiah stood before God, the sin in his life was revealed AND it was immediately dealt with.

We need to see though, just like Christ deals with our sin, God dealt with Isaiah’s.

Isaiah didn’t fix himself.

He also didn’t need to be perfect before seeing God.

God brought him into His presence and God purified Isaiah.

This is the same thing God wants to do in our lives.

As Blackaby described if you are “estranged from God and His activity”, run to the father.

We are about to have a time of worship as we close out today.

Please, don’t waste this opportunity to run to the father.

As we sing, take this opportunity to bring your brokenness to the Father.

Allow Him to cleanse and purify you.

This is why we are here.

This is the purpose of the church.

We are gathered around Jesus because our hearts are drawn to His perfection, love, and sanctification.

Let’s stand together this morning as we pray and join our voices in worship of a God that brings love into our brokenness.

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