Why Bother With Wisdom

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Why Bother With Wisdom</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id233.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Being Joyful As A Realist"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id235.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gods Guidelines For Enjoying Life"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>November 11, 2001am, Berean Bible Church, “Why Bother with Wisdom,” Eccl 10:1-20</B></div> <bR> <div> Two Kentucky men tried to pull the front off a cash machine by running a chain from the machine to the bumper of their pickup truck.  Instead of pulling the front panel off the machine, though, they pulled the bumper off the truck.  They panicked and fled, leaving the chain still attached to the machine, their bumper still attached to the chain, and their license plate still attached to the bumper.</div> <div> <U>We</U> usually don't do extremely foolish things. Yet, in subtle ways, we don't always use wisdom. And we find ourselves in a place where we say, “my life isn't working” -  family falling apart, finances out of order, problems with people at work, physical fitness deteriorating, losing friends over bitterness, failing to influence others, dissatisfaction in your marriage, overrun with busyness, held in bondage by destructive habit, empty spiritual life. Christian growth . . .</div> <div> What to do when life doesn't seem to “work” . . .</div> <bR> <div> <B>I. The Value of wisdom</B> - (Vss. 1-3) Seems in Eccl: “even wisdom is meaningless, why bother.”</div> <div> Vs. 1, importance of wisdom, fragility due to a little folly.</div> <div> Vss. 2-3 Evidence of wise and foolish.</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. Three Foundational Areas to Apply Wisdom</B></div> <div> <B>A. Principle of Consequences</B> - (Vss. 4-11) </div> <div> A fool thinks he is free from consequences.</div> <div> Vs. 4, avoid impulsive actions, avoid acting out in anger.</div> <div> Vss. 5-7, Poor choices of rulers.</div> <div> Vs. 8-9, 11, Bad timing and unintended consequences.</div> <div> Vs. 10, Wisdom, not just strength and persistence, is valuable.</div> <div> <U>“Exercise care in choices, because your actions have consequences.</U>” </div> <div> Sowing and reaping - ILLUS: Farming (sowing is not a guarantee of good harvest, but not sowing is a guarantee of no harvest). </div> <div> Painful words result in damaged relationships. Credit card use results in stifling debt. Not showing up to work or not being responsible results in lost job. Disrespecting spouse results in troubled marriage. Not working, not saving, results in needing someone else to help you pay your bills. Gambling, lottery philosophy - I don't have to save and work diligently, I will win the lottery. Playing with sin and temptation, results in committing the sin and building a habit. Not spending time in Word and prayer, but expecting a close relationship with God.</div> <bR> <div> <B>B. The Power of Words</B> - (Vss. 12-14, 20)</div> <div> (Reference James 3:2, “If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.” In Matt 12:34, Jesus said, “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”)</div> <div> Vss. 12-14, Contrasted words of the wise and the fool. Gracious vs. destructive.</div> <div> Vs. 20, Words - use caution, give respect. Your words (especially unguarded) tell what is in your heart.</div> <div> <U>“Choose words of grace, to experience peace.</U>”</div> <bR> <div> <B>C. The Process of Discipline</B> - (Vss. 15-19)</div> <div> Vs. 15, Laziness, priorities and hard work.</div> <div> Vss. 16-17, Value of wisdom and temperance.</div> <div> Vs. 18, Laziness.</div> <div> Vs. 19, Money - is this the thinking of the fool (foolish leaders), relying on pleasure and money.</div> <div> <U>“Exercise discipline for a positive return.</U>” </div> <div> Discipline is doing what is right or beneficial when you don't feel like it. It is a matter of training, not merely trying harder - it is like a baby learning to walk, like training for a marathon, like learning how to use a computer. It takes time and attention. It demands paying the price. </div> <bR> <div> Pay attention to principle of consequence, power of words, and process of discipline. Pursue wisdom, because without it, life doesn't work. A life that works is a testimony to others - get your wisdom from the Word. Christ is our ultimate source of wisdom - trust in Christ. We don't have all the answers, but we have some of the basics. Practice them.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2001, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>